Simoun Vol. 4: Song of Prayer Review

            Gearing up for the climax of the series, the sibylla are faced with trials as their battles heat up. Rimone and Dominura have gone missing in battle with no one really sure if they are alive or dead. Upon their return to the Arcus Prima the girls all learn that they are all that’s left after most of the other sibylla are sent to the spring.

            Tensions grow worse when the sibylla grow tired of war and being treated like soldiers instead of priestesses leading to yet another loss amongst their ranks. A decision has to be made and it is by the high priestess: Aer and Neviril are to undertake a very special mission that will open the door to a new world.

Good and the Bad

            First off, if you are particularly attached to any of the characters you might find yourself more than a little upset with this volume. With volume three ending solidly on the disappearance of Dominura and Rimone, audience members would naturally assume that more time would be spent on the girls and their loss but in this case they would be wrong.

            Instead, the two priestesses’ departure from the series is glazed over and the girls deal with the losses in a sad but understated way. Instead of focusing on them, the series shifts its focus slight onto Mamina giving her some late series development that audience members won’t expect. The development of Mamina is interesting since new sides to this character are finally seen including a vulnerable side that has been severely lacking from this character thus far.

            Over the first three episodes, at least half the Chor Tempest team will comment vocally on the changes within Mamina which felt like overkill almost right away and takes away from her development. The audience can clearly see that this character has undergone changes without every other member of the cast mentioning it just to make sure that the audience caught it. Trust me, we did.

While the development will keep audiences entertained and distracted, later events had me looking back on the previous episodes wondering how I possibly missed the huge amount of foreshadowing and set up that had been presented to me. With the series so close to its finish and the staff doing all it can to keep everyone interested in the final climax, the emotional impact almost feels forced.

            The pacing in this volume maintains a steady pace throughout the episodes. While every episode has its own points and place within the story, it never felt like any of the episodes had a solid stopping point. This made it very difficult to remember where one episode ended and the next began as one episode blends into the next. While some will count this as one of the strengths of Simoun, some could make a strong argument that this also means none of the episodes had singular plot points that stand out from the rest of the story.

Music

            All throughout the series Aer has played with her music box but I’m finding it difficult to remember instances where the melody played is really fleshed out before now. Early in this volume however, the melody that comes from Aer’s music box is heard in the background while she speaks with Neviril and finally audience members really get to hear how beautiful the soft waltz melody is.

            Near the middle of this volume, there is also a wonderfully placed and composed insert song sung to Mamina. While short, the lullaby sung is a beautifully composed piece that fits well with the series. Even the lyrics are apt and fitting for the scene and series making for one of the more touching scenes of the episode if not series.

Dub vs. Sub

            Michi Niino and Rieko Takahashi provide very strong performances on this volume as Aer and Neviril respectively. With so many characters making exits within these and the previous couple of episodes, these two have had to give some of the most powerful scenes life. Aer in particular shows very deep sorrow over the loss of her friend and the scene where she mourns is tragically sad.

Extras

            In the latest edition of the Simoun Monthly ADR Bulletin, Mikako Takahashi (Roatreamon), Rika Morinaga (Mamina) and Kaori Natsuka (Yun) sit down to answer more questions about Simoun in true or false format. After that, the ladies offer a refresher course on terms heard throughout the series (which is always appreciated since even I still get confused). The interview is only a little over eight minutes long and despite their best efforts, the three seiyuu really do not have much information to offer the audience. 

Overall

            With the series so close to its finish, it’s hard to say that I am excited to see the conclusion of the series. While the series is finally ready to make its last push towards the finale, it’s just not possible to say that I am coming along for the ride because I want to. The staff has told an interesting story thus far and they deserve credit for that. But with a stilted execution and a world that never quite felt real enough to get into, it will be interesting to see how many in the audience go out their way to see the conclusion.