Symphogear

Plot

Two idols, Tsubasa Kazanari and Kanade Amō, collectively known as ZweiWing, battle against an alien race known as Noise using armor known as Symphogear, which uses the power of music to counteract the Noise's destructive capability. However, Kanade ends up sacrificing herself to protect a girl named Hibiki Tachibana, who ends up with a piece of Kanade's Symphogear relic, Gungnir, embedded in her chest. Two years later, Hibiki ends up awakening the power of the Gungnir relic inside her body, gaining the same Symphogear armor that Kanade had. Using the power of song, Hibiki and her fellow Symphogear wielders must fight to protect the innocent and defeat those who would use the Noise for evil.

Main characters

Hibiki Tachibana (立花 響, Tachibana Hibiki)

Voiced by: Aoi YūkiA cheerful, rather childish schoolgirl who attends the same school as Tsubasa. Two years ago while attending a ZweiWing concert, she was nearly killed by the Noise, barely surviving thanks to the sacrifice of Kanade, who taught her never to accept death. During the first episode, when she becomes cornered by the Noise, she sings the same song she heard Kanade sing and ended up gaining Symphogear powers due a fragment of Kanade's armor that entered her body that day. Her Symphogear is third relic Gungnir (ガングニール, Gangunīru), which belonged to Kanade. However since it is only a fragment, she originally possesses less armor compared to the original, though the armor itself is capable of transforming in the same manner as an Armed Gear to a limited degree. She compensates for this by specializing in powerful martial arts, using short bursts of energy and pistons to power her punches or launch herself great distances. Whenever she becomes really angry, she sometimes enters a state of frenzy. She is seen capable of using Durandal, and uses it in the final battle against Finé with the help of her friends. She was thought to be dead after destroying a large section of the moon to save Earth, along with Tsubasa and Chris, but she actually survived, along with the others. Her Armed Gear is pile-bunkers]. Her theme color is orange. In the second season, it is shown that the Gungnir relic is spreading through her body, growing more with every transformation, which gives her increasingly explosive power but will eventually lead to Gungnir bursting out from inside her body and killing her. She manages to cure this thanks to the laser from Miku's gear removing hers, completely cleanse her body of Gungnir fragment thus fully disabling her transformation. In the final battle at the Frontier she manages to revive her symphogear by using energy from Maria's Gungnir.

Tsubasa Kazanari (風鳴 翼, Kazanari Tsubasa)

Voiced by: Nana MizukiA girl who has the power to use Symphogear armor, which uses music to fight off against aliens known as Noise. She was formally a part of a duo known as ZweiWing (lit. Two Wings, from German: zwei - two), but her partner, Kanade, sacrificed herself fighting the Noise and she has since been fighting the Noise alone. After the death of her partner Kanade, to whom she is rather attached with after witnessing Kanade's urge to fight the noise, Tsubasa became quiet, cold and aloof. She is very reluctant to work with Hibiki, refusing to accept her as Kanade's replacement, but she and Hibiki eventually get to be good friends. Her Symphogear is the first relic Ame no Habakiri (天羽々斬) (Totsuka-no-Tsurugi) and her Armed Gear is a Ame no Habakiri which is a katana. She is also a rather popular pop idol, though she refuses to sing in concerts or accept proposals to release her songs internationally, viewing herself only as a weapon that sings only to fight. However, after "talking" to Kanade after singing her Superb Song, Tsubasa starts to open up to Hibiki, and even sings in the place where Kanade was killed, and later, accepting a contract overseas. She dies in the explosion of Kadingir, when she destroys it, but was revived with the Symphogear. She was thought to be dead once again after destroying a large section of the moon to save Earth, along with Hibiki and Chris, but she actually survived, along with the others. Her weapon is a katana, and her theme color is blue. Officially she is granddaughter and the first heir of Fudō Kazanari, the current head of Kazanary familily, daughter of Yatsuhiro Kazanari, a high-ranking national security official, and niece of Genjūrō Kazanari, leader of the 2nd Division Mobile Disaster Response Corps. Biologically she is daughter of Fudō Kazanari and so younger half-sister of Yatsuhiro and Genjūrō Kazanari.

