Girls und Panzer der Film: Arisu War!

DGFischer Nov 19, 2020

8

I saw Arisu War as an offering on another anime site.  I felt I had 15 minutes to kill, so  .. why not?  In the end, I enjoyed what I saw, but still am wondering what are the goals and purposes of the Girls Und Panzer Projekt.  I mean, they produced a great 14-episode series ... and dynamic GUP der Film ... an ambitious multi-part GUP das Finale.  Great stuff this, but what to make of all those OVA?  Animation practice? The plot is simple ... down to simplistic.  Young Arisu Shimada, military tactics prodigy par excellence wishes to transfer to Ouarai Academy.  This would be a sensha-do coup!  But, how to react to this windfall genius coming into Ouarai's midst?  Each tank team has their own ideas from joining the volleyball team, to embrace the career of a hall monitor, to create the premier race car for the auto club.  Even the freshman girls hope to be called 'senpai' by the newly arrived underclassman Arisu.  Anzio even tries to lure Arisu away from Ouarai with promises of pasta; thank goodness Arisu doesn't do Italian.  Miho tries to use the common love of that ever battered and bludgeoned action figure Boko to seal a friendship with Arisu.  Ouarai has so much to offer Arisu, but the young sensha-do prodigy discovers there is one thing that Ouarai cannot offer, and suddenly transfers out.  That’s about it for plot. The animation lacks so much in that it has no knock-down drag-em-out tank battles ... the stuff that makes for dazzling CGI opportunities.  The OVA only offers standard design with little variation, missing even those comic effects which made characters as Miho and Mako a touch foolish.  Those facial raves are priceless, even for slackers like Mako. The sounds/music was the typical fare, lively, but it's been heard before.  Nothing fresh.  Even the translator decided to sub the phrase 'Start the Mission' instead of 'Enter, Enter, Mission.'  Anything to tweak the 'did this ... done that' feel for this OVA. Not disappointed, as I loved the subtle plot twists as the in-school competition for Arisu’s favor.  What turned Arisu against joining Ouarai?  No spoilers here!  This spin of the story was the highpoint, making Arisu War just worth the watching.  Just!