Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. You all ready for some goddamn Symphogear? When last we left off, Hibiki had just consumed all of the energy Adam and Tiki were using to essentially summon a god, which has apparently harmonized somehow with her Gungnir’s god-defeating energy, and now left her inside some kind of massive supernatural chrysalis.
That all sounds pretty bad, but really, that’s about par for the course for Hibiki – she was having her hand bitten off and going berserk around this time season one, and watching the fabric of reality itself get torn asunder in season three. As in those seasons, I’m presuming that Hibiki’s unwilling crystallization means it’s about time for her friends to step in, and either rescue her from her prison, or fight Nega-Hibiki and return her to her former self. Either way, I’m sure that plenty of songs, fists, and passionate speeches await us, as we surge towards the climax of Symphogear AXZ!
Episode 12
This episode is actually titled “AXZ,” which I’m hoping that, in classic Symphogear fashion, the show never explains in any way whatsoever
Aw shit, you know it’s a serious episode when we skip the OP, and just layer the credits over the cold open!
“The power of the gods should only be able to dwell within a pure soul!” Well then Adam, you picked the wrong fucking fighting force to go up against
Hibiki is apparently so fluffy and good that she has counterbalanced the weight of original sin
Nice layered composition here as Adam disappears, and then we pan up from Saint-Germain to Hibiki’s cocoon
Oh my god, don’t pan over Hibiki’s birthday decorations in a darkened room, you’re killing me here
It’s apparently been two days since Hibiki was absorbed, bringing to mind Evangelion’s take on this concept
Tsubasa’s father is doing his best to maintain S.O.N.G.’s control over this operation, but with a US military satellite having been destroyed, pressure for international intervention is intensifying. It still feels a little odd for this show to suddenly discover the concept of geopolitics four seasons in, but it’s handling this new framework remarkably well. Through the perspectives of Tsubasa’s father and grandfather, we’re able to clearly understand not just the contrast between national sovereignty and international collaboration, but also the more nuanced differences between responsible self-governance and belligerent nationalism. Those contrasts can then be neatly fitted to Symphogear’s existing thematic focus on trust and collaboration – and because these are Tsubasa’s relatives, there’s even an emotionally charged, personal dimension to their conflict. Really effective stuff, that altogether demonstrates greater care of construction than you might expect from Symphogear’s bombastic style and seasonal villains
“Who would’ve thought we’d been in the same situation Valverde was mere weeks ago.” A line that feels even sharper than intended – the United States may have allies, but even they cannot trust that we might one day decide self-governance is too much, and they must become vassal states of the US imperial project. For any fellow Americans out there, the more non-American media you consume, the more you understand what a terrifying shadow America casts on the global stage
Of course, they bring in Miku to tell her girlfriend to Get Out Of That Cocoon This Instant
“LiNKER and Anti-LiNKER are two sides of the same coin.” I love this show
Aw heck yeah, Saint Germaine joins the party
Tsubasa’s grandfather pops up, saying he’s designated Hibiki as a relic-based disaster, and thus they must destroy her immediately. His preeminent concern is avoiding UN intrusion no matter what; he’s a child of the American occupation era, and may have actually lived through the bombs dropping
“Hibiki’s not a special disaster!” Miku I love you, but Hibiki is absolutely a special disaster
“The only thing that flows in my veins is the lifeblood of Kanade Amou!” Damn, Tsubasa. This scene is terrific!
Every single time, some goddamn general is like “maybe if we shoot it it’ll go away,” and it always ends up like this. Maybe let the superhuman villain-fighting force tackle the giant glowing egg, just one time?
And yep, of course they just wake up Hibiki’s god-demon form. Typical
Excellent lighting and effects animation for mega-Hibiki’s energy attacks. The way the ground buckles and shatters outwards in waves is a very impactful effect
“Let’s start Hibiki-kun’s birthday party!” Never change, Genjuro
Ooh, Maria’s new binding effect is neat, as well. At this point, the absurd fluidity of the fight scene character animation is just a given; Symphogear has risen to become one of the most consistently well-animated action shows of the last decade
Even as a kaiju, Hibiki apparently still has a great butt
Time for Miku to take the stage! I love her determined look as she prepares to once again rescue Hibiki from her dumbass self
Very inspired that we’re just doing season one’s finale again, except Hibiki is Huge this time
“Miku… my sunny spot!” “Hibiki, my sun!” The most married couple
CATCH YOUR WIFE, MIKU
The UN decides not to intervene, and Genjuro basically responds with the show’s final word on this conflict: “People can connect. They can become one.” I don’t need my media to agree with all my opinions, but it’s still nice to see a show I love convey such a resoundingly anti-nationalist message, especially given how much of our current world is sinking beneath the grip of feverish nationalism and xenophobia
But of course the fucking Americans launch a missile anyway. Oh my god, the American president is actually an overweight blonde guy who’s hanging out by a golf course – and AXZ came out during Trump’s first summer in office. There are good people everywhere, but when our leaders are monsters like Trump, our presence on the global stage will always be an oppressive one
The way not-Trump frames this also makes for a clear comparison point with Tsubasa’s grandfather, as he speaks of “what this country was founded on.” Both of them are clinging to inflated images of their countries’ past glory, and forcing the younger generations to suffer the consequences of their delusion. So I guess Symphogear is basically Patlabor, in the end
“Of humanity, by humanity, for humanity.” They’re even riffing on our founding principles, emphasizing how our ostensibly egalitarian values have been corrupted into jingoist self-justification. Fun times
“Perhaps I stayed alive for this moment.” The nuke actually offers a perfect character moment for Saint Germaine. Earlier, she stated that she couldn’t stop because that would make all the prior sacrifices meaningless – now, she can end her life with an act that saves countless lives, making it abundantly meaningful that she made it here
I’m glad Cagliostro and Prelati get to come back for this, at least
And of course, Adam is still lurking in the background, and is now trying to grab all that god energy again. Couldn’t finish the season without a full team ensemble fight, of course
Yesss, Tiki trips him at the last moment! REVENGE FOR TIKI
“I’ll punch you with my song!” Symphogear really hammering on the fundamentals in these final moments
And Done
Ahhh, this glorious, ridiculous show. This episode was actually surprisingly clever in several ways, most having to do with how naturally it was able to integrate AXZ’s specific concerns regarding global cooperation into Symphogear’s own thematic and emotional narratives. But along with that welcome nuance in its thematic argument, this episode also just gleefully embodied everything Symphogear has always treasured – the bond of its central married couple, the joy of action staples like your old nemesis arriving to fight by your side, and the cathartic spectacle of watching Hibiki Punch Them With Her Song. As we near AXZ’s end, Symphogear feels more self-assured than ever, rallying its key strengths while also introducing new ones. It’s a great time to have a song in your heart.
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