Girls & Panzer Movie

Story: (8/10)
- I can't exactly give it a 9 or a 10 despite how much I liked the story. For starters, the story isn't exactly deep. You can take the story at face value. What makes it deserve an 8 though? For starters, the dorama in this movie is REAL. It exceeded what the series even did in 2 hours of content. But enough about the dorama, WHAT ABOUT THE TANKS. The amount of absurd tank movements and tactics in this movie is cranked up to 11. And you thought the series had WTF tank tactics, wait till you get a load of the movie. ... Apparently tanks can now turn into roller coasters and make jumps that make monster truck somersaults look like child's play. I cried so hard from laughing. But despite the tactics, the action pack and the twists in the movie keeps me at the edge of my seat. There wasn't many dull moments in the movie. If I had to state any problems though, its that the start of the movie, your bombarded with an entire group of new characters. The pacing in the movie is so-so. You can easily keep up with the movie, the plot doesn't move too slowly, and most of the movie is dedicated to tank battles anyways

Art: (9/10)
- The animation remains consistent. There weren't any off-models as far as I saw, and the combination of 2D and the 2.5D animations really blends. The visual effects also remain consistent as from the series, so you can expect some eye catching visuals from the tanks and the girls

Sound: (9/10)
- As usual, the voice actresses/actors all did a wonderful job. But thats basically seconday. WHAT ABOUT THE TANKS AGAIN. The tanks all still have the sound effects from the series. Barely anything was changed. There was a lot more action in the movie, so its much appreciated that they did a good job with the tank explosions, tank sounds, and tank cannon blasts.

Character: (8/10)
- Just cuz its the tail end of the series doesn't mean there's no room for character development. Despite the shallow plot of the series, there was much room for character development in the series. We're shown a brand new side to each character, sides that we never saw before.

Enjoyment: (9/10)
- Putting aside the initial hype I had for this movie, the movie truly is enjoyable. It exceeded my expectations. The comedic tank tactics, the suddenly tanks can do better stealth than Big Boss, the explosions, the visual effects all make up a really exciting tank battle, and the dorama and interactions make the peaceful moments interesting. If you enjoyed the series, your going to enjoy this movie a lot

Overall: (9/10)
- The story isn't bad. The reasons for things to happen are simply because "it happened" is probably one of my problems with the story aside from the sudden bombardment of new characters. It seems vague cuz I did my best not to spoil any story elements as much as I could. But despite the shallow reasoning, the interactions and the ensuing reactions and dorama that follows more than make up for it. The bigger involvement of characters that were underused in the series really made an impact for me. The tank battles were awesome though, no matter how impossible I think they are. Overall, it was a good watch, and if you enjoyed the series, you'll very well enjoy the movie

10/10??!! (technically 9.6/10 but hey, who the hell cares)
You crazy man? NO! I am most certainly not!
This movie displays the epicness of the whole GuP series in 2hrs, a true masterpiece!

STORY 9/10
The story of the Girls und Panzer series is faithfully followed, and not in dragging on kind of way! There is not much that can be said that won't spoil anything, but the series showed clear development, introduces you very nicely to the movie, they start the movie by reintroducing the schools from the series. There is a clear structure of every story: setting, complication, resolution, and this movie hit the nail on all ... of these. As per usual there were side plots developing characters and relations between characters.

There are a few plot twists here and there. AND NO THESE WERE NOT BAD PLOT TWISTS... (BTW: The premise of the whole GuP story of Girls School VS Girls School in tanks, is rather weird, but I think they are trying to make a point about gender equality)

About the gender equality: The series, when a promotional video of Sensha-dou is shown, talks about how it's good for women to grow up strong, have skills that are not usually associated with the female gender (and skills that ARE associated with the female gender), and the fact that a usually male job is not a male job here. I may be overthinking this though... and I'm not one to judge these things ^-^

All in all, the story was shallow, but that doesn't stop it from being good!
With good development and reintroduction, the movie lays out for an epic 2hrs of action (which is the main focus of the series after all).

Art 10/10
The art is just like the series' art if not slightly better (I watched the series in 720p and the movie 1080p, so that might be the cause of the difference). If you haven't watched the series, you SHOULD. The 3D tank models have never looked out of place, in the series and here. The models are well done and always accurate to look like the tank IRL.

Sound 10/10
If you had watched the series, you would have heard a lot of flutes and glockenspiels. Some complained about the "high pitch-ness" of the OST, but in the movie they kinda toned that part down and replaced it with more strings and bass. This is quite the improvement as it makes the marching songs that are played suit the battle scenes much more than they did in the series (and I'm not saying they were bad in the series). The guns sounds and explosions actually felt more realistic. To me they sounded like the updated sounds you hear in World of Tanks. I did see Wargamming Japan in the credits.

Character 9/10
Characters are all consistent. Thank goodness for that. EVEN THE NEW CHARACTERS! The new characters are not really introduced, but from watching, you do get a very good picture of who they are with what they do, say and look like. There is a trio of girls that are, probably, purposely kept rather ambiguous.

This is a movie however. Movies are limited to a 2hr timeslot, whereas the series had about 4 hrs (20mins x 12eps). This leaves little time for character development, BUT few characters are introduced, and as stated above, you still do get a clear image of them. OH AND WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NISHIZUMI SISTERS AND THE BOKOS (dem teddy bears).

Enjoyment 10/10 (11/10 if i could!)
The movie did not try to be something it could not be, following a similar formula to the series.
Character development --> Tank Battle <-- During battle more development
There are a few laughs here and there and parts where it is very dramatic and some could say exaggerated (my friend was laughing through a part that was very dramatic). This however is no problem as it serves to show character relationships (except for the physics that were "dramatised").

If you dont mind the rather weird premise, the cute characters, and full female crew, this movie will be great and satisfy you like it satisfied me as an anime viewer, and as an GuP fan. The battles keep you on the edge of your seat, and character to character relations warm your heart. The movie is a thrilling masterpiece that is recommended to all anime viewers and GuP fans, or any who enjoyed the series!
PS: IF YOU HAVENT WATCHED THE FIRST SERIES AND MATERIAL RELATED TO IT, DO IT. JUST DO IT MATE.

Overall 9.6/10 - rounds to 10, so... 10/10 :D
So then, PANZER VOR!

I realise my review is a little all over the place, but that's because I added some stuff after my 1st rewatch (so I've watched this twice now). IT REALLY WAS THAT GOOD FOR ME~ (* >ω<)b

WHERE IS THE CONTINUATION? (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

Girls Und Panzer Der Film is one of the most enjoyable film I have watched this year. It features tank battles that's longer than the first season, more exciting to watch and 75% of the movie is just pure adrenaline thrilling tank battle scenes that makes this 2 hour movie more like a 15 minute movie.


[Story]: (7/10)
"Panzer Vor!"
"Commander Nishizumi, what does "Panzer Vor" mean?"

