Review of SSSS.Gridman
I couldn't really and I still can't really fully appreciate this anime. Mostly because it is literally "mind storming". What I mean is that the whole story - as I noticed - comes from the old Ultraman story, something my age could not really know. So basically I was lost from the start and ended up half lost. The whole anime remains very mysterious until something like episode 6-7. Then you will slowly but surely get to know every important point to fully understand the plot. Anyway it doesn't mean SSSS.Gridman represents a full reflexion show, many parts (not to say, every second half ofeach episode) will feature big mecha fights vs Kaijus. Powerful, joyful and explosives as always !
The major positive points are surely the intriguing story (even at the end you might feel quite lost), with a really surprising conclusion. Indeed, to sum up my mind : it in fact tells the story of a young normal girl, inventing in her head, her ideal life, in an ideal city with the ideal persons. But contrary to me, you or any human being, she will actually become the God of her dream and will live in her dream, at a so deep point that she can't figure out how to live normally, she can't turn back.
This, is the daily routine of many persons : going to work / school / college, coming back to their home, listening to some music while thinking - no, dreaming - about an ideal life. I was really astonished by the fact they told a sad story without even showing any sad side until the last episode. I should probably watch it again with another eye, able to see more than it could by the past. A really interesting show with a catching (for some viewers, heart-breaking) ending / conclusion.
Nevertheless, the fact that I was lost and discovered everything progressively cannot be a full positive point. Indeed, it even was a negative point for me, leading to almost dropping the show. What I would like to explain, is that you won't see where the devs wanted to go with their production ; you won't be able to get answer unless you decide to act like "Ok, I don't get it but let's move forward to learn".
If you dislike mysterious and weird stories, better not starting this show. The fighting moments were good but not extremely impressive. Plus, all the characters are quite undevelopped ; you get to know the major parts for the rest of 'em, yuck... Example : what is the real purpose of Hyper Agent ? What is the Neon Genesis High School ? Where does Akane really go at the end ? What would happen to the city ? Who was the little Kaiju girl we see twice in the show ? Etc etc
The global anime was satisfying to watch - not a masterpiece - but still a great mash up of mechas, fight, waifus (I'm not into stuff like this, but shit, every one claims Rikka or Akane were best girls) and complexed plot. Probably a bigger surprise than a deception, but it was close...