Even though the series ended in 2019, Symphogear still has plenty of buzz going, even today. Between its adorable characters, its banger music and its fanservice, the series has made a lasting impact on fans across the world. The live performances and mobile game are just cherries on the cake. However, something that is often overlooked about the sleeper hit is the message that the series was trying to convey.
Symphogear follows Hibiki Tachibana, a high schooler who is "the only survivor" of a lethal attack by creatures called Noise. During a concert for Zwei Wing, an idol duo comprised of two girls, Kanade and Tsubasa, the Noise attack and turn many of the attendees into carbon ash. Kanade and Tsubasa fight the monsters using their Symphogears, Noise-repelling armor made from relics like Odin's Spear Gungnir and the sacred sword Ame no Habakiri. During the battle, Kanade's armor is damaged and the fragments are embedded in Hibiki's chest, allowing her to later become "Attuned" to Gungnir and don the armor. This passing of the armor is thanks to Kanade's sacrificing her life to wipe out the Noise with her Zesshou, or Swan Song.
Over the course of five seasons, Hibiki tries to reach out to her opponents and help them overcome whatever pain they're feeling. This is a recurring theme throughout the show, with the final season, Symphogear XV, even centering on being able to understand each other's feelings. This underlying message is something that we can learn from and apply in our everyday lives.
We live in an age where technology has helped us connect with those across the world, but at the same time, there are more barriers than ever. We are disconnected from each other on a sympathetic level. We look at our screens and think, "Wow. That's horrible," before moving on to the next topic. Our work lives, our social lives, and even our personal lives are all intertwined with the cables that carry data from one place to another.
Even though we have the means, we rarely truly reach out to others when it can make a difference. If it doesn't directly affect us or someone we personally know, we scroll on, sure that someone else will do something and help. We each have our own issues we are dealing with, but we don't have to do it alone.
One of the barriers that can cause a disconnect is language. We tend to rely on translations and localizations of our favorite foreign media. Whether it's a dub or a sub, there's a filter that the media in question must go through before reaching the consumer, and meaning can be lost in the process. Not by malice or incompetence, but because some things just can't be conveyed in other languages. Symphogear shows us that even though it'll be hard, we can still try.