In the first season, the girls of Ooari High School worked together to get to the top and won the tournament that prevented the Ooari High School's shut down. It turns out that the High School is still going to be ... shut down despite the girls winning the tournament because of "reasons".

In short, the story of the movie is not something new. It basically recycles the first season's story but with a little twist. The High School has been shut down and the girls must win the new tournament by facing and winning against a University team so they can save their school once again.

If you're hoping for a new story then I think you'd be disappointed in the movie's recycled story line but I have my reasons on why I enjoyed this movie and why I thought this is better than the first season.

The main reason why I enjoyed this movie so much is of course, the Tank vs Tank battle scenes. If the tank battle scenes was too short for you in the first season then you'll definitely enjoy the long tank battle scenes that can last for over half an hour. The movie also has way more ridiculous tank physics that breaks the laws of physics like that roller-coaster scene (The Italian tank vs the American M24 Chaffee) that I definitely enjoyed watching but also super ridiculous and that one scene where a Hetzer used a flipped Italian tank as a ramp to destroy that monstrous 600mm artillery tank. There's also way more tank drifts in this movie. Like can you imagine a heavy tank like a KV-2, IS-2 or a Tiger I drifting? Yeah, me neither but we gotta remember that anime physics ≠ real life physics.

There are also a bunch of new tanks introduced like the American Heavy Tank M26 Pershing, Light Tank M24 Chaffee, Heavy Tank T28/T95, the British Heavy Tank Conqueror, and that 600MM "Karl-Gerät" artillery or simply code named as "Karl". We get to see all the new tanks introduced in action and it made a guy like me scream like a fangirl because I'm happy that the staff went all in with this movie. If you're a tank enthusiast like me or you have a great knowledge about tanks then this movie will freaking make you drool.

The story of GuP der Film may be weak but the plot is not really the main focus of the film. If you focus on the action scenes then you'll definitely enjoy this movie way more than the first season.
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[Art/Animation]: (10/10)
The studio have really outdone themselves in terms of the movie's animation. In my first season review, I said that the only issue I have with the show's animation is its frame rate issues. In the movie, to no surprise, they solved the frame rate issues and the tank battles were more smoother and it made the tank battle scenes more thrilling to watch. The CGI tank designs are great as usual and just like the first season, there's the "attention to details". Finally, there's absolutely no fanservice scenes. Thank.God
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[Sound]: (10/10)
In my first season review, I said that I would watch the movie with my high-quality bass headphones even if it kills my ears. Well, I did watch the movie in my headphones and the tank engine sounds, gun sounds and the track sounds are better. Something tells me that they actually recorded a real life tank firing because the tank gun sounds in the movie killed my ears once again. Especially the sound of that KV-2's 152mm gun sound and Karl's 600mm gun sound which is the loudest gun sound I have ever heard in my life. It's all worth it though.

I love the movie's OST, especially those marching sounds and the OST version of the ED theme song from the first season.

The movie has no OP theme song and the ED theme song is "piece of youth" by ChouCho. I actually enjoyed the ED theme song. The melody is more dramatic rather than a happy-go-lucky tune which, to me is more fitting because this is the last GuP in the series and I highly doubt there will ever be a sequel.
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[Characters]: (8/10)
All of the characters in the first season that you know and love (including those character who fought against the Ooari High School Academy in the tournament) are all here fighting side by side which isn't really a surprise if you've seen how they acted after being defeated by Ooari High School. It was actually pretty interesting to see these characters fight side by side because not only do they get more screentime but we also get to know more about these characters and the opportunity to learn more about them since they were the antagonists in the main series. I'm not going to talk about the characters again since you already know them (assuming that you have watched the first season but if you didn't then you're making a dumb ass move.)
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[Enjoyment]: (10/10)
When I heard that GuP der Film is going to basically have the same old storyline, my hype and expectations for this movie were super low. When I decided to watch the movie, this movie completely blew my expectations and I enjoyed every second of it. I didn't expect the tank battle scenes to be longer and this exciting to watch. Hell, I didn't even notice that the 2 hours had passed by when the credits rolled in. That's how much I enjoyed this movie.
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[VERDICT]
Girls Und Panzer der Film is definitely one of the best and most enjoyable anime movie I have ever seen. The plot may be weak but it makes up for it by having a fun cast of characters and longer and thrilling tank battle scenes. If you're a fan of the first season then this movie is a must-watch. Though, I wish the movie was about 10-15 minutes longer because the ending was a bit unsatisfying but that's just me. Anyways, I will definitely buy the Blu-Ray version once someone licenses it in the West because I will be watching it again and the staff involved in this movie deserves every single penny in my bank account.

[OVERALL]: (9.4/10)


Pros:
+Thrilling Plus Longer Tank Battle scenes
+Outstanding Animation and Great CGI Tank Designs
+Great Soundtracks and an almost realistic tank gun, engine, and track sounds
+Fun cast of characters

Cons:
-Same old storyline

Governments : no
Ooarai Girls Academy : Ah shit, here we go again.

A continuation of the series "Girls & Panzers" where this time it was revealed that the governments jebaited Ooarai and shuts down the school. So they have to challenge some university in order to take back their school.

Other academies also came and help Ooarai Girls Academy to fight against the university. It's a lit 2 hrs of tank battles and strategies. That's about it.

This movie is something you should watch if you feel like you want to continue to see the series and see what happens next.

10/10. Another masterpiece.

Imagine if you had Mad Max: Fury Road except you replace all the characters with moe girls. The results: pure awesomeness. It's almost hard to believe that an obscure little 1-cour anime from 2012 starring cute girls playing around in tanks in silly fashion has managed to come up with a movie that is not only the second-best selling anime movie of all time at the time of writing this, but also one of the most intense and thrilling action films I've ever had the pleasure of watching. Hollywood would be proud.

Taking place shortly after the events of the original TV-series, the movie jumps right ... into the action from the very first second, dropping you into the middle of a Sensha-do battle between all the familiar characters of the show from their various countries. This scene goes on for a whopping 25 minutes, and it isn't until after that that you actually find out the context of what's going on. The story of the film is undoubtedly its weakest part. Supposedly despite their victory at the end of the TV-series, their school is still forced to shut down. But after some diplomatic negotiations, they end up striking a deal with the higher ups stating that if they can defeat the university team together in a Sensha-do battle then their school will stay open. In this way, all the girls from the original show now join forces and fight side by side against a common, overwhelming enemy. It's a bit simplistic and contrived, but it doesn't really matter because it's not the focal point of the movie at all. This is all about the battles themselves, and about 75% of the film does in fact take place on the battlefield as a result.

