, also known as simply Symphogear, is a Japanese anime television series produced by Satelight. The original season aired on Tokyo MX between January and March 2012. The second season entitled Symphogear G aired between July and September 2013, The third season, Symphogear GX, aired between July and September 2015, and the fourth season, Symphogear AXZ, aired between July and September 2017. The fifth and final season, Symphogear XV, aired between July and September 2019. A manga adaptation was serialized in Kadokawa Shoten's Newtype Ace magazine between December 2011 and March 2013. A mobile game titled Symphogear XD Unlimited was released in June 2017 in Japan.
Plot Two idols, Tsubasa Kazanari and Kanade Amō, collectively known as Zwei Wing, battle against an alien race known as Noise using armor known as Symphogear, which uses the power of music to counteract the Noise's destructive capability. However, Kanade sacrifices herself to protect a girl named Hibiki Tachibana, who ends up with a piece of Kanade's Symphogear relic, Gungnir, embedded in her chest. Two years later, Hibiki awakens the power of the Gungnir relic inside her body, gaining the same Symphogear armor that Kanade had. Using the power of song, Hibiki and her fellow Symphogear wielders must fight to protect the innocent and defeat those who would use the Noise for evil.
Characters Symphogear Users Symphogear Adaptors are individuals capable of wielding a , an powered armament system created by converting an ancient mythological artifact into a gem-like relic crystal, where each bonds with a ruby-like shard that generates their unique Symphogear through , an energy source in the form of song; these manifest a personalized weapon called an and can assume multiple forms by overcoming system locks, with the strongest form, the , requiring immense Phonic Gain and excess energy to activate. Users may also unleash a , a devastating attack that risks fatal backlash,; multiple users can combine their individual Superb Songs via S2CA (Superb Song Combination Arts) to create a more powerful version where the harmonization prevents backlash by either transmuting the excess power into usable energy for counterattacks or enhancing into X-Drive. Although each relic is typically restricted to Candidates with high with the relic, some bypass this restriction via the experimental drug or by fusing with the relic.
Hibiki Tachibana is the protagonist of the franchise. She is a clumsy schoolgirl with an positive attitude, fueled by her catchphrase . At the start of the series, she survives a Noise attack at a Zwei Wing concert due to Kanade's sacrifice, which influences her to help others no matter the cost to herself. Two years later, when cornered by another Noise attack, she unconsciously activates a Symphogear by singing Kanade's song, empowered by a fragment of Kanade's relic embedded within her. In battle, she sometimes enters a frenzied state. Though initially wielding only a partial relic, she compensates with martial arts prowess, using piston-enhanced gauntlets to deliver powerful strikes. Her Symphogear, SG-r03' , later evolves after merging with energy from Maria's relic, granting her drill or jet-powered gauntlets. Exposure to the Shénshòujìng's laser removes the Curse of Balal from her, enabling her to harness divine power as a . Her battle songs are characterized by the violins, with aspects of Celtic rock.
Tsubasa Kazanari is a Symphogear Adaptor who fights the Noise using armor powered by song. She was once part of the idol duo , but after her partner Kanade sacrifices herself against the Noise, Tsubasa becomes cold and distant, refusing to accept Hibiki as a replacement at first. Despite being a popular idol, she initially rejects international performances, viewing herself solely as a weapon. In a battle against Chris Yukine, Tsubasa suffers a near-death experience from the recoil of her own Superb Song. While comatose, she converses with Kanade's memory, catalyzing a gradual process of self-reflection as she recovers from her injuries and opens up to others. Her Symphogear, SG-r01 , specializes in close combat, generating blades across her body. Her primary weapon is a katana, adjustable in size to match her opponent's strength. As the granddaughter and heir of Fudō Kazanari, she is biologically his daughter and half-sister to Yatsuhiro and Genjūrō Kazanari, tying her to the influential Kazanari family. Her songs feature traditional Japanese musical instruments mixed with elements of traditional J-Pop.
Chris Yukine is a half-Japanese Symphogear Adaptor initially working under Finé. She wields the stolen and can summon Noise using "Solomon's Cane". Despite possessing a Symphogear, she refuses to sing due to past trauma. Eight years prior, her parents, and , used music to aid war refugees in South America before being killed in a terrorist attack. Chris was subsequently kidnapped and sold into slavery. After being rescued by the UN, she was taken in by Section Two—only to be abducted by Finé, who sought to exploit her abilities. When Finé abandons her for failing expectations, Chris allies with Hibiki and Tsubasa. Her initial hostility towards others evolves into fierce protectiveness over her teammates, especially Kirika and Shirabe, the younger members of Section Two. Her Symphogear, SG-r02 , specializes in long-range combat, manifesting as a crossbow that shifts into firearms or missiles. Chris' battle songs involve elements of hard rock.
