Senki Zesshou Symphogear G

Okay, gather around and hear the song of my people. The two top reviews for this are a 5 and a 6? What in this show is a 5 or 6? Not a single damn thing.

"Musical Bitches Symphogear", as it's named on my PC, was one of my most complex human-anime relationships. On one hand, it was helmed by the man who brought me Wild Arms, my favorite RPG series of all time, and some of the people behind Oban Star Racers, one of my all time favorite pieces of animation. On the other hand, it was a hastily-made, awkward and janky show that had ... no idea what it was doing other than attempting to ride on the Madoka hype train.

When "Symphogear G: The Musicvengeance" was announced I remember exclaiming "NOOOOO" because of how dumb the first series ended. But then episode 1 aired, and I watched it. And I was deeply confused.

Week after week, episode after episode, I sank deeper and deeper into confusion until I realized it was probably the most fun thing I watched in all of 2013, next to Kill la Kill.

Symphogear G is pretty much a soft reboot of the series. It comes in swinging with a big, fancy animation budget that did not exist in season 1, took out all the bullshit whiney drama and school stuff, and really came into itself as a fast-paced action series about J-pop singers with super robot powers. It introduces an actual villain, a rival set of characters, has an awesome new OP, and a plot twist at the end of every single episode. It's a fun, rollercoaster ride of a show that knew exactly what it was doing.

It not only surpasses the original, but it simultaneously redeems it.

THE STORY picks up from where season 1 left off, I guess. Our yellow girl, blue girl and red girl are going around doing rocket punches and super missile attacks against swarms of fodder enemies while staging extremely elaborate J-Pop concerts. All is normal.

And then there's a new team of evil, rival Symphogears! Holy shit! It's like Sonic Heroes, but AWESOME. And then there's a mad scientist who wants to do evil shit in between the scenes where he's ham acting and making hilarious faces! INTRIGUE!

The original story was all about the Symphogear girls being these bleak final guardians of humanity against goofy-looking fodder "Noise" creatures, and if they sang too hard, they died. But it was also about them being pop stars and with super powers activated by singing J-pop. This new story pretty much ditches all of the former and just makes the show fun by playing up the latter. It focuses all of the drama on the characters facing off against each other and fighting evil and stuff, like it really should have been in the first place.

Not to say that much is retconned; the plot is also laced with tons references to the original series. There's a kung fu training montage and everything!

THE CHARACTERS are very enjoyable.

Hibiki, who was once a whiny pacifist dealt a cruel fate, is now a hotblooded hero who knows kung-fu, uses it, and also does super rocket punch attacks. She's always positive and kind of badass. Real classic shounen hero here.

Tsubasa is still "the Mizuki Nana character", but is no longer an emo swordsmistress in mourning who hates her status as a human weapon. Now she's just the older sister/straight man of the trio and acts all cool. She also has a motorcycle.

Chris is no longer an emotionally abused rival girl looking to repent. Instead, she's a super moe, food-loving, out-of-shape, hot-blooded, missile launching, gatling gun-shooting, huge-breasted waifu. She is the best girl.

AND THEN THERE'S CHIEF GENJURO, who still has LION HAIR, still goes "GUNGNIR-DATO?!" and still TUCKS HIS TIE INTO HIS FRONT POCKET. But this season, HE SINGS TOO
IN CHINESE

And then there's the Chief's assistant, and Tsubasa's manager. I don't know his name, as he is a minor character, but he's important to mention here because he embodies everything this series does right. In the first season, he's Tsubasa's manager and Genjuro's assistant guy. In this season, he's a fucking /ninja/. Who can walk on water and solo a room of mobsters. Why? Because it's /awesome/.

But WAIT! There are new characters too!

Maria Cadenzavna Eve: The Shadow the Hedgehog of the series. The rival. She sings like Tsubasa, has the same powers as Hibiki, and has the same breasts as Chris. And has the spear from the dead girl in the first season!

Kirika-DESS: Maria's #1 sidekick-DESS. She ends all of her sentences with DESS. She has a giganto scythe, penchant for violence and is awesome.

Shirabe: The foil to Kirika, she's a calm, quiet loli for the people who thought the show needed at least one flat-chest girl, I guess. However, she makes buzz saws and giant robots, so she's pretty darn cool too.

DOCTOR VER: Doctor Ver is my favorite character behind Chris. Every scene he's in, he's making some sort of stupid face, laughing maniacally or doing some comic book villain shit like summoning a giant fortress or mind controlling the innocent. This guy is classic, endlessly entertaining and everything a villain should be.

Next, let's talk about THAT ANIMATION

Season 1 looked bad. This one looks great. The art is crisp and smooth, background graphics are nice, the CGI is much improved, and several really dumb looking things from season 1, like Hibiki's berserker mode, actually look cool now. The fights are fast-paced, well-choreographed and full of visual flare. And explosions. They're probably the best fight sequences I've seen in a series in a long time, actually.

Better yet, each and every girl now has a redone transformation sequence that you can find a lot of gifs of. Important, high-level stuff for this kind of show.

Oh and the MUSIC

Every girl has a set of songs, all six of them (and more!?). The soundtrack is double or triple the size of the original series', and it's overall better. Songs are varied and well composed. There are even combat duets! And since the OSTs sold a billion copies, we're confirmed for season 3!!

IN CONCLUSION

This series is honestly a better magic fighting girl show than Kill la Kill, with a cast that's almost as strong, dynamite production values, and a blazing fast pace to carry it all forward. I don't think there's a single aspect of this series that's worthy of a 5 or a 6, let alone the whole thing.

The plot is no more stupid than Code Geass R2.
The presentation is on par with the highest budget action series of the last few years.
The characters are more waifu-worthy than your average moeblob infested ecchi shows.
The soundtrack is better than Love Live.

So what is wrong with Symphogear G, when it has all of the ingredients to make a mainstream weaboo success? Who knows? Anime fans are stupid, I guess.

If you've watched the first season of Symphogear then you have a good idea of what to expect from this series; poorly developed characters, a completely bonkers plot, bad drama, bizarre plot twists and general all round silliness. However whilst that may be the case, this series is superior to its predecessor in several key areas, making it a significantly more enjoyable watch. In fact, whilst this series still suffers from the multitude of flaws and failures of the first season, there is the possibility that you may even enjoy it.

The visuals are far more consistent than they were before, there will be no scenes ... with absolutely atrocious animation or badly drawn faces, and all the fights are competently done, although the budget is still noticeable limited. This is very noticeable with the art, the backgrounds lack detail, are usually completely bare and are nothing in the way of eye candy. The character designs for the girls are diverse and have a lot of charm, whereas those for everyone else have much less thought put into them. If they had more money to pump into the show all of them would have looked much better. At least they have their priorities right with focusing on the female characters.

The soundtrack also is an improvement upon the last season, there were a couple of insert songs that may catch your liking, both of which were sung by Takagaki Ayahi, the seiyuu for Chris, who is by far the best singer in the cast. The lyrics for the songs (if you your subs provide them) are incredibly cheesy and are often funny because of that, they rather fit into the spirit of the show. The other seiyuu aren't bad singers, and some of their songs are also pretty nice, however it is Chris that runs away with it.

The characters are much more likable this season, and the developments of the characters (notably the three new ones introduced), whilst clumsy and lacking subtlety are markedly better than the random character developments of the last season. The characters are really weak, however despite this they are still quite endearing, to the extent where some of their annoying habits become lovable quirks. In all they are much like the show, really poorly written and lacking any depth, but that's just a strange part of their appeal. Sadly, for all my back-handed praise, they are not characters that you will forever remember, if not for the character designs they are entirely forgettable. They lack the depth to leave a lasting impression. Additionally some of the characters still manage to be annoying on occasion, however those events are few and far between.

The plot is disappointing the sense that it does not reach the ludicrous moon-shattering events of the first season, it does somewhat make up for it by being much more cheesy. In any case, whilst slightly more grounded, the writing is still horrendous. For one it managed to make the fairly simple plot convoluted to the point where it was unclear what exactly was going on. Additionally serious plot twists which are sporadically introduced get either dismissed or resolved easily and are instantly forgotten about despite the fact they should be major events, and even some major points which build up throughout the series are effortlessly resolved out of nowhere. The antagonist is also an atrociously written character, his motives are beyond cliché, his actions are inane, and his personality is one dimensional and he has only two emotions, hysterical or cocky. Despite his amazing seiyuu he is an incredibly irritating character towards the end, he was far inferior even to Fine in the first season.

So whilst Symphogear has improved in most areas, it is still a very poor show on paper, and indeed if you cannot ignore bad writing, and cannot let go stupid things, then I do not recommend this show, because you will be in for the same experience as you had watching the first season. However if you can embrace Symphogear for the incredibly earnest and cheesy show it is then you may have an enjoyable experience watching it. You will find that there are plenty of things to laugh and smile about; one scene in the latter half had me in fits of laughter, and another near the begging had me smiling at how lovable Chris was despite everything. Having watched the first season you should know well by now whether you will be able to enjoy the show or not even if this season is considerably more enjoyable.

Overall, I will say pretty much the same of this season as I did the last; if you can embrace this for the earnestly silly show that it is then you should be able to have some good fun watching it with its somewhat unique appeal. However if you cannot abide watching an anime that does almost every single technical and literacy aspect wrong, then I simply cannot recommend it, because you're going to have a rough time.

