History Anime / GirlsUndPanzer

''Girls und Panzer'', animated by Creator/{{Actas}} (Of ''Anime/TransformersArmada''[=/=]''Anime/TransformersEnergon'', ''Anime/YutoriChan'' and ''Anime/ExDriver'' fame) with CGI by Creator/{{Graphinica}}, is an AnimeFirst series that ran as part of the Fall2012Anime lineup. Expected to only be a niche anime, it has turned out to be the {{sleeper hit}} of 2012 and was a consistent Top 5 performer in Japan. Viewers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Scandinavia and South Africa [[http://www.crunchyroll.com/girls-und-panzer can watch it legally on Crunchyroll]]. Due to [[ScheduleSlip various]] [[TroubledProduction unforeseen circumstances]], the last two episodes didn't air until March, during the Spring 2013 season. An official North American home video release occurred on December 3, 2013, with the [=OVAs=] released a few months later on Febuary 25th, 2014, along with an [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy80FhOJQG8 English Language Trailer]] at [=AnimeExpo=] 2013.

[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Don't confuse it]] with ''Manga/PanzerFrauleinAlteseisen'' from the same character design artist. Also don't confuse it with ''ComicBook/TankGirl'' or ''ComicBook/TankVixens'' either, [[BrainBleach you'll be happier]]. For the [[SpiritualSuccessor spiritual ancestors]] of this anime, see ''Moeyo! Sensha Gakkou''[[note]]"Moe Tank School"[[/note]] and ''Sailor-fuku to Jūsensha''[[note]]"Sailor Suits and Heavy Tanks"[[/note]], both of which were drawn by ''Girls und Panzer'''s character designer. ''Anime/HighSchoolFleet'' is a similar show from the same screenwriter about high schoolers operating war craft (Navy ships in this case). ''Anime/TheMagnificentKotobuki'' completes the World War II equipment MilitaryMoe (Japanese Planes in this case), from the same director.

* TankGoodness: Half the premise, to the point where it has the FanNickname of TankGoodness: [[TheMovie The Anime]]. [[VideoGame/WorldOfTanks of the Game]]. The other half is the [[SchoolgirlSeries cute girls who crew them]].

** Pravda sings ''Katyusha'' when going off into battle. They also have ''Polyushka Polye'' as a marching theme.

** Episode 8 uses the Russian folk song "Katyusha" when Pravda [[spoiler: begins their semi-final match with Ōarai]]. The English dub used "Korobeiniki" instead, because "Katyusha" is not in the public domain in the West.

* ImprobablyFemaleCast: There are very few male characters in this show aside from crowd scenes, and they're generally on screen for less than a minute or two.

->''"[[AC:Panzer Vor!]]"''[[note]][[MemeticMutation means]] [[GagSub Panzer Vor]] (Actually, means "tanks forward" in German).[[/note]]

In RealLife, certain Japanese martial arts are considered [[LadyOfWar highly compatible]] with [[YamatoNadeshiko traditional womanly ideals]], including ''[[ArcherArchetype kyuudou]]'' and ''[[NaginatasAreFeminine naginatajutsu]]''. In this show, [[FantasticFightingStyle one of those martial arts]] is ''sensha-do'' -- the "Way of the Tank".[[note]]Or “Tankery” in the english dub.[[/note]]

[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Don't confuse it]] with ''Manga/PanzerFrauleinAlteseisen'' from the same character design artist. Don't confuse it with ''ComicBook/TankGirl'' either, [[BrainBleach you'll be happier]]. For the [[SpiritualSuccessor spiritual ancestors]] of this anime, see ''Moeyo! Sensha Gakkou''[[note]]"Moe Tank School"[[/note]] and ''Sailor-fuku to Jūsensha''[[note]]"Sailor Suits and Heavy Tanks"[[/note]], both of which were drawn by ''Girls und Panzer'''s character designer. ''Anime/HighSchoolFleet'' is a similar show from the same screenwriter about high schoolers operating war craft (Navy ships in this case). ''Anime/TheMagnificentKotobuki'' completes the World War II equipment MilitaryMoe (Japanese Planes in this case), from the same director.

