The Saga of Tanya the Evil: The Movie

The plot of the film follows directly after the events of the last episode of the anime TV series.

The movie opens in a church, years after the war. Adelheid von Schugel, now a priest, explains to a churchgoer of his belief that the Empire was at war with the whole world because all the other nations feared it.

In the past, the 203rd Aerial Mage Battalion are on sortie in Africa against Free Republic forces, where the 203rd helps the Imperial side gain a decisive tactical advantage by completely destroying the Free Republic's headquarters. As the battle draws to a close, Tanya announces triumphantly that the 203rd would return to the Empire for R&R, much to the pleasure of the 203rd's soldiers. However, upon their arrival in Empire, Rerugen orders the 203rd to an immediate reconnaissance mission on the Empire's eastern border with the Russy Federation.

At the border, the 203rd covertly observe the movements of Federation forces, including the stockpiling of war material. However, just as the 203rd prepare to retreat, the 203rd receives radio messages from Strategic Headquarters warning that the Federation has declared war on the Empire. Following this, Tanya orders the 203rd to go on the offensive, and the entire enemy encampment is destroyed. After some consideration, Tanya proposes a direct attack on the Moscow, the capital city of the Federation, to which Weiss responds with shock. However, Tanya dismisses his worries and assures Weiss that Moscow's AA defence is so poor that a Cessna could be landed in the Red Square unmolested. Tanya silently expresses pleasure at the chance to disturb the Federation and mocks the concept of communism. Later, HQ authorises the attack.

Meanwhile, Warrant Officer Mary Sioux, who has enlisted in the US Army as an aerial mage, is on a train towards Moscow with other multinational military volunteers of the 42nd Flying Division. She writes a letter to her mother, sharing her experiences in recruit training, expressing that she is well, but misses her mother. She also mentions her goals for having joined the 42nd: to destroy the Empire which killed her father, Anton Sioux. Having arrived at Moscow, Mary's commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel William Drake, meets his uncle, who discloses to Drake of the various events within the Federation. Drake leads the 42nd towards their barracks.

Elsewhere in Moscow, the 203rd has arrived, and begins a devastating assault. They use the attack as a means of recording propaganda footage. Loria, a pedophilic member of the Federation's cabinet witnesses Tanya singing and becomes grossly infatuated with her.

The 42nd, who were conducting a training exercise, suffer casualties as a result of the attack. Mary, witnessing the 203rd playing Imperial music over Moscow, becomes agitated. She refuses orders from Drake and takes off to engage the 203rd, forcing the remaining members of the 42nd to also engage in battle. The 203rd experiences minimal losses; in contrast, the 42nd takes grievous losses. Mary becomes enraged after discovering that Tanya is carrying her father's rifle and engages Tanya in a duel, but is defeated. However, as Mary falls to the ground, a blinding light flares from her. Soon after, the 203rd retreats. Mary is found lying in a crater, gravely wounded. As she loses consciousness, her eyes turn yellow as she begs God for power to kill Tanya.

Late at night at Imperial East Border Temporary Camp 21, the 203rd and other Imperial soldiers celebrate their successes and become drunk. Some time after, the 203rd receives emergency orders to assist the 3rd and 22nd Divisions, who haven been encircled at Tiegenhoff. Tanya gleefully notes that retaking control of Tiegenhoff would allow the Empire access to a major railway hub connecting all railway lines into the Federation. Later, the 203rd succeeds in defending Tiegenhoff, much to the delight of the encircled soldiers. Back in Moscow, Loria finds out about Tanya's presence at Tiegenhoff and advocates the use of massed manpower to capture the city, which is approved. Elsewhere, the 42nd prepares for battle at a Federation airfield, including a miraculously-recovered Mary. Drake shares with his uncle his frustration at being sent into battle; the 42nd's mages have only just left basic training.

The next day, the Federation begins a human wave attack on Tiegenhoff, causing massive casualties on both sides. The fight continues into the next day, with the arrival of the 42nd. Additionally, the Federation attempts to launch a bomber flight, escorted by a massive number of fighters, to destroy Imperial headquarters in Tiegenhoff. Mary sees Tanya and disobeys Drake's orders; she breaks off and duels Tanya in a rage, all while exhibiting her abnormally massive magical power. The 203rd successfully shoots down the bombers.

While duelling Mary, Tanya comes to the conclusion that Mary has been influenced by Being X, who granted Mary her power to pressure Tanya into worshipping it. Tanya fires off her strongest spell, but does not kill Mary. Mary incapacitates Tanya and violently assaults her, and then stares up at the statue of an angel in joy. Tanya then uses the opportunity to grievously wound Mary, but before Mary is killed, she is rescued by Drake. Drake receives a radio message from the 42nd, which has taken massive losses, that the Federation army is retreating. Therefore, Drake orders the 42nd to retreat, causing Mary to cry at having failed to kill Tanya. Later, while staring at the countless dead of the battle, Tanya monologues that her envisioned 'peaceful life' is unlikely to materialise due to Being X's meddling.

Ten days later, Tanya successfully convinces Strategic Headquarters to let her transfer to the rear for two months to do research on combined arms battle tactics. In a church, she expresses elation at having been removed from the frontline, and insults Being X.

Two months later, Tanya is informed by Zettour that she has now been given control of the 8th Kampfgruppe 'Salamander': a combined arms unit comprising artillery, infantry, tanks and her own 203rd in order to investigate the efficacy of her own research. Tanya then expresses rage.

The film was both a critical and commercial success, earning 100 million yen in its first five days and 400 million yen in total.[1]

Overall, the film received generally positive reviews. Dave Trumbore of Collider favourably reviewed the film, giving it an 'A-'. Trumbore wrote, "The war acts as a backdrop for these two incredibly powerful mages who wind up on a destined collision course with each other, and it’s a fight you won’t want to miss."[5] Jordan Ramée of GameSpot rated it 7/10, and praised the introduction of Mary Sioux as a character, writing, "Mary [Sioux] injects a welcome level of tension into the story, and is a compelling villain for Tanya to fight," but also notes that "Other than the final fight, battles lack the intensity of an aerial dogfight".[6]