Girls und Panzer: This is the Real Anzio Battle! Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

Girls und Panzer: This is the Real Anzio Battle! Blu-ray Movie Review

Girls und Panzer This is the Real Anzio Battle! OVA is an enjoyable and exciting continuation of the hit anime franchise. The OVA production features original animation produced by studio Actas (Classroom For Heroes, Princess Principal). The OVA animation is produced by Shunpei Maruyama (Girls und Panzer, Princess Principal: Crown Handler). Featuring original character designs by Humikane Shimada, the bold aesthetic of the series is retained.

The production of Girls und Panzer This is the Real Anzio Battle! OVA offers plenty for established series fans. As produced by Hirotsugu Ogisu (Alice & Zoroku, Concrete Revolutio), Kiyoshi Sugiyama (Blue Submarine No.6, Spirit of Wonder), Shinichi Sugawara (Girls und Panzer, Senyū. Dai 2 Ki), Yōichi Sekine (Arifureta - From Commonplace to World's Strongest, Cat Planet Cuties), and Youhei Hayashi (Aria the Scarlet Ammo, Yuki Yuna Is a Hero), Girls und Panzer This is the Real Anzio Battle! OVA finds a fun way to continue the franchise fun. The battles are epic and the stakes are raised.

Miho Nishizumi (Mai Fuchigami) and the rest of the girls involved in Team Oorai are fighting their battle on an epic stage once more. The girls are ready for war and are determined to fight the good fight with battle tanks and epic skills. The war-torn land is one that Miho understands – it’s not just a mix of epic battles. It’s so much more than pizza, this time.

These strong-willed fighter girls have their own battle tanks, going up against the opposing force led by Anchovy (Maya Yoshioka). The stakes of battle are also raised by Vice-Commander Pepperoni. Which side can come out ahead in a grueling battle of the tanks? Gunfire and epic tank duels set the stage.

The characters are charming and add to the sense of cohesion from the production. The cast of characters are far more charming than one might expect for a war-based tank series. The cast of characters provide a silly and goofy nature to the production – offering a more lighthearted tone for the franchise than one might have expected to find.

The character designs by Isao Sugimoto (The Qwaser of Stigmata II, Ultimate Otaku Teacher) are creative and charming while retaining the key aesthetic elements from the main series. The designs provide an almost Chibi like style to the anime. The designs for Girls und Panzer This is the Real Anzio Battle! OVA are fun. The results work well for the production.

The animation is impressive and one of the central highlights of Girls und Panzer This is the Real Anzio Battle! OVA. The animation is ushered in from the art director Eiji Iwase (Amazing Nurse Nanako, Bakugan Battle Brawlers) and chief animation director Isao Sugimoto (Girls und Panzer das Finale, The Qwaser of Stigmata). The team of animators involved in the production provide Girls und Panzer This is the Real Anzio Battle! OVA with quality results. The animation is bright and colorful while offering a distinct aesthetic in contrast to the tank element of the filmmaking (with the battle stakes more entertaining as a result).

The cinematography by Yoshihiro Sekiya (Fantasista Doll, Mysterious Girlfriend X) highlights the fun factor inherent in the production. Sekiya manages to showcase the vibrant animation. The colorful animation style is beautifully showcased through the cinematographic approach by Sekiya. The animation looks all the more engaging as a result.

The score composed by Shiroh Hamaguchi (One Piece, Girls und Panzer) is a highlight of the OVA. The composer is a talent and a huge part of the fun. Girls und Panzer This is the Real Anzio Battle! OVA is certainly all the more entertaining because of the efforts of Hamaguchi. Hamaguchi understands the genre and the needs of the production. The result? Entertaining music that highlights both the action and the comedic core.

Written by Reiko Yoshida (Blue Exorcist, Deltora Quest) and Takaaki Suzuki (Sorcerous Stabber Orphen, Strike Witches), Girls und Panzer This is the Real Anzio Battle! OVA is a charming entry in the series franchise. The comedic backdrop is essential to the foundation of the saga. Without the comedic sensibilities of the screenwriters, the Girls und Panzer This is the Real Anzio Battle! OVA might be different – the comedy is essential to what makes this a popular franchise and without it the focus on tank battles wouldn’t be as engaging, either.

Directed by Tsutomu Mizushima (Joshiraku, Squid Girl), Girls und Panzer This is the Real Anzio Battle! OVA is an entertaining continuation in the saga. Director Mizushima understands how to balance the comedy and action elements. As an action director, Mizushima provides some thrilling tanking scenes that are a good contrast to the comedic aspects the screenwriters brought to the table with this entry. The storyboards by Hajime Katoki (Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt, Encouragement of Climb: Next Summit) are brought to life by Mizushima as well. Fans of the Girls und Panzer anime franchise will appreciate this installment and the exciting energy it brings to the table.

Girls und Panzer: This is the Real Anzio Battle! Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Sentai Filmworks, Girls und Panzer This is the Real Anzio Battle! OVA is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The high-definition visuals are outstanding: colors "pop" with incredible depth. A remarkably vibrant and colorful video presentation, the animation looks both crisp and vivid on the release. The encoding is excellent and benefits from a healthy bit-rate. A quality presentation provided from distributor Sentai Filmworks.

Girls und Panzer: This is the Real Anzio Battle! Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound (with English subtitles) and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound. The lossless high resolution audio sounds fantastic on the release. The surround sounds are actively used and the soundstage is more enveloping as a result. The soundstage enhances the experience and adds immersion to the OVA. Dialogue is well reproduced. The score is crisp and clear sounding. The English subtitles are excellent and are free from any egregious spelling or grammatical errors.

Girls und Panzer: This is the Real Anzio Battle! Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Clean Closing Animation (HD, 1:32)

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Sentai Filmworks: BanG Dream! Live Dream (HD, 1:22), Ascendance of a Bookworm (HD, 1:33), Flying Witch (HD, 1:32), and NANA (HD, 1:27).

Girls und Panzer: This is the Real Anzio Battle! Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Girls und Panzer This is the Real Anzio Battle! OVA is an entertaining entry in the popular anime franchise. The installment offers a good combination of comedy and action-packed adventure. An engaging entry with plenty of energy, Girls und Panzer  continues to be a fun franchise for fans of the saga. The Blu-ray release features an excellent video and audio presentation and is well worth considering for fans. Recommended.