The Film (2/5)

In the future, the world now competes in tank matches for sport. The joint team of the Oarai and chihatan schools are our heroes and they’re determined to win the tournament at all costs. After losing one battle to their arch rival St. Gloriana and Pravda, their school looks like it will be closed. Can our heroes win the next battle?

GIRLS UND PANZER DER FILM (2015) is a sequel film to the original Girls und Panzer, written by Reiko Yoshida. Coming to this film as a film and not as a sequel to a TV show, was a baffling experience. There’s no mention of a recap of the series, and as a first-time viewer I have zero interest in viewing the original series. Because these characters and world the film works in is a mess and worst of all its dull.

The concept of a world obsessed with Tanks, is a novel one, but this film barely mentions the importance of tanks. Instead it’s treated like a fetish object and just another excuse for little girls to do something cute in an action setting. The first 30 minutes is a decently mapped out tank battle. The staging is above average and the action is workman like, but it quickly becomes apparent that the characters are one note and it’s nearly impossible to name them all off.

The animation is also barely passable. The character designs look like clip art and the movement of said characters looks alien and unnatural. Miho and friends could’ve been a likable bunch of characters, but there is nothing here for me to root for them or even care. The only highlight of this series is the cheery soundtrack by Shiro Hamaguchi.

Audio/Video (3/5)

Sentai Filmworks gives the feature two audio options. First up is the original Japanese in an DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. The sound mix is average with no noticeable hiss or pops. The track is sadly lacking depth and sound effects sound tack on. The English DTS-HD Master Audio Track is slightly cleaner, but still sounds hollow in spots. English subtitles are included.

The 1080p HD transfer is clear but too bright. The image has a softness to it. Objects in the background seem to blend into a blob. The black levels are smooth and the motion blur is down to a minimal.

Extras (2/5)

Extras include a 3-minute reel of the film, clean opening and closing animations, and a Sentai Filmworks trailer gallery.

Overall (2/5)

Completely forgettable and dull, GIRLS UND PANZER DER FILM is a lifeless anime. If you’re a fan of the series, then chances are you’ll enjoy it more than me. Skip it.