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Senki Zesshō Symphogear (TV) (5 seasons).


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DuskyPredator



Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 15433
Location: Brisbane, Australia
PostPosted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 10:01 am Reply with quote


Senki Zesshō Symphogear (TV)
Senki Zesshō Symphogear G (TV)
Senki Zesshō Symphogear GX (TV)
Senki Zesshō Symphogear AXZ (TV)
Senki Zesshō Symphogear XV (TV)

Genres: action, magic, science fiction
Themes: ecchi, fighting, music

Plot Summary: Two years ago, a pair of idols, Tsubasa Kazanari and Kanade Amō, collectively known as ZweiWing, fought against an alien race known as Noise using armor known as Symphogear. To protect a girl named Hibiki Tachibana, who got severely wounded by the Noise, Kanade sacrificed herself. Two years later, as Tsubasa has fought the Noise alone, Hibiki ends up gaining the same power as Kanade.
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Anime Marathon Discussion (Nov. 6th, 2015 - Nov. 15th, 2015) starts here

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EDIT: Two different series threads which were created almost simultaneously are being merged here, hence the reason why this one looks like it has two opening posts. - Key

It seems that this series theme is music, which can be a bit of a risk, especially when it is also mixed with mecha, magical girls and starting with a tragedy scene involving a cute young girl, apparently caused strange looking aliens. I was not sure whether to take the fighting parts serious or not, the whole it being done by singing make it partially hard to, but the spoiler[people being turned to ash makes it hard not to.] The part that did get a good deal of attention from me was near the end where spoiler[the girl seemed to turn into a mix between a demon and Generator Rex,] that sort of thing is bound to attract, hopefully it wont just be played off.

This could really go many different ways, I am not usually the type to watch an anime with a pre determined tragedy, but this could work. I have the feeling that the anime is largely being used to market CDs and figures.


Last edited by DuskyPredator on Sun Aug 18, 2019 1:11 am; edited 4 times in total
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dirkusbirkus



Joined: 10 May 2008
Posts: 699
Location: Manchester, UK
PostPosted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 10:03 am Reply with quote
Senki Zesshou Symphogear (TV)



When I read the synopsis in the preview guides, one thing that struck me was that these girls were supposed to be fighting evil using the power of music. I go a big rubbery one for stuff like that, so it was inevitable I'd be checking the first episode out.

It's, er, interesting. We start with a flashback which serves to lay the foundation for the plot. It works alright, we get to see that this idol group (Zwei Wing), as well as having a little J-Pop insert, also fight monsters on the side. I have to add at this point the monsters in question could have been designed by a 7 year old with a crayon. There's free-flowing animation, and then there's... Whatever these things are. During the action sequence here, there's quite a bit of blood, which surprised me. Not in-your-face gore or anything of the sort, but because of the tone up til this point, I wasn't expecting anything even half as graphic. Anyway, these two singing chicks (Complete with transformation sequences and title screens for their special moves) are getting overwhelmed, so in order to save the day, one of them sacrifices herself. The day is won, BUT AT WHAT COST?!?!?

Ahem. We then skip to 'Present Day'. Now, this confused me a little. At the very very start, we see a girl visiting her friend's grave. That would suggest 'Present Day' to me. In the 'Present Day' sequence post-action, however, this girl is not only not dead, she's running about, being a clutz, ruining any sort of serious mood established prior and generally doing lots of stuff dead people just don't do. I'm not entirely daft, so I decided the latest 'Present Day' must actually be 'Present Day, but a little bit in the past'. We now have three timelines, a little odd but there you go.

Anyway, the girl who definitely wasn't dead had her life saved when this J-Pop chick sacrificed herself. The other girl in the singing duo goes to her school (Whodathunkit?) and is idolised by everyone, she seems a bit withdrawn but since she saw her partner vaporised in front of her, you can't blame her, right? There's another mini-action sequence a bit later just to show how detached from emotion she has become when killing the monsters drawn by a 7 year old. She's also got a CD coming out, because obviously she's an idol and all that. Girl who is looking good despite the fact she's dead goes to buy this CD, but alas! The monsters drawn by a 7 year old attack once more, and she goes on the run with a small child she finds on the street. They think they've escaped by climbing up onto a roof but the 7 year old clearly gave these monsters the ability to climb ladders, and they're cornered. Just when you think they can't possibly push the tension any higher... She starts singing, and a transformation occurs! After a pretty painful looking sequence where she springs a mecha from her back or somesuch, she becomes some sort of demon with the power to save the day!!

FADE TO BLACK.

I'll be watching next week. Will you?

Firstly, the mish-mash above is intentional. I wanted to convey how much was chucked into this first episode, some of it haphazardly. Some elements worked, many more didn't. the most annoying thing was the switching of tone, from initial tragedy to serious backstory to musical insert to semi-violent battle to slice of life back to battle... The characters are pretty cliché and the animation isn't stellar (aside from the insert sequence, looks like that was where the budget went), the story did its job in making me curious as to what the next episode brings, but it isn't groundbreaking in the slightest.
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dirkusbirkus



Joined: 10 May 2008
Posts: 699
Location: Manchester, UK
PostPosted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 10:04 am Reply with quote
Dusky posted at the same time as me, please allow his topic to consume mine, mods!
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Ikari1



Joined: 23 Jun 2008
Posts: 531
Location: London
PostPosted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 10:30 am Reply with quote
I watched this this morning and i dont know what to make of it to be honest. I will say that it interested me enough to watch it next week though.

