(L+CR) Senki Zesshō Symphogear

[Shimapan]

Originally Posted by Stevie_Nix

Two things I just noted on the official website. One, the order of the character bio pics has been rearranged. Looks like Hibiki and Kanade has swapped places. Two, there is now music samples.

The intro page still only has Kanade and Tsubasa, and on the character page, only Kanade and Tsubasa have a transformed form on mouse over, not Hibiki.

Originally Posted by Klashikari

This might be one of the few series that potentially can stop my usual "3 episodes trial" habits, as the first episode was nothing close to entertaining. In fact, it was even a challenge to find something redeemable.

Seriously though, past the plot being extremely convulated and hardly making sense by its own standards, it is difficult to take the series itself seriously considering the characters. Special mention to the "antagonists" being as interesting as clamshells, literally.
Everything made so little sense, which was worsened by an horrible budget. Starting the first 2 minutes, I was a bit surprised how poor it was, by the time of the first 5 minutes, I was questioning if it was even a 2006 production considering how unpolished, rough and awkward it was.

I can't even call it a guilty pleasure / "so bad it is funny" story.

The plot is extremely convoluted indeed. I hope they'll clean that up in the next episode (or next two at least) . If the story becomes totally trainwrecked and/or there is more serious trolling, I doubt I'll continue watching this.
I also dropped Madoka later on when the trolling got too bad, so that wouldn't be the first.

[Stevie_Nix]

Originally Posted by orion

I thought that something from Kanade got transplanted into Hibiki which might explain how Hibiki survived and obtained Kanade's powers. For some reason, they focused on Hibiki's heart during the power activation scene. A black vine was seen growing also.

I think what happened was the piece of Kanada's armor that hit Hibiki, part of it lodged in her heart and the doctors didn't or couldn't remove it all.

Originally Posted by Kismet-chan

I agree with EVERYTHING DangerMouse and Crimson Cloud have said so far (I'm too lazy to pick out particular quotes :P). I'm still going to watch the show, but I'll never be able to ignore what they've done... KANADE WILL ALWAYS LIVE ON IN MY HEART! T_T

I wonder if in the end of the day, Kanade will end up being the most popular character of the show.

Originally Posted by Shimapan

The intro page still only has Kanade and Tsubasa, and on the character page, only Kanade and Tsubasa have a transformed form on mouse over, not Hibiki.

Well technicaly we have not really gotten a very good look at Hibiki's transformed form. I assume once her form is settled, I think she will have a mouse over alternative view.

Originally Posted by Shimapan

The plot is extremely convoluted indeed. I hope they'll clean that up in the next episode (or next two at least) . If the story becomes totally trainwrecked and/or there is more serious trolling, I doubt I'll continue watching this.
I also dropped Madoka later on when the trolling got too bad, so that wouldn't be the first.

Even though I am really enjoying it now, I really hope the make a lot of things clear in the next couple episodes. Hopfuly it won't turn into a trainwreck or Trolling: the Animation.

[FateAnomaly]

Originally Posted by Stevie_Nix

I think what happened was the piece of Kanada's armor that hit Hibiki, part of it lodged in her heart and the doctors didn't or couldn't remove it all.

That's what i supposed too. The shrapnel is probably immaterial when deactivated (maybe absorbed into her) so the doctors can't remove something that is not there.

[Stevie_Nix]

Originally Posted by FateAnomaly

That's what i supposed too. The shrapnel is probably immaterial when deactivated (maybe absorbed into her) so the doctors can't remove something that is not there.

That would make sense. If their armor exist physicaly as apart of them, then the doctors couldn't remove it. (Which makes it kind of more gory in hind site how much Kanade lost of hers.)

[Marina2]

This show's review score in many websites/blog seems to go in opposite way from the feedbacks from viewers

I guess that mean its element is bad ,but it is enjoyable to watch.

[xizro345]

The site added a brief summary for episode 2 with images, don't have time to translate it at the moment though:

Spoiler for Spoilers:

[Scarletknive]

Originally Posted by xizro345

The site added a brief summary for episode 2 with images, don't have time to translate it at the moment though:

Spoiler for Spoilers:

Did i just see who i just see? 4th picture!(I hope it will be true and not just flashbacks)

[DangerMouse]

Originally Posted by Scarletknive

Did i just see who i just see? 4th picture!(I hope it will be true and not just flashbacks)

I hope so. If only... Naturally sadly I can't muster any faith in these writers though, probably just a flashback (or Tsubasa memory) with this troll show.

