Strike Witches
Encyclopedia
is a mixed-media project originally created by Humikane Shimada via a series of magazine illustration columns. It was later adapted into two light novel series, three manga series, an anime
OVA, a televised anime series and various video games. The story revolves around teenage girls who are essentially moe anthropomorphizations
of military airplanes. The OVA preview episode was released on January 1, 2007. The televised anime series later aired between on July 3, 2008, and September 18, 2008. A second season aired between July 8, 2010 and September 23, 2010. A film adaptation has been greenlit for production.
with the national armies joining forces to confront an overwhelming alien threat together instead of fighting among themselves.
The titular Strike Witches are young women with high magical potential who are recruited into military organizations around the world to fight against the enigmatic Neuroi, which began an invasion of unprecedented scale on human territory in the year 1939. This puzzling enemy force has appeared frequently and without warning in many areas across the world throughout history. The weapons of the Neuroi mostly take on forms similar to 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 person. A defensive field is also created 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 Joint Fighter Wing, defending the Britannian home islands, in the first season, as a parallel to the Battle of Britain
, and struggling to retake an occupied Italian peninsula
in the second season as a parallel to the late stages of the Adriatic Campaign
.
Strike Witches takes place in an altered version of Earth
, ravaged by the Neuroi. Several large pieces of Earth's landmasses have been obliterated (with Europe and Africa being the most intact), drastically altering the appearance of the planet in comparison to its real-life counterpart. The nations from which the main characters hail are also based on major world powers of the time albeit with different names and altered territories.
Japan is known as Fuso Empire, the United States of America is the United States of Liberion, Germany is Imperial Karlsland, France is Gallia
, Great Britain is the Commonwealth of Britannia
, Austria is Ostmark, the Soviet Union
is the Orussia Empire, modern Italy is split between the Duchies of Romagna
and Venezia, Finland is Suomus, Norway and Sweden are Baltland, New Germany (i.e. Argentina in South America) is Neue Karlsland in South Liberion, and Spain is Hispania.
Magic is a natural ability unique to Witches which manifests as a blue aura
followed by the appearance of animal ears and tails. Magic is stated to be divided into two categories telepathic/clairvoyant and telekinetic and are treated as a natural force of energy subject to the laws of physics. Although physically taxing, control and technique can improve the expenditure of energy. Magic can be used for such things as healing, vastly enhancing strength and vision, and for stabilizing and enhancing weapons such as guns and swords. They can even be used to survive in hostile environments such as the vacuum of space and from radiation. In battle, their most common uses are powering the Striker Units and forming defensive shields. Magic can freely interact with technology and as such can be strengthened through technological means and even hijacked by the Neuroi.
Deflector Shield
An ability universal to all Witches is the ability to raise runic energy shields for protection. Shields are consciously activated but instinctive in nature able to block multiple attacks coming from all directions and even protect Witches from crashing into objects. Each shield bears different glyphs depending on the nationality of the Witch i.e. Fuso Witches have Japanese characters etc.
Witch
A female user of magic. Male users do not appear to exist in any of the media (though a mecha
intended to supplant the Strike Witches is named "Warlock", or male magic user). It has been suggested by the novels that male Witches do exist but are rarer and likely much weaker hence their absence in the Witch corps contrasting the universal male presence in the standard armed forces.
Familiar
An animal spirit which binds to a Witch increasing their innate magical power as well as grant unique abilities. For instance rabbit familiars are known to grant super-hearing while cat familiars can grant night-vision. They are outwardly visible by their ears and tails on the witches they merge with when manifesting magic. Familiars are able to manifest entirely and even act independently but rarely do so. Familiars are either absent entirely or not emphasized in the anime.
Striker Unit (Air)
A pair of hybrid mechanical/magical propeller devices used by Witches for flight and worn over their legs. They are rigid, preventing movement of the knees, but can be disengaged on the field if needed. When wearing a Striker a Witch's power is vastly increased by a magic engine in the unit, resulting in the constant manifestation of their animal ears and tails. It grants them the power of high speed flight. Strikers require high magical aptitude however and Witches who are either too weak or past their prime cannot use them effectively. Each character's Striker is designed to resemble a type of World War II fighter plane. While most Air Strikers are based on propeller driven, rotor-craft, there have been a few prototypes of Jet propelled Striker Units built by Karlsland. While faster, more maneuverable and capable of flying at higher altitudes it has been noted that the prototype jet strikers burn trough more magical energy compared to Propeller driven Strikers.
Striker Unit (Land)
The tank equivalent to Air Strikers. Land Strikers resemble the caterpillar treads of tanks and even allow Witches to travel at high ground speeds via a sliding motion. Note the treads are located in the lower leg sections and spin along the shins and calves; no physical contact is made with the ground instead a magical field propels the Witch. Because magic is subjected to the laws of physics large amounts of magic is used like fuel to maintain flight in Air Strikers. Land Strikers by contrast don't have this problem and can instead focus all their magic into their shields making them more durable like tanks. While Land Strikers are usually propelled by using the magic propulsion field, sometimes a land witch can walk in these strikers normally with out the aid of magic to propel them, hypothetically to conserve a witches energy. While most Land Striker designs are a simple, small sized units that fits over a witches legs, there have been a few Land Strikers that were built that are much larger, and are more akin to a type of Power Armor and use large caliber magic enhanced weaponry.
