Izetta: The Last Witch 03 (War is hell!)

Izetta: The Last Witch 03
Shumatsu no Izetta episode 03
Izetta, Die Letzte Hexe 03

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis

Izetta: The Last Witch 03The Eylstadt obsolete tank force is obliterated by the Germanian tanks. With the Germanian tanks and troops moving forward on an Eylstadt entrenchment, the Germanian Air Force bombs their lines, causing massive damage. The rest of the Germanian forces move forward, but an intense artillery barrage from Eylstadt slows their advance. Princess Finé is briefed on the situation and is horrified that the best her troops can do is lay down their lives in order to buy time for the other Eylstadt people and troops to flee. She and Major Obermeyer along with other troops are able to observe some of the situation from their location.

Izetta: The Last Witch 03Finé stops her troops from going to help their fellow soldiers, reminding them that they will be needed to lay down their lives at a later time. Meanwhile, the Germanian Army general asks for additional help from the Air Force general. Germanian dive bombers begin target bombing Eylstadt possessions. However, they are met by Izetta and a host of lances from the old, medieval castle. She single-handedly destroys the flight of fighter planes, then single-handedly topples every tank. This is observed by Princess Finé and her troops. When Izetta returns, she’s scolded by Finé, who’s happy to have her friend back. Her troops rally because of this victory. Meanwhile, the Germanian generals are stunned by their impossible loss.

Thoughts and Review

Well, without it being too horribly graphic, I have to say that this episode felt a great deal like World War II. Having done a lot of research on the subject in my life, I really appreciated that. Plus, Izetta goes nuts.

Izetta: The Last Witch 03

Eylstadt Similar to Poland

I haven’t talked about this to date, but the Eylstadt military units always seemed obsolete. Actually, the more I look into it, the more I realize that Aija-do is basing Eylstadt partially on Poland. The tanks of the Eylstadt military are similar to the light tanks used by Poland in World War II.

Izetta: The Last Witch 03

There are some other allusions to Poland and its fight against Germany. When Izetta is using lances and swords in her battle against the Germanian military, it alludes back to a widely held, but incorrect view of Polish troops using such weapons to try to battle German armored divisions.

Izetta: The Last Witch 03

One thing missing is the Eylstadt Air Force. I assume they’d have one, but thus far, I’ve seen no evidence of one. In our world, Poland had an Air Force, though many of the planes were hidden away and the pilots went to England for the Battle of Britain.

Izetta: The Last Witch 03

Either way, I thought these nods to real life World War II elements were a nice thing.

Izetta: The Last Witch 03

German Blitzkrieg

This episode definitely depicted the German blitzkrieg from World War II pretty well.The Germanian Air Force softens the target with medium bombers (though the more they can eliminate, the better). The Germanian armored divisions come in with infantry and they try to wipe out what’s left. If there’s still resistance, you bring in the dive bombers for more precision bombing and then your armored and infantry forces mop up what’s left and secure the region.

Izetta: The Last Witch 03

It was amazing that Eylstadt troops were in trenches and had established such throughout as a defense. The World War I trench warfare was made obsolete by the introduction of tanks and even planes to a lesser degree. Assuming this Earth’s history is the same, it is shocking that Eylstadt would still attempt to employ such tactics. Granted, there was some trench warfare in World War II, especially on the Soviet front, but this wasn’t quite the same.

Izetta: The Last Witch 03

The only thing the Eylstadt forces had were there anti-armor artillery pieces in the high ground. I’m actually surprised that the initial bombing run didn’t try to take out targets in the high ground. Had Izetta not interfered, no doubt the dive bombers would have done their thing.

Izetta: The Last Witch 03

The White Witch, Izetta

It was fun watching Izetta go nuts on the Germanian forces. It would have been too cliched for Ride of the Valkyries to have soared as Izetta flew, but I don’t care. That would have been AWESOME! Not that the musical selection used was bad, but Izetta and her flight of lances going nuts to that classical tune would have rocked my world.

Izetta: The Last Witch 03

They didn’t show Izetta slaughtering soldiers, but in my mind, I like to think that if this weren’t an anime, Izetta and her flight of dancing swords would have been taking out enemy soldiers left and right. The episode did show some people dying, but I imaging a bunch of soldiers getting beheaded would be a bridge too far.

Izetta: The Last Witch 03

Either way, Izetta has now set herself up as the Weisse Hexe, which further sets the table for Major Belkman to be incentivized to capture her.

Izetta: The Last Witch 03

Princess Finé, the Leader

Princess Finé continues to show why the people love her and why she will make a good queen. Despite her own emotions, she was able to hold them in check, knowing her soldiers on the other ridge were fighting and dying just to buy time. She kept the troops with her from letting their emotions take control of them. And she told them the truth — she would have them lay down their lives, but not at this moment.

Izetta: The Last Witch 03

Princess Finé chastised herself for being weak, but because of what I’ve just lain out, I think she’s quite strong. However, it was her lament that prompted Izetta to go into action. So if Princess Finé gets a ding, it is there.

Izetta: The Last Witch 03

If Princess Finé has a weakness, it is Izetta. With Izetta being the last of her kind, combined with being Princess Finé’s friend, I can understand why Finé was upset with Izetta. However, she knows that Izetta did what she could not do.