When people usually think of idols, the first thing they might come up in their mind is someone who is talented, skilled, and viewed as a symbol of icon. Well, this usually applies to superstars in the music industry. In fact, people who become famous in the real world are often idols that others worship and follow as a legion. However, the concept doesn’t just stop there, not in Symphogear G at least. The superstars in Symphogear G aren’t just armed with talent but also with super powers as they take the fight against a mysterious force that threatens to wipe out their existence.

The journey ... continues with Hibiki Tachibana and her friends in this sequel known as Symphogear G. Taking place approximately two months after the first season, she is joined by new characters along with her partner and friend Tsubasa Kazanari. As the second season blasts off, we get to see more of that explosive atmosphere in the world of Symphogear that shines brightly. Or does it...

By this point now, it’s clear that Hibiki and Tsubasa have become great friends and comrades. But we also can’t forget about Chris Yukine, a mysterious girl with an even more mysterious ability. The trio stands as a hope against the alien force known as the ‘Noise’. Similarly to season one, they try to save people and fight off the Noise in order to protect their home. However, there’s a problem: the ‘Fine’.

Unlike the previous antagonists from the previous series, ‘Fine’ stands as a primary terrorist group with unknown motives. What we do know is that they have the weapons. They have the intelligence. But most importantly, they have the ambition to carry out their twisted goals. While mostly remaining in the shadows with little background, we get to witness how far they go to follow their ambitions in this season. As far as weapons go, Symphogear takes on a more magical girl battle theme with duels between magical girls. This is because Fine not only possesses Noises but also Symphogear users of their own. It puts Hibiki’s team at an unusual rivalry as they are forced to battle skilled users with abilities that matches against their own, if not greater.

As far as character goes, they largely remain the same with little change. It isn’t very refreshing to witness their relationship either as the trio contrasts greatly with their personalities. In essence, they are a team but their character dynamics aren’t very compatible. It also stretches towards Fine as well with our new characters such as Maria, Shirabe, and Kirika. This trio poses as a serious threat in this season but often times gets irritating to watch. Why? Well, that’s because it seems like these girls are in this organization to carry out their tasks but often seems regrettably doing so. At the same time, these girls may look normal but are treated abnormally as in the state of test subjects. It’s difficult to be sympathetic with them either because the deeds to carry out with the actions as their proof. Oh, and the trio’s relationship isn’t very heartwarming either.

Season 2 does start out with an explosive atmosphere though. It doesn’t drag out in the beginning and gets straight to the point. Their powers also offers an intense challenge for our main protagonists. From there and out, the series bounces between an endless struggle as we also get to witness a mastermind behind the scenes manipulating various events to get what he wants. It’s about as cliched as it comes with the mastermind giving off its mad scientist outlook, ambitions, and his psychopath-like laughter. What doesn’t create much delight though is why Maria, Shirabe, and Kirika continues to follow their orders. They are test subjects so essentially, they are living weapons of war. However, they are also girls with a future especially with Maria and her idol status. At any rate, the frustration of putting up with these girls’ absentminded actions is quite a turnoff.

If you want action though, there is action and plenty of that. It wastes no time with it as the majority of the main cast displays their variety of abilities from the get go. And just like the previous season, the girls all go through their transformation scene presented with doses of fan service. For whatever reason, the character also yell out their attacks for some aesthetic purposes. I guess in a way, it shows off their flashy tactics but at the same time becomes bothersome to witness after having to do so on a basis.

Perhaps what’s most awkward and twisted is the number of plot twists going on in the series with seemingly no concrete purpose. Well, the purpose is there but hard to justify in a rightful manner. This can apply to several of the characters and even the antagonists themselves. The plot twists doesn’t stop there though as we also learn about Fine’s master plan and what they have in stored for the world. But the catch later comes with the organization’s core members. In many ways, I find it nonsense and revelations spawning out of nowhere. Additionally, it’s hard to sympathize with the antagonists after everything they’ve done.

The artwork fits within the science fiction them at least. The girls are designed with battle gear with their armor giving off a dangerous vibe. Unfortunately, most of the characters are designed to look generic and just the way you might expect them to be. It doesn’t stop there with the transformation scenes plastered with fan service. There’s even a case where our mastermind uses fan service itself as a weapon that’s laughable. The Noise themselves also doesn’t look very appealing but does give off that otherworldly look.

Soundtrack wise, Symophogear easily demonstrates the strength of this show as one of its more defining features. After all, the girls infuses their battle skills with their voice. The main opening song Vitalization" by Nana Mizukiin has that feeling of intensity as well as some foreshadowing of the events. Throughout the series though, there’s many other songs played during the action scenes reflecting a core theme of this show. In terms of voice acting choices, I would give Ayahi Takagai with her role as Chris Yukine. She demonstrates that feeling of both hope and despair throughout the series that balances her role well. On the other hand, I find Hibiki’s voice to be irritating with her overzealous cheerfulness.

Overall, this series is far from great but at the same time not a total disaster. The planet the characters inhibits though are in a disaster so be prepared for some battle tendency. However, with the plot being all over the place, the word ‘disaster’ could also be factored in with that as well. Symphogear G is just another sequel of connecting series together to conclude a brand new story. As far as sometimes sequels go, not everything always works out.

lol, I could care less for the dogpile of deus ex machina that comprises the story itself but damn this show is sexy! buy the blu-rays they come with awesome extras lol!

Story 7/10
Well, maybe the most entertaining part about watching the show is to come up with some sharp comeback for every shit that happens *cough*hibiki's past why did you just make it up!*cough* but that's what makes it so great anyway. The story flow seems to be much smoother compared to the 1st season. Every episode leaves you with a cliffhanger so you'll want to know what happens next. Also, a lot of the ... story is based right off of the 1st season so you'll probably love the creators if you watched the 1st season. I cried to that episode where Chris-chan gave a performace ;_;

Art 8/10
Better than 1st season

Sound 9/10
FUH-FUH-FUH-F-ROLICKING Elements Garden

i mean, you probably can't be a symphogear lover unless you were also a music lover xD

Character 10/10
Hot! I mean, Chris-chan was really orgasmic material. even more so than in 1st season o_O

Enjoyment 10/10
I just want to cry to every loli in the show lol. I love them I could care less for how the show ends but I hope they're all safe in the end ;~; cause that's really what matters anyway lol.

Overall 10/10
It's actually kind of amazing how well thought out the series is even though it's mostly planned out by one guy lol. I mean, you probably shouldn't have too much expectation for the story since it's mostly being planned out by a musician anyway but then at the same time you can really notice sometimes that hes a real story writer lol. I mean the amount of emotion the story conveys is just phenomenal. Its way too hot to watch without switching on the air conditioner on top of having a fan spinning in max speed in front of you..

Fans of the original Symphogear show likely have come to the conclusion that Symphogear is a fun, but extremely mediocre show that can’t be taken seriously. While it had great music and moments of heart pounding action, it also had some quality issues from a low budget, a string of horrendous writing, and poor character development, all coined together in what looked like haphazard direction.

Fortunately, Symphogear G fixes these problems while maintaining the original feeling of bravado from the first season, and it can even be considered, dare say, a great show.

The increase in production and quality can be seen from the very first ... episode of Symphogear G. It opens with a fluid battle scene, then as reminiscent of the first season, throws one of the most explosive and amazing looking concerts akin to the ones you can see in AKB0048. Unlike the first season that seemed to have blown all their budget in the first episode then used chump change to gear the rest of the show, the animation for Symhpogear G does not take a sudden drop in quality and stays consistent for the most part, save for moments here and there.

In addition, Yoko Hikasa, Ai Kayano, and Tomokazu Sugita, all talented and well-known voice actors come to play an additional role in the show. Especially with the addition of Hikasa and Kayano who contribute songs to Symphogear G along with the previous returning main cast (Aoi Yuuki, Nana Mizuki, Ayahi Takagaki), the show presents a powerful amount of song pieced together with well-orchestrated music. Fans should be returning to this season for some wonderful music; and Symphogear G very much over over leaps expectations. The only unfortunate part is that while there are great pieces of music in the show, there is only really one concert scene in the entire show. Though visually and audibly orgasmic it may have been, there's a feeling of disappointment that other songs did not receive the same treatment.

The writing and characters becomes the biggest improvement in Symphogear G. This season takes three months after the first one, where the main cast learns not every problem has been solved from their previous encounters and now face a new terrorist organization that can also use Symphogears. The plot is actually built from the very ground up and manages to reveal the story along the way for viewers to speculate on how events unfold, unlike the first season that seemed to make plot devices up as the show went up and felt like nonsense at the very end. Symphogear G seems to have learned that plot twists are endearing devices to hook viewers up to the show, and it does quite a lot of it this time around that will want viewers to move on to the next episode as quickly as possible. Some of the twists are somewhat obvious and easy to figure out, but nevertheless they succeed in giving the proper emotional impact needed to move on with the show.

