Ground Defense Force! Mao-chan (2002): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2002, Ground Defense Force! Mao-chan is an animation, comedy and kids series.

What it’s about. Three eight-year-old girls, Mao, Misora and Sylvia, try to defend the earth against invading aliens. The world's defense has fallen to unlikely straits because the aliens are excessively cute, of which combat engagements are televised: if the forces battling the aliens were not cute themselves, the general public would revolt, as it would be seen as "bullying". Consequently, three military leaders chose their granddaughters to be the defenders, fittingly, becoming a team even cuter than the aliens. They each have a clover-shaped badge that enables them to transform.

Who’s in it. Ground Defense Force! Mao-chan stars Akio Nojima as Rikushiro Onigawara (voice), Yui Horie as Silvia Maruyama (voice), Kiyonobu Suzuki as Sorajiro Tsukishima (voice) and Miki Nagasawa as Kagome Mishima (voice), among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.3/10, Ground Defense Force! Mao-chan has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Ground Defense Force! Mao-chan page.

If you liked it. Fans of Ground Defense Force! Mao-chan tend to enjoy Rick and Morty, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Attack on Titan and Attack on Titan: No Regrets.