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- "Prepare the Chi-Ha-Tan Special Mass Charge!"
- ―Haru Tamada
Chi-Ha-Tan Academy is a Japanese-themed high school in Girls und Panzer. They operate WWII Japanese tanks such as the Type 95 Ha-Go or variants of the Type 97 Chi-Ha.
Overview
Chi-Ha-Tan Academy is based in the Chiba Prefecture, Japan.
The school has links with local school-ship construction. The school was sandwiched between a rural area, which focused on breeding fine horses, and the industrial heartland, which included concentrated metalworks. The school has a fine archery and Naginata tradition, done on horseback.
Like many of the other Sensha-dō schools, Chi-Ha-Tan moved into tank driving after WW1 ended, and they started driving tanks Japan made themselves. The first instructors were WW1 veteran tank drivers.
The school once had a respectable Sensha-dō team, at the height of its prowess it even reached the finals. Recently, however, they have been repeatedly crushed in the first round. This defeat came in spite their did to improve their tank's performance, as the improvement focused more on equipment upgrades and less on training the students operating it.
The school culturally ended up with girls with strong maternal instincts. The school has a huge library that is renowned in the country, and students even publish their own books. And as mentioned earlier, they still have a fine equestrian tradition.
Uniform
Chi-Ha-Tan students have a brown uniform made up of a long tunic, high boots and an optional helmet. The tunic is worn with a mustard-yellow skirt. The lapels of the tunic are white in the case of the commanding officers, and dark red for everyone else. The uniform is resemblant of the Type 5 WWI fatigues of the IJA.
Tactics
Their primary "tactic" is a frontal suicide-charge against the enemy. This tactic is performed as much for tradition as for rational reasons, never takes into account the type and disposition of the enemy, and ignores factors such range, terrain or self-preservation. Every instance of a charge always ends with the destruction of a lot of their own tanks without really damaging the tanks of the other team. Chi-Ha-Tan are known, sometimes even expected, to throw away incredibly advantageous situations by charging recklessly.
While Chi-Ha-Tan's commanders do have a vague grasp on the concept of tactics and strategic timing, they give in easily to their emotions. Precisely because of their suicidal tactics, Chi-Ha-Tan has rarely had the experience of immobilising an enemy tank, and such an event is enough to overcome all but the most steadfast Chi-Ha-Tan commanders with disproportionate confidence, and cause them to charge to their collective demise. Ironically, a perceived lack of tactical success can also cause the same effect through frustration, turning a bad situation even worse.
Following some hands-on practical demonstrations courtesy of Duck Team, Chi-Ha-Tan started to recognise the potential of their team when employing effective tactics such as ambushes, defence in-depth and hit and run attacks. Their newfound strength was a true eye-opener for the strategists in the Sensha-dō team, but old traditions die hard, and many of the older commanders still feel that a charge is integral to the school's Sensha-dō spirit, with predictable results.
Background
Chi-Ha-Tan have long had a presence in the Sensha-dō community, with varied results. In the past, the team was considered a veritable threat to the other major schools, even coming within reach of the championship when in its prime. However, the school has on the whole failed to keep pace with its competitors, and is now considered nothing more than a minor participant. The school diligently takes part in the national tournament each year, but many years have passed since it qualified for anything other than the opening round.
Against Kuromorimine
- Main article: Kuromorimine Girls Academy vs. Chi-Ha-Tan Academy
The school is mentioned in a screen when the tournament's bracket is revealed, as Kuromorimine Girls Academy's first opponents. The school deployed a single Type 95 Ha-Go alongside a host of Type 97 Chi-Ha variants. All of that was immediately rendered academic, however, when Chi-Ha-Tan elected to make a frontal charge against a prepared Kuromorimine firing line. The valiance of the Chi-Ha-Tan members did nothing to avert them from being utterly annihilated, and knocked out of the tournament in the first round.