And that is how the Girls und Panzer movie severely outclasses its original counterpart. The tank battles in this film are simply fantastic. The production value is totally on point with fast and fluid animation throughout the hectic field of battle, and the sound effects used for all the various tank guns sound completely believable. They clearly didn't hold back on the decibels nor the bass on that part, just the way it ought to be (though the girls still aren't wearing ear protection inside the tanks... but whatever). What really makes the film stand out though is the scripting and execution of the action scenes themselves. Case in point: this movie is absolutely hysterical. It gives logic the middle finger and does whatever it feels like solely for the sake of being as entertaining as possible. It's like Gurren Lagann but with tanks instead of drills and robots. Driving tanks on top of each other and use the lower one to pole vault the top one through the air? Sounds fun. Camouflaging tanks as giant ducks and ninja attack from the water? Hey whatever works. Letting loose a Ferris wheel and letting it roll over the enemy forces? A very reliable strategy to have in your back pocket. Having a full speed tank chase up and down a roller coaster track? Why the hell not; I want to try a ride like that next time I'm at Disney World too. In short, it's utter lunacy. But it's incredibly effective.

On top of that the ridiculously exaggerated character cast is back stronger than ever with their hilarious national stereotypes: the Brits can never stop drinking tea even in the middle of combat, the Italians are under the impression that all the problems of the world can be resolved by pasta and the Russians keep up the patriotism to a degree not even their own commander can stand. The dialogue is incredibly light-hearted and funny more often than not, and combined with the complete insanity that is going on non-stop as far as the action scenes go, the movie ends up being a never-ending joyride of both laughter and excitement at the same time. It's about as jam-packed with pure entertainment value as it gets. And as a result I honestly think this is the most pure fun I've had watching anime in the last two years.

At heart, the Girls und Panzer movie is a very straightforward and simplistic creation. But as they say, sometimes simpler is better, and with execution of this level it's most certainly true. I can't recall the last time I sat down and watched a 2-hour long film and have it only feel like it was 30-40 minutes long at most. It's just that exhilarating.

As an anime, Girls und Panzer has a relatively simple formula - win the tournament, save the school. Given the conclusion was already pretty much foregone in the show there wasn't too much tension as to how the plot would ultimately resolve, but what it lacked in story it made up for in a cast of entertaining characters and exciting, highly-detailed battle scenes.

The film does everything the show does - quite literally, in fact, as the set-up is the exact same premise, boiling down to about an hour and a half of tank battles and half an hour of emotional fluff. This may seem lazy ... to some, but if you were sitting down to this show expecting something other than the thinnest pretense to feature lots of explosions and character service I don't know what you were watching to begin with.

As far as providing character service and explosions goes, the movie does a decent job with both. All the favorites return and characters such as Katyusha and Anchovy get a surprising (and welcome) amount of screen time, but given the need to cram so many characters into two hours there are many others who are reduced to a few soundbites. Things like Yukari's sneaking missions or... whatever the other characters did are notably absent. The opposition, unlike the teams in the series, isn't given any sort of obvious characterization and functions only as another obstacle for the underdogs to overcome. Belying the prodigious amount of art featuring her the head of the new opposing team is relatively nondescript beyond her character design - other than being a loli who's good at doing tank stuff and likes a certain stuffed bear there's little else to say about her and she gets relatively few scenes.

The battle scenes - making up the bulk of the film - are good-looking and well-executed. There are some new tanks introduced as well (one of which causes a lot of big, nice-looking explosions), although unlike the show we aren't given much background information about them.

Beyond the characters and the battles there's relatively little to say about the movie - the focus of the remaining half hour is largely the characters feeling sad and, unlike the show, the planning process for the battle is relatively short. There's some bonding between Miho and her sister but here too the film treads lightly and mostly functions as a 'feel good' bookend to the events of the show. The battle between schools ends somewhat abruptly and the aftermath is some brief scenes set to music while the credits roll - but then, given the thin excuse for a plot, were you expecting anything else?

Tank Fu the Anime Movie!!!

Girls und Panzer der Film is the contiutation to the Girls und Panzer anime series and considering LA loved the anime series, LA couldn't wait to see this movie!.

So from the synopsis, the movie is really an 120 minute finale to the anime series with the same stakes and soo many batshit insane tank fu and really LA didn't mind. This movie had the same "flavour" from the anime series and the tank fu guys...the tank fu!!!.

In terms of characters, well we have a HUGE cast of characters from the anime series, the OVA and some new opponents for the Ooarai ... Girls High School and to be sure there is limited character development by the end result of it. At best Miho and Maho Nishizumi's relationship is touched upon from anime series and some of the Ooarai girls (and by extension the majority of the international tank girls) get "developed" a bit through learning from their mistakes (Be it from this movie or the anime series) or giving some depths to them from the Public Moral Commitee group turning into Mako Reizei to Katyusha's personality to Anzu Kadotani's badassery towards the government assholes of the movie. LA can't really blame that the character devleopment is minimal as trying to develop almost 100+ characters (from the multiple tank girls groups from MULTIPLE schools, to the opponents to the government assholes what have you) is damn well impossible in a 2 hour timeframe while trying to tell a story. So having at least a bit of character development from the "main charcter" of Miho and her relationship with her sister is at best a bonus.

There is some comedy within this movie, sometimes unintentionally. The comedy really goes "expect the unexpected" in the tank battles and sometimes just making playful fun at the huge cast of international characters. Though, LA's favourite character outside of the Anglerfish Group of Ooarai being Momo Kawashima voiced by Kana Ueda the vice president of the school, got a few laughs from LA. If you wanna know LA's favourite character of the Anglerfish Group it's Mako Reizei voiced by Yuka Iguchi the driver of their tank.

In terms of animation by Actas, the animation from the character design, well the designs have varying designs that make them all pretty noticable, however once again due to the large head count from this series, it's hard to remember their names besides the Anglerfish Group and the main leader of the opponents in the final tank battle. The tank animation by all means is the BEST things about this movie and by in large the anime series, sure they use CGI, but it's largely NOT annoying as the tank's CGI blends in well with the rest of animation from the characters to background animation not to mention it felt like Actas went all out with the tank animation giving tank damage to even the simplist things as scratching and smog like from the anime series but in greater detail than usual and let's not stop there, the few POV scenes involving Miho were brilliantly animated bringing in the immersion and intenisty of the tank battles, LA just kinda wished there were more of POV scenes. Overall, Actas went all out with the animation and it god damn well shows it.

The soundtrack also needs a mention here as LA just loved the militaristic melodies with Russian and German influences it had that just amplified the tank battles it had, from intense to soothing making it very versatile for all moods this movie had, the soundtrack nonetheless is surperb, even if they were already used in the anime series, it's nice to have that soundtrack back for the movie.

The ending, being a climactic battle to save the school, the final battle as expected was exceptional but it felt rather abrupt but kinda satisfying at the same time, it just "ends", maybe another 10 minutes for a proper epliogue after the final battle would have eliminated the abruptiness, nonetheless the penultimate scenes of the final tank battle gave impact and leeway for the ending to be "ok".

