{"id":60809,"date":"2026-08-24T00:01:11","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T04:01:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shamusyoung.com\/twentysidedtale\/?p=60809"},"modified":"2026-08-24T02:00:01","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T06:00:01","slug":"girls-und-panzer-classmates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shamusyoung.com\/twentysidedtale\/?p=60809","title":{"rendered":"Girls und Panzer: Classmates!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Girls und Panzer<\/em> Episode 10 is titled Classmates! Several meanings are loaded into that word. Two tanks and two new tank crews are added, even though we’re going into the last battle of the series. Miho talks about her attachment to Oarai and her friends, which emphasizes her disconnection from Kuromorimine. This has been a primary theme throughout the series; the divergence from expectations and planned outcomes to fulfill goals. This is Japan, of course; so the writing keeps this idea confined…don’t want to upset the apple cart too much. BUT…several subplots converge in this episode to reinforce this main idea. A secondary concept, that Miho rejects individualism and pride in favor of befriending her “enemies” is also pointed at. Sure, “befriending” enemies is something of an anime and manga trope by itself, but Girls und Panzer<\/em> doesn’t use it that way. They try to actually make a point. There’s even a discussion about the idea late in the episode that doesn’t easily translate to English very well. But we’ll get to that later.<\/p>\n

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First on the agenda: the Tiger(P) is ready!<\/p>\n

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Ferdinand Porsche’s design for the Tiger tank had the great 88mm gun, but a complicated drive-line and not enough power for the weight. It had a tendency to bog down.<\/p>\n

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Also it overheated easily. And caught fire more than expected.<\/p>\n

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After watching the failed demonstration Anzu comments that it kind of hurts to even call it a “tank.” Apparently others thought the same thing about the real one, but Mr. Porsche was so confident his design was the best he had already started building them. This led to at least ONE known Tiger(P) reaching combat in the pictured design (there may have been more, but no one has ever found or at least shared evidence this happened) and eventually the Tiger(P)’s being produced as the Ferdinand\/Elefant tank destroyer. We’ll get to that at some point.<\/p>\n

So the Tiger(P) is sent back to the barracks and the Sensha-do team is left trying to figure out how to add more firepower before the Finals match, which allows twenty tanks per side. Miho can testify, and everyone already knows thanks to their reputation, Kuromorimine is GOING to use all twenty tanks. Just as with Pravda, they seek crushing defeat of their enemies. Kuromorimine is just more immediate and straight-forward about it. At a strategy meeting, Anzu tells the others that many other school clubs have donated some of their budget to the Tankery team, so she can use that to maybe purchase some upgrades or modifications…but buying a whole tank is *probably* not doable. So the Oarai team hits the streets:<\/p>\n

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The Hall Monitors (Mallard Team, in the Char B-1 bis) drive around town. The Rabbits do the same on foot:<\/p>\n

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After all, so far the Oarai Sensha-do Team has found six tanks just laying around (the Panzer 4 was already in the barracks); it’s amazing how people have been able to just walk by tanks and not notice them for so long.<\/p>\n

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Anzu shows off the “Hetzer Upgrade Kit” she purchased for the Panzer 38(t). Momo suggests a Shurzen armor upgrade for the Panzer 4 would be more viable, and she’s partially right, but at that moment Miho is approached by Mai Nekota (aka Nekonya):<\/p>\n

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This isn’t actually the first time Nekonya has tried to join the Sensha-do team…but we don’t know that yet. It’s shown in the first OVA, This Is The Real Anzio Battle! that she has previously approached Miho, but crippling shyness left her unable to vocalize. Nekonya is quite tall, a bit over 5 foot 6 inches; and quite possibly has been teased (mercilessly, from what I’ve seen of Japanese grade-school children) because of this. She tends to hunch over constantly, and is easily recognized by her cat-ears hair band and thick-lensed glasses. Miho welcomes her, and thanks her profusely; but points out they don’t have tank available at the moment. One could nit-pick about the Char, as it NEEDS at least one or two more people just to not suffer in operation, but this is a narrative point…to wit:<\/p>\n

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Other tank? What other tank?<\/p>\n

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One could be forgiven for thinking in this world hanging a sign on a tank makes it invisible; we’ve swam in those waters before. But no, Aya, the blonde twin-tailed First Year, answers the question: “Yeah, it’s been here. But no one ever claimed it, so I figured it must be useless.”<\/p>\n

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Back in the barracks the Automobile Club volunteers to drive the Tiger(P), as the thing can barely move without needing repairs. They form Leopon Team. Driver Tsuchiya wants to drift the monster. Loader Suzuki sensibly tells her “you can’t do that in a tank.” Commander Nakajima then *actually explains the physics* of drifting and points out it can be done in the right circumstances. Hah!<\/p>\n

