Review of SSSS.Gridman

It’s difficult to review a show like this one, especially for a spoiler-free review like this one. Story – 9/10 SSSS Gridman requires a very clear attention to detail. The mystery isn’t just about the main dynamic, it’s about literally everything and is everywhere. Why does the main character have amnesia? Why is everyone reacting to this insane things to casually? Where did the dead people go and how come everyone’s memories are false? How do buildings get instantly repaired in the next day? Is the Chief-Over-Justice-looking dude simply an ally to the main villain or is he the main villain and is the master of puppets inthe situation? Is the world we’re looking at even real? A dream? A simulation? What’s with all the sequences in the op? Is the ed sequence in the “real” world? Else, why are they wearing different uniforms and acting like friends? What’s up with that marble they keep pointing to? What are kaijus and where do they come from?

It is all answered bit by bit and, at least to me, it was all very satisfying, though I can easily see why it wouldn’t be to someone who did pay attention althroughout. This is one of the best “mindfuck” anime out there, both in writing and effectiveness. Screw Steins Gate!

Characters – 8/10

You get introduced to a cast of awesome and ridiculous characters with names like “Samurai Calibur”! And yes, they come from a place called “Neon Genesis Junior High”. Gridman references almost every other previous work of Trigger as well as Evangelion, Gurren Lagann, Tokusatsu, old mechas, Power Rangers and even Ultraman. This is not an entry point anime for anyone. Trigger shows tend to be underrated with their genius going under radar for many of their viewers, as they tend to be niche, but this is even more niche than some of the other Trigger shows. You need to have seen a lot of stuff before you can truly grasp what this is all about, even if it is also good as a standalone story in many other ways. I’m sure there were many references and easter eggs even I didn’t get. That’s because SSSS Gridman was fundamentally designed to be an homage to the old Saturday morning cartoons and things like Power Rangers. One of the girls in the show is often listening to music, which a lot of the time is either a theme from another Trigger show or a cover/remix of one. The whole anime is one of the most meta things I’ve ever watched. I believe that buildings getting fixed seemingly overnight is a jab at how super-hero-type stories never have any of the mass destruction affect the plot in any substantial way.

Art – 8/10

A lot of (very ignorant) people will be quick to criticize the animation as generic and often lacking. Some might even criticize the purposely bizarre-looking CGI of the mechas and the enemies/kaiju. It’s very clear that the animation team put a lot of effort into making them look a very particular way, almost as if you’re watching people in suits. I believe that motion capture was not used in the production, which makes it all the more impressive that they’re using regular CG to model and replicate the motion capture feel. There are other creative ways the animation composition is handled. There is one scene that comes to mind where they either recorded an actual set piece explosion and integrated it into the scene, or they drew one that looks incredibly realistic to the point where I can’t tell it apart from a real one. They also often had fights with a mixture of CG and 2D where the blending point wasn’t clear at all, all while rotating the angles of the camera and having an epic fight. Oh and when the action gets going, it looks absolutely amazing.

There are many moments where the animation team was obviously saving animation frames, but it is done in a way that is never jarring or takes away from the show. By that I mean that there are certain scenes where animation is reused or a near-freeze frame is used, but they are all gag scenes which work better because of it. Trigger always knows how to balance their production for the best output possible. On the contrary, there are many moments that look like wallpapers but in motion.

Enjoyment – 9/10

SSSS Gridman had some of the shortest-feeling episodes of any anime. At the end of some of the episodes I could swear I had only been watching for a couple minutes. The last time a show had episodes go by so fast for me was when I watched Hunter x Hunter. Gridman is a super entertaining show from beginning to end. It was not exactly what I expected, because most other Trigger shows I had seen had super-fast pacing and this was not like that. I didn’t think I was gonna like the slower, calmer pace of this show, but they made it work just fine.

My only issues with it are:

1) The characters felt a little lifeless at times. They should have been given more energy. Kill la Kill level energy maybe wouldn’t have worked as well for this show, but they should have been given more.

2) They should have had a few more episodes at the end in which the epic fights escalate to new levels. If they actually fought a giant Alexis in the op and had a longer fight, it would have been awesome. The pacing was fine and I was surprised they could pull off the ending so well in the final episode without it feeling rushed, but for a concept this good there is a lot more they could have done. I know anime studios like to stick to the 12-13 episode format, but something like 15-16 episodes with more explanation and use of the concepts, like the motherboard-looking thing it
the sky or the marble, would have been great.

Overall, I would give SSSS Gridman a strong 9/10. It was an excellently written piece with a very original concept and great execution. Just like with every other Trigger show I’ve seen, I’ve gotten into it with the mindset of “maybe this is the one that’s actually gonna be mediocre” and like every time before I get another show that enters my top 15 of all time with ease. And just like every show from the same creative team, it’s something different, something unique.