Wearing Striker Units
To wear a Striker Unit the Witch inserts her legs into the devices. The receiver ports are actually pocket dimension devices and require near to total skin contact to operate properly (or even fit in for that matter) as such no active Witch wears pants as they would take too long to remove due to the erratic and often sudden nature of Neuroi attacks. Entering a Striker Unit takes only a split second. Adolfine Galland is the only known Witch to wear pants, but she has long gone past her prime and has been promoted to the rank of Air Vice-Marshal
. This serves as one of the primary vehicles of the show's fan service
. Consequently since the Witches primarily wear the uniforms of their countries' armed forces most of which were meant for men (and the establishment of Witch forces was sudden and unconventional at best restricting new uniform redesigns) many of them don't even wear skirts or anything to cover their lower bodies with exception. Some Fuso (Japanese) witches wear short Hakama
instead of Navy or Army uniforms while others have sufficiently large shirts or jackets or simply wear pantyhose. Of note however is the fact that this style while technical in origin has become a very popular and very common fashion trend among civilians due to the fame and respect accorded to the Witches. Consequently many young civilian women are shown to also not wear skirts or pants but no one not even men find this in any way strange. This is comparable to the development of the bikini
during this time period. As a result any social problems this might have caused at first have since become moot by the time the series begins hence why Witches are rarely seen wearing lower body clothing even when off duty.
Magic Engine
According to supplementary material the magic engine appeared alongside the steam engine
utilizing steam technology to enhance magical power. The current magic engine was invented by Dr. Miyafuji and utilizes an internal combustion engine
. Of note is the existence of stand alone magic engines that do not require a Witch to be immediately present one of which was used to power a human built Neuroi enhanced battleship.
Witches' Base
The 501st's first personal base of operations was in Britannian territory. It is an ornate castle that resembles Mont Saint-Michel
, located on a small island jutting into the Strait of Dover
near Folkestone
. Its proximity to the Gallian coast makes it a strategic staging point for the Witches to quickly engage threats coming from the Neuroi-occupied European mainland. The second base they utilized was an ancient stronghold of Witches near Rome. It's most prominent features was an angel statue resembling the one in Ponte Sant'Angelo
and what appears to be a Colosseum.
Neuroi
The primary antagonists of the series. They are mysterious alien entities composed of black honeycomb structure material harvested from conquered territory. Their intentions or origins are unknown however they display high levels of intelligence and are capable to adapting their weapon designs and tactics regularly. They come in various sizes from small to gigantic; capable of self-sustained flight, rapid repair, and armed with directed energy weapons. Durable self-repairing Neuroi have special multi-faceted gems within them called Cores as their power sources and only Achilles' Heel
. Neuroi can be defeated by conventional forces albeit at great difficulty as their durability and firepower vastly exceed the technology of human forces. Exacerbating the problem is their ability to produce a corrosive miasma which can corrupt human machinery turning them into more Neuroi. Only over water (lacking in landmass) is the miasma neutralized however naval vessels lack the maneuverability to avoid the beam weaponry of the highly durable battleship sized Neuroi usually deployed over water making ships equally outmatched. Only Witches with their shields, high agility and magically enhanced weaponry can defeat them without incurring massive casualties. The Neuroi's designs, like many other elements in the series, have a historical basis in that they are modeled after experimental aircraft from the World War II era. Land based Neuroi are shown and seem to take the shape of armored vehicles or walker type shapes. One such land Neuroi, a Super Heavy Land Type, consisted of an assimilated Ship Hull.
Human-Form and Humanoid Neuroi
Aside from the common vehicle form Neuroi, there have also been sightings of less common human-form Neuroi, that look reminiscent of a Witch. These Neuroi in particular are even more mysterious then normal Neuroi, and their intentions or function are unknown as in the past there have been instances of such rare Neuroi using mind control on witches in battle for espionage on the enemy, but more recent examples have attempted peaceful contact with humanity and the witches. It is believed that a sort of Neuroi pre-formbecomes a human form Neuroi when it makes contact with a witch and there is no apparent hostility from the witch in question. Human Form Neuroi often appear as a grey/black witch with black skin, the animal ears and tail of a Manx cat, and have jet-like legs. They can fire lasers from both their hands and the wings of their jet legs, and their cores are located in their chest. Human-Form Neuroi are almost exactly as powerful as the witches they mimic. However, they lack the experience of witches and their capability for teamwork, so these Neuroi are no match for an experienced wing of witches. Humanoid Neuroi are a strange blend of the Human-Form Neuroi and the Aircraft type Neuroi, though how such Neuroi come to be is as of yet a mystery.
Neuroi Hive
Strongholds of local Neuroi presences they resemble giant conical funnels of swirling black clouds the size of mountains. Because Neuroi cannot move over water they mostly remain stationary over major human settlements where they slowly harvest the landscape to make weapons.
, 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 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 dogfight
s, 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.
and illustrated by Hashigo Ueda. The first volume was published in Japan in October 2006, and as of June 11, 2009, 3 volumes have been published. A fourth volume, originally scheduled for Spring 2009, is in production. The Suomus Misfits Squadron series is set in a different time period and location from the anime, and uses a different cast of characters.
The second light novel series, titled Strike Witches: Maidens' Volume (ストライクウィッチーズ： 乙女ノ巻 Sutoraiku Witchīzu: Otome no Maki), was written by Hidehisa Nanbō and illustrated by Hashigo Ueda. As of June 11, 2009, 2 volumes have been published, with a third scheduled for July 1, 2009. The publication of this series coincided with the television anime broadcast, and uses the same cast of characters; however, while some of the chapters are adaptations of the anime episodes, several are original.
between September 25, 2005 and January 26, 2006. A second series, , was serialized in Comp Ace between July 26, 2008 and December 26, 2008. A third manga, , also referred to as Strike Witches 1.5, which takes place between the two anime series, began serialization in NyanType magazine from September 26, 2009.
Published in August 2008, and jointly authored by Humikane Shimada, Taka'aki Suzuki, and Takeshi Nogami. It is considered semi-canonical. The B5-size publication contains a manga and novel section, both dealing primarily with the "Star of Africa" Hanna-Justina Marseille during the North African Campaign. Details on the Strike Witches world setting that could not be added into the anime were also added into the publication.
Strike Witches: Witch in Africa was originally meant to be included in the anime DVD booklets, but because of a reduction in the booklet size, it was instead published as a dōjinshi. The manga will be serialised in Comptiq
beginning November 10, 2011.