What really shines are the characters in this season. With the melodramatic infighting between the main characters of the first season out of the way, Hibiki, Tsubasa, and Chris finally form what looks like a real team. Their interactions and relationship development are vastly improved, and the first few slice-of-life aspects at the start give a real endearing feeling. The new antagonists of the show; a crazed madman voiced by Sugita and can control the Noise, an elderly commanding woman, and three Symphogear users, are also given much screen time during the show. During their time, much of their character and motivations begin to change and develop as they attempt to fulfill their plans which have questionable morals. Strangely, they are actually given so much focus that the antagonists themselves begin to feel like the heroes. Apart from the crazy madman voiced by Sugita, whose main appeals seems to being insane and making over-dramatic expressions (Which Sugita really does well actually) to entertain the views, the other members of the terrorist organization have so much of their own internal struggles that the viewer may end up wanting to support them in the end. Coupled with their own character songs which are equally enjoyable to listen to as the songs of the main cast, it becomes very difficult to not like the antagonists. Not many shows can achieve well-written villains that manage to gain the sympathy of the audience, but Symphogear G manages to just this. The obvious problem with this however is that fans coming from the original show may feel like the main cast do not get enough attention. Strictly speaking, this is not true as the main heroes, especially Hibiki, are given their proper development and own internal struggles. However, there may be some fans who feel the main focus should be on the protagonists rather than a shared one with the antagonists, and miss the slice-of-life aspects of the show that are gone after the first few episodes at the start.

In conclusion; Symphogear G fixes many problems from the original show while maintaining the silly quirks from the first season (Such as Hibiki punching a train in to a group of enemy Noise) that fans enjoyed. It comes with a bigger budget and actually presents its own original story that will keep the viewer going. Certain fans may feel it loses appeal because the slice-of-life aspect is toned down, but Symphogear G definitely will find a warmer reception with the overall audience.

Sadly, the original show may have already lost a chunk of the audience that was interested in it. Those who finished the first season, were disappointed by it, and are wondering whether to watch G or not should definitely give it a shot.

If Symphogear AXZ wasn't a thing, I would say that "G" is the apex of the franchise's glory! It has: emotionally riveting character moments (especially, between Hibiki and Miku... the "Tokyo Tower scene" and after "Miku's transformation" are specifically powerful in their execution—); imaginative/off-the-wall/mind-blowing action sequences, a compelling cast of villains, and a stunning finale, that had my jaw on the floor! Symphogear G is what happens when the protective muzzle is placed to the side, and all of Satelight's magnificent, craziness is able to run amuck!

⚠️ This review will have spoilers ⚠️

—Story/Characters

This season immediately hooks you in with the enigmatic trio of adversaries: ... Maria Cadenzavna Eve, Shirabe Tsukuyomi, and Kirika Akatsuki! All the while, Hibiki is struggling from an incurable sickness, the shard of "Gungnir" buried in her chest causing intense health complications. To thicken the plot even further, Miku is manipulated by the evil Dr. Ver, becoming the user of the relic, Shénshòujìng, the "God Beast Mirror"! This season climbs into the depths of a Bermuda Triangle-like, alternate dimension... summoned from relics of Atlantis! In other words, the type of daydreams you have as a kid, while bashing your action figures together!

One aspect that made this series more fantastic than the first is that there were really high stakes: Hibiki's health, Miku's life, Chris' struggle to properly integrate into their group, and Maria's obligation to her younger siblings and handlers! This season also begins to dive into Hibiki's unfortunate home situation and survivor's guilt. The more the season goes on, the more it is revealed that Maria and younger, adopted sisters are in an exploitative, abusive situation. Dr. Ver even beats Maria, when she tries to stop him from potentially killing millions of people!

I thought that it was really satisfying that Miku's laser cannon was actually able to have the ability to detoxify Hibiki's "Gungnir" and thus, prevent her from dying! What a sweet couple! I also thought that Kirika and Shirabe's "infiltration" into their school was really funny and cute, as well as Chris being asked to sing on stage, showing Chris' growth and her fight against her aversion towards music! Really great season, words alone do not do it justice!

—Technical

Luna's Favorite Works by Each Respective Creator = ✅

Katsumi Ono (director), notable works:
* Beast Saga
* Girly Air Force ✅
* Hataraki Man
* Hypnosis Mic: Division Rap Battle — Rhyme Anima
* Isekai Izakaya: Koto Aitheria no Izakaya Nobu
* Master Mosquiton '99
* Yū☆Gi☆Ō! 5D's
* Yū☆Gi☆Ō! Arc-V

Commentary: Haven't watched many of Mr. Ono's discography, but his choreography in the Symphogear series is awe-inspiring! After the first season, I was unsure of whether I could get attached to any of the characters, but the later seasons are a Herculean fusion of some of the coolest action scenes in "Dragon Ball Z" with a slice of sweet, saccharine shōjo-ai! I play the mobile game for "Hypnosis Mic: Division Rap Battle," so now, I'm super stoked to try out the anime adaptation! Brilliant director!

Aoi Yūki as Hibiki Tachibana, notable roles:
* Tōru Ichii, A-Channel
* Nyx Megami, Accel World: Infinite∞Burst ✅
* Yoshiko Hanabatake, Aho Girl ✅
* Riko Mikogami, Anyamai Tantei Kiruminzū
* Tsugumi Aozora, Asobi Asobase ✅
* Hana Oshiroi, Ben-To
* Varel Jin, Blade & Soul
* Kayo Hinazuki, Boku dake ga Inai Machi ("Erased") ✅
* Tsuyu Asui, Boku no Hero Academia ✅
* Akiho Kōsaka, Boku no Kanojo ga Majimesugiru Sho-bitch na Ken ("My Girlfriend is Shobitch")
* Boogiepop and Tōka Miyashita, Boogiepop wa Warawanai (2019) ✅
* Mina Tepes, Dance in the Vampire Bund
* Arisa, Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyōsōkyoku ✅
* Couvert Eschenbach Pastillage, Dog Days
* Tamaki Kotatsu, Enen no Shōbōtai ("Fire Force")
* Victorique de Blois, Gosick ✅
* Mihoshi, Gundam Build Fighters ✅
* Mayoi Ayasato, Gyakuten Saiban: Sono "Shinjitsu", Igi Ari! ("Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney")
* John, Hakumei no Tsubasa
* Konju, Kakumai to Mikochi ✅
* Nodoka Hanadera, Healin' Good PreCure ✅
* Jūbei Yagyū, Hyakka Ryōran: Samurai After
* Korone, Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaō
* Alice Blanche, Ikoku Meiro no Croisée ✅
* Serika Ginyūin, Kanojo ga Flag wo Oraretara ("If Her Flag Breaks")
* Kiriya Ubuyashiki, Kimetsu no Yaiba ✅
* Kino, Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World
* Tomo Kunagisa, Kubikiri Cycle: Aoiro Savant to Zaregototsukai ("Zaregoto Series") ✅
* Murasaki Kuhōin, Kure-nai
* Giselle Collette, Last Exile: Ginyoku no Fam ("Last Exile: Fam, the Silver Wing") ✅
* Madoka Kaname, Mahō Shōjo Madoka★Magica ✅
* Diane, Nanatsu no Taizai ✅
* Tatsumaki, One Punch Man ✅
* Clementine, Overlord ✅
* Krul Tepes, Owari no Seraph ✅
* Aika Nakamura, Persona 4 the Animation
* Futaba Sakura, Persona 5 the Animation
* Iris, Pokémon ✅
* Maihime Tenkawa, Qualidea Code
* Mélie, Radiant
* Kasumi Midō Barnett, Ragnastrike Angels
* Fremy Speeddraw, Rokka no Yūsha ✅
* Shizuno Takakamo, Saki Achiga-hen: Episode of Side-A ✅
* Shizuno Urushibara, Seiken Tsukai no World Break
* Sunako Kirishiki, Shiki
* Noël Kannagi, So Ra No Wo To
* Toshiko Tatsuno, Soredemo Machi wa Mawatteiru ("And Yet The Town Moves") ✅
* Meme Tatane, Soul Eater NOT!
* Tika Blunche, Star Ocean: Anamnesis
* Kayo Fujikawa, Stella no Mahō
* Yūki Konno, Sword Art Online ✅
* Rino Tanaka, Tanaka-kun wa Itsumo Kedaruge ("Tanaka-kun is Always Listless") ✅
* Claire Cruz, Toaru Hikūshi e no Koiuta ("The Pilot's Love Song")
* Yōmu Konpaku, 東方 Niji Sōsaku Dōjin Anime: Musō Kakyō ✅
* Komachi Hikigaya, Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru. ("My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU") ✅
* Loup, Yakimochi Caprice
* Noa Takigawa, Yamada-kun to 7-nin no Majo ("Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches")
* Tanya Degurechaff, Yōjo Senki ✅
* Inaho Misora, Yōkai Watch
* Ichigo Amano, Yumeiro Pâtissière
* Mitsuko Yurizono, Yuri Kuma Arashi ✅
* Yutori Tanaka, Yutori-chan

Commentary: Ms. Yūki has become a strong amount of magnetism in the industry, even invoking a memorable presence in mobile games like Fate/Grand Order ("Shuten-Dōji") and Azur Lane ("Taiho")! I think that Ms. Yūki strong personality translates well in the case of Hibiki Tachibana, a cute girl that is strong-spirited and has a cosmic punch, that is practically unrivaled! Hibiki reminded me of my best girl in Girls und Panzer ("Miho Nishizumi") and for the most part, tries to her best to keep the peace. Aoi Yūki did a wonderful job at making her cute, charming, relatable, and a fighter! Excellent seiyū!

