#NOW GO WATCH SYMPHOGEAR

[cosmosrebellion]

If any of you thought I was done rambling about Symphogear, you are wrong 'cause I need to talk about Hibiki and everything involving the build up to Metanoia.

Every time we had the build up for the big attack that's named after the show's opening, it was a moment where Hibiki either brought people together or gained power from the other Gears to beat the odds.

But here, in the biggest fight she uses all the power she has, and the power that created from humanity's united desire to fight for its future, to fulfill her most selfish wish: To get Miku back and keep her for herself.

And this is huge because so much of Hibiki's character journey is defined by altruism and sacrifice. She gives to others because that's how she pays the kindness Kanade showed her forward, while also believing it's all she's good for as a product of her survivors guilt.

But here, facing yet another god-like being who mocks her efforts, she breaks through the impossible not to save the world, but to save the person she loves most in the world.

And I just love how they bring so many of Hibiki's themes together for this moment. She turns the accursed power of the God Killer Gungnir into an open hand that connects the feeling of the world, the blessing that helps her reach Miku, hold her and never let go.

She doesn't have to just feel the sunshine anymore, because now she has the Sun in her hands.

And it's just insane how amidst all the high-concept ideas, the beautiful themes of hope, the indomitable human spirit, and what brings us together, everything that happens in this ending is about Hibiki and Miku realizing they love each other. It's something that's really special.

And I didn't even dive into the meta textual significance behind the name of the song: Metanoia. Which can be a change of heart that expands one's view of the world and themselves.

Also, I'd be remiss not to mention that I've seen Symphogear fans point out that it's an anagram for "Ai no tame" meaning "For the sake of love" in Japanese.

This is one of my favorite endings in fiction, for one of my favorite characters ever, and for one of my favorite series of all time.

I love Symphogear so much! Watch this show!

[witch-craft-works]

Ok so can I rant a bit? You know that pretty cure reviewer AzenZone right? he's been around since 2011 and has done reviews for Kamen rider, Ojamajo Doremi, Symphogear and other shows but he's most known for his reviews on Pretty Cure.

Anyways I used to watch him for a while, I got into his reviews during KiraKira's run as there was no way for me to legally watch the seasons so he was the main channel I turned to for my Pretty Cure content and was a fan for a while. I think I stopped watching his stuff during Tropical Rouge's run as I wasn't a big fan of that season so I stopped watching him and picked up again the following year for Delicious Party and holy shit...that guy is REALLY negative.

Look there's nothing wrong with not liking a particular season my least favorites are Tropical Rouge and Happiness charge, we all have our own options but the more I watched his DP reviews it felt like I was watching a smear campaign for the season especially towards Yui. The guy's hate for her is on the same level as a fruits baskets fans' hate towards Akito and mind you Akito is a literal abuser. The guy legality acts like Yui destroyed his prized Kamen Rider collection.

I kind of realized that this wasn't the first he's acted like this towards a season he gave Kira Kira and Star Twinkle the same treatment during their run time. He treated them like they were the worst seasons to come out of the series and half the time it seems like he doesn't even like pretty cure. He even dropped Wonderful (which is a blessing ngl) only doing shorts because there was no physical combat against the animals and because he doesn't like Iroha and Komugi.

Now there's nothing wrong preferring the Cat-duo over the Dog-duo but he disregards the two and said that "the fact that Yuki was the one that suggested they do a four person role call rather then either one of the dog pair really highlights how much these two have become an after thought" the whole point of Yuki suggesting they do the role call is showing her growth from not wanting to work with the Dog-Duo to her learning how to work with others that aren't Mayu. He just complete dismisses them because he doesn't like them and prefers Yuki and Mayu.

Also I think he's made a few sex jokes about Sora and Mashiro which is gross they're canonically 14 years old. Called Tubasa gay for the way he reacted to a fan letter...the letter was written by a preschooler. And was just weird when it came to Ageha.

But that aside I think his main issue when it comes to Pretty Cure is that if a season doesn't go in the direction he wants it to he calls it a "bad season" and writes it off. At the end of the day Pretty Cure is a show catered to little kids. I'm not saying that just because it's a kids show it has to be dumbed down for them as you can have really great story telling look at Sophia the first, Heartcatch, the Moomins, Craig of the Creek, Gravity Falls and the Curious George movies.