Strike Witches: Tiger in Desert
Published in December 2008. Similar to the first volume, and set in the same general time frame and location (North Africa, circa 1942). Consisting of two volumes it follows an experimental Karlsland tank witch unit based on the Tiger I
.
World Witches: Witches of the Sphinx
Published in 2010 and 2011 three volumes have been released. Takes place in 1943 North Africa and concerns the joint effort of the Storm Witches and three tank witch units in retaking the Suez Canal
.
Sengoku Witches: The witch of Honnō-ji
Published in 2009. Takes place during Japan's Sengoku period
. Oda Nobunaga
is rescued from Honnō-ji by his page, in this version the witch Mori Ranmaru
, instead of committing suicide in the incident at Honnō-ji.
directed by Kunihisa Sugishima and produced by Gonzo and released on January 1, 2007. The first anime season was produced by Gonzo and aired in Japan between July 3, 2008 and September 18, 2008. Aside from the traditional televised broadcast, the series was also made available with English subtitles and English dub through YouTube
, BOST TV and Crunchyroll
, using a simultaneous release schedule similar to that of The Tower of Druaga: the Aegis of Uruk
, also produced by Gonzo. The YouTube and Crunchyroll broadcasts operate under a streaming window, allowing users to freely watch each new episode of the series on the day of their release for a set amount of time. Crunchyroll also offers individual episodes to be purchased and downloaded during and after this streaming window has ended. An uncensored version of the series was later released on Region 2 DVD, containing nudity that was obscured for the TV broadcast. The first volume was made available on September 26, 2008, the second on October 24, the third volume on November 28, the fourth volume on December 26, and the fifth volume on January 30, 2009. The anime has been licensed by Funimation Entertainment
and was released on March 30, 2010.
The series used two pieces of theme music. , performed by Yoko Ishida
is used as the opening. is used as the ending. "Bookmark A Head" is performed by the main cast as usually duets and the singers vary from episode to episode. , translated by Takaaki Suzuki, and performed by Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke (Rie Tanaka
), is used as an insert song in episode 8. In Funimation's release, , a song also sung by Rie Tanaka from the CD album for the Strike Witches: What I Can Do Along With You game, was substituted for Lili Marleen.
A second series entitled Strike Witches 2 was produced by AIC and aired between July 7, 2010 and September 23, 2010. This season has also been acquired by Funimation Entertainment and was simulcasted on their video portal, with an intended home video release in 2011. The opening theme is by Yoko Ishida
and the ending theme is "Over Sky", which is once again performed by members of the vocal cast.
for "Strike Witches: To Do What I Can" was released on August 20, 2008 by Columbia Music Entertainment
and also a version of "Bookmark A Head" performed by Misato Fukuen
. An album entitled the was released on October 10, 2008 by Columbia Music Entertainment, containing all versions "Bookmark A Head" as well as the insert "Lili Marleen". The original soundtrack containing 36 tracks was released on September 9, 2008.
Additionally, five albums of character image songs where released by Columbia Music Entertainment:
, is a simulation game developed by Russell Games for the Nintendo DS
and released on November 26, 2009. It features Junko Takei. The Witches take under their wing a candidate commanding officer from the Fuso Empire, Junko. She contacts the 501st to inform them that she will be meeting up with them during a training exercise. At the same time the military announces a new operation: to make a concerted strike against the Neuroi at the Gallian coastline and establish a new frontline base. Pre-orders for the Nintendo DS version received a fake girl's gym shorts DS pouch with their order.
is a visual novel
title also developed by Russell Games for PlayStation 2
, which was released on May 27, 2010. This adventure game features Amaki Suwa and Nishiki Nakajima. To the south of the base lies a deserted island where the Witches are conducting open-air exercises. However, when the carrier they are stationed on comes under surprise Neuroi attack, the Witches are left stranded. In the two weeks that it will take for reinforcements to arrive, the Witches decide to carry on with their maneuvers, as well as make sure they can survive.
, is a bullet hell shoot 'em up developed by Cyberfront for Xbox 360
. Players control a group of three witches, and change positions to best defend against the Neuroi. And this game also features Junko Takei, with Nishiki Nakajima as a downloadable character. It was released in Japan on July 29, 2010.
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
OVA, a televised anime series and various video games. The story revolves around teenage girls who are essentially moe anthropomorphizations
Moé anthropomorphism
is a form of anthropomorphism where moe qualities are given to non-human beings, objects, concepts, or phenomena. In addition to moe features, moe anthropomorphisms are also characterized by their accessories, which serve to emphasize their original forms before anthropomorphosis...
of military airplanes. The OVA preview episode was released on January 1, 2007. The televised anime series later aired between on July 3, 2008, and September 18, 2008. A second season aired between July 8, 2010 and September 23, 2010. A film adaptation has been greenlit for production.
Plot
Set in an alternate 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 in a fictional recreation of events occurring in World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
with the national armies joining forces to confront an overwhelming alien threat together instead of fighting among themselves.
The titular Strike Witches are young women with high magical potential who are recruited into military organizations around the world to fight against the enigmatic Neuroi, which began an invasion of unprecedented scale on human territory in the year 1939. This puzzling enemy force has appeared frequently and without warning in many areas across the world throughout history. The weapons of the Neuroi mostly take on forms similar to 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 person. A defensive field is also created 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 Joint Fighter Wing, defending the Britannian home islands, in the first season, as a parallel to the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
, and struggling to retake an occupied Italian peninsula
Italian Peninsula
The Italian Peninsula or Apennine Peninsula is one of the three large peninsulas of Southern Europe , spanning from the Po Valley in the north to the central Mediterranean Sea in the south. The peninsula's shape gives it the nickname Lo Stivale...
in the second season as a parallel to the late stages of the Adriatic Campaign
Adriatic Campaign of World War II
The Adriatic Campaign of World War II was a minor naval campaign fought during World War II between the Greek, Yugoslavian and Italian navies, the Kriegsmarine, and the Mediterranean squadrons of the United Kingdom, France, and the Yugoslav Partisan naval forces...