Nekota informs Miho she can form a team for the Type 3 Chi-Nu with her friends, whom she already called! They all play an online tank-battle game together! They’ve never even met (IRL) before now!<\/p>\n

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(I swear this is Miho’s actual response in both situations)<\/p>\n

They will form Anteater Team. The Type 3 Chi-Nu Japanese tank was the last tank Japan produced for World War 2, but it never saw combat action. Ever, as far as anyone knows. Over 150 were produced right at the end of the war. They were all kept in the “home islands” to defend against the expected invasion (the four big islands that form the main large area of Japan). This tank was mostly the same medium tank design Japan had been using for quite a while, but with a larger turret that housed a 75mm gun. It was meant to counter the M4 Sherman, the Panzer 4, the Soviet T-34, and the many other variations of medium tanks with 75mm guns, but was never tested against any of them. Japanese tank design wasn’t, as you might hear occasionally, “bad” but they were several years behind other major mechanized powers in this regard…because they hadn’t needed to be better. They had been at war with countries less-advanced than they were. Regarding tanks and mechanized forces. So, the operation and effectiveness of the Chi-Nu is almost entirely speculative, as is the ability of Anteater.<\/p>\n

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Turtle Team goes ahead with the conversion of the Panzer 38(t) into a Hetzer. This requires some explanation, because it’s NOT ENTIRELY WRONG, but only slightly more accurate than the Nutrimatic Drinks Dispenser managing a beverage NOT QUITE entirely unlike tea. The TLDR; is that a Hetzer, most-correctly known as a Jagdpanzer 38 or Jagdpanzer 38(t), was an attempt to make a cheap, easy-to-produce tank destroyer out of existing components and a 75mm anti-tank gun. To that end engineers used a lot of the parts and design elements of the Panzer 38(t)’s chassis…but NOT simply “a Panzer 38(t) chassis”. You didn’t just bolt a new top onto a 38(t)’s bottom and call it a Hetzer. (side note: according to many historians, it was *never* popularly called a “Hetzer” during World War 2, although there are conflicting data that indicate the name was at least a somewhat-common nick-name. Post-war this vehicle is almost exclusively called a “Hetzer”) To be fair to the anime, Anzu does say it’s a “Hetzer conversion kit.” Taken with what is shown, this would be a new concept, not something that actually existed. So, this conversion is a bit “hand-wavey” but once again *not* in the realm of “not impossible”. It’s *just barely* plausible. It also makes for a really good story, although arguably there’s a bit of “Bluesmobile” magic going in in this thing’s creation. We’ll get there.<\/p>\n

Also, because of the low-profile and highly-sloped armor, “Turtle Team” is a more accurate description than it was. Although I suspect Anzu liked it because the tan color looks a bit “gold”. Could the original gaudy paint job of the Panzer 38(t) have been foreshadowing?<\/p>\n

Mako arrives with onigiri made by her grandmother, who has been released from the hospital and intends to travel to the Finals Match near Mt. Fuji (much to Mako’s embarrassment). Hana also asks to be excused the next day, as she is showing a flower arrangement at a competition. All the other Ankou members also promise to come.<\/p>\n

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Hana explains she was able to make such an arrangement thanks to Tankery. A sudden Hana’s mom agrees, telling her daughter she has managed to find her own style of flower arranging. This pleases everyone.<\/p>\n

The Student Council reflects that the next day, they will find out their future; laughter or tears. Then they eat at a cafe where Anzu and the owner partake in puns on the word “chicken.” Momo is not pleased. Anzu tells her not to lose her head…like a chicken. While the English translation makes the conversation about chicken, what Anzu and the Owner are actually punning on is “katsu,” the word for fried meat cutlet. “Katsu” is also a verb that can be used for “winning” or “to win.” So, you know, they’re *eating* katsu, and also tomorrow they’re “katsu.”<\/p>\n

Ankou has dinner in Miho’s room, like they did early in the series. (More katsu) Sayori announces she has received her amateur radio operator’s tier 2 license. I’m not into amateur radio operation, so I don’t know what that means, but everyone is very impressed. However, this is still the funniest line in the show, to me:<\/p>\n

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The Ducks (the volleyball team) meet to practice spikes, while a tray of katsusando (fried cutlet filet sandwiches) waits for their rest period; Anteater watches the sunset from their Type 3 Chi-Nu while eating\u00a0 fried cutlet skewers, and Leopon are…working on the Tiger(P). Leopon’s gunner returns with their dinner, fried cutlet bento. Hippo team (the STuG) enjoy some katsu ramen together on the deck of the ship. Mallard (the Hall Monitors) are, I presume, writing new rules or warning signs while eating katsu burgers (the copy of the series I’m using to crib occasional notes for this episode doesn’t have a “sign” subtitle track. I know I’ve read it before, but don’t remember; and I know very little about Japanese writing). The Rabbits have met to eat as well, more katsu, and are watching Kelley’s Heroes<\/em>. And crying at a scene of a tank being destroyed because it can’t rotate it’s turret in close quarters. (EPIC FORESHADOWING)<\/p>\n

