Ask John: Can Vividred Operation Catch Strike Witches?

Question:
Will Vividred Operation surpass Strike Witches?

Answer:
As of this week, seven episodes of Vividred Operation have aired. While no one can definitively and accurately predict the future, I do feel some confidence in saying that Vividred Operation is unlike to prove as successful as Strike Witches because the fundamental construction of the show is different from Strike Witches. Overtly both anime are “battle girl” shows about young girls in bloomers who use a mixture of science and magic to battle mechanical invaders. However, the underlying goals of the two programs feel different. Strike Witches, particularly its first season, feels like a show designed to introduce a world and launch a franchise. Vividred Operation, on the other hand, feels more distinctly like a show primarily concerned with providing a gratifying show for viewers.

Strike Witches, especially its first season, did a magnificent job of fleshing out and characterizing its large cast. The supporting characters were given back-stories, personal motivations, strength and weaknesses with sympathetic psychological explanations. Vividred Operation has fewer characters, yet also less evocative, affecting characterization. Aoi is rich and fearful of being alienated. Wakaba has an inferiority complex and an unexplained fear of small, creepy creatures. Himawari is haunted by a childhood betrayal. None of these character backgrounds has much depth; none of these backgrounds are especially affecting, and most damning, the show almost immediately forgets about these character traits as soon as they’ve been established. Aoi is supposed to be nervous about making friends, but she befriends Wakaba & Himawari easily. Wakaba is introduced as feeling inferior to Akane, but that anxiety vanishes without explanation almost immediately. Himawari is supposed to be a hikikikomori, yet she becomes outgoing almost instantly. Furthermore, recent episodes have proved that Vividred Operation’s supporting characters distinctly turn into supporting background characters as soon as their time in the spotlight concludes. In effect, Strike Witches provides a rich variety of substantial characters for fans to explore and adore. The characterizations in Vividred Operation are less substantial and more cliche.

Strike Witches certainly falls within the category of magical battle girl anime that includes Lyrical Nanoha, My Hime, Symphogear, and Skygirls but Strike Witches doesn’t overtly borrow ideas from other anime, at least, not as obviously as Vividred Operation does. While Strike Witches sustained a credible degree of unique originality, Vividred Operation seems to consciously concepts from a variety of anime. The physical appearance and the antagonism of the “Alone” is reminiscent of Evangelion. The vulnerability of the Alone appears to be directly copied from Strike Witches, as does the concept of flying girls fighting with support from the Navy. The transformation scenes and the girls’ fighting power feel like they’re taken from My Hime. The “docking” is very obviously inspired by Aquarion. Aoi’s giant hammer weapon feels drawn from Lyrical Nanoha, or possibly Gaogaiger, while Akane’s feels taken from Shangri-la. The girls’ battle uniforms seem inspired by Star Driver. The location of the Manifestation Engine feels reminiscent of Rinne no Lagrange. The Rei Kuroki’s bow is a quite reminiscent of Madoka Magica’s. The talking ferret is very similar to Chamo from Negima while the idea of a grandfather in an animal body seems taken from Anymal Tantei Kiruminzoo. Practically the only thing that’s unique and unusual about Vividred Operation is the show’s willingness to shift its attention away from scenes of girls battling giant robot monsters. Several of Vividred Operation’s major battles have occurred off-screen, allowing the show more time to focus on daily-life routines in place of action scenes. Although an interesting approach, a conscious decision to downplay some of the action may reduce some of the show’s viewer appeal compared to Strike Witches, which equally balanced drama with thrilling and fluidly animated battle scenes. While Vvidred Operation has plenty of cute girls for the bishoujo fans, its conscious decision to exclude some of the action scenes may prevent the show from being quite as warmly and eagerly received by action fans that appreciated Strike Witches’ frequent and impressively animated battle scenes.

Strike Witches simply felt, back in 2007 and 2008, like a fresh and unique interpretation within the emerging “battle girl” sub-genre. Not only does Vividred Operation not feel unique, it feels like it’s consciously trying to be conventional and familiar. In seven episodes so far, Vividred Operation has been fun and enjoyable, but it hasn’t felt emotionally engaging the way the first Strike Witches series did, and it hasn’t felt fresh, new, creative, and surprising the way Strike Witches did. Strike Witches felt like it reached out to grab an audience. Vividred Operation, so far, doesn’t even feel like it’s trying to appeal to a larger audience than a small demographic of hardcore bishoujo action anime otaku.