{"id":60586,"date":"2026-07-06T00:01:13","date_gmt":"2026-07-06T04:01:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shamusyoung.com\/twentysidedtale\/?p=60586"},"modified":"2026-07-06T00:36:24","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T04:36:24","slug":"girls-und-panzer-our-first-battle-comes-to-a-climax","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shamusyoung.com\/twentysidedtale\/?p=60586","title":{"rendered":"Girls und Panzer: Our first battle comes to a climax!"},"content":{"rendered":"

After episode 5, Girls and Panzer<\/em> ran a recap episode of the previous five entries. A “the story so far” summary that honestly wasn’t needed. If I remember correctly there were rumors of technical difficulties or budget control issues that had to be addressed. I mentioned previously that the practice battle against St. Gloriana had some strange inconsistencies, the main one getting addressed later. That is, Miho pointing out the problems with Momo’s strategy against St. Gloriana seems to be addressed in Episode 3 when Miho is put in charge, but then is brought up again AFTER the battle, in Episode 4 when Anzu says maybe they ought to leave strategy to Miho in the future. This “part two” of the Saunders battle will feature some other interesting tidbits. There’s still the issue of Miho’s self-confidence to contend with. This will come up weirdly twice in a row, only seconds apart. But also there are some bizarrely-high-quality-animated scenes, almost randomly. For those who don’t know, and I won’t speak for anime in the 2020’s, only the 2010’s and before (because I know those eras pretty well) animation isn’t necessarily always done “in house.” Usually some is, but often a portion or even most of a series’ run is contracted out. Sometimes *all* of it is. The opening song animation is typically allocated more time, which of course means more money. That’s your prime advertising media and the first thing most viewers ever see once the series has started. You then spend extra time (money) on the FIRST episode, or at least important scenes, because; again, that gets people’s attention. What remains of the budget is then spaced out for the remaining episodes. Good producers and directors know ahead of time what scenes will take extra effort (money) and which scenes can be “skimped” on. Distance shots, for example, don’t need the extra effort and can be completed faster. Where tension frequently arises in *action* anime is high-movement scenes with unimportant details. The motions have to look good, or good enough, but there isn’t anything vital to impart to the viewer. Along with that, close-ups and reaction shots frequently have very little movement, but expressions have to have the detail to clearly distinguish a character and convey emotion. Episode 6: Our first battle comes to a climax! seems to have examples of poor budget management. In my opinion, of course.<\/p>\n

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Episode 6 also gets stretched in places, which is weird considering the next tournament battle for Oarai is *built up a lot*…then gets skipped. FOR NOW DN DN DN DUUUNNNNNNNNNNN…<\/p>\n

See? More budget management. Maybe.<\/p>\n

We start with a repeat of the closing moments of the previous episode (yes, I’m going to point out every time they saved money or stretched). The STuG III, Panzer 4, and M3 Lee all fire in succession, Ankou hits the point where the Sherman’s turret rests on its hull and the Hippo Team (the STuG III) slams the side hull of the Sherman just under the fender. The Lee seems to have been aiming at the second Sherman, but misses; hitting the ground between the two tanks. Better work on that gunnery, Rabbit Team. The first Sherman then “explodes” likely due to damage from the STuG’s shot, as the front left of the tank has a secondary ammo storage, and the explosion seems to come from that area. No one is hurt, of course.<\/p>\n

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The first Sherman is destroyed. The balance is now nine tanks to five tanks. Miho “broadcasts” the next order to Oarai: they will all gather at Point 128 on the map and try to take out the Firefly Sherman together. It’s just TOO big and POWERFUL for Oarai to win if it still exists. Arisa, thinking she got the scoop of the century, tells Kei to send the remaining eight tanks to that location. Kei questions the info, and *may* suspect Arisa’s knowledge isn’t legit, but her reaction is open to interpretation. Meanwhile, all five Oarai tanks just bug out and start searching for Saunders’ flag tank based on hiding spots suggested by the terrain and Miho’s marginal experience in Tankery. Yukari is scanning the area with binoculars as they go, something we will see her do increasingly over the course of the series. After all, she is clearly a master of scouting. Back with Saunders<\/p>\n

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Arisa reacts with disbelief, but does quickly consider the possibility that Oarai tricked them. When suddenly, Duck Team burst’s into Arisa’s hiding spot.<\/p>\n

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This is totally unexpected by everyone involved. On top of that, the Type 89 is *very* unlikely to damage the Sherman with anything but the luckiest shot. A standoff ensues. Arisa stares at Duck Team Captain Noriko.<\/p>\n