Chris Yukine (雪音 クリス, Yukine Kurisu)

Voiced by: Ayahi TakagakiA mysterious girl who wields the Nehushtan Armor (ネフシュタンの鎧, Nefushutan no Yoroi) and has the ability to summon and command Noise at will through the use of a relic called "Solomon's Cane". She also possesses the Symphogear, the second relic Ichaival (イチイバル, Ichiibaru), but refuses to use it because of her hatred of singing. Chris works under Finé in order to fulfill her wish of stopping wars by killing all those with the power and will to fight. This is because, eight years prior, Chris' parents took Chris with them to South America to use music performances to help the refugees of a civil war, but they were killed in a terrorist attack, and Chris herself was kidnapped and sold into sex trafficking. Two years before the series, she was rescued by the UN and returned to Japan; Genjūrō was arranged to be her legal guardian, but Chris was instead kidnapped by Finé to be used as a tool for her plans. However, Finé ends up abandoning Chris when she does not live up to her expectations. Chris then sides with Hibiki and Tsubasa against Finé. Chris dies while trying to protect the moon from Finé's Kadingir, fulfilling her parents' dream of bringing peace to the world with her song, but Chris is later revived by the song of the Lydian students. Chris is thought to be dead once again after destroying a large section of the moon to save Earth, along with Tsubasa and Hibiki, but she manages to survive. Afterwards, Chris officially joins the 2nd Division Mobile Disaster Response Corps. Her weapon is a bullet and missile shooter, and her theme color is red.

Miku Kohinata (小日向 未来, Kohinata Miku)

Voiced by: Yuka IguchiHibiki's best friend, who shares a dorm with her and has a crush on Hibiki. After a Noise attack, she figures out about Hibiki's secret, where they have a little trouble in their friendship, but Miku eventually joins the 2nd Division Mobile Disaster Response Corps to help Hibiki. In the second season, she is coerced by Dr. Ver into becoming the user of the relic Shénshòujìng (神獣鏡, shenshōjin, lit. "Deity and Beast Mirror"), with her Armed Gear being several reflective mirrors she can use to fire lasers that can negate the effects of relics. She is freed from it after Hibiki puts her in the path of her own negating laser.

Kanade Amō (天羽 奏, Amō Kanade)

Voiced by: Minami TakayamaTsubasa's former partner who fought alongside her. Five years ago, when her family was killed in a Noise attack, she was given harsh medical treatment to make her body compatible with the Gungnir relic, to which she consented to, hoping to avenge them. She had since performed alongside Tsubasa, growing an appreciation for letting others hear her songs and forming the vocal duo, Zwei Wing. Two years ago, she sacrificed herself to protect Hibiki during a Noise attack, singing her superb song which destroyed them and herself. During the attack, a piece of her armor was implanted in Hibiki's body, allowing her to use the same powers. She continues to support Tsubasa in her times of need through her spirit and Tsubasa's dreams. Her Symphogear is the third relic Gungnir which is the same as Hibiki's, but has more armor and an Armed Gear which is a lance.

Maria Cadenzavna Eve (マリア・カデンツァヴナ・イヴ, Maria Kadentsavuna Ivu)

Voiced by: Yōko HikasaAn energetic singer who reached the top of the American music charts about 2 months after her debut. Although it has a mysterious quality, her vigorous singing voice has crossed over international borders and garnered a large number of wild and enthusiastic fans throughout the world. To bring forth justice, she has risen as an enemy against all of humanity, clad in a Gungnir Symphogear that is outside of the Japanese government’s control. Her weapon is a second Gungnir, with a spear similar in form to Kanade's but with different features including a powerful cannon mode, and her theme color is black. Maria initially claims to be the newest reincarnation of Finé, but this is eventually revealed to be a ruse. Like Kanade, Maria is reliant on LiNKER to maintain synchronization with her Symphogear, giving her a time limit in battle and causing her superb song to be potentially fatal. In GX she briefly uses Hibiki's Gungnir to protect her friends from the Alca-Noise, and later thanks to Elfnein she starts using Serena's relic Airgetlam. Her new weapon takes the form of a whip-sword that can be used in many different ways.

Shirabe Tsukuyomi (月読 調, Tsukuyomi Shirabe)

Voiced by: Yoshino NanjōOne of the mysterious Symphogear users who coordinates with Maria’s team. Although she appears docile on the outside, she is actually a bold tactician that has frequently used any means necessary to meet her goals. She harbors strong feelings of distrust against Hibiki, who has been named a hero after saving the Earth from a moon fragment, and she will constantly belittle Hibiki’s actions by calling her a "hypocrite". Later in the battle between her and Kirika, it is revealed that she is the true host of the reincarnated Finé. Her Symphogear Shul Shagana are disc blades stored in several parts of her body, and her theme color is pink.

