Strike Witches

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Strike Witches

The logo of Strike Witches
ストライクウィッチーズ
Genre Military, Science fiction
Light novel: Strike Witches Suomus Iran-ko Chuutai Ganbaru
Author Noboru Yamaguchi
Publisher Flag of Japan Kadokawa Shoten
Demographic Male
Published October 2006 – ongoing
Volumes 2
Manga: Strike Witches Soukuu no Majo-tachi
Author Fumikane Shimada & Project Kagonish
Illustrator Yoshiyuki Kazumi
Publisher Flag of Japan Kadokawa Shoten
Demographic Seinen
Magazine Comp Ace
Original run 2006 – 2006
OVA
Director Kunihisa Sugishima
Studio Gonzo (studio)
Episodes 1
Released January 1, 2007
Runtime 9 minutes
Manga: Strike Witches Tenkuu no Otome-tachi
Author Fumikane Shimada & Project Kagonish
Illustrator Yuki Tanaka
Publisher Flag of Japan Kadokawa Shoten
Demographic Seinen
Magazine Comp Ace
Original run January 26, 2008 – ongoing
TV anime
Director Kazuhiro Takamura
Writer Tsuyoshi Tamai
Studio Gonzo
Network Flag of Japan Fukui TV
Original run 3 July 2008 – ongoing

Strike Witches (ストライクウィッチーズ?) is an anime OVA directed by Kunihisa Sugishima and produced by Gonzo. The story revolves around teenage girls who are essentially moe anthropomorphizations of military planes. The OVA preview episode was released on January 1, 2007. Along with a serialized light novel and manga, a televised anime series has been announced which will premier on July 3, 2008.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Set in a world similar to Earth in the mid twentieth century, Strike Witches tells the story of a fight to protect that world using a combination of magic and technology. The titular Strike Witches, a group of young women with high magical potential, have been gathered together from various nations in a task force to fight against the enigmatic Neuroi. This puzzling enemy force has appeared frequently and without warning in many areas across the world. The weapons of the Neuroi mostly take on forms similar to propeller aircraft but their most troubling tactic is the spreading of a corrosive miasma. Not only do normal humans have no defense against this miasma, but the remnants of the land affected by it are processed by the Neuroi into new weapons, crumbling huge sections of former nations into the sea. As the miasma seems to be unable to spread across large bodies of water, humanity has designated such areas as their main lines of defense.

In order to bring out their potential for use in battle, each Witch equips a unique machine onto their legs: the Striker Unit. With the Striker Unit equipped, they gain the ability to fly and their tapped magical potential provides the strength to utilize weapons far too heavy and powerful for a normal man. Also created is a defensive field that can protect the Witches from the Neuroi's miasma as well as other physical weaponry, making them humanity's trump card in the war. The franchise's main media focuses on the 501st Integrated Air Force Command "STRIKES," spearheading the counterattack in war-torn Europe.

[edit] Production

In a postscript column in Comp Ace, Humikane Shimada had mentioned his desire to use his Mecha Musume concepts across a variety of media, leading to the production of the Strike Witches OVA by Gonzo. However, at about the same time Humikane was also contracted to create the character designs for Sky Girls, which had its televised run in late 2007. During this time there was no word on the further development of a Strike Witches animated series, although promotional items such as plastic figures of the OVA's characters were released. Not until late December 2007 was the anime officially announced, after which details were slowly released, such as the casting of the remaining main characters that had no lines in the OVA.

While Shimada had participated in the initial production for both Strike Witches and Sky Girls, the two contrast in their execution of the mecha element. Sky Girls' Sonic Divers exemplify a futuristic approach, while the Striker Units are more fantastical with a closer connection to Shimada's original illustrations. With the use of World War II era prop fighters as a direct base for the details of each Striker and the weapons used by each Witch, the aerial combat aspect of the series is highly emphasized. In the OVA's mock battle sequence one can see various characters use tactics common to dogfights, such as exploiting the advantage of a smaller turning radius and attacking with the sun to one's back. Additionally, each main character uses a real ace pilot as their archetype, to varying degrees.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Music

Opening Theme:

Ending Theme:

  • Bookmark Ahead - Performed by the main cast.

[edit] External links

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