The tank fu in this movie just outright turn it up to an eleven for the movie, no don't believe, LA?, well ok, here's an example, how about a tank literally SERVES another tank then another tank uses the served tank that has now flipped as a springboard to fire at the opponent tank which happened to be a mortar tank trying to fire at the springboarded tank. LA rests LA's case. The tank fu in this movie is seriously no joke and MANY times LA's jaw just kept hitting the floor as to how batshit crazy some of these tank fu stunts were......................and they were f*cking amazing and by extension made this movie for LA.

Sure this movie has some flaws as previously mentioned the minimal character development of the huge cast to the somewhat simplistic premise and plot of the movie (win a one-sided match to save the school) to the aburpt ending, however the tank fu and really the only 2 HUGE tank battles throughout this movie, even if it was only 2 battles, they were well enough satisfying and the 2 battles themselves takes well over 70% of the whole runtime. Call this LA's guilty pleasure or whatever but the insane almost impossible tank battles and skirmishes in this movie was the sole reason this movie moved from a 9 out of 10 to a 10 out of 10.

If your a fan of Girls und Panzer series, it's a must watch for either closure or for more tank fu insanity, if your not familiar with the series and watch it blind, then it'll still be a spectacle (and a rather jaw dropping experience) to watch.

Seriously where in the world do you see tanks fighting on top of rollercoaster tracks!??!?!?

Panzer vor!!!!!!!

Girls und Panzer, not just Der Film, is pretty generic. Generic characters, generic story, everything points to it being a rather forgettable anime with a gimmick of tanks. But it seems that the team that gave birth to this show, and now movie, has absolutely mastered the art of presentation.

The story is rather simple. The heroes have a problem, X will be taken away from them unless they do the seemingly impossible task of Y. To be honest, the story isn't really something that's to be focused on and it certainly shouldn't be what you're watching this movie for. Rather, it's there to make ... the characters act. The team that created GuP knew exactly what they were doing. It gets a high score not for being original, but because the conflict is there when it needs to be and not when something else is to be focused at. The characters, and us, do not need to be reminded what they're fighting for. They, and we, already know.

The characters are also another result of a masterful presentation. Again, they've taken generic stereotypes, the quiet one, the girly one, and fleshed them out into full personalities. It may be in the background, but if you look closely you will start to see what makes them people and not just cardboard cutouts. While most of the characterization was done in the show, the movie does reinforce what's there and also allows us a glimpse inside the hearts of a few characters that didn't get a chance to fully explain themselves in the show. Also it should be noted that background characters, many of which don't even speak, much less show their faces, are all unique. I'm serious, pause the movie during a scene with a large crowd and you will not find empty faces, you will see people.

The art and animation is amazing. Landscapes are full and flowing and the tanks are monstrous and alive. Zoomed out shots are breathtaking and battle scenes are fist clenching tense.

The action is something to be noted. It's definitely not a realistic depiction of tank warfare, but then again this is not a real war so it does work out. Rather, instead of nitpicking every single detail, one would have a much better time thinking of this movie as a Wuxia film. Wuxia-type action is impossible, no doubt. We know it, we feel it, but at the same time we can't disprove it on the spot. It's over the top, and while the Spock in our minds would raise an eyebrow over the impossibilities, our hearts just accept and soak in the amazing action that is being shown before us. Der Film just breaks new territory with tanks.

However the number one aspect where this movie stands above all, and I do mean all, is the sound. It cannot be properly described in words. Tank tracks squealing on concrete, the low rumble of the beast's monstrous engine, and the rumble of a 2-tonne explosive shell. If there was one movie were I would wholeheartedly recommend buying a high end audiophile setup for, it would be this one.

This is a film for the fans. If you're not a fan of Girls und Panzer because you're not into it, you won't enjoy this movie. If you're not a fan because you just haven't seen the anime show, I would recommend that you give it a watch and then come back to the movie.

Overall, Girls und Panzer Der Film was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, one that I will definitely be revisiting in the future.

Before we start, let's just get the most important bit out of the way and that is GO WATCH THE MOVIE NOW. STOP READING and GO WATCH IT, otherwise you are definitely missing out.
Okay, now let's begin.

Story (8/10)
The story is not very deep at all. So why the high score you might ask? Simple, because there is enough to cover the background plot but not so deep that you drown in thought. The story is light and is definitely not the major focal point of the movie although some parts are pretty emotional, so if you came just to see a fantastic story ... unfold; you missed the point. If you came to see great tank combat, stronk girls, and comedy, you came to the right place.

Art (9/10)
Very much like the anime but better in some aspects so it's all good. If you already watched the anime your eyes won't take too long to adjust at all. The character design is good and the animation of them and their tanks are superb. The movie also include some high octane slow-mo's to really bring up your heart rate.
The tanks are animated very well just like the anime, you can definitely feel their weight on the ground as they trundle here and there. However, there are definitely physics defying moments with the tanks but even so it's enjoyable as the animation itself is so fluid and natural.

Sound (9/10)
The movie has great sound. Some people may feel like there hasn't been too many new additions to the tank sounds, but in my opinion there has been some changes and it was for the better. The relative firing sound of each cannon in the movie reflects their calibre superbly; 8mm - 600mm, they all sound right. The explosions I don't even need to go into, you'll feel your table shake.

Characters (8/10)
In terms of development, there are definitely a few points to be given as we are introduced to a new side in the characters and not just Miho and the gang, but other schools as well. Voice acting is great like the anime and each character's voice definitely reflect their personality. Also, we are introduced to new characters, albeit a bit sudden in the beginning of the movie, but for the main part, there's definitely a new fearsome (but UBER Kawaii) kid on the block. [Also, Finns]

Enjoyment (10/10)
The movie is serious when it needs to be serious, emotional when it is emotional and for the most part hilarious when it is undoubtedly hilarious. Watch Miho and the gang once again give you a roller-coaster ride (literally in some ways) of emotion, tension, teamwork and fun in this 2 hour spectacular.
Personally, from my background of tank fan, World of Tanks player, and lust for comedy, this movie was bliss. There are many references and surprises waiting for you and I feel you will enjoy it even if you don't catch everything the first time around like me.

Overall (9/10)
If you finished reading this review but you haven't watched it...
*sigh*
Go. And. Watch. This. Movie. Now. That. Is. An. Order!

The Girls und Panzer movie is an encapsulation of the very essence of the original tv anime that covers all of the good aspects of the series and distills into into an action packed fanservicey blockbuster of a 2 hour film.

While the plot is basically a repeat of circumstances from the first season, the rest of the movie shines to brightly its hard to really care about the unoriginal writing.

We have all of the schools uniting under a single banner, avengers style, to give fans of every school a chance to have their moment.

We have finely crafted actions scenes that push beyond the ... imagination for truly creative sequences, that total up to half of the film.

