Miku Kohinata (OrchidSomnium)

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**Miku Kohinata** is the central protagonist of the *Zetsubō no Senki: Symphogear if* alternate-universe series, and the catalyst for many of the events portrayed within it. She is a survivor of the Zwei Wing Tragedy, an event that changed the lives of both her and her close friend Hibiki Tachibana. Miku first appears in Chapter 1 of *Zetsubō no Senki: Symphogear if*.

During the Zwei Wing Tragedy, Miku had a piece of the Gungnir relic wielded by Kanade Amou embedded within her, and thus she was capable of making use of the Gungnir Symphogear just as she was. Following her supposed death in *Zetsubō no Senki: Symphogear if* and reappearance during *Symphogear if G*, Miku becomes capable of making use of the powers of many different relics - including Gungnir, and those that serve as the bases for the other Symphogears - as she is bound to an amalgamation of artificial relics constructed by Dr. John Wayne Vercingetorix dubbed "Lancea Longini". In addition to being able to make use of the transformative powers of Lancea Longini, Miku can also wield the relic Shrivatsa on its own as a separate Symphogear.

Among the relics built into Miku's body is the Nehushtan Armour, which grants her body the ability to recover from any injury and return to the appearance she had following the end of *Zetsubō no Senki: Symphogear if*. During the events of *Symphogear if AXZ*, Miku's human body is completely destroyed in a self-sacrificial attempt to take down the Divine Beast summoned by the Bavarian Illuminati. Following her regeneration, it is shown that Miku is no longer fully human despite still retaining her original appearance.

## Etymology

* Miku's given name is written as **未来**. Usually, these characters are read as "*mirai*", which translates into English as "*future*".
* Miku's surname, Kohinata, is written as **小日向** and can mean "small sunny spot".
	+ In the original *Symphogear* series, this reflects her role as being the sunshine that keeps Hibiki from falling into despair following the concert that catalyzed the entire franchise's events. In *Symphogear if*, this name is more ironic as Miku instead seeks out sunlight to keep herself from going crazy.
* Miku's alias of **Batara Kala** comes from the ruler of the underworld in traditional Javanese and Balinese mythology. In mythology, Batara Kala is described as the creator of light and the Earth, and holds the titles of God of Time and God of Destruction.
	+ In Javanese mythology, Batara Kala is described as being the cause of solar and lunar eclipses, which are the result of him attempting to devour the sun or moon. This is representative of how Miku's transformation of Batara Kala can be seen as a sort of curse devouring the girl whose name means "small sunny spot".

### Relics

* **Gungnir**, the original relic that Miku wields throughout *Zetsubō no Senki: Symphogear if*, is a spear that originates from Norse mythology. According to *Prose Edda*, Odin is prophecized to wield this weapon during Ragnarök, using the weapon to fight (unsuccessfully) the demi-god wolf-monster Fenrir. Originally crafted by a group of dwarves known as the Sons of Ivaldi, Gungnir is said that it is a perfectly balanced weapon that allows its wielder to strike down any target regardless of either party's skills and abilities.
* Miku's amalgamation of relics developed by Dr. Vercingetorix has been dubbed "**Lancea Longini**" despite not being a spear in itself. More commonly referred to as the Holy Lance, the Lancea Longini plays an important role in the mythos of Christianity. The weapon specifically appears wielded by a centurion during the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, during which point the centurion - who was later identified with the name Longinus - thrust it into the man's side in order to ensure his death.
	+ Ironically, *Symphogear if AXZ* introduces the notion that Gungnir's association with gods has been conflated in the public consciousness with the Lancea Longini's use of ensuring the death of the Son of God, granting Gungnir the alternate name of "Lancea Longini" and the ability to nullify the regenerative abilities made possible through the use of impossible physics.
* **Shrivatsa**, also known as the srivatsa or śrīvatsa, is a symbol that appears in the mythos of the Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism religions. In Hinduism, srivatsa is a symbol that appears on the chest of The Preserver, Vishnu, and is where his wife and energy, Lakshmi, resides within him.
	+ Lakshmi is often depicted with a multitude of hands - the number of which often increasing to either eight or eighteen. This parallels Miku's ability to wield many relics due to her Lancea Longini.
	+ In Buddhism, the śrīvatsa is often depicted as an endless knot, and the Buddha's heart is said to be adorned with one; prayer beads are often tied into a shape to mimic the śrīvatsa design due to this. All of this also parallels Miku's relationship to Hibiki: the two are intrinsically tied together due to their history, with each leaving an imprint on the other's heart. The prayer beads connection also reflects how Miku only makes use of Shrivatsa as a Symphogear once she is cleansed of the curse that transformed her into Batara Kala.

