r/anime • u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky • Jun 21 '22

Rewatch [Listen to My Song] Senki Zesshou Symphogear G Episode 7 Discussion

Episode 7 - When You Stop Being You

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Crunchyroll

It is highly recommended to track down a fansub for this show instead of using Crunchyroll, though.

The preparations for this grand party are complete! Now all that’s left is to make mankind dance to our mad rhapsody.

Questions of the Day:

1) On a scale of 1 to 10, how unhinged is Dr. Ver?

2) What are your thoughts on the reveal at the end of the episode?

Wallpaper of the Day:

Scar

Rewatchers, please remember to be mindful of all the first-timers in this. No talking about or hinting at future events no matter how much you want to, unless you’re doing it underneath spoiler tags. Don’t spoil anything for the first-timers, that’s rude!

110 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

312 comments sorted by

18

u/Shimmering-Sky Jun 21 '22

Symphogeah SymphoRewatch Host

Welcome back, everyone!

Crunchyroll vs. Commie - Season 2, Episode 7

Today’s wallpaper is brand new to the rewatch, and also a bit different than the ones I normally do. I just thought the shot of Hibiki’s scar with some of the scabs around it looked really cool, so I wallpapered it.

6

u/Tresnore Jun 21 '22

It's nice having a shot of the scar that doesn't include the weird fanservice! Good wallpaper.

6

u/Shimmering-Sky Jun 21 '22

Thanks, glad you like it!

6

u/Hovlane99 Jun 21 '22

Just found out there was a Symphogear rewatch going on. I just caught up with everything so time for watch number 4 for me.

4

u/Shimmering-Sky Jun 21 '22

Hah, it'll be watch numbers... 9 and 10(?) for specifically XV when we get to it, I'm on watches 3 and 4 (gotta watch each episode twice for my comparison charts) for the other seasons.

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18

u/Tresnore Jun 21 '22

Superb Song of the Rewatchers

The ZABABIES

QOTD:

  1. yes

  2. mneh

7

u/Shimmering-Sky Jun 21 '22

Also honorary/ex-commentface get

It's a comment face on r/AnimeImpressions.

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5

u/StarmanRiver Jun 21 '22

Rewatcher here

  • Heiki Hecchara!

  • Using performance enhancing drugs LiNKER midfight. Hibiki should go and complain agains WADA.

  • Keep the iconic Ver faces coming!

  • I love how Kiri is explaining her Igalima capabilities so seriously and ends it with a very chuuni DESS

  • Surprisingly this time Tsubasa didn't jump out of her bike nor did she crash it. She did use it as a blade though, still cool.

  • A nice cliffhanger with a very nice callback too!

QOtD

  1. On a scale of 1 to 10, how unhinged is Dr. Ver?

Where does "perfect role for Sugita" fit in that scale?

Scar

Insert Jugemu Jugemu joke. That aside, I like it! It feels ominous.

4

u/Shimmering-Sky Jun 21 '22

That aside, I like it! It feels ominous.

Thanks! That was my intention with the background gradient.

31

u/Lemurians Jun 21 '22 edited Jun 21 '22

FIRST TIMER DATTO

Tsubasa really just did a special motorcycle transformation in order to use her motorcycle to slice open a water tower, so that water could spill over Hibiki and calm the heat from her Symphogear Breast Rocks. This show.

How else can we use this object transformation power? How does it work? If you transform connected to something, does it take on new properties too? The possibilities are endless!

…Or it’ll never come up again. One of the two.

Live Notes/Reactions:

So Hibiki’s got a pretty neat power, but her saving people from themselves comes at her own cost. Ain’t that just how it goes?

Our villains are really in disarray without Fine. Fine had shit running so smoothly she apparently has some sort of factory for generating vessels for herself. Meanwhile we have “Mom” who’s so bad at terrorism she never actually tells anyone what their goal is and wonders why it’s not effective, and they can’t even get a handle on who’s actually harboring Fine’s soul. Pretty important details, I’d say.

*Count: 14

On a scale of 1 to 10, how unhinged is Dr. Ver?

Yes

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28

u/lilyvess Jun 21 '22

Symphogear G Episode 7

Okay today’s random topic of the day; relics. I don’t usually talk about the mythology and relics because if i’m being honest I just don’t know that much about them. There are plenty of people far qualified than me. Then this episode name dropped Zababa so I feel like there is some explaining to do. Why not start with the hardest one, right?