As far as I'm concerned about the flash back at the beggining, the producers almost certainly wouldnt kill the main character off from the very begining or even in my opinion go for the Carlito's way route of building up to that inevitable flashback. What this flash back probably means is that in order for the ''dead'' girl to 'join' this anti noise group that obviously runs in the shadows, she has to give up her true identity or something along those lines.

But yeah, a very flashy beggining. I didn't like the monsters either. They were crap to be honest. I think however that the way in which they just kind of vapourise people and wantonly killed people at the idol concert gives them a kind of sinister feel but this is nothing I haven't seen already before. I was also suprised at the amount of blood shown at the begining but I thought the death scene between the zwei wing girls at the beggining at the idol concert was even more hallowing to be honest. It was quite a horrible/sad scene to be honest. But yeah so far I dont mind this series. I do think that the second episode will make or break this series though for me.Good first ep but wether or not that will continue is beyond me.

I was a bit put off the minute i saw the whole 'Music will save the earth' thing coming but it's not too bad so far so what the hell.
The cliches's are out in force for this anime but I dont mind overlooking this for the time being.
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allmac



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 2
PostPosted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 10:50 am Reply with quote
In the credits of Senki Zesshou Symphogear ep 1 there are numbers hidden that you can only see when the names pass underneath them making them hard to see any idea what they are.
I think the numbers are 1300 740-5740
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allmac



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 2
PostPosted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 10:51 am Reply with quote
In the credits of Senki Zesshou Symphogear ep 1 there is numbers hidden that you can only see when the names pass underneath them making them hard to see any idea what they are.
I think the numbers are 1300 740-5740
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tetron



Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 61
PostPosted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 11:11 am Reply with quote
For the first episode, its pretty action packed which I love and the songs are pretty amazing. But overall, its just that to entice the audience to want to watch more.

But since its the first episode, I personally won't know how great the show is up until the 3rd or 5th episode which gets the nitty-gritty on the plot. (or so I think)
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dtm42



Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 14084
Location: currently stalking my waifu
PostPosted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 12:17 am Reply with quote
This is freaking funny and does sum up most of my reactions to the first episode:

http://thecartdriver.com/senki-zesshou-symphogear-episode-1/

It's nice to know that someone else thought it was as stupid as I did.

I will however watch another episode or two, just to give it the opportunity to convince me that it is more than just a merchandise-pushing vehicle.
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SnowMusket



Joined: 08 Jan 2012
Posts: 52
PostPosted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 12:01 am Reply with quote
I really enjoyed the first episode. I hope that the next episode will reveal a bit more. I honestly feel this has potential to be a series I greatly enjoy.
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter



Joined: 07 Mar 2009
Posts: 23669
PostPosted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 6:58 am Reply with quote
I liked the first episode, although I think I'm going to find the song interludes pretty tiresome after a while. I'm not a huge fan of J-pop, although I will say they managed to lift some of the songs used in the first episode a cut above the generic-sounding stuff you sometimes get.
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Chagen46



Joined: 27 Jun 2010
Posts: 4377
PostPosted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 1:11 pm Reply with quote
dtm42 wrote:
This is freaking funny and does sum up most of my reactions to the first episode:

http://thecartdriver.com/senki-zesshou-symphogear-episode-1/

It's nice to know that someone else thought it was as stupid as I did.


Oh man, I have not laughed this hard in a while. Maybe I'll watch it solely for the lulz.
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Veers



Joined: 31 Oct 2008
Posts: 1197
Location: Texas
PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 1:22 pm Reply with quote
Chagen46 wrote:
Oh man, I have not laughed this hard in a while. Maybe I'll watch it solely for the lulz.
I'm not even sure I'll be able to manage that...
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Chagen46



Joined: 27 Jun 2010
Posts: 4377
PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 1:29 pm Reply with quote
Well, maybe I'll see an episode.

Wow, I already have my "guilty pleasure" anime AND my "watch for the lulz" anime--High School DxD and this, respectively.

Now I just need to get off my ass and actually keep my ADHD-addled brain still for 30 minutes.
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amberlewis



Joined: 12 Jan 2012
Posts: 2
PostPosted: Thu Jan 12, 2012 12:56 am Reply with quote
I really enjoy the first episode.I am a big fan of J-Pop.First episode of this show is action packed all songs are pretty marvelous.But Interludes pretty tiresome i most enjoyed.Entire show put the great efforts to see the another episodes of this show.
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Sebow



Joined: 01 Jan 2005
Posts: 62
Location: Denmark
PostPosted: Thu Jan 12, 2012 1:09 am Reply with quote
Fending off adversaries through the dialect of music sounds a lot to me like Macross Frontier, and while I'll definitely give this anime a chance and check it out, I have a hard time seeing how it is going to improve on the formula.
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