Strike Witches: Operation Victory Arrow

Those who watched all the way to the final frame of the Strike Witches movie will note the giant "TO BE CONTINUED" on the screen. The Operation Victory Arrow OVA (see what they did there? ... never mind) is the first stage in the continuation of the saga, but rather than tell the story after the Battle of the Bulge, this miniseries is positioned between season 2 and the movie, focusing primarily on the European members of the 501st (and Charlotte, the sole American, I mean, Liberion member).

Episode 1 features the German, I mean, Karlslandians Minna, Gertrud, and the Hartmann twins, with a couple of ... scenes featuring a new face from the movie, Heidemarie. But Heidemarie is a minor character here-- the main drama features Ursula Hartmann and the Me-262. Sakura Nogawa got a workout here, and always the professional, she delivers a great performance for both Erica and Ursula. Those who watched season 2 would understand Erica's objections to using the jet, and yet those who understand the history of fighter aircraft would understand why the turbojet engine was so important to air combat. The copious amount of technological research done for this episode went right into Ursula's dialogue, which was hilarious.

"Are you saying I'm not a lady, Herr Field Marshal?" -- Edita Neumann

Episode 2 features Charlotte and Francesca, as well as Field Marshal Rommel and Hanna Marseille. There is a complex conflict here that I rather like, layering Francesca's objection to a mission that would destroy an island full of historical artifacts and memories upon Charlotte and Hanna's rivalry. The mission in this episode culminates in a jury-rigging reminiscent of A*Team and MacGyver. This episode is the only time thus far that bombs are dropped by any Witch in the animated canon, so that's cool. Sometimes I wish that the P-47 and F4U got some air time, but no, we can't have any American other than Chuck Yeager...

The 3rd and final episode of the OVA details how Perinne and Lynette started the orphanage/school seen in the film. This episode's combat scenes easily rival the drama of the film's battles, largely because of the disadvantages placed upon Perinne, and they show some of the very rare examples of land Neuroi in the animated canon. The sequence where the butler revealed a cache of weapons is a clear nod to the French resistance. Amelie only had about 2 lines in the film, so she gets a more prominent role in the OVA.

Each episode's epilogue following the closing credits (except episode 3) is a short scene featuring Yoshika and her best friend recapping each episode. Episode 3 differs by revealing that the events of the film have already started by the time of its epilogue. Following a brief scene with Lynette receiving a letter from Yoshika, while the last remaining European 501st Witches, Eila and Sanya, are seen with the 502nd. The OVA closes with Mio sans eyepatch aboard the Yamato discussing an upcoming mission with Minna and a black frame with another "to be continued".

By this time, the franchise has 2 TV series and a movie under their belts, and so the characters of Strike Witches are in their element. They have great backstories and distinct personalities, and even when divided up like this they have great chemistry. You can watch this as a prologue to the movie (even though the movie was released first), or you can watch the movie first and then the OVA to fill in some blanks. On its own, it's a decent historical wartime fantasy drama, as long as you remember that they've decided to completely ignore the Pacific war.

Strike Witches: Operation Victory Arrow (2014 - 2015)

I do like the play on words if that is the reason for the use of Operation Victory Arrow or OVA.

It was nice to see a good set of 3 episodes that really actually brought something to the table.

All 3 of the episodes hold merit in seeing many characters that we may not see all that often which was nice. It was especially great that it links directly after season 2 and before the movie.

The last episode was especially nice with the crossing into the film and also the story that reached a nice conclusion ... with the kids that was great to see. The letter at the end also making the crossover. It was really good to see Perrine gets more recognition on her humanitarian efforts since it was mentioned often but not touched all the time. Also the inclusion of the Brave Witches and finally my favourite Sanya was perfect.

I could have happily had an entire episode on Sanya, to be honest, but that would make a few already then.

The art was the same as always and was really nicely done.

The sound was great as always. The engine noise that you get is superb for the striker units. The mellow music you get in relaxing times and after a battle is really soothing.

Characters like said do develop a fair amount for OVA episodes which was great to see.

Overall, it is a great addition and should definitely be watched directly after season 2 and before the movie.

Though Operation Victory Arrow sounds like a brand new campaign against the Neuroi, it is actually a much more peaceful exposition on some of the Witches after the conflicts in the two main seasons. In essence, it is three standalone episodes about former squad members in different areas. You get Erica, Trud, and Minna in the first episode; Charlotte, Francesca, and Hanna-Justina in the second episode, and finally Perrine and Lynette. Each episode features a small narrative that eventually builds to a small skirmish against the Neuroi. It's a pretty easy watch with decent entertainment value for veterans of the series, though obviously many of ... the Witches aren't featured in this OVA.

Animation:
It sure has been a long time since I saw this franchise but the look and feel of the OVA is still consistent with what I remember. The show is drawn in a saturated palette with vibrant scenery and some really nice sky scenes. The background is a bit inconsistent though as not all scenes get the same treatment. There is also noticeable CGI usage, though it doesn't distract too heavily. The main characters are as they used to be though there are a few new additional supporting members.

As in the parent show, you can expect a fair amount of time in the air with the witches, and likewise a fair amount of long range weapon exchange. Effects are fair overall but nothing particularly memorable. There are also the expected levels of ecchi associated with the impractical nature of having propeller engines on your feet. There are some bath scenes with topless nudity, in case the skirt-less upskirt wasn't enough for you.

Sound:
The show has a new OP, which is fair but nothing particularly special. Each of the episodes has their own ED with the featured characters singing. The BGM is orchestral and fitting with both the setting and previous seasons. Some tunes in the BGM are still familiarly borrowed from previous seasons.

The VA cast is as strong as ever with plenty of talented veterans. Chiwa Saitou still gives Francesca a particularly unique voice and Miyuki Sawashiro still excels as the proud Perrine. You even get Shizuka Itou voicing the Star of Africa too.

Story:
I give the show props for coming up with interesting scenarios in each episode, with allusions to WWII no less. The first episode features the Germans testing out jet engines with the Witches, fittingly named the ME-262; and fittingly with the ace in the room (Erica) strongly opposing its adoption. The second episode centers on a Neuroi that has captured an island around Tunis, which happens to be particularly important to Francesca. The last episode features a bratty orphan caught in something vaguely like Operation Market Garden.

Each episode was well executed and had occasional comedy, especially the last episode. It was surprisingly good overall compared to my experience with the main shows.

Character:
Though there isn't much to be developed here, you do get a bit more on each featured witch's personality. Most memorable were Perrine's leadership, which is something that wasn't featured in any of the main shows. The interactions are fairly good though, again, a large portion of the witches get cameo appearances at most.

Value:
This is much more bang for your hour than any other Strike Witches work out there so far (not the movie yet). If you have a fair amount of the franchise under your belt, this is a no-brainer. It's a fun but short escape back to a show I had almost forgotten.