The following is a list of characters from Girls und Panzer. It is a 2012 Japanese anime television series created by Actas, directed by Tsutomu Mizushima and produced by Kiyoshi Sugiyama. It depicts a competition between girls' high schools practicing tank warfare as a sport called "sensha-dō", the art of operating tanks. The English dub refers it as “Tankery”.
Ōarai Prefectural Girls High School is the school ship stationed in Ōarai, Ibaraki that previously had a Sensha-dō program abolished years ago, and has just been recently reinstituted. They are thus forced to make do with whatever leftover tanks they have been able to find, and, unlike the other teams, field a hodgepodge of tanks from various countries. The school insignia is the two kanji for Ōarai superimposed atop one another in stylized form. The school ship of Ōarai Girls High School is based on the IJN Shokaku-class aircraft carrier. They also use a transport ship that looks quite similar to the Japanese battleship Mikasa. All of the protagonists are students from the school and members of its Sensha-dō team while being divided into teams and their own respective tanks.
Anglerfish Team
The main protagonists make up the Anglerfish Team of Ōarai Girls High School's Sensha-dō team, with Miho serving as overall commander. They were assigned the German Panzer IV Ausf. D, armed with the short-barreled 75mm KwK 37 L/24 gun that is mostly used for infantry support. The tank was later upgraded to a Panzer IV Ausf. F2 when they found a long-barreled 75mm KwK 40 L/43 anti-tank cannon which was being used to hang clothes out to dry. It was upgraded again to Ausf. H, called the "Mk IV Special" in the series, for the Sensha-dō tournament finals match by adding "Schürzen" spaced armour.
Turtle Team
The Turtle Team is made up of the school's student council and uses the Czech Panzer 38, until episode 10 of the anime when it is converted into a Hetzer tank destroyer atop the chassis of the 38. The three girls' given names are the names of fruits in Japanese.
Duck Team
The Duck Team is composed of former volleyball club members and uses the Japanese Type 89B.
Hippo Team
The Hippo Team is composed of reki-jo and operates a German Sturmgeschütz III Ausf. G. ; ; ; ;
Rabbit Team
The Rabbit Team is composed of six first-year students and uses an AmericanM3 Lee.
Mallard Team
The Mallard Team is composed of the three members of Ōarai's Public Morals Committee and uses the FrenchRenault Char B1 Bis. In the anime series, they make their debut in the semi-finals against Pravda, while in the manga they join the competition one round earlier, against Anzio.
Anteater Team
The Anteater Team is formed of a group of nerdy girls who often play online tank battle games; they actually meet each other in real lifefor the first time when they form a team for the Sensha-dō finals. They drive a Japanese Type 3 Chi-Nu medium tank. ;
Leopon Team
The Leopon Team consists of Ōarai's automotive club, who often do repairs on the tanks in between matches. They join the finals match, driving a prototype tank that the Rabbit team found in episode 7. The tank is a Tiger, also known as Porsche Tiger, which sports a 88mm KwK L/56 gun. It also has a faulty drive system that has been known to overheat, but its crew makes modifications to the tank in their spare time. The girls' given names are based on famous Japanese racing drivers ; Satoko Nakajima
Shark Team
The Shark Team consists of five girls from Bar Donzoko, which is located in the lowest part of Ōarai's ship, a virtual slum region housing the most delinquent members of the Naval Studies Department. The team joins because they owe a favor to Momo Kawashima, who let them stay on the ship despite their escapades and academic failures. Their emblem, as well as most of their clothes and names have a sailor/pirate motif. Their tank is a BritishMark IV, the oldest tank ever to operate in the series thus far, and they join during the events of the Das Finale film series.
Kuromorimine Girls High School
Kuromorimine Girls High School is a German style academy from Kumamoto Prefecture. It was the national champion nine times running until their defeat the previous year by Pravda. Their tanks include the Tiger I, Tiger II, Panzer III, Jagdpanzer IVs, Panther tanks, Jagdpanther, Elefant, Jagdtiger and Panzer VIII Maus. The school insignia is an Iron Cross with the kanji for Kuromorimine superimposed on top. The school themes include Erika and the Panzerlied. The school ship of Kuromorimine Girls High School is based on the Kriegsmarine aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin. In the film, they are also shown to have a LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin class airship.
St. Gloriana Girls Academy
St. Gloriana Girls Academy is a British style academy from Kanagawa Prefecture, where the girls are often seen drinking tea even in combat. They make use of four Matilda II Mk. III/IV tanks and one Churchill Mk. VII tank as their command tank. Images of the school utilizing a Cromwell tank also appear in supplementary materials for the anime. In the film, they also utilize up to four Crusader Mk VI. Their insignia is a shield containing an image of a tea set with Hibiscus syriacus flowers. St. Gloriana faced Ōarai in a practice match prior to the national tournament but was not matched up against them in the latter. They give a tea set as a gift for opponents they deemed worthy. Their battle theme is The British Grenadiers, and the members introduced are named after different types of tea. The school ship of St. Gloriana Girls Academy is based on the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal.
Pravda High School is a Russian style academy from Aomori Prefecture and the current Sensha-dō champions. The name Pravda literally translates as "truth" in Russian, and refers to the Soviet newspaper Pravda. Their insignia consists of two overlapping steel squares crossed with a T-square and small scissors on top, imitating the hammer and sickle design of the flag of the Soviet Union. A red four-pointed star on their uniform is an imitation of the Red Army five-pointed star. Their battle songs are Polyushko-polye and Katyusha. They make use of several T-34/76 and T-34/85 medium tanks, but also use heavy tanks like the IS-2 and KV-2. They have a Katyusha rocket launcher, although it is not used during battle. The school ship of Pravda High School is based on the Kiev-class aircraft carrier. They also own a Zubr-class LCAC, as shown in the film.
Keizoku Highschool is a Finnish style school from Ishikawa Prefecture that appears in the film. The name "Keizoku" means "Continuation" in Japanese and is a reference to the Continuation War. Their names are all distinctly male Finnish common first names; their battle theme is the Säkkijärven polkka, and their one-tank team consists of a BT-42.
BC Freedom Academy
BC Freedom Academy is a French style high school from Okayama Prefecture. The student body is divided into two parties, the enlisted students and the transfer students, which are quarreling with each other. In the series, the academy sports several themes from the French Revolution and Napoleonic eras, including the contemporary military march Chanson de l'Oignon as their Senshado battle theme.
University Strengthened Team is a selection of College students that confronts Ōarai in the film. Their insignia is inspired by the Flag of the United Nations. Like Ōarai, they use tanks from multiple countries, including American, British, and German models. These include M26 Pershing, Centurion A41, M24 Chaffee, a T28 Super Heavy Tank, and a Karl Gerat. They are also shown in the film to have several white M4 Sherman, though they not used in the match. Their battle theme is When Johnny Comes Marching Home.
