Hello everyone, and I hope you’re fuckin’ ready for some SYMMMMPHOOOOGEAAAAR! Symphogear’s last episode kicked all kinds of ass, and this is me who’s writing this, so you know I’m speaking in terms of its dramatic structure and thematic ambition. After spending a third of the season lamenting her inability to contribute to the show’s active drama, Elfnein has finally found a purpose: by connecting her consciousness with Maria, she hopes to unlock the final secret of the LiNKER formula. Her mission should in turn allow Maria, Shirabe, and Kirika to fight at full strength, at last letting this season embrace the full ensemble potential of its excellent cast.
Meanwhile, Genjuro’s confrontations with the team’s benefactor, the head of the Kazanari clan, have established a rift that falls on clear political lines. Genjuro, as the head of an international strike force drawing its members from across the globe, and applying them to conflict zones worldwide, clearly sees the Symphogears as a force for good that should be shared by all of mankind. In contrast, Kazanari believes the Symphogears should be used to defend Japan specifically, even at the expense of international allies, drawing heavily on terms and iconography that bring to mind Japan’s invincible self-image prior to World War II.
Kazanari’s views are not anachronistic – he’s promoting a mainstream conservative perspective in Japan, which in our world is closely tied to historical revisionism regarding Japan’s past atrocities, and efforts to remilitarize the country. Anime rarely comments so directly on Japan’s immediate political situation (though there are exceptions, like the excellent Patlabor), and thus I’m very excited to see where Symphogear takes this narrative. The show’s already picked fights with gods and planets, so why not Shinzo Abe, too? But wherever this story goes, I’m eager to get back to the explosive action of Symphogear. LET’S GET TO IT!