First appearing in Symphogear G, Maria Cadenzavna Eve is a singer who rapidly achieved international fame after her debut. According to series co-creator Akifumi Kaneko, Maria and her sister Serena are Ukrainian. Along with Kirika and Shirabe, she initially fights Section Two while wielding an unauthorized Gungnir Symphogear featuring a spear-cannon hybrid weapon. Despite being led to believe she is Finé's reincarnation, this later proves false. Like Kanade, she requires Linker for synchronization, imposing battle time limits and making her Superb Song potentially lethal. After temporarily using Hibiki's Gungnir to protect their allies, she later adopts SG-x00 , whose versatile whip-sword Armed Gear transforms between melee weapons and a Divine Weapon-crippling railgun. While initially seeing her emotional weakness as a fatal flaw, she grows to accept it as a source of personal strength by following Elfnein's example. Her battle songs have orchestral rock motifs with country rock influences.
Shirabe Tsukuyomi is a Symphogear user introduced in Symphogear G who works with Maria and Kirika. Despite her quiet demeanor, she employs ruthless tactics and initially distrusts Hibiki, frequently criticizing her as a "hypocrite". During a confrontation with Kirika, she is revealed to be Finé's true vessel; Finé's soul later sacrifices herself to save Shirabe. She later redeems herself in GX, apologizing to Hibiki for her actions. Her backstory reveals she suffered amnesia from a car accident that killed her parents before being forced to join FIS. The name "Shirabe Tsukuyomi" was assigned based on recovered personal items. Her SG-i01 Symphogear specializes in high mobility, with disc blade Armed Gears stored throughout her body that can be launched as projectiles or used for rapid Noise elimination. Her electronic rock-influenced songs harmonize with Kirika in battle.
Kirika Akatsuki is a Symphogear user introduced in Symphogear G. As one of the "Receptor Children" raised in a research facility alongside Maria, Serena and Shirabe, she maintains a cheerful demeanor despite her traumatic past. Her strong bonds with comrades give her fearless determination in battle. Initially believed to be Finé's vessel after unconsciously using her powers, this is later disproven when Shirabe is revealed as the true host. This revelation leads to a tragic accident where her scythe Armed Gear fatally wounds Shirabe during a suicide attempt. Kirika's past remains largely unknown; like Shirabe, she lacks any memories of her family or origins. She frequently ends sentences with as a speech mannerism. Her SG-i02 Symphogear specializes in mass Noise combat, wielding a transforming scythe Armed Gear. She has excellent combat synergy with Shirabe, and has a symphonic rock motif for her battle songs.
Miku Kohinata is Hibiki's closest friend and dormmate. After discovering Hibiki's secret identity, she joins Section Two to support her. In Symphogear G, Dr. Ver corrupts her into wielding the relic SG-i03 , using its mirror Armed Gear to fire relic-negating lasers. Hibiki eventually frees her from this control. The AXZ epilogue reveals the Shénshòujìng's laser purged both girls from the Curse of Balal. This backfires in XV when Shem-Ha exploits this vulnerability to possess Miku, forcing Hibiki to rescue her again. In XD Unlimited, Miku voluntarily wields a parallel timeline's Shénshòujìng to aid allies in battle. Her dark wave techno motif reflects both her combat style and complex relationship with Hibiki.
Supporting characters
Kanade Amou was Tsubasa's partner in the vocal duo Zwei Wing. After losing her family to a Noise attack, she underwent experimental procedures to wield the SG-r03 Gungnir Symphogear, gaining a lance Armed Gear with full armor coverage. She sacrificed herself during a concert two years later, using her Superb Song to protect Hibiki while embedding a relic fragment in her body. She continues to support Tsubasa in her times of need through her spirit and Tsubasa's dreams. In XD Unlimited, a parallel timeline reveals an alternate outcome where Kanade survived instead of Tsubasa. With a fiery personality that complements Tsubasa's reserved demeanor, her musical motif is Japanese pop.
The commander of Special Disaster Response Team Section Two, Genjūrō is Section Two's mentor figure and a fan of action movies. He is Tsubasa's uncle and her biological older half-brother. His physical strength is strong enough to deflect Tsubasa's Symphogear and her Armed Gear alone. After the first attack by Chris, he becomes Hibiki's teacher in martial arts at her request. He blames himself for his agents not being able to find Chris when she was kidnapped by Finé two years ago, but Genjūrō and Chris make up and she willingly cooperates with Tsubasa and Hibiki under Genjūrō's supervision only.
Head scientist of Special Disaster Response Team Section Two and creator of the Symphogear. She has the ability to form powerful force-fields. She tends to sexually harass Hibiki and shows inappropriate interest in her. Her loyalties are somehow questionable, as she concerns herself more over the Symphogears and related relic experiments. Ryōko is revealed to be in actuality the main antagonist, Finé, who had possessed Ryōko's body and erased her consciousness long ago, for Finé's ultimate goal of using the power of Kadingir (Sumerian name of Babylon) to destroy the moon and exploit the subsequent chaos on Earth.
Shinji is one of the agents of Special Disaster Response Team Section Two and Tsubasa's manager during her shows. He is an experienced veteran fighter, who can fight without having a gear. This allows him to help the girls in some parts, but his role is mostly supportive rather than taking direct combat.
Aoi is a member of Special Disaster Response Team Section Two who is always in the underground part of the school.
Sakuya is a member of Special Disaster Response Team Section Two who is always in the underground part of the school.