.
Setting
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
, ravaged by the Neuroi. Several large pieces of Earth's landmasses have been obliterated (with Europe and Africa being the most intact), drastically altering the appearance of the planet in comparison to its real-life counterpart. The nations from which the main characters hail are also based on major world powers of the time albeit with different names and altered territories.
Japan is known as Fuso Empire, the United States of America is the United States of Liberion, Germany is Imperial Karlsland, France is Gallia
Gallia
Gallia may refer to:*Gaul , the region of Western Europe occupied by present-day France, Belgium and other neighbouring countries...
, Great Britain is the Commonwealth of Britannia
Britannia
Britannia is an ancient term for Great Britain, and also a female personification of the island. The name is Latin, and derives from the Greek form Prettanike or Brettaniai, which originally designated a collection of islands with individual names, including Albion or Great Britain. However, by the...
, Austria is Ostmark, the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
is the Orussia Empire, modern Italy is split between the Duchies of Romagna
Romagna
Romagna is an Italian historical region that approximately corresponds to the south-eastern portion of present-day Emilia-Romagna. Traditionally, it is limited by the Apennines to the south-west, the Adriatic to the east, and the rivers Reno and Sillaro to the north and west...
and Venezia, Finland is Suomus, Norway and Sweden are Baltland, New Germany (i.e. Argentina in South America) is Neue Karlsland in South Liberion, and Spain is Hispania.
Terminology
MagicMagic is a natural ability unique to Witches which manifests as a blue aura
Aura (paranormal)
In parapsychology and many forms of spiritual practice, an aura is a field of subtle, luminous radiation surrounding a person or object . The depiction of such an aura often connotes a person of particular power or holiness. Sometimes, however, it is said that all living things and all objects...
followed by the appearance of animal ears and tails. Magic is stated to be divided into two categories telepathic/clairvoyant and telekinetic and are treated as a natural force of energy subject to the laws of physics. Although physically taxing, control and technique can improve the expenditure of energy. Magic can be used for such things as healing, vastly enhancing strength and vision, and for stabilizing and enhancing weapons such as guns and swords. They can even be used to survive in hostile environments such as the vacuum of space and from radiation. In battle, their most common uses are powering the Striker Units and forming defensive shields. Magic can freely interact with technology and as such can be strengthened through technological means and even hijacked by the Neuroi.
Deflector Shield
An ability universal to all Witches is the ability to raise runic energy shields for protection. Shields are consciously activated but instinctive in nature able to block multiple attacks coming from all directions and even protect Witches from crashing into objects. Each shield bears different glyphs depending on the nationality of the Witch i.e. Fuso Witches have Japanese characters etc.
Witch
A female user of magic. Male users do not appear to exist in any of the media (though a mecha
Mecha
A mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
intended to supplant the Strike Witches is named "Warlock", or male magic user). It has been suggested by the novels that male Witches do exist but are rarer and likely much weaker hence their absence in the Witch corps contrasting the universal male presence in the standard armed forces.
Familiar
An animal spirit which binds to a Witch increasing their innate magical power as well as grant unique abilities. For instance rabbit familiars are known to grant super-hearing while cat familiars can grant night-vision. They are outwardly visible by their ears and tails on the witches they merge with when manifesting magic. Familiars are able to manifest entirely and even act independently but rarely do so. Familiars are either absent entirely or not emphasized in the anime.
Striker Unit (Air)
A pair of hybrid mechanical/magical propeller devices used by Witches for flight and worn over their legs. They are rigid, preventing movement of the knees, but can be disengaged on the field if needed. When wearing a Striker a Witch's power is vastly increased by a magic engine in the unit, resulting in the constant manifestation of their animal ears and tails. It grants them the power of high speed flight. Strikers require high magical aptitude however and Witches who are either too weak or past their prime cannot use them effectively. Each character's Striker is designed to resemble a type of World War II fighter plane. While most Air Strikers are based on propeller driven, rotor-craft, there have been a few prototypes of Jet propelled Striker Units built by Karlsland. While faster, more maneuverable and capable of flying at higher altitudes it has been noted that the prototype jet strikers burn trough more magical energy compared to Propeller driven Strikers.
Striker Unit (Land)
The tank equivalent to Air Strikers. Land Strikers resemble the caterpillar treads of tanks and even allow Witches to travel at high ground speeds via a sliding motion. Note the treads are located in the lower leg sections and spin along the shins and calves; no physical contact is made with the ground instead a magical field propels the Witch. Because magic is subjected to the laws of physics large amounts of magic is used like fuel to maintain flight in Air Strikers. Land Strikers by contrast don't have this problem and can instead focus all their magic into their shields making them more durable like tanks. While Land Strikers are usually propelled by using the magic propulsion field, sometimes a land witch can walk in these strikers normally with out the aid of magic to propel them, hypothetically to conserve a witches energy. While most Land Striker designs are a simple, small sized units that fits over a witches legs, there have been a few Land Strikers that were built that are much larger, and are more akin to a type of Power Armor and use large caliber magic enhanced weaponry.
Wearing Striker Units
To wear a Striker Unit the Witch inserts her legs into the devices. The receiver ports are actually pocket dimension devices and require near to total skin contact to operate properly (or even fit in for that matter) as such no active Witch wears pants as they would take too long to remove due to the erratic and often sudden nature of Neuroi attacks. Entering a Striker Unit takes only a split second. Adolfine Galland is the only known Witch to wear pants, but she has long gone past her prime and has been promoted to the rank of Air Vice-Marshal
Air Vice-Marshal
Air vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
. This serves as one of the primary vehicles of the show's fan service
Fan service
, fanservice, or , is a term originating from anime and manga fandom for material in a series which is intentionally added to please the audience. It is about "servicing" the fan - giving the fans "exactly what they want"...
