Overview
The World Witches series (ワールドウィッチーズ) is the collective name of a media mix project based on the original work of Fumikane Shimada & Projekt World Witches.
Representative works of the series include Strike Witches.
The 2006 novel "Suomus Misfits Squadron" and the 2008 TV anime "Strike Witches" series showed the exploits of magical girls known as 'Witches', who fly through the sky wearing mechanical brooms and fight against the mysterious enemy Neuroi. In these circumstances, the focus of the series' development was the 501st Joint Fighter Wing, which played the leading role in "Strike Witches".
Although, there are many witches other than the Strike Witches in the world of this story, and their tales have been developed in various media such as novels, manga and anime. The various stories of witches in the world told in this way are collectively referred to as the "World Witches" series.
Background
Originally, the work development of this media mix project, which began with the novel series Suomus Misfits Squadron in 2006, was initially developed as the "Strike Witches" series, which is the same as the title of the representative work. However, this terminology was inappropriate for including stories other than those centred on the 501st JFW's story.
Later, from around 2015, "World Witches" began to be used as a general term to refer to the entire media mix (including non-Strike Witches), and this title has been given to the works developed since then.
For example, in the 2016 anime Brave Witches, "World Witches Series" is also written in English letters at the bottom of the title logo.
When the project was called "Strike Witches" to refer to the project as a whole, "Fumikane Shimada & Projekt Kagonish" was used for the original author credits. However, after the series was developed as the "World Witches" series, the author credit was changed to "Fumikane Shimada & Projekt World Witches" (even today, the previous author credit is still used for stories in the "Strike Witches" works set in the 501st JFW).
Synopsis
A brief synopsis of each work in the series follows in this section.
Suomus Misfits Squadron
On the occasion of the 1939 Neuroi invation of the Nordic country of Suomus, it was decided to organize a new unit, receiving support in the armament and personal from other countries.
Second Lieutenant Tomoko Anabuki, who became a heroic Witch after her exploits in the Fuso Sea Incident, was excited to be on a new stage of activity, but she was dispatched to Suomus, a outlying country far from the frontline. The heartbroken Tomoko is roused to show the military what she can do. However, the witches gathered at the Suomus Volunteer Independent Flying Squadron, where she was transferred, are all outcasts from various countries.
With no motivation, no ability, no guts, the girls called 'misfits' begin their fight to protect the world──.
Strike Witches (501st Joint Fighter Wing)
The Strike Witches series features Yoshika Miyafuji as the protagonist and focuses on the story of the 501st Joint Fighter Wing, also known as 'Strike Witches'.
Set in a unit where top-class flying ace Witches from different countries have gathered to liberate Gallia, the story follows a young girl Yoshika, who is a rookie but has strong healing magic, as she fights alongside her companions.
Brave Witches (502nd Joint Fighter Wing)
An animation series Brave Witches features Hikari Karibuchi as the protagonist and focuses on the activities of the 502nd Joint Fighter Wing, also named 'Brave Witches', which defends Petersburg in Eastern Europe's Orussia.
Hikari, who is not a talented girl but has a strong will, bravely soars through the cold northern sky.
Noble Witches (506th Joint Fighter Wing)
A novel series Noble Witches tells the story of the 506th Joint Fighter Wing, a unit of 'Noble Witches' established at the initiative of the Allied Forces to defend Paris.
Luminous Witches (LNAF Aviation Magic Band)
An animation series Luminous Witches is the story of a musical band of Witches who are branded as useless and unable to fight, but instead work to protect people's hearts not through fighting but through the power of song.
Ginny, the protagonist, and the Luminous Witches fly around the world to bring a song to the people in wartime.
Characters
Refer to the article List of Strike Witches Characters.
List of Works
Animation
- Strike Witches (OVA, 2007, GONZO)
- Strike Witches (TVA, 2008, GONZO)
- Strike Witches 2 (TVA, 2010, AIC)
- Strike Witches: the Movie ( 2012 AIC)
- Strike Witches: Operation Victory Arrow (OVA, 2014-2015, SILVER LINK.)
- Brave Witches (TVA, 2016, SILVER LINK.)