Nana Mizuki as Tsubasa Kazanari, notable roles:
* Nanase Kotobuki, "Bungaku Shōjo"
* Allison Whittington and Lillianne Aicasia Corazón Whittington-Schultz, Allison to Lillia
* Akiko, Aoi Bungaku Series
* Oboro Iga, Basilisk
* Kururu, Binzume Yōsei
* Saya Kisaragi, Blood-C
* Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi, Cross Ange: Tenshi to Ryū no Rondo
* Misaki Kirihara, Darker Than Black: Kuro no Keiyakusha
* Nanami Takatsuki and Ricotta Elmar, Dog Days
* Hannah, Dragon's Dogma
* Sieglinde Baumgarde, Dragonaut: The Resonance
* Cisqua, Erementar Gerad
* Wrath, Fullmetal Alchemist ✅
* Bi Fei, Gin no Guardian
* Lydia Carlton, Hakushaku to Yōsei
* Tsubomi Hanasaki, HeartCatch! PreCure! ✅
* Yu Minamoto, Ichigo 100%
* Kotoko Aihara, Itazura na Kiss
* Tsugumi Shibata, Jigoku Shōjo ("Hell Girl") ✅
* Sora Yamato, Jikū Tantei Genshi-kun
* Tiz, Jū Ō Sei
* Yin Fu, Ken En Ken: Aoki Kagayaki
* Roya, Kiba
* Yuno Rukina, Kiss Dum: Engage Planet
* Alois Trancy, Kuroshitsuji II ✅
* Janice Quatlane, Layton Kyōju to Eien no Utahime ("Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva")
* Nyamo Naamo, Love Hina
* Sayaka Mizushiro, Magical Canan ("Magical Kanan")
* Fate and Alicia Testarossa, Mahō Shōjo Lyrical Nanoha ✅
* Hotaru Shirakawa, Memories Off
* Mizuki Hibara, Mokke
* Magaret Liones, Nanatsu no Taizai ✅
* Hinata Hyūga, Naruto ✅
* Kaho Serizawa, Natsu-iro no Sunadokei ("Hourglass of Summer") ✅
* Shinobu, Ninin ga Shinobuden ✅
* Ann Takamaki, Persona 5 ✅
* Rue Kuroha, Princess Tutu ✅
* Yufa, Ragnarök the Animation
* Rin Ogata, RideBack ✅
* Moka Akashiya, Rosario to Vampire
* Pandora, Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas ✅
* Mave, Sentō Yōsei Shōjo Tasukete! Mave-chan
* Nana Suzuki, Shichinin no Nana
* Kanon Seena, Shining Tears X Wind
* Utau Hoshina, Shugo Chara!
* Morinas, Simōn
* Aria, Sister Princess
* Suzu Edogawa, Tactics
* Colette Brunel, Tales of Symphonia the Animation ✅
* Sylvette Suede, Tegamibachi ✅
* Neju Na Melmas, Tenchi Muyō! GXP
* Chizuru, Tokyo Marble Chocolate
* Sunao Konoe, Tsuyokiss
* Matsuki Akino, Wakaokami wa Shougakusei! ✅
* Maria, Witchblade
* Rina Ogata, White Album ✅

Commentary: Nana Mizuki is another very famous voice actress, having had lead roles in Mahō Shōjo Lyrical Nanoha ("Fate Testarossa") and HeartCatch! PreCure ("Tsubomi Hanasaki")! Ms. Mizuki conveys the anguished, yet distinguished nature of Tsubasa's character in a very charming and likable way! Over the span of the series, we deeply sympathize with her feelings of grief over her dead girlfriend, Kanade; as well as the struggle that she has, when pitted against the corrupt system that her wealthy family has implemented. Great character, great seiyū!

Ayahi Takagaki as Chris Yukine, notable roles:
* Kuro, Ao no Exorcist
* Kotoha, Arata: The Legend
* Suiren, Battle Spirits: Shōnen Toppa Bashin
* Daina Kurogami, Beyblade Burst
* Roana Dan, Blade & Soul
* Nene, Canaan ✅
* Takuto Tatsunagi, Cardfight!! Vanguard
* Nina Antalk, Chrome Shelled Regios
* Otome Asakura, Da Capo
* Jasmine, Deltora Quest
* Ferris Eris, Densetsu no Yūsha no Densetsu ("The Legend of the Legendary Heroes")
* Erika Karisawa, Durarara!! ✅
* Arrester Blanket, Fight Ippatsu! Jūden-chan!!
* Shungo Ninomiya, Goshūshō-sama Ninomiya-kun
* Manny Ambassada, Gundam: G no Reconguista ✅
* Hamiji, Hakkenden: Tōhō Hakken Ibun
* Hiiragi, Hanamaru Yōchien ("Hanamaru Kindergarten") ✅
* Jade, Hōseki no Kuni ✅
* Larimer, Jewelpet Magical Change
* Aoi Shindō, Koitabi: True Tours Nanto
* Tsubasa Kawai, Kyō no Go no Ni
* Henrietta, Log Horizon ✅
* Mitsuba Marui, Mitsudomoe
* Feldt Grace, Kidō Senshi Gundam 00
* Saki Mizukoshi, Natsu-iro Kiseki
* Mikoto Kuga, Norn 9
* Ein, Phantom: Requiem for a Phantom ✅
* Tobio Fūma, Sanjōgattai Transformers Go!
* Sumika Murasame, Sasameki Koto ✅
* Ami Kuroki, Seikimatsu Occult Gakuin ("Occult Academy")
* Mikako Satsukitane, Sora no Otoshimono
* Megumi Yamamoto, Special A
* Rika Shinozaki, Sword Art Online ✅
* Wakana Sakai, Tari Tari ✅
* Noe Isurugi, True Tears ✅
* Kira, Vampire Holmes

Commentary: Although, she hasn't had as many roles as many of the other voice actresses on this list, Ms. Takagaki does a damned good job at making Chris immensely likable! I don't think I've ever met one person who has remotely disliked her character! While being a hardcore tsundere, she's also very caring, kind, and empathetic; despite, her backstory and immense trauma during her stead as a villainess, in the first season! In my opinion, Chris is one of the best examples of a reformed adversary, and she kicks a lot of butt, too! Wonderful character and a phenomenal job overall, on the part of the seiyū and the writing team!

Yuka Iguchi as Miku Kohinata, notable roles:
* Arisa Hoshigaoka, Arata naru Sekai: World's/Start/Load/End ("World's End")
* Maria Takayama, Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai ("Haganai: I don't have many friends")
* Mako Nakarai, Bokura no ✅
* Honoka Sawada, Chibi☆Devi!
* Yashiro Hoshimiya, Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko ("Ground Control to Psychoelectric Girl") ✅
* Shima, Devidol!
* Sherry and Chelia Blendy, Fairy Tail
* Tamaki Irie, Ginga Kikōtai Majestic Prince
* Mako Reizei, Girls und Panzer ✅
* Suwako Moriya, Hifū Katsudō Kiroku: The Sealed Esoteric History ✅
* Myne, Honzuki no Gekokujō: Shisho ni Naru Tame ni wa Shudan wo Erandeiraremasen ("Ascendance of a Bookworm")
* Naeka Fujiwara, Kamen no Maid Guy
* Kaga, Tenryū, Tatsuta, Tone, and Chikuma — Kantai Collection ("KanColle") ✅
* Shizume Seo, Kara no Kyōkai ✅
* Natsuko Ishikura, Koitabi: True Tours Nanto
* Luea, Lady Jewelpet
* Chinatsu Morikawa, Lostorage Incited WIXOSS
* Rinna Fuwa, Mangaka-san to Assistant-san to the Animation
* Subaru Konoe, Mayo Chiki!
* Tsukihi Araragi, Monogatari (series) ✅
* Kaede Mizumo, Nyan Koi!
* Mitsuba Sangū, Owari no Seraph
* Crusch Karsten, Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu ✅
* Maho Misawa, Rō-Kyū-Bu! ✅
* Yū Sonda, Sakura Trick
* Hibari, Senran Kagura ✅
* Astarte, Strike the Blood
* Norie Okazaki, Tamayura
* Yuzuha Aigae, Tenshi no 3P! ✅
* Mea Kurosaki, To LOVEる ✅
* Librorum Prohibitorum Index, Toaru Majutsu no Index ("A Certain Magical Index") ✅
* Aiko Andō, True Tears
* Mirei Shikishima, Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid
* Aoi Yukimura, Yama no Susume ✅

Commentary: Despite everyone's dislike for Index's voice in "Toaru Majutsu no Index," I am a fan of Ms. Iguchi's discography! Her role as Miku Kohinata is doting and maternal, and it reminded me of her roles as Tsukihi Araragi in the "Monogatari" series! She has a very charming, earthly aura when she plays certain characters — when they're not ecstatic, they're often very practical like Crusch Karsten from "Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu"! Magnificent job in making Miku stand out, even though she starts out as a side character! Superb seiyū!