Anyways please don't send hate to the guy, like I said we're all entitled to our own opinions. I just don't agree with his and that's fine

Anyways thanks for coming to my rant. I hope he doesn't cover Princess Orchestra but knowing him he probably will

[heyitsthatweirdo]

I wanna talk about how Symphogear uses cliffhangers and why I think it's really cool most of the time. From the first episode, the show does a good job at getting getting you hooked at whatever conflicts are going on at the moment. I'm watching XV, and at the end of ep 4, after a super hype fight, it ends with the government holding guns on SONGs operatives and issuing Gear users to ease. Now, as a newer fan, i'm incredibly hyped for the next episode.

[tokufan400]

I did it. I have at this point watch all of Symphogear (save for any manga). Really good. Very fun. And now, I go into possible post series depression... @rpking99 @pugsbone

[pureiceblue]

Is allegrezza harmony going to be a horror game now or is it still a mermaid melody fangame

Nope on both ends.

Allegrezza Harmony's current plan is to be an episodic magical girl modern fantasy visual novel with rhythm sections that sticks with a 13+ rating. Even though its in the same universe as I Cannot Drown and Lily's Well, its gonna not be nearly as dark as either of those projects. You also don't need to play them to understand Allegrezza Harmony.

I've also explained the reason it's not a Mermaid Melody fangame anymore before, but it's been a while so I can explain the factors that led to this decision.

I need money. Gonna be transparent on this.

The plot and characterizations were already straying so far away from Mermaid Melody that it just felt right to make it more fully my own thing.

Between Mermaid Melody Aqua and all the new Mermaid Melody merch releases, I do not want to deal with the possibility of a cease and desist.

Now I'm gonna be real, some plot beats are gonna feel a little similar still because of the original roots, but I'm not too worried about those considering that they aren't unique to Mermaid Melody.

One of my favorite things that I did after making the decision to separate from Mermaid Melody was actually inspired by Symphogear where the girls can summon their own unique weapon through song and their own voices help guide them in fights. I have also never actually watched Symphogear outside of those girls punching a mountain and Beef Stroganoff (boys don't know this).

[sg-x00-airgetlam]

I’ve been following you forever and only just realized all the symphogear stuff you have going on I’m love

Ahhhhhh, thank you so much!

Symphogear is my absolute favorite thing, I've watched the entire thing through with like 11 people now, I am so autistic about it.

Also I love your blog, Penny is peak.

[entamewitchlulu]

I think Symphogear ended at a really good spot and they shouldn’t make any more seasons because I like when things have a beginning and an end. HOWEVER. I think there should be One (1) movie. I don’t care what the plot is. But it should be wild, over the top, have a couple of insane scenes to rival the space shuttle suplex, and MOST importantly

There should be a scene, preferably close to the beginning. Hibiki and Miku are out doing something together, at a cafe or something. Then the Conflict starts, and while people are fleeing, Miku briefly grabs Hibiki’s hand before she can run towards the chaos. Hibiki looks back at Miku. At first, you think perhaps that Miku is going to ask Hibiki not to go and fight like she has in previous series conflicts.

But Miku just gives her that soft, loving smile with just a tinge of sadness and exasperation. She whispers something along the lines of “I know you have to. It’s what I love so much about you.” Hibiki smiles really big back at her, squeezing her hand.

Then they kiss. It’s extremely casual, Hibiki just leans in to give Miku the quickest “see you in a minute” peck on the lips, and then runs off to fight. Neither of them overreact to this. It should be Immensely clear to everyone watching that this is not the first time they have kissed, that they got together somewhere off screen and they’re now just an Established Relationship.

The rest of the movie has absolutely nothing to do with their romantic relationship outside of their regular screaming each other’s names thing they like to do in every series. Absolutely nothing else should change EXCEPT maybe Chris teases them for being “lovebirds” exactly once.

This is extremely important to me. I just want it to be SO casual. Just like. Yeah, they’re an item now? Obviously? We don’t need a movie about them getting together or having relationship troubles at all that was what all 5 seasons were for.