Against St. Gloriana - Pravda
- Main article: Girls und Panzer der Film
Chi-Ha-Tan sent a detachment to fight alongside Ooarai Girls Academy for a friendly match against a compound team of Pravda and St. Gloriana, match that was see at the beginning of the movie. Kinuyo Nishi operated as a second in command to Ooarai's overall commander, Miho Nishizumi, and the combined force surrounded and nearly destroyed the enemy flag tank. However, one of the Chi-Ha-Tan tanks scoring a hit on an opposition Matilda hyped the members into an ecstatic frenzy, and the entire team (even those on defending duty) charged forward. Only one of the eight tanks that entered the battle wasn't destroyed in a suicide charge, and the actions of Chi-Ha-Tan were recognised as the principal reason for their side's eventual defeat.
Against the All-Stars University Team
- Main article: Girls und Panzer der Film
In support of Ooarai Girls Academy against the All-Stars University Team, Chi-Ha-Tan brought twenty-two tanks, failing to factor in that other schools were also bringing reinforcements as well. In the end, only six tanks, took part in the match; a Type 95 Ha-Go and five Type 97 Chi-Has, of which two were of the Shinhoto 'Kai' variant.
Chi-Ha-Tan had a bumpy start to the match. Attempting to hold a flank unsupported against enemy Pershing heavy tanks was already going downhill when several commanders lost their nerve and ordered a charge, resulting in the immediate loss of two vehicles.
When engaging enemies later in the theme park, the youngest commander on the team, Fukuda, suggested an alternative tactic that emulated Duck Team's guerrilla tactics observed in an earlier match. The use of hit and run ambushes initially proved effective against the unsuspecting university tanks. Once reinforcements were made available, Duck Team was able to join the Chi-Ha-Tan squadron, and Noriko Isobe personally coached them through the effective harassment and division tactics that saw great success, defeating two Pershings with no losses taken.
At the end of the match, however, Chi-Ha-Tan still resorted to a stock-standard charge against Alice Shimada's Centurion. The charge was made with a far more favourable tactical advantage on paper, but Chi-Ha-Tan still became the first of many Ooarai tanks to underestimate the Shimada-Style prodigy.
Notable Members
There four characters in Chi-Ha-Tan Academy who stand out above the rest.
Kinuyo Nishi
- Main Article: Kinuyo Nishi
The overall commander of the Chi-Ha-Tan Academy Sensha-dō team. She is competitive and sometimes hotheaded, but can also be thoughtful and polite. The most level-headed of the school's commanders, she is also incredibly formal to the point of comicality. She commands a Type 97 Chi-Ha.
Haru Tamada
- Main Article: Haru Tamada
She is the tank commander of a Type 97 Shinhoto Chi-Ha, as well as the vice-commander of Chi-Ha-Tan. A hot-blooded traditionalist who looks down on any tactic other than a charge, but will nonetheless defer to her senior commanding officer.
Hosomi
- Main Article: Hosomi
She is the tank commander of a Type 97 Chi-Ha. She is easily recognizable due to her unusual hairstyle (victory roll).
Fukuda
- Main Article: Fukuda
She is the tank commander of the Type 95 Ha-Go. She is a bespectacled junior member. Eager to follow her seniors' example by charging towards the enemy, but is often stopped by the Ooarai team members from doing so. She later learned to emulate Oarai team's tactics and advises Nishi-san.
Other Members
Nagura
- Main Article: Nagura
She is the tank commander of a Type 97 Shinhoto Chi-Ha.
Hamada
- Main Article: Hamada
She is the tank commander of a Type 97 Shinhoto Chi-Ha.
Teramoto
- Main Article: Teramoto
She is the radio-operator of Hosomi's Type 97 Chi-Ha. She also seems to love photography, as she often carry an ancient photographic camera.
Ikeda
- Main Article: Ikeda
She is the tank commander of a Type 97 Chi-Ha.
Kubota
She is the tank commander of a Type 97 Chi-Ha.
Nishihara
She is the tank commander of a Type 2 Ka-Mi Amphibious Tank.
Temporary Members
During the Cauldron Tankathlon Tournament, every team defeated will fight under the winner's command.