Yoko Hikasa as Maria Cadenzavna Eve, notable roles:
* Hana Suguruno, 7 Seeds
* Hibiki Tenshō, Aikatsu Friends!: Kagayaki no Jewel
* Nanako Saeki, Aku no Hana ✅
* Tio Clarce, Arifureta Shokugyō de Sekai Saikyō ("Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest")
* Tomoe Udagawa, BanG Dream ✅
* Farnese de Vandimion, Berserk ✅
* Fighter, Bikini Warriors
* Erica Blandelli, Campione!: Matsurowanu Kamigami to Kamigoroshi no Maō ✅
* Kiyono Amahara, Chu-Bra!!
* Ayano Kōsaka, Code Geass: Akito the Exiled ✅
* Sakura Sakurakōji, Code:Breaker
* Kyōko Kirigiri, Danganronpa ✅
* Sakie Satō, Demi-chan wa Kataritai ("Interviews With Monster Girls") ✅
* Brioche d'Arquien, Dog Days
* Hina Tachibana, Domestic no Kanojo
* Freya, Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darō ka ("Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?") ✅
* Ao Gennai, Frame Arms Girl
* Kei Kugimiya, Ginga Kikōtai Majestic Prince
* Aya Akabane, Gokujo
* Miu Osawa, Hagure Yūsha no Aesthetica
* Kurumi, Hal
* Emi Yusa, Hataraku Maō-sama! ("The Devil is a Part-Timer!") ✅
* Rias Gremory, High School DxD
* Junko Hattori, Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaō
* Inōnoshishi ("Warrior of the Boar"), Jūni Taisen ("Zodiac War") ✅
* Mio Akiyama, K-On! ✅
* Kyōko Sonan, Kenzen Robo Daimidaler ✅
* Seraphim, Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? ✅
* Diana Cavendish, Little Witch Academia ✅
* Saki Takamiya, Long Riders!
* Emiru Hazaki, M3: Sono Kuroki Hagane ("M3: Mortal Metal Memories")
* Sanae Mokuō ("Ruler"), Mahō Shōjo Ikusei Keikaku ("Magical Girl Raising Project") ✅
* Iris, Mahō Shōjo Lyrical Nanoha: Reflection ✅
* Angelina Kudō Shields, Mahōka Kōkō no Rettōsei ✅
* Anne, Manaria Friends ✅
* Folna, Merc Storia: Mukiryoku no Shōnen to Bin no Naka no Shōjo
* Yua Nakabeni, Miru Tights
* Lafter Frankland, Kidō Senshi Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans ✅
* Lucifer, Monster Strike
* Minami Kawashima, Moshidora
* Kō Yagami, New Game! ✅
* Stephanie Dola, No Game No Life ✅
* Jeanne Kaguya d'Arc, Nobunaga the Fool ✅
* Ruri Fujika, Piace: Watashi no Italian
* Saitō, Pokémon (2019) ✅
* Seiten, Queen's Blade: Grimoire ✅
* Saki Nagatsuki, Rō-Kyū-Bu! ✅
* Nashetania Loei Piena Augustra, Rokka no Yūsha ✅
* Maya Kumashiro, Seikimatsu Occult Gakuin ("Occult Academy")
* Hana Katsuragi, Seikon no Qwaser
* Shino Amakusa, Seitokai Yakuindomo
* Mitsuhide Akechi, Sengoku Collection ✅
* Maria Cadenzavna Eve, Senki Zesshō Symphogear ✅
* Ryōbi, Senran Kagura
* Mammon, Sin: Nanatsu no Taizai ("Seven Mortal Sins") ✅
* Hiyori Kazane, Sora no Otoshimon ("Heaven's Lost Property") ✅
* Pitohui, Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online
* Mira Yamana, Trinity Seven
* Satan, Umineko no Naku Koro ni ✅
* Izumi Takanashi, Working!! ✅
* Sayuri Muranushi, WWW.Working!!
* Kaede Saitō, Yama no Susume ✅

Commentary: Ms. Hikasa is very good at creating a duality of good and evil in Maria Cadenzavna Eve. In the past, I have described Yoko Hikasa as a type of sexy, temptress archetype! She has often voiced demons, very evil characters (Nashetania Loei Piena Augustra in "Rokka no Yūsha" and Nanako Saeki in "Aku no Hana" are a couple of examples), and even representations of Satan herself! Maria starts out very much an anti-hero, she has a Spawn cloak, and an undying loyalty for her controllers; but, despite this, deep down... Maria is very caring, and the protectiveness that she feels for Kirika and Shirabe, eventually extends to her other friends, as well! Even in later seasons, Ms. Hikasa is alarmingly good at conveying Maria's fight between her newfound morality and her brainwashed upbringing! Great character, wonderful seiyū!

Ai Kayano as Kirika Akatsuki, notable roles:
* Akari Kawamoto, 3-Gatsu no Lion ✅
* Futaba Ōki, Amanchu! ✅
* Mikono Suzushiro, Aquarion Evol
* Anya Dostoyevskaya, Aria the Avvenire
* Kaga and Atago, Azur Lane
* Hana Mutō, Captain Earth
* Kanade Ōe, Chihayafuru ✅
* Ponoka, Choboraunyopomi Gekijō Ai Mai Mii ✅
* Anna Clément, Code Geass: Akito the Exiled ✅
* Mikan Tsumiki, Danganronpa 3
* Maihime Shirayuki, Dokyū Hentai HxEros
* Mimi, Flip Flappers ✅
* Megumi Sakura, Gakkōgurashi! ("School Live") ✅
* Saori Takebe, Girls und Panzer ✅
* Moka Hoto, Gochūmon wa Usagi Desu ka? ("Is the Order a Rabbit?") ✅
* Nana Hayashida, Golden Time ✅
* Inori Yuzuriha, Guilty Crown ✅
* Yuyuko Saigyōji, Hifū Katsudō Kiroku: The Sealed Esoteric History ✅
* Diamond, Hōseki no Kuni ✅
* Mayaka Ibara, Hyōka ✅
* Emi Kaidō, Infinti-T Force ✅
* Aoi Sakurada, Jōkamachi no Dandelion ✅
* Hibino Shiba, Kamisama Dolls ✅
* Akane Mahōgasawa, Kanojo ga Flag wo Oraretara ("If Her Flag Breaks")
* Kanae Kochō, Kimetsu no Yaiba ✅
* Juliet Persia, Kishuku Gakkō no Juliet ✅
* Lalatina Dustiness Ford, Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! ("God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!")
* Millia il Velch Cutrettola Turan, Last Exile: Ginyoku no Fam ✅
* Mogana Kikaijima, Medaka Box ✅
* Zenna Zabi, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin ✅
* Chisaki Hiradaira, Nagi no Asu kara ✅
* Shiro, No Game No Life ✅
* Ai Fuyūmi, Ore no Kanojo to Osananajimi ga Shuraba Sugiru ("Oreshura") ✅
* Erika, Pokémon Masters ✅
* Chizuru Hishiro, ReLIFE
* Muginami, Rinne no Lagrange
* Akane Kajiya, Romantica Clock
* Utaha Kasumigaoka, Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata ("How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend") ✅
* Kokomi Teruhashi, Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan ✅
* Mashiro Shiina, Sakura-sō no Pet na Kanojo ✅
* Leila, Sayonara no Asa ni Yakusoku no Hana wo Kazarō ("Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms") ✅
* Hitoe Uemura, Selector Infected WIXOSS
* Kirika Akatsuki, Senki Zesshō Symphogear ✅
* Yomi, Senran Kagura ✅
* Ruki, Senryū.
* Lucy Yagami, Servant x Service
* Meili Zhou, Shin Chūka Ichiban!
* Rinko Ogasawara, Shirobako ✅
* Ryōko Sakaki, Shokugeki no Sōma ✅
* Haru Estia, Soul Worker: Your Destiny Awaits
* Karila Hatsuse, Stella Jogakuin Kōtō-ka C³-bu
* Mei Tachibana, Sukitte Ii na yo. ("Say I Love You")
* Mako Saitō, Super Seishūn Brothers
* Alice Zuberg, Sword Art Online ✅
* Alisha Diphda, Tales of Zestiria ✅
* Kanae Mitani, Tamayura
* Yuyuko Saigyōji, 東方 Niji Sōsaku Dōjin Anime: Musō Kakyō ✅
* Mamako Ōsuki, Tsūjō Kōgeki ga Zentai Kōgeki de Ni-kai Kōgeki no Okaasan wa Suki Desu ka? ("Do You Love Your Mom and Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks?") ✅
* Sumire Kisaragi, Twin Angel Break
* Kasumi Takamiya, Witch Craft Works
* Anna, Yakusoku no Neverland ("The Promised Neverland") ✅

Commentary: Ai Kayano is known for having a sugary sweet voice and that translates well into Kirika's character. She's straight-forward and typically the most unassuming girl out of the group. She's simplistic and often even hard-headed, but she always means well, and she will risk her life for her partner, Shirabe! Ms. Kayano did an excellent job with this character, S-tier performance!

Toshino Nanjō as Shirabe Tsukuyomi, notable roles:
* Sonia, Berserk ✅
* Naoto Miura, Clockwork Planet
* Koko Tsukishima, Da Capo
* Gankyō Kūrubiyūtei, Joshiraku
* Eri Ayase, Love Live! ✅
* Matsuri Sengen, Mahō Shōjo Taisen
* Robu, Neko no Robu
* Panpaka, Panpaka Pants Movie: Bananan Ōkoku no Hihō
* Nene Kurio, Penguin Musume♥Heart
* Akiho Senomiya, Robotics;Notes
* Lise Hohenstein, Schwarzesmarken ✅

Commentary: Ms. Nanjō has less speaking roles with the archetypically kūdere, Shirabe, but when she does has a time to shine—she's sweet, smart, and insightful! Very good casting choice, Toshino Nanjō needs more roles!

