Yoshika and Shizuka join Perrine on a special mission to Nederland to nurture a special tulip.
Episode 5 – “Queen of Nederland”
Hmm.
Strike Witches continues with Neuroi of the Week, which is not yet on the road to Berlin. Perrine was the Neuroi’s match this week. The funniest thing about their connection was how the Neuroi looked like a robot Hercules beetle because Perrine turned into a tank girl instead of a Strike Witch. The relation between the main star this week and the Neuroi was not as strong as last week with Shirley. Fast Neuroi versus fast Strike Witch was a good match. Did we know that Perrine could drive a tank before using an old Sherman as a farm tractor? That was weak foundational writing.
The ground-based Neuroi did serve Strike Witches one good purpose – it let us see Yoshika rush after it with a hoe! That girl does not change at all. Any scene that reminds me of Yoshika trying to beat down a Neuroi with a pipe is a good scene. Yoshika also made prompt progress in terms of the overall story, because her stepping in as a backup boiler turned into good training for her to consciously maintain her magic pressure. Perrine invited Yoshika on her Nederland side mission because she knew they would encounter medicinal herbs and flowers, which would cheer Yoshika up. It was supposed to be a nice gesture because Yoshika has been trying so hard to get back into the fight. The side quest turned into a relevant development for the Strike Witches season.
Heh.
Yoshika is jumping into the ocean again on a broom. It’s a good thing those Fuso witches wear gym swimsuits instead of regular underwear. Tough? Yoshika thinks she needs to be “tougher” to stabilize her magic pressure? Mio made too much of an impression on her. Yeah, now she’s back to running, even though that doesn’t work either. Perrine shows up as soon as we hear the venerated name of Sakamoto. Tights fans are in for a treat in this week’s Strike Witches episode.
Bath time. What is Perrine doing with Yoshika’s hot water? Small Yoshika butt… No moping in front of Perrine! It’s time for a flower field trip to Nederland! Oh? The queen of Nederland summoned Perrine. I thought she was French, er, Gallian. Perrine has certainly mellowed out since we met her in the first season of Strike Witches. Oh. Minna sent Perrine to the queen, who asked for “a witch.” Details don’t match up exactly. Is Minna relying on Perrine’s fame back home to ask for political favors? Wow. Look at all the craters leftover from the Neuroi attacks. Aha. These old guys think witches can help their flowers bloom.
Legendary blue tulips. Here we go. Hey, it’s the queen of Nederland talking about the Queen of Nederland. That’s the name of those blue tulips. The queen needs the Strike Witches’ help in making blue tulip bulbs bloom again. That begs the question that a witch’s power made the blue tulips bloom the first time 20 years ago. The Dutch and their tulips… Oh, the queen explained that part. If the queen knows a witch “helped,” why not ask where that witch is or how she did it? Don’t sweat the details on this charming little side story.
Yup, it’s those old guys. I need a harrumph out of that one guy. Harrumph! Oh yes. Tights fans rejoice. Perrine wears the lowest hip-hugging white panties ever. Yeah, that didn’t work. Each of the Strike Witches’ magic has a nature, like lightning, speed boost, or healing. What works on the blue tulips?
Uh oh. Perrine’s dander got up. No one can out-condescend Perrine, not even harrumph guy. Shizuka is smart. She wondered what the first witch did to make the tulip bloom. Yoshika out running again. Ha. She just ignored the harrumph guy. Yoshika likes getting her hands earthy. More Perrine tights action. I just realized that none of the farmers and the Strike Witches know each other’s names. That’s rude. Wouldn’t the farmers know the name of the first witch too? Here I am, sweating the small stuff…
Fun. Strike Witches are now Girls und Panzer. Perrine, the most aristocratic of the girls, now drives a tank turned into a farm tractor. She’s come a long way. Harrumph guy likes Yoshika’s soup. Wearing him down. The greenhouse needs a boiler to keep a steady temperature overnight. Seems important. And we’re quickly into boiler catastrophe.
Perrine and Lynne have their info cards together, even though Lynne isn’t in the episode.
That boiler is a late boiler. How are the farmers going to keep the greenhouse warm now? Convenient. The farmers have a striker unit powered backup boiler. Oh. This is how Yoshika learns to modulate her magic pressure consciously all the time to return to the Strike Witches active-duty roster. Here’s a clue. Perrine recognizes the type of Striker Units as coming from Gallia thirty years ago. The farmers claim a Nederlander witch left them there. Not a Gallian one? Perrine used the cold shower incident to give Yoshika a visual hint on how to lower her magic pressure. Success. Yoshika, please take a break.
Oh, right. Perrine is tsundere for anyone not named Mio Sakamoto. She appreciates compliments, though. Suddenly, a Neuroi doesn’t like its handle pumped! Totally out of the left field for Strike Witches. Not appreciated. Why is it going after the greenhouse after it woke up? Is it attracted to witch power, which is why it ignored Shizuka after it knocked her to the ground? Neuroi of the Week is sometimes Neuroi of the Weakly Written.
Here we go. Big beetle Neuroi versus Perrine in a modified Sherman tank. Who ya got?! A Strike Witches ground battle? Where’s Yoshika with a pipe? Oh, we got robo beetle flipping an ancient tank. Fine. I don’t even know what this Neuroi wants. Oh, now it’s Yoshika with a broken pipe time. It’s on! The Neuroi flies like Gamera. What is going on here? Uh oh. Yoshika found a functioning hoe. Dark times coming for Gamera Neuroi. Oh good. Yoshika applies her water pressure visualization to flight.
Tag team Strike Witches action. Neuroi gets the farm tool treatment with a lightning assist from Perrine. Perrine hates the frizzy hair aftermath. Predictable. The blue tulip needed lightning magic to bloom. Oh, come on. Harrumph guy knew the name of the first witch this entire time and it was Penelope Clostermann, Perrine’s grandmother. Introductions matter, people.
The Nederland queen celebrates the rebirth of the Queen of Nederland. It’s also the rebirth of Yoshika’s flying career. Cyclamens in bloom with Strike Witches’ contrails.
Next time, Barkhorn deals with Hartmann in the usual way.
Strike Witches Road to Berlin streams on Crunchyroll and VRV.
