Chiyo Shimada

Chiyo Shimada has an elegant and noble look, often compared to a lady.

She is usually seen holding a parasol, even on rainy days when she uses a normal umbrella.

Birthday: April 4.

Chiyo is calm and graceful, but very competitive, especially with Shiho Nishizumi and the Nishizumi style.

She often encourages Alice to be tough on their opponents, especially Oarai.

Despite her strictness, Chiyo has a soft side for Alice and agrees to her wishes without hesitation.

She is known for being caring but can also be childish, especially when drinking or when acting out of jealousy.

Chiyo Shimada is the head of the world-famous Shimada-style Sensha-dō, with dojos all over the world.

She is both the chairwoman of the University Sensha-dō League and a key member of the University All-Star Team.

Her daughter, Alice Shimada, is considered a genius, leading the university team even at the age of 13.

Chiyo is an expert in Sensha-dō (tankery).

Her style, the Shimada style, focuses on flexible and ever-changing tactics that adapt to any situation.

It is often called the “Ninja Style” because of its clever moves.

• Alice Shimada: Chiyo’s daughter, whom she loves but can be overprotective about. She is gentle toward Alice and wants the best for her.
• Shiho Nishizumi: Her main rival and another head of a famous Sensha-dō style. They have a complicated friendship outside Sensha-dō, even calling each other friendly nicknames while drinking together.
• Miho Nishizumi: Chiyo is cautious and suspicious of Miho, sometimes going so far as to ask others to spy on her.
• The University All-Star Team: Chiyo is their officer and tries to lead them to victory.

Introduction in the Movie

Chiyo Shimada debuts in Girls und Panzer der Film as the head of the Shimada family and Alice’s mother.

She attends the match between Oarai Girls’ Academy and the University All-Star Team with Shiho Nishizumi, sitting together and observing the match.

The Big Rivalry

Chiyo sees the Nishizumi style as her rival.

When Alice is facing Oarai, Chiyo strictly tells Alice to “crush the Nishizumi style’s name into the ground,” showing her competitive side.

The Battle with Oarai

During the match, Chiyo watches with Shiho Nishizumi and uses an umbrella for both sun and rain.

Although she never planned on the University team losing, she actually feels relieved when Oarai wins.

The movie explains that everyone would have been sad if the strong University team crushed Oarai, who was already at risk of being closed.

Sponsoring the Bocomuseum

Alice promises that if she wins, Chiyo will sponsor the Bocomuseum.

Even though they lose, Chiyo keeps this promise, deciding to sponsor New Bocomuseum because Alice fought bravely.

The reason is explained in the movie novel: even though they lost, Alice protected the S himada family’s honor and fought with pride.

Looking to the Future

Chiyo is interested in recruiting high school tank commanders for her university team, especially Miho Nishizumi who will graduate soon.

Funny Moments

In a comic spin-off, Chiyo’s doting side as a parent is shown even more, especially when Alice refuses to take a bath with her.

She ends up drinking with Shiho Nishizumi and they call each other funny nicknames like “Shiporin” and “Chiyokichi.”

This shows that they can be friends outside of Sensha-dō battles.

Chiyo is also suspicious of Miho, thinking she might steal Alice away. She secretly asks the Bermuda Sisters to keep an eye on Miho and sometimes follows them in disguise.

She is also known for her bad drinking habits, often bothering other adults and even the referees when drunk.

She stays competitive with Shiho, trying to outdo her in many ways.

• Chiyo Shimada has gained cult popularity among fans.
• She is a married character, yet official merchandise like a body pillow cover has been sold.
• Since November 2020, new game art of Chiyo has become common, showing how popular she is.
• On pixiv, about 36% of her fanart is rated R-18 as of the end of 2022.
• A figure of her in an Oarai Girls’ Academy uniform is planned for release in January 2024, surprising the director of the series.
• Chiyo’s room in the movie has odd books like “Tank Style: How to Discipline, Cook, and Clean” and “Really Scary Tanks.”
• The Shimada style is known for its flexible strategies while the Nishizumi style is known for overwhelming power and perfect teamwork.