Strike Witches Review

• 22nd Sep 2011

There is something addictively charming about this odd little anime series. Strike Witches follows the adventures of a young witch (for some unexplained reason she sprouts a tail and cat ears when she uses magic) who becomes part of a team of females who are fighting alongside the army in a war against bizarre alien aircraft. The setting is 1930s and Europe has fallen because of these alien invaders. The strike witches are a team of 12 females from around the world who use their magical powers and some ingenious ways of flying to protect what’s left of the land.

Living within their own base the strike witches use rocket-like leggings on their legs to fly. So naturally because of this they don’t wear trousers or skirts, just wander about in their knickers. All the time. So what we do get is endless shots of their nether regions and, of course, as this is 12 girls living together they all bathe together and grope each other – generally every one of them has some sort of lesbian tendency. So it’s fan service galore. Yet, oddly, it’s part of the show’s charm. Perhaps fan service (that’s putting material in a manga series just to please the audience, for thise of you not in the know) has grown on me, but here it didn’t irritate me as much as it has done in previous Manga titles. I think it’s the cheeky humour of the show overall which is quite appealing.

But this isn’t all giggles and crotch-shots because there are some unexpectedly mature character arcs throughout the show. We get to know each of the Strike Witches and their backstories which include some tragic tales due to the destruction of the world around them. At first there are so many characters to get to know that it seems overwhelming but each new episode fully rounds out a character in a nicely effective manner. Some of the characters are very likeable and I’m sure anyone who gets involved with the series will each have a favourite of their own.

The setting of a 1930s airbase is quite unique and apparently all the witches were based on a real-life woman who was involved in the war efforts of the time. So a lot of research has been put into this tale and, although most of it goes beyond me, I’m sure some people will pick up on little details like these. It’s perhaps a special feature that should have been on the extras to show how things tie in with what actually happened in the real world at the time.

As the story unfolds throughout the series and we get to know the characters – of course there’s the token half-way episode where there’s nothing much but fan service – so things begin to get ever more dangerous for the girls. It seems there’s a little corruption from the higher forces that be and perhaps the alien spacecraft aren’t the enemies they thought they were. It all leads up to an action-packed final four episodes.

The animation isn’t amazing but it’s adequate enough. The action shots are well done and despite the bizarre design of the flying machines the girls use they do provide some spectacular aerial fights.

So overall the series is good fun and full of lively, likeable characters. If only the fan service could have been toned down and a little more explanation was given for some of the odder elements of the show (the aliens, the ears and tails).

Extras:

Commentary with director and stars of episode 12: This is an enjoyable commentary from three of the team behind the English dub. They do go into good detail about the series as a whole. It’s nice to hear them talk about the level of fan service in the show and they don’t hide away from the fact that it’s a bit much. Although they try to say it’s tastefully done (it’s not) and character driven (nope). Could have done with a few more commentaries on other episodes with some of the other actresses.

Opening and closing songs without credits: Zzz.

Stewart McLaren