## History

### *Symphogear if: Shooting Out of Hell*

Miku plays a minor role in the one-shot episode *Symphogear if: Shooting Out of Hell*, being present when Chris Yukine recounts her traumatic experiences being a sex slave in Val Verde. Overall, Miku mainly just reacts to Chris's story, just as Kirika does, though reveals here that she had seen through Kirika's attempts to wear a cheerful mask over her broken heart.

After Kirika recounts part of her own tragic past, Miku tells Chris and Kirika that she is not yet ready to open up about Hibiki yet, a decision that the two respect. After this the three girls go to watch a film together, with Miku taking a moment to admire the full moon outside Chris's window before leaving to join them.

## Relationships

### Other Characters

* **Tsubasa Kazanari:** Prior to the Zwei Wing Tragedy, Miku had been a fan of Zwei Wing, and knew a lot about Tsubasa's public profile as an idol. When Tsubasa and Kanade visit Miku and Hibiki, it is Tsubasa who manages to convince Miku to fight the Noise alongside them, with Miku inheriting Tsubasa's idea of "becoming a sword" in order to protect Hibiki from danger.
* **Kanade Amou:** Prior to the Zwei Wing Tragedy, Miku had been a fan of Zwei Wing, and knew a lot about Kanade's public profile as an idol. Miku and Kanade seem to hold each other in fairly high regard despite their rare interactions, with the two often working together in battle.
* **Shirabe Tsukuyomi:** Miku rarely interacts with the Shirabe that appears most prominently within the series. Miku is present when the Shirabe clone that takes on the appearance of Satomi Kubert awakens from her coma, and Miku generally treats her with a fair amount of respect due to the fact that she sees this girl as "proof that [she] can use [her] powers for more than destruction".
* **Yumi Itaba:** Yumi is one of the few people that Miku would genuinely consider a "friend", being someone she and Hibiki both befriended during their time at Lydian. Despite this the two are not seen interacting often in the series, though Yumi does wish to remain involved with the Symphogear wielders' exploits as a way to keep an eye on Miku's well-being.
* **Shiori Terashima:** Shiori is one of the few people that Miku would genuinely consider a "friend", being someone she and Hibiki both befriended during their time at Lydian. Despite this the two are not seen interacting often in the series, though Shiori does wish to remain involved with the Symphogear wielders' exploits as a way to keep an eye on Miku's well-being. As Shiori acts as one of the support staff members who keeps in contact with the wielders while they are in battle, it can be assumed that Miku trusts her greatly.
* **Kuriyo Ando:** Kuriyo is one of the few people that Miku would genuinely consider a "friend", being someone she and Hibiki both befriended during their time at Lydian. Despite this the two are not seen interacting often in the series, though Kuriyo does wish to remain involved with the Symphogear wielders' exploits as a way to keep an eye on Miku's well-being. As Kuriyo acts as one of the support staff members who keeps in contact with the wielders while they are in battle, it can be assumed that Miku trusts her greatly.
* **Carol Malus Dienheim:** It can be assumed that Carol and Miku have a neutral relationship, as the two infrequently interact with one another. Carol appears to treat Miku more as a subject to be examined, though on occasion she has also played a part in trying to help keep Miku safe. Miku likely respects Carol as well, due to her playing a role in helping keep Chris alive.
* **Autoscorers:** Miku has rarely interacted with the four Autoscorers that Carol created, though she seems to appreciate them as they assisted in releasing her from the curse that caused her to become Batara Kala.
	+ **Garie Tūmān:** As a result of Garie's personality, the amicable relationship seems to be one-sided. When Chris tried cheering Miku up in the presence of Kirika, Micha, and Garie, only Garie did not seem to care much about the end result.
* **Elfnein:** Miku seems to appreciate Elfnein's assistance at times, though the two rarely interact enough for their relationship to be truly known. Miku and Elfnein seem to trust the other to some extent, however, as the two are willing to posit theories to one another about their circumstances.
* **Hibiki's mother:** Miku and Hibiki's mother have not directly interacted on-screen, but it can be assumed that they have a complicated relationship. Originally, Hibiki's mother had allowed Miku to live with her family after Miku's parents took their own lives. It is implied that, following Hibiki's death however, Miku's relationship with her becomes more complicated.
* **John Wayne Vercingetorix:** Miku is disgusted by Dr. Ver, as he is the one who mutilated her body by incorporating Lancea Longini into it. Though she despises the man, Dr. Ver seems to think incredibly highly of the girl - or, rather, his work on her - as he describes Batara Kala as a "hero of justice" that he designed with the intent of using to rebuild the world in accordance with his own virtues.
* **Bavarian Illuminati:** In general, Miku seems to despise the members of the Bavarian Illuminati solely for their affiliation, due to all of the pain that has been caused by them.
	+ **Adam Weishaupt:** As Miku was willing to take a chance and allow herself to be transmuted into gold in an attempt to land a hit on the alchemist, Miku appears to see Adam as one of the greatest threats she has ever faced. Miku genuinely hates Adam with a passion, though primarily because he often refers to Hibiki as "a thing", something Miku takes personal issue with.
	+ **Akira Tachibana:** Miku loathes Akira due to him abandoning Hibiki in her time of need. This hatred for the man was so strong that it overpowered the mindless, destructive nature of Batara Kala (albeit only temporarily) so that Miku could tell the man that Hibiki had been killed and subsequently kill him. Following his reappearance as a member of the Bavarian Illuminati, Miku's hatred for the man only grows stronger as she gets into his face to demand answers. Though far from the most powerful member of the Bavarian Illuminati, Akira seems to be Miku's personal nemesis.

