Senki Zesshou Symphogear – 11
Never mess with a tsundere holding a gun … or a super powered laser beam.
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I accidentally got myself spoiled on the events of this week’s episode, but nevertheless it was still a very emotional experience watching it all go down. Next time I’ll remind myself that a spoiler box is there for a reason and clicking on it won’t do me any good. (;-_-) |
Ogawa arrives at Lydian to find an enormous Noise as well as many smaller Noise attacking the school and the students inside. In one of Lydian’s hallways Miku helps direct a crowd of students to safety and is approached by her three friends (those three that always pop out at random times) and after asking her to come with them to a shelter a nearby soldier is killed by the Noise, to their horror. (I would also like to remind you all in case that one girl convinced you otherwise, this is INDEED an anime!)
“DON’T BELIEVE HAWTHORNE! THIS ISN’T AN ANIME!”
Miku is suddenly attacked by three shape shifting Noise, but Ogawa arrives just in time to save her. They’re chased, but manage to make it to the elevator that goes down to the second division just in time. On the way down Ogawa makes a call to report to Genjurou and just as he is about to report the true nature of Kadingir the elevator is invaded by Finne. Ogawa reveals to her that he knows her intention was building Kadingir as the elevator shaft. The elevator reaches their floor and Ogawa quickly makes a move to get out of Finne’s grasp. He fires his gun but the bullets have no affect of her … breasts. Miku intervenes as Ogawa is captured by Finne’s Nehustan whips, and Finne then tells her that Lydian was intended as the site for the second division because so they could gather data about the relics and songs from the students.
Action Ogawa to the rescue!
Wait … Ogawa, you’re doing it wrong!
“I used to be an armed gear user like you, then I took three bullets in the breast.”
After a slight slapping altercation with Miku, Finne approaches the vault holding Durandel. Ogawa once again tries to stop her and once again fails, but he’s saved this time by Genjurou. He refers to her as Ryoko and reveals that he knew her plan with the Americans all along, but didn’t say anything because he was gathering details. They begin to fight and Genjurou’s inhuman strength gives him the upper hand even against a relic user. However, Finne uses a nasty trick and reverts to “Ryoko mode” yelling out an innocent plea. It works and Genjurou is stabbed through the chest.
“Eat, watch movies, and sleep” … sounds fishy.
Finne doesn’t kill him and instead enters the fault and approaches the sword, Durandel. Back in second division Miku and Ogawa arrive with Genjurou and call for medical help. Ogawa manages to put through a signal to Hibiki, however it doesn’t last long and Miku can only manage to get out a couple sentences before Finne cuts the power. (The ones from the cliffhanger last episode.) Later on Genjurou manages to get up and ask for a status report, and we learn the power is still out and nothing is known about what’s going on above.
Hibiki, Chris, and Tsubasa arrive on the scene with the red moon already out in the sky. The school is dilapidated beyond belief, Hibiki falls to her knees in desperation. On the roof “Ryoko” appears with a wound on her side from before. Chris calls her out as Finne and Tsubasa/Hibiki finally learn her true identity. “Ryoko” then transforms into Finne and reveals her background. The real Ryoko, her consciousness and identity, were destroyed 12 years ago when Tsubasa activated her relic with a song for the first time. The song sent out an “Aufwachen waveform” that woke up Finne’s, who was a priestess, genes inside of Ryoko through family lineage. It’s also revealed that she has been awoken many times in the past as important government leaders and other powerful humans who changed the world.
So, can we all just go ahead and blame little Tsubasa? (Nooo, she’s too cute to blame. ╥﹏╥)
It’s like … it’s like a magical rainbow tower … of death!
An earthquake starts as Kadingir begins to lift out of the ground into an above ground tower rather than the elevator shaft it was in. It’s not JUST a tower though, it’s also an ion cannon targeting the moon. In the past Finne had tried to build a tower to reach Him (I’m assuming a god of the time), but it was destroyed and cursed because she tried to become higher than Him. She believes that by destroying the moon she can destroy the curse, and therefore become most powerful and rule over the world.
Obviously the Symphogear trio aren’t having any of this and initiate their transformations. Their attacks alone have little affect on Finne who manages to defend against them quite easily. However as they begin to work in unison she becomes overwhelmed. Chris takes out the big guns, or rather two huge heat seeking missiles. The first is destroyed by Finne as it approaches the tower, all the while Chris flies up far into the sky using the second missile as transportation.
Teamwork, ftw!
Kadingir begins gathering energy, but to everyone’s surprise Chris has begun her Swan Song. Hundreds of crystals fly out around her and the energy between them form large butterfly wings behind her. Two small guns suddenly grow to an enormous size and she attaches them to create one large laser cannon. She fires it just as Kadingir fires and the beams meet between Earth and the moon. Kadingir manages to beat the power of Chris’s laser and strikes straight through her, destroyed her armed gear. As she falls to the ground she’s happy that she has fulfilled her parents wish and says that she loves them. At the same time the beam hits the moon, but the diffused power only breaks off a small piece, foiling Finne’s plan.
Her Swan Song reminded me of Kanade, oh the woes of Symphogear.
In memory of sweet Kurisu-neko-chan.
Chris-chan, why!!! Ah, another week of Symphogear over and another Swan Song sung. Though there’s always the possibility of poor Chris surviving like Tsubasa, I seriously doubt it considering Lydian’s medical team that saved Tsubasa is probably gone now, and she fell from like … space onto the ground. It doesn’t look very hopeful for her. Chris’s sacrificial move leaves a lot of new questions now though now that the villain’s plot has been foiled. How will Finne react and what will become of Kadingir? How does Hibiki die if the villain’s motives have already been defeated? And will Anime-chan ever realize she’s in an anime?