[Crimrui]

Originally Posted by xizro345

The site added a brief summary for episode 2 with images, don't have time to translate it at the moment though:

Spoiler for Spoilers:

From that last image with Kanade, I can only think of three things. One, it's some sort of flashback. Two, she is miraculously alive (highly unlikely...) because... well it's a fantasy show. Third, a final farewell to Tsubasa in present day, hence the crying. Probably in spirit form or something, telling Tsubasa to take care of her new partner.

Hope someone translates the text.

[Sinestra]

Im not sure how Senki Zesshō Symphogear slipped under my radar but i had no clue episode 1 had even aired till a friend asked if i had seen it yet.

The series has the potential to end up being one of favorite this season. Character designs, music animation and just the over all direction of how they pull the audience in were spot on in my opinion. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and i was hugely disappointed when it ended.

I think what also drew me in is that episode one moved flawlessly from a beautifully animated concert with a kick ass song and two beautifully animated dancing Diva's with some pretty stylish dance moves to fans being slaughtered to some pretty damn cool fights. Man i felt really bad for the girl who was screaming "nooo i dont want to die" only to be eaten by the NOISE. I also didnt expect Kanade to die so soon but she went out like a champ.

Hopefully more information is given in the next episode about what exactly is going on. Ill be watching this series for what it is i wont assume its anything if it does exceed my exceptions then i will just be pleasantly surprised. At this point i am entertained and thats enough for me.

Really liked how the moves the girls were preforming while fighting appeared scrolls instead of them yelling them out. I have a feeling they did this so it would not stop the flow of music that was being sung while they fought.

Only thing that was cliche and very obvious from the start was that Hibiki was end up with a power upgrade from the shard that hit her from Kanade's suit that flag went up the pole almost instantly

[Crimrui]

Spoiler for whole episode in general...:

Spoiler for bonus image that gives my afterthought:

[Ray]

Originally Posted by Crimson Cloud

Spoiler for whole episode in general...:

Spoiler for bonus image that gives my afterthought:

I couldn't agree more.

As for that brief summary in 6 images, it really seems like a farewell in the present day. I feel sorry for Tsubasa already, and I imagine I'm going to feel even worse after I actually watch the second episode. As long as she remains as one of the main characters, I’m sure I’ll enjoy the show. However, if she also gets killed off or doesn’t get much screentime, then I’ll just stop watching. ~_~

[Cosmic Eagle]

A show that use music as weaponry?

Insta-win

Don't fail me now you oh so promising DnB OST


I'm sensing Madoka vibes....

[Cosmic Eagle]

Originally Posted by Crimson Cloud

From that last image with Kanade, I can only think of three things. One, it's some sort of flashback. Two, she is miraculously alive (highly unlikely...) because... well it's a fantasy show. Third, a final farewell to Tsubasa in present day, hence the crying. Probably in spirit form or something, telling Tsubasa to take care of her new partner.

Hope someone translates the text.

Rising in her chest, is the melody that she hums, the song that will weave the life of tomorrow or--

While the meaning of the use of her power remains unknown, the opening of the war mercilessly and swiftly opens.

Now, the creaking gears turn, the tale of the girls begins from here.

[Malkuth]

I think I have facepalmed more times with one episode only with Horizon... so call it troling, so bad it's good, or whatever, but this one is just LULZ

[Midonin]

Spoiler for Suite Symphogear 02 - KACHUN! The Beat Module of the Heart Can't Be Stopped!:

No Berthiers here, though Tsubasa does have that pretty wicked sword. The OP has a lot of Hibiki focus. The ED... won't do much to dissuade the Madoka comparisons. At all.

(Should I have reserved the "Kamen Cure Hibiki" moniker for this? It doesn't have the Toei backing, but it did look like Hibiki was doing a Rider Kick there...), and her first transformation, aside from the weird inner screwingupness, went pretty much without fail. Whatever powers these girls, it's not inherently corruptible. (And thank you for that.)

And the light I sought has shown up. Now that Noise isn't killing people left and right, the show can actually breathe. The tech crew behind Tsubasa and Hibiki are a lively bunch. The way they introduced her into the crew was great - magic tricks for everyone! We also found out just how the magitech system in this show works. Apparently, Kuuga-like, the armor is a part of the person. Just without the merchaidsable trinket to activate it.

The vibe the show's giving at this point is comparable to Xenoglossia, actually. A bleak atmosphere and conflicting motivations that lead to drama, but it's not above making a few cheesy jokes now and then to keep the moods in (relatively) high spirits. Also, both combine music and mecha in ways that aren't necessarily standard.

HibiKana isn't possible in this show, but HibiMiku is looking like a fine alternative. That bed scene was dripping with tension. I assume that was tension. It was sweet and sticky, at the very least.

