I recently finished watching the first two seasons of Symphogear. I'm writing my review now because the latest season is currently airing and I don't expect the character of the series to change much in the next few seasons.
In Symphogear, nearly all of the drama is ham-fisted but in a way it matches with the over-the-top nature of the entire series. I say this affectionately.
The plot can be described simply as 'epic', with plenty of interspersed drama. There are a lot of exciting climatic moments where you can feel the hype.
Symphogear is very creative in general with rich artistic flavour. The series just oozes creativity and this is one of my favourite aspects of it.
Very creative outfits and character designs. Maria Cadenzavna is literally me.
The OST is pretty great with loads of vocal songs by the female cast. I've relistened to some of the albums many times and put some of them on my portable music device. The music of the series is definitely a positive in my mind but I recognize that this is highly subjective. I always like it when a franchise puts out lots of character songs and other musical content.
I generally don't enjoy action in cinematic works but in this case the action scenes are entertaining and engaging to me. Both because of how they are portrayed artistically and because of the songs that accompany them.
I watched the BDs and didn't perceive any technical production issues. Animation quality was fine; no complaints.
Yuri romance is served as a (also ham-fisted) side dish. I really like yuri romance so this was a plus for me. It doesn't dominate the screentime so don't let that deter you from watching.
Overall 8/10 and I think the series deserves praise mainly on the basis of creativity and artistic merit. I really liked it and look forward to watching the next few seasons.