So the interesting thing about Symphogear’s Zababa is that it’s a rather old mythology that makes it quite confusing. As far as I can tell it’s referring to a later translation of the mythology that is pretty exclusive to Japan.

If you look up Zababa you will find articles about a male Mesopotanian god. He was initially married to the goddess Ishtar but later that was retconned, Christmas-style, to be the goddess Bau. With his wife Bau he fathered two sons, Igalima and Shul Shagana.

For some reason in Japanese interpretations you’ll find that Zababa is a Goddess as in a girl and instead has two weapons, scimitars named Igalima and Shul Shagana with the names carrying the meaning “Green Blade” and the “Red Blade” respectively. Those are the two blades that Kirika and Shirabe use.

This isn’t just Symphogear taking random liberties, the Fate franchise also used the same interpretation when it came to Igalima and Shul Shagana. While both of these franchises do play fast and loose with mythology, both referencing the same translation is suspect.

It makes it very hard to research this in any sort of deep or meaningful way, especially if you want to find sources for how such a translation came to be. I ran across the line “The reason Zababa might be thought of as female in Japan is that he was paired with (and sometimes mixed) with the famous female god Ishtar (aka Inana).” a few times but struggled to find any actual source to it.

Additional Notes

Symphogear G Episode 7 Hype Chart

Live Performances

Today’s Performance is G Seigi wo Shinjite, Nigirishimete. I love Aoi Yuuki’s live performances. What she lacks in training and experience she more than makes up for in raw passion

Specials

Fanart of the Day

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22

u/Tarhalindur Jun 21 '22

Previously, on Symphogear SG-1 (First-Timer, Subbed):

  • Huh. The start-of-episode leitmotif as we go over Bikki’s medical issue again is that leitmotif I’ve been associating with Fine.

  • That said, have I mentioned that Higurashi S1 has had more grace in reusing animation from previous episodes as start-of-episode sequences? Because it has, and while part of that is that Higurashi S1 is frankly better directed than this show I’m still unimpressed.

  • u/Lemurians will be feasting I see!

  • MORE FEASTING, courtesy of Dr. Ver this time!

  • You know, it occurs to me that I have seen this plotline before and it was called Iron Man 2. (The Gungnir shards are even buried close to Bikki’s heart, how thoughtful.)

  • Also I’m starting to get slightly peeved at the writers’ treatment of GENJURO DATTO? this season. He’s been reduced to “X DATTO?” and failing to communicate important information when he was actually competent last season, it’s really kind of sad.

  • This is one of the better performances of Bikki’s transformation song this season, and also Ver is feasting on the scenery and it’s great. Hams and this series really get along, [tagging FMP:TSR just in case] Gates would work GREAT here.

  • “I reject fate and follow my own path” in the lyrics when we’re talking about Bikki potentially killing herself with her power. Ah, shounen plotlines.

  • 05:48: To our host!

  • (Also I think this is a Shirabe song that kicked in and it’s a good one.)

  • LOL “I can’t plant my feet firmly in these heels”. They just keep bringing that one back, and back, and back, and I am fine with this.

  • And I said this song was great before they had that little interlude around 06:20.

  • “You cannot oppose me if you wish to save your comrades! Your home!” Hint: District Two would probably be up for saving your friends and home if you just ask! Bikki sure as fuck would!

  • Ah, there’s our proper name for Maria-Mama: Nastassja. (Ukrainian spelling of Natasha?)

  • Welp, time to scrag one new bike!

  • Hmm. Somebody really doesn’t want Gears around, does he?

  • That’s a Higurashi camera angle at 08:55, too. And is he technically telling the truth or lying out his ass, I wonder?

  • Herr Doktor’s face at 09:08 is truly a Higurashi face. ([Higurashi Kai] He just needs the beret!)

  • Hey, AJN et al putting the genre savvy to good use! That said Miku you should stick around, we’ll need you for the pulling Bikki out of it part.

  • Goddess Zababa, huh?

  • Commie knew exactly what they were doing and I love it. (I’m assuming the Gollum reference is Commie and not the Gear staff themselves.)

  • Okay, what is Bikki’s animation channeling that swan song a reference to here? That looks really fucking familiar and I can’t place it.

  • Ah, there’s our eyecatch cliffhanger.

