For those to whom this in new, G&P is a story of a Japanese secondary school "tankery" team in international competition. Yes, you read right, "tankery", the time honored tradition and art of using tanks to close with and destroy the enemy. Hokey and implausable, perhaps, but what makes it so cool is the hyper-accuracy of how the tanks are depicted, referenced, and used. Whomever the technical and historical adviser is for the show, they deserve a raise.
I've watched 10 episodes, and I've seen accurate (inside and out) renditions of the PanzerIVd, 38t, StuGIIIf, Char 1b, type 89, Grant, Sherman, Matilda, Churchill, T-34/43, T-34/85, KV2, JS2, Panzer IIIm, Tiger, Panther, Porsche Tiger, JagdPanther, JagdTiger, JagdPz IV/70, Type 3 Chu-ni, and a Kingtiger. It is pure tank-nerd eyecandy as they seem to go all-out making sure they look right.
The story is not a bad one either, lots of coming of age sort of arcs but the main story does have me hooked. Miho Nishizumi had left her family's school, and tankery team after choosing to save her teamates from drowning instead of finishing the match. Shunned by her family, she works to rebuild her self confidence as well as the respect of others, including her estranged sister and mother.
I did say 99% loving it, as honestly, the high-octave squealing does grate of the nerves, but if that is the price to pay for the next tank engagement, so be it.
You can watch episodes 1 - 10 for free here at http://www.crunchyroll.com/girls-und-panzer . They are in Japanese, subtitled in English, with a few unavaoidable commercials. I do look forward to the English over-dub DVD version due... whenever, but it will be on my shelf at some point.
-the Komissar
No comments:
Post a Comment