Review of SSSS.Gridman

Gridman's point of appreciation is not in this "deeper" relationship of important themes that anime tries to work on, but in a more vulgar way in which he treats the most objective subject of anime - this one that refers to a nostalgia for the moments of action. I like how the anime works with this more vulgar and objective plot relationship that exists on the surface. Vulgar not in a negative sense, but in this well assumed visual relationship with a heroic, destructive and nostalgic charge. Even though it has a continuous story, the focus is on the immediate resolution of each episode – it progressesby giving more focus to isolated events of each episode, and that's very gratifying. This structure with the main events ended in a more episodic way also reminds me of this form of the tokusatsu’s.

The vibrant colors of the Gridman, the robots' movements that follow a more choreographed logic and the way in which the connections made with the other robots are shown have this more enchanting characteristic. The way they show the cgi of robots and monsters as elements that are more distant from that reality. This relationship fits more with the face of the studio, which normally seeks this intensity of scenes and movement. It all goes together very well.

I've gotten used to the fact that there's always been a reference to the old works of the Gainax studio. Which in Gridman's case wasn't bad, since the work has this more ridiculous approach. And these kind of obvious personalities also have that intensity that the anime positions itself to have.

Unfortunately, once again the studio tries to work with a poorly articulated deep theme, making some parts very superficial. This more contemplative relationship does not match the intensity that the anime presents.

Not that having the theme itself is the problem, as it intentionally seems to exist just for that. But the way in which director Akira Amemiya works with this relationship in a more “subtle” way ends up separating and isolating his theme from everything else.

What I mean is, Gridman can't bind these two properties. It seems that the two exist in dissociated ways. An example of something that works very well within this logic is Trigger's own Kill la Kill. It is a work that has the same intensity of scenes and movement, at the same time, a subtle theme present in the work. But, Hiroyuki Imaishi integrates its theme within this intensity of work. Not that I mean this is THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT, but rather that he came up with an idea that makes this approach unique.

But, the job itself isn't bad. Even though he couldn't articulate an idea that would provide a unique experience for the viewer, there are still many things that work. The difference between the two is that: this deep relationship is developed in an illustrative, obvious and boring way; and this heroic, destructive and nostalgic relationship is practically the best thing about anime.

It works much better as a direct allegory to the tokusatsu’s themselves than this more immobile and expressionless form that sometimes makes you sleepy.

The final stretch of the anime has the best/worst moments. Better because the anime arrives at the apex of this more intense and nostalgic relationship with the final battle against the main villain. And worse, since the anime ends with a sobriety that tries to put an end to its most delicate and underdeveloped theme.