Senki Zesshou Symphogear – 02
There are so many things wrong with this picture.
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My bad habit of having high expectations has kicked in with SZS, but considering how much I enjoyed the first episode I’m sure it’s not such a bad thing. To be honest, I’m looking forward to the music more than anything, but hopefully the other parts won’t let me down!~ |
Picking up from last week you’ll remember Hibiki had just awakened to her “Gungnir” powers, the very same Kanade had, in the midst of a Noise swarm. Although we were left with a disturbing, and even somewhat villainous, image of Hibiki in her new form at the end of the last episode (disturbing being an understatement), that’s left in the past for episode two. As any hero would, Hibiki decides her most important duty is to protect the young girl she had saved. Hibiki starts her song and using its powers she’s able to evade the Noise and get to a safer distance. (There’s very little direct action, thankfully for her.)
Tsubasa arrives (on a motocycle, like a boss) to save Hibiki and very easily dispatches the Noise with Azure Flash, including one very large variety that stands no chance against her suddenly huge sword.
Afterwards the group from the laboratory (or HQ or whatever you want to call it) arrive to handle the situation. Hibiki is surprisingly upbeat when she confronts Tsubasa, who is less than pleased. The young girl is reunited with her mother (oh how I love reuniting families) and is told she can’t say anything about what happened. Likewise Hibiki, who believes she can just go, is told she needs to come back with them. (And by told I mean handcuffed and forced.)
Being cheerful in times of chaos is a common trend.
Hibiki is brought back to a “school”, the location of the HQ, and heads down what seems like a million floors underground. To her surprise a welcome party headed by Genjurou and Ryoko is waiting on arrival. (nyaa~) A sign indicates that they’re at the “2nd Division”. (Does that mean there are more divisions with more Symphogear, I’m going to guess … probably?) After some introductions Hibiki learns she’s now involved, like it or not.
Hibiki returns home to her dorm room at school where Miku is waiting. From the TV we learn Tsubasa is soon switching record labels, which could mean a lot of things. Night soon comes and the duo rest together in the same bed. Implied shoujo-ai moments ensue.
In the shower, Tsubasa has a flashback of a time spent with Kanade, the scene further reveals Tsubasa’s anger towards Hibiki for having the Gungnir power. Back in school we meet some of Hibiki’s friends; Hibiki turns their offer to hangout down because she still has to meet with the 2nd Division.
At HQ, as I will call it from now on, Ryoko and Genjurou meet with Tsubasa and Hibiki. We learn of the presence of “relics”, crystals apparently made in mythical times that can’t be replicated, surprisingly considering the technology they seem to have. They’re activated through song, but only by a special few known as the “attuned”. Tsubasa’s relic (the “first relic”) is called Ama-no-Habakiri, a small pendant made from a fragment of a larger sword.
Kanade’s relic (the “third relic”, notice the missing “second”) was Gungnir. It was transferred to Hibiki through shrapnel from the injuries she received two years prior at the Zwei Wing concert. Tsubasa runs out dismayed, followed by Hibiki to comfort her. She happily agrees to fight alongside her, but suddenly there is a Noise attack.
Sees monster … kicks in face.
We get to see Tsubaba’s transformation sequence, which is very similar to Kanade’s. She fights the Noise, which combined together to form a larger one, head on. Hibiki intervenes with a kick to the Noise’s face giving Tsubasa the opportunity to destroy it with Azure Flash. (No, really, a kick was the best thing she could think of doing.)
The episode ends with Hibiki, who is still surprisingly cheerful, saying she’ll fight with Tsubasa. Tsubasa twists the statement and says she’ll indeed “fight her”, pointing her sword in Hibiki’s direction.
My money is on Tsubasa …
Despite a few twists this week ZSZ felt much the same as last week, and I’m thinking it might be working towards a formula now. Noise battles, Azure Flashes, breaking out into song mid-battle, etc. It wouldn’t be too bad if the battles had more variety, but again, they felt like more of the same and it’s only episode 2. Considering the battles, at least for me, are the most entertaining part of the show, I’d hate for it to turn into generic Noise battle after generic Noise battle etc. The only way I could see it getting more interesting comes with the twist at the end of this episode, attuned verses attuned. You may have noticed a couple new characters in the OP, who I’m guessing will be other girls who have the power of the relics, so if the show does take that direction I’d be excited to see where it goes.
As I was saying before, the parts of the show outside the fighting just don’t do it for me at the moment. I don’t like Ryoko or Genjurou and to be honest the parts involving them usually bore me, but I suppose the whole relic aspect isn’t so bad. I like the idea, as cliche as it is, but the one thing that annoyed me was how elated Hibiki was to be apart of it! This kind of reminds me of the first episode of Lagrange, but here we have a girl who seems pretty “normal” in most regards, and suddenly she’s thrown into a battle against some otherworldly giant glowing bug-things and what does she do? She kicks the thing in the face with a grin as if it couldn’t easily eat her alive. Did she not witness Kanade getting killed by them? Did she not watch them tear apart a crowd of people? >__<
It’s kind of hard to watch this show when in the back of my mind I know that in the end Hibiki will end up dead, and if the Miku scenes were any indication, I think it’ll probably involve her being caught up in the fighting. As for those other girls that were in this episode, I hope I’m not the only one thinking that they have huge death flags raised over their heads. I mean, why else would we have had to listen to that lecture about the keeping your friends and family or whatever safe? I’m thinking they’ll be used as a sort of wake-up-call for Hibiki and then maybe she’ll drop that smile and actually get serious.
