Thursday 22 November 2012

GIRLS und PANZER - Episode 6

After that unplanned break to recap the series last week, GIRLS und PANZER is back back back.  Jesus!

Of course, that also means that we return to the midst of Ooarai's first national tournament game against the much vaunted Sanders College - however, now that their underhanded use of equipment to intercept their opponents communications has been rumbled it seems that the tables have been turned, with Miho using the knowledge of said interception to sell the Sanders team dummy after dummy to send them on a wild goose chase.  When one of Ooarai's number happens across the enemy flag tank, it seems as if the game is up.


That said, Miho and company's prestigious opponents aren't going to give up quite so easily, and with the Sanders College flag tank doing a runner the entire Ooarai team take up the pursuit, only to find that they too are soon pursued by a subset of the Sanders team (who rather honourably only give chase with enough of their team to match Ooarai in light of the aforementioned underhanded tactics).  Who can land the first blow on the opponent's flag tank to win the game?  It appears that Miho's luck has run out, but there's still one final, risky, opportunity for them to emerge victorious.

Aside from another dose of forced drama at the end of the episode (which may or may not add something to the show next week, in fairness), this was another utterly brilliant instalment of GIRLS und PANZER - it somehow manages to balance its loving attention to detail in terms of its tanks and some genuine tension in watching its Tankery battles pan out against an incredibly light-hearted backdrop that is full of larger than life characters, split second perfect comedy timing and ridiculous utterances.  Out simply, I can't get enough of it, and I feel as though I haven't been entertained this wholesomely by any other anime series this year.  It may not be a thought-provoking highbrow classic, but who cares when a series like this can be so god-damn fun?!

No comments: