Symphogear/Characters

The characters who are a part of the Anime series Senki Zesshou Symphogear.

WARNING: Potentially MAJOR spoilers.

Major Characters

Hibiki Tachibana

Voiced by: Aoi Yuuki

The central character of the series. A teenager with the ability to summon a Symphogear, an ability she gained from fragments of the Gungnir relic that became lodged in her chest after being caught in the crossfire of a Noise attack. Hibiki's control over her relic is too weak to summon an 'armed gear' and so instead prefers to focus this energy into her physical attacks and punches.

She also possesses the ability to activate and use the Durandal Relic.

The Berserker: Hibiki in episode 3 (she really wanted to go see the shooting stars with Miku). It is later revealed to be a side effect of her fusion with her relic and can be activated by her emotional state or being exposed to too much phonic energy.
Big Eater: She states that she loves food.
Cute Bruiser: In episode 5.
Death By Origin Story
Dissonant Serenity/Stepford Smiler: Attempted to use this in order to curve-ball Miku's interest in...Hibiki's work outside school. Miku was able to see straight through it.
Doomed Protagonist: Hibiki is shown to have expired some time before the events of the story and what we're seeing are the events leading to her death. Ultimately subverted in the end, big time!
Even the Girls Want Her: Miku and Ryoko certainly think so.
Face Framed in Shadow: Literally.
- Half her body after grabbing Durandal for the first time
- Her whole body becomes framed in shadow, when she goes into berserk mode during episode 12.
Frickin Laser Beams: In episode 12.
Foregone Conclusion: Not really.
Glowing Eyes of Doom:
- When she gets really angry in Episode 3.
- While wielding Durandal her eyes turn red
Hey Its That Voice: Hibiki is Aoi Yuuki, who voiced another Naive Newcomer Magical Girl.
Ironic Echo: It makes perfect sense when you think about it: Hibiki references her predecessor: Kanade.
Its Not You Its My Enemies: Hibiki's relationship with Miku become strained after Hibiki become a superheroine. However, Miku will always support Hibiki. Aww.
Naive Newcomer
Names the Same: Her name and Kanade's are also the names of the first two heroines of Suite Precure, another music themed magical girl anime.
New Powers As the Plot Demands: In episode 8, she activates a power that causes her to move even faster than before.
Painful Transformation: At the end of the first episode, Hibiki activates for the first time her Symphogear and huge mechanical parts burst randomly from her body while she screams. It's surprisingly reminiscent of a similar situation.
Power Fist: In an interesting take on this trope, it's because she can't make a Kamehame Hadoken. (This was after a training with an Akuma-esque master.)
Red Oni: To Tsubasa
Super Powered Evil Side: Durandal forces her to perform in Berserker mode, and, when taken to full power, she couldn't stop the power from taking over her body. In Episode 11, when Durandal fuses with herself, she is still aware of her actions, while Tsubasa attempts a Heroic Sacrifice to stop Kadingir from firing.
Taking Up the Mantle: She accidentally inherits the Gungnir relic from her previous owner.
Took a Level In Badass: Hibiki eventually just stops trying to summon her Armed Gear and asks Genjurou to train her. She then beats a baddie, Chris, that took almost a Heroic Sacrifice to stop the first time they met.
Training Montage: Hibiki trains with old man Genjuro during the credits of episode 4. Bruce Lee makes an appearance!

Tsubasa Kazenari

Voiced by: Nana Mizuki

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The supporting protagonist of the series and former partner to Kanade in Zweiwing. Initially a Shrinking Violet, her disposition changes severely after Kanade's death, causing her to fall into dispair and question if emotions should impede her performance as an anti-Noise weapon or if she should accept Hibiki as her new partner.

Her armed gear is a massive Nodachi that can be split into multiple swords.

