Kämpfer

Waking up transformed into a beautiful girl might be the stuff of some guys' fantasies, but when the suddenly effeminatized Natsuru is informed by a stuffed tiger that he's now a Kampfer, a mystical fighter who has to fight other Kampfers in female form, his life becomes a living nightmare!

Putting aside the obvious "plumbing" issues, Natsuru's best childhood friend turns out to swing the other way and SHE has a crush on his new female body. Not complex enough? Natsuru's school has separate sections for boys and girls, so he and she are now double enrolled. The rumor-mill has it that he's dating herself. And there are other Kampfers attending the school who want to take her out, and he's not sure which ones mean "on a date" and which ones mean "permanently." Oh, and did we mention that some Kampfers use swords and guns?! Hormones, fists, and other body parts will fly as the daring, new gender-bender defender must become a contender or die!

(Source: Sentai Filmworks)

Sangou, Shizuku Main

Nazuka, Kaori Japanese

Senou, Natsuru Main

Inoue, Marina Japanese

Mishima, Akane Main

Horie, Yui Japanese

Sakura, Kaede Main

Nakajima, Megumi Japanese

Kondou, Mikoto Main

Asumi, Kana Japanese

Tora, Harakiri Supporting

Nomura, Michiko Japanese

Kuro Usagi, Seppuku Supporting

Tamura, Yukari Japanese

Yamaneko, Kanden Supporting

Mizuki, Nana Japanese

Kaikei Supporting

Aranami, Kazusa Japanese

Minagawa, Hitomi Supporting

Minagawa, Junko Japanese

Koike, Katsumi Producer

Tanaka, Gou Producer

Kurita, Akihiro Producer

Kuroda, Yasuhiro Director

Reviews

Sep 4, 2025

DevanthDay

Recommended

Let's be real, if you plan to or have watched this show to the end, you did not do it for the plot. The plot is non-existent and if you try to follow it, you're almost doing yourself a disservice. I'm sure it was more flushed out in the manga, but this is the anime where you're watching Kampfer fight for no reason at all. Their justifications for the continuation of the plot or a fight scene is sprinkled between a million suggestive scenes that only get wilder and wilder as the show goes on.

It was one of the stupidest shows I've ever watched and ... you'll see that I rated it a 4 - "Bad". That being said, I loved it.

If you just embrace the fact that they are trying show you (here's the copy-and-paste from MAL listing page) Action, Comedy, Romance, Ecchi, Harem, Magical Sex Shift, and School, then you'll be alright. Just don't expect the plot to follow logical steps. I laughed out loud at how crazy some of the scenes are, they really just crank the stereotypes to 11 with the emotionally unintelligent MC, harem antics, and one character's dirty mouth (nice job Blu-ray translation team, I had a blast).

This show brought me back to classic 2000's anime that I dearly miss. A show just being ridiculous for no other reason than to be different. So, in keeping with 2000's anime fashion, don't expect a conclusion to the plot or which girl is chosen since there isn't a second season (though there's an answer in the manga and light novel - they're different). Just enjoy your time watching 14 episodes of fun.

Reviewer’s Rating: 4

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Dec 6, 2023

misatoast

Mixed Feelings

a shit show but a decent shit show, i guess? by harem standards, it passes the test but overall enjoyment wise, it was meh. my biggest gripe with this show was the god awfully, emotionally dense MC. i mean like there's being unaware that someone is into you and then there's just you being dumb as hell. MC falls into the second category. the girls were okay, not really memorable or impressionable characters. only character i liked was the student council president, only because she seemed to be the only person that could actually fucking think and use her brain.

onto the MC. if it ... wasn't clear, i hate him. i genuinely don't think he even realizes that the other girls were into him which just made the whole show annoying to watch. dude was obsessed with sakura the whole show while being completely oblivious to the other girls around him. i know it's a common trope in harem anime but this show just used it on steroids to the point where it started pissing me off. like one scene, when the student president kisses him in a rather romantic way, he wonders why she kissed him. after the kiss, she even invites him out on a date but he's like "omg i dont understand her, why is she doing this?? 😣😖". like bruh, wtf? it doesn't take a rocket scientist to put one and one together lol. the plot was also ass; we get like 4-5 minutes of explanation about this whole kampfer thing and what it's about, then it just goes back to the MC and his obsession with sakura.

but honestly, i don't even expect much from harem shows (and their plots). i care even less for harem MCs, but at least make the MC somewhat competent. i was fooled by the rather manly looking appearance the MC has; he acts nothing like his appearance and is even denser than you think. i'll admit, there were some scenes that made me genuinely laugh, but those were few and far between and had nothing to do with the MC.

basically, if you shut your brain off, you will enjoy the show to a certain extent. But for most fans, unless you're an avid harem type of person, i'd suggest skipping on this show. you won't be missing much honestly.

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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Jun 30, 2025

SrBluu

Not Recommended

Kämpfer kicks off with a nonstop beating‑fest and heaps of fanservice, but it soon trips over its own thin plot and a tone that just flips for no reason. The first 11 episodes are pretty much fight after fight—and when they finally remember to drop a line about the Kampfers’ origin, it’s in a super quick bullet‑point before they dive right back into brawling, you know? The jokes aim for laughs but kinda land with a thud, and the romance feels so forced it gets weird. Even the ecchi—which could of been the saving grace—shows up at all the wrong moments and kills whatever fun ... was left.

Visually, it’s solid—way better than a lot of stuff out there—but pretty pictures alone don’t fix a story that leans too much on crutches. Any little thread they introduce just disappears in those endless battle scenes, and come episode 12, when they sorta explain why everyone’s duking it out, it’s just a rushed recap that’s gone before you even blink, back to more action.

And the comedy… don’t get me started. Slapstick, sly innuendo—everything feels slapped together with zero rhythm, leaving you thinking, “Wait, was that supposed to be funny?” The fights are plentiful but sorta deja‑vu: sword, gun, sword, gun, rinse and repeat. They try to sneak romance between skirmishes, but one‑sided crushes and predictable misunderstandings zap any real emotion.

Fanservice is kinda the cherry on top—there are a few nice shots, but every now and then it just throws you off. A hint of tension or a sexy moment might peek through, but poof, it’s gone. And then there’s Shizuku… she’s honestly the only one who brings something to the table with her polished speech and those rare, surprising moments of vulnerability. Natsuru, poor guy, is so oblivious to anyone’s hints that he just ends up annoying.

By the end, I’d give it a 4/10. You get a handful of decent ecchi spots and the animation’s okay, but weak humor, shallow romance, and a lead who never learns make the whole thing more frustrating than fun.

Reviewer’s Rating: 4

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