It took some time, but our true villain has finally come forward into the action. Finne’s background is just as crazy as the story is, but on the bright side we don’t have to paint Ryoko as the villain since it’s only her body, not her conscious, doing evil things. Despite the crazy explanation, Finne comes off as a pretty typical “I WANT TO RULE THE WORLD” villain, there’s not really anything special behind her character. We know she’s a priestess, and we know she enjoys walking around naked … but that’s about as far as her characterization goes.
There was A LOT of awkward animation this week, especially in the beginning I noticed. It seemed like a couple characters suffered from Ogawa-loopy-awkward-walking-disease (O-LAWD, for short), it must be contagious! Finne especially during the vault scene, her walking animation didn’t even look complete. The fight scenes and the Swan Song on the other hand looked awesome. The sort of pink overlay during Chris’s final attack I thought was pretty. It’s weird how beautiful the Swan Songs look even though they lead to the singer’s death! All in all it was a respectable way for her to go out, sad nonetheless.
It was a nice episode, both entertaining and emotional. There’s still nothing all that unique to make Symphogear stand out, but as long as it’s enjoyable I don’t mind. I’ve had fun watching our heroes develop into friends, and though one might no longer be with us, there’s still a lot of fight left in the final two and I can’t wait to see them take it out on Finne!
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
WHAT?! THIS IS AN ANIME?! WHY WASN’T I INFORMED?!
Oh, poor, poor Chris T_T if she survived the swan song, there’s no way that she survived that fall. The teamwork was nice while it lasted though =3. Also, Genjurou. I guess he can stop explosions with martial arts techniques, but he can’t stop Sawashiro characters… At least he’s still alive. That’s a bonus.
As for Fine’s motives… lolwut? Sentient priestess ghost DNA things? The Tower of Babel? The moon? I-I don’t even know what’s going on anymore.
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
CONSPIRACY!!! D:
Can we really blame him though? That voice she used was pretty cute. Dx Poor Genjurou, didn’t he ever realize from watching all those movies he apparently loves that you should never let up your guard! T_T
I’m still trying to piece it all together myself. I feel like the plot just puked all over me.
POWUH: 500-599 with 543 comments
Poor Chris. Man, she deserved better. But that really only shows how dangerous Finne is. Hibiki is probably going to have to go through with her swan song in order to stop her. Miku will probably show up to watch her die.
The swan songs really make me think that the only way for these Symphogear users to be done is to die singing. The only users we’ve seen die have been singing their swan songs, so it seems clear that it’s something like the magic gems in Madoka, once they’re all black/last option, the only way out is death.
With that cannon/tower, Finne is probably aiming to take it down, and with it, throw the Earth off course. Or maybe propel herself to it, so she can stop showing up over and over?
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
That’s what I’m assuming as well, I can’t see her going out any other way tbh. I’m more curious though about Tsubasa’s fate, I wonder if she’ll survive the finale.
Nice comparison! The gear seems to give them some regeneration powers, since both Chris and Finne have been shows using it. (Unless that’s unique to Nehustan? Idk!) Whether or not that makes them invincible, I’m curious about that too!
I wonder if that cannon can fire more then once? If so, Chris’s death would feel like all for nothing. D: Even though only a piece was broken off, can that really have a big affect on Earth? (Sounds like some physics stuff which I know nothing about …)
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
HELL YA! CHRIS-CHAN For the win! Her final attack was the highlight of the episode…and Fine made me laugh she could have killed Miku so easily but noooooooooo! She blew a chance to really freak Hibiki out xDD
That big ass rainbow tower looks like the odd one from Guilty Crown…well the bottom part anyway LOL Fine is copying Gai isn’t she?
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
Same here, that Swan Song was amazing! (It’s too bad it had to cost her life though! Well, maybe not …)
Hahaha that’s true, it does! XD Maybe they’re related or something? … Distant cousins perhaps?
POWUH: 600-699 and Romance Expert with 652 comments
yes, im sad that chris died but at least she had one of the most “proper” heroic sacrifices ive seen in a while. most others seem to screw it with either melodrama or being over-dramatic.
symphogear is pretty good anime. its not quite as special compared to other line ups but its at least proper and consistent in everything its done unlike GC…
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
I agree, it was quick and to the point, it wrapped up some plot points involving her family and was beautiful to watch. ^^
I have to agree again, Symphogear >>> GC. GC had so much wasted potential, Symphogear on the other hand doesn’t try to be something it’s not.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Now we know why Ryoko has a different persona, it was kinda interesting that it was a “priestess” that got trapped and has been taking control of different leaders for centuries just for one thing…reaching “God” since she got slap down like the bitch she is!!
Seemed to me that Genjurou was pretty on par with Fine, but she struck him off guard by calling his name while imitating Ryoko’s voice… A pretty convenient way to scrap off the strongest character aside (how many times have we seen something like this?). Nevertheless, it served as a hint that Genjurou may have feelings for Ryoko.
Chris using her swan song to try to stop the beam!! I must say it was really sad but…also very beautiful in a way the art,the music,the moment was well made. She remembering her parents and saying she will save the world like they tried with their music. I really hope she didnt die she is one of the best things of the anime but if she is dead, that is a beautiful way to die…
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
Ah good point! Genjurou always did seem to have a little bit of a crush on her. It sucks that he couldn’t win, it would have saved a lot of hassle, and even save Chris’s life.
“Sad and beautiful”, I couldn’t have put it better myself. ;-; I’m keeping my fingers crossed for her survival, but at the same time I agree that at least she went out gracefully and heroically. (It feels like such a contrast to how she was earlier in the series.)