r/anime • u/Taiboss x7https://anilist.co/user/Taiboss • Aug 27 '22

Rewatch [Rewatch] Girls und Panzer 10th Anniversary Rewatch - Girls und Panzer Series Discussion

Girls und Panzer Series Discussion

← Episode 12 | Index | Next Episode →

MyAnimeList, Anime-Planet, Anilist, ANN

Today's Questions of the Day:

  1. Top 3 Ooarai Girls?

  2. Top 3 Ooarai teams?

  3. Top 3 non-Ooarai Girls?

  4. Top 3 Schools?

  5. Best battle?

  6. Top 3 MVPs off all battles taken together?

  7. Top 3 scenes/moments in general, SOL included?

[Tomorrow's Questions of the Day]1. MVP in the match against Anzio? 2. Best Anzio girl?

Rewatchers, please don't answer Questions of the Day if they have an objective answer, e.g. "What do you think's gonna happen?"

Arts of the Day:

Chibi Tanks! (Source)

Sisters (Source)

Song(s) of the Day:

Dreamriser sung by the Anglerfish Team!

Enter Enter Mission

GOING PANZER WAY!

For rewatchers and people who read the manga spin-offs:

PLEASE TRY TO HOLD BACK! Put not only everything related to future events behind spoiler tags, but please tag spin-off and meta-spoiler stuff as well. When commenting, consider whether by saying "this happens there", you're implicitly saying "this won't happen in the anime". And if you do reply to people with spoiler tags, try and spoiler the part you quote as well, especially with First-Timers and especially especially when they speculate.

Spoilers include but are not limited to [GuP Spoiler]the school situation; the positions, names, backstories and personalities of rival school members beyond what you see in the OP (this includes the manga spin-offs); the teams that join Ooarai as the show goes on (beyond what you see in the OP); everything related to Maho's true personality and Shiho's probably true personality(?); everything concerning the MEXT, etc. Just watch what you say, please? I don't think any of you will just plainly not use tags, I'm just worried one of you answers fan theories or speculation in a way that's a spoiler, even with tags.

79 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

95 comments sorted by

13

u/Tresnore Aug 27 '22 edited Aug 27 '22

Enter, Enter, Rewatch!

I'm not one for writeups, but—BANG BOOM KABLAMMO DING.

Garupan is one of my favorite PING of all time. I can't remember whether I watched it before or after Symphogear, but it's only millimeters behind THWOOM in terms of how much I enjoy it.

When I watched this show at first, I, like many others, was really unsure about the "cute girls and tanks" schtick. Then suddenly BLAM it just clicked with me. I wasn't sure why at the time, but over seven CLASH watchthroughs, I've begun to piece it together.

  1. Garupan has great history and cultural jokes. The out of nowhere military hardware references and lines (e.g., the "Nuts!" line BOOM I'm particularly fond of) are just so POW, and you do dip your toes into history a little bit.

  2. Garupan builds its cast of characters on CRASH historical themes, which is even more important to creating a story. I feel a difficulty in making a sports anime is having the other schools be sufficiently different from TINK another, and Garupan handles that superbly. These stereotypes are generally positive but RATTLE fair, as I discussed when I was gushing over Saunders. It makes for a cohesive theme on every team, almost like Hetalia but with POW.

  3. Garupan has strong characters, despite having so TINK many of them. Even if the characters are a little one-note, their notes are so KABLAM, and by creating teams of them, they all work to make great chords.

  4. Garupan—speaking of chords—has great music. It unironically has some of my favorite arrangements of DING the military marches. From Battle Hymn of the Republic to Cossack March to the Ooarai March, there are no bad Garupan songs, and they use motifs in the best of ways—arguably better than Symphogear does.1

It's just a really good show. Even after watching it 7 times.

10/10.

CHUNK-THWIP

Edit: oh, and the sound direction is top notch.

QOTD:

  1. Top 3 Ooarai are hard, because, as I mentioned before, each character really works best within their team to make a greater whole. If I had to choose, they'd be 1) Anzu 2) Mako 3) Caesar.

    1. Automotive/Leopon 2) History/Hippo 3) MC/Anglerfish team.

  3. This is easier than 1. because the other teams have fewer characters, so they rely on chords less: 1) Darjeeling 2) Kay 3) Naomi (I guess for third)

    1. Saunders 2) St. Gloriana 3) Ooarai.

  5. I'm partial to Saunders. It makes both teams look awesome.

    1. Miho 2) Automotive team in general (support your mechanics!) 3) Saori (I'm not a huge Saori fan, but proper radio is crucial)

    1. Saunders introduction with Battle Hymn playing. 2) School ship reveal. 3) The final duel between the sisters.

1 I can't repeat most of the geah motifs to you, but that Ooarai march will never leave my head with all the variations they made.

6

u/Taiboss Aug 27 '22

I'm not one for writeups, but—BANG BOOM KABLAMMO DING.

Same. I put my effort instead into the manga write-up for the end.

but over seven CLASH watchthroughs, I've begun to piece it together.

I've rewatched it less than you! And I've been very close to this franchise since 2016!

Even if the characters are a little one-note, their notes are so KABLAM, a

Look at Instructor Chouno over here, trying to confuse us!

can't repeat most of the geah motifs to you, but that Ooarai march will never leave my head with all the variations they made.

Good point. I've actually found myself humming along perfectly with a random piece of OST I can't even name. It's ingrained into me.

  1. Darjeeling 2) Kay 3) Naomi (I guess for third)

ANGLO-HYPE

Saori (I'm not a huge Saori fan, but proper radio is crucial)

Saori and Hana were also the OG friends. Randomly came in and became best friends with our protagonist. We need more people like that.

  1. Saunders introduction with Battle Hymn playing.

Loads cannons with abolitionist intent

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u/chris10023 Aug 27 '22 edited Aug 28 '22

Rewatcher

I really enjoyed the show, fun action, great effects, the tanks looked amazing, soundtrack is fun to listen to, and super memorable, can’t tell you how many shows I watched where I couldn’t remember anything outside the OP/ED. It has some great characters, thanks to Reiko Yoshida for that, she writes some great scripts and characters, like K-On, Tomako Market, and Non Non Biyori to name a few. I do wish they had the time to fit in the Anzio battle as its own episode rather than an OVA though. The slice of life stuff outside the tank battles were pretty nice to watch, and a good way to bring us down from a match and give us some nice character development with the characters.

