Senki Zesshō Symphogear (2024)

Senki Zesshō Symphogear (戦姫絶唱シンフォギア Senki Zesshō Shinfogia?, "Superb Song of the Valkyries: Symphogear"), subtitled "Meteoroid-falling, burning, and disappear, then…", is a Japanese anime television series animated by Satelight, with assistance from Encourage Films. It began airing on Tokyo MX from January 6, 2012.[1]

Two years ago, a pair of idols, Tsubasa Kazanari and Kanade Amou, collectively known as Zwei Wing, fought against an alien race known as Noise using armor known as Symphogear. To protect a girl named Hibiki Tachibana, who got severely wounded by the Noise, Kanade sacrificed herself. Two years later, as Tsubasa has fought the Noise alone, Hibiki ends up gaining the same power as Kanade.[2]

#Title[Notes 1]Original airdate1Awakening Heartbeat
覚醒の鼓動
"Kakusei no Kodō"
January 6, 2012

A girl named Hibiki Tachibana attends a concert held by Tsubasa Kazanari and Kanade Amou, who form the pop duo, ZweiWing. In the middle of the concert, the stadium is attacked by an alien race known as Noise who begin killing the attendees. Tsubasa and Kanade summon mechanical battle armor known as Symphogear to fight off the Noise, but soon find themselves in a pinch. Kanade tries to protect Hibiki, but she is hit by a stray fragment of Kanade's armor. With her suit losing power, Kanade sings a song that destroys all the Noise, but at the cost of her own life. Back in the present, Hibiki, who was able to survive, is attending Lydian Music Academy alongside her friend, Miku Kohinata, while Tsubasa, who goes to the same school, continues to fight the Noise alone. As Hibiki goes into town to buy a new CD, she comes across a Noise attack and tries to help a young girl get to safety. When they become cornered, she sings the song she heard Kanade sing that day which ends up giving her Symphogear armor.

2Noise and Disharmony
雑音と不協和音と
"Zatsuon to Fukyōwaon to"
January 13, 2012

Hibiki uses her newfound ability to protect the girl from the Noise before Tsubasa arrives on the scene to defeat them. Afterwards, Hibiki is taken to the underground headquarters for Special Disaster Response Team Section Two to run a medical checkup. They soon reveal Hibiki's ability to summon Symphogear comes from fragments of a Relic Kanade possessed that entered Hibiki's body during the battle two years ago. As Tsubasa is shocked by the news, Hibiki agrees to fight against the Noise. A large Noise monster appears in the city which Tsubasa defeats, before telling Hibiki that she wants to fight her.

3Passing in the Night
夜にすれ違う
"Yoru ni Surechigau"
January 20, 2012

Tsubasa attempts to attack Hibiki, refusing to accept her as Kanade's replacement, but the fight is halted by Section Two's leader, Genjūrō Kazanari. Two months later and the two have still been unable to get along with each other. As Section Two discuss the recent outbreaks of Noise, they theorise the Noise are targeting a collection of relics known as Durandal hidden beneath Lydian Academy. As Hibiki makes plans to watch shooting stars with Miku, she is called away to another Noise outbreak, forcing her to cancel to both girls' ire. As Hibiki tears through the Noise, with Tsubasa arriving to finish off its leader, they are confronted by a new enemy wearing the Nehushtan Armor that was stolen two years ago.

4Falling Tears
落涙
"Rakurui"
January 27, 2012

Five years ago, Kanade was brought to Section Two after her family was killed by the Noise. Wanting to get revenge on the Noise, she underwent harsh medical treatment to become compatible with the Gungnir relic and gain Symphogear. As she began fighting alongside Tsubasa, she grew an appreciation for sharing her music with others and formed Zwei Wing with her. Back in the present, Tsubasa faces off against the Nehushtan Armor-clad enemy, Chris Yukine, who reveals her goal is to capture Hibiki. As her opponent starts to overwhelm her, Tsubasa sings her Superb Song, which forces Chris to leave, whilst Tsubasa barely survives the damage done to her body. As Tsubasa recovers, Hibiki hears about how she was affected following Kanade's death two years ago and becomes depressed, feeling everything has been her fault. After some encouraging words from Miku, Hibiki resolves to be herself and become stronger to protect others and begins training with Genjuro.