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Noriko stares back at Arisa.<\/p>\n

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They stare at each other.<\/p>\n

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This goes on for…quite a while, actually. I’m sure you noted, Noriko isn’t standing “in the hatch opening” as we frequently see in the other tanks. She is literally “riding” the tank. There IS a turret hatch, and while the crew for the Type 89 called for a Commander\/Gunner position, I’ve seen photos of Type 89’s showing the hatch occupied and a commander standing beside the turret, as Noriko is pictured. I somehow doubt this was common practice. This particular Type 89 appears to be the later-produced “Otsu” variant, with a variety of improvements such as a better engine and a redesigned asymmetrical turret with a commander’s cupola. You can see the cupola with its hatch cover elevated above the top of the turret; the original Type 89 turret hatch was almost flush.<\/p>\n

Noriko finally, carefully, knocks twice on the roof of the turret, then screams “TURN RIGHT IMMEDIATELY AND GOOOOOOO!!!” Driver Shinobu (the short-brown-haired member of the Volleyball Team) executes this instruction so completely Noriko is almost thrown off the top of the tank. The turret of Arisa’s M4A1 is pointed in the opposite direction and is unable to rotate fast enough to hit Duck Team before they take off.<\/p>\n

Noriko radios Duck Team’s situation and position to Miho, who acknowledges, then has Sayori text instructions to the rest of the team. The Ducks will have to lead the Saunders Flag Tank to a rendezvous, and keep from getting hit. Mainly so they can KEEP leading the Flag Tank to where Miho wants it. Noriko starts serving up smokescreens, literally:<\/p>\n

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Arisa keeps firing through the smoke, regardless of her limited number of shells. The Ducks and Miho’s subterfuge have got her riled up. Duck Team’s gunner Akebi (the blonde-haired volleyball player) complains to Noriko about “the enemy’s tough serves.” Noriko tells her they won’t let a single serve through; Duck Team will go “reverse libero” on them. Akebi responds “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”<\/p>\n

Which is likely accurate. Noriko kind of has a point in bringing up up liberos. The “libero” is a pretty-rigidly-defined defensive substitution in Volleyball. One or two can be designated in your lineup. They’re not universally used. They have to follow specific rules and with certain situational caveats. They CANNOT play offense on the front row of the team, and frequently can’t even “serve” in rotation with the rest of the group. They ONLY PLAY DEFENSE. Now, Duck Team is ONLY PLAYING DEFENSE. Sort of. Because, as I mentioned, they have to keep Arisa following them. They have, even if accidentally, successfully baited Saunders’ Flag Tank into the open. Now she’s “serving” smokescreens “defensively.” Is that what Noriko means by “reverse libero”? There IS no actual “reverse libero” strategy in volleyball. There’s not even a way to translate the concept into words that would make sense, in any language.<\/p>\n

Finally the smokescreens begin to clear, and Arisa sees what Duck Team was leading them to:<\/p>\n

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And we get an ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS close-up of Arisa panicking as she scans the Oarai tanks. You can FEEL the fear. Great use of budget, guys! She then notices the Panzer 4 approaching from the side and yells “STOP!!!” which successfully keeps Ankou Team’s shot from landing almost exactly where the previous debilitating shot on the first Sanders tank loss occurred. As Arisa’s Sherman reverses, she radio’s her position to Kei and asks for help. Kei, being somewhat more aware than a rock, tells Arisa this is NOT what you said was going to happen earlier. Arisa explains, and lets slip, that Oarai must have realized we were intercepting their communications. Kei’s scream of “BAKA!!!!” (idiot) is probably heard by every tank on the field, without the radio. Kei briefly dresses down Arisa about not fighting fairly, then makes her own decision on how to proceed. Oarai has five tanks; she will dismiss five of her tanks (not the Firefly, of course; and she can’t dismiss the Flag Tank) from the rest of the battle and take on Oarai Five on Five. A stand-up decision, considering, as we discussed last time, Saunders isn’t actually breaking any rules.<\/p>\n

Kei tells Arisa to bug out. She is followed by all of Oarai forming up around their own Flag Tank, while continuing to shoot at Arisa’s Sherman. Arisa goes on an insane rant about how great the Sherman is, how many were built, how idiot-proof they were, how countries couldn’t stop buying them<\/p>\n

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She is interrupted by the driver telling her NONE of that is a comfort at the moment, as an Oarai shell glances off the turret. A return shot by Arisa’s Sherman misses Oarai’s tanks. The rant continues, getting personal. Oarai’s tanks are run down. Saunders is on a different level than Oarai. Who do these people think they are? They’re trying to compete with Saunders? (this getting a little uncomfortable for modern America, honestly)<\/p>\n

