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, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Scandinavia and South Africa [[http://www.crunchyroll.com/girls-und-panzer can watch it legally on Crunchyroll]]. It is also availble on Creator/HiDive (Invluding the [=OVAs=] and the Movie) and on Creator/{{Netflix}}, off and on. 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.

* CastOfSnowflakes: They made sure that everyone in the humongous cast -- 32 main characters (five of them being the main leads, three of them being the secondary protagonists and the rest being supporting protagonists) in Ōarai alone, a similar number of important support characters, and another similar number of minor characters which still have enough distinctive traits to be noteworthy even if they don't say anything. The only ([[InexplicablyIdenticalIndividuals intentional]]) exception is the Public Morals Committee trio.

* MilitaryMoe: It's a show about tanks and the girls who drive them.

* AluminumChristmasTrees: That German dissolvable swimsuit Erwin mentions and wears in OVA 1? [[http://www.racheshop.de/frivole-scherzartikel/fun-unterwaesche/bikini-wasserloeslich.html That exists.]]

* 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. This is justified by the fact that in this world, driving military tanks is considered a "womanly" martial art.

* NonLethalWarfare: Invoked in-universe through the use of special carbon coating lining the interior of the participating tanks, which protects the tank crews by minimizing the force transfer of hits that would otherwise be lethal in the real world. Also, all participants have to use special Federation-made rounds (one assumes this includes the bullets for the machineguns as well) that, while not ''totally'' negating the chance for injury, are ''supposed'' to be nonlethal.

* In a move that surprised no one, the makers of ''VideoGame/WorldOfTanks'' [[http://gs.inside-games.jp/news/423/42302.html and Studio Actas cooperated in creating in-game exclusive content related to the anime]] in celebration of the creation of a Japanese server cluster for the game. On September 6, 2013, ''Hajimete no Sensha-do: [=WoT=] for Beginners'', a short manga on how to play World Of Tanks narrated by the Anglerfish crew, was released. They can be found on [[http://worldoftanks.asia/en/media/7/2106/ Wargaming Asia's site in English.]] Japanese voice packs starring the cast were also released, and there is a video of {{Creator/Mai Fuchigami}}, Miho's Japanese voice actress, getting a crash course in the game. Another video from Wargaming [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88iRsd9rUgM&feature=player_embedded recreates battles from the anime in the game.]] In addition to the ''VideoGame/WorldOfTanks'' tie-ins, a Japan-only UsefulNotes/PlayStationVita game based on the series was released on June 26, 2014. A Panzer IV H with a Team Anglerfish paint scheme was also released as a premium unit in ''VideoGame/WorldOfTanks'', first in the Console version, then later in the original game.

* AcceptableBreaksFromReality: In-universe, Sensha-do teams seem to use modern radios and throat mics, rather than the far more varied systems of the time. For instance, the volleyball team's Type-89 ''I-Go'' shouldn't have a radio at all! Supplemental material point out that this is part of the partial modernization of the tanks to make matches safer and more even.

* NecessaryWeasel: Despite the use of live rounds, and thanks to some briefly-described safety features, Sensha-do is apparently very safe. The massive amounts of damage we see never do more than smudge the girls. If this weasel did not exist, the show would be much darker, and probably have a bodycount.

* RefugeInAudacity: Ōarai's main weapon. In particular, Turtle Team's use and abuse of their Hetzer is so prominent that every time that the German verb "hetzen"[[note]](lit. "to agitate", fig. "to cause trouble", in normal German usage more often though "to chase down", as in "Hetzjagd" -- which is probably also what the Nazis back then meant when they named the "Hetzer" tank))[[/note]] is used as an English verb in a [=GuP=] Wiki/TVTropes article, it's safe to assume it means "here, Turtle Team played RefugeInAudacity straight, added to whatever else we're talking about".[[note]]Oh, and ''VideoGame/WorldOfTanks'' MemeticMutation, too.[[/note]]

* ChekhovsGun: ''Girls und Panzer'' plays ''so many'' of these, that is easy to joke that Tsutomu Mizushima is reading from its Wiki/TVTropes entry.

* AbsoluteCleavage:
** Played straight (of the bikini top underneath variety) with Yukari when she unzips her diving suit in OVA 1.
** {{Downplayed}} with the way all three Anteater girls wear their uniforms without the green undershirt. The shirt's V-neck doesn't reach all the way to the belly, but even the less buxom Nekota [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Nekota-AC_trope_6576.jpg certainly shows some assets.]]
** The uniform for Blue Division Academy girls team includes an open blue shirt with no bra, showing the team members are quite well endowed. [[https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Mg-oKiXhnJ4/maxresdefault.jpg see]]

-->'''Hana''': At least they have personality?
-->'''Saori''': I believe the word you're looking for is "rust."

*** Kuromorimine’s first match against Chi-Ha-Tan is particularly bad for the latter. Between [[TheAce Maho’s]] [[AwesomenessByAnalysis coolheaded leadership]] and Chi-Ha-Tan being…[[AttackAttackAttack Chi]]-[[PoorPredictableRock Ha]]-[[LeeroyJenkins Tan]], the battle ended with [[TotalPartyKill all of Chi-Ha-Tan’s forces defeated]] while Kuromorimine [[UpToEleven did not lose A SINGLE TANK]].