Izetta: The Last Witch 03

Final Thoughts and Conclusion

I liked that the troops sang what I presume is their national anthem. I liked that they see Izetta as a hero and not a witch to be burned at the stake.

Izetta: The Last Witch 03

Also, I liked that much of this episode focused on a new character, the young soldier Jonas. Actually, seeing the war through his eyes. He’s clearly an inexperienced soldier. I hope we see more of him. Also, I hope that he can be part of the inner circle. I wouldn’t mind seeing him and Izetta become close.

Izetta: The Last Witch 03

In the end, Izetta: The Last Witch 03 is a very good episode. We get a good look at the horrors of war as well as what Izetta can do.

Izetta: The Last Witch 03

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14 Responses to “Izetta: The Last Witch 03 (War is hell!)”

  1. sanchi says:

    Just watched episodes 1-3. I also enjoyed every chapter so far.

    Very accurate anime drawings of german weaponry and equipment in ww2, – the P08, P38, PPK, stick grenades, stukas (esp showing the dive bombing mechanism on the stuka) Panzer MK IIs and MK IIIs, detailed Junkers 52 and Me109s. Even showing the french helmets and Renault 35, Char series, and hotchkiss h-39? tanks getting wiped out. German armament was very superior at the beginning of ww2.

    I kinda laughed at the swords getting bent on the tank’s armour though, and the lances like flechette missiles taking out the stukas. I enjoyed how magic and old weapons can defeat modern warfare in this story.

    A new one for me too – a anti-tank rifle as a flying broom, and able to shoot too! What surprised me was a lack of a wand – and more of a jewel or crystal being used.

    Good story too about the princess.

    Excellent find ANB!

    • AstroNerdBoy says:

      What surprised me was a lack of a wand – and more of a jewel or crystal being used.

      Yeah, I’m not sure if that’s a crystal or what. It shows up when she’s checking her magic level, and what looks like those gem things show up all over with flying things. It is a weird thing.

      Excellent find ANB!

      Thanks. I don’t remember where I heard about it, but the concept intrigued me.

  2. sanchi says:

    I think the ww2 anti-tank rifle was Soviet built – also remembering the response by the Germans in ww1 as a defense weapon against the British Mk 4 tank on the german trench lines. But the german one had a different looking receiver.

    I don’t think it was the French or Poland that made one. I think its the Russian PTRS/PTRD-41 without the front wooden stock on the barrel – which after firing I can see the barrel getting too hot to sit. Its around 7 to 8ft long, easy to fit two girls sitting on it. Izetta can topple tanks so handling a easy 50pd rifle isn’t a issue.

    I am curious on how they caught Izetta. Germany was also rounding up all gypsies and non-german or non Aryan nomadic peoples for extermination in the late 30s, so I can see if this is parallel, Izetta being a target. There was also nazi research into magic and the occult too.

    Nazis always makes really good bad guys!

    • AstroNerdBoy says:

      The anti-tank rifle she used in this episode seemed much different than what she used in episode 1. I had thought she’d be using that for the rest of the series.

      I am curious on how they caught Izetta.

      Based on the brief flashbacks we’ve seen, she either gave up to protect people from being slaughtered for her sake, or she ran out of power. I tend to think the first one.

      Nazis always makes really good bad guys!

      Heh! Yeah.

  3. LGear says:

    Fine’s speech about spending her soldier’s lives actually reminded me of a moment from the game Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 2 Retribution, where Lord General Castor states that “I may spend my men’s lives as needed, but I do not waste them”. At the least Fine understands that pointless charges into a lost cause will get them nothing but dead mean, and that they’re better off living to fight another day.

    • AstroNerdBoy says:

      At the least Fine understands that pointless charges into a lost cause will get them nothing but dead mean, and that they’re better off living to fight another day.

      Very true. Not only that, but she understands that she may have to send them to their death.

  4. NullApostle says:

    HIJACK.

    The final chapter of Genshiken 2 has FINALLY been released in English. You know where to get it.

    Hijack ended. Carry on.

    • contrasena842003 says:

      Thank you!. But… Impossible to carry on. I want sandaime. And looking at the other mangakas congratulations made me realize how good is Afternoon magazine.

      Offtopic 😉 : Izetta is the only new anime series I follow this season. So far is like a oasis on the dessert of bad series.

      • evgenidb says:

        Then switch to older series. There’s always that good one (or a hundred) you haven’t watched yet. Couldn’t watch that gem last season? Or last year? Sit down and watch! Or you still haven’t watched that ’90s classic. Sit down and watch! There’s always more to watch.

        • AstroNerdBoy says:

          I wish I had more free time. Or more importantly, when I do get free time, I wish I didn’t waste it like a zombie. 😉 I’ve got stacks and stacks of anime I’ve yet to watch. It would be nice to get to just sit and watch them all.

      • AstroNerdBoy says:

        I want sandaime.

        So do I. It is possible he may come back. After all, Nidaime wasn’t supposed to be what it became.

        Izetta is the only new anime series I follow this season. So far is like a oasis on the dessert of bad series.

        There’s always a ton of new anime, but I never have the time to watch it. My backlog is insane. But yeah, Izetta has been a nice surprise.

    • AstroNerdBoy says:

      And has been read. Now to try to get a blog entry written.

      As always, thanks for the alert!

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