Brave Witches

Brave Witches was produced by Studio SILVER LINK and released in 2016 as a spin-off to the long-running Strike Witches franchise. Set chronologically between the first and second seasons of the original series, the narrative shifts focus to the 502nd Joint Fighter Wing, known as the Brave Witches, based in Eastern Europe. The series was developed to expand the world-building of the franchise, shifting the perspective from the 501st to a new squad of aerial witches tasked with defending against the Neuroi threat during the height of the war.

The production sought to maintain the distinct aesthetic established by the original series, combining military hardware history with the franchise's signature character design elements. Under the direction of Kazuhiro Takamura, the series leaned into the high-energy aerial combat sequences that fans of the franchise expected. While it faced the challenges of balancing an ensemble cast, the production was generally well-received by the established community for its commitment to the technical detail of the fictional aircraft and the continued exploration of the Strike Witches universe.