We have new characters who immediately feel like they always belonged in the series, instead of throwaway additions to add variety to an anime film as is usually done.

We have sound design so perfect it feels like a war is going off in my living room every time I rewatch the movie.

I honestly have no issues at all with this movie. It's pretty much perfect. If you like silly anime tank action/comedy from the tv series, there is no excuse to not watch this. It does what the show did, but improves upon it in almost every way. This is basically what I would imagine a perfect anime summer action movie can be, and it's roaring success exemplifies that.

For those who haven't watched the Girls und Panzer series, there are a few things to keep in mind for maximum enjoyment:
- The whole show is a bit of a joke, from stereotypes of other countries to the increasingly ridiculous tank combat. If you can take a joke, you'll be LOLing at the punch lines; otherwise, I'm sure there's a niche drama out there for you.
- The theme of the series is "friendship wins over all", so even if a character is a totally nasty she-devil at first, eventually you see her soft side. There's one exception to this, but he's (rightly) treated as a ... running gag.

For those viewers who thought, "Hey! Americans don't eat burgers and hot dogs all day", or "Uh, tea drinking in Britain isn't a thing these days", there's some great news: in the movie, Japan is the butt of the jokes, and the writers outdid themselves. The Japanese-themed team's music is "Yuki no Shingun", which you heard Yukari and Erwin singing during a scouting mission in the show, and because it's very much like the US/Canadian song "Gee, Mom, I Wanna Go Home" (sung in the show M.A.S.H.), it's a perfect fit for a team whose idea of strategy is nothing but banzai charges. There's even a poke at the stereotypical conservative attitudes / bureaucracy in Japan because the team captain has to be quite creative to get her tank commanders to do something other than charge.

Highlights:
- There's a very good chance that the staff watched World of Tanks review/gameplay videos, because the KV-2 scene in the first match is hilarious. You can tell its gun is hopelessly inaccurate, they're firing nothing but good old high explosive rounds, and there's a nod to realism when it tries to swing its turret around on an incline.
- Probably the main thing that might get Finns wound up is the fact that the only tank featured on the Finnish-themed team is the abysmal BT-42, which infamously failed to penetrate a T-34 18 times in one battle. Historically, they could not get rid of the thing fast enough, especially when StuG IIIs became available. Don't worry, its battle is deliciously ridiculous, and is based on the old saying, "Don't mess with the Finns."
- Every tank team in Ooarai gets their moment of glory, even if their tactics or tanks are terrible.
- The "school march" medley is epic, and reason enough to watch the movie. The soundtrack got an orchestral makeover, and the Ooarai Girls' High fight song sounds even more epic.
- Remember the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Etc. bureaucrat? He was treated as a cardboard cutout with lines in the TV show, and in the film he's a (well-deserved) butt of jokes.

Possible weaknesses that I've deliberately ignored because LOL:
- Story? What story? Honestly, do you care about the story in a stand-up routine, or story consistency/depth in a Monty Python sketch? I don't.
- The bumper car physics of the tanks will be a turn-off to those tank nuts who can't take a joke.
- Similarly, the stereotyping jokes will be a turn-off to those patriots who can't take a joke. Folks like Hauk or Dickerson in Good Morning, Vietnam, that kind of thing.

Girls Und Panzer Der Film: Passion and Senshadou

The concept of girls in tanks battling each other for sport may come off as facetious or simply nonsensical to the jaded anime viewer. How would such an anime be structured? Is this not simply warmongering? Could there ever be depth beneath the surface of such a flimsy idea? I am not watching a show about little girls in tanks!

Yet Girls Und Panzer struts in flamboyantly; an honest, methodical display of passion. Passion for Senshadou (the sport of girls in tanks), passion for school, for nation, and passion for even the most grounded of club activities. The endearing ... nature of the girls here is easily shown- their desire to protect something, to achieve something, to simply enjoy the day-to-day with their comrades. An honest, straightforward show like this has already won the hearts of many. The bubbly, infectious personalities of the girls blend perfectly well with each tank – a simple joy for the anime fan and military otaku. Yet it is clear that we are here to enjoy the ride, not inspect it- there are flaws present in the show concerning the sometimes-overwrought cast of characters, and more importantly – a lack of meaningful exploration beyond their usual tropes and shallow development.

Der Film is a direct sequel to the show, and it is not a departure from the well-oiled formula by any means, it is simply an extrapolation of its strongest points with an upgrade in scale and budget. The plot may come off as a pastiche with the same formula of the school shutting down and the need to unite and win against an overwhelming enemy. However, like the show itself it is presented so straightforwardly that the viewer will have no qualms with its simplicity and stupid-fun honesty. The full cast of characters is on display here: however, unlike the show, moments of character nuance are only shown fleetingly – through wordless flashbacks and simple, daily interactions where the nature of characters can bleed through quietly. There are no superfluous character arcs – Miho’s awkward relationship with her mother is presented lightly, the importance of the co-dependent relationship between Mako and the public morals committee can be extrapolated from a single scene. Miho’s relationship with her sister transitions effortlessly from the warm past, to the colder, yet slowly thawing present. By not homing in on main characters and balancing out screen time for every group from the show, the story feels grander yet more intimate in nature, and truer to life.
The melodramatic nature of the over-arching plot does not come off as forced at all, it simply serves as a background to the epic battle ahead. Yet this background is crucial, the romantic slice-of-life sequences allowing the viewer to feel that weight, to shed those tears, to burn in the flames of passion along with our cast of brilliantly charming girls. Even the enemy side, with their little screen time, are easily understood through their respectful, prideful nature.

The battle itself ups the thrills of Senshadou to never seen before boundaries. The setpieces are utilised fully – a winding maze, an intense western, a ferris wheel chase, a roller-coaster chase, and so much more. Yet they never come off as overbearing, no setpiece is utilised twice, every moment of hype fleeting and self-contained. This is all tied into the greater battle – perhaps even more methodical and satisfying given its grand nature. Momentum is maintained – however flawlessly spliced with moments of charming banter and character. Darjeeling sips her tea, Katyusha yells at her comrades and Miho soldiers on. Music plays to flaunt the so silly that it becomes epic moments, and silence accentuates the ferocity of those shots, the screeching of those tracks, and the sweat off the brows of those stubborn girls.

An absolute beast of a movie that somehow gets it just right and levels up from the show in every aspect. 9/10 Panzer Vor

Going purely from the synopsis, it certainly doesn't sound believable that the series became as successful as it is right now. At its core, Girls und Panzer appears to be just another series about cute girls doing something. In this case, the gimmick is taking part in competitions that involves driving tanks, complete with the girls attaining victory through friendship and effort. And yet, such simplicity is also why the series, and by extension, the movie is brilliant. After all, as the late Sir Terry Pratchett once said, “The reason that clichés become clichés is that they are the hammers and screwdrivers in the toolbox ... of communication.” Thus, GaruPan is proof that cliches in itself isn't a bad thing and it depends on how it's executed. And it certainly excelled at it.

