Genres: action, comedy, slice of life, tournament
Themes: Tanks
Number of episodes: 12 + 2 recaps
Vintage: 2012-10-08

Plot Summary: (Via TAN)
You may have heard of kung fu, but the girls at Oarai High School practice gun-fu. It’s called Sensha-do, and it’s the martial art of operating armored tanks! Winning the national Sensha-do championship is crucial, so they go to extremes to draft the best students, which is how Miho Nishizumi, who HATES tanks, is drafted to join doomsday-driven driver Mako, even-triggered gunner Hana, highly receptive radio operator Saori and combustible tank-fangirl Yukari. It’s mad, it’s metal, and mayhem is guaranteed! Marching band and drill team take cover, ‘cause the parade ground’s about to be rock and rolled over in: Girls und Panzer!

Squid Girl Helmer Mizushima, Strike Witches Advisor Reveal Girls und Panzer TV Anime

posted on 2012-05-16 13:15 EDT

Military teen anime also has Bandai Visual publicity's Hirooka, Yukikaze producer

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Takaaki Suzuki, a military history advisor on Strike Witches and Upotte!!, revealed a new television anime called Girls und Panzer (Girls & Tanks) on Thursday. Bandai Visual publicity representative Yūji Hirooka (Eureka 7: AO, Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere) also said that he is involved, and producer Kiyoshi Sugiyama (Armored Trooper Votoms Case;Irvine, Blue Submarine No. 6, Yukikaze) added that the project has been in development for a year and a half. Director Tsutomu Mizushima (Squid Girl, Another, Blood-C, xxxHOLiC) chimed in that the "pleasant school story" is his first entirely original work (as opposed to an anime based on a previous manga or novel).

The official website for the project will open later on Thursday at 8:00 p.m. (7:00 a.m. EDT) with a promotional video that is about two minutes long, the main staff list, and part of the main cast.

Ryūichi Saitaniya will launch a manga series, tentatively titled Girls & Panzer, in the July issue of Media Factory's Comic Flapper magazine on June 5. The "military teen battle action" manga is about "high school girls x battles in tanks." It is not stated whether the manga is inspiring the anime, the anime is inspiring the manga, or if the two projects are parallel developments.


Update 2: Images from the promotional video have been leaked before its official unveiling.

Girls und Panzer TV Anime Slated for October

posted on 2012-07-27 00:00 EDT

The official website for the upcomingGirls und Panzer television anime series revealed on Thursday that the series will begin airing on Japanese television this October.

Girls und Panzer's 2nd Promo Streamed with Schoolgirls & Tanks

posted on 2012-08-09 10:40 EDT

Squid Girl's Mizushima directs school anime with Strike Witches designer Shimada

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The official website for the Girls und Panzer television anime series began streaming the anime's second promotional video on Thursday.

The video introduces Miho, a girl who just transfered into the Ōrai Girls' Academy in Ibaraki Prefecture. She finds herself alone at first, but then joins the "senshadō" (tank driving) course — in this school, the girls drive tanks that exist in real life. Miho's Ankō (Angler Fish) Team competes with the other teams. The video ends with a note, "There is no panty-flashing. By director Tsutomu Mizushima."

Mizushima (Squid Girl, Another, Blood-C, xxxHOLiC) is helminh the anime at Moetan's studio ACTAS (with 3D CGI by Strike Witches' Graphinica) with Reiko Yoshida (K-ON!, Romeo × Juliet, Saint Seiya Omega) in charge of scripts. Humikane Shimada (Strike Witches, Sky Girls) is in charge of original character designs with assistance by Takeshi Nogami (Strike Witches: The Witches of Andorra, Panzer fräulein ALTESEISEN, Sailor-fuku to Jūsensha). Isao Sugimoto (Seikon no Qwaser II, Kemeko Deluxe!, Moonlight Mile) is adapting Shimada's designs for anime and serving as chief animation director. The cast is as follows:

• Mai Fuchigami as Miho Nishizumi
• Ai Kayano as Saori Takebe
• Mami Ozaki as Hana Isuzu
• Ikumi Nakagami as Yukari Akiyama
• Yuka Iguchi as Mako Reizei

The anime will premiere in Japan this October.

Update: New video added. The website revealed that Choucho will perform the opening theme song "DreamRiser," while Miho, Saori, Hana, Yukari, and Mako (as voiced by their respective actresses) will perform the ending theme song "Enter Enter Mission."

Girls und Panzer TV Anime to Debut on October 8

posted on 2012-08-24 16:08 EDT

The official website for Tsutomu Mizushima's Girls und Panzer television anime series has revealed that the series will premiere on October 8 on Tokyo MX.

Girls und Panzer's story centers around high school girls who drive tanks that exist in real life, as they compete in teams.

