The appeal and reviews of "Strike Witches": A thorough explanation of the exploits of the beautiful fighting girls

Strike Witches: The Tale of the Sky Maidens

The TV anime series "Strike Witches," which aired in 2008, depicts the exploits of girls with magical powers who fight against the monstrous enemies known as the "Neuroi." The original story was written by Shimada Fumikane and Projekt kagonish, directed by Takamura Kazuhiro, and animated by GONZO. The series has received high praise, including being selected as a jury recommendation in the animation category of the 2008 Japan Media Arts Festival organized by the Agency for Cultural Affairs.

story

In the early 20th century, the monstrous enemy "Neuroi" suddenly appeared and began invading human cities one after another. There was only one way to fight back against them - girls with magical powers (Witches). They equipped themselves with weapons (strikers) and flew through the sky to fight the Neuroi. The only hope left for humanity, driven to a corner by the Neuroi invasion, was the 501st Joint Fighter Wing, which was gathered from all over the world and organized on the front line in Britannia. These girls are warrior maidens who soar through the sky, and fight as heroes who save the country, earning the admiration and praise of the people. Before long, they came to be known as "Strike Witches."

Broadcast information

"Strike Witches" aired a total of 12 episodes from July 3 to September 18, 2008. It was broadcast on a wide variety of stations, including Fukui Television, Television Saitama, Nara Television, Chiba Television, KBS Kyoto, Shinetsu Broadcasting, Gifu Broadcasting, Television Kanagawa, Gunma Television, Sun Television, Tokyo MXTV, Mie Television, TVQ Kyushu Broadcasting, Kumamoto Broadcasting, and BS Nippon Television, at different times on each station. Each episode was 30 minutes long, and new episodes were released every week to entertain viewers.

Characters and cast

The appeal of "Strike Witches" lies in its unique characters. The main characters Miyafuji Yoshika is voiced by Fukuen Misato, Sakamoto Mio by Chiba Saeko, Lynette Bishop by Nazuka Kaori, Perrine H. Clostermann by Sawashiro Miyuki, Mina-Dietlinde Wilke by Tanaka Rie, Gertrud Barkhorn by Sonozaki Mie, Erica Hartmann by Nogawa Sakura, Francesca Lucchini by Saito Chiwa, Charlotte E. Jaeger by Koshimizu Ami, Sanya V. Litvyak by Kadowaki Mai, and Eila Ilmatar Juutilainen by Nakai Erika. Each of these characters has a different background and personality, leaving a deep impression on the viewer.

Main Staff

Many staff members are involved in the production of "Strike Witches". The original work is by Fumikane Shimada and Projekt kagonish, the plan is by Takeshi Yasuda, the production is by Takeshi Yasuda, Shinichiro Ishikawa, Nobuhiko Sako, and Hiroyasu Asami, the series composition is by Striker Unit, military research and world setting is by Takaaki Suzuki, assistant director is Kenichi Hachiya, the original character design is by Fumikane Shimada, animation character design is by Kazuhiro Takamura, mecha design and mecha chief animation director is Hiroyuki Terao, chief animation directors are Koji Yamakawa and Yuzo Hirata, art director is Hiromasa Ogura, art setting is by Hiroki Matsumoto, color design is by The designs were by Keiko Kai and Hitomi Ikeda, the director of photography was Tsunetaka Ema, the 3D director was Hiroshi Shimoyama, the editor was Akinori Mishima, the sound director was Tomohiro Yoshida, the music was Shigetsugu Nagaoka, the music producer was Shunichi Uemura, the music was produced by Columbia Music Entertainment, the music was provided by Makoto Togashi, the producers were Hisashi Imamoto, Tomonori Shibata, Tsuneo Takechi, and Yuka Harada, the animation was produced by GONZO, the director was Kazuhiro Takamura, and the production was the 501st Joint Fighter Wing. These staff members worked together to complete "Strike Witches."