The series is called Girls and Panzer so that's exactly what they'll damn well focus on. As such, it's no wonder that the character interactions are part of what made this series shine. Even though the movie features several new characters in addition to an already huge cast established in the series, they still managed to be engaging, and more importantly, managed to establish a strong presence. Even during - or rather especially during - the action sequences, there is plenty of chemistry within the various teams. For instance, in both the series and OVA, we have already seen what Anzu and Anchovy are like, but this movie takes it further by having them on the same stage, thereby nicely featured how Anzio acted as a foil to the Turtle Team. Like the president, Ancovy is ever the optimistic genki girl. Though unlike the student council trio, their tankette isn't suited for the frontlines and thus contribute by providing reconnaissance and various other assists. And then of course, there are the little tag-teams set up such as Ooarai teams being the mentor to Chihatan, the zany tactics between Ooarai and Anzio and so on. The little moments outside of the tank battles are pretty heart-warming too. The staff did well in illustrating the friendship between the characters even with the limited screen time.

In other words, where the series is about them building up their relationships, the movie is hence about delivering the pay-off. After all the progress in the series, the movie took it further and served to deliver the results of their actions. Really, it's particularly charming to see how much the various Ooarai girls have grown and learned from their experiences in the series.

Next, there are of course the tanks: aka the other important half of Girls und Panzer. In Top Gear, the presenters liked to talk about how certain cars have 'character' and this arguably lends itself well even in GaruPan. As with the series, the movie further displays how the tanks have their own traits as much as they reflect the personalities of the girls driving them. From the way Anzio's plucky little tankette is bouncing around to provide vital backups in the background, to the way Tutle Team's Hertzer is cheekily zipping around the rivals and also how Leopon's hulking, lumbering Porsche Tiger is shown to be difficult to handle and breaks down easily, but in the hands of the capable automotive girls, proved to be a reliable ally and never let the teams down during crucial moments - the tanks all certainly showed as much personality as the girls and deserves just as much mention.

This brings us to the meat of the film: the tank battles. The tank battles were nothing short of fantastic, featuring the delightfully outrageous out of the box thinking that Ooarai has built a reputation for in the series. But since this is the movie, the staff has done well in turning things up to eleven and increasing the scale of the spectacles. What makes it even sweeter is the fact that for a 2 hour long movie, the tank battles themselves clock in at about 1.5 hours and there isn't a single dull moment to it. Part of it has to do with how the various manoeuvres are directed and how the battles are choreographed in showcasing the aforementioned Oorai's penchant for creative tactics. The choice of music and its usage is yet another aspect that deserves praises; it's not enough that each school has their own style and quirks, they also have to be paired with the appropriate leitmotif to hype up their entrance. The result is that you get some truly exciting moments that are further enhanced by the equally fantastic music: the one-scene wonder that is the Continuation/Keizoku School's Team easily comes to mind. The final fight at the theme park is yet another good example.

Last but not least, the voice acting needs some love too. Mamiko Noto as the whimsical Mika further strengthens the one-scene wonder status, while Maya Yoshioka was another notable part of the film in her portrayal of Anzio's lovable Duce. Overall, the film, as with the series, boasted a pretty impressive cast and yet another point that adds to the enjoyment value of the franchise.

Good directing, engaging tank battles, memorable soundtracks and charming characters; without a doubt, Girls und Panzer der film is my favourite anime of the year.

This is what happens when you try to be realistic but also totally ridiculous that it ruins your immersion. The obnoxious drifting(i understand it can't be a slow boring campfest like real tank warfare), the horrible tactics(People basically lose when they chase or rush in when there is no reason to do so)and the rollercoaster thing?

Also, WHAT ARE THESE CHARACTERS?
I'm sorry but they are not interesting, have no backstory and there are way way too many of them. Why should I care about them?

And the plot is just the same as the anime, so what was the point of the anime then?

I give the ... show a 3/10, might be a 5/10 or 6/10 for people that play WOT and have an orgasm every time they recognise a tank.
Don't watch it and if you do want cute girls in tanks, just watch the anime. At least it has a sense of progression and mediocre backstory.

THAT was a fun film! At this point the movie had a lot of hype to live up to and IMO it delivers. In short, it was super fun, packed with action, very well paced, and had a pretty decent story. It is also one of the only sequel style anime films I actually enjoyed. The only other one I remember being the Haruhi movie.

Honestly going in I was really scared as it immediately went down the same dark road for which I remember a bunch of bad sequel films: it introduced a tough demeanor genius antagonist loli. Thankfully, this was a red herring and ... it didn't go down the overplayed daddy issues, understanding with MC, "she's just a little child after all" excuse of a story. In fact, the movie had a completely other mechanic to induce drama that needs no discussion other than to say it did the job well. The loli merely served as a powerful and competent adversary that needed to be overcome, and I cannot thank the movie enough for this.

The TV episodes were over the top nerdy and well researched to a level I had no seen before, and the movie delivers yet again in this respect. The sound design seems to have been updated beyond the TV's already stellar levels and I understand the noise memes that bombarded me before starting. It was beautiful. As an engineering nut and a mecha anime fan I really enjoyed everything about this but honestly I don't want to get too far in this time. War tech is a huge world I have no knowledge of and I probably missed a vast majority of the technicalities and trying to tackle them right now would be a foolish battle. Maybe I'll reserve that to increase rewatch factor in the future.

Now I want to talk about the level of polish inherent of it being an anime film. For most movies this aspect is fairly obvious and also arguably unnecessary. Lots of fluid motion and epic panning shots that are frankly distracting more than anything. However as with any good mecha, none of the staff's talent was put to waste here. The detail, fluidity, and polish were all focused on the machines, and every last bit helped elevate the experience for me. Oh and instrumental BGM remixes of everyone's favorite songs like Enter Enter Mission and Katyusha? #Blessed.

And finally, I must address the film's greatest strength: the fun and action. When trying to describe how it pulls it off so well I cannot avoid comparing it to Gundam Build Fighters, another series I praise to the moon for the same virtues. Both stories are based on war with the negatives removed, leaving behind the juicy adrenaline packed fun. And much like with Build Fighters, GaruPan emphasizes the thrill behind crafting intricate strategies based on the machines' strengths and weaknesses, and watching how they must change as fighters dip out little by little. Der Film actually takes this a step futher, de-emphasizing the individual to almost an extreme level and having almost all the battles be a combination play of the group. Skill and adaptability greatly overshadowing individual power... this is what I had been craving after the disappointing 'competition' stories of HeroAca Season 2 and Shokugeki RdC.

