Saemonza is a second-year student at Oarai Girls’ Academy and the gunner of Hippo Team in *Girls und Panzer*. She is known for her deep knowledge of the Sengoku period and her unique style of keeping her left eye closed most of the time, which makes her stand out. Saemonza’s look is inspired by Japanese warriors, especially Sanada Yukimura. She has reddish-brown, long straight hair and wears a red bandana decorated with six coins. She loves traditional snacks and has a lively, quirky personality. Her experience in archery helps her to be precise even when aiming a tank gun with one eye closed.
Saemonza has long, straight reddish-brown hair.
She wears a red bandana featuring the six-coin crest of the Sanada clan.
Her style is overall red-themed, inspired by the "Red Armor" of the Sanada warriors.
She also wears a chest protector, which is part of her archery outfit.
Height: 156cm
Blood type: A
Her typical expression is having her left eye closed, but she opens both eyes wide when she is surprised or extremely happy.
Saemonza is enthusiastic about history, especially the Sengoku period of Japan.
She loves to connect modern experiences with legendary historical battles.
Her way of speaking and acting often reference old warriors, making her unique and entertaining.
She is a bit eccentric but friendly, making her stand out even among the quirky members of Hippo Team.
She often closes her left eye as if she is trying to imitate a one-eyed samurai.
Real name: Kiyomi Sugiyama
School: Oarai Girls’ Academy
Grade: Second year
Birthplace: Ushiku City, Ibaraki Prefecture
Birthday: December 3
She is in the C Team (Hippo Team) and takes the position of gunner.
Her soul name, “Saemonza,” comes from the famous warlord Sanada Yukimura, also known as Sanada Saemon-no-suke Nobushige.
She prefers to call herself “Saemonza,” even though the traditional reading is “Saemon-no-suke.”
Saemonza is an expert in history, especially samurai history and the Sengoku period.
She is skilled in archery and always wears a chest guard, showing her connection to the sport.
Her archery skills help her aim the tank gun accurately, even when aiming with one eye.
She is also able to do “Strich Calculation,” which helps in measuring distance, so she has no trouble as a gunner.
Her knowledge is not limited to the Sengoku period; she sometimes uses wise sayings from Roman emperors and other parts of history.
Her favorite food is Sanada Konetsuke Mochi, a traditional snack, and she also likes conveyor belt sushi.
Her favorite flower is the gentian, which is also the emblem of Nagano Prefecture, linked to the Sanada family.
She once responded to a teammate’s question with “Festina Lente (Make haste slowly),” a quote from the first Roman emperor Augustus.
She has shown off her knowledge of history in conversations about drama series on historical topics.
In the OVA "Water War!", she wore a very unique swimsuit, insisting that wrapping her body in traditional cloth was proper swimwear.
She sometimes goes out with classmates without her bandana and chest guard, looking like an ordinary student.
Her classmates even called her "Saechin" based on her soul name before her real name was revealed.
- “Festina Lente (Make haste slowly)”
Historical References in Battles
Saemonza often compares tank battles to historic samurai battles from the Sengoku period.
She explains strategies from long ago and suggests moves inspired by old warlords.
This sometimes confuses her teammates but shows her deep knowledge.
Unique Communication
During a practice match, when her teammate Oryou asks which way to go at a fork in the road, Saemonza replies with “Festina Lente,” showing that she has wisdom from not just Japanese history but also ancient Rome.
Unusual Swimwear
In the OVA "Water War!", Saemonza claims that wrapping herself in a traditional red cloth and Sanada cord is a swimsuit.
She takes this very seriously, even though her outfit is very different from everyone else’s.
Disguised as a Regular Student
In the comic "More Love Love Operation!", Saemonza is seen without her bandana and chest guard, wearing glasses and looking like a normal student.
She walks home with classmates while sharing her Sengoku knowledge, especially after they watched a popular historical drama.
Saemonza is a core member of the Hippo Team and gets along with her quirky teammates.
She shares her love of history and helps her team by bringing unique ideas and a warrior’s mindset to matches.
Her respect for Sanada Yukimura is a big part of her personality and style.
Favorite tank: M4 HVSS (105mm howitzer model)
Her choice in clothes and attitude combine to make her one of the most colorful and memorable characters in Hippo Team.
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