Type: Super Smokin’ Sexy Style
Synopsis: Ya know, the one with the chick with the thighs. I know, I know, that’s not fair to Rika. She’s a well developed character. Well, not “well developed” in that way. Hey! come one, you kn-know what I meant. Lets, ah, get back to the subject at hand. We were talking about thicc thighs right? Oh crap! I shouldn’t have said thicc! Oh crap, I shouldn’t have said thighs! Oh crap! I certainly shouldn’t be contributing to the oversexualization of women in the anime industry by making light of it…it’s too hot today.
Pros: SSSS. Gridman is an anime adaptation of the 1990’s tokusatsu show, Gridman the Hyper Agent. As such, this anime utilizes a lot of elements from the old “Giant Hero” shows. You have a human doing poses in order to transform into a giant hero. Every episode ends with the hero fighting a kaiju wrecking the city. And your ultimate bad guy is some nebulous embodiment of evil. Also, sometimes you get to see the hero use awesome accessories that are usually sold separately. These elements are well executed, but the show really shines in it’s human interactions. The show has four main characters: Yuta (Gridman), Sho, Rikka, and Akane. Each have their own views and feelings towards Gridman and the Kaiju that appear. Sho’s overenthusiastic reaction belies a his feelings of inadequacy. You get the sense that without all this, he wouldn’t have a lot going on personally. On the flip side, Rikka’s apprehension to getting too involved with the “Gridman Alliance,” despite her many connections to it, showcases a desire for normalcy. I should also mention that Rikka probably has the best scenes with each character, especially with Sho and Akane. Akane, the antagonist, is probably the most interesting to watch, as the show slowly starts focusing more and more on her motivations and desires, all which reveal a deep seated loneliness. Meanwhile, Yuta is Yuta. A good, but not great protagonist. Things get super interesting early on, when our protagonists and antagonist learn about each other, as every conversation they have with each other turns into a very tense situation. Speaking of which, the show does a very good job with atmosphere, utilizing shadows whenever the humans are speaking, casting the world in an almost melancholy haze whenever Gridman isn’t around. Overall, you can just tell that a lot of effort and attention went into this show.
Cons: Right off the bat, the tokusatsu endings may turn you off. They are mostly authentic, which could seem a little silly and even childish to some viewers. Especially when Gridman’s action figure accessories join the fight. That being said, I don’t think that the Neon Genesis Junior High Students were all that necessary, and didn’t do much outside of add in some lore. I also wasn’t a fan of Anti, though I understand that his use as rival character fufilled a tokusatsu troupe. Finally, I don’t feel like Akane’s final story beat was earned. It was a little rushed, and I think her story line would have benefited from maybe one more episode (P.s. I think that Ep.04-05 are notably weak episodes, as one is just for jealousy and the other was just for fan service).
Watch it?: A very well made show about giant monsters (5/5)
MVP: Akane
There are a lot of theological questions to explore here.
Best Episode: Ep.09 “Dream” (What if a god was your friend, but also kinda depressed?)