[ultraericthered]

Anime Update V3 3

Vinland Saga S2 - Arnheid went to see her husband in captivity. Wrong move. Gardar used her presence there to lure one of the guards to them and then bite out the guy's throat. No shitting, this was probably the most graphic thing I've seen depicted on this show! He convinces Arnheid to cut the ropes binding him so he can kill all the other guards and make his escape. Back at the farm, a talk between Thorfinn and Einar further establishes Thorfinn's desire to never kill or resort to violence in any conflict ever again, and to find some way of sufficiently and significantly atoning for every life he took, like creating a place where "no one needs a sword." Einar sas that such a place must be beyond man's reach, prompting Thorfinn to finally remember it: Vinland. He needs to go find Vinland!

Hunter x Hunter - After Killua ends up not only sparing Ikalgo but saving him, telling him he's cool and that they might've been friends under better conditions, he goes ahead and becomes the target of two aquatic Chimera Ant siblings (with one of them voiced by LittleKuriboh) as they throw fish darts at a special board that project the darts to skewer different parts of Killua's body, and it really seemed like Killua was a goner for a while, even after he turned the tables and decapitated the twins (which they're still alive after, don't worry!), he's at risk of dying until, wouldn't you know it, Ikalgo comes along to save his life! Some good deeds do get rewarded! The other episode I watched focused largely on Gon's sketchy alliance with Meleoron, who claims he wants to kill Meruem for having killed his father figure, and we see Meruem's off playing games with humanity. And I mean literally, he is challenging humans to different human games after learning the rules in record time, beating them, and killing them. And now he's to play Gungi...against a blind girl??? And the current ED credits suggests this goes somewhere pretty big.

SHUFFLE! - Summer is apparently fast approaching in this anime's world, which seems so foreign to me when we're currently in the midst of a cold winter season. The students all study for their final exams and undertake them, with Sia getting some help from Rin. There's also talk of rainy days and memories of when Sia met Rin.

Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works - The grand finale looms ahead, so you know what that means - the Rin/Shirou sex episode!

KonoSuba - This episode just kept changing gears on me, setting itself up to be about Darkness wanting to join Kazuma's party but Kazuma being resistant to her because he can see how masochistic she is and doesn't want another weird girl to put up with, then it centers on Kazuma learning the "Steal" ability from this white haired Yuffie Kisaragi-esque thief girl (and Kazuma can compulsively only swipe panties off from girls because of course he would), and then out of fucking nowhere, flying cabbages start migrating towards the civilization and all warriors are called to fight them so that they can be eaten, complete with casual and silly exposition on this little harvest season from Aqua, and Darkness shielding other knights from the cabbages' blows because she loves getting hit repeatedly. So Kazuma ends up accepting Darkness for a harvest job well done.

Symphogear XV - Episode 2 again does this thing where we're at one point in time but then flash back to what happened to lead up to it, only this time the past timeframe was last episode's present, where at least we're treated to some peak Kirika/Shirabe goodness, and they even manage to get the better of one of their new adversaries. S.O.N.G has taken in the mysterious Annunaki mummy they found in Antarctica, and Fudou is very displeased with his son and his workers as of late. Then Tsubasa and Maria do a joint concert that, as I'd expected, gets attacked by another new enemy and geezus, this psychotic freak actually managed to put Carol to shame in the heinous department, creating several casualties and even butchering an innocent child right in front of Tsubasa. She escapes justice for this and Tsubasa feels like a failure, as though she just lost Kanade all over again. Times are certainly getting bleak!

Eureka Seven - While Holland continues to grapple with his self loathing and how horribly abusive and irresponsible he'd been with Renton, the moment of dread comes when Renton opening up to his new dad Charles and outing himself as Adroc Thurston's child gets Charles to start prying more about the Nirvash and how things were like with Gekko State, and luring Renton right into a military sky assault where he comes clean about him and Ray being mercenaries for the Federation out to destroy Gekko State, and Renton's absolute devastation is itself devastating to watch. He seemed so close to a healthy home environment and a real family he could live peacefully with only to have the illusion broken, which conveys to him that no matter where he goes, warfare and his prior involvement in it will always follow him. Hence the episode's title being "Paradise Lost." Ray and Charles, to their credit, still love Renton like their own child and give him the choice whether or not to leave them. And he does.

Gintama - None this week.