Kirika Akatsuki (暁 切歌, Akatsuki Kirika)

Voiced by: Ai KayanoKirika is another one of the mysterious Symphogear users. Although she has a very straightforward cheerful and cooperative personality, she harbors a shadowy past as one of the "Receptor Children" who was treated as an observation subject at a certain research facility along with Maria, Serena, Shirabe and others. The bonds between Kirika and her friends are so strong that she feels no fear from fighting against the entire world. Thought to be the true host of the reincarnated Finé when she suddenly uses Finé's powers to protect herself and Shirabe from falling debris, it is later revealed in the battle between her and Shirabe, that Shirabe is the actual host. She reveals in GX that she is in love with Shirabe. Her Symphogear Igalima is a scythe.

2nd Division Mobile Disaster Response Corps

Genjūrō Kazanari (風鳴 弦十郎, Kazanari Genjūrō)

Voiced by: Hideo IshikawaLeader of the 2nd Division Mobile Disaster Response Corps. He is also Tsubasa's uncle (officially), her older half-brother (biologically), and a fan of action movies. His physical strength is strong enough to deflect Tsubasa's Symphogear and her Arms Gear alone. After the first attack by Chris, he becomes Hibiki's teacher in martial arts at her request. After his encounter with Chris, he vowed to save her for failing to rescue her after Finé kidnapped her two years before the series. Genjūrō and Chris make up and she willingly cooperates with Tsubasa and Hibiki under Genjūrō's supervision only. He starts to get suspicious of Ryōko's activities.

Ryōko Sakurai (櫻井 了子, Sakurai Ryōko)

Voiced by: Miyuki SawashiroHead Scientist of the Mobile Disaster Response Corps and creator of the Symphogear. She has the ability to form powerful force-fields. She tends to sexually harass Hibiki and shows inappropriate interest in her. Her loyalties are somehow questionable, as she concerns herself more over the Symphogears and related relic experiments. Ryōko is revealed to be the main antagonist, Finé, who had possessed Ryōko's body long ago to use the power of Kadingir (Sumerian name of Babylon) to destroy the moon and bring about chaos on Earth.

Shinji Ogawa (緒川 慎次, Ogawa Shinji)

Voiced by: Sōichirō HoshiOne of the agents of the Mobile Disaster Response Corps and Tsubasa's businessman during her shows.

Aoi Tomosato (友里 あおい, Tomosato Aoi)

Voiced by: Asami SetoShe works in Mobile Disaster Response Corps and is always in the underground part of the school.

Sakuya Fujitaka (藤尭 朔也, Fujitaka Sakuya)

Voiced by: Kenji AkabaneHe works in Mobile Disaster Response Corps and is always in the underground part of the school.

Elfnein (エルフナイン, Erufunein)

Voiced by: Misaki KunoA girl from the world of alchemy who bears a resemblance to Carol. She comes before the other Symphogear users to provide them with a means of combating the Alca-Noise.

Others

Yumi Itaba (板場 弓美, Itaba Yumi)

Voiced by: Chinatsu AkasakiHibiki and Miku's classmate and friend. An anime-lover, a running gag involves her proclaiming that "This isn't an anime".

Kuriyo Andō (安藤 創世, Andō Kuriyo)

Voiced by: Mikako KomatsuAnother one of Hibiki and Miku's classmates and friends. Calls Hibiki and Miku by the nicknames Bikki and Hina, respectively.

Shiori Terashima (寺島 詩織, Terashima Shiori)

Voiced by: Nao TōyamaAnother one of Hibiki and Miku's classmates and friends. Calls her friends by last name.

Masahito Shibata (斯波田 賢仁, Shibata Masahito)

Voiced by: Hidekatsu ShibataThe Vice President of Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is often caught up in dealing with the complexities of current world affairs, but his main duty is to protect the Japanese government’s national interest and the black art crystallized technology of the Symphogear system. Although he is often seen as having a rude personality, he is the only man that understands Genjūrō, and is generally a person who cooperates with the Special Disaster Response Team’s operations.