## Physical Appearance

Throughout the *Symphogear if* series, Miku is described as having long black hair and teal eyes. Miku is also unique in that her design drastically changes throughout the chronology of the *Symphogear if* series, often getting new wounds or changing to adapt to her fluctuating character.

Prior to the Zwei Wing Tragedy, Miku Kohinata wore her hair in a typical ponytail, held up with a yellow ribbon, though this changes following the catastrophic event. Early on during the *Symphogear if* series, Miku wears her hair held up in a half-updo, with her hair held in place behind her head with a white bow. Beginning with *Symphogear if G*, Miku does not typically wear her hair up - instead allowing it to drape down her back - but there are occasions when she ties it back in a ponytail.

Following her supposed death at the end of *Zetsubō no Senki: Symphogear if*, Miku's skin is marked in burn scars, a result of having fallen from the Earth's atmosphere. The extent of these burn scars is never specified.

Miku loses her left arm during the events of *Symphogear if GX*, during the fight to revert her back to a human form after transforming into Batara Kala. She remains with only one arm for the remainder of the series, though *Symphogear if AXZ* shows that she is capable of regrowing it, albeit only temporarily, whenever she should transform into the Batara Kala form. In place of it, she sometimes makes use of chains that she is capable of summoning via the Shrivatsa relic. Miku has also demonstrated in *Symphogear if AXZ* the ability to use Shénshòujìng's ability as a mirror to essentially "reflect" a projection of an arm, giving her the illusion of having both of her limbs. The reflected arm is, however, only a projection, and thus incorporeal; Miku can not actually hold anything with it.