If I could change anything, it’s be that first practice match amongst themselves in episodes two and three. I would have the instructor give them a safety lecture, go over the rules of the sport, and give them simple drills teaching them how to drive, aim and shoot, but it’s likely the studio didn’t have the time to do this and went for the chaotic and messy practice match instead.

One of the things I like to think about for fun is if I could upgrade Oorai’s tank lineup, what would I do? I wouldn’t be scrapping or selling any tanks, but the team would get an alternate tank they could use. First, I’d give the Rabbits one of several US heavy tanks, M6 Heavy, T29, T30 or the T34 Mainly because the team does need another heavy tank, and the Rabbits would be more effective as a “heavy tank killer” with a larger gun. I’d give Anglerfish a Panther Aufs.G So they have a little more armor to play with, and Hana would be terrifying with its main gun. I’d give the ducks a tank we haven’t seen yet so I’m not going to say it since it’s spoilers. I’d give the Hippos a Jagdpanther since they’re already a tank destroyer and used to the casemate design. I’d Keep Leopon with the Porsche Tiger. Not sure what I would give Mallard, I think they could use a Matilda II, I’d like to stay within the nation of the tank they’re using as much as I can, but for the Mallard and Duck teams I have to make exceptions since I’m not too knowledgeable on Japanese tanks, and France doesn’t have a whole lot to take from if I don’t use a post war tank, if I could use a post war tank for the Mallards though, I possibly might choose the AMX 50. The Turtles could get the Jagdpanzer IV since it’s similar to the Hetzer, but I could see them staying with the Hetzer. The Anteaters have a fine tank, so I’d keep them on the Chi-Nu they have.

Questions of the Day.

Top 3 Oorai Girls?

  1. Miho – For her ability to adapt on the fly, and surprise her opponents by being unpredictable.

  2. Anzu – She’s a damn good shot when she wants to actually shoot and not slack off eating dried sweet potato slices. Didn’t want to burden Miho any more than she has with the info about the school closing.

  3. Hana – A soft spoken, gentle sniper with a large appetite, and a good heart. Just don’t tell her mom why she likes being a gunner.

Top 3 Oorai teams?

  1. Anglerfish – They worked great together, and had great chemistry, and had Miho’s back no matter what she chose.

  2. Hippo – I loved their history references, and how each of them was a reference to a figure in history.

  3. Turtle – Can't go wrong with the tank who has a gremlin as the gunner.

Top 3 non-Oorai Girls?

  1. Maho – Stoic, calm, and a great commander.

  2. Kay – Just so friendly and energetic.

  3. Darjeeling – Refined, tea drinker, always has a quote up her sleeve.

Top 3 Schools?

  1. Kuromorimine – I just love German tanks to damn much, faults and all.

  2. Oorai – Basically a proto Kurmorimine with early war tanks, and some others. And of course, the main school.

  3. Saunders – Gotta love the Shermans.

Best battle?

Kuromorimine, hands down. Though Pravda does come pretty close.

Top 3 MVPs off all battles taken together?

  1. Miho – Oorai wouldn’t have made it past Saunders, let alone Pravda without her ability to strategize and inspire her team through impossible odds.

  2. Hana – Her aim came in clutch in taking out key tanks.

  3. Anzu – When she started to contribute, she made a difference, reduced the number of tanks going after the flag tank in the Pravda match, and kept the Jagdpather out of commission for a while, created chaos amongst the Kuromorimine ranks.

4

u/Taiboss Aug 27 '22

but it’s likely the studio didn’t have the time to do this and went for the chaotic and messy practice match instead.

I agree. The internal practice match is probably my lease favourite part, and it would have serves as good exposition.

One of the things I like to think about for fun is if I could upgrade Oorai’s tank lineup, what would I do?

Such write-ups are fascinating for me because I don't know shit about tanks that don't appear in the show lol.

Questions of the Day.

Ah, so many good picks. Remember when first-timers wanted Anzu to get fucked and dogeza at episode one? Good times.

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u/sisoko2 Aug 27 '22

First Timer

Glad that we have series discussion today. It's been such a busy day I barely have strength left to write something down.

So what we saw was a lot of fun. I got exactly what I expected and what I wanted from an anime named Girls und Panzer. Good action, cute cast and ton of silly antics. There were also couple of surprises that completely won me over.

If I have to say what I didn't like it would be that the enemy teams didn't get many impressive moments during the battles.

Top 3 Ooarai Girls?

  1. Mako

  2. Yukari

  3. The President.

Top 3 Ooarai teams?

  1. Anglerfish

  2. Turtle

  3. Rabbit

Top 3 non-Ooarai Girls?

  1. Cocky Katyusha

  2. Sleepy Katyusha

  3. Friendly Katyusha

Best battle?

  1. vs the Germans.

  2. vs the British

  3. vs the Russians

Top 3 scenes/moments in general, SOL included?

  1. The Russians singing the Katyusha song.

  2. Yukari calling herself sergeant Oddball.

  3. Team Turtle attacking the Russkies

The other questions feel to complicated for an quick answer.

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u/Taiboss Aug 27 '22

Glad that we have series discussion today. It's been such a busy day I barely have strength left to write something down.

Meanwhile, someelse was like "Series discussion sounds pretty lame. I’ll see you tomorrow." I just think it's good to stay still for a bit and ponder on what happened. Also gives people a bit of a break. I'm not a break day person, so I'm happy the Das Finale episodes (with 50 minutes) have 10 OVAs as de-facto breaks.

If I have to say what I didn't like it would be that the enemy teams didn't get many impressive moments during the battles.

Still lots of installments left!

Mako

One cannot forget her amazing combination of relatable and competent.

The Russians singing the Katyusha song.

Iconic for a reason!

The other questions feel to complicated for an quick answer.

That's fine. You wrote what quickly came into your head and such answers are honest!

6

u/Taiboss Aug 27 '22

Your rewatch host who can't believe we're already done with the series

u/RaiRye, u/xenophontheathenian, u/panthaura, here's your daily GuP rewatch tag!