. Consequently since the Witches primarily wear the uniforms of their countries' armed forces most of which were meant for men (and the establishment of Witch forces was sudden and unconventional at best restricting new uniform redesigns) many of them don't even wear skirts or anything to cover their lower bodies with exception. Some Fuso (Japanese) witches wear short Hakama
Hakama
are a type of traditional Japanese clothing. They were originally worn only by men, but today they are worn by both sexes. Hakama are tied at the waist and fall approximately to the ankles. Hakama are worn over a kimono ....
instead of Navy or Army uniforms while others have sufficiently large shirts or jackets or simply wear pantyhose. Of note however is the fact that this style while technical in origin has become a very popular and very common fashion trend among civilians due to the fame and respect accorded to the Witches. Consequently many young civilian women are shown to also not wear skirts or pants but no one not even men find this in any way strange. This is comparable to the development of the bikini
Bikini
The bikini is typically a women's two-piece swimsuit. One part of the attire covers the breasts and the other part covers the crotch and part of or the entire buttocks, leaving an uncovered area between the two. Merriam–Webster describes the bikini as "a woman's scanty two-piece bathing suit" or "a...
during this time period. As a result any social problems this might have caused at first have since become moot by the time the series begins hence why Witches are rarely seen wearing lower body clothing even when off duty.
Magic Engine
According to supplementary material the magic engine appeared alongside the steam engine
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
utilizing steam technology to enhance magical power. The current magic engine was invented by Dr. Miyafuji and utilizes an internal combustion engine
Internal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
. Of note is the existence of stand alone magic engines that do not require a Witch to be immediately present one of which was used to power a human built Neuroi enhanced battleship.
Witches' Base
The 501st's first personal base of operations was in Britannian territory. It is an ornate castle that resembles Mont Saint-Michel
Mont Saint-Michel
Mont Saint-Michel is a rocky tidal island and a commune in Normandy, France. It is located approximately one kilometre off the country's north-western coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches...
, located on a small island jutting into the Strait of Dover
Strait of Dover
The Strait of Dover or Dover Strait is the strait at the narrowest part of the English Channel. The shortest distance across the strait is from the South Foreland, 6 kilometres northeast of Dover in the county of Kent, England, to Cap Gris Nez, a cape near to Calais in the French of...
near Folkestone
Folkestone
Folkestone is the principal town in the Shepway District of Kent, England. Its original site was in a valley in the sea cliffs and it developed through fishing and its closeness to the Continent as a landing place and trading port. The coming of the railways, the building of a ferry port, and its...
. Its proximity to the Gallian coast makes it a strategic staging point for the Witches to quickly engage threats coming from the Neuroi-occupied European mainland. The second base they utilized was an ancient stronghold of Witches near Rome. It's most prominent features was an angel statue resembling the one in Ponte Sant'Angelo
Ponte Sant'Angelo
Ponte Sant'Angelo, once the Aelian Bridge or Pons Aelius, meaning the Bridge of Hadrian, is a Roman bridge in Rome, Italy, completed in 134 AD by Roman Emperor Hadrian, to span the Tiber, from the city center to his newly constructed mausoleum, now the towering Castel Sant'Angelo...
and what appears to be a Colosseum.
Neuroi
The primary antagonists of the series. They are mysterious alien entities composed of black honeycomb structure material harvested from conquered territory. Their intentions or origins are unknown however they display high levels of intelligence and are capable to adapting their weapon designs and tactics regularly. They come in various sizes from small to gigantic; capable of self-sustained flight, rapid repair, and armed with directed energy weapons. Durable self-repairing Neuroi have special multi-faceted gems within them called Cores as their power sources and only Achilles' Heel
Achilles' heel
An Achilles’ heel is a deadly weakness in spite of overall strength, that can actually or potentially lead to downfall. While the mythological origin refers to a physical vulnerability, metaphorical references to other attributes or qualities that can lead to downfall are common.- Origin :In Greek...
. Neuroi can be defeated by conventional forces albeit at great difficulty as their durability and firepower vastly exceed the technology of human forces. Exacerbating the problem is their ability to produce a corrosive miasma which can corrupt human machinery turning them into more Neuroi. Only over water (lacking in landmass) is the miasma neutralized however naval vessels lack the maneuverability to avoid the beam weaponry of the highly durable battleship sized Neuroi usually deployed over water making ships equally outmatched. Only Witches with their shields, high agility and magically enhanced weaponry can defeat them without incurring massive casualties. The Neuroi's designs, like many other elements in the series, have a historical basis in that they are modeled after experimental aircraft from the World War II era. Land based Neuroi are shown and seem to take the shape of armored vehicles or walker type shapes. One such land Neuroi, a Super Heavy Land Type, consisted of an assimilated Ship Hull.
Human-Form and Humanoid Neuroi
Aside from the common vehicle form Neuroi, there have also been sightings of less common human-form Neuroi, that look reminiscent of a Witch. These Neuroi in particular are even more mysterious then normal Neuroi, and their intentions or function are unknown as in the past there have been instances of such rare Neuroi using mind control on witches in battle for espionage on the enemy, but more recent examples have attempted peaceful contact with humanity and the witches. It is believed that a sort of Neuroi pre-formbecomes a human form Neuroi when it makes contact with a witch and there is no apparent hostility from the witch in question. Human Form Neuroi often appear as a grey/black witch with black skin, the animal ears and tail of a Manx cat, and have jet-like legs. They can fire lasers from both their hands and the wings of their jet legs, and their cores are located in their chest. Human-Form Neuroi are almost exactly as powerful as the witches they mimic. However, they lack the experience of witches and their capability for teamwork, so these Neuroi are no match for an experienced wing of witches. Humanoid Neuroi are a strange blend of the Human-Form Neuroi and the Aircraft type Neuroi, though how such Neuroi come to be is as of yet a mystery.
Neuroi Hive
Strongholds of local Neuroi presences they resemble giant conical funnels of swirling black clouds the size of mountains. Because Neuroi cannot move over water they mostly remain stationary over major human settlements where they slowly harvest the landscape to make weapons.