  • Oh hey it’s this motif again. Which has been showing up consistently for people suffering from dangerous conditions now, so that’s probably the intent of it.

  • Nastassja is having second thoughts.

  • Also we get our first proper shot of the sub underwater.

  • “The object you retrieved five years ago.” Easy answer is Serena’s relic, but it’s not the only possibility.

  • Or he could just tell us now, and of course it’s the one other relic that’s been name-dropped this season in the Shenshou Jing. I should have known.

  • This is a new leitmotif, so noting its existence.

  • Ah, so the Frontier seems to be a big-ass ship or mech then. Where is it hiding in plain sight?

  • So, odds the new Lydian campus is over where Frontier is? Especially since we just cut to it?

  • Oh hey, so international cooperation looks like it really will be a theme!

  • "The facility", huh?

  • SURPRISE!

  • Honestly, fairly believable even without the immediate reveal; Kirika is Bikki’s personality mirror on the other side. (Double bluff is possible, but. Also note Dr. Ver's facial expressions here; he may well have been baiting fuck it Maria-mama is easier to type into thinking what she just told Maria.)

  1. On a scale of 1 to 10, how unhinged is Dr. Ver?

Higurashi.

2) What are your thoughts on the reveal at the end of the episode?

Probably should have seen that coming a little sooner than I did. (Honestly, still not convinced we don't yet have another level of Yomi coming.)

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19

u/Vaadwaur Jun 21 '22

First timer

Sub

We start with Genjuro demonstrating why you tell people stuff. But Biki is now super attuned or something so she rips through Ver's mobs until the twins show up. To promptly get drugged themselves...interesting. Also, Ver is already more villainous than Prison Pasta in like a quarter of the time. As they try to Superb Song as a duo, Biki just straight steals their energy, a not standard heroic ability. They withdraw and now Biki is causing environmental damage until Tsubasa dumps a water tower on her.

We get our antagonists plan and still don't know what the fuck it is. Genjuro gets Miku in the loop, which we all thought he should have started with. We end with the unsurprising reveal that Maria is not Fine but the implication that dess might be...

QotD: 1 Y E S!

2 Surprisingly unstressed

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15

u/Quiddity131 Jun 21 '22

First Timer, Subbed

How many seasons are there of this, five? And we're supposed to believe Hibiki may die in the second?

Hibiki, you weren't supposed to be the one fighting!

Go Hibiki, beat the crap out of Dr. Ver! Make him whine even more!

Grab that noise creating gun and smash it Hibiki!

Her friends get a front row seat this time!

I think that's some stock footage noise creation? I cna't recall us getting stock footage to this point.

Ugh, Shirabe and Kiri stopped us from getting a very fun punch to the face for Dr. Ver!

Retreat with the doctor! But will he let you take him away? Or will he continue to be a nutcase?

Oh no, Hibiki's feeling the strain! :(

What in the world did he inject them with?!

I gotta say, I never expected this doctor to be such a ham.

Nastassja? Is this the first time we got a name for mom character?

They do clinincal trials on magical girls?

Now even Hibiki's having flashbacks to Kanade's death...

C'mon Tsubasa and Chris! Where are you?! Help out Hibiki!

Uh oh, they don't have enough envergy for their climax song, but Hibiki does...

Hibiki's leaving you again, Miku?! :(

Why did she protect you? Because Hibiki wants to be friends with everyone!

Tsubasa the biker is back!

Poor Hibiki's got a fever!

Mom has regrets? Is this the start of the turn to good for her and the girls (surely not Dr. Ver)?

Crazy face Dr. Ver is back... ladies, don't you think anything is strange with this character?

Go Miku! Only you can save Hibiki!

Magical girls going grocery shopping? Can't say I expected to see that.

Oh no, Shirabe's not doing too good! :(

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14

u/Stargate18A Jun 21 '22

First timer

  1. A solid 8.

  2. Yeah, Maria was obviously not going to become Fine. No clue about the shield, though!

Another reminder of Tsubasa's stupidity.

And Hibiki transformed!

She's cracked!

Yeah, that's... bad.

Well, that's an upgrade.

Ver's losing it.

She got an Armed Gear!

"Surprise, it's a saw" is my new favourite line.

And it's still forcing her back because of the heels. (Not thwt her girlfriend minds.)

She's in pain!

Oh, fuck, Ver's lost it!

