Infinite Stratos Plot Bunnies Collection
Chapter 14: Infinite Stratos x Strike Witches Crossover Challenge
AN: I have been a fan of the Strike Witches series for a while back, watching all the anime seasons including the Brave Witches anime, plus the movie and Operation Victory Arrowhead OVA episodes. I even read some Strike Witches manga like Strike Witches Zero:1937 Fuso Sea Incident, Kimi to Tsunagaru Sora (The Sky Which is Connected to You) which often referred to as "Strike Witches 1.5", the semi-canon Africa doujinshi which is centered on the Storm Witches and Tank Witches, Katayoku no Majotachi (One-Winged Witches), Strike Witches - Aurora no Majo, and Strike Witches - Kurenai no Majotachi. I loved the series so much that I even made a Youtube playlist dedicated to OST, character songs, and other music from Strike Witches franchise. I haven't updated the playlist in a long time. Strike Witches is my most favorite among WWII-themed anime, followed by Girls und Panzer and Kantai Collection. I don't have an absolute favorite Witch character, but I generally like the Fuso Witches most compared to other nation's Witches. My favorite Witches from the 502nd Joint Fighter Wing "Brave Witches" are Nikka Edvardine Katajainen and Aleksandra Ivanovna Pokryshkin. It's hard to pick which Witch in the 501st Joint Fighter Wing "Strike Witches" is my favorite Strike Witch because I really like the cast a lot and the anime gives me a lot time to see them develop as individual characters. I grew fond of them so much so that I can't really pick a definitive favorite among the Strike Witches. Most people would dismiss this franchise based on fan service alone, but they are missing out on a delightful story plot and interesting character interactions and relationships. The relationships and bonds between the Witches is one of the franchise's greatest points.
I have read and enjoyed some of the Strike Witches fanfics stories that are here on FFN including some crossover fanfics. However, there are hardly any IS x Strike Witches crossover stories. There's only three of them and they are all AUs and been dead fics for a long time. So, I thought I would put off some ideas out and hopefully inspire some authors who are a fan of Infinite Stratos and Strike Witches franchise to write a crossover story. I don't lay claim to anything since I haven't fleshed out any extensive detailed story ideas like I have for previous IS crossover story ideas. Of course, only requirement is the strict "No OCs" rule since I hope whatever IS x Strike Witches crossover stories that will be inspired by this story challenge would be focused on the IS and Witches cast and not some bunch of Gary Stu/Mary Sue Author Self-Insert OC that throw story and canon out the window. We get enough of that garbage in both series fanfiction.
Story Challenge 1 - Ichika in Strike Witches-verse
Plot Premise: Ichika ends up in the world of Strike Witches after his second battle with the Silver Gospel, ending up in the Empire of Fuso (analogue of the Empire of Japan). While originally lost and looking for a way to get home to his own universe, Ichika would be swept up in the events of this alternate WWII that he is unfamiliar with and fighting alongside the Witches who wage a desperate war against the Neuroi for the sake of humanity. Enlisted in the Fuso military as the one and only male "male Witch" in the world and the Byakushiki IS by his side, watch as Ichika slowly bond with these Witches and the more he bonds with them, the more they became like his friends, family, and perhaps eventually lovers. As Ichika becomes adjusted to this new world and forge these new bonds and ties with many Witches, will he still want to go back home, a mediocre IS pilot whose only novelty is merely being the only male IS pilot in existence? Or is this world truly the place where he feels most at home, where he can make the most difference in this world, and be the hero and champion he always wanted to be? Where in which world is he needed most and who needs Ichika the most?
Ichika being shipped with a Witch is highly encouraged since it would be a lot more interesting to see how Ichika's relationship with a Witch develop and deepen over the course of the story. It doesn't matter if it's one pairing or if Ichika is in a harem relationship with multiple Witches, go right on head with your creative imagination to create and develop such ships. Other IS characters can optionally be brought into the world of Strike Witches if any author wishes to bring them into the Strike Witches world. It would be make for an interesting story exploration as the IS characters compare how the events of real-life WWII unfolded back in their world's history versus how things happened in Strike Witches world with a unified humanity as well as how countries name is different and how IS characters interact with their alternate compatriots. Like Houki and the Sarashiki sisters meeting with Fuso Witches, Laura talking with Karlsland Witches, Cecilia having tea with Britannian Witches, and so forth.
Story Challenge 2 - Witches in the IS-verse
Plot Premise: Characters from Strike Witches franchise exist in the IS-verse. Story is a chronicle, a collection of stories, from the Witches and their lives and involvement with the IS whether it be as National Representatives, Representative Cadets, R&D scientists and engineers, as students, teachers and staff at ISA, and so on. Either Tabane made more than the 467 IS Cores that is in canon, or a Strike Witches character such as Ichiro Miyafuji created something similar or on par with a genuine IS Core, like a the Neuroi Core, and Erica Hartman working to advance R&D efforts into the Neuroi Core tech and its integration with the Infinite Stratos as a viable alternative to the IS Cores created by Tabane after Ichiro Miyafuji died mysteriously. The IS units that used the Neuroi Core instead of an IS Core would be designated as "Striker Units". With the advent introduction of the Neuroi Core, IS tech development would progress far beyond than original IS canon in that there are many more different designs, types, and even variations of IS models. The Warlock mecha from Strike Witches would be the an autonomous IS like the Silver Gospel that was developed by the UK under supervision of Air Chief Marshal Trevor Maloney of the British RAF. The widespread availability of the Neuroi Core would also have implications for Phantom Task it would make them a more active and present threat than in canon.
To combat the rising menace of Phantom Task and the specter of IS related terrorism, the UN-led Witches were formed to deal with these threats to world peace and stability from dangers posed by the Infinite Stratos. Like in the Strike Witches series, the Witches would be divided into different Joint Fighter Wings, Joint Fighter Squadrons, and other miscellaneous units.