Tomokazu Sugita as John Wayne Vercingetorix, notable roles:
* Tatsuyuki Misumi, 3-gatsu no Lion ("March Comes in Like a Lion") ✅
* Akuru Akutsu, Aho Girl
* Hoshi, Arakawa Under the Bridge ✅
* Pace, Arcana Famiglia
* Kare, Ayakashi
* Ragna the Bloodedge, BlazBlue
* Daiichi Yamura, Bokura no ✅
* Ango Sakaguchi, Bungō to Alchemist: Shinpan no Haguruma
* Wataru Mizoguchi, Cheer Danshi!!
* Hideki Motosuwa, Chobits ✅
* Beethoven, ClassicaLoid ✅
* Hidenori Tabata, Danshi Kōkōsei no Nichijō ("Daily Lives of High School Boys")
* Gladion, Dennō Bōkenki Webdiver
* Suwaru Doge, Dogeza de Tanondemita
* Count Saint-Germi, Drifters ✅
* Lev Lainur, Fate/Grand Order: First Order ✅
* Kyōchi Maoriguchi, Gakuen Senki Muryō ("Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars")
* Gintoki Sakata, Gintama ✅
* Takami Mayami, Hachimitsu to Clover ("Honey & Clover") ✅
* Raven, Hakushaku to Yōsei
* Dai'ichi Hadō, Hero Company
* Takuma Onizaki, Hiiro no Kakera ("Scarlet Fragment")
* Neko-sama, Inu to Neko Docchi mo Katteru to Mainichi Tanoshii
* Nobuyuki Yazawa, Isekai Izakaya: Koto Aitheria no Izakaya Nobu
* Joseph Joestar, JoJo no Kimyō na Bōken (TV) ✅
* Reishi Munakata, K ✅
* Sōsuke Banba, Kagewani
* Yū'ichi Aizawa, Kanon (2006)
* The Masters of Masters, Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover
* Zen, Koi to Producer: EVOL×LOVE
* Zeig, Legend of Duo
* Leon Mishima, Macross Frontier ✅
* Drakon, Magi: Sinbad no Bōken
* Chrono Harlaown, Mahō Shōjo Lyrical Nanoha ✅
* Taiyō, Megumi to Taiyō
* Saki Tochō, Miracle☆Train: Oedo-sen e Yōkoso
* Osamu Mitsuya, Mirai e no Kakehashi: Bridge for Future
* Escanor, Nanatsu no Taizai ✅
* Ron Muroboshi, Norn 9
* Yūsuke Kitagawa, Persona 5 the Animation
* Takeshi ("Brock"), Pokémon: The Origin
* Saint George, Sekkō Boys
* Rin Tsuchimi, Shuffle! ✅
* Kazuyoshi Usui, SKET Dance
* Sirius de Alisia, Sōsei no Aquarion
* Spelunker, Spelunker Sensei
* Itsuki Aoyama, Stand My Heroes: Piece of Truth
* Dias Flac, Star Ocean: Anamnesis
* Kanata Nanami, Starry☆Sky
* Chamber, Suisei no Gargantia ("Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet") ✅
* Brooklyn Luckfield, Super Robot Taisen OG
* Kyon, Suzumiya Haruhi no Yūtsu ("The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya") ✅
* Akito Kagura, Switch
* Sōichiro Kadotake, Teizokurei Daydream ("Ghost Talker's Daydream") ✅
* Solider Blue, Terra e... (TV) ✅
* Akira Agarkar Yamada, Tsuritama
* Tarō Kabakura, Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii ("Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku")
* Subaru Sumeragi, X ✅
* Takenaga Oda, Yamato Nadeshiko Shichihenge♥ ("The Wallflower")

Commentary: Mr. Sugita, most popular for his role as Gintoki in "Gintama," makes the character of John Wayne Vercingetorix very colorful. Often, he would have such overwrought moments of maniacal insanity, that it would be as entertaining as a Takehito Koyasu performance! Despite John Wayne being an awful human being, his reoccurrence in the later seasons were always vivid and adroit at entertaining the audience. Excellent seiyū!

Kikuo Inōe as Nastassja Tolstaya, notable roles:
* Belldandy, Aa! Magami-sama! ✅
* Uraha, Air
* Sailor Aluminum Siren, Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moon: Sailor Stars
* Chitose Hibiya, Chobits ✅
* Sanae Furukawa, Clannad ✅
* Cécile Croomy, Code Geass ✅
* Rune Venus, El Hazard
* Lust, Fullmetal Alchemist ✅
* Medina La Lugensius Electra, Fushigi no Umi no Nadia ✅
* Eluza, Gall Force ✅
* Yayoi Sanzenin, Happy☆Lesson
* Macrophage, Hataraku Saibō (TV)
* Palm Siberia, Hunter x Hunter (2011) ✅
* Goei, Ikkitōsen
* Izayoi, InuYasha
* Mimori Seira, Kaitō Saint Tail ✅
* Alv Jenever, Kiddy Grade
* Grace O'Conner, Macross Frontier ✅
* Aina Sahalin, Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team
* Tomomi Yanagihara, Natsu-iro no Sunadokei ✅
* Mizuho Kazami, Onegai☆Teacher
* Misty May, Otaku no Video ✅
* Joy, Pokémon
* Branwen, Queen's Blade
* Kasumi Tendō, Ranma ½ ✅
* Mirelia Q Melromarc, Tate no Yūsha no Nariagari
* Sephie Michaela Deviluke, TO LOVEる ✅
* Yukari Yakumo, 東方 Niji Sōsaku Dōjin Anime: Musō Kakyō ✅
* Tōsen Shimogamo, Uchōten Kazoku, localized as The Eccentric Family ✅
* Starsha, Uchū Senkan Yamato 2199 ✅
* Éléonore Albertine Le Blanc de La Blois de La Vallière, Zero no Tsukaima

Commentary: Ms. Inōe gives one of her most cold-hearted, ice-queen roles. Reminiscent to Grace from "Macross Frontier" — with such a powerful propensity for villain roles, it's difficult to believe that Ms. Inōe once played Belldandy ("Aa! Magami-sama!"), the paragon of virtue! Great seiyū!

Conclusively, Senki Zesshō Symphogear G is the first time that the series ventures into skull-exploding levels of grandiosity! The conclusion of this season ends so strongly, it makes the viewer believe that these girls can take on any obstacle that comes their way! Through this world-bending voyage, we are able to reach a tenable catharsis and realize that the girls are larger-than-life, cosmic heroes that love each other very deeply! Wonderful season, I give Senki Zesshō Symphogear G (Season Two) a solid 7/10!

Rankings:

Senki Zesshō Symphogear (Season One) ★★☆☆☆

Senki Zesshō Symphogear G (Season Two) ★★★★☆

Senki Zesshō Symphogear GX (Season Three) ★★★☆☆

Senki Zesshō Symphogear AXZ (Season Four) ★★★★★

Senki Zesshō Symphogear XV (Season Five) ★★★☆☆

After a heavily criticized first season, the second season seems like giving a new life for Symphogear treeline.

Story got B+ for improvements over first season's fatal failure and new villain as well as brand new storyline (tactical betrayal which is quite uncommon for the magical-girl themed).

Art also got B+ also for its improvement. Most of the scene are quite well-drawn and the settings are changed dramatically by incorporating first season's place into forbidden area. Probably done to increase thrill halfway through the series

Sound got A. All songs are perfectly set for each seiyuu's voice capability. No more rubbish songs and no more imbalance quality. Ayahime's ... voice is the most notable here, her songs are the most varied in the series: from heavy-metal class in Bye Bye Lullaby to ballad(?) in Classroom Monochrome

Character got A for brand new design and new characters. Its development also solid and full of twists done in rapid succession for one cours anime.

Enjoyment got A- for its near-yuri relationship and lack of major fanservice slightly reduced the mark for the enjoyment.

Grand score: A. In my scheme: 80 credit points (perfect score) and 968/1000 points

So remember in LA's first season review of this anime series, that LA said this "Senki Zesshou Symphogear you may be a season filled with and built on a foundation of inconsistency, but if anything the appeal to this season and in the future by in large this series' appeal is for it's wacky batshit crazy mech-suited idol battles and of course...it's music." Well, this season clearly learned from what it did wrong and was a HUGE step up.

The plot for this season is a streamlined yet chaotic self-contained story with the newer characters told on the synopsis and you know what?, the plot being ... self-contained immensely helped remove almost all the inconsistencies from it's first season. The plot LA mentioned already is chaotic yet it's one huge story to do with the newer Symphogear characters and villains with some references and plot structure from it's previous season to really for what LA will say in this one statement about G is this, "it's an UP TO AN ELEVEN from it's previous season" with all the good reasons to.

If LA will say about the plot, it like it's first season, it has some plot & character beats similar to Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha A's but it's similarities fade quite early on.

In terms of the characters, by all means even the characters, even the newer cast members do get their spot on the limelight, due to how complex yet streamlined the plot gets, the main cast and minor characters do evolve with this new story, sure LA said that most of the main cast are stereotypical, but G helped give most of the main Symphogear users more development outside their personalities, as such Tsubasa personality inconsistency is no longer there but given something of a protector warrior personality with tsundereness here and there, Hibiki got the most evolved character development from this season with something of a "trying to protect people by utterly going beyond your limits" and Chris given her past deeds to come back and bite her in the ass, as for the villains, they cept one are actually sympathetic villains with some contrasting and similar beliefs to the main cast Symphogear users and are more or less welcome additions to the Symphogear franchise, LA's favourite villain's being Shirabe Tsukuyomi voiced by Yoshino Nanjo and Kirika Akatsuki voiced by Ai Kayano behavioral dualities were the most interesting villains, ohh and LA's favourite character in the series is still the gunslinger idol Chris.

The character evolution and development does range for A LOT of betrayals that works to some degree from both sides of the main cast and villains, it's gets a bit crazy and actually works well in terms of character dynamics or "melodrama" but G's melodrama can be given some grace due to how the melodrama is executed as not obvious or over-exaggerated and actually brings more in-depth lore to the world of Symphogear and it's bigger main cast.

The animation done once again by Satelight has actually stepped up from it's previous season with higher details in general, from the character designs to the bombastic battles, this is a HUGE plus to G.

