Girls und Panzer [Girls and Tanks] is arranged from the animated film series theme song for band or chamber ensemble contest using flexible instrumentation. The series details the drama surrounding a girl's interscholastic club competition involving WW II-era tanks. Spin-offs include manga, film, and video game derivatives of this popular entertainment franchise.

The story is centered around the port city of Oarai in Ibaraki Prefecture, which is now sort of a "holy ground" for tourism. Oarai was severely affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, and the subsequent TV premier and fan fan response has become a driving force for the revival of the town.

Famed military marches are used in the series, so this arrangement quotes British Grenadiers.

As with opera and musicals, this is a narrative work. Imagine the main theme, opponent's theme, friendship theme, battle, and emotional ending, and the flow of the story to create your own musical production.

(Takahiro Tsuji)