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Senki Zesshō Symphogear G anime Unveils New Cast, Characters

The official website for the Senki Zesshō Symphogear G anime season revealed the new voice cast members and character designs for the anime on June 10:

Yōko Hikasa (K-ON!, Inu X Boku Secret Service) plays Maria Cadenzavna Eve, a spirited princess of song who reached the top of the American charts within two months from her professional debut. Her mysterious and powerful singing voice crosses international boundaries, and possesses large amounts fans around the world. She fuses with a Symphogear outside of the Japanese government's jurisdiction, and takes actions worthy of making her an enemy to all humanity.

Yui Horie (Kanon 2006, Valvrave the Liberator) plays Serena Cadenzavna Eve, Maria's younger sister with unparalleled talent. A girl with a kind personality, she has learned not to use her Gear in battle, although she has already fused with the Symphogear. Her gentle voice heals Maria's heart, and Serena's smile is the single foundation that supports her elder sister's determination.

Yoshino Nanjō (Love Live! School idol project, Robotics;Notes) plays Shirabe Tsukuyomi, one of the mysterious warriors who fights alongside Maria. Contrary to her quiet looks, Shirabe is a calculating girl who will use whatever means necessary to achieve her goal. She holds a great distrust toward Hibiki, who is called a hero who saved the world from a shard of the moon, and calls her words “hypocrisy”.

Ai Kayano (Guilty Crown, Valvrave the Liberator) plays Kirika Akatsuki, another one of Maria's mysterious warrior comrades. She has the personality of a bright, very cooperative, normal girl, but like Maria, Serena, and Shirabe, she has a dark past of being a test subject in a certain research lab as one of the “Receptor Children”. Her bonds with her friends is so strong that she does not fear fighting against the world.

Tomokazu Sugita (Gintama, Hiiro no Kakera) plays Doctor Ver, a researcher from the American Holy Relic Research Facility's 2nd Division Mobile Disaster Response Corps who is analyzing Ryōko Sakurai's theories. His area of specialty is biology, and he is currently using those talents to uncover the true identity of the holy relics. He admires Hibiki, Tsubasa, and Chris, who saved the world, and overlaps his own dreams with theirs.

Kikuko Inoue (Ah! My Goddess, Robotics;Notes) plays Professor Nastassja, the heretical technician who is the main supporter of the plans of Maria's team. After the Luna Attack, information relating to the holy relics was released to a portion of people, but her knowledge on the subject far surpasses this. At times, she is very warm towards Maria and the others, but can also be extremely harsh on them in order to complete their mission.

Hidekatsu Shibata (Fullmetal Alchemist, Great Mazinger) plays Masahito Shibata, the vice-minister at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is currently working to protect the Symphogear System, the heretical item that is of national interest. He speaks a bit roughly, but he is one of the only people who understands Genjūrō, and works alongside the Mobile Disaster Response Corps.

The official website also posted a new piece of key visual art (seen at right) featuring Hibiki, Tsubasa, Chris, and the newly-introduced antagonists.

Nana Mizuki (Tsubasa Kazanari) will sing the series' “Vitalization” opening theme song, while Ayahi Takagaki (Chris Yukine) will sing the “Next Destination” ending theme song. A duo character song CD featuring Tsubasa Kazanari (Nana Mizuki) and Maria Cadenzavna Eve (Yōko Hikasa) is also planned. The CD containing the song "Fushidori no Flamme" (The Flame of the Immortal Bird) will be released on July 17.

Katsumi Ono, an episode director on the first season and the director of Hataraki Man and Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, is replacing Tatsufumi Itō as the director of the new season. Chief animation director Satoru Fujimoto is also assuming the character design role from Satoshi Koike. Akifumi Kaneko is returning to write and oversee scripts, and original character designer Dan Yoshii is also reprising his role at Satelight. Elements Garden is again handling the music. Niconico and Funimation streamed the first season outside of Japan.

The series will premiere in Japan on July 4.