The Ace: Deconstructed. To live up to her Dead Partner she devotes herself to her job to the exclusion of everything else... and then falls short.
BFS and Katanas Are Just Better: Her relic is Heavenrend, whose special moves manifest as all kind of blade attacks, from a building-sized sword to a Storm of Blades (One Thousand Tears) and a Sword Beam (Blue Flash, her most-used move).
- Up to Eleven in the finale, where Heavenrend takes on a form that could easily match most apartment complexes.
Blue Oni: To both Hibiki and Kanade.
Broken Bird: Her cold fish attitude comes from having lost a partner.
Chilly Reception: That Naive Newcomer won't ever replace her Dead Partner.
Cliffhanger Copout: In a manner similar to Ga Rei Zero, Tsubasa is only stopped from destroying Hibiki because old man Genjuro stops her with his BURNING FIST. It would have been a Deus Ex Machina were it not for the fact that Genjuro survived a collapsing control room 2 years ago.
Curtains Match the Windows
Dead Partner: Kanade.
Decon Recon Switch: Her initial outlook was extremely grim and she saw herself as simply a weapon. Episode 7 flips that around and she fights for Kanade thanks to Hibiki.
Everythings Better With Spinning: Her fightning style includes spinning handstands.
Expy: In her fighting gear, she looks like KOS-MOS. The fact that Tsubasa is a highly-skilled, blue-haired stoic cool songstress may remind fans of The Idolmaster to Chihaya Kisaragi.
Fighting Your Friend: She won't accept Hibiki as a replacement for Kanade just because she has inherited her relic power. This caused her to throw the gauntlet at poor Hibiki.
Handicapped Badass: Spends several episodes in a coma and later with a walking cane.
Heroic Sacrifice: Three freakin' times... (Though the last one may not be at all.)
- ...and she survived from all of them
Hey Its That Voice: She is voiced by Nana Mizuki, who had voiced another BFS-wielding Magical Girl before.
Hot Chick With a Sword
Ice Queen
- Defrosting Ice Queen
Image Song: FLIGHT FEATHERS.
Magic Idol Singer
Not So Stoic
Off Model: Almost through the entirety of episode 3. That infamous walk scene.
She Fu: Tsubasa does a Capoeira like spin using the extra pair of blades on her legs.
- Not only that, but her general fighting style screams Street Fighter.
Shout Out: When she bleeds from eyes and mouth when she executes her Ultimate Song against Nehushtan Armor, she looks almost like Miki Sayaka during her "I'm such a fool" moment. Jarring, because she normally doesn't make that kind of face, her emotional spectrum considered.
Shrinking Violet/Shy Blue Haired Girl --> Character Development --> Jerkass --> More Character Development --> Defrosting Ice Queen: She was extremely reluctant to fight before Kanade's death.
Suicide Is Painless: She walk down and pull an almost-Heroic Sacrifice without even flinching, even after it expires.
Tall Dark and Bishoujo
Tears of Blood: In episode 4 combined with Blood From the Mouth
There Are No Therapists: As a result, she still hasn't gotten over Kanade's death.
Took a Level In Jerkass: After her partner's death Tsubasa became an aloof cold fish obssessed with her job.
You Gotta Have Blue Hair
You Remind Me of My Partner Who Is Dead: How Tsubasa views Hibiki. And she doesn't like her, at all, because to Tsubasa, Kanade is irreplacable. It does't help matters that Hibiki said she want to replace Kanade.

Kanade Amou

Voiced by: Minami Takayama

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Partner to Tsubasa in Zweiwing, Kanade was the sole survivor of a noise attack that killed her family when she was young. After being recovered by Genjuro and Ryoko, she wholeheartedly agreed to be tested for compatibility with the Gungnir relic in exchange for the opportunity to exact revenge against the Noise.

Her armed gear takes the form of a bladed staff.

The Ace: Kanade. She's not always better than Tsubasa, mind you; but she's upbeat, popular with everyone, cheerful and fun-loving. Parallels to Zack Fair are noted.
Blade On a Stick + BFS = Rule of Cool
Blow You Away: Last Meteor.
Captain Ersatz: Her weapon resembles and makes the same sound effects as Erio's.
Curtains Match the Windows
Conveniently an Orphan
Dead Star Walking
Decoy Protagonist: After the first episode Hibiki takes the Gungnir relic and is the focus of the series.
Everythings Better With Spinning
Expy: Of Zack Fair.
Fiery Redhead
First Episode Spoiler: Kanade is dead.
Four Is Death: Her background is stated within Episode 4.
Heroic Sacrifice + Taking You With Me + Redemption Equals Life: How she saves Hibiki.
Hot Blooded: She puts her whole heart in everything she does, be it revenge, song or protecting people.
Magic Idol Singer
Names the Same: Hibiki and her name are also the names of the first two heroines of Suite Precure, another music themed magical girl anime.
Nice Job Breaking It Hero: While protecting Hibiki from The Noise, she accidentally sends a sharp chunk straight at her, spearing her through the chest, and nearly killing her. Two years later, this would become the reason Hibiki can use a Symphogear.
Posthumous Character: After the first episode, she only appears Talking in Your Dreams and in flashbacks, but it happens almost in every episode.
Psycho Serum: How the Symphogear research facility allow Gungnir to resonate with her. Initially, a small dose was given, but when that doesn't work, she decides to take the rest of it.
Red Oni: To Tsubasa.
Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Why Kanade took up the Gungnir Symphogear: her family was carbonized by the Noise. And she is utterly crazy in fighting. She does get less crazy after people thank them for saving their lives.
Rookie Red Ranger: Both literally and per trope. Her power is still new, when compared to Tsubasa, who had hers for her whole life.
Room Full of Crazy: After being released from her straitjacket (which was already crazy to begin with), she injects herself with an increased amount of Psycho Serum. This causes her to throw up an obscene amount of blood, blow every scientist to the walls, fall down to the floor, and bang on the observation window with a bloodied hand.
You Are Not Alone: Comforts Tsubasa by saying she will support her. Parallels to Madoka's relationship with Homura are noted.
You Gotta Have Red Hair

Minor Characters

Miku Kohinata

Voiced by: Yuka Iguchi

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Hibiki's friend within school and roommate. Extremely happy and eager to get Hibiki's spirits lifted whenever either one of them feels down. She also loves watching shooting stars.