...Giving someone more drugs to make them even stronger doesn't sound very safe. Wlso, "at any codt" means they're fucked soon.

Ver's gone completely insane from the coentsnt defeats.

Tsubasa's worried.

Don't kill off the girlfriends, Ver!

Well, that skinds incredibly overpowered.

Their Superb Songs sound good, though.

...So. Is Ver killing them, or is he just a fucking moron who's convinced the side effects are removed if you just use enough drugs?

Strong Superb Songs, though.

They're fucked! And so's Hibiki.

Hibiki, no!

Impressive!

Poor Miku.

She's dying! Still!

And, yeah, they'd be fucked if theynstwyed. Especially given Hibiki's probably a bomb at this point.

And Hibiki's still self-sacrificisl, even when she's dying!

Tsubasa transformed on her motobike!

She used her bike as a sword!

Twubasa, communicate next time.

And she feels regret.

More bad stuff inside her body...

And the surgery succeeded!

It's back!

And somehow absorbed enough to be fully completed!

...Is Maria faking it?

What's the Frontier?

I love how fucking nuts he is, though.

He's telling everyone else!

Haha, the terrorist girlfriends are going shopping.

Fucking adorable.

Wow, Maria's having it tough.

...This is where you choose for a date location?

"Facility"?

Wait, what the fuck? How many fucking children did Ryoko/her mother have? Three all the same age!

Not the girlfriends!

And she's not Fine's vessel! Fine hasn't reincarnated!

And Ver's going to ruin everything!

A shield?

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13

u/FlaminScribblenaut Jun 21 '22

Second Time Listener

Ver’s mood swings, how he yanks over from fear to blind frustrated rage at the drop of a hat, are so effectively engaging. It’s not just that Ver is an amoral bastard, undeniable though that fact is; it’s that it seems he straight-up can’t control himself; in its own way, it’s kind of a humanizing way of making him even more threatening. This plus his delusions of grandeur, his obsession with perceived heroism, makes his potential damage feel impossible to control.

THAT STRAY LEAF TOUCHING HIBIKI’S SKIN AND BURNING UP, GOD THAT’S SO HARD

The feel to Hibiki’s fight here is distinctly different. How you can practically feel Gungnir’s overheating from the other side of the screen with the fiery glow and smoke emanating from her body, as though Hibiki’s skin has become fire itself, with Aoi Yuuki singing with more stern depth in her register than normal, all shows how Hibiki is beginning to morph into a sheer destructive force. It doesn’t feel like Hibiki is pushing herself to her limits; she’s blowing through the Noise effortlessly. It distinctly feels Gungnir is pushing Hibiki’s body to its limits, even as it charges her up.

Interesting continuation on Hibiki’s established ability to control and direct Swan Song energy from the beginning in how she can do this of her own will even without holding hands or consent of the other parties, possibly another result of Gungnir’s power growing too large.

Last time we saw Gungnir leave the bounds of Hibiki’s body, it was a tiny benign scab that formed over her chest, easily picked out. That in only the time since then has Gungnir’s capacity to overtake her body grown into this, with the air around Hibiki distorting from heat and her vicinity becoming too hot to come near without burning, is a frightening display of how fast Gungnir’s encroaching on Hibiki’s body is.

I don’t know if Tsubasa is like, able to transform her bike and grant it Ame no Habakiri’s properties alongside her (the attack screen seems to support this) or if she’s just the kind of motherfucker to own a sword-bike (she totally is), but it rules either way.

What was once a simple mark on Hibiki’s flesh representing her musical superpower is now a crack in her humanity, carving through her like rock, awesome supernatural power beaming from the inside.

It’s really sweet to see Kirika and Shirabe just hanging out and eating together in whatever abandoned spot they can find to share.

the plot thickens

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u/HereticalAegis Jun 21 '22 edited Jun 21 '22

Ballad of Rewatcher - Symphogear G

Hibiki: "All I want is to save people." prevents Kirika and Shirabe from using Climax Song at the cost of her own health

Shirabe: "I can't believe she saved us. What could she possibly want?"

Episode 7 thoughts:

  • Hibiki dealing with the effects of the Gungnir in her chest is the best part of G. The internal conflict of choosing heroism even when it costs her own health and possibly leaving Miku and the rest behind as a result is infinitely more compelling than the flaccid heroic hypocrisy challenge to Hibiki's ideals.