Mizushima (Squid Girl, Another, Blood-C, XXXHOLiC) is helming the anime at Moetan's studio ACTAS (with 3D CGI by Strike Witches' Graphinica) with Reiko Yoshida (K-ON!, Romeo × Juliet, Saint Seiya Omega) in charge of scripts. Humikane Shimada (Strike Witches, Sky Girls) is in charge of original character designs with assistance by Takeshi Nogami (Strike Witches: The Witches of Andorra, Panzer fräulein ALTESEISEN, Sailor-fuku to Jūsensha). Isao Sugimoto (Seikon no Qwaser II, Kemeko Deluxe!, Moonlight Mile) is adapting Shimada's designs for anime and serving as chief animation director.

The video ends with a note, "There is no panty-flashing. By director Tsutomu Mizushima."

Aya Hirano Joins "Girls und Panzer" Cast

Eri Kitamura and Hisako Kanemoto also added to sprawling cast

Heavy weapony moe Girls und Panzer has a huge cast of tank driving scholastic teams. And, in that sprawl of big name voice talent and unknowns, Bandai Visual have found a place for controversial star Aya Hirano (Haruhi Suzumiya herself).

Monkfish team

Miho - Mai Fuchigami
Saori - Ai Kayano (Meiko Hanma from AnoHana, Hibino Shiba from Kamisama Dolls)
Hana - Mami Ozaki
Yukari - Ikumi Nakagami
Mako - Yuka Iguchi (Nisemonogatari's Tsukihi Araragi, Certain Magical Index's Index).

Turtle team (Team Student Council)

Kadotani - Misato Fukuen (Strike Witches' Yoshika Miyafuji)
Koyama - Mikako Takahashi (Gintama's Sadaharu, Hayate the Combat Buter's Ayumu Nishizawa)
Kawashima - Kana Ueda (Fate/zero's Rin Tohsaka)

Duck team (volleyball team)

Isobe - Mika Kikuchi (xxxHoLiC/Tsubasa's Mokona)
Kondo - Maya Yoshioka
Kawanishi - Mari Kirimura
Sasaki - Sakura Nakamura

Hippo Team

Kaesaru - Eri Sendai (PreCure's Milk)
Eruvin - Satomi Moriya (Cencoroll's Kei)
Saemonza - Hiroka Inoue
Oryou - Medaka Box's Harigane Onigase

Rabbit Team (Freshmen)

Sawa - Hitomi Takeuchi
Sango - Nozomi Nakazato
Maruyama - not cast
Sakaguchi - Konomi Tada
Utsugi - Yuri Yamaoka (Yumeiro Pâtissière's Chocolat)
Oono - Chuna

Principal

Chono - Hekiru Shiina (Might Knight Rayearth's Hikaru,Yokahama Shopping Trip's Alpha)

Guroriana

Darjeeling - Eri Kitamura (Bakemonogatari' Karen Araragi)
Assam - not cast
Orange Pekoe - Kaori Ishihara

Saunders High School

Kei - Ayako Kawasumi (Fate/Extra's Saber, Geshinen's Kanako Ohno, Nodame Cantabile's Nodame )
Naomi - Mariya Ise (Panty and Stocking's Stocking)
Asira - Aya Hirono

Anzio High School

Anchovy - casting not revealed

Pravda High School

Kachusya - Hisako Kanemoto (Squid Girl)
Nonna - Sumire Uesaka (Listen to Me Girls' Sora Takanashi)

Kuromori Highschool

Maho - Rie Tanaka (Gundam SEED's Lacus Clyne)
Erika - Hitomi Nabatame (Squid Girl's Cindy Campbell)
Judges B-ko and C-ko (casting not revealed)

Staff on the "military series that'll tickle your heart" include:

Director: Tsutomu Mizushima (Squid Girl, Genshiken, Blood-C)
Writer: Reiko Yoshida (K-On!, Polar Bear's Café)
Character Design: Humikane Shimada (Strike Witches)
Animation: Isao Sugimoto (Squid Girl)
Original Character concept: Takeshi Nogami (Strike Witches doujinshi)

"Girls und Panzer" Anime Commercial

Squid Girl's Tsutomu Mizushima directs moe mecha anime

A new TV commercial offers a short but charming look at the "military series that'll tickle your heart," Girls und Panzer.

Girls und Panzer

You may have heard of kung fu, but the girls at Oarai High School practice gun-fu. It’s called Sensha-do, and it’s the martial art of operating armored tanks! Winning the national Sensha-do championship is crucial, so they go to extremes to draft the best students, which is how Miho Nishizumi, who HATES tanks, is drafted to join doomsday-driven driver Mako, even-triggered gunner Hana, highly receptive radio operator Saori and combustible tank-fangirl Yukari. It’s mad, it’s metal, and mayhem is guaranteed! Marching band and drill team take cover, ‘cause the parade ground’s about to be rock and rolled over in: Girls und Panzer!


Language: Japanese w/ English Subtitles
Schedule: Coming Soon
All 12 episodes will be available to watch on Anime Network Online for FREE!