** Pravda takes it UpToEleven when they bring '''15''' tanks in their match against Ōarai's 6.

''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, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Scandinavia and South Africa [[http://www.crunchyroll.com/girls-und-panzer can watch it legally on Crunchyroll]]. It is also availble on Creator/HiDive (Invluding the [=OVAs=] and thr Movie) and on Creator/{{Netflix}}, off and on. 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.

''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]]. It is also availble on Creator/HiDive (Invluding the [=OVAs=] and thr Movie) and on Creator/{{Netflix}}, off and on. 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.

* AwesomeMcCoolname:
** Since all participants are actually Japanese civilians, they can't be actually named "Erwin" or "Caesar" outside Sensha-do. Then, of course, there's [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher Katyusha.]]
** It's surprising that the German-themed tank school doesn't go the expected path, and keeps its native name (Kuromorimine) rather than the obvious choice (Schwarzwald). Then again, the ''Nishizumi'' family name connected to it invokes enough badassery on its own.

* GenderBlenderName: Most of the History Club members' nicknames. [[AwesomeMcCoolname Erwin and Caesar]] are male names in RealLife. Saemonza was also the nickname of UsefulNotes/SanadaYukimura. Oryou, however is a female name, the nickname of Meiji-era politician Narasaki Ryou.

* KillerRabbit: The mascot of the Freshman team is a cute, [[DualWielding dual]] [[KnifeNut knife-wielding]], slasher bunny. They don't live up to it until the finals, where they [[spoiler:take out two much-heavier tank destroyers]].

* BeachEpisode: OVA 1, "Water Wars", which is also included in the first Blu-Ray disc. [[spoiler:It's a ShaggyDogStory, because it starts raining as soon as they finally get to the beach.]]

** Kei lets out a big [[GratuitousEnglish "WHY?!"]] when [[spoiler:the [=StuG=] ambushes one of the Saunders tanks]].

* MagicSkirt: The director has stated that there won't be any panty shots in the anime, and dared the production crew to insert one.

* PunBasedTitle: The Japanese pronunciation of "panzer" is ''pantsaa''; the Japanese word for "panties" is ''pantsu''. This is {{Lampshaded}} in trailers for the show. The irony of it all is that this show has no panty shots at all.

* SpiritualAntithesis: It looks like ''Anime/StrikeWitches'' with tanks on the surface, but it's not. It's a sport instead of war and it's the focus of the series, simulationism instead of magically-powered RuleOfCool, the director actively put down any ideas of panty shots, and there is no yuri as far as the eyes can see -- one of the core cast is an out-and-out boy-chaser.

* MagicSkirt: The director has stated that there won't be any PantyShot in the anime, and dared the production crew to insert one.

* SpiritualAntithesis: It looks like ''Anime/StrikeWitches'' with tanks on the surface, but it's not. It's a sport instead of war and it's the focus of the series, simulationism instead of magically-powered RuleOfCool, the director actively put down any ideas of {{Panty Shot}}s, and there is no yuri as far as the eyes can see -- one of the core cast is an out-and-out boy-chaser.

* In a move that surprised no one, the makers of ''VideoGame/WorldOfTanks'' [[http://gs.inside-games.jp/news/423/42302.html and Studio Actas cooperated in creating in-game exclusive content related to the anime]] in celebration of the creation of a Japanese server cluster for the game. On September 6, 2013, ''Hajimete no Sensha-do: [=WoT=] for Beginners'', a short manga on how to play World Of Tanks narrated by the Anglerfish crew, was released. They can be found on [[http://worldoftanks.asia/en/media/7/2106/ Wargaming Asia's site in English.]] Japanese voice packs starring the cast were also released, and there is a video of {{Creator/Mai Fuchigami}}, Miho's Japanese voice actress, getting a crash course in the game. Another video from Wargaming [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88iRsd9rUgM&feature=player_embedded recreates battles from the anime in the game.]] In addition to the ''VideoGame/WorldOfTanks'' tie-ins, a Japan-only UsefulNotes/PlayStationVita game based on the series was released on June 26, 2014. A Panzer IV H with a Team Anglerfish paint scheme was also released as a console-only premium unit in ''VideoGame/WorldOfTanks''.

''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]]. It is also availble on Creator/HiDive (Invluding the OVAs and thr Movie) and on Creator/{{Netflix}}, off and on. 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.

* 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 staysd in theaters right up until the day of the blu-ray release. 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''.
* On August 28, 2016, an [[https://twitter.com/garupan/status/769837235852095488/photo/1 Official Tweet]] announced ''[[Anime/GirlsUndPanzerDasFinale Girls Und Panzer: The Final Chapter]]'' was in production. This will be a series of six 40-minute [=OVAs=] instead of a TV series, starting with a [[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2017-03-19/girls-and-panzer-anime-6-film-finale-starts-december-9/.113614 theatrical release of the first part on December 9, 2017]].

* On July 20, 2017, Bandai-Namco announced a Playstation 4 game ''Girls und Panzer: Dream Tank Match'', released on February 22, 2018 in Japan and on February 27, 2018 in the rest of Asia with the appropriate regional subtitles (including English) with Japanese-only voice track. Preview trailer [[https://youtu.be/QyT0Uv3rpTM here]]. An [[UpdatedRerelease updated version]] subtitled ''Dream Tank Match DX'' was released on the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch in 2019, with the new content also made available for the [=PS4=] as {{DLC}}.