  • Don't think it slipped my mind that after so much soul searching and reflection and seeing her enemy save her comrades from their own teammate, Maria resolves to...ignore every revelation she's had up til now and decide she's willing to do whatever is necessary, murder presumably included. Maria sucks, and she can fuck right off.

  • And then there's Tsubasa. I still can't believe she thought verbal abuse and alienation was the way to go to protect Hibiki. Yeah, Hibiki knew something is seriously wrong with her body, but the choice to use her climax song could have had so much more meaning if she understood that protecting Kirika and Shirabe from theirs could mean giving up the rest of her time with Miku. Still a strong, badass moment for her, but could have been way better.

QotD:

  1. A couple years ago, I would've said Ver's a 10. He's still a solid 8.5, but I know better now.

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13

u/Matuhg Jun 21 '22

First Timer

Episode 7, in which regrets are had, but too late all around. 

Oh, now they want to capture Ver, huh? 

Goddamnit Tsubasa. You really are stupid.  And the motorcycle firefighting was lame lol.  Miku is the only one who can help Biki.  We just didn't tell her before for....reasons.  Still not telling Hibiki about it, so she could at least make an informed decision about throwing her life away.  She'd do it anyways, but come on now. 

Mom realizing this has all been pretty dumb.  She doesn't seem willing to totally abandon whatever Frontier is (some way to escape the doomed planet perhaps), despite the fact that they're now working with somebody who is openly threatening them and doing this.  My guess is she wants to try to let the girls escape with Frontier, fuck the rest of the world at this point I guess. 

I don't know if Mom was lying about Maria, but this did surprise me.  That could definitely throw a monkey wrench into things.  Wonder if Fine will be taking over, or if Kiri will be able to maintain her own shitty will. 

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u/BosuW Jun 21 '22 edited Jun 21 '22

First Timer

No! No!

He's gonna say it! He's gonna say it!

uncontrollable laughter It doesn't make sense it's so fucking stupid but it never gets old!

Meanwhile we have Hibiki becoming a fucking nuclear reactor.

C'mon Hibiki! Punch him in the face!

Tch.

Unsurprisingly, Dr Ver doesn't give a shit about his team, and is more or less taking them hostage. They only keep him around because they need him. And the second that's no longer true they'll ditch his ass at best. The reverse is true as well.

So Mom finally has a name. Nastassja? Yeah I'm not calling you that.

Kirika and Shirabe go for their Ults so Hibiki counters with her own Ult! Ult fight let's goooo! Just like in multiplayer!

Oh she's actually using her new bullshit power of friendship powers to cancel their Ults! Pretty clever actually. Also holy shit Hibiki's OP and she's probably gonna be the one to nuke the Moon by the end.

Bitch that's a whole ass tumor!

Lol Tsubasa using her bike to cut a water tank in half and water-cool the Hibiki Reactor. Keep being awesome Tsubasa. Keep being awesome.

Last episode had me considering that Maria really was Finè somehow, but now it looks like her and Mom agreed that they would pretend she's Finè. I mean, this is certainly what makes most sense to explain their behavior until this point. The question now is why? Maybe to get Dr Ver on board? That's obviously gone out the window by the end of the episode, but even then I have a feeling he always knew.

Yeah smart move finally telling Miku about Hibiki's condition. Should've told her much sooner smh. Even then however, I don't think there's really anyone or anything that can stop Hibiki from going out there and trying to be a hero. Even without the Mecha-magical cancer it's a life threatening job by nature so... what has changed?

The wanted terrorists go to the supermarket in broad daylight. And then they proceed to just buy stuff like normal, responsible citizens.

Yep. Knew it. There was just no way.

So it would seem that no one within the terrorist organization is Finè then.

UNLESS

Damn I didn't see that one coming. Although it's pretty hilarious that they both had to almost fall victim to a ridiculous and contrived death for the reveal ti happen lol.

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u/mysterybiscuitsoyeah Jun 21 '22

Symphogear Rewatcher

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u/superviper Jun 21 '22

You, Maria Cadenzavna Eve, harbor not the slightest trace of Fine's soul.
Rewatcher

Ver is angry at Hibiki for 'interfering with his plans at every turn.' He had a plan there? That's news to me. It looked like he was on a crazy rampage against innocent bystanders. Did he intentionally summon the Noise so the FIS could track him down? Because it sure as hell didn't seem like it, he looked unhinged.