Early in the morning the NOW EIGHT tanks of Oarai are loaded on trains to be transported to the battle area, and it’s time to catch up with our tank-spotting:<\/p>\n

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Right to Left, because the train is moving to the right: The Rabbit Team’s M3 Lee, still the tallest. Turtle Team’s Hetzer, their new 75mm defensible tank hunter. Duck Team’s Type 89 I-Go. Arguably the weakest and least-capable tank on the team, despite the Ducks proving to be good shots and competent tank operators. Hippo Team’s STuG III. The Panzer 4, upgraded from its initial appearance with a new long 75mm gun, upgraded armor, AND the recent addition of Shurzen; steel plates mounted off the armor of the turret and over the tracks. Not really heavy armor itself, it provides protection from fragments, explosions, and *possibly* can cause a shell hit to do less damage on occasion. Mallard Team’s Char B1 bis (bee-one bee) an early heavy tank that can conceivably do some damage in the right situation, but has no well-defined role for Oarai yet, and is severely under-staffed to boot. Anteater’s Type 3 Chi-Nu, which we just discussed, as well as Leopon’s Tiger(P). What either of these can do going forward is still a mystery.<\/p>\n

Before the battle Darjeeling and Orange Pekoe; Kay, Alisa, and Naomi; and Katyusha and Nonna all stop by to wish Miho and Oarai good luck. Darjeeling witnesses the other schools’ greetings and points out how unusual it is that Miho has made friends with all these people. Again, hearkening back to a theme of the series. Following the meeting of the Kuromorimine and Oarai teams the commander of the tank Miho saved from drowning last year approaches her and expresses her gratitude. She has been waiting to talk to Miho since last year, because Miho disappeared almost instantly from Kuromorimine. She was afraid Miho had quit Tankery (in fairness, Miho HAD quit Tankery…as we’ve learned mostly because of anger and pressure from her family). Miho, thankfully without fear and doubt and this time, answers her:<\/p>\n

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As the battle starts Yukari, who witnessed the interaction, tells Miho she has said repeatedly Miho chose the best action that day. Miho disagrees; it may or may not have been the BEST thing to do, but it was the RIGHT thing to do from her point-of-view. This is one of those “depending on how you translate it” things. From the Kuromorimine perspective, Miho’s choice was *not* correct, because it cost them the match. Miho, who has repeatedly emphasized individual and team safety (yes, throw out the hand-wavey “safety” of Tankery), cannot choose to win “at any cost”. She just can’t do it. I think to many audiences around the world this is a more esoteric choice, but I can see it being a more prominent topic to the Japanese and similar cultures. Both Japanese mindsets, and Miho’s need to protect, actually get addressed more in the future…not so much in the series, but in the movies.<\/p>\n

Though the two teams start the battle far apart, Miho expects Kuromorimine to rush to attack. She plans for Oarai to travel to a more defensible location for meeting Kuromorimine where Oarai can use the STuG III and the Hetzer in ambush. She intends once again to use the other tanks to lead the enemy forces in front of their bigger guns. Unfortunately, what she didn’t expect was Kuromorimine to cut through the forest to their left in order to attack earlier. She should have read up on her history, as this describes the Ardennes Offensive (where the Germans launched a surprise attack through the dense forests of the Ardennes region). She orders Oarai to turn right and zig-zag into the cover of another forested area across the plain. Here Anteater plays their first prominent role: having trouble managing gear changes (it works so easy in the game!) they accidentally reverse right into the path of a shot by Erika in a Tiger 2, or King Tiger.<\/p>\n

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Anteater is disabled. Oh, yeah. Ankou in the Panzer 4 is Oarai’s Flag Tank in this battle:<\/p>\n

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Just as Maho in her Tiger is Kuromorimine’s. So they really are doing “sister-vs-sister.” We’ll see how much soon.<\/p>\n

The Final Battle is now twenty Kuromorimine tanks to seven Oarai tanks.<\/p>\n

Coming next, Episode 11: The battle gets fierce!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Girls und Panzer Episode 10 is titled Classmates! Several meanings are loaded into that word. Two tanks and two new tank crews are added, even though we’re going into the last battle of the series. Miho talks about her attachment to Oarai and her friends, which emphasizes her disconnection from Kuromorimine. This has been a […]<\/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-60809","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\/60809","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=60809"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.shamusyoung.com\/twentysidedtale\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60809\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60825,"href":"https:\/\/www.shamusyoung.com\/twentysidedtale\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60809\/revisions\/60825"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shamusyoung.com\/twentysidedtale\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=60809"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shamusyoung.com\/twentysidedtale\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=60809"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shamusyoung.com\/twentysidedtale\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=60809"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}