The Saga Of Tanya The Evil: Youjo Senki(幼女戦記)
The Big Four Part 2
Anime is interesting. We all know this.
But, why is that?
Well I think it’s because it does not conform to the standards of western media.
And, this is a show about a world war where the protagonist is not only on the German side but is in fact a very bad person on the German side.
This content probably would not be made in the same way by a western company.
We would want to know that our protagonist wasn’t actually evil – but she is.
We would want to know that at least good would eventually triumph – doesn’t seem that way.
We would want to know that Tanya(Main Character) was in fact not actually an analogue for Hitler – I have bad news.
Yet only in Japan a country that does not seem to understand just how bad WW2 was this show could be made. With a tone that often celebrates the German Army as heroes even when they are clearly committing war crimes.
Characters
Tanya
As I said Tanya is basically a female Hitler. The anime twist here is that she was actually a Japanese Salary-Man reincarnated with her memories into a pre-World War setting where magic is real.
And, she is a small girl.
She is a mage and is thus forced to join the army and put to work at a very young age – 12 or so.
Being X
Being X claims to be God, the one true God even, and is the one who reincarnates Tanya after she insults him disbelieving that he is actually God and not a demon or some other being.
This is why she calls him Being X and not God.
He, it?, is clearly evil and ferments war and suffering so that people turn to belief and worship him.
He give Tanya magic in her new world and if she prays to him while fighting she becomes incredibly powerful.
Tanya hates this as it is clearly a way to make people think she is powerful because she worships God and so she resents him more and more.
The Staff Officers
The rearguard are the usual suspects you would expect out of Black Adder Goes Forth. We have mustachioed generals, calculating mid-tier strategists, and blundering idiots only fit to smoke over-sized cigars.
They provide a grounding to the show and help develop the world.
The Brigade
Tanya’s troops are a shock mobile infantry force. They conduct Blitz style operation like German Storm Troopers.
None of them are really bad people but Tanya slowly grinds down their humanity until they eventually resemble sociopathic killing machines.
She even forces one of them to kill an unarmed child as a loyalty test.
It is sad to watch them slide down a dark path as many of them are very likeable.
Philosophy
This is a story about belief.
The questions are should you blindly worship God or fight against this all-powerful-being even if it is pointless?
Tanya fights against this being.
Her opponents worship Him.
All the while Being-X gains new followers on both sides as Tanya seems to be a devout worshiper of God as she gains power from saying prayers to Him.
It is a dark comment on how the worship of even the same God can be used to justify war and how it can dehumanize people.
Worth watching
It’s is well produce and the animation is the best of any Isekai show ever made.
The story is compelling and fast paced.
The characters are deep and interesting.
So, yes, you should watch it. I have never met someone who didn’t think this was a good show.
Conclusion
A story does not always have to be against good and evil. Sometimes, a show where evil fights other evil is just as interesting.
Thanks for reading!