Girls und Panzer - Figures

When Girls und Panzer first aired in 2012 it was the sleeper hit of the Fall anime season. Conceptually, combining cute girls, military history, mechanical tanks, and slice-of-life high school comedy would draw a large audience. However, the nuanced approach to characters and their relationships kept fans coming back along with the deadpan humor. Notably, the series creator said there would be no fanservice and that promise proved true. That being said, fan marketed merchandise depicted the large cast of female characters in many styles and situations. Figures from the series include swimsuit editions and scantily clad versions of the busty foreign students from the film. However, many still retain the more wholesome image the creators had in mind. Three figures capturing the breadth of Girls und Panzer merchandise are “Girls und Panzer der Film Yukari Akiyama Bunny Ver. 1/4 Scale Figure,” “Nendoroid Girls und Panzer das Finale Miho Nishizumi Panzer Jacket Peacoat Ver.,” and “Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf D Finals 1/12 Scale Model Girls und Panzer.”

Girls und Panzer der Film Yukari Akiyama Bunny Ver. 1/4 Scale Figure

This scale figure from FREEing depicts the tank enthusiast Yukari Akiyama as a bunny girl. Yukari kneels on the ground with her chest raised proudly. She’s turned to the left with her right arm raised in a salute with her left arm turned out to the side. Her bunny outfit consists of a shiny black bodice with a sweetheart neckline and two thin bows at her hips. She also wears a collar and black bowtie, black high heels, wrist cuffs, and two black bands on her upper arms. The fishnet tights on the figure are made out of real fabric with seams running up the back. Her expression is a cheerful smile painted in the anime’s style. Textural depth with the finish of her skin and the fabric tights adds an extra realistic feel to the figure. Her slightly askew bunny ears and fluffy bunny tail complete the look.

Product Name: Girls und Panzer der Film Yukari Akiyama: Bunny Ver. 1/4 Scale Figure
Manufacturer: FREEing
Sculptor: FREEing
Specifications: Painted, non-articulated, 1/4th scale PVC figure
Height (Approx.): 330mm | 13"

Nendoroid Girls und Panzer das Finale Miho Nishizumi Panzer Jacket Peacoat Ver. Figure

Team Ankou’s captain, Miho Nishizumi, resembles her Girls und Panzer das Finale movie appearance in this alternate version Nendoroid. Instead of her regular school uniform, Miho wears her Panzer jacket. The figure also includes the winter parka version of her school uniform as well. In addition to her jacket and parka, Miho wears her white pleated skirt and shiny black boots. Her default expression is a cheerful smile but a second face plate shows her embarrassed and chuckling. Accessories include her Panzer headset, which can be worn around her neck, and her beloved stuffed animal “Beaten up Boko.” Sculpting detail stands out in her school peacoat as shown in the light volume in the sleeves.

Product Name: Nendoroid Girls und Panzer das Finale Miho Nishizumi: Panzer Jacket & Peacoat Ver.
Manufacturer: Good Smile Company
Sculptor: Udono Kazuyoshi
Specifications: Painted, articulated, non-scale ABS & PVC figure with optional parts and stand
Height (Approx.): 100mm | 3.9"

Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf D Finals 1/12 Scale Model Girls und Panzer

From Max Factory comes an incredibly lifelike scale figure of Team Ankou’s main tank, Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf D. Shortened as “Panzer IV,” this model of the WWII-era German tank faithfully replicates the CG data used in the anime. The hatch doors on the tank can be manually opened and closed and feature carved details on the inside to show the hatch handles and bolts. The turret can also be rotated and the main battery raised and lowered in the same way a tank aims. Battery-powered machinery can also roll the model forward and backward at the push of a button. Details that make the tank unique to the series include the Ooarai Academy logo and Team Ankou mascot, an Anglerfish, painted on the sides of the turret. Figures from the figma series can be displayed in their respective positions on the model as well.

Product Name: Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. D Finals 1/12 Scale Model | Girls und Panzer
Manufacturer: Max Factory
Specifications: 1/12th scale pre-assembled, unpainted ABS electric model
Size (Approx.): 490mm x 220mm | approx. 19.3” x 8.7”

Girls und Panzer Series Story

Girls und Panzer takes place in an alternate reality where much is the same except WWII-era tanks have been carefully maintained and used for sport. A high school sport called “sensha-dou,” the art of operating tanks is considered a traditional martial art. Miho Nishizumi is from a skilled sensha-dou family, but after a traumatizing event wants nothing to do with the sport. She transfers to Ooarai Girls Academy as they are one of the few high schools without a sensha-dou team. However, that year the student council plans to reinstate sensha-dou and enlist Miho’s aid due to her knowledge. Miho reluctantly agrees and eventually warms up to the sport along with her teammates on Team Ankou (anglerfish). Her dedication grows more serious when she learns the fate of her school depends on their performance in a national sensha-dou competition.

Girls und Panzer Series Development

Girls und Panzer is an anime franchise created by Actas with character designs by Humikane Shimada that began in 2012. The manga adaptation for the series began serialization four months before the anime officially premiered. The anime aired from October 9, 2012, until March 2013. The final episode of the anime experienced a production delay, leading to the creation of two recap episodes. While the original anime only has one season, the series has spawned multiple spinoff manga, a theatrical film in 2015, two OVAs, a six-part short film series, and multiple video games. The original anime experienced high ratings and a large viewership. Anime volume sales placed third and second respectively on the Oricon sales charts. The popularity of the series has been used to promote tourism in Ibaraki prefecture. The series has faced criticism from some claiming it as military propaganda.

Links

Girls und Panzer der Film Yukari Akiyama Bunny Ver. 1/4 Scale Figure
Nendoroid Girls und Panzer das Finale Miho Nishizumi Panzer Jacket Peacoat Ver.
Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf D Finals 1/12 Scale Model Girls und Panzer
Girls und Panzer Label
Yukari Akiyama Label
Miho Nishizumi Label