But at the same time, GuPdF's greatest strength also leads to its greatest flaw. The hilarious dialogue that peppers the combat became downright overwhelming at times, especially near the end. In the TV it was relatively easy to understand as the battles were spread out with few players. But with the film's 60 tank lineup it was impossible to tell who was screaming and for what reason. Most of the time it was useless banter, but it also served as how improptu strategies were made and explained, so some scenes ended up just feeling like exploding set pieces with no traceable logic.

So how would I rate this movie? Very highly. Just as good as the series for sure, with all the added polish further elevating the experience. It certainly cements GaruPan as my favorite CGDCT franchise, mostly due to a slight difference in how it tackles that formula. Focus on letting the girls do the things well and cuteness will naturally follow. And this cuteness will be unique and tangible in a way that no amount of forced yuri overtones and gap moe cuts could hope to match. I can't wait for what Das Finale has in stock. Bis später, Panzer vor!

So, this movie was 30 minutes of plot, and 1.5 hours of TANK BATTLES.
If you enjoyed the action of the TV series, then this will exceed your expectations.

The story is pretty shallow, and really just gives the characters reasons to fight another balls to the wall battle... not that they have... balls... anyway - I digress.

The battles are well thought out, and yes - its hectic as all get out as the film focuses on the chaotic nature of over the top war battles with smoke, tracer rounds, fast movement and debris flying everywhere in almost every shot. Its a little hard ... to keep track of exactly what everyone is doing - but if you just let go and enjoy the battle - its a blast.

The movie is absolutely outrageous, and reminds me of any kind of exaggerated sports movie like Shaolin Soccer or Kung Fu Dunk, but super cute girls and tanks! Heck yes!

This movie was an absolute joy to watch. 9/10

Girls und Panzer was a series that I personally enjoyed quite a bit. The series was a big enough hit that, in 2015, it got a sequel film. It's by Actas, the same studio behind the series proper and the Tales of Phantasia adaptation. The big question I have going into the film is where they go from the series. After all, it was complete. The girls won the day with friendship, les-yay & tanks. They saved their school from closing. Are there actually going to be stakes in the film or is it just going to be about a friendly competition? I don't know, ... but I'm looking forward to finding out. Let's jump right into it and see.

Story:

In the aftermath of their victory, we find our heroines from Ooarai engaged in a friendly team exhibition match. They're partnered with Chi-Ha-Tan against Pravda & St. Gloriana. If you don't recognise Chi-Ha-Tan, it's because they were briefly mentioned as Maho's first round opponents and we saw maybe a scene or two of them in the anime proper. Our heroines fight valiantly, but the less than well thought out tactics of Chi-Ha-Tan (charging forward without regard for the circumstances) quickly put them at a disadvantage against the combined team of two competent opponents. The girls are all relaxing after their match when Anzu is called out. Turns out, Ooarai is still going to be closing. Anzu manages to politic her way into a new deal, this time signed. If they can beat a university team, they won't be closed. This time for true.

Therein lies the biggest flaw with the film. The plot is basically a faster retread of the plot from the series proper. They try to increase the stakes by making the opposing team a University and by making the match an elimination one, thereby eliminating their chance to win by taking out their lead tank, but it doesn't really work and I question whether or not they really needed to increase the stakes. Couldn't they have had them fighting to get some funding for a museum that needed it or something? There's a museum that needs funding in the film any way and at least they would have been doing something different.

There are plenty of positives as well. The film has a lot of high moments. The scene where Ooarai is sent tanks from a bunch of the schools they've interacted with to make the battle even is superb. I also appreciate that the University could make an objection to it but their captain, Alice, elects not to since she sees no harm in her opponents having the same number of tanks as she does. The initial friendly exhibition match also comes back into play in a significant way during the important match. To be specific, something that one of the participating teams learned really impacts the battle. The way Anzu manages to coerce the signed agreement is pretty clever. I do like that the major battle gives every school involved a chance to shine and have their own crowning moments. As dumb as it may be to have the film also be about the school's potential closing, I do like a lot of the scenes of the girls trying to cope with the situation. It allows us some insight into their characters and how they handle adversity and they also showcase what their time together has meant for them. The scene where the Ooarai girls “appropriate” the school's tanks is a bit mixed. On one hand, it's kind of awesome in the way it illustrates their feelings towards tankery and the tanks that have served as their partners. It also helps establish their cooperation with the other schools early on. On the other hand, it's kind of stupid and the logistics don't really add up.

Characters:

The film suffers from the same issue as the series. There are far too many characters to develop all of them. As such, you get a small amount of development for some of them and the rest are as they were in the series proper, largely under-developed.

There are positives, though. The way the film handles Miho & Maho's sisterly relationship is pretty strong. It also does a bit to strengthen Katyusha's character. I've already mentioned the way the adversity over seemingly losing their school serves to demonstrate a bit of how they handle adversity, which is especially true for Sodoko & Momo. In general, the cast is kind of endearing and entertaining in spite of most of them being under-developed. Which does serve to imbue the film with a sense of fun that serves it well.

Art:

There's a lot to appreciate about the art. The tank battles are spectacular. There's a lot of detail in the backgrounds and in the tanks themselves. I actually appreciate the character designs. As mentioned before, there are a lot of characters in this franchise. None of them have really outlandish hair colours or styles. The one who comes closest is Anchovy. Yet, they manage to look distinct. The only ones you might confuse are the “triplets” of the Goose team but that's clearly a very deliberate thing. I also love the shots that show you the details on their school's carrier. They are superb and there was clearly a lot of effort put into making the world seem populated and lively.

Sound:

The acting is really well done. This is actually a case where there's just enough to the characters that the cast is able to make them sound more complex than the writing makes them. There are too many characters to go through all of them individually, so I'll just mention the stand out performances. Fukuen Misato, Ueda Kana, Kanemoto Hisako, Fuchigami Mai, Iguchi Yuka, Taketatsu Ayana & Tanaka Rie all stand out for giving particularly strong performances. The music was composed by Hamaguchi Shiro, who also did the track for the series proper, and it's just as good. It should be since a lot of it is the same. On one hand, there wasn't any reason to change it since it is really good but it's also kind of lazy.

Ho-yay:

Girls und Panzer is a franchise that loves its yuri subtext almost as much as Voyages of the Cerberus loves its yuri text. Shameless self promotion aside, we have some betwixt Sodoko & Mako. There's also the implied relationship between Carpaccio & Takako. Which I get the feeling started in one of the OVAs since it also comes up in the manga but clearly didn't start with it. The fact that all the characters with meaningful relationships are ladies does lead to a lot of them reading as crushes or something more.

Final Thoughts:

As a whole, I rather enjoyed the film. It isn't deep or complex but it's really entertaining and an amusing watch. If you enjoyed watching the series, you will also enjoy this. Maybe not as much, but you'll enjoy it. For myself, I give it a 7/10. Next week I'll take a look at Vivid Strike.

Story 8/10

After winning the National Sensha-dou tournament the girls believe they have saved their school from closure however the Ministry of Education go back on their word and try to close down their school.