[cutepresea]

You know when this person said "the fans" I didn't think they'd go on a tangent about the "watch symphogear" memes, frankly I think it's a funny trademark by now. I thought they were about to rant about 3/4 of the fandom being weird about the -18 girls or even glorifying some of the nasty stuff displayed on screen (Fine/Chris, etc...). I love Symphogear but recommending it has been kind of hard because of the fandom. I know the show's itself has these issues rooted in it but still

It's so funny because the "Watch Symphogear" thing is like...one of the least problematic things I have ever come across and it's not like fans of other series don't also...tell people to read/watch/play their thing? 😂

Meanwhile there are like...downright homophobic Symphogear fans out there. I don't know how, but there are.

[xbuster]

started watching futari wa precure because of you. wanted to watch it for a really long time (was occupied with other media) but the gifs and screencaps you posted really gave me the push!

I'm really glad whenever someone says they started watching Futari wa Precure because of me because I think it's pretty important to understanding why my blog is what it is now. Futari wa changed this blog in many ways. I wasn't really much of a gif maker yet, I would sometimes post screencaps from stuff I was watching, rarely videos, and very rarely gifs. And that was usually only for a couple series I was watching, not nearly everything I was watching. Most notably Macross, Tsurezure Children, Zombieland Saga, Idolmaster, and Symphogear. And I went into Futari wa with the same mindset, not even tagging Nagisa and Honoka, just the series, because I didn't I would end up caring to search for them on my blog. Now 4 of my top 5 tags are Precure-related (one being the tag I use for the entire franchise, another for just Futari wa and the other two being for Nagisa and Honoka). It even changed what kinds of anime I watch and how I watch them (like I used to binge at least four episodes of one anime a day but now I usually just watch one a day so I can take my time with them). It was so formative that I sometimes go back to Futari wa episodes just to make even more gifs. I only first saw it two and a half years ago, but it has become a very special anime to me. I wouldn't be making these Cutie Honey gifs right now if it weren't for that anime.

[sapphism-and-nihilism]

I also got back into watching some anime recently; been enjoying some pretty good ones; I've already watched through all of Symphogear after promising myself+friends that I'd watch it FOR YEARS, and then I got through what's currently available of Zombieland Saga & had an absolute hoot with that, and now I'm currently taking my time going through Mob Psycho; if anyone'd like to recommend more series to me you think I might vibe with, feel free to drop suggestions!

[tumblezwei]

Have not seen Symphogear, but I can vouch for starting with Revue Starlight (speaking as a theater gay). Also while it is only one season I also heard there's a movie? I haven't checked it out yet so IDK where it ties in.

I am now officially closing the poll!

So sorry to Symph but RS won by a 3 point landslide. But don't worry, I'll put you at the very top of my "anime I said I was going to watch and won't for months" list

[rukimakino-heirofheart]

Question number U

U - 5 favorite characters from 5 different fandoms

Type-Moon: I'm going to be honest here I gotta go with Ritsuka Fujimaru. Love my allegedly-normal allegedly-human who is definitely not surviving the lostbelts <3

Homestuck: Completely unsurprisingly I am a huge Davepeta enjoyer. Transing your gender and becoming catgirl as a metaphor for the answer arcs' overarching thread of overcoming creative burnout just speaks to me.

Len'en: My attempt at doing a proper read of the story in order was unfortunately stalled by me sucking ass at EE Tsuba route (stage 4 is brutal with a Marisa-type shot), but I really enjoyed Chouki's boss fight when I played BPoHC.

Symphogear: After rewatching XV I feel it would be dishonest not to nominate Carol. The whole cast is great of course, but I have the most blorbo feelings about the Carol-Elfnein system.

Puella Magi Series: Kosane Kiriha is the most immediately compelling perspective character the franchise has ever had, and her apathetic narration lends Null a unique tone. I watch her character tag like a hawk so I can read every fic she's in (right now there are only four and they're all by the same author).

[peiipain]

[animebw]

If there’s one thing Nanoha A’s makes clear, it’s that this show is to early 2000s anime as Symphogear is to 2010s anime. They’re not so much stories as they are melting pots for the ecosystem they were born into and helped shape, combining and remixing the foundations of their particular eras of anime into a big pulsating love letter for everything that makes this medium special. Hell, with all the similarities between them, you could argue that Symphogear is basically just a Nanoha remake modernized for anime’s current landscape. Same building blocks, different configuration. And it’s fun to think of these two shows in that way, as complimentary landmarks for their respective generations, both inspired by and further inspiring the ecosystem they pay tribute to.