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Wait, what was that?<\/p>\n

Nothing, apparently. Arisa moves on to complaining about the boy she likes, then pops out of the hatch to directly yell at the pursuing Oarai team, words no one can hear. Miho gives instructions to Sayori; she relays to use the hill they’re approaching to reposition, when a BIG tank gun is heard. The Sherman Firefly has arrived. Miho and Yukari both look out of the turret to see Saunders’ positioning.<\/p>\n

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Miho has the Duck and Rabbit teams positition themselves between the Turtle Team Flag Tank and the pursuing Saunders tanks. She leaves offense to Ankou and Hippo. The Rabbits swear they won’t run away this time, and the Hippos try to figure out what historical battle this situation reminds them of. Momo fires behind, misses as usual, and Yuzu points out Momo still isn’t hitting anything. Momo responds explosively and Anzu, munching sweet potato skins, comments “Oh, quite a battle raging here.” Whether she’s commenting on the team’s situation or Turtle Team specifically is…unclear. The Ducks lob a shell of their own backward, with guts and exuberance, only to be nailed by the Firefly:<\/p>\n

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The Firefly has removed one of Oarai’s tanks with one shot. It’s worth noting Naomi, the gunner in the Firefly, hit the Type 89 right on the engine. Good shot. A few seconds later, she repeats the feat on Rabbit team, taking out the M3 Lee’s engine.<\/p>\n

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The Oarai team has no answer for Naomi in the Firefly. She’s an excellent gunner and the 17 pound gun of the Firefly is able to destroy any of Oarai’s tanks with one shot. Our two observing schools offer differing views. Erika says “it’s only a matter of time now.” Darjeeling says something about “People eat a sandwich for the cucumber between the pieces of bread.” I guess she’s referring to Oarai being in the middle, but beyond that, I don’t know. Replacing the earlier confidence, the reality of the situation overcomes Oarai’s team members. Momo is crying. Hippo team starts talking about losing battles. Miho is clearly demoralized and not in command. She notices her shaking left hand, and covers it with her right. She tells everyone to calm down, and reminds them this is a running a battle and the numbers are on their side, regardless of what’s happened already. But having said that, she returns to introspection until the other members of Ankou Team join with her. It’s another “we’ll follow your lead” moment.<\/p>\n

Honestly this entire segment drags, and repeats shots. I mentioned at the beginning Miho falters two times only seconds apart; it happens here. Every shot is new animation and dialogue, but the same things happen. It’s clear they needed another few minutes of screen time and this is one of the scenes that took the hit. It doesn’t really work narratively. It FEELS like they’re just putting off the ending. And the ending isn’t very satisfactory, either. Contrary to Naomi managing to disable two of Oarai’s tanks with consecutive shots while moving, a very difficult achievement; Hana has only landed one shell that we’re shown: the other shot that hit the first Saunders tank destroyed. In fact, we’re shown Hana missing the Saunders Flag Tank wildly during the chase. This wouldn’t be such a big deal if they weren’t displaying her performance along-side Naomi in the Firefly. EXCEPT…Naomi hasn’t managed to hit another tank since the two she destroyed. We are solidly in the realm of narrative-driven success and failure, here.<\/p>\n

The rest of Oarai suggests continuing fire; after all, if we keep shooting sooner or later somebody will land a hit (disregard the legitimate technical reasons why that’s questionable given what we know). But Hana suggests climbing the hill Saunders’ Flag Tank is skirting around<\/p>\n

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and firing on it from above the other side of the hill. She promises she won’t miss. Miho agrees, and has Sayori send out the orders. As the Panzer 4 has the most realistic chance of hitting Arisa’s M4A1 on the move, Kei sends the Firefly after them. I guess. That’s a plausible explanation. The three remaining Shermans apparently never manage to hit the 38(t). As far as we know, the end of the story is the Firefly trying to hit the Panzer 4 before the Panzer 4 can hit the M4A1 Flag Tank. Just as Arisa dodged a shot from the Panzer 4 earlier with a sudden stop, Miho orders Mako to stop the tank to avoid a shot from the Firefly. Then Hana nails the M4A1’s engine, while traversing the gun horizontally. Hell of a shot.<\/p>\n

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A second later the Panzer is hit by the Firefly. Below the bluff Kei reports the disabling of her Flag Tank. The other members of Oarai are, frankly, shocked. Shocked at the sudden win, and shocked Hana made such a difficult shot at such a difficult time:<\/p>\n