Also, what the heck was with that teaser last week of Hibiki going crazy? I was so looking forward to Hibiki tearing apart some Noise in an epic deranged battle or something, but nope, they threw that whole thing out the window. Gah, what a waste. I think I found more to complain about this episode because of my high expectations, but don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed this episode and I look forward for more, and hey, even if it gets worse, at least the songs are awesome. ;D
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 338 comments
I’m with you on the formula thing Hawthrone. I actually didn’t even finish the episode I was so bored. Which is a shame because its high budget was beautiful and I liked the songs. Even with the 12 episode aspect. I decided to drop it. Give more time to the other 20+ I’m watching -_-; need to stop torturing myself.
Agreed!! I thought Hibiki would go all Higurashi and mess s*** up, which would have been awesome! But running around saving shojuo’s a singing? Might as well just watch MTV.
I am thankful you will keep blogging this as I want to know the ending with Hibiki. Here is where I bow out, cheers.
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
At least you gave it a chance! XD I was so disappointed when they didn’t follow through with the berserk-Hibiki, it would have been so much better that way.
POWUH: 500-599 with 543 comments
I agree on the songs, they’re just so well done and I can’t wait for the OST.
I get the feeling Hibiki was just going crazy because it was her first time transforming and whatever that was. I mean, I’d go crazy is something started changing me into something else. Although it would have been a great plot twist for Hibiki to go crazy.
As for the friends and family hanging over their heads, it felt really similar to what Homura told Madoka. And we’ve seen that Miku didn’t die (because she was crying in the beginning about Hibiki), so somehow I can’t see this show go out and do something to her.
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
Good point, but it’s as if she went from that insane state to her usual perky self almost instantly from one episode to the next. It’s like it never even happened. >__<
And yeah I agree, I don't expect Miku to die, but those other girls dying would be an easy way to show how serious being an attuned is. I like your comparison to Madoka btw, I didn't think of it like that. XD
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1557 comments
When I started reading ‘SZS’, I was going, “What on earth does Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei have to do with this series?!?”
I’m still on the fence with this series (I don’t really like Hibiki that much, her cheerfulness seems annoying at times).
But, pink tie tucked into shirt pocket (oh my, that’s awesome. I need to get someone to do that).
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
…I thought the same. I didn’t realize SZS could stand for anything else until I actually thought about it.
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
That never even crossed my mind. >__< (I have to watch that soon …)
I generally like cheerful leads, but when they're so overly happy that they verge on completely oblivious it annoys me, and that seems to be the way Hibiki is going.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I found this episode was decent at best. Hibiki is pretty upbeat for someone in her current situation. She’s not even questioning why she should be involved in their fight at all, she’s just raring for a fight. Clearly this is too much for Tsubasa who’s struggling to accept that a successor has been put in Kanade’s place. And probably wants to fight her to see if she’s even worthy of replacing Kanade.
It was funny seeing Hibiki handcuffed and sent down that huge elevator everytime they take her to a certain place.
But I feel uneasy about Tsubasa’s fate later on. Because I remember seeing Hibiki’s friend beside her in the poster for the anime. Meaning Tsubasa might suffer Kanade’s fate and die just as well, leaving room to give rise to another successor.
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
Decent is a perfect word to describe this episode imo. I’ve been wondering for a while now where Miku will fit into the show, and there really isn’t anything I could find that indicates she’s an attuned like Hibiki. For now I’m just going to assume she’s the person Hibiki wants to protect most.
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
Da fuq blue hair girl.
Second episode is already boring. I can see the pattern of fighting Noises then get into team arguments in every single episode. Bleh, they need to do better.
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
I wouldn’t expect it to change much, it doesn’t seem like the show will be taking many risks, just look at how they didn’t follow through with crazy Hibiki from last week. -__-‘
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 323 comments
man …this anime is lame ..make me sleep..i’m a cancer so,i have my anime but this one sure get me into bed in no time…but best of all about this anime ,the quality is awesome !!!
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
Hopefully they’ll keep up with the quality in the future, the fights look pretty cool so far. ^^ (I only wish they would make the Noise more interesting.)
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 323 comments
well .you got that right Hawthorne , the sound this gave me the chill
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
I’m surprised they hinted at Hibiki going berserk and then quickly threw all that away this episode as well. I thought it was an almost edgy touch to the show, but it apparently was just thrown in to look cool. I’ll only forgive them if she goes crazy at some later point in the show and reverts back into that wild-eyed mode u.u
Anyways, it’s hovering a bit below the “average” level of anime for me. We’ll see if it can do better next week.
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
Imagine if she went into crazy-mode again during her fight with Tsubasa next week? That would be so awesome. DX (I need to stop getting my hopes up!)
It’s pretty average so far for me as well, especially in comparison to other great shows I’m enjoying this season. (:
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 207 comments
Well, this anime really does have too many of Hibiki’s “EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH” sometimes lol.
But anyway, I completely agree with you on the most part. Everything outside of the cool fight scenes are just so boring. The side character’s aren’t really doing it for me, they just seem so generic. Hibiki isn’t really too much my cup of tea either though >.>.
Well that hopefully there’s more GAR action next week with Tsubasa fighting Hibiki.
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
More action, yes!! I just hope they don’t fill in the time between that with more boring, uninspired dialogue. -__-