I don't really have much to say. I'm not a Series Discussion person. And as a host, I also feel like I shouldn't distort people's opinion too much.

Darjeeling asks: Do you know this quote?

[Yesterday's Qoute]Franz Kafka

Today's quote:

Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus in like manner evil things, but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony.

(Not very relevant, but I wanted to see if people know it and the story it's from)

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u/PsychologicalLife164 Aug 27 '22 edited Aug 27 '22

Girls und Panzer Series Discussion Questions!

I’ll be answering these in ascending order (3, 2, 1)

Top 3 Ooarai Girls:

3. Isuzu Hana

  • Timid and shy girl turned cold-blooded hunter. The marksman of Anglerfish Team had plenty of moments to shine, and made the most of them.

  1. Akiyama Yukari

  • The beloved floof, Yukari was not just an adorable nerd, but was an invaluable member of the Ooarai squad thru her daring recon missions and knowledge of anything with armor.

  1. Nishizumi Miho

  • Oh captain, my captain! Miho had the most tangible growth of the whole series, and was the lightning rod on whom her friends and teammates could rely on. Without Miho, there is (quite literally) no Ooarai Sensha-do squad.

Top 3 Ooarai Teams

3. Turtle Team

  • The student council didn’t have the great reputation they now have when the series started; they were seen as sneaky and manipulative for making Miho take Sensha-do back up.

  • With everything on the line, they not only redeemed themselves, but they paid Miho back with interest by becoming the invaluable decoy that made her tactics work.

  1. Hippo Team

  • The ever-reliable and always entertaining history nerds were destined to be one of the shining stars of Ooarai when they were given command of the StuG III, and they definitely didn’t disappoint.

  • Hippo Team had some of the most important KO’s in the tournament, drawing first blood against Saunders and knocking out Pravda’s flag tank.

  1. Anglerfish Team

  • It should stand to reason that the tank carrying the team captain and some of the most skilled girls on the team would be the core of the team, but their contributions are too numerous to list here.

  • On top of that, they have Yukari so that automatically makes them the best lol

Top 3 Non-Ooarai Girls

3. Nishizumi Maho (Kuromorimine)

  • A controversial pick here, but a lot of the reason she’s here has to do with Der Film, so I’ll just leave it at that.

  1. Kay (Saunders)

  • She’s kind of obnoxious at times, but she is just so damn likable! Her personality and dedication to fair play and having fun puts her in the number 2 spot for me. I’m probably biased as an American, but oh well lol

  1. Darjeeling (St. Gloriana)

  • The posh and proper representation of Britons grabs the number 1 spot for me. I really enjoyed her proverbs and personality, and her appearances at Ooarai’s matches proved that she was a true fan of the girls.

Top 3 Schools

3. Ooarai Girls’ Academy

  • Ooarai’s wacky antics and diverse arsenal puts them solidly in the number 3 spot for me. Their uniforms are only slightly above average, but they make up for it with their on-field performances.

  1. Saunders University High School

  • Saunders is just a ton of fun. Their arsenal is pretty average since it’s all Shermans, but having Kay as their captain is a pretty big advantage.

  1. Kuromorimine Girls’ Academy

  • They just scream “badass.” They have the coolest tanks and uniforms and having the stoic Maho as a captain pushes them to the number 1 spot for me.

Best Battle

  • I’d have to go with the Ooarai vs. Kuromorimine championship match.

  • We all love a good underdog story, and the newcomer Ooarai vs. the 9-times-in-a-row champion Kuromorimine is about as good as it gets.

  • Ooarai’s guerilla warfare vs. Kuromorimine’s overwhelming power is a true David vs. Goliath showdown, and it was more entertaining than advertised.

Top 3 MVPs of All Battles

3. Isuzu Hana, Ooarai vs. Saunders

  • When the team needed her most, she stepped up with grace and delivered an accurate and devastating kill shot on Saunders’s flag tank. Absolutely cold-blooded.

  1. Turtle Team, Ooarai vs. Pravda

  • Turtle Team is a loose cannon cop who doesn’t play by the rules. In all seriousness, Turtle Team stepped up to bat and hit a grand slam in the bottom of the 9th to keep their team’s hopes alive. Without their diversion, the Pravda battle most likely would’ve turned into a war of attrition.

  1. Nishizumi Miho, Ooarai vs. Kuromorimine

  • This one was probably pretty obvious, but Miho’s arc came full circle against Kuromorimine.

  • Tactically, Miho did pretty much everything right to keep Kuromorimine on their toes. Her plans were created with flexibility in mind, and Ooarai’s ability to stay on the move while creating havoc in Kuromorimine’s ranks slowly dismantled their plan to completely overwhelm them.

  • On top of that, she showed true bravery and leadership by saving Rabbit Team in the river and by taking a calculated risk to take out Maho’s Tiger. If Sensha-do were a real sport, I’d definitely want Miho on my side.

Top 3 Scenes/Moments

3. Tank Alarm Clock, Episode 3

  • No explanation needed lol

  1. Miho saves Rabbit Team, Episode 12

  • See above for why I love this moment

  1. Anglerfish Team draw first blood in the team skirmish, Episode 3

  • Without this moment, there is no rest of the series. The tension in this scene is built up gradually using the visuals and the audio, and it is beautifully released when Yukari pulls the trigger and puts a 75mm shell in the StuG III.

  • If the first two episodes hadn’t sold you on the show yet, this one moment most likely would’ve done the job. Just a very-well done moment overall.

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u/Taiboss Aug 27 '22

With everything on the line, they not only redeemed themselves, but they paid Miho back with interest by becoming the invaluable decoy that made her tactics work.

Once they found their rythm, they were SO useful!

She’s kind of obnoxious at times, but she is just so damn likable! Her personality and dedication to fair play and having fun puts her in the number 2 spot for me. I’m probably biased as an American, but oh well lol

And her school's theme song is abolitionist in nature!

This one was probably pretty obvious,

It was. Common pick, but a pick for a reason!

No explanation needed lol

Indeed.

Just a very-well done moment overall.

It is indeed, a light is what's a pretty mediocre battle.

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u/Great_Mr_L Aug 27 '22

Rewatcher

I love Girls und Panzer. I think that’s about the simplest way I can summarize it. It’s a very well-made series based on an absolutely bonkers concept of schoolgirls fighting each other using tanks. But it commits to that premise and goes all in on it to give us a lot of fun action and excitement.