5From the Bottom of Darker Depths
なお昏き深淵の底から
"Nao Kuraki Shin'en no Soko Kara"
February 3, 2012

As Chris is punished for the failure of her mission by a mysterious woman, Tsubasa regains consciousness after speaking with Kanade in her dream about how she should live. Meanwhile, the Minister of Defense is assassinated by terrorists, targeting a case that Ryōko manages to recover. Ryōko explains the case contains a chip pertaining to the Durandal sword hidden beneath the base. Hibiki accompanies Ryōko on a mission to escort Durandal to a safe location, but they are soon confronted by Chris and a group of Noise which Hibiki fights off. The Durandal responds to Hibiki's voice and activates, and despite Chris' attempt to grab it, Hibiki grabs it instead, giving her a short moment of incredible power which drives off Chris.

6Where Omens Lead
兆しの行方は
"Kizashi no Yukue wa"
February 10, 2012

As Chris vows to Finé that she will take Hibiki down with her own power, Hibiki is asked to help look after Tsubasa whilst she recovers. As Tsubasa asks to hear from Hibiki about what she fights for, Miku spots the two together and becomes determined to talk with Hibiki. When Miku ends up getting caught in the battlefield when Chris appears, Hibiki is forced to reveal her secret to save her. Luring her away, Hibiki attempts to reason with Chris, but she is unwilling to listen. Being unable to construct an Armed Gear like Tsubasa, Hibiki instead uses the required energy to power her punch and break through Chris' armor.

7Fate Just Keeps Firing
撃ちてし止まぬ運命のもとに
"Uchiteshi Yamanu Unmei no Moto ni"
February 17, 2012

As Hibiki tries to reach Chris's feelings, Chris abandons the Nehushtan Armor activates her own relic, Ichaival, and attacks Hibiki with her own Symphogear. As Tsubasa arrives on the scene to back Hibiki up, Finé arrives and breaks up the fight, taking the Nehushtan Armor and telling Chris that she no longer has use for her. Later that night, Chris comes across a pair of siblings and helps reunite them with their father. Meanwhile, Miku is mad at Hibiki for lying to her, telling her they can no longer be friends. As Chris tries to confront Finé, Finé dons the Nehushtan Armor and attacks her.

8No Shadows in the Sunlight
陽だまりに翳りなく
"Hidamari ni Kageri Naku"
February 24, 2012

Whilst having a walk, Miku encounters Chris, who had become exhausted from being chased by the Noise, and decides to help nurse her back to health. As Chris explains her troubled childhood to Miku, a Noise alert appears, with Chris blaming herself for bringing them there. As Chris has trouble transforming, Genjuro appears to defend her whilst she transforms and leads the Noise away. Meanwhile, Hibiki encounters Miku and an okonomiyaki shop owner as they are trapped by an octopus-like Noise who detects noises. After apologising to Hibiki, Miku decides to lead the Noise away to give Hibiki a chance to transform, arriving just in time to defeat the Noise and save Miku. After Miku confesses the reason she was angry was because she was fearful for Hibiki's safety, the two make up with each other.

9Protector's Song
防人の歌
"Sakimori no Uta"
March 2, 2012

As Miku is allowed to join Section Two, Genjuro goes to see Chris, explaining how he was to become her guardian after she was rescued from trafficking two years ago, but she refuses his help. Having fully recovered from her injuries, Tsubasa is invited by Hibiki and Miku to spend the day together, where she comes to understand some of Kanade's words. Tsubasa decides to participate in a music festival taking place at the arena where that fateful incident took place. On the night of the concert, Hibiki decides to take on a Noise case on her own, where she teams up with Chris. Following the concert, Tsubasa decides to take on an overseas contract.

10What Only Clasped Hands Can Create
繋いだ手だけが紡ぐもの
"Tsunaida Te Dake ga Tsumugu Mono"
March 9, 2012

Ryōko is attacked by some American terrorists while working in Finé's mansion, but she kills them using Black Arts, though takes some damage in doing so. As Chris and Genjuro come across the scene, Genjuro helps Chris understand what her parents fought for. As Section Two investigate a clue given to them by Chris, Kadingir, a group of large airborne Noise appears over Tokyo Sky Tower, with Chris arriving to assist Hibiki and Tsubasa. Despite some hostility from Chris, Hibiki helps her and Tsubasa get along and together they defeat the Noise. Afterwards, however, Hibiki receives a distressing call from Miku that the academy is under Noise attack.

