Tanya the Evil arrives in 2013 on the Japanese archipelago, with a series of light novels signed Carlo Zen. Still unpublished in French, it is via an animated adaptation and a manga that the military saga invades the France four years later. A look back at one of the most striking works of his generation!
The story
Nowadays, in the Japanese megalopolis. One man, responsible for human resources in a large company, embodies the culmination of the model of the modern employee. Cold, logical, respectful of the rules and without qualms, he accomplishes his mission with clinical zeal. But his efficiency backfires the day he fires a new employee: the latter, desperate, pushes him under the wheels of a train. As he sees death coming, the salaryman finds himself facing a gigantic and unknown figure, the "Creator", in other words, God. But in front of him, our hero brandishes his implacable rationality and his absolute lack of faith. "Entity X", as he calls it, enters into a black anger. To punish this affront, he throws our protagonist into an ascientific world where war rages and magic prevails, and where this mature man will be reborn in a woman's body! Here is the beginning of the epic of Tanya Degurechaff, war heroine for some, bloodthirsty demon for others…
War Diary
Tanya the Evil is a transmedia, multi-stakeholder work. From its full name The Saga of Tanya the Evil – Die Kriegsgeschichte eines kleinen Mädchen (Youjo Senki in VO), it finds its origin in the fertile imagination of Carlo Zen. Given the success of the light novel in Japan, the series will soon be broadcast in paper and animated versions. The author then teamed up with the talented Chika Tojo and Shinobu Shinotsuki to deliver a chiseled and impactful manga adaptation. And it is the NuT studio (behind the excellent Deca-Dence) that oversees the anime and the film, broadcast in France on Crunchyroll. Finally, an RPG directly inspired by the key moments of the saga is available on Android and iOS! As its name suggests, Tanya the Evil is a story of war, and not one to put in all hands. Indeed, from the first volumes and the first images, the hell of trench warfare jumps at our throats, mirroring that of 1914-1918. Men scream, fight and die in blood-soaked mud. Countless explosions saturate the horizon. Orders and counterorders collide amid the echo of bullets. The Empire, a reflection of the Weimar Republic, was at war with the Regadonia Trade Alliance and the French Republic. Throwing all his forces into battle, he relied on his flying mage units to support soldiers on the Norden and Rhine fronts. It is one of those special brigades that our hero joined. But in this world, he is Tanya Degurechaff, a nine-year-old orphan whose incredible magical predispositions led her to join the ranks of the army. Building on the knowledge inherited from her former life, Tanya will deploy her immense potential to join the safety of the rear. But not everything is going to go as planned… Indeed, her zeal and formidable efficiency in the field make her the perfect embodiment of the imperial soldier! The General Staff does not hesitate to entrust him with the most dangerous missions despite his young age… One of the main strengths of Tanya the Evil lies in its brutal and unbridled realism. Far from a simple appeal to all military otaku, this is a real lesson in military strategy. Like the essay On War written by Carl von Clausewitz orThe Art of War, by Sun Tzu, Tanya the Evil largely describes the means to be implemented to win a war… or lose it! Still, that doesn't weigh down the narrative. Thus, in the paper version, explanations concerning manoeuvres and strategies take the form of inserts and are included in a glossary at the end of the chapters. In addition, Chika Tojo also uses zoomorphism and chibi design in concise, humorous boxes. This is an opportunity for the reader to breathe a little between two intense fight scenes!
Theatres of operations
Tanya the Evil therefore relies on a solid theoretical base to unfold a gripping and breathtaking story. The reversals of situation follow one another and the tension culminates in each chapter. Whether on the battlefield or during staff meetings, it takes constant attention to hope to survive! It is in these moments that character design unfolds with the most force. Supervised by Shinobu Shinotsuki, it is the work of Chika Tojo in the manga and Yuji Hosogoe in the anime version. Major graphic differences are to be noted. Chika Tojo gives us a sharp and vivid drawing, with many stunning double pages. His trait perfectly transcribes the crash of war and the power of flying mages, especially during large-scale magic attacks. The dialogues fit easily in the middle of the action, with a rendering that, if it is very dense, does not make you dizzy. Moreover, the violence of certain scenes is on the contrary transcribed through pages devoid of any words. This is the case during the total destruction of the city of Arène. The visual impact of this tragedy is all the more chilling… The anime, meanwhile, offers us to see characters with a more rounded physique. The focus is also more often on Tanya's facial expressions and her supposed "madness". His brutality is marked and his consideration for his comrades-in-arms rather weak. If her attachment to them is not totally innocent, Tanya nevertheless strives to avoid losses. Graphic bias can be destabilizing at first, but it is just as effective. The air combat scenes are dazzling and perfectly executed. Finally, there are discrepancies concerning imperial uniforms and armaments. The soldiers in the animated version are impeccably strapped in uniforms reminiscent of the Prussian lancers of the 1910s. While Chika Tojo decided to make her characters appear in an almost perfect replica of the clothes of the Wehrmacht. Moreover, the equipment of the soldiers is a rather anachronistic mixture of weapons inspired by those of the two World Wars. Thus, it is a real festival, both in terms of handguns and rifles (Luger P08, Gewehr 43, Mondrágon rifle …) than armoured vehicles (different types of Panzers) and aircraft (including the terribly famous Stuka and other Messerschmitts). The saga of Tanya the Evil takes place in an alternate world. But the Western reader/viewer can't help but look for references to the conflicts of the previous century. As we have seen, this involves the graphic elements, but also the appearance of figures whose names will still resonate forty years after the war. The rise of communism in Russia and fascism in Europe, the Sino-Japanese conflicts, find their echo in Tanya's world. She then embodies a link between the two worlds she has crossed. Offering us the opportunity to observe the irrepressible propensity of man to self-destruct in absurd wars where humans are no more than numbers.
