In the TV series, Oarai Girls' High School faced off against many strong opponents, becoming rivals and friends, but in the movie they will face an even stronger foe. That foe is the captain of the university selection team, Shimada Alice, who we will be introducing today. With her small frame and the way she drives a large tank and takes command, she has a strength that is unmatched. Let's take a look at the charms of Shimada Alice.
Shimada Arisu looks like a child, but is a university student
Source: Girls & Panzer ©Bandai Visual, Lantis, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners, Shogakukan, Movic, Q-Tech
She's only 13 years old, and is an excellent girl who skipped grades to become a university student and serve as the captain of the selected members. Even though she skipped grades, she still looks like a child. However, once he puts on the tank uniform, he transforms into a sharp and cool commander. His appearance and ability as a commander seem to endear him to his fellow soldiers, but due to his taciturn nature and the difference in their age, they don't seem to be able to talk much outside of tank warfare. He still has a childlike side to him, and his favorite food is hamburger steak with a fried egg, and he dislikes cheese, tomato olive oil, and many other foods. Also, since he hasn't attended middle or high school, he has never been on a school ship, and he gets seasick easily.
Shimada Arisu, the successor of the Shimada school
Source: Girls & Panzer © Bandai Visual, Lantis, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners, Shogakukan, Movic, Q-Tech
As you can tell from the name "Shimada," Arisu is the daughter of "Shimada Chiyo," the head of the Shimada school of tank warfare, and the successor of the Shimada school. As a result, she received an elite education in various academic subjects, including Sensha-do, and skipped grades to become a university student. She never flaunts the fact that she is the daughter of a school head, and instead exudes a strength that could be called the poster child for Sensha-do, as she commands with a blank expression and calm demeanor. As a result, she is well-trusted by her fellow soldiers, but as mentioned above, she is troubled by the lack of communication, as they are unable to talk much.
What is Shimada Alice's school, the "Shimada School"?
Source: Girls & Panzer ©Bandai Visual, Lantis, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners, Shogakukan, Movic, Q-Tech
There are two major schools of tank warfare: the Nishizumi School, to which the Nishizumi sisters belong, and the Shimada School, to which Shimada Alice belongs. In contrast to the Nishizumi style, which is simple, sturdy and focuses on head-on combat, the Shimada style is said to be "flexible" and uses "ninja tactics," and fights according to the situation. They also divide the battle into jo-ha-kyu, starting slowly and attacking the enemy gradually, before making a sudden move towards the end. The two schools are also in conflict with each other, as the Nishizumi style uses "group" tactics, moving in formation, while the Shimada style places emphasis on "individuals," with one genius dominating the battlefield. It is also a style that is difficult to popularize, as it is aimed at experts and requires each crew member to be highly skilled.
This is the Shimada style! Shimada Arisu Unrivaled
Source: Girls & Panzer ©Bandai Visual, Lantis, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners, Shogakukan, Movic, Q-Tech
In the movie version of the university selection match, from the beginning, she targets Kuromorimine and Pravda's heavy tanks and destroys two Kuromorimine Panthers and Pravda's heavy tanks as planned. From the beginning, Alice took the initiative and cornered the high school students, but when the vice captains said, "Leave the rest to us," she left command and watched the match from the sidelines. After that, the situation was reversed by a counterattack from the high school students' alliance, and she was at a disadvantage. Just as the vice captains began to get impatient, Alice began singing Boko's theme song, "Oira Boko Dase!". The morale of the university selection team rose instantly when they heard it. For the team, Alice's singing is a sign that she is getting serious. From here, Alice took command of the Centurion and destroyed 10 vehicles without being hit or missing a single shot. In the final stage, she was 1-on-2 with the Nishizumi sisters, but she always had the advantage over the two. Then, when she aimed her gun at the IV to take advantage of an opening... an unexpected guest appeared and she missed the momentary opening. In the end, the team loses after a desperate charge from the Panzer IV, but Alice's command, which destroys a total of 11 tanks including the Panzer IV, and the Centurion crew's response to her are monstrous.
Shimada Arisu and Nishizumi Miho, a chance encounter
Source: Girls & Panzer ©Bandai Visual, Lantis, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners, Shogakukan, Movic, Q-Tech
Miho found the Boko Museum in Oarai and went there to play, and Arisu was also visiting the museum at the same time. They first met when she picked up the last rare Boko item in the souvenir corner. At the time, neither of them realized that they were from the Nishizumi and Shimada styles. However, as if by some twist of fate, the two ended up fighting as squad captains. The battle, which could be described as a match between selected high school students and selected university students, also attracted public attention as it was the Nishizumi style versus the Shimada style. However, after the match, they praised each other for their good fight and became new, good rivals.
Shimada Alice wants to be a high school student
Source: Girls & Panzer ©Bandai Visual, Lantis, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners, Shogakukan, Movic, Q-Tech
Since she has never attended middle school or high school, she seems to be longing for life on a school ship. Alice, who wants to go to high school, came to Oarai for a trial school visit after the university selection match. She was welcomed by everyone on the Sensha-do team and enjoyed high school life. She even considered becoming a student at Oarai, but when she realized she would be teammates with Miho, she decided not to enroll and went to a trial school at another high school because she wanted to remain rivals with Miho.
Similarities between Shimada Arisu and Nishizumi Miho
Source: Girls & Panzer ©Bandai Visual, Lantis, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners, Shogakukan, Movic, Q-Tech
The two are both daughters of the two major schools of tank driving, but they also share a common interest in loving Boko, the beaten-up bear. Although Alice is quiet and doesn't talk much with her teammates, she gets along well with Miho, as they are also Boko buddies. During the aforementioned trial school, Alice stayed over at Miho's house, enjoyed watching Boko DVDs, and slept in Boko pajamas surrounded by Miho's Boko goods. It seems that both of them have learned important things from Boko, such as the spirit of never giving up and the courage to face any strong opponent.
Shimada Arisu, the successor of the Japanese Tank Road
Source: Girls & Panzer ©Bandai Visual, Lantis, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners, Shogakukan, Movic, Q-Tech
Shimada Arisu, the successor of the Shimada school, will likely lead the Japanese Tank Road in the future. Her commanding skills are unmatched against the best high school teams, and her charisma makes her a worthy successor to the Shimada school. When Alice is driving a tank, she displays a calmness and rare talent that belies her age, but in her everyday life she is a cute girl her age. Alice's charm lies in her dual roles of cuteness and coolness.
