User reviews

At first, SSSS. Gridman was not well received by the public. Many of the superficial aspects, in my opinion, put off viewers, especially considering how plodding and formulaic the first few episodes were. However, the show's real content kept us watching week after week as it started underway, and it eventually became not just one of my favorite shows of the season but the entire year.

Gridman is a dangerous hybrid of genres that juxtaposes massive mecha battles with what appears to be regular school life. The former defies popular perceptions of mecha animation and is probably the reason the program is regarded as sluggish. Nevertheless, these two very different parts of the world strangely complemented one another, with the action sequences' catharsis being fueled by the tension of everyday life. This assessment will concentrate on the more commonplace stuff because that appears to have received the greatest criticism.

I'll quickly discuss the show's treatment of homage. I believe that a large portion of the criticism directed towards the show stems from its excessive use of allusions to other television programs; in fact, Obari Masami, the animator of the first Gridman, expressed dissatisfaction over the show's lack of originality. Having said that, I don't mind at all since these references provide fanservice to the original film's audience and don't interfere with the plot. In addition, how angry can I really be since every character design is inspired from a Transformers obscure series? That is so cute.

Finally, Gridman is just all around fantastic. Because of the first unfavorable reviews, if you've been hesitant to see Gridman, I'd say it's worth a go. Although I'm still not quite sure why so many people in the community dislike this show, I thought it was fantastic and I really hope more people would give it a shot.