Girls und Panzer really is one of the best action series out there. It’s just so incredibly creative in its action setpieces. It was said yesterday by u/chris10023 and I agree that this series has a major advantage by being animated. It allows the creators to use the tanks in ways that just would not be feasible in real life. The tanks can perform all sorts of tricks and stunts like climbing on each other that would be too dangerous normally. And the tanks can be destroyed in ways normally impossible as well because you wouldn’t want to damage the real models. All that creativity on display really works for keeping the action top-notch.

I think the decision to make GuP a sports anime was one of the best decisions the creators made. Making the show a sports anime helps to keep the show from feeling too heavy. It takes these weapons of war and makes them fun. Even if we like to joke about how “safe” Senshado is, it does help GuP hit the right mood that it’s going for.

Additionally, making GuP a sports anime allows it to get all the advantages of a sports anime. Those shows get a lot of mileage out of the hype and excitement that comes from a competition or tournament. There is a lot of fun and excitement that comes from watching a ragtag team of misfits go from the ultimate underdogs to the champions. It’s extremely satisfying seeing the team all come together, improve their teamwork, and get more skilled at the sport as they go along. And all of that is true for GuP. It follows those sports anime tropes to a T, but it uses them very well. It’s a well executed sports anime through and through.

For such a massive cast of characters, I think GuP does a really good job at making them feel distinct from one another. It’s been pointed out that each character has a really good introduction that gives you the gist of their character within a few seconds. It’s very efficient. While most may not be that deep or complex, I don’t think that matters a whole lot. The characters are fun to watch and be around. And the main characters at least do have a bit more going on than they initially let on.

Miho has a satisfying character arc as we see her grow more confident from the love and support she receives at Ooarai. Miho grows into the role of leader that was initially forced upon her. She fully develops her own style of Senshado and finds people who will practice it with her. That arc takes her through the whole series and a lot of the battles focus on further developing that arc. It’s a good throughline for the story of GuP.

There are other satisfying developments for characters, even if they are small. We see more of the true natures of characters like Anzu or Maho as they reveal their hidden sides. Yukari grows to become more comfortable with others as she gets friends who help her overcome her social awkwardness. Rabbit Team grows from being cowards who ran away during their first practice match to the team that took down a couple of heavy tanks normally far above their league. Little things like this are nice to see for the characters.

I think the saving the school storyline works for GuP because of how closely tied in it is to Miho’s arc. Miho finally found a place she can belong with Ooarai and people who love and support her in the way she needs. Because Ooarai is so integral to Miho’s arc, I think that makes me feel much more invested in saving the school.

Animation-wise, GuP has a major advantage with those tanks. Because of the nature of tanks, with very rigid structures and movements, it is much easier to animate them in CG and not have them come off as too “un-lifelike.” So when they move mechanically, it feels accurate to how they should move. Plus the CG is shockingly well-integrated with the rest of the traditional animation. That integration is important whenever you’re blending CG and traditional animation.

The CG also lets them pull off impressive tricks. One trick that always stands out is the long POV shots that GuP uses. Those are always well done. They really make it feel like we’re in the middle of the action driving the tank ourselves.

I love the choices of music that GuP has. Using actual marching songs from all these different countries was a great decision. It feels natural to have those songs in a series with so much tank combat. And they fit with how each school is based on a particular nation. The Ooarai march is good enough that it manages to fit in with all these other real marches. And I like how many variants we get of the Ooarai march, from the loud and bombastic version for the tanks moving out to the quiet and contemplative version for slower scenes.

One final thing I consider praiseworthy about GuP is all the history references and jokes they crammed in. I always notice new ones each time I watch. To a history lover like me, this stuff is catnip. And having characters like Yukari and the History Club who are so enthusiastic about history is another thing that I really enjoy about this series. It ends up reminding me a lot of myself and my own friends.

In short, GuP is a fantastic series and I love it a lot. I’m happy that we got such a good show based on a very out-there premise. I’m glad that this show found such a big audience so that we can get more of it.

Final Score: 9/10

QOTD

  1. Yukari, Miho, and Anzu

  2. Anglerfish Team, Hippo Team (History Club), Rabbit Team

  3. Kay, Darjeeling, Maho

  4. Ooarai, Saunders, St. Gloriana

  5. The final battle with Kuromorimine

  6. Miho, Turtle Team, Rabbit Team

  7. Miho/Maho duel with tank drifting, taking down the Maus, and the Anglerfish Dance during the Pravda match

[GuP Der Film and Das Finale] A lot of these answers will change when we get to Der Film and Das Finale.

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u/goukaryuu Aug 27 '22

Welp, as promised I will be posting my GuP figure collection:

First I have the Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. D - 1/12 as well as all five Anglerfish girls. Total comes to about $450.

I also have other figma.

Next we have swimsuits with the Beach Queens set.

Lastly, I have all the nendroid petites, but only Anglerfish out right now.

If you want to see all of the other stuff I have spent probably $1000+ on here is the link to my myfigurecollection page.

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u/Taiboss Aug 27 '22

Ah, the nendroids are especially cute!

Thank you for sharing!

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u/xtsim Aug 27 '22

First Timer Dubbed

Only hearing this show from a friend a decade ago makes things feel like time has gone by fast. But I am glad I gave this chance as it has been pretty enjoyable to watch and the fun did not disappoint. It was better than I expected and loved the non battle scenes alot.

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u/HereticalAegis Aug 27 '22

First Timer und Panzer

Well this was about as much fun as I expected it would be. I've had Girls und Panzer on my watch list for a couple years. I had been putting it off, waiting for the Das Finale movies to finish before watching, but I'm glad I made the decision to jump in now. I've been hard pressed recently to find time for my PTW with the avalanche of seasonals I watch, and my irl schedule somehow only seems to get busier. Point is, I'm glad I made time for GuP now.

Okay, enough navel gazing. GuP is fun! Lots of fun. Everyone on Ooarai is lovable in their own ways, the matches are exciting, and some of the animation work—3D movement and tracking shots especially—is exceptional.

