Back to 5hadow17's Profile 5hadow17's Profile

This follows the formula of the specials from previous Symphogear seasons - short comedic skits featuring the characters from the season.

The chronology is scattered around the events of AXZ. I watched all these specials after completing AXZ and found it to be a decent cap off to the experience.

The art syle is unlike the main series, but the Chibi style here could be viewed as suitable given the comedic tone that intended.

I've found the variety of characters to been a strong point for Symphogear in general and all of the girls from AXZ get some screen time here, so there's likely something for everyone regardless ... of your favorites.

Fans of the Symphogear franchise should find this to be a decent supplement to the experience from the main series.

This is a direct sequel to the Ikkitousen Western Wolves OVA.

Shin Ikkitousen still has everything that one would come to expect from the franchise.

The top tier fanservice starts right out of the gate, from around the 1st minute into the 1st episode.

With only 3 episodes in total, there isn't much opportunity for plot depth.

Visually, this seemed to be of the best quality for the franchise yet.

... Many of the existing characters from the franchise make an appearance, though more screen time for some favorites like Kan'u would've been better. Some new characters come and go without much of backstory.

The power/ranking system still seems broken, but the fights are decent.

There isn't any plot resolution, but instead we're left with a set-up for another potential sequel to come.

Overall, a decent watch for fans of the Ikkitousen franchise.

This is a direct continuation of the Extravaganza Epoch OVA, which had an abrupt start, and ended without a proper resolution. Unfortunately, this doesn't do much to remedy those problems.

Western Wolves does have everything that one would come to expect from Ikkitousen though: a somewhat coherent story, good art, lovable characters, enjoyable fights and top notch fanservice.

Some new characters are introduced without much of background, which can be jarring. There is a decent attempt to bring some development for a few of the girls we already know and love. The power/ranking system seems to get more broken in some cases.

There are some interesting set-ups which ... potentially can open up the chance for good pay-offs in the sequel(s) to come.

Overall, a decent watch for fans of the Ikkitousen series.

These specials are essentially training guides for you to follow along.

Gym equipment is not necessary, there are alternatives shown for exercises that would use them.

The routines are fairly decent and there's some useful tips given by the girls from the show as you follow along, with Machio counting your reps or time.

There are some points mentioned which are debatable, such as the breathing for squats, which is not ideal for squatting with weights, but not an issue for just bodyweight squats.

Rest times are rewarded with some nice still shots of the girls.

Overall a good follow along for anyone looking for a ... quick workout routine, or just worth a watch for fans of the show.