Production
In a postscript column in Comp AceComp Ace
is a Japanese computer game and manga magazine published by Kadokawa Shoten. Comp Ace began as a special edition version of another one of Kadokawa Shoten's magazines, Comptiq. The first issue was released on March 26, 2005, and was published quarterly for the first three volumes which had cover...
, 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
Sky Girls
began as a single episode OVA anime by Konami, directed by Yoshiaki Iwasaki and animated by J.C.Staff. The 30 minute episode was released in Japan on August 25, 2006. A television adaptation of Sky Girls started on July 5, 2007, and ended on January 11, 2008.-Story:The Weapon Of Raid Machines ,...
, 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 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
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
era prop fighters
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
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 dogfight
Dogfight
A dogfight, or dog fight, is a form of aerial combat between fighter aircraft; in particular, combat of maneuver at short range, where each side is aware of the other's presence. Dogfighting first appeared during World War I, shortly after the invention of the airplane...
s, 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
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
pilot as their archetype, to varying degrees.
Light novels
Two separate light novel series have been published. The first, Strike Witches: Suomus Misfits Squadron (ストライクウィッチーズ： いらん子中隊 Sutoraiku Witchīzu: Iranko Chūtai), was written by Noboru YamaguchiNoboru Yamaguchi (author)
is a male Japanese light novel and game scenario author from Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. He is well known for being the author of the Zero no Tsukaima light novels and works in Front Wing game studio.He currently has cancer.-Light novels:*Green Green...
and illustrated by Hashigo Ueda. The first volume was published in Japan in October 2006, and as of June 11, 2009, 3 volumes have been published. A fourth volume, originally scheduled for Spring 2009, is in production. The Suomus Misfits Squadron series is set in a different time period and location from the anime, and uses a different cast of characters.
The second light novel series, titled Strike Witches: Maidens' Volume (ストライクウィッチーズ： 乙女ノ巻 Sutoraiku Witchīzu: Otome no Maki), was written by Hidehisa Nanbō and illustrated by Hashigo Ueda. As of June 11, 2009, 2 volumes have been published, with a third scheduled for July 1, 2009. The publication of this series coincided with the television anime broadcast, and uses the same cast of characters; however, while some of the chapters are adaptations of the anime episodes, several are original.
Manga
There are currently three manga series of Strike Witches. The first manga, , was serialized in Comp AceComp Ace
is a Japanese computer game and manga magazine published by Kadokawa Shoten. Comp Ace began as a special edition version of another one of Kadokawa Shoten's magazines, Comptiq. The first issue was released on March 26, 2005, and was published quarterly for the first three volumes which had cover...
between September 25, 2005 and January 26, 2006. A second series, , was serialized in Comp Ace between July 26, 2008 and December 26, 2008. A third manga, , also referred to as Strike Witches 1.5, which takes place between the two anime series, began serialization in NyanType magazine from September 26, 2009.
Dōjinshi
Strike Witches: Witch in AfricaPublished in August 2008, and jointly authored by Humikane Shimada, Taka'aki Suzuki, and Takeshi Nogami. It is considered semi-canonical. The B5-size publication contains a manga and novel section, both dealing primarily with the "Star of Africa" Hanna-Justina Marseille during the North African Campaign. Details on the Strike Witches world setting that could not be added into the anime were also added into the publication.
Strike Witches: Witch in Africa was originally meant to be included in the anime DVD booklets, but because of a reduction in the booklet size, it was instead published as a dōjinshi. The manga will be serialised in Comptiq
Comptiq
is a Japanese computer game magazine, first published in 1983, by Kadokawa Shoten. The name "Comptiq" came from combining the words "computer" and "boutique". Originally a PC magazine, its focus shifted from computers to computer games. As of September 2003, it has been known as a "MediaMix Game...
beginning November 10, 2011.
Strike Witches: Tiger in Desert
Published in December 2008. Similar to the first volume, and set in the same general time frame and location (North Africa, circa 1942). Consisting of two volumes it follows an experimental Karlsland tank witch unit based on the Tiger I
Tiger I
Tiger I is the common name of a German heavy tank developed in 1942 and used in World War II. The final official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. E, often shortened to Tiger. It was an answer to the unexpectedly formidable Soviet armour encountered in the initial months of...
.
World Witches: Witches of the Sphinx
Published in 2010 and 2011 three volumes have been released. Takes place in 1943 North Africa and concerns the joint effort of the Storm Witches and three tank witch units in retaking the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
.
Sengoku Witches: The witch of Honnō-ji
Published in 2009. Takes place during Japan's Sengoku period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
. Oda Nobunaga
Oda Nobunaga
was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
is rescued from Honnō-ji by his page, in this version the witch Mori Ranmaru
Mori Ranmaru
, born Mori Nagasada , was the son of Mori Yoshinari, and had 5 brothers in total, from the province of Mino. He was a member of the Mori Clan, descendants of the Seiwa Genji....
, instead of committing suicide in the incident at Honnō-ji.
Anime
An original video animationOriginal video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
directed by Kunihisa Sugishima and produced by Gonzo and released on January 1, 2007. The first anime season was produced by Gonzo and aired in Japan between July 3, 2008 and September 18, 2008. Aside from the traditional televised broadcast, the series was also made available with English subtitles and English dub through YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, BOST TV and Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is an American website and international online community focused on streaming East Asian media including anime, manga, drama, music, electronic entertainment, and auto racing content...
, using a simultaneous release schedule similar to that of The Tower of Druaga: the Aegis of Uruk
The Tower of Druaga: the Aegis of Uruk
and its sequel, is an anime TV series, created by Gonzo and is an animated continuation of Namco's The Tower of Druaga franchise which began as an arcade game originally released in 1984...