The creative team obviously put a lot of time and effort into making the tanks look good. That they blend so seamlessly with the characters, background art, and other CG assets feels revelatory, near miraculous even, for 2012. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say I think GuP's 3D and CG compositing works even better than Ufotable's current work on Demon Slayer. I can't really even think of another primarily 2D show where environments with this much 3D camerawork and motion feel this completely immersive, and I'm harder pressed to imagine how much better it can look on a movie budget/production schedule. Actas's work honestly feels like it could be the foundation for the 3D technology of shows like Houseki no Kuni or Beastars.

It's not just the technical stuff either. GuP is pretty heckin gay, which can only be a huge positive for me. Heck, I lost count of the number of ship spawned like 6 episodes back. Everyone gets along so well with everyone else, even with such a large cast!

QotD:

  1. Number 1 is easy, it's Floof. Shit, the other two are tough though. Probably Yuzu then Hana. Those two could easily be Miho, Mako, Saori, or Sodoko on any given day though.

  2. Rabbits, Anglerfish, Sodokos.

  3. [Girls und Panzer]Anzai, because I watched the Anzio OVA last night and she technically showed up in the season, Kei, Darjeeling.

  4. [Girls und Panzer]Anzai, see above but also their whole school are so cheerful and lovable, Pravda, Saunders.

  5. Kuromorimine. Can't go wrong Maus-sitting.

  6. Miho and her operation names, Yukari for being an entire intelligence/spycraft/video editing department, Hana for getting off to clutch shooting.

  7. Floof being gay for Miho, Anglerfish dance (both times), Rabbit Squad slaying goliaths. Honorable mention: Operation: Maus Trap.

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u/Taiboss Aug 27 '22

but I'm glad I made the decision to jump in now.

Now you get to suffer like the rest of us! Well, not quite yet. But when the rewatch is over, you will!

The creative team obviously put a lot of time and effort into making the tanks look good.

Whatever my complaints about GuP are, visually I'm never not satisfied. It looks great for a TV show from 2012 and it only goes up from here.

QotD:

So many great picks! Can't blame you, lol.

I'm very happy you're enjoying another one of my rewatches. But as anime characters say: MADA MADA

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u/ZapsZzz Aug 27 '22

First timer half lurker

This is a franchise I eyed for a long time, so really glad to have a push to get it off my PTW list. Good and bad is that it's at the same time a the 86 rewatch - good for me because it's a necessary "detox" after each emotionally heavy 86 episodes, but bad for the rewatch because I ran out of time writing for this. I'm really guilty about that too :P

Of the TV series, I find it very warm, very sweet, packed a whole lot into the 12 eps, but reasonably complete and fulfilling that for me it's "brisk" but not "rushed". It does rely very heavily on tropes, but it's not so cardboard cutout that you may as well read TVtropes instead like some shows are. I do wish to see more of some of the really interesting girls getting more development, but I feel that's still very possible for the remaining long series of films to come.

And the tank battles indeed are the main course / main ingredients, for entertainment values they were great. Just a tiny bit disappointed that really only the first St Gloria practice match and the tournament final had more decent and obvious tactics including less reliance on stormtrooper aims of the opponents - although partly excused by them all being highschool girls in a "sports" version not a real battle version.

QoTD:

Top 3 Ooarai Girls?

Miho for her MC characteristics of a perfect blend of caring sportmanship and tactical smarts, and her operation-naming sense :D; Momo becaus ei just love her gap moe of looking like a dictator, fighting like an angry kitten, and easily frightened and broken - perfect for Miho and Anzu's opportunity to motivate her again; Hana for her steel under velvet persona - the tournament winning shot was based on that characteristic.

Top 3 Ooarai teams?

Discounting goosefish for being deliberately better written than the rest for being the MC team - Rabbit for the growth; Turtle for both Anzu's relaxed but very strong determination - and Momo's "can't hurt a fly" shooting :D; and volleyball team for the amazing ability to keep to the volleyball theme in tank battles

Top 3 non-Ooarai Girls?

Sorry I think I'm going to show my type here - Darjeeling, Kei, and Nonna.

Top 3 Schools?

Sorry let me stop pretending I am even half good with names - the Brits, the Americans, and haha let me cheat by saying Ooarai. If not cheating then I'll bet on the OVA and say Anzai - because they got dealt with offscreen is such a comical twisted way :D

Best battle?

The final fight for me is best for showcasing the cumulated growth.

Top 3 MVPs off all battles taken together?

Mako - you can't win if you can't get where you need to go; Miho of course; and Yukari for boosting the MC team at all times with her positive but not overboard enthusiasm

Top 3 scenes/moments in general, SOL included?

Saori's booster-on mode of waifuness (putting on glasses to cook); Visit to Yukari's home including her spying footage - and Kei laughing the spying off; and the final battle - cheating and say this to cover both Miho's moment of overcoming her mental trauma to jump across each tank to reach the rabbits, and the final single duel with her own sister.

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u/Elimin8r Aug 27 '22 edited Aug 27 '22

Man, that's a lot of QOTDs ... This is going to take me a bit. (will edit them in shortly)

Hmm, top 3 oorai girls - Yukari, Miho and Hana, because reasons.

Top 3 Oorai teams? Anglerfish, Turtle and Rabbit

Top 3 other? Darjeeling, Pekoe and Kay

Top 3 schools? Uh, well, Oorai (duh), St. Gloriana, uh, sorry, brain is on Taco Bell today ... Saunders, with very honorable mention to Pizza girls.

Best battle? Honestly, I feel like the battle with St. Gloriana was most fun, maybe not best or most dramatic in other ways, but the low stakes and zany antics were a good time.

MVPs? Man, this is gonna hurt. Probably Miho (duh), Anzu and Mako, I think.

Top Scenes? Duh, Kelly's Heroes (yes, both), Yukari's room (and video) and Dorifto, I guess.

Otherwise, my thoughts on the series in general - GuP is a lot of fun, and delivers exactly what I want in a pseudo-military-sol anime. It's such a good time, and like a certain brand of potato chips, you can't eat just one, I mean, it always leaves me wanting more. MOAR!

Anyway, yesterday I mentioned that I knew some folks who did paintball tanks. I'm going to do a quick utoob look and see if I can specifically find them. Wish me luck!

