Symphogear G episode 5: Oh wow this episode...

Wow, episode 5 was... wow.

Picking up directly from the last episode, Kirika and Shirabe challenge Chris at the school festival singing competition, and it's really neat that they sing Orbital Beat, which is a Zwei Wing song that wasn't really used in season 1. This doesn't really serve any purpose besides having them run into Hibiki's group, since they get called back to their base/hideout. Speaking of which, why did the villains announce the existence of their group iff they were going to end up hiding anyway? That was not a well-thought out plan.

This episode's focus is mainly on the Finè group, which I like. Maria shows that she's not all that sinister, being totally unwilling to attack the soldiers that invaded their hideout. We also see more of Maria's sister Serena, and more context regarding that flashback in the first episode of G. Apparently, Serena self-destructed with her Swan Song to re-seal the Nephilim. We also see her Gear outfit which looks kind of terrible. Too much stuff hanging off that doesn't seem to serve any purpose.

Dr. Ver gets to be pretty villainous in this episode. Almost absurdly so. He summons Noise to slaughter the soldiers, and also a group of children that just happened to see.

We also find out the Finè group's plan is, or at least what Dr. Ver claims is their plan. Apparently, the moon's trajectory has been altered by the attack in season 1, and it will crash into the earth in the future. The plan involves uniting poeple in the world under one government, and somehow the Nephilim is involved. It really sounds more like an excuse to rule the world, just like what Chris said of Finè's plan in the previous season. He makes up for Maria's team being a little unthreatening, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Finè reincarnation turns out to be Ver instead of Maria. Would be consistent with the last season, and doesn't sound as... fanfiction-ish as Finè being a Gear user.

Hibiki gets to be pretty cool in this episode too, even though she doesn't get much focus. She's at least trying really hard against the Noise summoned by Ver, and the now somewhat larger Nephilim. And her song from the first episode gets played again. One thing I really liked about Symphogear's first season was how it could use some songs over and over without them losing any dramatic value. I haven't really been getting that for this season. Anyway, whatever mysterious tragic thing that supposedly happened in her past is still not elaborated upon, just vaguely hinted at again.

Of course, what stands out the most in this episode happens near the end. Hibiki fights against the Nephilim, and a punch she delivers, instead of damaging it, is caught by its mouth. Her right arm gets eaten. This is supposed to be a dramatic moment, and it works, but I can't help but think of that scene in Madoka Magica episode 3. It's not really the same, but it plays for similar shock, and I kind of want the ED sequence to become something more grim now.

Anyway, awesome episode. So much happening, and we finally get to find out important stuff about the villain group. Plus, the focus (or at least tone) didn't feel like it was jumping all over compared to the previous one. I can't wait for the rest of this show, and I expect to be surprised even more from now on (as odd as that sounds).

Senki Zesshō Symphogear G  © Project Symphogear G

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