* A movie was originally [[https://twitter.com/garupan/status/328412701674049536 announced]] for release in 2014, but got pushed back to Summer 2015 and then finally ''Anime/GirlsUndPanzerDerFilm'' was released on November 21, 2015 in 77 theaters across Japan. In keeping with this anime's surprising popularity, in spite of a relatively limited release, [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2017-08-14/girls-and-panzer-film-tops-2.5-billion-yen-at-box-office/.120102 the movie's current gross is over 2.5 billion yen with over 1.4 million tickets sold at the Japan Box Office as of August 13, 2017]]. It's currently ranked [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative 3rd highest grossing movie based on a]] [[OtakuOClock late-night TV anime]], behind ''[[Franchise/LoveLive Love Live!]] The School Idol Movie'' and ''[[LightNovel/SwordArtOnline Sword Art Online:]] Ordinal Scale''.

* SendInTheClones: The Morals Committee in "Girls und Panzer: Motto Love Love Sakusen desu" [[http://mangafox.me/manga/girls_panzer_motto_love_love_sakusen_desu/c003/18.html consists of look-alikes of Sodoko]].

** Episode 5: Kei [[LetsFightLikeGentlemen withholds part of her force]] to fight without numerical superiority. In episode 6, she specifically states she did so because Sensha-do is not a real war. The point of the episode, story-wise, is [[SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped to drive that idea into the protagonist's head]].

* ''Girls und Panzer: Motto Love Love Sakusen desu'' (which translates to "It's the More Love Love Operation") was released. This manga, released after the series aired, eschews tank action for cute and funny 4-koma style strips.

* In addition to that, a special OVA separate from the ones bundled in with the Blu-Ray releases was released in July 2014. It finally expands Ōarai's match against the Italian-themed Anzio, which was never shown during the TV airing.

* PrankPunishment: The AbsurdlyPowerfulStudentCouncil declares that the penalty for losing a challenge match against Saint Glorianna's Academy is to perform the onko dance in public. Which includes the council. The Oarai girls dress in costume as anglerfish, then dance in sync to a children's tune on a truck's flatbed around the streets of town.

* 'Girls und Panzer: Fierce Fight! It's the Maginot Battle!'', drawn by the same artist that drew the main manga adaptation, was released in November 2014 through the [=ComicWalker=] webmanga site, featuring the events around [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin the Maginot school]].

* ZettaiRyouiki: Saori, Aya Oono, Saemonza and Kei, the last one with either miniskirt (school uniform) or [[WhoWearsShortShorts shorts]] (during battles).

Other manga spin-offs that came out were ''Girls und Panzer: Phase Erika'', ''Girls und Panzer: Senshado no Susume'', and ''Girls und Panzer der Film Variante''. Another prequel, ''Phase Erika'' is centered around Erika Itsumi when she first entered Kuromorimine Girls High School. ''Senshado no Susume'' is more of a comedic take on the daily life of the Oarai Girls with some informative stuff about tanks. ''Girls und Panzer der Film Variante'' is the manga version of the animated movie.

* MasterApprenticeChain: Some schools have hints of this going on alongside the usual SempaiKohai dynamic, with St. Gloriana's Orange Pekoe evidently being groomed to succeed Darjeeling as team captain; in turn, Darjeeling herself was subjected to this as a freshman under Earl Grey.

** [[SecondYearProtagonist Miho]] is often referred to as "Senpai" by the freshmen team.

''Girls und Panzer'', animated by Creator/{{Actas}} (Of ''Anime/TransformersArmada''[=/=]''Anime/TransformersEnergon'', ''Anime/YutoriChan'' and ''Anime/ExDriver'' fame), is an AnimeFirst series that ran as part of the Fall2012Anime lineup. Expected to only be a niche anime, it has turned out to be the {{sleeper hit}} of 2012 and was a consistent Top 5 performer in Japan. Viewers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Scandinavia and South Africa [[http://www.crunchyroll.com/girls-und-panzer can watch it legally on Crunchyroll]]. Due to [[ScheduleSlip various]] [[TroubledProduction unforeseen circumstances]], the last two episodes didn't air until March, during the Spring 2013 season. An official North American home video release occurred on December 3, 2013, with the [=OVAs=] released a few months later on Febuary 25th, 2014, along with an [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy80FhOJQG8 English Language Trailer]] at [=AnimeExpo=] 2013.

* ConspicuousCG: The tanks. They're very detailed and accurate, but they're not blended with the more traditional animation used for everything else.

* MobileCity: There are moving ships that are big enough to house a small town district.

** Yukari carries a Assault Backpack manufactured by a certain tactical gear company.