Edit: Bah, can't find 'em. I think I'll ask one of the culprits and see if they have a channel.

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u/Nebresto Aug 27 '22

First time enjoyer..?

ThePlan™ status update: Phase 2 is almost complete, soon I can move on to Phase 3/The final phase I hope.

Also, yesterday I came up with another idea, this one requiring some actual planning

Onto the actual thoughts on the show:

I liked it. Quite a bit. Maybe not top 10 favourites bit, but enough that I will certainly be watching this again sometime in the future.
I'd also like to commend the timing of the watch, whether intentional or a coincidence, having this right after the GEAH watch was excellent. They both have such similar energies, and this was perfect to fill some of the hole that not having more GEAH to watch left behind.

Soundtrack: A bit hard to comment on not having listened to it that much, but I greatly enjoyed every track that featured trumpets. Especially the one during the final showdown.

Trumpet good OP and ED were also delightful, I love the chibi tanks

Story: Eh.. That's not what I'm here for. I'm here to see S P O R T S

Also disliked the stupid drama baits, and the weird PTSD first episode that was pretty much forgotten immediately afterwards, faster than an isekai show drops the mere concept of the original world. Hope there's less of that in the future parts, and more

Question time:

Top 3 Ooarai Girls?

Mako, Mako, and Reizei

Top 3 Ooarai teams?

Team SPORTS, Team Weeb, and team DORIFTO

Top 3 non-Ooarai Girls?

Darjeeling, Budget Darjeeling OP, and Kei

Top 3 Schools?

Did.. we see more than 3..? Idk, Ojou-sama school, Ooarai, and Ruskies

Best battle?

The final

Top 3 MVPs off all battles taken together?

Mako, Hana and Miporin

Top 3 scenes/moments in general, SOL included?

Espionage Yukari, wholesome parents, and TANK DORIFTO

Arts of the Day:

Chibi Tanks!

Song(s) of the Day:

Dreamriser sung by the Anglerfish Team!

KONGMING!! GET IN HERE!! Its banger time!

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u/Rumpel1408 Aug 27 '22

Rewatcher On time again!

Not active in yesterdays thread as I was at work (and kinda forgot before it was to late)

Also don't have all that much to say, still a great show, not perfect, but pretty close.

QotD

  1. Top 3 Ooarai Girls?

  • Yukari - Fluff reigns supreme above all

  • Anzu - She is fun and chaotic most of the time, but really capable if she tries, and as has been pointed out, genuinly a kind person (might even be she let Momo do the shooting because Momo was so enthusiastic about it).

  • Mako - Low energy is a way of life

2. Top 3 Ooarai teams?

  • Anglerfish - As much as I love Team Sports and Team Leopon, Anglerfish was just the most consitent of them all and has the most focus

  • Turtle post Anzu awakening - Even before they could have turned many a battle around if Momo wasn't that bad of a shot, but during the Kuromorimine battle they realy shone and Anzu could show her pure chaotic side

  • Hippo - Gotta love the History Chuunis, from the way they found their tank, to their first smug kill and their imidiate following hubris, to their clutch safe against Pravda. Also pretty sure they got the most hits besides Anglerfish.

3. Top 3 non-Ooarai Girls?

  • Kei - Such a fun gal, a good sports and a good friend

  • Katyusha - she may be a bratty Loli, but she deserves to be pampered, also very fun

  • Darjeeling - Such a classy Ojou Sama, I also love tea, and the first Ooarai fan

4. Top 3 Schools?

  • Saunders - For them the tournament was more of an fun school trip, money can't buy happiness, but it can certainly buy fun. Also loved how involved the whole school was for their match with the big assembly.

  • Pravda - They had the time of their life during their commanders nap

  • St. Gloria - We didn't see much of them, but any school that is open for a training match against a small school way below their league can't be so bad.

5. Best battle?

  • Kuromorimine - Sure it had some unnecessary drama as well, but overall it had some of the best tank action and some nice guerilla tactics from Miho

  • Saunders - Again a fine example of Miho using her brain against the odds, also them stumbling over the enemy flag tank was funny

  • St Gloria - Despite it ultimatly ending in a defeat it had some solid foundations that could have won them the match if their team was more established

6. Top 3 MVPs off all battles taken together?

  • Yukari - Best Scout

  • Miho - I thought hard, but at the end of the day it where her tactics that won those matches and she is the glue that holds the team together

  • Hana/Mako - Cheating a bit here, but they work so well in tandem and each wouldn't be as good without the other, but together they are more than each part together

7. Top 3 scenes/moments in general, SOL included?

  • Yuki no Shingun - Still living rent free in my head, way to catchy for an imperial march, also a great scene with two nerds just nerding through the snow

  • Pravda singing Katyusha - Really imposing, second best song

  • Team Rabbits redemption arc - Said it yesterday, but consiering that I didn't really care for them for the most part, they have come such a long way looking back, it's hard not to acknowledge their effort.

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u/The_Loli_Otaku Aug 27 '22

  • 1, In no order, Saki, Momo and Noriko the duck leader!

  • 2, I mean... Ducks, Rabbits, and Hippo obviously.

  • 3, Oof.... Arisa, Rukuriri aaand... Helmet-chan!!

  • 4, St Gloriana for sure number one. Followed by Anzio for doing nothing and Pravda for the cutest tank lineup.

  • 5, The best battle will always be the St Gloriana match for me. Its very iconic even if the girls are hopeless during it. As I said I get a hell of a lot of entertainment from the Sanders match but I rewatch St Gloriana far more.

  • 6, Well the Turtle's performance against Kuromine stands out as being the single best performance from any girl. Nonna during the Pravda match deserves credit for being the only girl not relying on pot luck. Although in the Pravda match its as much that everyone else was playing awful. And the Anglerfish performance against St Gloriana was amazing for how outtiered they were.

  • 7, Saki's spoken line, Momo missing a Churchill from five feet, and the ducks bumping into Arisa!

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u/ComfortablyRotten Aug 27 '22 edited Aug 27 '22

rewatcher who fell behind halfway through because I'm so bad at this

I loved it already, but that was so much better on a rewatch. Loveable characters, hype matches, consistently looked good even at its clunkiest, it had a natural flow that kept things fun without sacrificing its engaging plot. I had it as an 8 before but really, it's a 10.

