Strike Witches: Operation Victory Arrow

Though Operation Victory Arrow sounds like a brand new campaign against the Neuroi, it is actually a much more peaceful exposition on some of the Witches after the conflicts in the two main seasons. In essence, it is three standalone episodes about former squad members in different areas. You get Erica, Trud, and Minna in the first episode; Charlotte, Francesca, and Hanna-Justina in the second episode, and finally Perrine and Lynette. Each episode features a small narrative that eventually builds to a small skirmish against the Neuroi. It's a pretty easy watch with decent entertainment value for veterans of the series, though obviously many ofthe Witches aren't featured in this OVA. Animation: It sure has been a long time since I saw this franchise but the look and feel of the OVA is still consistent with what I remember. The show is drawn in a saturated palette with vibrant scenery and some really nice sky scenes. The background is a bit inconsistent though as not all scenes get the same treatment. There is also noticeable CGI usage, though it doesn't distract too heavily. The main characters are as they used to be though there are a few new additional supporting members. As in the parent show, you can expect a fair amount of time in the air with the witches, and likewise a fair amount of long range weapon exchange. Effects are fair overall but nothing particularly memorable. There are also the expected levels of ecchi associated with the impractical nature of having propeller engines on your feet. There are some bath scenes with topless nudity, in case the skirt-less upskirt wasn't enough for you. Sound: The show has a new OP, which is fair but nothing particularly special. Each of the episodes has their own ED with the featured characters singing. The BGM is orchestral and fitting with both the setting and previous seasons. Some tunes in the BGM are still familiarly borrowed from previous seasons. The VA cast is as strong as ever with plenty of talented veterans. Chiwa Saitou still gives Francesca a particularly unique voice and Miyuki Sawashiro still excels as the proud Perrine. You even get Shizuka Itou voicing the Star of Africa too. Story: I give the show props for coming up with interesting scenarios in each episode, with allusions to WWII no less. The first episode features the Germans testing out jet engines with the Witches, fittingly named the ME-262; and fittingly with the ace in the room (Erica) strongly opposing its adoption. The second episode centers on a Neuroi that has captured an island around Tunis, which happens to be particularly important to Francesca. The last episode features a bratty orphan caught in something vaguely like Operation Market Garden. Each episode was well executed and had occasional comedy, especially the last episode. It was surprisingly good overall compared to my experience with the main shows. Character: Though there isn't much to be developed here, you do get a bit more on each featured witch's personality. Most memorable were Perrine's leadership, which is something that wasn't featured in any of the main shows. The interactions are fairly good though, again, a large portion of the witches get cameo appearances at most. Value: This is much more bang for your hour than any other Strike Witches work out there so far (not the movie yet). If you have a fair amount of the franchise under your belt, this is a no-brainer. It's a fun but short escape back to a show I had almost forgotten.

Strike Witches: Operation Victory Arrow (2014 - 2015) I do like the play on words if that is the reason for the use of Operation Victory Arrow or OVA. It was nice to see a good set of 3 episodes that really actually brought something to the table. All 3 of the episodes hold merit in seeing many characters that we may not see all that often which was nice. It was especially great that it links directly after season 2 and before the movie. The last episode was especially nice with the crossing into the film and also the story that reached a nice conclusionwith the kids that was great to see. The letter at the end also making the crossover. It was really good to see Perrine gets more recognition on her humanitarian efforts since it was mentioned often but not touched all the time. Also the inclusion of the Brave Witches and finally my favourite Sanya was perfect. I could have happily had an entire episode on Sanya, to be honest, but that would make a few already then. The art was the same as always and was really nicely done. The sound was great as always. The engine noise that you get is superb for the striker units. The mellow music you get in relaxing times and after a battle is really soothing. Characters like said do develop a fair amount for OVA episodes which was great to see. Overall, it is a great addition and should definitely be watched directly after season 2 and before the movie.

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