Now for music, LA might as well praise this element of G as well, with many of the voice actors singing some of the battles OST's as well as insert song OST's (those goes to Aoi Yuuki, Ayahi Takagaki, Nana Mizuki, Yoko Hisaka, Yoshino Nanjo, Ai Kayano, Yui Horie, Yuka Iguchi and even freakin' Hideo Ishikawa) as well as Nana Mizuki singing the OP and some of the ED's, the music across the board are a-m-a-z-i-n-g, special props to the OP "Vitalization" especially.

LA has been praising this season too much, with all your detractors out there of this series, if you want there are some faults in this season, those are; the fanservice gets slightly rampant from the typical panty shots to the questionable transformation sequences, the plot twists of this season are either a hit or a miss (LA more or less saw it as a hit for the most cept one in Episode 10), the only other fault LA saw was *SPOILERS* this one new character Dr. Ver voiced by Tomokazu Sugita is your stereotypical mad scientist "destroy the world" villain, he is outright stock and cliche, he may be a smart-tactiful villain but his maddening-ever evil because evil presences weigh down the more sympathic, interesting villains *SPOILERS END*.

The ending, well the ending blew LA's expectations out of the water and even UPPED the previous ending from the first season too, from the battles, character resolutions (including the newly added sympathetic villains, through battles) and just how awesome and batshit crazy the ending lead up to, the ending just blew LA away and executed almost perfectly, wrapping G in a bombastic musically-amped up ribbon.

Symphogear G, is a definite step up to first season, from it's self-contained story that was built somewhat away from some of the inconsistencies of the first season (though still implemented, still semantics), to character evolution and developments changing the stereotypical main cast to some interesting badass characters & villains, animation and music elements being better highlights of G and even though G has faults LA mentioned above, the pro's outweigh the cons in G immensely for LA.

Symphogear G WANTED LA to carry on watching for more with it's higher stakes and heavy involvement of it's main cast and villains to take the stage with it's bombastic battles as pure sweet eye candy, and if your in it for the music, ear-candy, yes LA enjoyed this season, LA isn't gonna lie, if you haven't already noticed. G, by all means helped LA show that Symphogear series CAN do something amazing, now let's just see whether GX will do the same or even better...

Symphogear is about high school, magical girls who activate their powers through singing, and their battle against Noise, evil creatures controlled by vindictive magical girls. Due to the activation and control of these relics through sounds, these magical girls also "moonlight" as idol singers. The plot armor for why high school girls save the world is that ancient relics can only be activated through certain frequencies, which only certain chosen ones possess. Closing the distance between yourself and your symphogear increases your power, and there are a few pure relics only a chosen few can possess, wielding nearly unlimited power.

Is the plot made up on ... the spot? Of course. Is anything ever explained? No. Stock footage? Check. Dramatic voice lines? Check. Signature moves? Check. Transformation sequences? Check. Comic fanservice? Check. Leery camera angles? Check. Undefeatable finishing move? Check. Vague platitudes? Check. Action training sequence? Check. Impossible physics? Check. Stripperific outfits? Check. Magical stripping to unlock superpowers? Check. Undercover spy? Check. Chosen one? Check. Improbably well-endowed women? Check. Creepy bath scenes? Check. Boob closeups? Check. Gratuitous boob jiggling? Check. Groin shots? Check. Boobs larger than a character's head? Check. Nudity for the ending credits? Check. Lesbian for the camera? Check. Save the cat? Check.

But Symphogear is awful outside of just the horrendous plot and fan service. An emotionally and physically abusive mom is repeatedly framed as loving, with her children missing just how great she was after her death. Even though she even subjected them to medical experimentation, she's framed as actually good because she cries while she abuses her children. Abuse isn't a character flaw as long as you have good intentions while you carry it out, since it's simply tough love. It doesn't matter that they're child soldiers to carry out terrorism as long as you love them.

Even if you ignore all its problematic elements and incoherent plot, Symphogear is still terrible. Despite the increased animation budget of later seasons, the fight scenes are just as lifeless and uninspired as ever. Rather than do anything creative, the creators seem content with new transformation stock footage, shinier graphics, and incessant boob jiggles. Their commander catches a barrage of bullets flying at him with all the excitement of catching someone's car keys. The protagonist's punch, which normally can pierce metal and destroy rock, doesn't even graze him. Dramatic collisions overshadow fluid fight scenes. Effortless attacks can wipe out an entire battalion of enemies. Epic battle scenes include the protagonist throw punches in the same place without moving while yelling top of her lungs for a full minute. The "high-octane action" is less inspired and creative than golf.

Symphogear is atrocious and haphazardly combines classic shounen tropes into a mindless mess of a story. There's the audience surrogate, a weeb girl who relates everything to anime. There's a scantily clad villain sensually torturing her pawn as character development. The 55 pound school girl lets her fists do the talking. The soundtrack is a generic blend of up-tempo synthpop. Symphogear is peak anime, everything from the awful objectification of minors to gratuitous fan service to mindless action sequences, so its target audience will love it.

Is it good? Absolutely not. Is it worth watching? Absolutely not. Does it at least execute the overused plot devices it contains well? Also no. Symphogear being not "not bad" is about the strongest praise I can give it. It's budget Kill la Kill, with a high-octane magical girl story that doesn't take itself seriously. Unfortunately, Symphogear has all of Kill la Kill's of the problematic elements and few, if any, of its upsides. The plot, action, and music are generic, incoherent, and dull. Cutting the entire creative department and replacing it with footage from a Grand Theft Auto playthrough would be an improvement in every regard. Worse, this show gets progressively creepier as it goes along, seemingly unwilling to spend more than 5 minutes without leering at minors.

While this season starts out with an absolute bang that promises to set up a completely legendary battle between the foils of Maria and Hibiki, it ultimately meanders to the point where nearly every plot point either resolves incredibly anti-climactically or is simply dropped altogether. The last act of the work is stripped of all the themes that the first season had the audience come to associate with the series and is a comically simple showcase of good overpowering evil.
There was absolutely incredible potential here, and episode 5, despite many of the meandering plot points already in the process of damaging the work, showcases just ... how much can be done with the pieces the show is working with. However, it is mostly a nose-dive downward from that point with plot pieces such as Hibiki's Gungnir and surprises with Miku amounting to exactly nothing in the functional sense.

Symphogear is about high school, magical girls who activate their powers through singing, and their battle against Noise, evil creatures controlled by vindictive magical girls. Due to the activation and control of these relics through sounds, these magical girls also "moonlight" as idol singers. The plot armor for why high school girls save the world is that ancient relics can only be activated through certain frequencies, which only certain chosen ones possess. Closing the distance between yourself and your symphogear increases your power, and there are a few pure relics only a chosen few can possess, wielding nearly unlimited power.

Is the plot made up on ... the spot? Of course. Is anything ever explained? No. Stock footage? Check. Dramatic voice lines? Check. Signature moves? Check. Transformation sequences? Check. Comic fanservice? Check. Leery camera angles? Check. Undefeatable finishing move? Check. Vague platitudes? Check. Action training sequence? Check. Impossible physics? Check. Stripperific outfits? Check. Magical stripping to unlock superpowers? Check. Undercover spy? Check. Chosen one? Check. Improbably well-endowed women? Check. Creepy bath scenes? Check. Boob closeups? Check. Gratuitous boob jiggling? Check. Groin shots? Check. Boobs larger than a character's head? Check. Nudity for the ending credits? Check. Lesbian for the camera? Check. Save the cat? Check.

But Symphogear is awful outside of just the horrendous plot and fan service. An emotionally and physically abusive mom is repeatedly framed as loving, with her children missing just how great she was after her death. Even though she even subjected them to medical experimentation, she's framed as actually good because she cries while she abuses her children. Abuse isn't a character flaw as long as you have good intentions while you carry it out, since it's simply tough love. It doesn't matter that they're child soldiers to carry out terrorism as long as you love them.

Even if you ignore all its problematic elements and incoherent plot, Symphogear is still terrible. Despite the increased animation budget of later seasons, the fight scenes are just as lifeless and uninspired as ever. Rather than do anything creative, the creators seem content with new transformation stock footage, shinier graphics, and incessant boob jiggles. Their commander catches a barrage of bullets flying at him with all the excitement of catching someone's car keys. The protagonist's punch, which normally can pierce metal and destroy rock, doesn't even graze him. Dramatic collisions overshadow fluid fight scenes. Effortless attacks can wipe out an entire battalion of enemies. Epic battle scenes include the protagonist throw punches in the same place without moving while yelling top of her lungs for a full minute. The "high-octane action" is less inspired and creative than golf.

Symphogear is atrocious and haphazardly combines classic shounen tropes into a mindless mess of a story. There's the audience surrogate, a weeb girl who relates everything the anime. There's a scantily clad villain sensually torturing her pawn as character development. The 55 pound school girl lets her fists do the talking. The soundtrack is a generic blend of up-tempo synthpop. Symphogear is peak anime, everything from the awful objectification of minors to gratuitous fan service to mindless action sequences, so its target audience will love it.

Is it good? Absolutely not. Is it worth watching? Absolutely not. Does it at least execute the overused plot devices it contains well? Also no. Symphogear being not "not bad" is about the strongest praise I can give it. It's budget Kill la Kill, with a high-octane magical girl story that doesn't take itself seriously. Unfortunately, Symphogear has all of Kill la Kill's of the problematic elements and few, if any, of its upsides. The plot, action, and music are generic, incoherent, and dull. Cutting the entire creative department and replacing it with footage from a Grand Theft Auto playthrough would be an improvement in every regard. Worse, this show gets progressively creepier as it goes along, seemingly unwilling to spend more than 5 minutes without leering at minors.