Serena Cadenzavna Eve (セレナ・カデンツァヴナ・イヴ, Serena Kadentsavuna Ivu)

Voiced by: Yui HorieMaria’s younger sister who successfully became a Symphogear user and displays unparalleled talent. With her calm and gentle personality, she feels hesitant to use her gear’s power for the purpose of fighting. Her tender singing voice soothes Maria’s soul, and her smile has become the very foundation of Maria’s determination. Five years ago, she sacrificed herself by singing her superb song to seal the Nephilim that was rampaging to protect Maria, Nastassja and the other Scientists.

Professor Nastassja (ナスターシャ教授, Nasutāsha-kyouju)

Voiced by: Kikuko InoueA heretical engineer who supports the operations of Maria’s team. After the events of the "lunar attack", one segment of information regarding the sacred relics was released to the public, however the knowledge that Nastassja holds is far greater than that. Although she looks upon Maria’s team with kind eyes, in order to help them achieve their difficult mission she intentionally treats them very strictly. She uses a wheelchair. Her full name is Nastassja Sergeyevna Tolstaya.

Antagonists

Finé (フィーネ, Fīne)

Voiced by: Miyuki SawashiroA mysterious woman responsible for Chris' attacks on the Second Division to kidnap Hibiki in order to experiment on her fusion with Gungnir. Finé works with the American government to secure the relics and funding needed for her goals, and was the one who caused the Zwei Wing concert tragedy and stole the Nehushtan Armor two years prior to the series. Finé is convinced that only pain can unite human hearts, and uses this as a reason for whenever she sexually tortures Chris for punishment or entertainment. After Chris fails to live up to her expectations, Finé abandons her and takes the Nehushtan Armor for her own use. Finé's ultimate goal is to use the ion particle cannon, Kadingir, to destroy the moon, freeing humanity of the Curse of Balal, while also causing chaos via gravitational disturbances so that humanity will bow down in fear to her.Finé is an ancient priestess who had served God and in time came to love Him, though the true nature of this love is ambiguous. She built the Tower of Babel in an attempt to reach Him, but her efforts were confounded when He threw down the tower and inflicted the Curse of Balal upon humanity. Undeterred, Finé sealed her soul in her genes so that her consciousness would awaken whenever one of her descendants would be exposed to the Aufwachen (awakening in German) wavelength given off by the relics. Due to this reason, she is essentially immortal, capable of resurrection so as long her DNA is passed down. Finé claims she was responsible for the paradigm shifts that had changed humanity throughout history, working through the bodies of her descendants. Finé's name is Italian for "the end".After Ryōko's body is destroyed at the end of season one, Finé's consciousness goes to Shirabe, but when Shirabe takes the hit when Kirika meant to commit suicide, Finé takes the blow instead and her soul dies protecting Shirabe.

Dr. Ver (ウェル博士, Weru-hakase)

Voiced by: Tomokazu SugitaA researcher who was transferred from the USA’s sacred relic research institution and works together with the Special Disaster Response Team Division 2 to analyze the Sakurai Theory, though this was quickly revealed as a ruse to secure Solomon's Cane. As an expert on biochemistry, he has demonstrated an aptitude for research involving the bonding of living organisms to sacred relics. Deeply ambitious, Ver is fascinated with the Symphogears and their users, and developed a more advanced form of the LiNKER drug that allows sync ratios to be raised by force along with a counteragent. He is also visibly insane, prone to sudden and extreme outbursts of emotion despite his normally calm demeanor. It's later revealed that he planned to make the moon crash to Earth so he can repopulate humanity himself. After the destruction of the Nephilim, he's imprisoned despite his desire of dying a hero. In GX is revealed he was imprisoned in the Undersea Dragon Palace because of the merging of his left arm with the Nephilim cells and saved Carol before she was defeated. He helps Carol power up the Chateau de Tiffauges, and she stabs him once his purpose is fulfilled. He helps Maria, Shirabe and Kirika deactivate the Chateau and ends up sacrificing himself to protect them from the destruction of the castle.