, also produced by Gonzo. The YouTube and Crunchyroll broadcasts operate under a streaming window, allowing users to freely watch each new episode of the series on the day of their release for a set amount of time. Crunchyroll also offers individual episodes to be purchased and downloaded during and after this streaming window has ended. An uncensored version of the series was later released on Region 2 DVD, containing nudity that was obscured for the TV broadcast. The first volume was made available on September 26, 2008, the second on October 24, the third volume on November 28, the fourth volume on December 26, and the fifth volume on January 30, 2009. The anime has been licensed by Funimation Entertainment
Funimation Entertainment
Funimation is an American entertainment company. Originally founded in 1994 by Gen Fukunaga, the company became a subsidiary of Navarre Corporation on May 11, 2005...
and was released on March 30, 2010.
The series used two pieces of theme music. , performed by Yoko Ishida
Yoko Ishida
is a Japanese singer, employed by Hyper Voice. She is known for having performed theme songs for anime shows such as Prétear, Ai Yori Aoshi and the Ah! My Goddess TV series, as well as for having sung for the Para Para Max CD series....
is used as the opening. is used as the ending. "Bookmark A Head" is performed by the main cast as usually duets and the singers vary from episode to episode. , translated by Takaaki Suzuki, and performed by Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke (Rie Tanaka
Rie Tanaka
is a singer and voice actress . Notable among her numerous roles are Lacus Clyne in Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny, Chii and Freya in Chobits, Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke in Strike Witches and Suigintou in the anime adaptation of Rozen Maiden.-Personal life:As a child, Tanaka took singing classes...
), is used as an insert song in episode 8. In Funimation's release, , a song also sung by Rie Tanaka from the CD album for the Strike Witches: What I Can Do Along With You game, was substituted for Lili Marleen.
| # | Ending performed by |
|---|---|
| 1 & 2 | Misato Fukuen Misato Fukuen is a voice actress born on January 10, 1982. She is affiliated with Sigma Seven.-Outline, career, and person:* Formed a vocal group called TAMAGO in 2004 with fellow seiyū Mai Kadowaki.... and Saeko Chiba Saeko Chiba is a prolific Japanese seiyū and singer, born on August 26, 1977 in Hachinohe, Aomori. She grew up in Tokyo, Japan, and married on her 30th birthday: August 26, 2007. She is contracted to the Space Craft Group... |
| 3 | Misato Fukuen and Kaori Nazuka Kaori Nazuka is a freelance voice actress and singer. She is a graduate of the Toho Gakuen College of Drama and Music. She also announced that she got married in February 2011.-TV anime:1999:*Ojarumaru... |
| 4 | Misato Fukuen and Mie Sonozaki Mie Sonozaki is a Japanese voice actress and singer represented by Remax.-Television animation:* Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto * Beyblade 2002 * Bleach * Burst Angel * Comic Party... |
| 5 | Chiwa Saitō Chiwa Saito is a Japanese voice actress employed by I'm Enterprise.Saitō is one half of the voice acting duo "coopee", along with Natsuko Kuwatani. In the "Divine Design" arc of the Getbackers drama CDs, she voices a character who battles the character voiced by Kuwatani. She is a member of the voice acting... and Ami Koshimizu Ami Koshimizu is a Japanese voice actress affiliated with Production Baobab management. She was born in the city of Kokubunji in Tokyo Prefecture. She is an award winning voice actress.-Career:*She graduated from Aomori Yamada High School... |
| 6 | Mai Kadowaki Mai Kadowaki is a Japanese voice actress. Her old name , had a different writing from the current one.She is popular as a radio actress who wears glasses. She is also known for portraying meganekko characters on a regular basis. Her nickname is 舞太. It originated from a mail address registration, where she... and Erika Nakai |
| 7 | Miyuki Sawashiro Miyuki Sawashiro is a female Japanese voice actress and singer who works for Mausu Promotion.She voiced Puchiko in the English dubbed releases of Di Gi Charat the Movie and Leave it to Piyoko, making her one of the few Japanese voice actors to have reprised a role in English in addition to the original Japanese... and Sakura Nogawa Sakura Nogawa ' is a voice actress born in Toyohashi, Aichi on March 1, 1978. Her height is 153 cm and her weight is 54 kg.-Notable voice roles:*Ryunmei Ranka in Arad Senki: Slap Up Party*Tsubasa in Angel Tales*Misha Arsellec Lune in Ar tonelico... |
| 8 | Rie Tanaka Rie Tanaka is a singer and voice actress . Notable among her numerous roles are Lacus Clyne in Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny, Chii and Freya in Chobits, Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke in Strike Witches and Suigintou in the anime adaptation of Rozen Maiden.-Personal life:As a child, Tanaka took singing classes... and Saeko Chiba |
| 9 | Misato Fukuen and Miyuki Sawashiro |
| 10 | Misato Fukuen and Rie Tanaka |
| 11 | Saeko Chiba and Miyuki Sawashiro |
| 12 | Misato Fukuen, Saeko Chiba, Rie Tanaka, Miyuki Sawashiro, Kaori Nazuka, Sakura Nogawa, Mie Sonozaki, Chiwa Saitou, Ami Koshimizu, Mai Kadowaki, and Erika Nakai |
A second series entitled Strike Witches 2 was produced by AIC and aired between July 7, 2010 and September 23, 2010. This season has also been acquired by Funimation Entertainment and was simulcasted on their video portal, with an intended home video release in 2011. The opening theme is by Yoko Ishida
Yoko Ishida
is a Japanese singer, employed by Hyper Voice. She is known for having performed theme songs for anime shows such as Prétear, Ai Yori Aoshi and the Ah! My Goddess TV series, as well as for having sung for the Para Para Max CD series....
and the ending theme is "Over Sky", which is once again performed by members of the vocal cast.