[[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.

* TheAbridgedSeries: Found [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEkz7qV1bUY here]]. [[WebVideo/GirlsUndPanzerAbridged That was quick]].

** {{Downplayed}} with the way all three Anteater girls wear their uniforms without the green undershirt. The shirt's V-neck doesn't reach all the way to the belly, but even the less buxom Nekota [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Nekota-AC_trope_6576.jpg certainly shows some assets]].

* AbsurdlyPowerfulStudentCouncil: One that can ''expel'' students for choosing an elective different from that imposed by the Council upon them, or erase conditions that would lead to expulsion if students play along. Lampshaded by Saori and Hana, who outright accuse the President, Anzu Kadotani, of being a petty tyrant abusing her powers. [[spoiler: It shows how desperate Anzu is to save Ōarai from closure, going so far as to strike a deal to keep Ōarai open were it to win the upcoming Nationals, [[ExactWords and if they fail, Miho won't be at Ooarai for her third year]] because the school ship will no longer exist. It wasn't an expulsion threat after all.]] This is justified in OVA 3, which shows that each School Ship's Student Council are in charge of the crew, itself entirely made of students, giving them ''higher'' seniority than a normal Council.[[note]]A good simile would be a big university's top level student's representatives, which also explains why they get to negotiate directly with MEXT on matters pertaining to the whole School Ship[[/note]] To clarify, it's a city-size ship with a city on its deck run by high school students and governed by its student council, which controls a massive budget, has access to tanks, planes and pretty much anything they can get their hands on, and negotiates directly with the government. But they're nice people, so it's OK.

* AmbiguouslyBrown: All the Automobile Team girls are either tanned, or a homage to the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_Airmen Tuskegee Airmen]].

*** That last one even made its way into [=OVA=] 6, as [[https://data.archive.moe/board/a/image/1428/79/1428792150771.png Turtle Team's reaction to Mallard Team's performance]].

** The [[spoiler: Maus]] fielded by Kuromorimine in the finals is taken out by having the Type 89 block its turret and then placing a shell into the vents normally hidden by said turret.

** The University Team's [[spoiler: Morser Karl]] was fed a shell right down its barrel by ramping a Hetzer up into the air and then firing in mid flight.
** The [[spoiler: T-28 heavy tank]] fielded by the University team was immobilized by firing at it from under a bridge to attack its undercarriage.

** Since all participants are actually Japanese civilians, they can't be actually named "Erwin" or "Caesar" outside Sensha-do. Then, of course, there's [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher Katyusha]].

** In contrast with the above, Kay from Saunders has her own personal creed: "[[CavalierCompetitor This is Sensha-do, not war. Your tank will cry if you are a bad person!]]".
* BadassCrew: The whole series depicts the [[TookALevelinBadass transformation]] of each Ōarai tank crewman, most of which started out not even knowing ''how to start a tank'', into a [[TrueCompanions tightly-knit]] band of thirty-two. They wind up climbing up all the way to the National finals ([[spoiler:[[EarnYourHappyEnding and winning against much more experienced and better equipped teams]]]]) in their ''first year''.

* BiggerStick: Kuromorimine's plan for defeating Ōarai. They already had a sizable force of powerful tanks last year, but this year they brought out the Panther, Tiger and Tiger II tanks, along with Jagdpanzer IV, Jagdpanther, Elefant and Jagdtiger tank destroyers. Any single one of these machines outguns Ōarai's tanks and are much better armored than all but the Tiger(P). [[spoiler: All this is before they bring in the ''Maus''.]]

*** Erika, [[spoiler: in a vain attempt to reinforce Maho]], manages to drive her Tiger II over the [[spoiler: the wreckage of three tanks]] and under a very low gap.

* CharacterDevelopment: The show is as much about Miho overcoming her insecurities about Sensha-do and life as it is about the Panzers themselves. True to the title, the girls' struggles are treated with just as much reverence as the tank battles, and by the end of the show a good chunk of the named character have learned something about themselves and overcome it. [[spoiler: Even ''[[JerkAss Erika]]'']].

* ChekhovsHobby: Saori states her skill to text ''really'' fast; [[spoiler: delivering orders in the heat of battle fast.]]

* CoolBoat: The various school "districts" participating in the high school Sensha-do tournament in the show are all located on gigantic aircraft carriers. [[http://infinitemirai.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/quantifying-the-size-of-the-aircraft-carriers-in-girls-und-panzer/ Ooarai's carrier, which has a length of 7.6 kilometers]], is one of the ''smaller'' school ships featured, and the carriers of their rivals in the tourney are usually much larger. For comparison, a real life ''Nimitz''-class nuclear supercarrier is only a third of a kilometer in length. Each school's carrier corresponds to their "national" tank theme:

* CrappyCarnival: The Boko/[[DubNameChange Punchy]] Museum in the film is a run down tourist attraction with garbage everywhere, a few lame knockoffs of Disneyland rides, a stage play, and a gift shop. It's stated that it's going to be closed soon, but given the advanced state of disrepair the building is in it's amazing that it wasn't already closed as a safety hazard. [[spoiler: At the end of the film, Alice's mother Chiyo agrees to sponsor it, so it presumably gets cleaned up and improved]].