Crunchyroll to Stream Girls und Panzer TV Anime

posted on 2012-10-03 14:52 EDT

ACTAS, Tsutomu Mizushima's schoolgirl/tank series to premiere on October 10

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The media distribution service Crunchyroll announced on Wednesday that it will stream the Girls und Panzer television anime series. Crunchyroll will stream the series on Wednesdays starting on October 10 at 11:00 p.m. EDT. The series will be available for members in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, and South Africa.

Sentai Filmworks announced last weekend that it has acquired the series for digital and home video distribution, and the company plans to release the series on home video in 2013.

The story follows Miho, a girl who just transfered into the Ōrai Girls' Academy in Ibaraki Prefecture. She finds herself alone at first, but then joins the "senshadō" (tank combat) course — in this school, the girls drive real-life tanks the way girls in other schools take archery or kendō sword fighting. Miho's Ankō (Angler Fish) Team competes with the other teams.

Tsutomu Mizushima (Squid Girl, Another, Blood-C, xxxHOLiC) is directing the anime at Moetan's studio ACTAS (with 3D CGI by Strike Witches' Graphinica) with Reiko Yoshida (K-ON!, Romeo × Juliet, Saint Seiya Omega) in charge of scripts. Humikane Shimada (Strike Witches, Sky Girls) is in charge of original character designs with assistance by Takeshi Nogami (Strike Witches: The Witches of Andorra, Panzer fräulein ALTESEISEN, Sailor-fuku to Jūsensha). Isao Sugimoto (Seikon no Qwaser II, Kemeko Deluxe!, Moonlight Mile) is adapting Shimada's designs for anime and serving as chief animation director. The main cast includes:

• Mai Fuchigami as Miho Nishizumi
• Ai Kayano as Saori Takebe
• Mami Ozaki as Hana Isuzu
• Ikumi Nakagami as Yukari Akiyama
• Yuka Iguchi as Mako Reizei

Singer Choucho is performing the opening theme song "DreamRiser," and Miho, Saori, Hana, Yukari, and Mako (as voiced by their respective actresses) are performing the ending theme song "Enter Enter Mission."

The series debuts in Japan on October 8.

Girls und Panzer Blu-rays to Have Original Anime Shorts

posted on 2012-10-05 00:00 EDT

12-minute short in each BD; 1st BD to bundle box drawn by Strike Witches' Shimada

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The official Twitter account for the Girls und Panzer television anime series announced on Friday that every Japanese Blu-ray Disc volume of the anime will include an all-new original video anime short. Each short will be about 12 minutes long.

Bandai Visual will ship the first volume on December 21. The first edition of that volume will bundle a box for the entire series, and the anime's original character designer Humikane Shimada (Strike Witches, Sky Girls) illustrated the box.

Also bundled is a 32-page collection of Shimada's original character designs, and an advance entry form for tickets to an event on April 28, 2013. Voice actresses Mai Fuchigami (Miho Nishizumi), Ai Kayano (Saori Takebe), Mami Ozaki (Hana Isuzu), Ikumi Nakagami (Yukari Akiyama), and Yuka Iguchi (Mako Reizei), and others are scheduled to appear at the event.

The story centers around high school girls who drive tanks that exist in real life, as they compete in teams. The television series will premiere in Japan on Monday, and Crunchyroll and Anime Network will stream the anime outside Japan.

Girls und Panzer BD/DVD Ad Previews Beach Video Anime

posted on 2012-10-11 15:00 EDT

"Water War" short in 1st BD along with series box drawn by Strike Witches' Shimada

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A commercial began airing for Bandai Visual's six Blu-ray Disc/DVD volumes for the Girls und Panzer television anime series in Japan. The ad shows a brief glimpse of "Water War," the beach original video anime included in the first Blu-ray volume.



Bandai Visual will ship the first volume on December 21. The first edition of that volume will bundle a box for the entire series, and the anime's original character designer Humikane Shimada (Strike Witches, Sky Girls) illustrated the box. The first volume will have a 20-minute sound drama of characters' self-introductions, television commercials, the first two-minute promotional video, two audio commentaries by three staff members and three cast members, nine character playing cards and an exclusive booklet whose cover is illustrated by character designer Isao Sugimoto.

Also bundled is a 32-page collection of Shimada's original character designs, and an advance entry form for tickets to an event on April 28, 2013. Voice actresses Mai Fuchigami (Miho Nishizumi), Ai Kayano (Saori Takebe), Mami Ozaki (Hana Isuzu), Ikumi Nakagami (Yukari Akiyama), and Yuka Iguchi (Mako Reizei), and others are scheduled to appear at the event.

The story centers around high school girls who drive tanks that exist in real life, as they compete in teams. The television series will premiere in Japan on Monday, and Crunchyroll and Anime Network will stream the anime outside Japan.

That pink monstrosity is an M3 Lee, which was designed and manufactured by the US, but was used extensively by British forces.

Hornet65 wrote:
Some say M3 Lee, others say M3 Grant. (I am not familiar with the subject.)

Wikipedia mentions M3 Lee and M3 Grant, but does not have a nice side-by-side comparison of their silohouettes.