First Impressions on Kämpfer – The Power of orz

This is my Kämpfer-face.

Okay, I can safely be rather brief on this: Kämpfer is really awful. I say safely because it seems that this is the consensus across the blogosphere. That’s also why there isn’t much pleasure in dissing it, since everyone hates it already. As such let me proceed with this as quickly and painlessly as possible.

This is my Kämpfer-face up close.

Kämpfer is about girls who fight each other for no reason that’s going to be plausible without plenty of alcohol involved. In fact just watching Kämpfer is hardly recommended without some degree of intoxication. The protagonist happens to be a male and since everyone selected as a kämpfer must be female, he is transformed into a girl whenever the need arises. Conveniently his attire transforms into female uniform on demand as well. The kämpfer possess one of three difference types of super powers: Magical fireballs (Zauber), chain-and-dagger (Schwert) and guns (Gewehr). Yes, you read it right. In Kämpfer wielding guns is a super power. Funny, because I sure was able to fire anything from 7.62 to 66mm back in the army without having to transform into a girl or own a really tasteless-looking plushie. But well, gun laws in Japan being what they are I guess I shouldn’t be surprised…I mean, to an average citizen of downtown Helsinki distinction between a pine and a spruce can prove to be a daunting task.

The setting of Kämpfer is about as cheap as the concept of freedom of expression to the Finnish Cabinet of Ministers, and its execution follows close behind. In fact, Kämpfer is so tasteless, dull and embarrassing that it can turn a teetotaler into a budding alcoholic within ten minutes. Since I definitely have better things to do than actually bother elaborating, I’m going to ask you to take my word for it or just google your way around the blogosphere and find someone who actually was lifeless enough to write more about why. PROTIP though: Inoue Marina just won’t cut it for male voice. But let’s mention a few positive things: The OP is kinda ok with its spunky tunes, the animation is decent (although I can already see sings of a stall in the second episode) and horny Hocchan is never a bad thing. I just feel kinda bad for Nakajima Megumi. She made a great debut as Ranka in Macross Frontier only to end up in shows like Akikan! and Kämpfer. But nubs can’t be choosers I guess.

TL;DR: Kämpfer is Akikan! with better visuals and some better seiyuus. Watch drunk or find something better. Yeah, I know I said I’d drop this but it just makes everything else look so much better, even Seitokai no Boredom.