Kämpfer

Natsuru Sano was a very ordinary Japanese schoolboy, a Saitetsu Academy student ( 星 鐵 学院 ). Waking up one morning, he suddenly discovered that he was a girl. The soft toy in his apartment with a torn belly, Harakiri Thor (who was presented to him by Kaede Sakura's friend), explained to him that he was now a camper and his task was to fight other campers. They themselves, these toys - the envoys, sent to them by the moderators. At first, Natsura did not believe it, and then, when he fell asleep again, and woke up as a guy, he calmed down, and decided that it was a dream. Soon, however, it became clear that this is a reality, and he really had to fight. Although neither he nor the others, who became campers, knew for what reason they were fighting.

Since only girls could be campers, Natsuru turns into a girl, while maintaining her character. Other campers are girls by nature, however, turning, some of them change their appearance and / or character.

It is interesting to note that the voices of some characters, in particular, the messengers, in the original work are characterized by voices of well-known seiyu . In the anime version, these very seyu were invited to the respective roles.

Main characters

Natsuru Sano ( Jap. 夏 目 智 春 Sano: Natsuru ) - The main character (in the original novel, the narrative is written on his behalf). A pupil of class 2-4 of the male part of the school, but after he became a kampfer, he was also arranged, thanks to Shizuku, to the female part of the school, under the same name, and also into class 2-4. In love with Kaede, the other girls are rather indifferent and do not notice their feelings towards him. Appearance, performance, physical data - average. Parents work in another city, so he currently lives alone. It feeds rather modestly, so Mikoto, on his return from overseas travel, regularly treats his curry . One morning, when I woke up, I saw a bracelet on my hand and found out that he was a camper. Since the campers can only be female, he also turns into a girl. The color of his bracelet is blue, his weapon is a magic fireball (Zauber). During the transformation of clothing only his underwear and school uniform are automatically changed to the "female version". His voice also changes to female (only in the anime version, in the original novel remains the same). Unlike other campers, who change their appearance, as a rule, only for the duration of the battle, Natsuru has to go in the female form quite often. At the same time, Natsuru (W) immediately gained popularity among girls and boys of the school, and even became one of the “three beauties” of the school.

Sayu : Marina Inoue

Akane Mishima ( Jap. 美 嶋 紅 音 Mishima Akane ) - A student of class 2-4, a member of the library committee, and therefore has the opportunity to freely attend the male half of the school. In his usual state - a quiet and shy girl, wears glasses and a headband. She loves books very much, is able to be carried away by them in such a way that to forget about everything around, she does not tolerate jokes about books (from Natsuru). It is also animeshnitsey ( otaku ) and, according to Seppuku Kurousagi, often watches anime at night. In the novel, it is she who, for the most part, compares the voices of the “envoys” with the voices of the famous seiyu. In her speech, especially in a transformed state, references to various plots and anime characters are also often encountered. ^[2] Still often likes to indulge in their dreams and fantasies. One of the exemplary students of the school, even as a camper, tries not to be late for classes. Turning into a camper, it changes not only its appearance (the hair becomes red, the glasses disappear), but also the character, becoming very rough and aggressive. Her bracelet, like Natsuru, is blue, her weapon is a Colt M1911 pistol (Gewehr). Of all the campers, she has the greatest difference in character before the transformation, and after. At the first meeting, she attacked Natsuru, but seeing that he also had a blue bracelet, she stopped the fight. She is in love with Natsuru, although he doesn’t notice this at all, and can speak enthusiastically about Kaede in her presence, which causes her irritation.

Sayu : Yui Horie

Shizuku Sango ( Jap. 三 郷 雫 Sango: Shizuku ) - Chairman of the school board, studying in class 3-1. He has excellent academic performance, and also surpasses many other students in other respects. Like Akane, she is an exemplary student, so she is even ready to stop the fight, so as not to be late for the lesson. He is the chairman of the school board from the first year of study, and at the same time he manages him personally. It has a fairly large influence, for example, it was she who arranged for Natsuru (F) in the female half of the school. Is the first of the "two beauties" of the school (with the arrival of Natsuru - "three beauties"). Her bracelet is red, her weapon is two daggers on a chain (Schwert). During the transformation, the hair color changes somewhat, the character remains the same. Being quite an experienced fighter, he can fight two opponents at once, but after being defeated by Natsuru and concluding a deal with him, he actually declared a truce and switched to finding out why the campers actually fight each other. Then she drew attention to Natsuru as a guy. Prior to this (according to her), she did not notice the guys at all. Compared to other girls, he shows his interest in Natsuru gently and gracefully and tries in every way to influence him. She managed to persuade Natsuru to go on a date with her.