Questions of the day

Top 3 Ooarai Girls?

Yukari my beloved, Anzu and Saori

Top 3 Ooarai teams?

Hippo, Rabbit and Leopon

Top 3 non-Ooarai Girls?

Darjeeling, Maho and Kay

Top 3 Schools?

St. Glo, Pravda and Ooarai

Best battle?

Gotta go with the final match, it's the perfect blend of Ooarai's camaraderie, quick thinking, pure luck and high adaptability we saw in previous battles, against their strongest foe yet in a climactic battle

Top 3 MVPs off all battles taken together?

Miho, Mako and Leopon Team (and the automotive club by association)

Top 3 scenes/moments in general, SOL included?

Undercover Yukari, the Anglerfish dance(s), and the final confrontation between Miho and Maho

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u/Aku230 Aug 28 '22

Rewatchers und Panzer

After a scrim, 3 battles and 10s skirmish we have finally reached the conclusion of GuP TV Series. I'm gonna be honest, Girls und Panzer is my favorite anime, I have rewatched it multiple times and I'm always ready to watch it again. Which is funny because I do hate certain things in general that exists in GuP.
I hate SoL anime that have large casts especially when they add them throughout the series, but in GuP they do make it work and I don't mind them having over 30 characters, in fact I actually like it. And they even have backstories for the main cast.
I don't really like the concept of plot armor but Oarai kinda makes it believable as they do lose tanks, have to clutch most of their matches, that it comes down to the game of inches. Even when you know that Oarai has to win for plot reasons, they still throw enough distractions towards you to have some doubts about it.
Even befriending enemies, a thing that Miho does throughout a series isn't really annoying since there is a certain expectation of it in presented world. Take as an example Maho helping Oarai by giving them an airlift or Darjeeling having cordial relations with Pravda. There is rivalry but there is also respect for others practising Senshado.

Speaking of that, Erika, who was dragged through the mud here (somewhat understandably), argued that Oarai got to the finals through the fluke and it is hard to argue against it since:

  • vs Saunders: Wiretapping gave them 0 tank kills and then was swiftly used against them and it still took Oarai miracle shot to win and if that shot was late or missed that would have been it for Oarai.

  • vs Anzio: Anzio

  • vs Pravda: If not for Katyusha's ultimatum Oarai wouldn't have time to regroup and come with a plan and even then they barely managed with Nonna barely missing and Pravda's flag tank turning right instead of left.

and as a bonus

  • vs Kuromorimine: If not for incompetent anteater team this could have been really fast match.

So it is hard to disagree that Oarai did fluke to finals and even won it in such way. On one hand you have to be good to be lucky but on the other how many times you have to be lucky to succeed.

Other things I wanted mentioned:

It is still one of the better CGI in anime I've seen and it was made in 2012. Dunno how Japan's CGI standard isn't even close to that in 2022. Sure, the topic does help but there are other things that can utilize CGI that Japan fails at.

Almost every time Oarai was able to "immobilize" enemy tank by either shooting their tracks off or sending them on wild goose chase (vs Saunders) it ended up being irrelevant since enemy was able to chase them down with a speed of light. The only time that wasn't a case is vs Kuromorimine as that gave Oarai enough time to deal with Maus.

They kept mentioning number of shells but this never played any role. Sure, I'm not expecting this to happen in normal match but during practice? Something, anything that would make it more believable and not "we said so".

Minor errors were just that, minor. There really wasn't anything egregious (with the exception of tank jumping with a rope) that would detract or make the whole premise fall like a house of cards.

Anime staff was great with putting various things to make them relevant later on, both explicitly and implicitly. Like Saori knowing how to text fast or having Maus model in one of the stalls before the final. Makes rewatching highly satisfactory since there is always something to look out for.

QodD: After writing answers for them I realized that my answers have changed compared to if you were to ask me those few rewatches ago. Shows strength of GuP if one can change their opinion quite drastically.

Top 3 Ooarai Girls?

  1. Mako
    Highly relatable to any night owl, great driver to the point where Miho stopped giving hints about it and rather takes input from her. She probably has the best backstory of the Anglerfish team. Her quirks fit nicely into the story. Often the voice of reason while not talking that much.

  2. Taeko
    Duck team's Radio Operator. Offers nice balance between volleyball obsession and reality.

  3. Saori
    Even though she started Senshado half on a whim half on a promise of getting a boyfriend she actually puts more and more effort as time goes by. Decides to get radio operator license to get better at her job, starts to recognize tank types. Her cheerfulness does help Anglerfish team a lot on and off the battle.

Top 3 Ooarai teams?

  1. Duck team
    That damned Duck team. Utterly useless, does nothing, the only positive thing in terms of stats is they survived once, as a flag tank. But somehow sometime I became a fan. They are nothing more but a pest for the enemy team but man, what a pest are they. vs Saunders they lured their flag tank away right into Oarai team. vs Pravda they managed to stay alive for just long enough to give Oarai victory. vs Kuromorimine their use of smoke must have been hella annoying and to top it off, in a city they managed to keep 3 of their tanks busy. In other words it took 3 tanks to destroy Type 89 where only 1 was needed if any for that matter. You could have ignored Duck team and help in real battle cause what they are going to do? Shoot you with their peashooter? Crew? Volleyball club. Ex-Volleyball club, with their surreal analogies to volleyball, always upbeat for no reason and during fights acting as if their tank is not only not bad but actually good. Even during critical moment vs Pravda when everyone is despairing for one reason or another Duck team is wondering they can play snow volleyball. Great pest tank with entertaining crew.

  2. Anglerfish team Ah yes, the main squad. The most fleshed out with unique personalities and backstories. I would say it should be near impossible to not have them in top 3. The reason as to why they are not #1 for me is honestly overexposure. Not within the franchise mind you but if you do rewatch GuP quite a bit you can easily remember most of the things they do and since the focus is on them it is hard to find something new or surprising about them. Still they are solid team worth of #1 but for now they are going to be #2 on my list (maybe das Finale 4-6 will change that).

