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- "That's right!"
- ―Hippo Team
Hippo Team (カバさんチーム Kaba-san Chīmu) is one of the teams of Ooarai Girls Academy's Sensha-dō team, commanded by Erwin, operating a StuG III, and one of the supporting protagonists's teams in Girls und Panzer.
Background[]
Hippo team consists of history buffs or reki-jo from Ooarai Girls Academy. The team operates a German StuG III, which they found on the bottom of a lake. They first painted it with multiple colors, making it look flamboyant and they added some banners on its engine deck.
The team's fighting speciality is both to serve as an obvious killer tank and as a lurker which waits for the prey to be assaulted unexpectedly. Later they adopted the Anzio's tactics of Operation Macaroni and Operation Napoli-turn they witnessed in the match in the Sensha-Dō Tournament's second round through Caesar's friendship with Carpaccio, Anzio's student and vice-commander of the Anzio High School. Although the Operation Napoli-turn was not successfull against a Pravda tank, they decided to develop the Operation Macaroni to perfection and through hiding their StuG III behind paper cartons in narrow streets, they took down two M26 Pershings.
The inspiration and adopting other school's tactics is very true to the characteristic of all members of the entire team as they make historical references all the time, citing historical figures and events. Finding the correct reference, usually by the last team member, might have helped them to adapt other school's tactics into a practical and successful use.
About Sturmgeschütz III Ausf.F[]
The Sturmgeschütz III is a German assault tank with a powerful 75 mm gun; while its gun has limited traverse, its low silhouette makes it ideal for ambushes.
Against St. Gloriana[]
During the practice match against St. Gloriana Girls College, Hippo Team managed to ambush and take out a St. Gloriana Matilda tank (commanded by Nilgiri) on a narrow road; however, they were hit soon after, as the height of their banners gave away their position from behind a fence, negating the advantage provided by the tank's low silhouette.
Sensha-Dō Tournament[]
Before the 63rd National High School Sensha-dō Tournament, the Hippo Team repainted their tank dark gray (Dunkelgrau) and added the image of a Hippo.
Against Saunders[]
During the match against Saunders University High School, Hippo Team managed to ambush and destroy one of Saunders' two M4 Sherman tanks that had been lured by Duck Team. Erwin and Caesar can be seen with stunned expressions at the end of the match, after seeing Hana take out the Saunders flag tank from a long range.
Against Anzio[]
In the manga, Hippo Team served as the flag tank.
In the OVA, Hippo Team was supposed to deal with Anzio Girls High School's flag tank, but it was instead drawn into a one vs. one duel against a Semovente da 75/18 (commanded by Caesar's childhood friend Carpaccio), which, despite the StuG's edge in firepower and protection, ended in a draw, with both tanks taking out each other.
Against Pravda[]
During the semi-final round match against Pravda Girls High School, Hippo Team's role was to hunt the Pravda flag tank; prior to the match they replaced their tracks with "winterketten" to make the tank more maneuverable on thick snow. Hippo Team managed to take out Pravda's T-34/76 flag tank after a lengthy chase by hiding under snow and waiting for it to come close enough.
Against Kuromorimine[]
During the final round match against Kuromorimine Girls Academy, the Ooarai tanks managed to survive the initial attack by Kuromorimine, and they gathered on top of a hill and exchanged shots with Kuromorimine, later successfully executing a breakthrough. After that, they were lured by a lone Panzer III Ausf.J of Kuromorimine into a trap set by a super heavy Maus tank into the city. The Maus managed to take out Mallard Team and Hippo Team with its fearsome firepower. In the end, however, Ooarai managed to take out Kuromorimine's flag tank commanded by Maho Nishizumi and thus to win both the match and the championship.
Against St. Gloriana - Pravda Compound Team[]
Hippo Team participated in the defense of the OY-line during the match. In pursuit of Anglerfish Team, the column of Pravda tanks was lured around a blind corner and across an open plaza. Hippo Team, along with the rest of the Ooarai and Chi-Ha-Tan tanks, turned the plaza into a shooting gallery.
Once the OY-line was broken, Hippo Team found themselves in a chase along the beach, disadvantaged due to their vehicle's lack of a rotating turret. To compensate, the team attempt to execute a 180 degree drift to bring the gun to bear. However, the pursuing T-34 still evades their gun arc, outmaneuvers the now-reversing Stug III and takes them out from the side.
Against the All-Stars University Team[]
In the match against the All-Stars University Team, Hippo Team was initially a part of Team Sunflower. They took the high ground at the start of the match, but were unable to even fire a single shot before being forced off the hill by the powerful assault.
Some time afterwards, Hippo Team is seen joining the detachment at the eastern utility gate alongside other Ooarai tanks. They are amongst the tanks that are surrounded in the amphitheater, although they manage to escape alongside everyone else.
Hippo Team then led the efforts of "Operation Macaroni-Zwei", an Anzio-inspired deception that used cut-outs and disguises to conceal their tank against a suitable backdrop and ambush All-Stars University Team tanks at close range. Hippo Team knocks out two Pershing tanks whilst disguised as a vending machine and a brick wall, but on their third attempt, a dubious placement of a burger stand in front of a shop with Chinese markings gives away their position to Azumi, who fires first and takes them out.
Members[]
The Hippo Team consists of four history buffs from Ooarai Girls Academy.
Erwin (Riko Matsumoto)[]
- Main article: Erwin
Tank Commander and radio operator of the team.
Her name comes from Field Marshal Erwin Rommel a.k.a. "The Desert Fox" who was a German tank commander in Africa during World War II. She is usually seen wearing a peaked cap and a full field jacket.
She wanted to paint Hippo Team's StuG III the colors of the Afrika Korps.
Caesar (Takako Suzuki)[]
- Main article: Caesar
The loader of the team, and leader of the "History Girls". Her nickname comes from the Roman general and statesman Julius Caesar.
Saemonza (Kiyomi Sugiyama)[]
- Main article: Saemonza
The gunner of the team. Her nickname is based on Sanada Yukimura.
Oryou (Takeko Nogami)[]
- Main article: Oryou
The driver of the team. Her nickname comes from Narasaki Ryou
Trivia[]
- Their team was the most powerfully armed tank until the introduction of long 75mm KwK 40 on the PzKpW. IV Ausf. F used by Anglerfish Team right before the match against Pravda.
- The Hippo team was the only tank immobilized during the match with the Anzio High School, defeated by a Semovente da 75/18 tank.
- The Hippo Team use a collective catchphrase: "That's right!"
- The symbol for hippo team is used by Caesar as her online profile image.
- In the hidden talent contest, Hippo Team are the only team unable to display a talent outside of their forte.
Gallery[]
- Main article: /Gallery
.jpg "GuP C12 (15).jpg (666 KB)")
 Ooarai Girls' Academy teams ☰
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|---|---|---|
| Schools in The Anime Series |  Anglerfish Team ♦  Duck Team ♦  Hippo Team ♦  Rabbit Team ♦  Turtle Team ♦  Mallard Team ♦  Anteater Team ♦  Leopon Team ♦  Shark Team
| |
| Tanks | Panzer IV ♦ Type 89B ♦ StuG III ♦ M3 Lee ♦ Panzer 38(t)/Hetzer ♦ Char B1 bis ♦ Type 3 Chi-Nu ♦ Tiger (P) ♦ Mark IV | |