Girls und Panzer is a 2012 Japanese anime television series created by Actas, directed by Tsutomu Mizushima, and produced by Kiyoshi Sugiyama. It depicts a competition between girls' high schools practicing tank warfare as a sport called , the art of operating tanks. The English dub refers to the sport as "tankery."
Ooarai Girls High School
is a school ship stationed in Ōarai, Ibaraki. Ōarai's Sensha-dō team was abolished years ago, and has just been restarted as the series begins, so they are forced to make do with whatever leftover tanks they have been able to find. As a result, unlike most other teams, they field a hodgepodge of tanks from various countries. The school insignia is the two kanji for superimposed atop one another in stylized form. The school ship of Ōarai Girls High School is based on the IJN Shōkaku-class aircraft carrier. They also use a transport ship that looks quite similar to the Japanese battleship Mikasa. The series focuses upon Ōarai's Sensha-dō players, who are divided into teams.
Anglerfish Team The main protagonists make up the of Ōarai Girls High School's Sensha-dō team, with Miho serving as commander. They were assigned the German Panzer IV Ausf. D, armed with the short-barreled 75mm KwK 37 L/24 gun that is mostly used for infantry support. The tank was later upgraded to a Panzer IV Ausf. F2 when they found a long-barreled 75mm KwK 40 L/43 anti-tank cannon which was being used to hang clothes out to dry. It was upgraded again to Ausf. H, called the "Mk IV Special" in the series, for the Sensha-dō tournament finals match by adding "Schürzen" spaced armour.
Commander-in-chief of the Ōarai Sensha-dō team and captain of Anglerfish Team. A second-year student, she is the anime's main protagonist. Miho is a girl who comes from a long line of tank operators. Previously she attended Kuromorimine and commanded the flag tank, a Tiger I, in the national championships a year ago against Pravda. However, after she abandoned it to rescue the crew of another tank that had fallen into a river, her tank was knocked out. This ended a nine year winning streak by Kuromorimine and Miho subsequently avoided Sensha-dō and transferred to Ōarai Girls Academy specifically because it did not have Sensha-dō. However, after Sensha-dō is revived by the school, Miho is forced by the student council to take it up again due to her being the only student with actual Sensha-dō experience. She starts to enjoy Sensha-dō after spending time with her new friends. Although shy and reluctant, she is a good strategist.
Radio operator and machine gunner of Anglerfish Team. A red-haired girl who is interested in seeking out good-looking men, but is often left disappointed. She has a cheerful personality and is very talkative, but gives the impression to others that she has more experience than is actually the case. She is one of the two girls who befriended Miho during her first day. In the Das Finale series, she has become the Student Council's new PR Manager.
Gunner of Anglerfish Team. Initially the tank driver, she becomes the gunner after experiencing the thrill of shots being fired. She is also one of the two girls who befriended Miho during her first day. Hana comes from a family which traditionally practices the art of flower arrangement ikebana. In the Das Finale film series, upon the graduation of the old student council, she is elected Student Council President.
Loader of Anglerfish Team. An excitable girl who is obsessed with tanks, militaria and military field survival techniques, though this often led her to be very lonely during her childhood. Having been inspired by Miho, Yukari joined the Sensha-dō team and became friends with her. Was originally Anglerfish Team's gunner, but later volunteered for the loader position. She admires Miho, and even calls her "Nishizumi-dono". In the Das Finale film series, she has advanced to the rank of Student Council Vice-President.
Driver of Anglerfish Team. Despite having extremely good grades, she is always late to school as she has low blood pressure and a habit of falling asleep anywhere; for this reason, she hates getting up early. She joins Anglerfish Team as the driver after the team come across her during their first practice battle. Being the smartest student in the class, she is able to read the manual of any tank on the fly and drive it perfectly.
Turtle Team The is made up of the school's student council and uses the Czech Panzer 38(t), until episode 10 of the anime when it is converted into a Hetzer tank destroyer atop the chassis of the 38(t) (due to lack of budget to buy a replacement tank). The three girls' given names are the names of fruits in Japanese.
Turtle Team's tank commander/radio operator. As the president of the high school's student council, she is known as seitokaicho, or more simply kaicho. She is manipulative, childish, carefree and a glutton all at once. She forced Miho to participate in Sensha-dō, saying that if Miho did not, she would see to it that she would not be attending the school next year. Later, it is revealed that she did this because the school is at risk of being closed should they not win the tournament. She is often seen eating dried sweet potatoes. On occasion, she will take over the gunner's spot in the tank and ends up being a much better shot than Momo.
Turtle Team's gunner/loader. She is the Student Council PR Manager and a third year student. Her family runs a stationery store. Although she largely appears composed and calm, she loses her temper easily, and her aim is poor when she is angry. Despite her short temper, she is sensitive and easily breaks down. She is only seen smiling once in a picture and briefly during the second OVA. In the Das Finale film series, she is made Commander of the Ooarai Sensha-dō team in order to earn a Sensha-dō-based scholarship to university.
Turtle Team's driver. She is the Student Council Vice-President and a third year student. She is a brown-haired, well-endowed girl who works mostly in the Student Council, doing all the work Anzu leaves to her.