Throughout the events of *Symphogear if GX*, Miku's skin slowly darkens to a jet-black colour as a result of Batara Kala's influence slowly overtaking her. As she also possesses data relating to Nephilim inside her, Batara Kala's influence also caused her to take on some of the physical traits of the bestial relic. Specifically, her mouth possessed the same, sharp teeth and were described as jutting out at abnormal angles. Following her purification by Shénshòujìng at the behest of Carol, Miku's body lost these traits; the sole exception being the stump of her left arm ending in a jet black void.

As Batara Kala, Miku appears as a large, bipedal creature of complete darkness. Batara Kala is described as lacking proper features, with only flames in place of eyes that slowly changed colour and a large bestial mouth comparable to that which Nephilim possessed. At one point, the image of Miku's human form appears over her head; though how she did so remains unknown.

During Chapter 14 of *Symphogear if AXZ*, Miku's body is transmuted into solid gold by Adam Weishaupt. Counter to the effects of gold transmutation on other humans, Miku remains fully alive and conscious, and is still capable of moving her body without issue. Despite this, Millaarc's attempt to attack Miku shows that her body has indeed gained the properties of solid gold and it is not merely an aesthetic transformation. Miku's ability to transform her body into the different Symphogear weapons also remains unchanged, as she uses a replica of Igalima to sever Adam Weishaupt in two.

## Abilities

### Holy Chants

* ***Scupeum Adsto Gungnir zizzl*** - Gungnir; first heard in Chapter 4 of *Zetsubō no Senki: Symphogear if*.
* ***Kara Lancea Longini zizzl*** - Lancea Longini; first heard in Chapter 12 of *Symphogear if G*.
* ***Ayurvaed Shrivatsa tron*** - Shrivatsa; first heard in Chapter 22 of *Symphogear if GX*.

Miku possesses the ability to call upon Lancea Longini without needing to sing a Holy Chant, due to the relic system being built into her body. Additionally, because of this unique physiology, Miku also does not need to sing while fighting with Lancea Longini, nor did she need to while wielding Gungnir. Shrivatsa is the outlier in both of these cases and seems to act as a more traditional Symphogear, requiring both a Holy Chant to be summoned and drawing out the song in Miku's heart during a fight.

### Clones

Following her body's complete regeneration in *Symphogear if AXZ*, Miku learns that she is essentially capable of cloning herself by removing parts of her body, as a new Miku will grow from it. This is first displayed in a partial sense during Chapter 13 of *Symphogear if AXZ*, where one of Miku's severed toes eventually grows part of a foot back; upon the discovery of this ability, Miku wonders if she is a clone herself.

The first of Miku's "full" clones born from this technique makes a debut in Chapter 14 of *Symphogear if AXZ*. This Miku's face is described as not being fully formed, with one of her eyes being red in colour with black veins crossing around it. Later, in Chapter 19, Kanade nicknames this clone "Niku", after one reading of the Japanese character for 'two', ni (に).

## Trivia

* Miku has the first piece of dialogue in the *Zetsubō no Senki: Symphogear if* series: "This is so exciting! Getting to see Tsubasa and Kanade in person... I can't wait!"
	+ Miku also has the first piece of dialogue in *Symphogear if AXZ*: "Damn it."
* Following the events of Chapter 14 of *Symphogear if AXZ*, when her body is transmuted into gold, Miku becomes the heaviest character in the entire series; her weight is so great that all four Autoscorers are unable to lift her while working together.
	+ If her body is truly comprised of solid gold, Miku would weigh more than 3 tonnes (3000 kg or roughly 6614 lbs).
	+ Though the exact measurement is unknown, Miku also held the record of tallest character while she was Batara Kala. It is also likely that Miku would have weighed more than 3 tonnes as Batara Kala, but it is truly impossible to know as the composition of her body was unknown.

## Gallery

Character cardMiku Kohinata, prior to the Zwei Wing TragedyMiku Kohinata, at the beginning of *Symphogear if AXZ*