Action Survivor
Earn Your Happy Ending: And what better way for her and Hibiki to enjoy the moment than to finally watch the meteor shower together.
Heroic BSOD: Finds out about Hibiki's Symphogear in Episode 6. This rewrites her thinking about her closest friend.
Imaginary Love Triangle: Creates a new relationship with Chris when she separated from Hibiki. And then went back to Hibiki in the same episode.
Ironic Echo: Her use of consistently telling Hibiki about the shooting stars ends up being denied at the last minute.
Romantic Two Girl Friendship: With Hibiki.
- Ship Tease: They cannot hide the fact that they are extremely close to each other.
  - Ship Sinking: Torpedoes her and Hibiki's friendship during episode 7.
  - Slap Slap Kiss And then promptly makes up in next episode.
Took a Level In Badass: Uses herself as a way of distracting the Noise when Hibiki was unable to activate her Symphogear. She did say she was a part of the school's track and field.
True Companions: Lives with Hibiki in the dorm and later relies on her in Episode 8 when she acts as a decoy.
Wham Line: "I can't be your friend anymore."

Genjuro Kazanari

Voiced by: Hideo Ishikawa

A Large Ham who runs the underground research network of Symphogear against the Noise.

Badass
Big Damn Heroes: Twice! Once for Hibiki, the other time for Chris, of all people.
Charles Atlas Superpower + Power Fist: His actual ability.
Expy Genjuro is, appearance wise, a dead ringer for Ali-Al Saachez.
Fiery Redhead
Hey Its That Voice: Genjuro is Auron and it's extremely hard to unsee.
Impaled With Extreme Prejudice: By Phine, he survives.
Large Ham
- Large and In Charge
Mr. Exposition: Justified, since he is the leader of the research group. Otherwise, he would leave this trope to Ryoko.
Real Men Wear Pink: He wears a pink tie.
Red Oni to most of his agency.
Screw the Rules I Make Them: He decides to stop Tsubasa from fighting Hibiki with a FALCON PAWNCH.
Shout Out: At some point in the episode 4 Training Montage, Genjuro looks exactly like Akuma/Gouki. Considering his Badassery, that's not much of an exaggeration.
- Also in the montage, he and Hibiki wear Bruce Lee's iconic yellow-and-black jumpsuit while training after watching one of his films.
- His moveset in Episode 8 practically makes shout-outs to both of them.
- Also, the way he uses his power in episode 8 is too similar to Earthbending.
You Gotta Have Red Hair

Ryoko Sakurai

Voiced by: Miyuki Sawashiro

The Meganekko Head Scientist of the Mobile Disaster Response Corps and creator of the Symphogear.

Ambiguously Lesbian: Has a thing for Hibiki and is very open about it.
- It doesn't help when she bites Hibiki's ear and then tells her that she will be the first to pop her cherry.
Barrier Warrior: As revealed in episode 5.
Beehive Hairdo
Big Bad
Dragon With an Agenda: While she researches the Symphogear, she secretly wants to control Hibiki.
Drives Like Crazy: She says she drives good.
Every Girl Is Cuter With Hair Decs: Wears a nice little butterfly thing in her Beehive Hairdo.
Grand Theft Me: The real Ryoko had her personality overridden twelve years ago, when a young Tsubasa activated a relic with her singing.
Hey Its That Voice: She is Yomi, another Meganekko girl.
Hot Scientist: Oh yeah!
Ms. Exposition: Since she's the lead researcher and developer for a Symphogear theory (which she named after herself), this allows her to explain everything after Hibiki settles down.
Room Full of Crazy/Stalker With a Crush: Has an entire room filled solely with Hibiki pictures.

Antagonists

Chris Yukine / The Nehushtan Armor

Voiced by: Ayahi Takagaki

The first primary antagonist shown in the series. A Bishoujo with incredible power. Uses a Whip-like weapon and can summon Mooks to perform her duties.