I was wrong
-Me from before watching Symphogear G. Probably.

Honestly this caught me off guard. Like i did not expect it to be this better than season 1. Hell, might as well make this the season 1, let's just pretend season 1 didn't happened.

From the animation to the story to the characters, they all received a LOT of improvements from previous season. The story is still confusing to me but wth you don't need logic to watch this banger. Characters got MAJOR improvements we get to see Hibiki's backstory, which added depth to her character. Ogawa suddenly became a fucking badass this season, he's like ... my favorite character in this season. Also Chris best girl, fucking fight me!

The animation also received improvements like the transformation scene and the fights. Damn, they are hype af!. they're not as messy and janky as the last season and the studio delivered. The songs are still the main highlight of this anime. All of them are lit af. I was headbanging when the opening start, shits that good.

I enjoyed this season so much than before. Might even continue to season 5.

Thanks for reading ya'll

Much better! Say goodbye to the first season of Symphogear's hair-brained scheme to develop mature character arcs in a fantasy world devoid of mature themes. Fully embraced in Symphogear G is the soul of the show - robogirls saving the world from the noise with their punchy warballads. Suspend your desire for "realistic" world building and experience the closest thing to an autistic rock opera Anime has to offer, Symphogear G.

Story 8

Two parts wheat, eight parts buckwheat... on the scale of so bad it's good, Symphogear G gets an 8/10.

The moon, which had a makeover in the season 1 finale, is not in stable orbit ... as NASA claims! Turns out we're in for a doozy when she comes crashing down, and a rival gang of popstar power rangers have emerged from their invisible flying fortress seeking to return the moon to a safe orbit through advanced achaeology, terrorism, and vocals. The USA plans to evacuate to the lost city of Atlantis and leave the rest of the world to its fate. Red, Yellow, and Blue must contend with the new Black, Green, and Pink rangers to save the world from being saved the wrong way. Yellow ranger, who is also jinchuuriki for the 9-tails, must contend with the weakening of the sealing Jutsu. We learn that the heart of a power puff girl is fickle, and the absolute dedication of these young women to their naive world views creates a series of reshuffles in the midst of battle until everyone has basically fought everyone for every reason.

Art 7

The endless hordes of noise are completely passed over once again, probably the worst thing about the art in the first season and this season... but the show really shines when it comes to the naval battles, control rooms, and like 4/7 of the Symphogears' abilities in battle. Towards the end there are some fantastic throw-ins that are pleasing to the eye - complete remodels of each Symphogear, visual progression for the threats posed by the main villain and his minions, a fairly competent depiction of planetary scale battle with energy weapons. The opening has a beautiful, stylized first half. The scene with Chris eating Spaghetti like she's two with a mushroom plastered to her cheek and some of the veggies from the sauce finding themselves under her mug was great. It's nothing spectacular for the most part, but not bad either.

Sound 9

There is a greater range of emotional intent to the tracks this season, some duets, and overall a more polished feel. Beyond that, many battles take place with limited, varied placement of sing-alongs by the Symphogear users or none at all. They mix it up a lot more this season, and it works to the benefit of the viewer/listener.

Character 8

The antagonists have "complex motivations" in Symphogear G. Specifically, they are either too senile, too young, too traumatized, or too manic to see their half-baked aspirations through without relying on archaeological terrorism - birds of a feather flock together, I suppose. Our protagonists struggle to determine where their allegiances lie when confronted with NASA's lies about the trajectory of the moon - will they join the invisible fortress crew, convert them to common sense, or is there another way?

Meanwhile, the best characters in the show are again the Americans, and now also Blue Ranger's talent manager who is revealed to be a Ninja capable of subduing the full might of the Yakuza while taking a phone call, walking on water, bending bullets, and using bent bullets to shadow bind enemies. The commander also turns out to be legit, singing one of the finest songs in the series as he toughens up his young songstress unit by having them run long distances and box frozen critters suspended from meat hooks. Rocky!

They're all idiots in the best of ways.

Enjoyment 9

It's great mindless entertainment. Blue Ranger launches herself off the deck of an aircraft carrier using that slingshot thing the fighter jets use for same. The lost city of Atlantis destroys an entire American convoy at sea. The American MIB unit once again attempts to steal national secrets from Japan at gunpoint and gets merc'd by the Symphogear. Kyubi makes an appearence, but is resealed when Bikkie jumps in front of the most powerful laser the world has ever known to take advantage of its special properties. It turns out the main villain from season 1 is the most selfless self-perpetuating genetic parasite (that's called a virus, folks) that you could imagine - she was just misunderstood, what a sacrifice. The final battle is literally just FMA: Brotherhood + The Avengers Movie = this. It's a god damn travesty that doesn't try to be anything else, as opposed to the first season which tried and failed to be anything else. Fun!

The most notable points about this second installment to Symphogear is it was significantly more consistent than the first season in animation quality, we get three more Symphogear users, and there is shift towards having more fighting and less school/slice of life moments (which is either good or bad depending on your preference).

In regards to the animation there is a noticeable difference that is almost like a generational gap where the style of anime changed from like pre 2010s to mid late 2010s (despite it being one year apart from the first season). Also whereas season 1 had some very iffy looking action season towards ... the middle of the season (I specifically remember some scenes where Chris's guns looked quite silly) the lows in animation this season are much better, and there are more highs in animation be frequency, although season 1's best scenes are about equal to me.

As far as new characters Kirika and Shirabe are pretty cool designs, Kirika behing a scythe character reminding me of Ruby from RWBY or Rory Mercury from Gate, although it's interesting that her color scheme is green and black given that most scythe characters seem to be black or red themed. Shirabe has like giant saw blades attached to her head and skates around with roller blade like things on her shoes. Maria is like a new diva idol character and does a collab with Tsubasa in the first episode, she has cool black cape that can block projectiles, I like her design the least of the new characters but it's still solid.

This season had maybe 1 episode that focused on activities at the school where there was a karaoke competition but other than that it was purely action focused, with a convoluted plot of a secret program keeping vessels for Fine to be reincarnated into, and a crazy annoying dr villain, and basically just finding excuses to have different symphogear users to fight each other. I actually missed some of the slice of life because I thought Miku and Hibiki had a really good dynamic in the first season with lots of scenes of them talking in their dorm (it's still in this season but in more dramatic scenarios than down time). That said the action scenes where on average much better and having more symphogear users fighting each other was great. Also because there were more symphogear users there were a lot more insert songs, and I liked all of the insert songs alot (particularly Chris's and Hibiki's).

Overall at it's core this season continues with the general formula of great high tempo music, cool action and special attacks, and cute girls that the first season had, with slightly more action and a little less slice of life.

Symphogear G improves in several ways over the first season, though in other ways feels like it fails to quite live up to the same breakneck antics that made the first season work so well. On the whole, though, it still maintains the same level of enjoyability, and while it can drag at times it feels very much like a natural continuation of the previous season.

As with the last season, the first episode actually sets the ball rolling almost immediately, with a very powerful opening scene. However, after this, the season loses steam much faster than the previous one, and is overall much more stop-and-go ... than the full-steam-ahead of season one. That's not to say that the drama isn't there, as it most certainly is, and one of my favourite sequences of the show occurs around episode 5. It's just more hit-and-miss than the previous season. Like the previous season, the mystery is solved by around episode 5, with the story throwing as many twists as it can in to make the plot finish out the season. Unlike the previous season which makes it work as a (somewhat) coherent story, this season definitely feels more meander-y, with the plot slowing down to a crawl for a few episodes.

While I will defend the characterizations and arcs of the first season, I do have to admit that this season did the characters better than season one, though it feels like at least some of the character progressions are repeats of what had happened the previous season. The background characters aren't given quite as much attention, though the new additions to the main cast more than make up for this, as all three are given quite good characters. Finally, the "twist" villain is... significantly worse than that of the previous season, with poorer execution and an infinitely worse motivation.

The continued brutalization of the Climax Song aside, the season didn't actually do power creep as badly as the previous season. I liked the direction that they went w/ Hibiki's gear, and there are some clever things done with the gears throughout the season. With the absence of a certain character, there's less explanation about how specific systems work, though with how handwavey the systems are anyways I consider that a good thing. As with the previous season, the finale goes just a bit over-the-top for my taste, but on the whole I feel the power levels were much more engaging.

The show, as with nearly all anime, also still suffers from the occasional show-then-tell-anyway problem that cropped up in the last season, with an equally egregious example placed in for the sake of a twist that was easy to see coming from several miles away. And, as with the previous season, there is a shower scene. So be advised if those ick you.

Animation is done way more consistently than in season 1, with fewer of the Jpeg background images that showed up in key moments, though I'd still hesitate to call it great, just good. Which is better than the "fine" of the last season. The soundtrack is also very good, with one of my favourite songs of the series cropping up about midway through the season, the sound design is still done competently, and though the voice acting misses some of the raw highs of the first season, it's still punchy enough to sell it in my opinion.

This review may read like I don't like Symphogear G as much as I do the first season; however, I do still think they both have their merits, and both deserve the same rating. While there are a lot of things G does worse in little ways than the first season, those few things it does better it does so by quite enough that it comes together to the same mile-a-minute don't-think-too-hard package that worked so well for the first season!