- Trout (after Chi-Ha-Tan defeated Maple High School)
- Oleo (after Chi-Ha-Tan defeated Maple High School)
- Amber (after Chi-Ha-Tan defeated Maple High School)
Vehicles Operated
Tanks
Borrowed Tanks
- Light Tank Mk.VIB (after Chi-ha-Tan defeated Maple High School)
Non-fighting vehicles
Theme Music
Trivia
- Chi-Ha-Tan Academy, along with its overall commander, Kinuyo Nishi, is mentioned in OVA 6 when Nishi sent a congratulatory letter to Ooarai Girls Academy.
- Their suicide charge is based off the Japanese Banzai Charge, a form of the human wave tactic usually depicted as an honourable alternative to surrender.
- There's a wisdom in Chi-Ha-Tan likeness to charge, though, that is their tanks have one of the weakest tank-killing capabilities, which force them to fire at close to almost point-blank range to have a greater chance to immobilize enemy tanks. This wisdom, unfortunately, also came with an almost stubborn recklessness and lack of tactical approach, which made them usually end up as sitting duck and suffer tragic demise.
- Their theme song, Yuki no Shingun, is the song Erwin and Yukari sing while scouting during the battle Ooarai vs. Pravda in the Episode 9 of the series. An instrumental version of it is played during the movie.
- Implied to have an extremely strict schedule, especially in regards to food served, as pickled vegetables, stuffed Onigiri and boiled dishes are considered delicacies by the students.
- Likely a reference to the supply situation in Japan in the closing stages of WWII.
- Their school ship is based on and named after the Akagi, an aircraft-carrier part of the 1st Carrier Fleet nicknamed "Kido Butai" (Mobile Unit/Force) of the Imperial Japanese Navy that launch the attack on Pearl harbor. The Akagi met her demise during the Battle of Midway.
- The word retreat literally isn't in their vocabulary. They use the terminology, "advance (charge) to the rear!" instead.
- The name of the school is based on the prolific Japanese WW2 Tank, the Type 97 Chi-Ha.
- It is suggested that the exhibition match against Pravda/St. Gloriana compound team, is the very first time they were able to knock out a St. Gloriana's medium tank. As Nishi suggested, the only time they score St. Gloriana's tank is a light tank, M3 Stuart.
- Although in Dream Tank Match, it is revealed by Assam that the Matilda in the golf bunker was destroyed by the StuG and not by the Chi-Ha. By looking closely the Matilda is hit twice, one shot that hit the gas tank (purely by chance due to the the low muzzle velocity of the Chi-Ha gun that often cause the bullet drop) and another one right in the turret ring far more powerful. If this is the case, then Fukuda is the one knocking down their first St. Gloriana's tank during parking lot ambush.
- Their commanders exhibit a tendency to exclaim: "It's shameful!" when reporting knocked out friendly units.
- Ironically, even though their motto is to always charge, it appears that the girls of Chi-Ha-Tan are actually quite bashful when it comes to love, as seen in the 4-koma spinoff.
- The Chi-Ha-Tan girls seems to favor volleyball, because at Girls und Panzer der Film when Duck Team give them order in volleyball terms, they can quickly understand and execute them perfectly.
- Tan (たん) is a Japanese honorific often used for Moe anthropomorphisms, mascots, and humanoid representations of various things.
Gallery
Tanks
Non-fighting vehicles
Others
| Schools in Girls und Panzer ☰ | ||
|---|---|---|
| Schools in The Anime Series | Anzio High School ♦ Kuromorimine Girls Academy ♦ Ooarai Girls Academy ♦ Pravda Girls High School ♦ Saunders University High School ♦ St. Gloriana Girls College | |
| Schools in Der Film | Chi-Ha-Tan Academy ♦ Jatkosota High School ♦ All-Stars University Team | |
| Schools in Das Finale | BC Freedom Academy | |
| Schools in The Mangas | Bellwall Academy ♦ Bonple High School ♦ Gilbert High School ♦ Maginot Girls' College ♦ Tategoto High School ♦ Tatenashi High School ♦ West Kureoji Grona High School | |
| Schools in Supplemental Material | Blue Division High School ♦ Count High School ♦ Gregor High School ♦ Koala Forest Academy ♦ Maple High School ♦ Viggen High School ♦ Viking Fisheries High School ♦ Waffle Academy ♦ Yogurt Academy | |