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The Strike Witches mixed-media project features an extensive cast of characters created by Fumikane Shimada. The series takes place in an alternate Earth in the mid-20th century and revolves around a group of teenage moe anthropomorphic girls who use machines equipped to their legs known as Striker Units to do aerial combat. The characters are named after real-life pilots whilst their Striker Units are based on actual aircraft.
The main character of the manga and anime series is Yoshika Miyafuji, and the main character of the light novel series is Tomoko Anabuki, both of whom are witches from the Fuso Empire. In the anime and manga series, Yoshika joins the 501st Joint Fighter Wing, an international military squadron which also includes Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke, Mio Sakamoto, Charlotte E. "Shirley" Yeager, Lynette Bishop, Perrine H. Clostermann, Erica Hartmann, Gertrud Barkhorn, Francesca Lucchini, Eila Ilmatar Juutilainen, and Sanya V. Litvyak. In the light novel series, Tomoko joins the Suomus Independent Volunteer Aerial Squadron, another international squadron which also includes Haruka Sakomizu, Elizabeth F. Beurling, Katharine O'Hare, Ursula Hartmann, Elma Leivonen and Giuseppina Cenni. Together, the squadrons fight against the Neuroi, an alien race that threatens the universe.