Sayyu : Kaori Nadzuka

Mikoto Kondo ( Jap. 近 堂 水 琴 Kondo: Mikoto ) - A student of grade 1-3, Natsura's childhood friend, one year younger than him. She is also Akane's girlfriend, although they did not know about this before the meeting of the three of them. Parents are scientists, so she travels a lot around the world too. By character, a person is cheerful and optimistic, not caring about trifles. She loves cooking, her special pride is curry. She became a camper after a school holiday, receiving a bouquet from Kaede in which Tissoku Norainu was. Her bracelet is red, her weapon is katana (Schwert). Her abilities as a camper are quite high, in particular, she quickly learned to turn Natsuru into a camper and back on her own initiative. When transformed, the color of her hair and eyes changes. In love with Natsuru (M) (at least in the book she speaks about it quite clearly; although Natsuru, as usual, does not understand this). Natsura (W) did not immediately like her, and she attacks her. Having found out that this is the same person as Natsuru (M), he is shocked so much that he even loses consciousness.

Sayu : Kana Asumi

Kaede Sakura ( Jap. 沙 倉 楓 Sakura Kaede ) - Shizuku's childhood friend. Parents are diplomats who work abroad, so she alone lives in a fairly large apartment. Studies in class 2-1. Before the advent of Natsuru (W) was, along with Shizuku, one of the two beauties of the school. I know Natsuru (M) since high school, she was his classmate, but she treats him only as a friend. At first, it seems that she fell in love with Natsuru (F) at first sight. And, having believed in the story invented by Shizuka that Natsura (W) meets Natsuru (M), she began to perceive Natsura (M) as an opponent. However, with the development of the plot it turns out that she is aware of the situation much more than the others. She likes “toys with a torn belly”, and sincerely considers them beautiful. It was she who presented these toys to Natsuru and Shizuku, who later became their envoys; from her the envoy also got Mikoto.

Sayyu : Megumi Nakajima

Other characters

Masumi Nishino ( Jap. 西 乃 ま す み Nishino Masumi ) - Class 1-3 student Akane and Mikoto. Energetic and curious, consists at the same time in about 20 circles, among which is the newspaper circle. In the anime version, it plays a more episodic role, in the book it appears much more often. It was she who first met Natsuru when he first came to the female half of the school in the female form. After that, she searched for him in the female half classes for a long time. When, through Shizuki, Natsuru (W) was enrolled in the female half (formally, “returned after an illness”), she interviewed her. In the resulting article, most of the information (in particular, on the “yuriy” of Natsuru) was frankly invented by her. She was also a presenter at a beauty contest in which Natsuru participated (W).

Sayu : Shiori Mikami

Midori Kudzuhara ( jap. 葛 原 み ど り Kudzuhara Midori ) - An employee of the school board. Red camper, her weapon - two pistols (Gewehr). Formally, being an ally of Shizuku, did not share her policy, and even informed the moderators about it. Therefore, Shizuku decided to remove her by the forces of Natsuru and Akane. It was for this purpose that she arranged for Natsuru in the female half and spread misinformation that Natsura (F) loves Natsura (M). Kudzuhara (being in love with Kaede herself and believing that she wounded her with this Natsuru) decided to take revenge on him. She called him to a fight at night at school, however, she was ultimately defeated by Natsuru and Akane. In the anime version of Kudzuhara does not participate, but her name is mentioned twice in the announcements for the following series.

Mikihito Higashida ( jap. 東 田 幹 仁 Higashida Mikihito ) - Natsuru's classmate (M). A member of a number of illegal school circles, including the chairman of the Society for the Study of Beautiful Girls ( 美 少女 研究 会 ). Masochist. Female sex is his main and only hobby. He also regularly talks on these topics with Natsuru and even made him (without the particular desire of Natsuru himself) an “adviser” to the aforementioned society, not without reason considering that he has connections in the female half. However, sometimes Natsuru himself turns to him for advice on some issues.

Sayu : Yosihisa Kawahara

White Campers

The white campers were created by the moderators after the blue and red campers made a truce. Practically all of them (with the exception of Riki) became campers, having received a “dzomotsu” from Kaede at a beauty contest during a school holiday. At the same time, according to the book, they themselves were participants in this competition. In the anime version only the main characters took part in the competition, and future white campers were among the spectators.

It is also worth noting that in the novel, they first meet with Natsuru separately, I try to draw him to my side, and only then all come together to fight. In the anime (with the exception, again, Ricky), they immediately attack together when Natsuru and other heroines were on the beach.

It is noteworthy that the names of all the seyu, voicing white campers in the anime, coincide with the names of their characters.

Rick Ueda ( Jap. 植 田 理 香 Ueda Rick ) - Schwert-type Kempfer. The weapon is kusarigam . The only one who is not a student of the Seitsu Academy. But her older sister is studying there, and it was from her that she got the “envoy” presented to Kaede (in the book; in the anime, Rick received him from Kaede when she was at a beauty contest). By the nature of warlike. The first of the white campers encountered by Natsuru; she breaks into the house of Kaede when he was there.