However they are presented with one final opportunity to save their school via a match with a university team despite the task looking almost impossible with the help of some of their former rivals their chances are boosted and we are set for one great battle.

The story was an improvement over the TV show I felt a lot of emotion seeing the girls backstabbed and to see them fight back against the ... odds is emotional and a whole lot of fun.

Art 8/10

The girls and tanks are once again drawn really well.

Sound 9/10

Although it lacks the original opening and closing theme once again the sound is exceptional here from the fantastic sounds of the tanks and explosions through to the brilliant voice acting and the great little sounds of the individual schools from Erika through to the British grenadiers this soundtrack hits the spot.

Characters 9/10

I fell in love with all these characters once again with everyone having their own little traits and the way they do things is just brilliant.

Enjoyment 10/10

Once again I loved every moment of this, I loved the girls and their battle to stop their school from closing and in this case I felt even more emotionally drawn to the story and the clever and exciting battle tactics was just awesome.

Overall 9/10

If you watched and loved the TV show this film is must watch.

[While you are reading this, you may begin to think at certain points "Damn, they're gonna spoil it for me!" No, I'm not. THERE ARE NO SPOILERS. Not that there is that much to spoil in this storyline anyway.]

Dude, if it wasn't enough for them to make a series and a couple of side stories and spinoffs of Girls Und Panzer, they made a film as well! In fact, it doesn't actually seem like a lot considering how many series take up many more episodes and seasons and so forth than Girls Und Panzer, but in terms of proper storylines, it is certainly a difficult ... one to be creative with. I mean, girls, tanks... long tank battles...... some weird school-ships......... some more tank battles. It doesn't really change, and I don't see how it can. And this film is no different. It doesn't really add anything new to the table; well technically in terms of story-line, yes it does, but when you're watching it, it does just feel like a the creators have just gone "Out of ideas? No problem! Panzer Vor!" in the true spirit of Girls Und Panzer. So what do they do? They have no new storyline so they just make most of the film a tank battle and make them even more fuck unrealistic than last time. But then it's Girls Und Panzer so what did you expect?!
For me personally, sometimes the tank battles in the film go a little too far. Now I understand that they are not meant to be realistic in the slightest, but when all the tanks are modelled on real tanks, and you have characters like Erwin and Yukari - who love tanks and history in general and show that such is an important part of the series - it makes sense for the tank battles stay relatively physically feasible. Note I said "physically feasible", not "realistic". But anyway, that's just me. I've probably just watched "A Bridge Too Far" too many times. In all fairness, despite being rather infuriating for me, they are pretty good, something that just seems to work for Girls Und Panzer. Despite being so long, they manage to retain momentum rather well.

So that's story, so what about characters? Well it's kind of difficult to rate the characters exclusively from this film, since the series is what really introduces them and the film just hopes you can remember them. That is except for the crazy "Imperial Japan" inspired Chi-Ha-Tan Academy, which I find the presentation of rather interesting from a historical point of view (considering this is an anime, the presentation of their... fuck it I'm not giving you a history lesson). And those crazy Finnish ragging their BT-42 to "Säkkijärven Polkka"! Anyway so with the series in mind as well, they're pretty good man! Well I like them, but obviously it depends who's watching it. They all have very distinct characters, and most seem very original to Girls Und Panzer. Like Erwin for example... Mind you, you got to question why she dresses up like The Desert Fox... Actually, just don't question it!

Graphics? Not going to lie, for some reason I'm not a massive fan. Well, I think the character design is great, with it giving a great balance "cute girls" and originality, complementing Girls Und Panzer's atmosphere very well. And the tank design is pretty accurate too, yes, legitimate tanks, gotta love it! Hence why I ended up giving it 7. But I don't know, pretty much everything else just doesn't always do it for me.

Sound? I love this soundtrack! What makes it great is their use of legitimate World War II marches, and with the correct countries as well! And the fact that all the themes were recorded for the series, they all have that distinct Girls Und Panzer character, which just takes this film to the next level. You feel like the creators genuinely enjoyed making it! And are historians as well!

So, what can I say? It goes without saying, you can only watch this film if you have seen the series. Now; if you didn't like the series, you will hate this film, for it takes everything that is wrong with the series and makes it worse. If you liked the series, then you will - like - this film. It's fun, energetic and completely defies the basic laws of physics. That's it, this film is just so fucking fun! I say "like", if it be more than that you are simply a Girls Und Panzer obsessive, but then you wouldn't be reading this review, you'd be playing World of Tanks or something.
As for me, well I liked it, but then I am into tanks, so it's kind of inevitable. Regardless, I'm sure I'll watch it over and over again just for fun.

Oh, and another thing: never heard those "English Proverbs" Darjeeling keeps talking about...

The original Girls and Panzer was a show I was probably never going to watch. Cute girls doing a sport known as Senshado where they battle each other with tanks. I didn't really care but on a curious whim I gave it a shot and I was pleasantly surprised. While the characters aren't the best, I love the strategy involved in the original series. I love how the show rolls with the absurd premise and it just works. The movie takes all the best parts of the original series and cranks the absurdity to a ridiculous amount.

The movie is a continuation of the tv ... series showcasing 2 battles after the battle against Kuromorimine. The first battle showcases the relationship between all of the schools Ooarai faced in the first season plus one extra. The second battle is the battle that takes up a majority of the movie. This battle wouldn't work if not for the tv show. In the tv show, Ooarai faces all of these different opponents and after Miho and her team destroy every single team, they acknowledge her skills and become friends. This last battle has every team that Ooarai faced working together with them to defeat a strong college Senshado team.

In the tv series, you already recognize the absurdity of the premise and the concept pretty well. Only girls are allowed to participate in Senshado and the strategies are pretty insane. In the movie, the strategies get even more insane. Because the tv show introduces you to what kind of show it's going to be, you accept how crazy the movie is. There are drifting tanks, tanks that can skid across water, tanks that can be used as ramps for other tanks. It's outrageous. Another example, which might be my favorite example, is a strategy set in place called Operation Kill Serve. There is a huge weapon with a 600 mm shell that causes massive damage, so they initiate a plan to take it down. They have one of the big tanks carry a smaller tank and then they fling that tank into the barrel of the weapon to take it down. It's stuff like this where you forget about the crazy nature of the show and accept it. When you do, it becomes very enjoyable and even a little tense.

The last match is just as intense as the last match in the series. With the absence of music in this scene and the extremely loud shots from the tanks, it makes you hold your breath. Speaking of the sound, the sounds the tanks make are purposely louder than everything else in the show. It really makes you feel every single shot the teams make. If you've ever seen Dunkirk directed by Christopher Nolan, they do the same thing there. It's like every single shot is a sound jumpscare and it makes you feel the environment you're surrounded in. This movie takes all the best of the original series and makes it so much crazier and better. If you liked the original series, this movie is a must.