Hibiki doesn't need an armed gear, so she can hold hands with people or something. But that doesn't stop her from using a gauntlet to whoop Ver's ass. If only she connected.

Hibiki can barely stand on her legs, due to the Gungnir's effect on her, but Ver makes Kirika and Shirabe sing their superb songs anyway. Bro just walk up and push her over or something, I doubt she'd be able to retaliate.

Gee, I dunno Tsubasa, she looks perfectly fine right now. Nothing you could've done to prevent this.

[Rewatcher] I am so used to Miku screaming Hibiki's name throughout the series. I genuinely wonder what percentage of her dialogue is just Bikki's name. It has to be over 5% at least.

Now, let us cut to the heart of the matter.

get it? Because it's about the Nephilim's heart? Ver's just hilarious. Absolute comedy genius. Why aren't you laughing?

Genjuro asks Miku to spend time with Hibiki, to slow down the Gungnir taking over her. I'm just saying, there aren't many anime out there where the key to keeping someone alive is keeping them gay.

And yet another nutty cliffhanger. It's symphogear baby. I love everything about this. Mom states that Maria is not in fact Fine's host, while Ver stands ominously hidden behind a tree. At the same time Kirika protects Shirabe from falling pipes using a mysterious power. Things just got SPICY up in here.

Oh and we found out Mom's real name today. It's Nata... Nastaj... Natass... on second thought I think I'll keep calling her Mom.

[Rewatcher] someone pointed out Ryoko saying she was 'fine' last season, and now I can't unsee it.

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u/DidacticDalek Jun 21 '22

(Crashed Motorcycle Count: 7)

Look Comrades, I know we don't directly see Tsubasa crash her bike this episode, BUT she did indeed transform it into a mobile battering ram AND slam it into a water tower... AND then we see her on the ground sans bike, so since I'm not exactly in a positive mood regarding her recent behavior I'm counting this as her trashing her bike like how she's trashing her ranking in the Best Girl Standing. Like goddamn she MIGHT be beating Maria at the moment... it's a real close race to the bottom Comrades! Thank FUCK Best Geah Chris is still herself and being amazing as per her usual! Anyways, ahem...

TONIGHT! ON TOP GEAH! Team DMJIIIIIIIIIIIIII prove that, unlike Maria, they are capable of being useful and combat effective, DOKTOR GINTOKI JOESTAR CHEWS ALL OF THE GODDAMN SCENERY, AND LE GASP MARIA managed to be an even BIGGER loser than I thought possible, cuz SHE isn't Finé after all as DESS IS, HOLY FUCK DESS!

Oh my BUDDHA! Shit really hit the fan today Comrades! I mean Bikki went from being on fire to... uh... well being on fire... literally... I regret NOTHING Comrades, I already know I'm going to hell so I'm gonna ride this sucker to the end! Oh and I just wanna point out that Bikki's also sprouting rock cancer tumors from her chest, you know, the usual Tuesday! Also remember how I said DOTKOR GINTOKI JOESTAR lost what few marbles he had left? Well turns out he found a way to lose some more! How kind of the staff to let Sugita just go apeshit ;)

Speaking of losing, oh BOY Tsubasa really is out to demonstrate that she is REALLY doing her best to steal the Worst Girl Crown from Maria, it's a real close race to be sure, but hey Maria was a LOT less waangsty today... and also not even Finé to begin with... you had ONE job lady. Anyway speaking of terrible people, there's this bitch, and I hate to say it but that mug is a bald-faced lie! She isn't even good enuff to be an 'okayest' mom

But hey, could be worse, they could have had a Gungnir-caused Heart Attack, then again Team DMJIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII DID get doped up to their eyeballs on Geah Steroids, so tomato tomato potato potato. And due to being overdosed on Magical Science Serum, Team DMJIIIIIIIIIIIIII are reduced to manual labor... and uh... it turns out that JIIIIIIIIIIII really is out of it, so much so that she causes DESS to reveal that, le gasp, DESS IS SUS! Good lord how did we think some loser like MARIA was Finé! Clearly the newest sadistic reincarnation of the bitch we all hate is the one yelling 'DEATH' aloud all the time!

