- "My name is Eclair, and I am the commander of Maginot Girls' Academy."
- ―Eclair introducing herself before the mock battle with Ooarai
- "CHARGE !!!"
- ―Eclair during her last stand
Eclair (エクレア, Ekurea) is the actual overall commander of Maginot Girls' Academy's Sensha-Dō team and one of the main characters of the manga Fierce Fight! It's the Maginot Battle!.
Profile
Eclair is a second-year student from Maginot Girls' Academy. She is the actual overall commander of her school's Sensha-Dō team and she operates a French SOMUA S35.
Appearance
Eclair is a medium sized girl with long dark hairs with blue highlights and a pair of light blue eyes. Eclair is usually seen wearing the Maginot Girls Academy uniform. During battle, she wears the school's Sensha-dō jacket.
Personality
Before taking over the head of Maginot's Sensha-dō team, Eclair was a rather impulsive girl who seems to be obsessed with victory, tired of losing she will go so far as verbally confronting her commander and provokes her to a duel. After taking over the role of commander she learns humility and that the role of commander is a real burden to carry.
Background
Eclair enlist into Sensha-Dō due to her admiration of Shiho Nishizumi (at time she practices Sensha-Dō and even after) and wanted to be like her. Unfortunately for her Sensha-Dō was different of was she expected due to Maginot's defensive tactics which don't allow tank to move, tired of this she began to question her commander's tactics and skills. Four months before the 63rd National High School Sensha-Dō Tournament Eclair confronts her commander Madeleine accusing her tactics to be archaics and responsible of Maginot's consecutive losses suggesting more mobile tactics but against Madeleine's will to protect traditions she provokes her to a duel for the head of the school. She managed with difficulty to win and after the match Madeleine gives her Spade Blue collar patches and the title of "Commander of Maginot Girls' Academy" saying that she will carry the responsibility of Maginot's traditions.
Eclair become Maginot's new Commander.
After becoming commander Eclair tried to impose her new strategy, a strategy favoring mobility inspired by Napoleon's cavalry tactics called the "Saint-Cyr style", but she learns quickly the harsh reality of being a commander, she's always in conflict with other students, the 3rd years ignoring her commands and 2nd and 1st years aren't doing as she told since they're watching by their senpai. After a training where she wass constantly downplayed by 3rd years an another member of the Sensha-Dō called Fondue proposes herself as the vice-commander, Eclair first irritated by Fondue's behavior and familiarity finally accepts her offer. After this the 3rd years became openly hostile toward her she then learns from her Senpai that if she earns the title of commander she doesn't earn the respect of Madeleine's follower. That the beginning of Eclair's chronic stomachache.
Once the conflict with 3rd years passed, Eclair, in her office, is visited by Madeleine announcing her that she withdraws from Sensha-Dō team, Eclair is horrified as she considers that the only reason that she have command is because of Madeleine's presence. After Madeleine's departure Eclair realize that she was right as the Sensha-Dō team lost 51 team members on 80 but Eclair still believes in her tactics.
Four months later Maginot suffers defeats in various training matchs (the last was against Saunders). Fondue gives her a request for a training match from Ooarai that she gladly accept to proves that her the efficiency of her "Saint-Cyr Style". After getting intels on Ooarai's team from their previous match against St.Gloriana she learns that the team is lead by Miho Nishizumi that makes her more willing the fight her and defeat the Nishizumi style (as she's a fan of Shiho Nishizumi).
After undergoing several training she starts figuring that her new style has its limits as their tanks aren't suitable for mobile warfare due to the limited number of crew members of their tank (FT-17 and R35 have only 2 crew members and the commander have to do 4 different tasks).
During the match against Ooarai Eclair entrenched four of her tanks to give the illusion that Maginot never changes their tactics by putting a R39 in ambush. After Ooarai realize Maginot's tactics and foil their plans, Eclair began to suffer violent stomachache and nearly fainted, after suited herself up, she made a speech to her remaining tankcrews and reunited all her teammates under her guidances. This permit them to take out some Ooarai tanks but in the end Eclair's tank is shot down by Miho's Panzer IV in a valiant charge and the rest of the team is taken out by the M3 Lee.
After the match Eclair congratulates Miho (by kissing her 3 times !!!) about her teamwork, but once she leaves to training grounds she shows to Fondue that she's still frustrated about losing.
We can assume that Eclair uses once again her strategy during the match against Anzio High School which leads to a defeat (once again !).
Trivia
- Her name is taken from the Eclair a french pastry.
- Éclair can also be the french word for lightning, highlighting her preference for a fast and mobile style, rather than a slow defensive one.
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