Troop review
Therefore, what stands out first in Tanya the Evil, whichever version you prefer, is its abundant and impactful imagery. Nevertheless, this "war diary of a little girl" would be nothing without its characters. Allies or enemies, they are all indispensable and extremely well worked. Of course, it is impossible to ignore the main character. Tanya Degurechaff combines the composure and relentless logic of a mature human being with the apparent innocence and cuteness of a young girl her age. His perfect mastery of the military question allows him to climb the ladder at full speed. But, instead of leading her safely away from the front, her successes and leadership take her to the most difficult fronts! Even though she thinks she is manipulating the General Staff by deploying her verve and knowledge, the opposite effect occurs. Seen as a perfect patriot, a true pacifist or as a rabid and bloodthirsty war dog, the fate dictated to her by Entity X irremediably binds her to a soon total war. The rare moments of humor thus pass through misunderstandings and misunderstandings between Tanya and the rest of the troops, with a black and absurd humor, à la Monty Python. The rest of the203rd Battalion of Flying Mages of the Imperial Army is not to be outdone. The character of Corporal Serebryakov provides a welcome counterpoint to the methodical coldness of his superior. Originally conscripted, Visha will develop a touching relationship with the commander, and show quite amazing warrior abilities. Lieutenant Weiss and Corporal Glantz are also elements whose evolution we are pleased to follow. As for Brigadier Generals Rudensdorf and Zettour, their admiration for Tanya fades in the face of the optimal use they wish to make of her. In contrast, Lieutenant-Colonel Rerugen seems to be the only person in the Empire to see in the "Silver Wings" a madwoman of war with the potential for mass destruction. Seeing Commander Degurechaff strengthen his aura and win the bloodiest battles with a smile affects him to the highest degree. But his role as an officer places him in an untenable position, torn between his morality and his patriotism… As the war spread across the continent, the enemies of the Reich became more numerous. The Regadonia Trade Alliance was able to count on the boldness of Colonel Anson Sue, who fought brilliantly against the Silver Wings battalion in the Fjord d'Os. If his death marks the stampede of the Alliance, hope remains. His daughter, Mary Sue, becomes the receptacle of a "miracle", perpetrated by Entity X and his cronies. She then established herself as a first-rate antagonist, whose evolution we can't wait to see in Chika Tojo's manga. We hope it is less abruptly revanchist and more complex than its animated appearance… On the side of the French Republic, Lieutenant-Colonel Vianto is a clever and cunning enemy whose analytical and adaptive abilities attract the attention of the United Kingdom of Albion. This country, neutral on the surface, is determined to thwart the Empire by all means! All these characters bring to the work an undeniable richness. Their psychology is searched, and caricature is always avoided. Carlo Zen and the teams of the different adaptations show a large military fresco where the boundary between good and evil fluctuates according to time and point of view. Who is the friend, who is the enemy? Can a war hero also be a criminal against humanity? Is history impartial or written only by the victors? In its brutal and ultra-realistic way, Tanya the Evil confronts us with our contradictions and raises many moral and philosophical questions. Sun Tzu, in his famous writing, said that winning or losing a war is not the result of chance or the will of some god, but a matter of method and strategy. The epic of Commander Tanya von Degurechaff could well demonstrate that this is far from being so clear-cut… In conclusion, Tanya the Evil asserts itself as one of the darkest and most engaging sagas of the decade. A transmedia work, it marks by its striking imagery, and mobilizes the values and questions on which humanity was founded. A true war story, Tanya Degurechaff's story has not finished dazzling and making us shudder. Volume 16 of the manga will be available on October 20 at Delcourt/Tonkam editions, and season 2, a direct sequel to the 2019 film, has just been started!