11Shoot the Moon
月を穿つ
"Tsuki wo Ugatsu"
March 16, 2012

As Ogawa tries to get Miku to safety to Section Two headquarters, they are attacked by Finé, who is revealed to be Ryōko as Genjuro arrives on the scene to fight against her. However, Finé manages to critically wound Genjuro and goes on to take Durandal. As Finé goes on to confront Hibiki, Tsubasa and Chris as they arrive on the scene, she explains how she is an ancient priestess who possessed Ryōko's body 12 years ago. She then proceeds to bring out the Kadingir, a huge cannon that she had been building in Section Two's elevator shaft all this time, which she plans to use to destroy the moon which possesses some spell holding back her true power. As the cannon prepares to fire, Chris sings her superb song and sacrifices herself to stop the beam from completely destroying the moon, to the shock of Hibiki.

12Symphogear
シンフォギア
"Shinfogia"
March 23, 2012

Shocked by Chris's supposed death, Hibiki goes beserk and loses control, attacking relentlessly at both Finé and Tsubasa. As Kadingir prepare to fire another shot at the moon, Tsubasa takes the full brunt of Hibiki's attack in order to hold her in place before standing to face against Finé in order to try and launching a kamikaze attack which destroys Kadingir. As Finé turns her anger on Hibiki, who is not sure what to fight for anymore, the girl Hibiki had previously saved gives Miku the idea to, with the help of her friends, send Hibiki everyone's words of support. Upon hearing her classmates sing her school's anthem, Hibiki, along with Tsubasa and Chris who had survived, unleash the Symphogear's true potential.

13Meteoroids Falling, Burning, Disappearing, and Then…
流れ星、堕ちて燃えて尽きて、そして—
"Nagareboshi, Ochite Moete Tsukite, Soshite—"
March 30, 2012

As Finé summons an entire army of Noise, Hibiki, Tsubasa and Chris work together to fight them off. Just then, Finé fuses herself with Durandal and the remaining Noise to become a powerful being. Working together, Tsubasa and Chris manage to retrieve Durandal from Finé and pass it on to Hibiki who manages to control its power thanks to Miku and the others and defeats Finé. Unwilling to listen to Hibiki's advice, Finé uses the last of her strength to pull the loose fragment of the moon towards the earth before fading away into dust. As Hibiki goes alone to stop the fragment using her superb song, Tsubasa and Chris join her and together they sing the ultimate superb song to destroy the fragment. Some time later, as Miku finds herself cornered by Noise, Hibiki, Tsubasa and Chris return safe and sound.

Six Blu-ray and DVD volumes, each collecting two or three episodes and with a bonus music CD included, were released monthly between April and August 2012. A Blu-ray box compilation was released on March 29, 2017. These physical releases were Japanese only.

The season was licensed for English translation and digital streaming twice: first on Funimation, which streamed each episode a week after airing. The Funimation version was pulled from their site in 2016 and is now unavailable to the public. In 2015, Crunchyroll acquired Symphogear alongside G and GX, with its translation provided by MAGES Inc.[3]

On July 29, 2019, Discotek Media announced on Twitter they had licensed Symphogear S1 for English release in North America sometime in 2020.[4] On August 7, 2020, Discotek revealed the projected release date as October 27, with a link to pre-order the English Blu-ray collection on RightStuf Anime.[5] Discotek's release features completely new subtitles for dialogue and songs re-translated in-house by Noelle (Twitter), as well as bonus materials never-before translated to English.

Official logo

Logoless, larger version of the season poster

Chris, Hibiki, and Tsubasa transformation

Chris, Hibiki, and Tsubasa in casual clothes

Chris, Miku, Hibiki, and Tsubasa in pajamas

Hibiki, Tsubasa, Chris, and Miku in yukata

Symphogear Correlation Chart

Blu-ray BOX poster

OP "Synchrogazer" front cover

ED "Meteor Light" front cover

ED "Meteor Light" limited edition front cover

Insert "ROCKBOUND NEIGHBORS" front cover

Insert "ROCKBOUND NEIGHBORS" limited edition front cover

Insert "ROCKBOUND NEIGHBORS" limited edition reprint front cover

Senki Zesshō Symphogear (2024)

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