Strike Witches: The Pantsu Problem

I recently finished a show called Strike Witches. Strike Witches is set in an alternate 1944 and follows a military unit made up of a group of girls who fight off alien invaders using advanced military technology called Strikers (which are basically jet-powered thigh highs) and their magical powers all while wearing no bottoms. While there are many things about this premise that are ridiculous, the girls going about their lives in little more than their underwear aspect is by far the cream of the crop. However, the fanservice in Strike Witches is not just ridiculous, but also extremely problematic. You may want to grab a cuppa, as this is going to turn into quite the rant!

Problem 1

The girls wearing little more than their panties didn’t make sense any which way I looked at it. At first, when Yoshika is shown attending school, I thought it was like some strange school uniform. But that’s not it, because professional women, women working as nurses or as part of the military are also shown wearing no bottoms. And it wasn’t military uniform, because all of the strike witches wore different, not matching, panties. So then I thought it was because clothes would get in the way of operating their strikers, but Perrine wore tights while operating hers, so in theory, they could still wear form-fitting pants or leggings and operate the strikers just fine. So maybe it was for comfort’s sake? But that doesn’t make sense either, because Perrine wore her panties over her tights, which is not only pretty unhygienic, but a chafing nightmare waiting to happen. And the girls must have been freezing wearing nothing but panties while flying at incredibly high altitudes. Not to mention that going into battle literally with their pants down left them vulnerable to injury. Admittedly, I was dumb for trying to justify what was a blatant ploy to get hard-up, lonely otaku to watch this show, but when something is just that bizarre and nonsensical and no effort is made to explain why it is the way that it is I find it incredibly jarring and distracting.

Problem 2

That the only people wearing no bottoms were young, mostly underage girls implies that the only people who are desirable are young, mostly underage girls. Neither the men nor Yoshika’s mother or grandmother were shown wearing just their underwear. No, they were permitted to wear proper attire. Presumably because nobody wants to see men or older women in just their unmentionables. Perhaps this made me mad because this hit a somewhat sore spot of mine. By this show’s standards I am decrepit at a whopping 24 years of age! Thankfully, there are other shows that prove that older (read 20+) women can still be sexy, e.g. XXXHOLiC (Yuuko Ichihara), Bleach (Yoruichi Shihouin), and Cowboy Bebop (Faye Valentine).

Problem 3

I have heard people defend the fanservice in Strike Witches by saying that having the girls whiz around in their underwear is novel, a breath of fresh air. By removing the traditional upskirt shots and accidental groping you are cutting to the chase, as it were. But just because something is novel doesn’t make it good. In the same way that whilst it may be novel for me to strip off, coat myself in Gorilla Glue and my dog’s excess fur (he’s shedding), and try to pass myself off as bigfoot, it definitely would not be good and enjoyable for other people to watch.

Problem 4

In the same way that people develop a tolerance for alcohol, drugs, and really spicy curry, it is possible to develop a tolerance for girls in their panties. No, really. When you’re constantly treated to shots of the strike witches’ crotches they stop being titillating really fast. The concept of “less is more” is totally lost on Strike Witches.

Problem 5

Because it was completely normal for the girls to be parading around in their panties in alternate 1944 there weren’t any sexual connotations to it at all. It was weird. The girls were being sexualised by their viewers for something that they themselves didn’t consider sexy, just normal. They were unable to be equal partners in their own sexualisation. While watching Strike Witches I was also watching one of the many entries into the Monogatari series. Both shows feature girls flaunting their underwear, but what a difference in tone! Whilst the girls of Strike Witches exist in this odd, sexless world where they are happy to walk around in their knickers yet no man bats an eyelid, Hanekawa and Senjyogahara completely own their sexuality. Both know that they are attractive and both give the impression that Araragi is immensely lucky to be in their presence while they are in their state of undress – which he is. It’s much hotter to have characters own their sexuality, as opposed to having it forced upon them by their viewers.

It is worth noting that many of the above issues aren’t exclusive to Strike Witches. A lot of fanservice is nonsensical, caters to a very small audience, and deprives characters of the opportunity to own their sexuality. Should these issues be addressed so-called fanservice may stop being such a disservice to anime fans like me.