* CripplingOverspecialization: Kuromorimine's focus on heavy hitters and traditional tank-on-tank strategies makes it a force to reckon with in a face-to-face fight. Since they would [[CurbStompBattle lose badly]] in a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attrition_warfare battle of attrition]], Miho utilizes some [[CombatPragmatist unconventional tactics]], such as having the Hetzer take potshots at their flank, as well as weaving in and out of their formation while the other Ōarai tanks maintain fire. It works well, as the Kuromorimine tanks become confused in the battle, allowing Ōarai to escape an attempted entrapment.

** Ami seems to be the only crew of her conspicuously modern [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_10 Type 10]]. Given that the only thing the tank does is move and seeing as she climbed out of the Tank Commander's hatch (the driver can't access the turret compartment), she probably has at least a driver, who remained inside the tank.

** Ōarai against Anzio in the main series. The latter loses so hard that only their defeated state is shown. [[spoiler: They do better in other adaptions but are still one of Ōarai's more solid victories.]]

** The best example would be in the movie (''Girls und Panzer: der Film'') when [[spoiler: Alice Shimada decides to finally enter the battle with her Centurion Mk.I. She singlehandedly beats every other tank Miho's team has untill it's just between her against Miho and Maho, who just barely manage to win.]]

* EarnYourHappyEnding: [[spoiler: Miho's Panzer IV narrowly wins the final duel with Maho's Tiger, securing victory for Ōarai and its continued existence as well as validating her own Sensha-do style. It also doubles as a WinWinEnding for Maho. Even if Kuromorimine narrowly lost for the second time in a row, she went down realizing the fulfillment of her secret GoalInLife -- to see her little sister succeed in her own style, free from the restrictive rules of their own family style for which she made many sacrifices.]]

** A couple in ''The Real Anzio Battle OVA'': Miho discussing to her teammates about her past matches with Continuation High's Sensha-do team, and later Anchovy's mention of a Shimada-style Sensha-do [[spoiler: hints at the introduction of both in TheMovie; the latter pertaining to the commander of the University Team.]]

* GermanicDepressives: Virtually everyone in Kuromorimine, save for Miho and Koume ([[spoiler:the girl Miho saved from drowning]]), has a difficult time lightening up. HilarityEnsues when Maho calls them in for a holiday party, and they think that she's going to take them to task for their mistakes.

** A more literal version happens in ''Motto Love Love Sakusen Desu'', when [[spoiler: Yukari and Duck Team initiate an assault on Anzio in full military gear to rescue Momo. No shots were fired however]].

** Averted in the manga adaptation by Anzio's Anchovy, who [[SoreLoser went on raving about how they could lose to a "nobody"]] like Ōarai. They did at least send Ōarai a shipment of canned anchovies for their victory party after the tournament finals. That being the sign of a good or bad loser depends on whether you like anchovies. [[spoiler: Completely turned around in the Anzio Battle OVA, where she personally congratulates Miho and invites the rest of Ōarai's Sensha-do team to a fancy Italian dinner party courtesy of Anzio.]]

** When pursuing other tanks, everybody fires while on the move, never stopping to aim, but even here Hana learns that her aim will improve if the tank is stationary. [[spoiler: This is how she makes the winning shot against Saunders.]]

* HonorBeforeReason: Maho really has no business leading the pursuit of Miho's tank -- putting her own team's flag tank at risk -- when she has several other tanks available. [[spoiler: During the climactic battle, she chooses to engage Miho even though her team urges her to simply avoid Anglerfish Team until they can arrive to support her.]]

** [[OhCrap Shock induced]] example with the arrival of [[spoiler: the Maus]]. Miho should have been yelling for a retreat the moment the back end of that monster came into view. Doubly true considering that they could have run away two or three times over by the time it finally managed to get its gun pointed at them.

* InelegantBlubbering: Momo tries to put on a brave face after the final match, but rapidly dissolves into a crying wreck, [[spoiler: after Ōarai wins.]]

** [[spoiler: Yukari sneaks onboard Saunders' School Ship and disguises herself as a student to learn about their enemy's battle plans. She record her adventure on video. She succeeds in learning the school's plans before she is exposed and has to escape. The Saunders student council president, Kei jokingly calls her out when she spots Yukari before the match.]]

** [[spoiler: Yukari does it again to Anzio to find out the nature of their "secret weapon", but not before enjoying the Italian cuisine.]]

** In the same episode, Anglerfish Team also pulls it off against [[spoiler: Kuromorimine's flag tank. To get there, they had to pull a drift that destroys the Panzer IV's tracks.]]