| # | Ending performed by |
|---|---|
| 1 & 2 | Misato Fukuen and Saori Seto |
| 3 | Misato Fukuen, Kaori Nazuka and Miyuki Sawashiro |
| 4 | Mie Sonozaki and Ami Koshimizu |
| 5 | Misato Fukuen, Chiwa Saito and Ami Koshimizu |
| 6 | Mai Kadowaki and Ayuru Ōhashi Ayuru Ōhashi is a Japanese voice actress and singer. Her old name is .- TV anime :2005* Sugar Sugar Rune * Happy 7: The TV Manga * Speed Grapher 2006* Yōkai Ningen Bem 2007... |
| 7 | Rie Tanaka, Mie Sonozaki and Sakura Nogawa |
| 8 | Misato Fukuen and Kaori Nazuka |
| 9 | Saori Seto and Miyuki Sawashiro |
| 10 | Sakura Nogawa and Shizuka Itou |
| 11 | Saori Seto and Rie Tanaka |
| 12 | Misato Fukuen, Saori Seto, Rie Tanaka, Miyuki Sawashiro, Kaori Nazuka, Sakura Nogawa, Mie Sonozaki, Chiwa Saitou, Ami Koshimizu, Mai Kadowaki, and Ayuru Ōhashi |
Film
On October 28, 2010, a film adaptation of Strike Witches was announced to have been greenlit. It is being animated by AIC and will be released in Spring 2012.CDs
The singleMaxi single
A maxi single or maxi-single is a music single release with more than the usual two tracks of an a-side song and a b-side song.-The first maxi singles:...
for "Strike Witches: To Do What I Can" was released on August 20, 2008 by Columbia Music Entertainment
Columbia Music Entertainment
is a Japanese record label founded in 1910 as . It affiliated itself with the Columbia Graphophone Company of the United Kingdom and adopted the standard UK Columbia trademarks in 1931. The company changed its name to Nippon Columbia Co., Ltd. in 1946. It used the Nippon Columbia name until...
and also a version of "Bookmark A Head" performed by Misato Fukuen
Misato Fukuen
is a voice actress born on January 10, 1982. She is affiliated with Sigma Seven.-Outline, career, and person:* Formed a vocal group called TAMAGO in 2004 with fellow seiyū Mai Kadowaki....
. An album entitled the was released on October 10, 2008 by Columbia Music Entertainment, containing all versions "Bookmark A Head" as well as the insert "Lili Marleen". The original soundtrack containing 36 tracks was released on September 9, 2008.
Additionally, five albums of character image songs where released by Columbia Music Entertainment:
- Strike Witches Hime Uta Collection Sono 1 -Yoshika Miyafuji ~ Mio Sakamoto- released on March 18, 2009
- Strike Witches Hime Uta Collection Sono 2 -Sanya V. Litvyak ~ Eila Ilmatar Juutilainen- released on March 18, 2009
- Strike Witches Hime Uta Collection Sono 3 -Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke ~ Erica Hartmann ~ Gertrud Barkhorn- released on April 1, 2009
- Strike Witches Hime Uta Collection Sono 4 -Perrine-H. Clostermann ~ Lynette Bishop ~ Yoshika Miyafuji- released on April 15, 2009
- Strike Witches Hime Uta Collection Sono 5 - Francesca Lucchini ~ Charlotte E. Yeager- released on April 15, 2009
Video games
There are currently four games based on the Strike Witches franchise. While mainly based on the characters featured in the anime, characters from the two manga series also appear in some of the games. The first three Strike Witches games will have the same opening "private wing" by Yoko IshidaYoko Ishida
is a Japanese singer, employed by Hyper Voice. She is known for having performed theme songs for anime shows such as Prétear, Ai Yori Aoshi and the Ah! My Goddess TV series, as well as for having sung for the Para Para Max CD series....
, is a simulation game developed by Russell Games for the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
and released on November 26, 2009. It features Junko Takei. The Witches take under their wing a candidate commanding officer from the Fuso Empire, Junko. She contacts the 501st to inform them that she will be meeting up with them during a training exercise. At the same time the military announces a new operation: to make a concerted strike against the Neuroi at the Gallian coastline and establish a new frontline base. Pre-orders for the Nintendo DS version received a fake girl's gym shorts DS pouch with their order.
is a visual novel
Visual novel
A is an interactive fiction game featuring mostly static graphics, usually with anime-style art, or occasionally live-action stills or video footage...
title also developed by Russell Games for PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, which was released on May 27, 2010. This adventure game features Amaki Suwa and Nishiki Nakajima. To the south of the base lies a deserted island where the Witches are conducting open-air exercises. However, when the carrier they are stationed on comes under surprise Neuroi attack, the Witches are left stranded. In the two weeks that it will take for reinforcements to arrive, the Witches decide to carry on with their maneuvers, as well as make sure they can survive.
, is a bullet hell shoot 'em up developed by Cyberfront for Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
. Players control a group of three witches, and change positions to best defend against the Neuroi. And this game also features Junko Takei, with Nishiki Nakajima as a downloadable character. It was released in Japan on July 29, 2010.
- A fourth game, , was developed by Kadokawa Shoten for Nintendo DSNintendo DSThe is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
. The game features tactical shootouts between Witches, as well as minigames in which the players massages one of the Witches. It was released in Japan on October 21, 2010.
See also
- Hetalia: Axis PowersHetalia: Axis Powersis a Japanese webcomic, later adapted as a manga and an anime series, by . The series presents an allegorical trivialisation of political and historic events, particularly of the World War II era, in which the various countries are represented by stereotyped anthropomorphic characters...
, a manga and anime series mainly set during World War II and featuring moe anthropomorphism, with characters being personifications of countries. - WorldwarWorldwarWorldwar is a series of novels by Harry Turtledove whose premise is an alien invasion of Earth in the middle of World War II. The military invasion begins on or around May 30, 1942, but the aliens, who call themselves the Race, reached Earth orbit in December 1941...
by Harry TurtledoveHarry TurtledoveHarry Norman Turtledove is an American novelist, who has produced works in several genres including alternate history, historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction.- Life :...
, a series of four alternative historyAlternative historyAlternative history may refer to a number of subjects relating to history, the chronology and study of the past. It may mean:* Alternate history, a subgenre of speculative fiction dealing with divergences from the world's actual history...
novels in which an alien invasion takes place during World War II.