Sayu : Kana Ueda

Sayaka Nakao ( Jap. Nag о 沙 也 香 Nakao Sayaka ) - Class 2-1 Pupil. Like Akane, a member of the library committee, however, unlike Akane, does not take this matter too seriously. Before turning, an ordinary girl, somewhat rude, becoming a camper, speaks in a very polite style. Schwert-type camper, its weapon is a saber . He first comes into contact with Natsuru near the school library (destroyed after his fight with Mikoto).

Sayyu : Eri Nakao

Ryoka Yamakawa ( yap. 山川 涼 花 Yamakawa Ryo: ka ) - Grade 2-5 Pupil. Before turning looks quite typical for his age, after - looks more grown-up, becoming like an office lady . In the novel appears in the city library, where Natsuru came along with Akane. Kempfer Gewehr-type, its weapon - a submachine gun Uzi .

Sayyu : Kotomi Yamakawa

Hitomi Minagawa ( Jap. 皆川 瞳 美 Minagawa Hitomi ) - Third grade student. After transformation, the hair becomes green. In the novel, Natsuru and others in the restaurant of Italian cuisine, which belongs to her father, in the anime - on the beach, along with the rest. By the nature of the leader. Zauber-type camper, her weapon - fireballs of light blue color.

Sayyu : Junko Minagawa

Messengers

All the messengers are plush toys from the series “Animals with a torn belly” ( Jap. 臓 物 ア ニ マ ル zo: motsu anima ) , which includes various animals with entrails sticking out. They were released for sale as characters of some kind of manga, but did not enjoy popularity. However, Kaede was a big fan of these toys, sincerely considered them very cute, and bought most of them.

As messengers, they are assigned to one or another camper to be their advisers. It can also be assumed that it is they who transfer their abilities to the campers, for example, Mikoto became a kampfer just after she received a toy from Kaede.

Harakiri Torah ( Jap. ハ ラ キ リ ト ラ ) - Messenger Natsuru. The tiger has a bandage on one eye. He is on friendly terms with Seppuku Krouusagi (the names of both characters are two variants of the name (respectively. 腹 切 り and 切腹 ) of the same action .). According to Natsuru, he speaks as “the former Shizuka-chan” ( 昔 の 静香 ち ゃ ん ) ^[3] . It has a rather funny and funny tactless speech, being among the other envoys, the most caustic, so Natsuru often throws it in the trash.

Sayyu : Michiko Nomura

Seppuku Kuurosagi ( Jap. セ ッ プ ク ク ロ ロ ウ サ ギ ) - Akane's Messenger. Black hare with bloodshot eyes. According to Akane, he speaks like “rude Yukari Tamura” ( 口 の 悪 い 田村 ゆ か り ). ^[4] He is friends with Harakiri Torah, and also sometimes ends up in the wastebasket with him for asserting stinging remarks that annoy Natsura very much.

Sayyu : Yukari Tamura

Kandan Yamaneko ( Jap. カ ン デ ン ヤ ネ コ ) - Shizuki's Messenger. Lynx with wool standing on end (Kandan - from 感 電 , “get an electric shock”). The style of speech is elegantly polite, but on occasion, and quite caustically dismissive. When she first appeared, she called on Shizuku to immediately get rid of Akane and Natsuru and not waste time talking.

Sayyu : Nana Mizuki

Tissoku Norainu ( Jap. チ ッ ソ ク ノ ラ イ ヌ ) - Messenger Mikoto. Mikoto found him in a bouquet that Kaede threw. The voice is soft and quiet. According to Akane, “Mamiko Noto-san’s beautiful voice” ( 能 登 美 子 さ ん の よ う な 美 し い 声 ).

Sayyu : Mamiko Noto

Khiaburi District ( ヒ ア ブ リ ラ イ イ オ ン ) is a plush toy from the Kaede collection, the most favorite and not intended to be given to anyone. The black lion (“Khiaburi District” ( 火 焙 り ラ イ オ ン ) - “Lion burnt alive”). Formally, he is not among the "dzomotsu", since the insides do not stick out at him, nevertheless, he is the very first of the "messengers". By age he is also quite old; as Harakiri Torah says, by human standards he is already more than 80 years old ^[5] . He speaks in a deep thick voice. It is stored in the house on the shelf in a kind of treasury Kaede. Shizuku stole him from there to find out about the moderators. However, in the course of the story, he fell asleep (however, in the anime version some information from him was still possible).

Sayyu : Kenji Utsumi

Kämpfer (Kempfer)

From the German word for "fighter", "fighter". Their mission is to fight with other kampfera, from among opponents. For some reason, all the campers should be female (although, as rightly noted by Akane, in this case they would have to be called Kämpferin). Also unknown is the reason why Natsuru was chosen as a camper, as a result of which he has to turn into a girl.