** The AbsurdlyPowerfulStudentCouncil start off pressuring Miho to take Sensha-do and call her into their office to demand an explanation after she chooses another elective. [[spoiler: The school is in danger of being shut down if they didn't win the Sensha-do tournament]].
** Erika, Maho's lieutenant, is nasty and generally disparaging whenever Miho is the topic of conversation.[[spoiler: She's nicer after the [[GracefulLoser final match ends in a win]] for Ōarai]], swearing with a smile on her face that next time, [[spoiler: Kuromorimine will win.]]
** Shiho, Miho's mother, who decides to [[spoiler:disown Miho from the family name because she considers her an embarrassment.]] She is so cold that after one meeting with her, Miho's friends from the ''Little Army'' manga are scared to see her again. For extra Jerkass points, the manga reveals that Shiho sent one of the house servants to Miho and tell her that if Miho doesn't prove her ability and defeat Pravda, she'll be disinherited on the spot. [[spoiler: Apparently, Miho's ConfusionFu didn't qualify as a ''proper'' victory and the threat was still brought over to the finals.]]
** Katyusha insists everybody is beneath her and only visits the Ōarai team to gloat in front of them. She even taunts Miho about her loss to their team last year, where [[spoiler:Miho abandoned the flag tank, allowing Katyusha to shoot it, in order to save one of her tank crews from drowning.]] On the other hand, it's debatable how much Katyusha knew about the spoilered development -- see the WMG page. [[spoiler: After the match, she bears no hard feelings and roots for Ōarai to win.]]
** In the manga adaptation, Anchovy of Anzio has Katyusha's attitude on winning, and also insults Miho's decision in the last tournament (first alluding to it, then outright saying she caused her team's defeat in almost as many words) ''without'' [[spoiler: being a GracefulLoser.]] However, the Anzio OVA completely averts this by having her act like a cross between Kei and Darjeeling.
* TheJuggernaut: in the form of the [[spoiler:Panzer VIII Maus]]. It will not stop, even if four tanks fire on it at once. It will move unstoppably towards its target. [[spoiler: Defeating it requires some innovative thinking from Miho, a four tank combo tactic, and a heroic sacrifice.]]

* KillerRabbit: The mascot of the Freshman team is a cute, [[DualWielding dual]] [[KnifeNut knife-wielding]], slasher bunny. They don't live up to it until the finals, where they [[spoiler: take out two much-heavier tank destroyers]].

* LeeroyJenkins: The Ōarai girls utilize this trope in episode 8, while simultaneously holding an IdiotBall, when they are too eager in chasing down a lone tank into a town. [[spoiler: IT'S A TRAP!]]

* LetsGetDangerous: [[spoiler: Turtle Team in episode 9 has Anzu become the gunner, and she shows why she's the President.]]

** That's how Ōarai turns the tables on [[spoiler: Saunders, using Arisa's unnecessary cheating against her]].

** Happens against Ōarai in the climax of episode 11 when [[spoiler: a Panzer III lures them towards the Maus.]]
** Was Miho's plan for their practice match with St Gloriana's. [[spoiler: Darjeeling sees right through it, thanks to Momo's trigger happy behavior, and deftly turns the tables.]]

** The famous German tank march ''Panzerlied'' closes episode 11, over a shot of Kuromorimine's surviving tanks in formation, [[spoiler: and accompanies TheReveal of the goddamned Maus.]]

** Turtle Team's tank is busy destroying a larger and better equipped enemy force all by themselves, [[DanceBattler dancing]] among enemy tanks, [[BadassDriver dodging]] their every shot, effortlessly [[MultiTrackDrifting maneuvering to their sides]] so [[spoiler:Anzu's]] [[LetsGetDangerous precision fire]] can smash their weak points, with [[ThemeMusicPowerUp cheerful music at full blast]]. ({{Troperiffic}} enough for you?) [[spoiler: Then Nonna blasts them so hard, their tank topples over in a way that would have killed them in real life.]]

** In the best example of this trope yet, [[spoiler: The Panzer IV's final power slide against Maho's Tiger in the final episode. The Panzer IV drifts so hard it breaks its tracks in the process!]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoxSskctWMg Now]] with [[Manga/InitialD Eurobeat!]]

* MyGreatestFailure: Episode 7 finally reveals why Miho was trying to avoid Sensha-do since the beginning of the series. [[spoiler: During the previous year's Sensha-do finals (Pravda vs Kuromorimine, with Miho commanding Kuromorimine's flag tank), one of her tanks starts to slip from the narrow strip of road they were using. Then it loses its traction and slides into the river below. Miho disregards her own safety as well as her tank to jump into the river to rescue the crew. Unfortunately the Pravda tanks were just ahead, and took out her tank, ending her family's winning streak. Yukari later comments that the tank crew she saved must have been thankful Miho came to rescue them. Before Ōarai vs Kuromorimine starts, one of the crew members she saved personally expressed her gratitude for her actions on that day.]]

** [[spoiler: The volleyball club awesomely ambushes one of the Matilda [=IIs=] with a point blank shot to the rear, resulting in a massive explosion and fire. Unfortunately, when the smoke clears, the Matilda II's gun is pointing at them, and promptly returns the favor.]]

* NobodyCanDie: Strictly enforced. Not just a matter of NonlethalWarfare and safe(ish) AbnormalAmmo; the girls survive regular game-related accidents[[note]]things like ammo bins ''catching fire'', tanks falling ''from cliffs'' into ''deep rivers'', tanks doing ''somersaults'' from battle damage... [[/note]] without a scratch[[note]]beyond {{Ash Face}}s and broken glasses[[/note]], even if it would normally be fatal for the crew. Notice that the risk of such deaths is acknowledged, even if downplayed InUniverse; this isn't NeverSayDie. [[spoiler: Miho's family troubles are precisely because she cared more about her teammate's safety than victory.]]

