Review of SSSS.Dynazenon

Studio TRIGGER has made some of the most innovative and captivating anime series of all time and I don't think that can really be denied. Lately, their work has fallen a bit short of that in the cases of BNA and arguably Darling in the FranXX, but overall I think their track record is pretty good. Dynazenon is a fantastic example of what TRIGGER is leaning towards and I can't tell if that's a good thing or a bad thing. For starters, Dynazenon's characters aren't perfect by any measure. Yume tended to be the most compelling as a lot of the side plot focused on her,but she had little-to-no actual personality and her most notable trait was that she had a somewhat tragic backstory. Yomogi is worth mentioning because he's not a horrible protagonist, but as a character, he doesn't really work. Gauma was funny but bland as well, at least he had a motivation and presence in the show. The other two were okay and the main antagonists were alright, but they aren't worth mentioning. It's all pretty standard-fare for a show like this.

The animation and sound were both excellent, but that can't sell a show. I don't remember much of the soundtrack aside from the opening and one of the insert songs, which isn't a bad thing, but it would have been nice if there had been a few more stand-out tracks. There's one episode in particular where the visual design was excellent, but aside from that it was nothing out of the ordinary.

The story makes sense and stays cohesive. It fulfills its promise of being a sequel to Gridman and that's about it.

So why do I give it a 9? That's easy: because it felt like a 9.

The action, the atmosphere, the often cheesy and over-the-top writing, it all works. I don't expect Dynazenon to make me rethink how I consume media, but it couldn't have been a better love letter to the kind of shows I grew up with. Dynazenon captures the wonder and excitement that I felt watching Power Rangers as a kid without feeling like a kids show. I can't think of another show that does that aside from maybe Gridman, and even then I think Dynazenon does it better. There is a moment in the final episode that I have gone back to watch maybe a dozen times and it still hasn't gotten old for me. If you had a similar childhood to me watching shows like the previously mentioned Power Rangers, Voltron, maybe the original Gridman, then I highly, HIGHLY, recommend Dynazenon. It is a fun watch that still holds up under scrutiny to an extent.

Now about TRIGGER. Dynazenon is one step forward and one step back for them in a lot of ways. The animation and storytelling haven't taken much of a hit, but the stylistic approach to art direction and the high-octane energy that Gurren Lagann and Kill la Kill are known for are noticeably absent here. This can be seen as a good thing, it makes Dynazenon much more approachable than TRIGGER's other works, but it ultimately removes some of the charm that makes those shows I mentioned iconic. I can't say it ruins this show for me because it doesn't, but this isn't really a TRIGGER show, it's a show made by Studio TRIGGER.