Duck Team The is composed of former volleyball club members and uses the Japanese Type 89B.
The team's tank commander and loader. She is also the manager of the volleyball club.
The team's radio operator. She wears a red band around her head.
The team's driver. She has a positive personality, but she also gets angry easily.
The team's gunner. She is very sensitive and cries easily, although she is also calm and patient.
Hippo Team The is composed of reki-jo (history buffs) and operates a German Sturmgeschütz III Ausf. F.
The team's loader and co-commander. Her nickname "Caesar" refers to Julius Caesar, and she wears a red focale like Roman soldiers. , nicknamed "Erwin"
The team's tank commander/radio operator. Her nickname "Erwin" is a reference to Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, and she typically wears a peaked cap and desert tan field jacket. She's a fan of World War II.
The team's gunner. Her nickname "Saemonza" refers to Sanada Saemon-no-Suke Yukimura, whose banner (with six golden coins instead of black ones) she habitually wears as a headband. She is often seen with her left eye closed. She is adept at archery and knows a lot about the Sengoku Period.
The team's driver. Her nickname "Oryō" refers to Narasaki Ryō. She's a fan of Bakumatsu.
Rabbit Team The is composed of six first-year students and uses an American M3 Lee.
The team's tank commander.
The team's driver. She tends to rush headlong into action without thinking about the consequences.
The team's radio operator.
The team's loader and gunner.
The team's loader. She very rarely speaks. She likes kombucha.
The team's gunner. Her glasses break frequently.
Mallard Team The is composed of the three members of Ōarai's Public Morals Committee (also called Hall Monitors in the English dub) and uses the French Renault Char B1 Bis. In the anime series, they make their debut in the semi-finals against Pravda, while in the manga they join the competition one round earlier, against Anzio.
The team's tank commander and radio operator, as well as the gunner/loader for the tank's turret-mounted 47mm gun. She is often seen taking attendance at the school entrance, and constantly reprimands Mako for showing up late. She becomes irritated when other characters call her by her nickname (after Sodom).
The team's driver. Her nickname is (after Gomorrah).
The team's gunner/loader for the tank's hull-mounted 75mm gun. Her nickname is (after Pasolini).
Anteater Team The is formed of a group of nerdy girls who often play online tank battle games; they actually meet each other in real life for the first time when they form a team for the Sensha-dō finals. They drive a Japanese Type 3 Chi-Nu medium tank.
The team's tank commander and radio operator, who often sports huge swirly glasses and cat ears. She is the one who approaches Miho about joining the Sensha-dō team and inviting her online friends to join them.
The team's driver, who wears a peach shaped eyepatch.
The team's gunner and loader.
Leopon Team The consists of Ōarai's automotive club, who often do repairs on the tanks in between matches. They join the finals match, driving a prototype tank that the Rabbit team found in episode 7. The tank is a Tiger (P), also known as Porsche Tiger, which sports a 88mm KwK L/56 gun. It also has a faulty drive system that has been known to overheat, but its crew makes modifications to the tank in their spare time. The girls' given names are based on famous Japanese racing drivers.
Team's tank commander and radio operator. She is named after Satoru Nakajima, Japan's first full-time Formula One driver.
Team's gunner. She is named after Kazuyoshi Hoshino, "The fastest man in Japan".
Team's loader. Her dream is to have her own shensha-dō's team.
Team's driver. She is named after the legendary "Drift King" Keiichi Tsuchiya.
Shark Team The consists of five girls from Bar Donzoko, which is located in the lowest part of Ōarai's ship, a virtual slum region housing the most delinquent members of the Naval Studies Department. The team joins because they owe a favor to Momo Kawashima, who let them stay on the ship despite their escapades and academic failures. Their emblem, as well as most of their clothes and names have a sailor/pirate motif. Their tank is a British Mark IV, the oldest tank ever to operate in the series thus far, and they join during the events of the Das Finale film series.
nicknamed "Tornado" (竜巻 Tatsumaki).
Team's tank commander. Smokes a pipe. Has short, dark hair that tends to cover one eye.
nicknamed "Explosive Cyclone" Team's driver. Often carrying or drinking from a bottle of rum. Has red, curly hair. nicknamed "Sargasso" (サルガッソ Sarugasso)
Team's starboard gunner and loader. Is heavyset/muscular and has long, dark hair.
nicknamed "Great Waves"
Team's radio operator and co-driver. Is thin and has very long, white hair. nicknamed "Fresh Whitebait Rice Bowl"
Team's port gunner and loader. Has short, blonde hair.
Kuromorimine Girls High School is a German-style academy from Kumamoto Prefecture. It was the national champion nine times running until their defeat the previous year by Pravda. Their tanks include the Tiger I, Tiger II, Panzer III, Jagdpanzer IVs, Panther tanks, Jagdpanther, Elefant, Jagdtiger and Panzer VIII Maus. The school insignia is an Iron Cross with the kanji for superimposed on top. The school themes include Erika and the Panzerlied. The school ship of Kuromorimine Girls High School is based on the Kriegsmarine aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin. In the film, they are also shown to have a LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin class airship.