- Strike Witches: 501st Joint Fighter Wing Take Off! (TVA, 2019, Acca effe×Giga Production)
- Strike Witches 501st Joint Fighter Wing Take Off!: the Movie (2019, Acca effe×Giga Production)
- Strike Witches: Road to Berlin (TVA, 2020, david production)
- World Witches Take Off! (TVA, 2021, Acca effe×Giga Production)
- Luminous Witches (TVA, 2022, Shaft)
Novels
- Noboru Yamaguchi, "Strike Witches: Suomus Misfits Squadron" series (KADOKAWA, 2006-2008, 3 volumes)
- Hidehisa Nambou, "Strike Witches: Maidens' Volume" (KADOKAWA, 2008-2010, 4 volumes)
- Hidehisa Nambou, "Strike Witches 2" (KADOKAWA, 2010, 2 volumes)
- Hidehisa Nambou, "Strike Witches the Movie: The sky I want to return to" (KADOKAWA, 2012, 1 volume)
- Hidehisa Nambou, "Noble Witches: 506th Joint Fighter Wing" (KADOKAWA, 2015-2018, 8 volumes)
- Takaaki Suzuki, "Strike Witches: The Witches of Africa - Kei's Report" (KADOKAWA, 2012-2014, 3 volumes)
- Toshihiko Tsukiji, "Brave Withes Prequel" (KADOKAWA, 2016-2018, 3 volumes)
- Toshihiko Tsukiji, "Silent Witches: Suomus Misfits Squadron ReBOOT!" (KADOKAWA, 2018-, Already 4 volumes)
- Shouji Saeki, "Strike Witches Memorial Episode: We're the Same" (KADOKAWA, 2018, 1 volume)
Manga
- Yoshiyuki Kazuki, "Strike Witches: Sōkū no Otometachi"
- Yuuki Tanaka, "Strike Witches: Tenkū no Otometachi"
- Shin Kyogoku, "Strike Witches: The Sky That Connects Us"
- Shin Kyogoku, "Strike Witches: The Witches of Aurora"
- Urotan, "Strike Witches: Kimi tono Kizuna no Katacghi"
- Ningen, "Strike Witches Zero: 1937 Fuso Sea Incident"
- Ningen, "Strike Witches Zero: 1939 Witches of Empire"
- Atsuto Shinozuka "Strike Witches: One-Winged Witches"
- Atsuto Shinozuka "Strike Witches: Crimson Witches"
- Yamato Tachiki "Strike Witches: Chii Sanya"
- Yamato Tachiki "Strike witches: Chii Size"
- Makoto Fujibayashi, "Strike Witches: 501st Joint Fighter Wing Take Off!"
- Makoto Fujibayashi, "Strike Witches the Movie: 501st Joint Fighter Wing Take Off!"
- Makoto Fujibayashi, "Brave Witches: 502nd Joint Fighter Wing Take Off!"
- Makoto Fujibayashi, "Strike Witches: 501st Joint Fighter Wing Take Off! Continuation☆"
- Makoto Fujibayashi, "Strike Witches: 501st Joint Fighter Wing Take Off! Road to Berlin"
- Takeshi Nogami, Strike Witches: The Witches of Africa
- Takeshi Nogami, Strike Witches: The Witches of Andorra
- (Anthology comic), "Strike Witches: Official Comic à la Carte"
- Hiroaki Mizusaki, "Strike Witches: The 501st Joint Fighter Wing"
- Tsuchii, "Strike Witches: Erica Hartmann 1941"
- Tsuchii, "Noble Witches: The 506th Joint Fighter Wing"
- Nanateru, "World Witches: Contrail of Witches"
- wirue kusinada, "Brave Witches: 502nd Joint Fighter Wing"
- (Anthology comic), "Brave Witches: Official Comic à la Carte"
- Kosuke Tsukinami, "Brave Witches Prequel: The Vast Land of Orussia"
Video games
- Nintendo DS "Strike Witches: Blitz in the Blue Sky - New Commander Struggles!" (Russell, 2009)
- Nintendo DS "Strike Witches 2: Heal, Cure and Squish" (Russell, 2010)
- PlayStation 2 "Strike Witches: What I Can Do Along With You - A Little Peaceful Days" (Russell, 2010)
- Xbox360 "Strike Witches: Silver Wings" (Cyberfront, 2010)
- PSP "Strike Witches: Silver Wings" (Cyberfront, 2012)
- PC game "Strike Witches: Kiseki no Rondo" (2015-2018)
- App game "World Witches: UNITED FRONT" (2020-)
Illustration column
- Fumikane Shimada "Strike Witches" (2005-2006, Monthly Comp Ace vol.2-9)
- Fumikane Shimada "World Flying Infantry series" (2008-, Fumikane Shimada Wibsite)
Related Tags
Strike Witches Brave Witches Luminous Witches
Noble Witches The Witches of Africa Silent Witches
List of Groups and Coupling Tags in World Witches
List of Strike Witches Characters
External Links
World Witches series official website
World Witches series official Twitter (@w_witch_anime)
