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「バルベルデ地獄変」 (Baruberude Jigokuhen/i>)
“Val Verde Hell Screen”
Just like that, Symphogear returns for its fourth go around in AXZ (read as “Axis”), and they don’t ever waste any time getting into the action with this show do they? This season’s first episode doesn’t quite match up to the last per se—there ain’t no mountains being chopped up this this time—but the scope and size of the chaos remains the same, and we got Ogawa in the house doing his ninja thing too. Long story short, it’s the same series we’ve gotten to love over the past few seasons, with even more over the top action and a new focus on a shady group called the Pavarian Illuminati.
As it turns out, there’s an Illuminati in this world too, and they’ve been bankrolling everything from behind the scenes the entire time. From the Frontier Incident to the Alchemists, they’ve apparently been sneaking around the backdrop throughout the past few years, and now they’re parading around as new age arms dealers by proliferating alchemic shards capable of summoning Alca Noise to various regimes. Thankfully we got our international intervention squad to take care of things, and the gang gets together pretty quickly to take out everything from tanks to chemical weapons facilities. Along the way we get a brand new selection of special moves and abilities we haven’t seen yet, and it’s only fitting that a huge flying battleship comes down just in time to serve as cannon fodder a convenient target to show them off with.
We all know this show’s all about putting music together with the action though, so we get a few new themes to start things off as well, and gosh darn—it is always amazing hearing Mizuki Nana just going through things with her trademark vocals. Interestingly enough, none of the themes this time around are singular in the sense that everyone’s doing their own thing, and it was certainly nice change of pace having all three of our original cast members singing the same song as a trio rather than coming in with three separate songs going on at the same time. I suspect it’ll change to the latter at some point—where are the character CD sales supposed to come from!?—but if anything, it’s a good reflection of the comradery they’ve built up over the past few seasons, and they work so flawlessly together it’s as if we never really had a break between seasons at all. Though, I guess if you consider it’s “only” been two years and there’s a fifth season already in the works, it really hasn’t been that long compared to other shows has it?
Ultimately, there’s really not much else to say here. Symphogear’s hasn’t exactly been a series shy about going all guns blazing in regards to what kind of show it is, and it’s only gotten better since Ono Katsumi took over directorial duties starting with the franchise’s second season. The action’s risen to another level since, they’ve added even more themes to match the ever expanding cast, they’re unapologetically over the top in everything they do now, and in many ways the story line’s even improved to make at least some sort of coherent sense. Needless to say, this’ll be a great watch for fans that’ve been watching for a while, and as for the rest—well, it certainly isn’t too late to get started (with the first season of course). This is one of those shows made purely for entertainment purposes (and possibly to appease Mizuki Nana, who’s stated her desire to continue the series) and it ain’t everyday that we get a series that just goes about its own thing in such an unabashed fashion.
Here’s to a good season of Elements Garden backed, musical ass-kicking.
Author’s Note: As of this moment, Symphogear AXZ is not planned for weekly coverage. I’d take it myself, but I’m trying to balance real life work and watching enough shows to do the end of the year post, so unfortunately I won’t have the time to do so at this
ED Sequence
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ED: 「旋律ソロリティ」 (Senritsu Sororiti) by 日笠陽子×南條愛乃×茅野愛衣 (Higaski Yoko x Yoshino Nanjou x Kayano Ai)
Jumping from missile to missile always reminds me of that stage from Contra 3.
or more older… in an anime
Project A-Ko
sometimes it comes in handy to grow old and can remember most of the anime names i watched
I know its an imaginary warlord of an imaginary country, but i dont think WWII tanks like the Panther and the Brummbär are of much threat even if they had modernized features like autoloaders.
He had to save money somewhere in order to buy all that heretic technology he’s throwing at the girls. Alca Noise and flying fortresses don’t come cheap, you know. 😛
He might have bought them at some Tankery/Senshado auction. 😛
They are easy to maintain, because very little “high tech” electronic
Electronics yes. But German WWII tanks are notorious for breaking down especially the transmission and engine, german tank’s transmission generally has no easy way in to fix due to the focus on armor design. Other things such as overdesign or lack of insight for easy repairs mean that replacing a wheel would take much longer often needing to take off more than one or two surrounding wheels to get to the broken wheel compared to many Allied tanks.
I can’t remember where i got this information, but i recall the last surviving Tiger tank is still a nightmare to do maintenance.
I’d be happy if they are going back to more of a S2 storytelling style. You don’t need the entire show focusing on one very simplistic theme (although can argue there was an unifying theme for S2). Be nice if they could have the story flow a bit more smoothly with everyone having their own thing going on that comes together with time.
While it means much trauma, I do appreciate the focus in the first episode on Chris. She easily has the most traumatic background. Which is impressive considering she has to top the S3 reveals for Tsubasa…
In the end just one heck of a fun first episode. Didn’t think they could easily top the opening for last season, but they did it. That was incredibly fun.
I just realized….there was no concert in the first episode!!! I kind of miss those…
I just also realized, 4 seasons in and we still don’t really have any form of backstory for Ogawa and the other tech crew. I’m kind of hoping that we get at least episode centered around them. idk, maybe even through in a random song number from them.
https://randomc.net/image/Senki%20Zesshou%20Symphogear/Senki%20Zesshou%20Symphogear%20AXZ%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2015.jpg
Who else lost it at this? XD
nice!
but…
Show Spoiler ▼
In RL NONE of this show would work. Rule of Cool is in full effect for this series.
whenever i see this series, it always makes me long for MAI OTOME instead.