Main Characters

Miyafuji Yoshika is a newcomer who has no combat experience and was sent to Europe as a replacement. She has a simple and loyal personality from growing up in the countryside, and is positive and hardworking in everything she does, but when she becomes obsessed with something, she can only see what is in front of her, which can sometimes put her in danger. Sakamoto Mio is much older than Miyafuji and is a veteran who has been on the battlefield since the start of the war. Her right eye is a magic eye, and her incredible eyesight allows her to see further than anyone else. She is feared by the newcomers as a strict instructor, but in reality she is cheerful, bold, very friendly and gentle. Lynette Bishop is the middle child of eight sisters, and is somewhat gentle and goes at her own pace. She is caring and family-oriented, but she also has a clumsy side. She likes cooking, but she sometimes makes mistakes and makes big mistakes. She also likes sewing and knitting. Perrine H. Clostermann is the daughter of a noble family in Gallia, Europe, and has great confidence in her abilities and is very proud. Although she does not accept people with inferior abilities and tends to play on her own, she is actually lonely and sometimes shows an unexpected side to people she trusts. Mina-Dietlinde Wilke is the captain of the special unit to which Miyato is assigned, and is like an older sister to all of her subordinates. In order to protect her subordinates, she will not hesitate to speak out to politicians and superiors. She is a refined and elegant woman with a flexible way of thinking, who thinks of the best way to proceed in any battle situation, and is good at singing. Gertrud Barkhorn is a class president type who supports her unit from the shadows as an adjutant and is not swayed by momentary emotions. She strives to achieve the maximum results with the minimum damage, and has very high individual abilities, but she also has a shy side, and her serious expression sometimes crumbles. Erica Hartmann has a boyish and childish appearance, but she has a long history on the battlefield and is an ultra ace with a large number of kills. He is a perfect superhuman who cares deeply for his comrades and fights with minimal damage to his allies, but on the ground he is surprisingly lazy and has a side to him that is not good at cleaning. Francesca Lucchini is the youngest member of the corps from Romagna in the south, and is one of the most talented in the unit, and is quite aware of this. She has a friendly personality and is loved by those around her as a little sister. She is a gourmet and likes to take naps, so she sometimes acts on her own in the hideout of the base. Charlotte E. Yeager boasts the nicest body in the unit and is a merit-oriented person who does not care about other things as long as she achieves results. She likes cleanliness and is a big fan of the baths brought by the unit. She is easygoing and always smiling, and is a speed freak with a lovesick personality. Sanya V. Litvyak has low blood pressure and is a night owl who is weak to strong sunlight, and makes the most of her faint shadows to be very active in night combat. She has little interaction with the other members of the corps because her behavior patterns are different from those of the other members, but although she wants to get along with others, she is worried about how to talk to them. Eila Ilmatar Juutilainen is a mischievous and mysterious girl from Northern Europe who enjoys fortune telling and sometimes says meaningful things. Although she always looks down on the team from a step back position, she has excellent situational judgment and the outstanding ability to never get hit, no matter what the situation.

subtitle

The subtitles for each episode are as follows:

• Episode 1: Magical Girl (2008/07/03)
• Episode 2: What I can do (2008/07/10)
• Episode 3: You're Not Alone (2008/07/17)
• Episode 4: Thank You (2008/07/24)
• Episode 5: Fast, Big, Soft (2008/07/31)
• Episode 6: We're Together (2008/08/07)
• Episode 7: It's so refreshing (2008/08/14)
• Episode 8: I won't forget you (2008/08/21)
• Episode 9: What I Want to Protect (2008/08/28)
• Episode 10: Please Believe Me (2008/09/04)
• Episode 11: To the Sky... (2008/09/11)
• Episode 12: Strike Witches (2008/09/18)

Related Titles

There are many related works to "Strike Witches". These include the OVA "Strike Witches OVA 2x2+3D Box Mechanized Maiden Secret Pack", the spin-off work "Strike Witches Miyafuji and Lynette's Witches Base Exploration", the sequel "Strike Witches 2", the movie "Strike Witches The Movie", the OVA "Strike Witches Operation Victory Arrow", the spin-off series "Brave Witches" and its special edition "Brave Witches Special Edition", the related group "501st Joint Fighter Wing", the sequel "Strike Witches ROAD to BERLIN", and "Music Corps Witches" which depicts the music corps. Through these works, you can enjoy the world view and further charm of the characters of "Strike Witches".

Theme songs and music

The theme songs and insert songs of "Strike Witches" also enhance the charm of the work. The opening theme "STRIKE WITCHES ~What I Can Do~" is sung by Yoko Ishida, with lyrics by Natsumi Tadanashi and Kazuhiro Takamura, and music and arrangement by Masanori Takumi. The ending theme "Bookmark A Head" is sung by a different character in each episode, with lyrics by Natsumi Tadanashi and music and arrangement by Yukari Hashimoto. The insert song "Lili Marleen (STRIKE WITCHES Ver.)" is sung by Mina-Dietlinde Wilke (Rie Tanaka), with lyrics by Hans Leip, Japanese lyrics by Takaaki Suzuki, music by Norbort Schultze, and arrangement by Shigetsugu Nagaoka. These songs enhance the atmosphere of the work and deeply move the viewers.

Ratings and Recommendations

"Strike Witches" has won many fans with its unique worldview and fascinating characters. In particular, the scenes in which the Witches soar through the sky equipped with their strikers are visually stunning, and the battle scenes are impressively powerful. In addition, the personalities and growth of each character are carefully depicted, evoking deep empathy from viewers. Furthermore, the historical elements and military setting in the background of the work are also intriguing, and fans will find it a work that offers many new discoveries.

The reasons why I recommend this work are as follows. First, the charm of the characters. Each of the witches, including Miyafuji Yoshika, has a different background and personality, which leaves a deep impression on the viewer. In addition, their growth, friendship, and determination to fight are carefully depicted, which moves the viewer. Second, the beauty of the visuals. The scenes in which the witches fly through the sky equipped with strikers are very beautiful, and the battle scenes are also impressive. Furthermore, the world view and setting of the work are also attractive. The setting of a fictional war set in early 20th century Europe and the exploits of girls with magical powers is very interesting, and fans will find many new discoveries in this work. Finally, the music also enhances the appeal of the work. Each song, such as the opening theme, ending theme, and inserted songs, enhances the atmosphere of the work and deeply moves the viewer.

"Strike Witches" is a work that has gained many fans due to its unique worldview and attractive characters. The witches' accomplishments, growth, friendship, and determination to fight are carefully depicted, deeply moving the viewers. The beautiful visuals and appealing music also enhance the appeal of the work. Please watch this work and enjoy the story of the witches.