Fans ofNeon Genesis Evangelioncan be hard to please, but there’s one series out there on Crunchyroll that just might satisfy their need for more. That series happens to beSSSS.Gridman, a revival of a little-known corner of the old-school tokusatsu series,Ultraman.
SSSS.Gridman, or justGridmanfor short, is a 2018 anime series by studio Trigger, which uses elements from the originalGridmanseries to create something entirely new while still respecting its origins. While the eponymous Gridman isn’t technically a mecha, it is functionally a giant robot piloted by a high schooler, making it close enough to fit into the genre. Running for just 12 episodes,Gridman’s story is short and sweet, while still delving into some deep topics, like the meaning of existence. In many ways, the themes mirror those ofEvangelion, making it a fitting spiritual successor.
SSSS.Gridman Flips the Evangelion Script
Gridman Tackles Similar Issues From a Different Perspective
Gridmantells the story of Yuta Hibiki, a boy who wakes up one day with no memory, but the ability to see strange Kaiju surrounding his city. Not long after, a Kaiju attacks, and Yuta’s friends, Rikka Takarada and Sho Utsumi, soon gain the ability to see the Kaiju as well. However, the next day, the damage the Kaiju has done is cleaned up, and no one remembers the Kaiju attack, or even any of its victims, at all, except for the three of them. Yuta learns that, by using a strange computer, he can become Gridman and battle these Kaiju, determined not to let anyone else be forgotten.
Evangelionis known for facing difficult topics like how people can interact without hurting one another, or how the pressure placed on young characters like Shinji and Asuka can get to them in unpredictable ways.Gridmantoys with some of these ideas as well, but takes a verydifferent point of view than that espoused byEvangelion.In fact, if any character inGridmanis similar to Shinji, it would most likely be the series' villain, who struggles to find purpose.Gridmandoes rely heavily on a big twist, so it can be a bit difficult to discuss certain characters, including the villain, without spoilers.
Gridman is Incredibly Stylish and Fun to Watch
The Series is Well Animated and Looks Amazing
TheGridmananime, coming from Trigger,looks just as amazing as many of their other works. The style is very clean and legible, and the characters have a striking appearance to their designs. That goes double for Gridman himself, and the Kaiju, who were actually created using motion capture technology so as to move in a manner similar to the monsters in the original live-actionGridman. That gives the animation a very distinct quality that’s almost completely unlike that of any other anime series, while also enhancing the artificial nature of the Kaiju.
With only 12 episodes, it’s not a huge time investment, and the story is fully wrapped up by the end of the series, although there is, of course, room to continue.SSSS.Gridmanalso has a sequel series,SSSS.Dynazenon, which features mostly a new cast, as well as the crossover movie,Gridman Universe, which sees the characters fromGridmanandDynazenoninteract. There’s also a plethora of spin-off manga that exist, much likeEvangelion, which are of varying levels of canonicity and range from comedies to period pieces.
SSSS.Gridmanis absolutely worth the time, especially for anyone who happens to be a fan ofEvangelion. The two shows' shared themes and similarities make it a natural choice forEvangelionfans. Trigger does bear an ancestral connection toEvangelionstudio Gainax, so perhaps it’s of no surprise that the studio might produce something similar. If one is looking for something likeEvangelionthat’s still got its own identity, then there’s no way to go wrong withSSSS.Gridman.