Campers before and after the transformation differ, and in varying degrees. For example, if Shizuki and Mikoto only change hair color, then Akane changes not only appearance, but also character. After the transformation, the campers receive some additional abilities that exceed the abilities of ordinary people.

The campers initially cannot control their transformations, but gradually acquire this ability (however, it takes different times for different campers; for example, Mikoto quickly learned to turn, Natsuru spent more time on this, Akane did even more). Also, campers usually turn automatically when there is a (nominal) enemy nearby.

Campers have a tendency to gather in one place (according to Harakiri Toro). In this case, this is Seitesu Academy.

Each camper has a “covenant bracelet” on his right hand ( Jap. 誓約 の 腕 輪 Seyaku no Udeva ) .

After turning, the kampfer gets a weapon, one of three types: magic (Zauber), pistol (Gewehr), sword (Schwert). The specific types of weapons at different campers may be different. At the same time, their properties are different from conventional weapons, for example, the Akane pistol does not require reloading.

All the campers that appeared in the course of the work, became such, having received "dzomotsu" from Kaede.

Covenant Bracelet

The bracelet is available for each camper on the right hand. He has no fasteners, and it is impossible to remove it. At first there were two colors: blue and red. Campers with a bracelet of the same color are allies, different - enemies. However, after Shizuku and Mikoto, who had red bracelets, concluded an armistice with Natsuru and Akane, the moderators created a new type of camper with white bracelets.

At the time of the transformation bracelets sparkle white.

Moderators

Moderators ( モ デ レ ー タ ー , modere: that :) will select individual members of humanity to be kempfer. In order to give them instructions, they are sent “envoys” ( メ ッ セ ン ジ ャ ー , messenger ), which are toys from the dzomotsu series. The true nature and motives of the behavior of the moderators are unknown (at least in the book; in the anime version, the Chiaburi District describes the reasons for the actions of the moderators).

Saitetsu Private Academy ( Jap. 私立 星 鐵 学院 高等学校 Shiritsu Saitetsu Gakuin Ko: Do: Gakko :)

High school where Natsuru is studying. Previously, she was purely female, but 10 years ago she was made mixed. However, learning takes place separately, the male and female parts have their own premises, the passage from one part to another is extremely difficult (except for some students, for example, members of the school board, library circle, etc.) The author (in the afterword to The first volume of the book notes that Berlin during the Cold War served as a model for the school; on the territory there is even a wall like the Berlin (it is shown in the anime). However, the school board and class committees are shared, the library is also one (according to Akane Mishima: “Since buying two copies of each book would not be economical”). The circles are also separate, but there are illegally a number of societies uniting pupils of both sexes. Among them are the Society for the Study of Beautiful Girls ( 美 少女 研究 会 ), the Committee for Normal Underground Mutual Exchange between Men and Women ( 男女 正常 交際 地下 委員会 ), etc. There is even an underground tunnel from the male territory to the female, which manages the aforementioned "Committee". Sometimes, however, joint events are officially held, such as the cultural festival ( 文化 祭 ) of the school, where, among other things, there was the Miss Saitetsu beauty contest in which Natsuru participated (F).

The publication of the novel is completed, totaling 12 volumes (plus 3 "side" volumes). The table shows the release date of volumes in Japan:

TV anime

Anime series includes 12 episodes, 11 major and 1 additional. The name of each series consists of two parts - in German and Japanese.

DVD / BD Bonus Series

DVD / BD anime discs include bonus series. The series on the 1st disc is a kind of press conference with “dzomotsu” participating: Seppuku Kurousagi, Kandan Yamaneko, Tisoku Norainu, as well as Mishima Akane. The series on discs 2–6 are called “Zomotsu Friend Park” (the name parodies Tokyo Friendly Park ) and consist of a contest whose participants are the seiyu-leading actors: Inoue Marina, Horie Yui, Nadzuka Kaori, Asumi Kan, Nakajima Megumi, and the leading ones - one of the “dzomotsu”:

• Disc 2: Kandan Yamaneko
• Disc 3: Seppuku Kuroussagi
• Disc 4: Tissoku Norainu
• Disc 5: Harakiri Torah
• Disk 6: Hiaburi District

• Kämpfer (jap.) On the StarChild website.
• Kämpfer (Jap.) On the website of TBS television.
• Interview (jap.) With the leading roles.

In databases

• Anime "Kämpfer" (English) in the encyclopedia site Anime News Network
• Anime "Kämpfer" (English) in the database AniDB

Reviews

• Review on the Anime News Network site (English)
• Review on The Fandom Post (English)
• Review on the UK Anime Network website (English)