There’s just one tiny little problem.

And that problem is that I really, really, really am not a fan of early 2000s anime.

Look, modern anime has plenty of issues, there’s no denying that. But the era of anime that Nanoha basically defines- that awkward five-year stretch from 2001 to 2005- has consistently been the most impenetrable era of this medium for me. I hate the aesthetics, I bounce off the common tropes, I struggle to connect with the vibes, and I just don’t like almost any of the stories. There are so few anime from Nanoha’s era that I like, and most of them are clear exceptions to what most shows were like. This show is a celebration of a creative millieu that I barely even tolerate at the best of times. That alone would be a nigh-insurmountable stumbling block, even if the show in question did turn out really good.

But that leads an even bigger problem, something that might as well have spelled Nanoha’s death knell before I watched a single episode. Because now, we also have to remember that Symphogear exists. Nanoha’s spiritual successor, a show that basically hits all the same beats and fulfills all the same points of interest on a conceptual level. A show I could watch and pretty much get exactly the same kind of experience as if I watched Nanoha. A show so thoroughly dedicated to copying its predecessor that it can easily work as a full-on replacement.

Or, in simpler terms: there is very little I can get out of watching Nanoha that I can’t also get out of watching Symphogear.

And if you’re competing against Symphogear for my attention?

Then sister, you are going to lose.

Yes, it probably doesn’t help that A’s is a substantially weaker installment than Nanoha’s first season. Nanoha and Fate are reduced to side characters in their own story. Without Shinbou in the director’s chair, the visual style is so much less interesting. The final battle is a bloated letdown that barely even focuses on the emotional bonds the season had been building up between Hayate and her knights. But even if A’s had been as good or better than the first season, it would still inevitably face being compared to one of my single favorite anime of all time. Symphogear, for all its faults, is a show that continues to dominate my mind and heart like few pieces of fiction even come close to. And Nanoha’s fighting to take up that exact same place in my subconscious, except it’s trying to do so with the style that speaks to me the least out of anything I’ve seen in anime. You might as well try to storm the gates of Mordor with a dozen untrained farmers and an incontinent mountain goat.

The fact of the matter is, some things are left behind by the passage of time. Ideas get iterated on, improved, and refined to such an extent that their old versions no longer have any real use outside of historical interest. And watching Nanoha A’s felt like pointlessly trying to use a rotary phone when I have a portable Samsung Galaxy tucked right into my pocket. Why do I need to put up with these outdated early 2000s aesthetics when I can pop on Symphogear and watch some of the most gloriously bonkers action ever put to the silver screen? What’s the point of a story that shoves its ostensible protagonists to the side when Symphogear can give me a similar story that always puts Hibiki front and center? As interesting as these sympathetic villains are, are they really more compelling than Kirika, or Shirabe, or Elfnein, or Noble Red?

And look, I like NanoFate a lot. I’m having a lot of fun with their developing relationship.

But look what I’m forced to fucking compare them to.

Yeah, suffice to say, this match was over before it even began.

Now, does that mean I’m going to stop watching Nanoha? Hell no. In fact, I may be more excited for Strikers than anything else up until this point. Because Strikers has the potential to actually deliver something that Symphogear didn’t: grown-up yuri relationships. We never got to see Hibiki and Miku grow old together, but I know that Strikers is going to focus on Nanoha and Fate living their adult lives together and even adopting a kid. That, for once, is something that I won’t be able to compare to Symphogear. That’s something that only Nanoha is capable of giving me. And if seeing that play out is worth it? Then this franchise may not be doomed to antique status just yet.

But that’s gonna be a bit. For now, I’m gonna get back to Kaiji and finish that up, and I’ll be back for Strikers when that’s done. In the meantime, I’m unfortunately gonna have to give A’s a score of 4/10. I didn’t dislike it, but so much of it felt like a first draft in need of tighter pacing and greater focus. Hopefully Strikers will be the moment this franchise truly earns its keep. See you then!