Story:
This one is set during the series proper. If you've seen it, you may recall that the Anzio Battle doesn't have a whole lot to it. The episode sets up the battle and then they show Ooarai's victory without showing anything that leads up to it. Well, this OVA seeks to rectify that by actually showing more of the lead up as well as the actual battle.
The biggest issue with this OVA is the simple fact that it feels like it should have been part of the anime to begin with. Like, episode 7 should have ended with their prep talk and this should have been episode 8 rather than being a separate thing. Which does tie into one of the points I made about the original series when I reviewed it years ago, it needed to be longer.
On the positive side, this does add to the original anime. It gives you more details about the Anzio girls as well as showcasing a lot more about the strategies employed during the altercation. And they do all of it while being funnier than the old joke of building up a fight only to not actually show it. The ending in particular is very funny.
Characters:
The main cast is a delight, as always. The big thing this does that you didn't get before is give some characterization for the Anzio team. Which is pretty nice to see. The friendship with Caeser and Carpaccio is the big highlight since it's pretty adorable.
Art:
Like with every instalment of this franchise, the tank battle is amazing and the tanks themselves have a lot of detail put into them. The environments are really nice. And the characters do look good, in spite of certain groups of students that are designed to basically look identical for some reason.
Sound:
The vocal cast is great. I'll especially shout out Sendai Eri, Hayami Saori, Yoshioka Maya & Iguchi Yuka. The first three benefit from having an increased role while Miss Iguchi is just the best character. The music is solid as well. Which has been pretty consistent in the Girls und Panzer titles we've looked at.
Ho-yay:
Caeser & Carpaccio's relationship does come across as a bit Sapphic. Aside from that there are some cute interactions amongst the girls in general.
Areas of Improvement:
1. There's no reason for this to have been a separate OVA instead of a part of the series proper.
2. The series still begs for a smaller cast since there are so many characters who really don't do much.
3. If you're going to have a hundred characters, at least make them visually distinct.
Final Thoughts:
Ultimately, Kore ga Hontou no Anzio-sen desu! is a solid addition to the Girls und Panzer franchise that helps fill in some of the gaps from the series proper's overly condensed story-telling. For me, this is a solid 7/10 OVA. If you're someone who enjoys the franchise, you'll almost certainly like this piece of it as well.