Anti Hero: After her violent break-up with Phine, she gets a better perspective of things, and decides to fight the Noise on her own terms -- while refusing cooperation with the Second Branch; she has had enough abuse in life and isn't stupid enough to work under anyone anymore.
Artifact Title: "The Nehushtan Armor" was her fan name before her actual name was revealed. She would ditch the armor after Phine rejects her.
Broken Bird
Character Focus: Spends a good amount of later episodes with her Character Development.
Dangerously Genre Savvy: She shows up fighting against Tsubasa in order to steal Hibiki away from her because Hibiki is "the main character", not Tsubasa.
Dark and Troubled Past: Her life was ruined early on by being Born Into Slavery. Lolicons shipped across the country, and they somehow made their way to Japan. Has a bruised back as proof of the endeavor.
Disc One Final Boss: Possibly a tribute -- she has all the powers of any regular Final Boss, and she's fought four episodes in.
The Dragon: To Phine. Not anymore due to You Have Outlived Your Usefulness.
Getting Crap Past the Radar: A frame-by-frame capture of her transformation into her Symphogear reveals that no censors were used as she was completely naked on-screen, but they erased the nipples.
Heroic Sacrifice: One that no one could have seen coming. To prevent the moon from being pulverized, she launched herself to outer space and blasted the incoming laser with her own. She fails to stop it entirely, but at least the damage the moon suffers is relatively minor.
- Back From the Dead/Unexplained Recovery: After Hibiki unleashes her Symphogear's true power in Episode 12.
Mook Maker: It's the armor's weapon that allows her to do so.
More Dakka: Her new Symphogear Ichii-Bal form is loaded with Gatling Good, missile salvos, and Bifurcated Crossbows HSQ!
- Frickin Laser Beams
- Macross Missile Massacre: Megadeath Quartet. Taken Up to Eleven in the finale, where she sports enough cruise missiles to make a battleship jealous.
My God What Have I Done: She breaks down in tears after knowing firsthand that the Noise, which she had the capability to field en masse, are really harming the bystanders. Then she decides to save the day.
Oh Crap: Sends Mooks in order to stop Tsubasa. The camera cuts to the Mooks, and then to Tsubasa right in front of her.
- And again when Hibiki swings Durandal in her direction.
Perspective Flip: Episode 5 shows that she is abused and tortured by her superior. Failing to capture Hibiki resulted in her being electrified. It is even surprising that she was able to walk later on in the episode.
Pink Means Feminine: Both her and that stone shown in earlier episodes have the diamond-like things colored pink.
Red Oni: Her Symphogear is red on black, which directly contrasts Tsubasa's blue on white. Apparently, the Nehushtan Armor is exactly that, maybe nothing more.
Screw This I'm Outta Here: Decides to leave at the peak of her battle with Tsubasa.
Transformation Is a Free Action: Subverted! It seems that she'll transform uninterrupted in episode 8, but suddenly the Noise make a charge at her. Thankfully, Genjuro appears and punch the asphalt to raise an ad hoc barrier before they can touch her.
Tsundere: After her Heel Face Turn.
Underboobs: While wearing the Neuhaustin Armor
Villainous Breakdown: Somewhat literally. When Tsubasa uses her Ultimate Song, it creates veins on her skin and does massive damage to her own armor, which she promptly goes into Oh Crap mode and retreats from battle. It supposedly doesn't kill her off, but it caused one hell of a Tsundere tendency.
Villain Protagonist: Shaping up to be one slowly as the series progresses.
Well Intentioned Extremist: She wants to stop fighting Symphogears.
What Is This Thing You Call Love: Her way of thinking has some nice changes in Episode 7. She decides to help a brother and sister find their father, and she later asks them how do they get along with each so well. Their answer is something like Slap Slap Kiss.
White Haired Pretty Girl
Whip It Good: The power of the Nehushtan armor.

Phine/Ryoko Sakurai

Voiced by: Miyuki Sawashiro

Chris's mysterious, abusive, and perpetually naked superior.

She and Ryoko are one and the same, as confirmed in episode 11.

Big Bad
Blondes Are Evil
Boobs of Steel: Quite literally, they're bulletproof.
Full Frontal Assault: Attacks Chris while naked, but then activates her Symphogear.
Genetic Memory: How she bodyjacked Ryoko twelve years ago.
Hey Its That Voice: It's very interesting to note that not only Ryoko and Yomi share the same seiyuu, but they share it with their "otherselves" as well (Ryoko/Phine and Yomi/Dead Master).
Ms. Fanservice: She lounges around nude and wears the most Stripperiffic Symphogear.
Mook Maker: Uses Chris's weapon very often.
Refuge in Audacity: Is able to be completely naked with no censors.
Significant Double Casting: Ryoko and Phine are the same person.
Spell My Name With an S: The fansubs spell her name as "Finé", official subs call her Phine.
Woman Scorned: By God, of all deities.
Yandere
You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Decides she has no more use for Chris as of episode 7.