My impressions of the show are much more favorable this week. Even with Hibiki's death imminent, the show may go out on a high note yet.

[Kaioshin Sama]

Man if they knew how popular Kanade was going to be for only having maybe 7 minutes of screen time and no character development they probably would have kept her. I mean goddamn that's some instant character popularity.

[totoum]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin Sama

Man if they knew how popular Kanade was going to be for only having maybe 7 minutes of screen time and no character development they probably would have kept her. I mean goddamn that's some instant character popularity.

I think she got popular because she died,there's nothing like dying to increase your popularity.

[viperdk1]

Originally Posted by totoum

I think she got popular because she died,there's nothing like dying to increase your popularity.

You'd think so, but unless I'm mistaken, I think it was Kanade's character design was what made her popular at first - then her personality went even further towards making her popular. As such, there was outrage on AS when she died in Ep 1.

As much as I said I'd be considering dropping this, I reckon I'll give it the 3 episode treatment before making my decision.

Caught the RAW just to see the OP and ED (as previously stated, the OP song is awesome)...very nice touch that both Tsubasa and Hibiki are 'singing' the OP song - certainly adds to the point that it's battling with music. Still don't quite follow why Hibiki's eyes are so much larger than everyone else's (even Miku's are normal sized, even though the two are probably the same age. Makes Hibiki look out of place).

Two more things.
1. Was it really necessary for Hibiki and Tsubasa to be in the nude during the OP? Seems a touch strange to me.
2. I'm getting VOCALOID/Megaman vibes from the transformations - Hibiki resembles the VOCALOID Kagamine twins (look it up), and the pink haired girl in the OP who I know sweet FA about (a small cap of her 'transformation' is about 41 seconds in) looks somewhat like a female Blues/Protoman (with a bit of Zero chucked in for good measure).

The ED...WTF? Skipped through to it, and thought someone had tacked on a completely different shows ending. I'm sure "Another" would take all those severed body parts off your hands, Symphogear

Will have a look at the Episode itself when it is subbed.

[DangerMouse]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin Sama

Man if they knew how popular Kanade was going to be for only having maybe 7 minutes of screen time and no character development they probably would have kept her. I mean goddamn that's some instant character popularity.

They should have kept her.

And IMO trolling is stupid and even more so especially if you're not going to troll everybody and only troll half of your audience.

Spoiler:

Ofcourse it may not have happened due to their writing so it may be giving too much credit, but somehow they had a potentially surprisingly Gainax-level genre-busting charismatic action heroine to go with their attempt of subverting expectations of idols using song to fight and until they went the extra mile and killed her they were busting expectations IMO, all they had to do was not kill her or kill Hibiki there instead and they would have blown me away, and who's great character design meshed perfectly with her action and personality in a partner-based action show and then her personality was taking it even further in making her popular and they gave her and all that potential up for Hibiki and whose character design doesn't even fit with anyone else's (aside from maybe but not quite even her friend) in the show let alone Tsubasa or the other members of the cast.

Originally Posted by totoum

I think she got popular because she died,there's nothing like dying to increase your popularity.

Figured that would come up so I guess it should be revisited at least once more and you'd think so but viperdk1 answered it best.

No it's hardly the first time a series has opened with a hero sacrificing themselves for the lead who grows up to want to be like that person. It was entirely that they had something with her (character design, personality, the way those two pieces were coming together for the first few minutes) and threw it away, and threw it away for "that" despite advertising the show as being about Kanade and Tsubasa. If they didn't troll anybody her death would have still had impact and surprise and not been a dirty bait-and-switch, losing the character I came to see and whom had a great design that originally got me to check out the show (and for a short time a great personality I was looking forward to and to learning more about) in my opinion.

As viperdk1 said, it started with her character design and then her personality pushed it to the next level. They developed and gave her a unique, genuine, likeable personality more in the first few minutes before they went the extra mile and killed her than Hibiki will get in the entire series considering we've seen her arc numerous times (even if they add some extra tears making her sacrifice herself in the end). Before we even got to know her, in an "idol action show" no less, her striking character design (IMO) was suddenly added to with despite being the "aggressive" one of the pair she was coming off as neither a raging arrogant or airhead, nor an emo (and Tsubasa seemed like a potentially good partner for the two of them to play off of), she actually had bit of several different character types rolled into one in her short time on screen unlike especially Hibiki who is the most unoriginal overdone character in existence with a character design that completely panders to the current moe craze, and that's fine in a character like "Hibiki" when you're not trolled with something else that's potentially awesome first (I like plenty of shows with normal protags) and then have it taken away purely for trolling despite BOTH Kanade and Tsubasa being on the series image, not just one of them.