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Naomi expresses her disappointment, then flops back against her loader and smiles. The other members of Ankou Team congratulate Miho, but she bows to Hana, and thanks her for the miraculous shot. Rabbit and Duck show up cheering Miho as well. Except for Saki. Don’t worry about Saki. She is quite observant and very much aware of what’s going on, she’s just focused on other things at the moment.<\/p>\n

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Hippo and Turtle drive up as well, with Anzu flashing a “V” sign and Momo…still not processing things very well.<\/p>\n

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To close the battle the two teams meet in front of the stands and bow to each other again. Kei greets Miho as her counterpart captain:<\/p>\n

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She tells Miho she never thought she would get to take part in a tank battle like that. The chase is what I think she is specifically referring to. I’m guessing long-distance team-on-team chases don’t happen a lot. Miho asks why Saunders only pursued them with half their tanks, and Kei tells her openly: one, it was the least she could do when she found out Arisa had engaged in communications-tapping. It may not be against the rules, but it isn’t proper “Tankery.” And neither is chasing five tanks with ten when your opponent only HAS five tanks to start with. That’s what she says, but I think that first part is the bigger issue with Kei. Otherwise she could have had half her tanks sit around from the beginning; she didn’t. In a quick cut to Erika and Maho, Erika mutters “Naive” to this before walking off; but Maho continues observing the scene.<\/p>\n

Do *I* think Kei knew about Arisa’s surveillance?<\/p>\n

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No, I don’t believe she did. Also, I don’t think “we’re going to go over what happened here” is quite the right translation. I’m not terribly fluent in Japanese AT ALL, but it sounds like Kei tells Arisa it’s time for “hyouka,” or they need to talk about about “hyouka.” In simple terms think of this as “performance review,” but in Japan it’s much more comprehensive than we would think in the West. Consider “your technical performance was fine, but you’re not integrating into the team well.” I think that’s what is being understood, and expected, by Arisa right now.<\/p>\n

As the music swells and Ankou Team watches the Shermans drive off into the sunset, Mako receives a call from an unfamiliar number. What she hears clearly disturbs her, but she tells the others<\/p>\n

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and promptly drops her phone. Sayori insists Mako tell them what’s going on. Mako’s grandmother, who Mako fears angering greatly, fell; and is in the hospital back in Oarai. They aren’t in Oarai. Everyone, not just them, but everyone from the school on land for the tournament battle, would have to get to the school ship. Then they would have to get the school ship to an appropriate port, or something. Mako begins to strip off. She will swim to Oarai, she tells the others. As they restrain her, a voice interrupts: “Take the helicopter we came here in.”<\/p>\n

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Erika objects, but Maho tells her “This also is Sensha-do.”<\/p>\n

Erika, incidentally, is the pilot of the helicopter, a Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 Drache. Or, rather, as we’ve mentioned a few times, a recreation of one. The original was, in our world, the first production helicopter; although care and maintenance was particular. The shots of the helicopter leaving with Mako and Sayori (along with Erika) last an interminable amount of time. The close of the episode features the Student Council calling out the schools Pravda and Kuromorimine as having two matches over the next two days, and predicting both schools would win (these were last year’s final two teams, you might remember.) Two subsequent images show a tall brunette standing above a decimated battlefield, and Maho in a Tiger tank turret hatch doing the same.<\/p>\n

Next Episode is #7: The Anzio battle is next!<\/p>\n

Except it’s not. I mean, they may still call the episode that, I don’t remember. But the Anzio battle is NOT next. We’ll talk about that when appropriate. Later!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After episode 5, Girls and Panzer ran a recap episode of the previous five entries. A “the story so far” summary that honestly wasn’t needed. If I remember correctly there were rumors of technical difficulties or budget control issues that had to be addressed. I mentioned previously that the practice battle against St. Gloriana had […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[638],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-60586","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-paige-writes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shamusyoung.com\/twentysidedtale\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60586","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shamusyoung.com\/twentysidedtale\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shamusyoung.com\/twentysidedtale\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shamusyoung.com\/twentysidedtale\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shamusyoung.com\/twentysidedtale\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=60586"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.shamusyoung.com\/twentysidedtale\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60586\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60631,"href":"https:\/\/www.shamusyoung.com\/twentysidedtale\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60586\/revisions\/60631"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shamusyoung.com\/twentysidedtale\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=60586"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shamusyoung.com\/twentysidedtale\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=60586"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shamusyoung.com\/twentysidedtale\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=60586"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}