** Possibly the best example is when the [[spoiler: Maus]] appears. The B1 gamely yells "Don't get cocky because you're huge!" and fires both 75mm and 45mm howitzer at it. [[spoiler: The Maus seems to pause for a moment, before firing once and ''flipping the B1 on it's back'']]
** Bites our heroines in the ass twice during the match with Gloriana; first when [[spoiler: the Volleyball team shoot a Matilda's external fuel tank]] (which produces a spectacular explosion and fire but doesn't damage the tank itself), and again [[spoiler: when Miho and Darjeeling duke it out, and the Churchill VII's armor proves superior to the Panzer IV's.]] This is a fairly realistic scenario given the extremely thick armor of the Churchill and the Panzer IV ausf D's low-velocity 75mm gun having poor armor penetration.

* NotJustATournament: [[spoiler: Ōarai entered the tournament with the added stakes that if they don't ''win'' the tournament, the school will be closed.]]

** The volleyball club, [[spoiler: when they see the tank they ambushed is still combat effective, and its gun is pointing right at them]].

** Katyusha again, in ''Motto Love Love Sakusen Desu'' when she finds out [[spoiler: Nonna keeps a "Katyusha Diary"...and then Katyusha accidentally pokes her in the eye.]] She literally begins shaking, has waking nightmares of [[spoiler: [[Manga/DeathNote Nonna as Light Yagami]] tallying up grudges and dreaming of a future Katyusha purge]], and comes out in a cold sweat.
** [[spoiler: Ōarai running into Kuromorimine's Maus superheavy tank (aka the largest and one of the most heavily armored tanks ever built)]] in Episode 11. [[MassOhCrap Everyone else watching]] (both InUniverse ''and'' RealLife) [[MassOhCrap has the same reaction]]

** The student council's tank takes on four Pravda tanks single-handedly in episode 9 [[spoiler: However, they only knock out two of the tanks before they're taken out.]]

** Saki of Rabbit Team [[SuddenlySpeaking finally speaks]] to [[spoiler: point out a weak spot in an enemy tank]]. Note that this is the girl who hasn't said a word in 12 episodes. Her team lampshades it.
** After [[spoiler: the match ends, Sodoko grudgingly wipes Mako's record clean.]] Mako Reizei, [[TheStoic resident stoic]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjgaY01kKYQ throws her hands up in the air and whoops before glomping Sodoko.]] The look on Sodoko's face as she's glomped is hilarious.

** When Mako finds out [[spoiler: her grandmother is ill]], [[spoiler:Maho]] offers to [[spoiler:loan her team's helicopter over her second-in-command's [[KickTheDog protests]]]] so that Mako can go to [[spoiler:the hospital]] as soon as possible.

** Chapter 12 of ''Motto Love Love Sakusen Desu'' is [[spoiler: an extended dog-petting from Erika to Miho, as they both try to find their way back to their respective school ships when lost in a foreign port.]]

* ProtagonistCenteredMorality: Downplayed.[[spoiler: Arisa from Saunders is treated as a cheater for intercepting Ōarai's raido tranmissions during a match while Yukari is not for infiltrating Saunders to spy on their battle plans even though neither action is technically against the rules.]] It's downplayed because the former's commander has a BadassCreed focused on [[LetsFightLikeGentlemen fair play]] while the commander of the later comes from a tradition of SeriousBusiness and even then she was surprised and had to be assured that it wasn't illegal. [[spoiler: Also, Yukari tried to bluff her way out with a ''Film/KellysHeroes'' reference, which Kei found hilarious.]]
** The BD booklets yield some light on the issue: Yukari did something they are ''explicitly permitted'' to do (recon before games), while Alisa used a [[ExactWords glaring loophole]] ([[spoiler: rules forbid using "radio intercept ''airplanes''", she used a radio intercept ''balloon'']]) to do anyway something that they are ''explicitly'' forbidden to do.

** Episode 8 uses the Russian song "Katyusha", written in 1938, 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.

** Ōarai [[https://infinitemirai.wordpress.com/2017/01/14/oarai-ibaraki-home-of-girls-und-panzer/ is a real Japanese small town]], well-known as a tourist spot and for its fisheries; the UrbanWarfare in episode four uses the town's layout and buildings. There is an Angler fish Festival, and it's a big producer of sweet potatoes, as depicted in the series.
** The finals take place at the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Fuji_Maneuver_Area East Fuji Maneuver Area]], Japan's top tank training facility.

** Arisa tops it again by ordering firing her tank's machinegun at the Duck team seconds later, with Isobe still exposed. [[spoiler: She buttons up seconds before the first rounds started bouncing on the tank]]. Three episodes later, Katyusha tops it ''again'', by ordering '''six''' tanks to fire machineguns against the exposed Miho.

** [[spoiler: How they defeat the [[BossBattle Maus]]. To elaborate, the Student Council ''rams'' their Hetzer into the Maus's tracks from the front, using their speed and elevation to immobilize and lift the ''heaviest tank in the world''. Teams Rabbit and Leopon then draw the Maus's attention by firing at its flank, allowing Team Duck to get their Type 89 to climb over the Hetzer and onto the Maus to jam its now fully-turned-to-the-side turret with its weight. Then Team Anglerfish's Panzer IV strolls their way up a slope next to the temporarily immobilized Maus so Hana can take it out with one shot through the now exposed air vents at its rear.]] Miho warned them that it was crazy and they said they trusted her enough to go with it.
* RepeatCut: In episode 4, how the [[spoiler: [=StuG III=] takes out the Matilda]] is shown again from a different angle.

