One of the stars airing this anime season is Symphogear XV, the final chapter in the story about a gutsy group of girls who fight alchemical adversaries using the power of the eponymous Symphogears; high tech transformable armor and weapons that run on the power of songs. The over-the-top franchise combines science fiction action with the singing talent of renowned voice actors such as Aoi Yuuki, Nana Mizuki, and Yoko Hikasa. The unique fusion of these two aspects, as well as the combined efforts of writer Akifumi Kaneko (Wild Arms series) and composer Noriyasu Agematsu (Elements Garden, The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls, Uta-pri series), has allowed the franchise to gain a substantial following. This success is evident in the series’ consistent annual increase in DVD/Blu-ray sales, as well as it trending on Twitter whenever a new episode debuts. As its final season airs, Symphogear XV is taking the series in a direction that so far has managed to not only keep the elements of what makes the series great, but also lead up to a conclusion that will hopefully cement the series as a cult classic.
A common issue with sequels is the equal development of character arcs — an issue that the Symphogear series itself has previously struggled with. Balancing story arcs around six main characters, while introducing new villains each season and utilizing side characters into a thirteen episode show is a daunting task. This was a point of contention in previous seasons, where certain characters were given unsatisfactory screen time or had story arcs that were rushed. Examples of this include stoic swords-woman Tsubasa Kazanari going from deuteragonist in the first season to being used only in fight scenes in the second season, Symphogear G. Hot-headed gunslinger, Chris Yukine, seemingly completed her entire character arc in the course of one episode in the third season, Symphogear GX.
Within the first half of XV, it seems as if these characterization mishaps have been mostly avoided. Even after only half of the series has aired, all six main characters have had ample screen time and signs of personal progression. Most prominent are the duo of Kirika and Shirabe, who in previous seasons have mainly been known for their childish antics and their clear gap in strength in comparison to the other girls. In two of the earlier episodes already, however, they have been given a chance to hold their own against one of the new villains and, through their unique tag-team style of combat, show the competency they have obtained over the course of four seasons. The two girls who were formerly clumsy and comedic became strong characters in their own right. In addition to the younger duo, other examples of consistent character growth include former villain turned ally Maria, who spent the previous two seasons searching for her own ideals, is now a driving part of the main plot and looks to be becoming a pivotal part of Tsubasa’s character arc as well. Tsubasa, whose characterization has mainly been completed in prior seasons, now faces a new threat and a connection to one of the new villains. This tie-in shows how the writing is able to smartly introduce a refreshing narrative for this final season.
As expected of a final season, there are multiple highlights and throwbacks, as well as a wrap up to one of the biggest ongoing story components of the entire series. Since the first season, various characters have made reference to “The Custodians,” divine beings analogous to creator gods within the Symphogear mythos. They make their first appearance in the very first episode of Symphogear XV, appropriately maxing out the stakes for the final season. The pacing of the plot has gotten more frantic, too, with certain events that are quite graphic and darker than in previous seasons adding a sense of uncertainty to the viewing experience. One of these events happens after the quintessential concert scene, something that was absent in the prior season, but brought back in full form and juxtaposed with what long-time fans of the series have come to expect. The constant barrage of surprises amidst the usual action keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat, uncertain of what’s to come.
Like other magical girl shows, the transformation sequences in Symphogear are of the highest quality animation, and the scenes in XV were designed to be spectaclar, with each sequence perfectly displaying the personality and fighting style of each character. Main character Hibiki does a kung-fu kata as her long heroic scarf forms around her, then she ends with a determined glare. Maria’s involves a gymnastic routine using her whip sword like a ribbon before tying herself up and breaking through her bondage with her breast armor. Chris pays homage to a certain show featuring a buxom gunslinger by launching bullets off her breasts and bouncing them into her revolver chamber.
So far, the quality of all the episodes has been consistently high. The story is engaging, the characters are written well, the references to previous seasons have been integrated without being obnoxious, and the animation quality has been the best in the series’s history. One thing is for sure, through all of this franchise’s ups and downs, the writers, animators, actors, and directors have learned what makes this show truly sing, and hopefully will take the second half of the season to a satisfying and dynamic conclusion.
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