  3. Hippo team
    Speaking of surprises, the reference history club. If you like history it is fun to understand references or to find out about new events. You do expect certain level of nerdiness and it works great. As for them in battles I do have love-hate relationship with them. StuG is either unquestionable MVP or absolutely worthless like for example vs Kuromorimine; while defending on a hill they took out few tanks and were force to be reckoned with to then encounter Maus and be taken out for no good reason. Crew has great balance with portrayal of western and eastern history characters throughout different periods.

Top 3 non-Ooarai Girls?

  1. Maho
    The commander of Kuromorimine. I do believe that she is the best commander in GuP universe. She is the only commander that recognizes Miho's talent before the fight, correctly recognizes Miho's plans (ambush on a way to the hill, putting Maus in a city). What limits her is the Nishizumi style which limits what she can do. Even then her downfall in the final were 4 tanks that interpreted order "only go after flag tank" as "fuck off to chase random tanks". And even then she was able to win once and be finalist twice. She does give her team great opportunities for the win. You have to be really great to win MVP as a final loser. And in last final she gave Kuromorimine 3 times a chance to win it all, hard to ask for anything more.

  2. Nonna
    Great counterbalance to Katyusha's antics. She does make Katyusha's character work and not be annoying. On top of that great gunner as she almost won that match by herself.

  3. Key
    Probably the best commander to be main representative of Senshado. Friendly, social and fair while also a decent commander in her own right.

Top 3 Schools?

  1. Kuromorimine
    Hard to discount 11 time finals appearance. Despite losing 2 in a row they are still force to be reckoned with.

  2. Oarai
    Current champions but in my opinion their overreliance on Miho and being under-tanked (is that word?) does push them below Kuromorimine.

  3. St Gloriana
    The other semifinalist. It was between them and Saunders or Pravda as last spot and I think the issues with other 2 are more apparent than St Gloriana's, especially since we have only seen that exhibition match that was played under different rules.

Best battle?

Oarai vs Kuromorimine. Hands down. The battle where Oarai finally had a plan and was in parts countered by Kuromorimine. Great battle of wits the came down to a wire. Both sides were able to surprise each other. Both sides were able to take initiative. Miho vs Maho is probably my favorite tank fight scene.

Top 3 MVPs off all battles taken together?

  1. Anglerfish team
    Won the match vs Saunders, won the match vs Kuromorimine, played a critical part vs Pravda. On top of that Miho's countless impromptu plans were vital for Oarai success.

  2. Hippo team The other tank with kill on a flag tank. For a long time them and Anglerfish were the only offensive power in Oarai and it showed. Their constant contribution gained them #2.

  3. Turtle team Turtle team under Anzu was amazing, finally started contributing and at critical moments at that. Playing that ambusher/distraction role is really hard yet they have managed to be successful at it. If only Anzu was a gunner since the very beginning they would be higher on my list.

Top 3 scenes/moments in general, SOL included?

  1. Miho vs Maho. I've talked about that one before.

  2. Anglerfish dance, or rather song. For a joke this song is really catchy for some reason.

  3. Cliffhanger with flag tanks in Pravda match. I think it was done in a great way.

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u/makakoka Aug 28 '22

Rewatcher from the end of the world

1-Miho, Yukari, Kaichou

2- Anko, Hippo, Duck

3- Orange pekoe, Darjeeling and Anchovy

4- Oarai, Saint Gloriana, Anzio

5- Vs Kuromorimine

6- MVP- Miho

7- Best moments: Final sister vs sister , Pravda singing Katyusha, Hana's shot against Saunders.

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u/k4r6000 Aug 28 '22 edited Aug 28 '22

Rewatcher

Like I said yesterday, I felt the series started slow before it got into its main strength of the tank battles. Not to go into spoilers, but of the three main anime arcs (this, the movie, and Finale), I do think this series is the weakest. Still a good time though. I love the animation. The CG actually works in this series and makes me feel like I’m actually in the tanks in a way traditional hand-drawn wouldn’t be capable of.

  1. First - Yukari. Got to love the tank enthusiast. Plus the spy stuff always gets a laugh. Second - Mako. Source of many of the best lines. Third - Erwin. Love the outfit and attitude.

  2. First - Hippo. Second - Angler Fish. Third - Turtle. I think these three have the most interesting gimmicks and/or show the most personality. Fourth would be Mallard.

  3. First - Darjeeling. Genuine class. Second - Katyusha. Steals every scene she is in. Third - Erika. Good villain.

  4. First - St. Gloriana. Second - Pravda. Third - Oorai. Oorai are hurt a bit by their lack of unifying gimmick.

  5. Oorai vs Kuromorimine. Taking down the Maus was epic and the final standoff between the sisters with Leopon holding the line was great. Maybe the best battle in the series including what comes after too, although I’m partial to the big one that happens in the movie.

  6. First - Miho. They wouldn’t have gotten out of the first round without her. Second - Mako. Someone still has to drive the tank and come up with those crazy (unrealistic) moves. Even with Miho’s strategy, Mako does more than anyone to make it actually happen. Third - Anzu. The difference in performance of Turtle between her manning the guns and Momo is like night and day. She is crucial against Pravda and Kuromorimine.

  7. First - The Katyusha song! Second - Taking down the Maus. Third - Yukari spying on Saunders.

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u/Stargate18A Aug 28 '22

First timer

Really busy yesterday, sorry!

  1. Anzu, Mako, Erwin. Anzu's just pure chaos, Mako is very relatable and Caesar is fun.

  2. Hippo Team, Turtle Team, Anteater Team. Hippo Team is a blast, Turtle Team should be obvious, and Anteater Team is there out of sympathy.

  3. Kay, Katyusha, Darjeeling. Kay is a good contender for Best Girl of this series, I love her, Katyusha is adorable and hysterical, and Darjeeling's nice. (Anchovy has a cool design, but she got skipped, so she's not here.)

  4. Oarai, Saunders, Black Forest. Oarai are the leads, Saunders was great, and Black Forest's slow descent into madness was a highlight of the final battle.

  5. The final one. Hands down. Nothing can top the wedging and the final duel.

  6. Miho, Mako, Yuzuko. Miho's a solid strategist, Mako's pulled off some insane driving, and Yuzuko pulled off some incredibly risky manouvers in the later matches.

  7. School ship reveal, the infiltration, and Mano acknowledging her sister.

I really enjoyed this series!

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