* RewatchBonus: Anzu's threat against Miho not being allowed to come back to Ōarai next year if she doesn't take tankery. On the first watch, it looks like she's being a petty tyrant bullying a reluctant student by threatening her with expulsion. [[spoiler: The second time around, Anzu's use of ExactWords is obvious: she's actually hinting that the school will be shut down, which would naturally result in Miho being unable to attend it]].

** Momo's [[AttackAttackAttack enthusiasm]] and [[ATeamFiring inability to aim]]. It stops after [[spoiler: Anzu takes over as the gunner]].

* SavingTheOrphanage: [[spoiler: The Student Council plans on doing this by winning the National tournament]].

** It would take many ''many'' nuclear reactors to power Oarai, and conventional fuels would be logistics-prohibitive in terms of refueling. This is also justified. [[spoiler: Some school ships are being shut down because they are not performing well enough to merit the cost of running them. This is why Ōarai's student council is so desparate to win the Nations. If they don't, Ōarai will be shut down.]]

* ScoobyStack: Episode 12, three of Ōarai's teams hide from the [[spoiler: Maus]] behind a small building. One shot from the [[spoiler: Maus]] blows away the building, leaving the three teams exposed and running for cover. Counts as either ConcealmentEqualsCover[[note]]a [[spoiler: [[{{BFG}} 128mm gun]]]] should easily penetrate the building and knock out at least one tank[[/note]] or a justified case of ArbitraryGunPower[[note]]the special Sensha-do Federation rounds mandated for Sensha-do matches were likely designed ''not'' to overpenetrate ''anything'' for safety reasons, even for rounds of that size[[/note]].

** On a lesser note, it seems that tropers get the protagonists' school name wrong more often than not. It's ''Ōarai'' with a distinctive o-with-dash-over-it (itself properly known as macron[[note]]Which in turn is not to be confused with [[Anime/BlackRockShooter macaron]], macaroon, or [[VideoGame/{{Quake}} Makron]][[/note]]). It's not Orai, Owarai[[note]]That would be the generic name for Japanese comedy shows.[[/note]], or Oarai. You read it as 'Ow-Arai'. Definitely also not "Öarai" (that misuse of a German Umlaut for a long "O"-sound is particularly grating for German readers, since it stands for a completely different sound).

* SpySpeak: Used in episode 5, [[spoiler: when Saunders is listening in on Ōarai's communications. Arisa claims to Kei that she gets the info from "[[GutFeeling female intuition]]".]]

* StealingFromTheTill: When the student council wine and dine Miho before the Pravda match, Yuzu Koyama mentions that Anzu managed to "find the money in the budget" for a nice table/cooker. Given Anzu's love of cooking, one suspects that this particular purchase might not necessarily have been made with Ōarai's best interests at heart. In OVA 5, she buys a year's supply of her favorite food (sweet potato chips) as the first prize for a competition [[spoiler: she both judges and participates in. You can have three guesses who wins, and the first two don't count.]]

** In episode 6, [[spoiler: when Duck team suddenly stumbles across Saunders' flag tank.]]
** At the end of the Saunders match in the same episode, as [[spoiler: Ōarai has managed to [[CrackDefeat beat one of the favorites for the tournament]].]]

** ''Accidentally'' by [[spoiler: Anteater in episode 10 against Kuromorimine]], saving Team Anglerfish (the flag tank, so they also saved Ōarai by extension) from elimination.

** Around half of Kuromorimine's lineup for the final match consists of heavy tank destroyers. [[spoiler: This bites them in the rear when the Student Council's Hetzer starts hetzing and Ōarai moves into the city.]]

* TheOner: At the end of the first episode, As they look upon their first tank, the camera abruptly begins to pan out further and further, showing the entire school, then the area around the school... [[spoiler: then the rigging... and the bridge... and the carrier...]]

** For Rabbit Team, most of the other girls and the ''audience'', [[spoiler: when Miho chooses to help them instead of abandoning them to Kuromorimine.]]

* ThatsNoMoon: "Huh, a wall?" [[spoiler: No, it's a ''Maus'', the largest and heaviest tank ever built.]]

** Anzio Academy deploys a squad of ''L3/35 Tankettes''. This is lampshaded by Yukari in the manga, where she points out that their only real use would be for disabling attempts against their tracks or engines.[[spoiler: This is exploited when the Ōarai girls find out that the tankettes were being used as [[WeHaveReserves affordable bait]] to lure them into a trap.]]

** The Freshman team at first panics (causing the loss of their tank[[note]]by breaking it when trying to flee, or by outright abandoning it to flee on foot[[/note]]) in both practice battles. Since the start of the TournamentArc, they become as brave[[note]]No, making a [[TacticalWithdrawal fighting withdrawal]] when outnumbered ''six to one'' does not count as "fleeing scared"[[/note]] as the other teams, even TakingTheBullet for the flag tank ''twice''. The second time was ''deliberate'', to boot. [[spoiler: In the final episode, they singlehandedly take down Kuromorimine's Elefant and Jagdtiger in close combat duels before being taken out.]]