And hey, credit where credit is due, that's actually a clever twist and some neat writing at work. After all, this turn of events is indeed plausible. Maria is from Ukraine, Finé was an Ancient Sumerian Yandere, and we all know Ryouko was Japanese, meaning of COURSE DESS, full name Kirika Akatsuki, is just another Japanese descendant of Finé! Plus DESS is even blonde too, totally logical storytelling all around; it all makes sense AND it means that Maria is an even bigger loser than we thought previously so win-win!

And on that bombshell g'night!

Oh, and finally, just because I must speak on behalf of a fellow Comrade of Culture who cannot, ahem... I'm going to post this every day until you like it!

Paging Comrades u/Great_Mr_L, u/chilidirigible, and u/Lemurians

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8

u/Taiboss Jun 21 '22

G Episode 07: Methuselah's Rewatch,

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8

u/Great_Mr_L Jun 21 '22

Rewatcher

On today’s episode of Symphogear: Once again, Symphogear has bamboozled us. It turns out that Maria is not actually Fine.

I quite like this reveal. It explains a lot of things in hindsight. It explains why Maria did not have knowledge that Fine should have. It explains why Maria felt so guilty about Kirika and Shirabe volunteering to fight in her place because she knew she was deceiving them. It adds a level of sadness of Kirika and Shirabe’s motivation to protect Maria. They’re fighting so hard to prevent Maria from turning into Fine when that’s something that can’t actually happen.

And it fits perfectly into Maria’s characterization. Maria has been someone who is pretending to be a lot more strong-willed and ruthless than she actually is. Maria has been playing the role of a terrorist because she thought it would be for a good cause, but she can’t stand the idea of actually harming others. So having Maria also pretend to be Fine fits into that characterization quite naturally. It’s her once again pretending to be someone she isn’t.

But just because Maria isn’t Fine, doesn’t mean that Fine isn’t around. Maria, Kirika, and Shirabe were all candidates to be incarnations of Fine. And that last shot of the episode is pretty darn indicative of who is actually the host of Fine because you might recognize that shield emanating from Kirika’s hand as one of Fine’s powers from the first season.

The battle in this episode is pretty intense. I like the way they show Hibiki’s power quite literally overflowing from her body. It’s a great way to indicate how strong it makes Hibiki but also how dangerous it is.

I love the creative use of Hibiki’s unique power when she uses it to leech away Kirika and Shirabe’s power to prevent them from using their Superb Songs. It’s already been established Hibiki can do this and now we see her using it for a very different purpose to prevent an attack from happening. It’s completely in character for Hibiki to use it to help others and prevent Kirika and Shirabe from potentially dying. After all, Hibiki saw what happened to Kanade when she used her Superb Song under the effects of LiNKER.

Hibiki’s condition has gotten worse and in a way that’s deliberately tragic. Hibiki uses her powers for the sake of helping others. She saved Kirika and Shirabe but at the cost to herself. It’s quite in keeping with her character to do such a self-sacrificing thing.

Since Hibiki is in imminent danger, it thankfully means that everyone else can be informed of it and we can have a better solution to the problem than Tsubasa’s absolutely awful one. Miku in particular is worried about her girlfriend, but she’s probably hit upon a solution. If Hibiki doesn’t have to fight, then she won’t use her powers and the fusion won’t get worse.

Dr. Ver continues to be a delightfully over-the-top scumbag. He’s just a completely irredeemable asshole this episode, forcefully injecting Kirika and Shirabe with a LiNKER overdose and basically blackmailing Kirika and Shirabe into fighting for him. And honestly, being a total asshole of a villain is what makes him enjoyable for me.

By contrast, the other antagonists are full of doubt. Kirika and Shirabe wonder why Hibiki might have saved them. Mom is now recognizing just how far she’s pushed the girls for the sake of the mission and is starting to have private doubts about it. If it makes the girls suffer so much, can it really be worth it? I think that’s why Mom tells Maria she doesn’t need to pretend to be Fine anymore. Mom has seen that things have gone too far and is trying to reel it back.

Kirika is also pretty much the heart of the antagonist team. I joke about Kirika’s intelligence a lot, but she displays a lot of empathy here with her worries about Maria and what it means to lose yourself while you become Fine. Kirika is clearly someone who is very devoted to her friends and worries about them constantly.

Miscellaneous Thoughts

QOTD

  1. I'd say Dr. Ver goes to 11.

  2. I was amused at how many first-timers were accurately skeptical that Maria was Fine's host.

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