Translation Corner #7

Ever wondered if there was a Division 1 that came before Division 2? Want to know why the Symphogear System has to be such a big secret? Will you be shocked to find out the origins of the Special Disaster Response Team? This post will answer all of those questions because the next keyword details a lot information about the formation and responsibilities of the government agency that's commanded by Genjuuro. To no one's surprise there is a bit of politics involved.





Keyword #7: The Special Disaster Response Team

A government agency created to mobilize in response to any appearance of the classified special disaster: "Noise." The primary directives of Division 1 are: providing guidance for evacuating citizens, diverting and distracting the Noise, and disposing of the wreckage from attacks. Normally when a person hears the name "Special Disaster Response Team" this is what they think of, Division 1 is the public face of the agency in the mass media.


Division 2 functions very similarly to Division 1, it also carries out missions to help minimize the damage from Noise attacks. However there is one fundamental difference between them: Division 2 is in possession of the Symphogear System. 


Division 2 was originally established 10 years ago. Prior to that, during the time of World War II, Division 2's predecessor was founded by ex-military forces. Operating from within special facilities, the "Kazanari Agency" was the birthplace of research for methods and tactics used to exterminate the Noise. 


In addition to engaging in combat with the Noise, Division 2 has one other important duty: controlling highly confidential information. Because the Symphogear System has demonstrated itself as an overwhelmingly powerful anti-Noise weapon, Division 2 is in an extremely precarious position with regards to the current Constitution as well as the US-Japan Security Treaty. They must avoid revealing to any foreign agency that they retain possession of such a weapon, therefore the government's decision has been to conceal the entire existence of the project. 


So basically Genjuuro and Tsubasa's ancestors were part of the original members that founded what would later become Division 2. Since the Noise have been around for as long as humanity itself, it only makes sense that people would have started to research and design ways to prevent them from attacking. But it seems that only got them so far, they refined techniques and created agencies to assist civilians and divert resources, however in the end the only thing capable of destroying the Noise is the Symphogear itself. That's why Division 2 has to go to such great lengths to hide the system and the people that use it (which is why Hibiki and the girls were pronounced dead instead of MIA at the end of the series). Overall this answered a lot of questions for me, particularly what the purpose and difference between Division 1 and 2 is, and also whether or not the general public knew of the agency's existence. I think it's interesting that the Kazanari family has a seemingly rich military history, which may explain why Genjuuro is so dedicated to the martial arts and retaining his apparently inhuman strength. You can also see where Tsubasa's drive to become a "sword" comes from, since her family has long been dedicated to protecting the Earth from the Noise. She simply wanted to be able to continue that tradition, it might also help to explain why she became so attached to Kanade who really helped her to further that goal.