** Miho sucks at {{Rousing Speech}}es, but the first time she manages to nail one is [[spoiler: when they learn that, unless they win the tournament, the school will be closed and the girls will likely be split up]], with these simple words: "I want to keep doing Sensha-do. With all of you". Cue all the team springing into action.

** In Episode 4, realizing that Ōarai has no chance of hurting St. Gloriana's tanks in an open field battle (especially after their ambush failed), Miho has the survivors retreat into the town, in hopes of using the side streets and alleys to isolate and defeat their opponents. [[spoiler: It gives them the advantage, but they still lose.]]
** After successfully breaking contact and denying Kuromorimine a field battle, Miho leads Ōarai into the urban training town, chasing down a Panzer III in the process. [[spoiler: Maho anticipated she would do that, and had the Maus waiting to ambush them.]]

** Episode 10 & 11: Careful counting reveals that Kuromorimine brought 18 tanks & tank destroyers to the field, out of a maximum of 20 allowable vehicles. [[spoiler: The missing two tanks are the Panzer III that was scouting for the Maus hidden in the town.]]

** The student council delivers one to Miho in episode 8 and Chapter 12, [[spoiler: revealing that if they don't win the tournament, their school will be shut down. Hence why they were so eager to force her into joining the Sensha-do class in episode 1.]]

** The class's collection of tanks -- the Panzer IV, a Panzer 38(t) a [=StuG=] III, a M3 Lee, and a [[TheAllegedCar Type 89]] -- are recovered in less-than-operational condition. [[spoiler: Every vehicle they've found up to that point were literally "leftovers". All the good tanks were sold after the Sensha-do club was disbanded.]]

** [[spoiler: The final episode shows that, Shiho and Erika's declarations of heresy aside, Miho and Maho mutually consider each other to be this.]]

** Hana's mother adheres to the more conservative idea of YamatoNadeshiko: she doesn't like it that her daughter is crewing a vulgar war machine when she used to arrange elegant flowers. This leads to some friction. [[spoiler: They reconcile when she sees how Sensha-do has improved her daughter's ikebana skills at a formal gallery.]]
* YouShallNotPass: [[spoiler: Leopon Team prevents the rest of Kuromorimine from interfering in the Nishizumi sisters' duel in an isolated battleground by jamming their huge tank into the entry way and smirking at their opponents.]]

Fortunately, she has new friends who are more than willing to help -- boy-chasing Saori Takebe, gentle Hana Isuzu, tank fangirl Yukari Akiyama, and lethargic Mako Reizei. Together with them and a [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters crew of over two dozen girls]] -- including the Student Council, members of the recently-disbanded volleyball team, history buffs, and a group of freshmen (later, members of public morals committee and automotive club, and a group of online gamers) -- Miho will have to learn to love her sport once more and lead Ōarai to victory -- because, as she will eventually learn, there's more at stake than just the school's prestige or her reputation.

* ''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. Confirmed to be canon, it is the source of a lot of the finer points of characterization among the LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters, albeit somewhat exaggerated as befitting a comedy manga.

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: There are '''[[http://girls-und-panzer.jp/chara_list.html 32]]''' named tank crew in the main characters' school alone. This doesn't include supporting casts and rivals from another schools. The breakdown:
** Miho's team: 5 girls.
** Student Council team: 3 girls.
** Ex-Volleyball team: 4 girls.
** History Club team: 4 girls.
** Freshmen's team: 6 girls.
** Student Morals Committee team: 3 girls.
** Auto Mechanics Club: 4 girls.
** Gamer Girls: 3 girls.

* DangerouslyShortSkirt: Part of the attire for almost every school, both in regular school uniforms and their Sensha-do uniforms (Saunders uses [[WhoWearsShortShorts shorts]] for the latter instead).

* ExposedToTheElements: A {{Downplayed}} example, but the girls cannot be comfortable in the show's usual [[DangerouslyShortSkirt miniskirts]] in the snowy weather of the Pravda match. Not so bad in the tanks, which are consistently noted to be uncomfortably hot in warmer weather, but everyone spends considerable time sitting outdoors during the match; the St. Gloriana and Kuromorimine spectators spend the whole match sitting in cold snowy weather without a hint of discomfort. At least the Pravda team are wearing thick jackets.

** [[UsefulNotes/ElizabethI St. Gloriana's]] tank team uses British tanks, are named after [[SpotOfTea types of tea]], wear red coats in battle, take their tea seriously, are extraordinarily polite and their LeitMotif is the British Grenadiers march. That's TheThemeParkVersion of UsefulNotes/TheBritishEmpire.

** Also, some fans have come to mispell Sen''sha''-do as Sen''cha''-do. Which would mean "[[UsefulNotes/TeaAndTeaCulture Way of the Japanese Green tea]]".[[note]]Cue jokes about how that would be [[SpotOfTea St. Gloriana's]] official spelling in 3, 2, 1...[[/note]]

* SpotOfTea: St. Gloriana and Pravda, as befitting British and Russian-themed teams. The former also gives tea to those they consider {{Worthy Opponent}}s.