SSSS.Gridman [Review]

Posted on January 6, 2019 by KiritoNarukami 3 comments

“Yuta Hibiki awakens with amnesia and the ability see things that others cannot. He first encounters a Gridman in the reflection of his friend Rikka Takarada’s computer and it tells him to “Remember his calling,” but Yuta doesn’t understand what this means. Later, in the distance, he sees an extremely large monster but it doesn’t move. It’s only when Yuta gets to school that the two sightings make sense: a monster attacks and the hero Yuta saw in the computer screen pulls him within the computer and transforms Yuta into a giant hero named Gridman.” -ANN

Story:

The last time I saw a show that involved Kaiju (large monsters) was back in middle school when I rented the movie Godzilla 2000! SSSS.Gridman has this Ultraman aesthetic featuring large monsters known as Kaijus fighting against a large humanoid in the middle of a dense Japanese city. While the theme is irresistible for Kaiju and Mecha fans, for a Trigger original story the overall scheme lacks impact. It’s a much more, believe it or not, down to earth story with a much simpler theme.

Artwork & Animation:

Trigger is known for very cartoonish and over the top artwork and animation (Kill la Kill, Kiznaivers etc.) but in SSSS.Gridman we didn’t get to see a lot of that signature style until the very end of the show. The last episode of SSSS.Gridman blew it out of the water, the wonderful Trigger animation style came back flashier than ever, now if only the ending wasn’t so cheesy I’m confident that I would’ve shed a few tears. Character designs were also a huge plus for SSSS.Gridman as Rikka Takarada took the internet by storm for reasons I’m sure all of you know by now. But let’s not forget everyone else, the character design were great across the board including the Kaijus and Gridman himself.

Character(s):

The cast as a whole doesn’t change a whole lot throughout the show, except for one (who mention as it does contain a major spoiler). While they don’t change that much, the cast is still a unique bunch and avoids anyway overused and mundane character tropes. The biggest problem with the characters is how they put themselves in the universe of SSSS.Gridman. There’s little to no information how these characters came to be in the plot, they just simply exist and that’s what makes SSSS.Gridman less satisfying than it should’ve been. There’s is a potential answer to this problem but I’ll leave it in my ending theory at the end.

Sound (OST & Voice Acting):

The soundtrack features tracks that take heavy influence from the 1960s Ultra as well as Kaijus films (Godzilla, Gamera etc.) in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. While some stay true to the sound others have a different approach to the classic track using more modern instruments and a more upbeat rhythm. There are a number of tracks that feature vocals, some used in a fun way and others created a dark and ominous atmosphere by reversing vocal samples.

Enjoyment:

For the most part the art and the name Trigger, ultimately, was what drew me to this anime

I’m not satisfied with the result but I think this will serve as a foundation for future Trigger shows and hopefully, the net one will blow us out of the water!

Overall: Score 8

Trigger is back with another original anime and this time it features a Mecha (what a surprise) and Kaijus! While the story is much more calm and static compared to their previous work, Gridman’s art and character design are something to be desired as it is beautifully drawn. Any Kaiju or Ultraman fan wouldn’t wanna miss this stunning show!

Best Girl: Rikka Takarada

Thighs. If you know, you know.

*WARNING* THIS ENDING THEORY HAS A MAJOR SPOILER SO PLEASE WATCH THE END OF THE ANIME BEFORE READING.

Ending Theory:

At the very end of SSSS.Gridman, we see a real room featuring the pass holder that Rikka had given Akane before she disappeared from their world. Then it focuses towards the back of the room and the bed which from under the covers emerges a girl. That girl must have been Akane herself. If that was, in fact, Akane then entire anime was Akane’s dream which would explain the missing pieces here and there in the plot. The story of SSSS.Gridman was cohesive enough to be understood but there were still a lot of gaps but if this was all a dream then those gaps are filled by themselves. Because in a dream nothing makes sense at all, yet it does and you understand the situation you’re in until you wake up and think over it again.