Carol Malus Dienheim (キャロル・マールス・ディーンハイム, Kyaroru Mārusu Dīnhaimu)

Voiced by: Inori MinaseA girl from a world of alchemy who seeks to destroy the world in order to avenge the death of her father. She is focused on destroying all the miracles in the world, particularly Hibiki. She has access to her own relic and can obtain an adult form in combat by sacrificing all her memories. After being defeated by Hibiki, Chris, and Tsubasa, she commits suicide in order to avoid being captured. It is later revealed that she has been resurrected following the destruction of Galie and Micha and that she has a connection to Elfnein, which allows her to use her senses. She planned for the destruction of the Autoscorers using the IGNITE modes to power up the Chateau de Tiffauges and by disturbing the Ley Lines, she intended to use the Chateau to destroy the world and obtain all its knowledge. When Elfnein said that her father didn't wanted her to destroy the world, she admits that she's right, but also that she's too resentful toward the world to stop. When the Chateau de Tiffauges is destroyed, she refuses to surrender and uses all her memories to create a giant mechanical lion to fight the heroines, only to be defeated when Hibiki combines the power of all their Relics. She survived the battle but at the cost of her memories. After reconciling with the dying Elfnein, Carol and Elfnein merge into a single being so both can live at the same time.

Phara Suyuf (ファラ・スユーフ, Fara Suyūfu)

Voiced by: Masumi TazawaOne of the four Autoscorers Carol has under her command. Phara has incredible flexibility and wields a pair of swords. She is destroyed by Tsubasa using her Ignite mode.

Leiur Darahim (レイア・ダラーヒム, Reia Darāhimu)

Voiced by: Shizuka IshigamiAn Autoscorer who uses coins to perform high speed projectile attacks. She also has the ability to generate a massive shadow self that can be used to attack. Her elemental affiliation is with Earth. She is destroyed by Chris using her Ignite mode.

Galie Tuman (ガリィ・トゥーマーン, Garyi Tūmān)

Voiced by: Michiyo MuraseAn Autoscorer who can manipulate water to create illusions or form ice attacks. She is destroyed by Maria using her Ignite mode.

Micha Jawkan (ミカ・ジャウカーン, Mika Jaukān)

Voiced by: Shiori IzawaA combat-type Autoscorer who has a violent personality, possessing claws and rocket-powered hair. She is destroyed by Shirabe and Kirika in a combined attack with both of them using their Ignite modes.

Manga

A manga accompaniment to the series, illustrated by Dan Yoshii, was serialized in Kadokawa Shoten's NewType Ace magazine between November 2011 and April 2013.

Anime

The anime, produced by Satelight and Encourage Films, began airing in Japan on Tokyo MX between January 6, 2012 and March 30, 2012. Funimation Entertainment licensed the series for North America and simulcast the series on Nico Nico. On September 5, 2012, Thomas Romain, an animator on the series, wrote on Twitter "for the ones who liked Symphogear, there will be good news soon!", later revealing on October 6, 2012 that production on a second season has begun. The second season, titled Senki Zesshō Symphogear G, aired between July 4, 2013 and September 26, 2013. A third season, titled Senki Zessho Symphogear GX, aired in Japan between July 3, 2015 and September 25, 2015 and was simulcast by Crunchyroll. Crunchyroll also began streaming the first season from September 2, 2015, followed by Symphogear G on September 18, 2015. A fourth and fifth season were announced on February 28, 2016, at the Symphogear Live 2016 event in Japan, and are currently in production. The fourth season, titled Symphogear AXZ (pronounced "axis"), will begin airing in July 2017.

Music

Opening themes

"Synchrogazer" by Nana Mizuki (Season 1) (Ending Ep. 12) (Insert Ep. 13)"Vitalization" by Nana Mizuki and Daisuke Kikuta (Season 2) (Ending Ep. 12) (Insert Ep. 13)"Exterminate" by Nana Mizuki (Season 3) (Insert Ep. 13)

Ending themes

"Meteor Light" by Ayahi Takagaki (Season 1) (Opening Ep. 12)"Next Destination" by Ayahi Takagaki (Season 2) (Opening Ep. 12)"Rebirth-day" by Ayahi Takagaki (Season 3) (Opening Ep. 12)"Itsuka no Niji, Hana no Omoide" (いつかの虹、花の想い出, "A Rainbow from Someday, a Flower of Memories") by Aoi Yūki and Yuka Iguchi (Season 3 bonus episodes)

Video game

Characters from Symphogear appear in Super Heroine Chronicle, a role-playing game developed by Namco Bandai Games for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita and released in Japan on February 6, 2014.

A smartphone game, Senki Zesshō Symphogear XD Unlimited, will be released by Bushiroad in 2017.