SSSS. Gridman

I watched the final episode of SSSS. Gridman over my Christmas break. Wow, what a crazy ride this series has been. It started off weird and funny, only to end weird and a little sad. I won't go into too many details as I'm sure not everyone has had a chance to see it yet, but the ending wasn't what I expected. I certainly did like the way everything came together and feel just as confused at the same time. I don't know if that's a good thing, but I'm not complaining either way. It was great to see something I've always liked get a new life 20-ish years later and to see it done so well was nice. I really thought the overall vibe of the show was fun. Like others, the Transformers references in the character designs was something I found neat (though the weekly pointing out of it did get a bit old, just in time for the ones pointing it out to move onto something else to do fortunately). I hope to see more of Gridman in the future, and with the Ultraman anime movie showing up on Netflix in the spring, I will at least have something else to take it's place.

OxT [UNION] (SSSS. Gridman intro music)

Two more episodes to go, what a crazy ride!

Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad German intro

 

treten Sie etwas Gigabutt

SSSS. Gridman

This weekend I was able to catch up on the first two episodes of a series I've been anticipating for awhile now, SSSS. Gridman. This is an anime Gridman series that's an all new cannon, but the creators insist isn't a reboot or remake. Gridman, of course, is a classic tokusatsu show from the 90's that was released in America (with new teenager scenes in the vein of Power Rangers) as Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad (something I've talked about quite a bit here). In short, I loved it. It has a different vibe from the original series. It's a little sad, with a touch of comedy. For instance in one scene, as Gridman was fighting a kaiju, his partner Sho was trying to find a weak spot on the kaiju leading a quip that they always have a weak spot in the Ultra series (both are made by Tsuburaya and have obvious similarities).

Adding to the drama is that our hero, Yuta, has amnesia and cannot remember his past. He can see kaiju before they materialize, leading to foreboding shadows in the background. The whole show has a great fever dream like quality which matches the somber mood and how I can imagine life would be for an amnesiac. He's drawn to the computer in which Gridman communicates with him and understands enough that he's part of the whole Hyper Agent scene. I really dig the who dreariness of the show. It's got a charm of it's own and making the entire story kind of haunting. A show like this can be a little over the top, so giving it that downer mood sets it apart and gives it character.

I'm sure if you're in the same circles I am, you've probably seen all the posts about the large number of Transformers Easter Eggs in the character design. There's tons of it, with more getting found practically every hour. I wonder if that's going to continue or if it will curb off at some point. That was super fun to spot out. Joy kills magically had a problem with it (heaven forbid something be popular), but it was great to watch so many people point it out with pure joy. I know I was personally thrilled with it and continue to do so as more and more gets pointed out. It's kinda amazing.

It's great to see something I've liked since I was a kid make a return after 20 something years. I still remember waking up early every day to watch SSSS before going to school. I still watch old episodes of it regularly, as goofy as it may be. I hope to get some of the new toys from this series as the updates to the classic designs look great. I suggest that if you haven't already checked it out to do so. The show kicks gigabutt.

Woo Hoo Gridman!

SSSS. Gridman had it's debut episode earlier this week! If you're like me, you plan to watch it this weekend. I've already seen some keen Transformers Easter Eggs that are in the show, so now I'm even more excited for the chance to finally watch it. As a Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad fan, I'm super pumped to finally get something new from something that's been over for what... 20 something years?

Super Human Samurai Syber-Squad toy commercial

SSSS. Gridman trailer

I'm pretty excited for this.

Living on the Grid

The Gridman anime is set to debut soon with what looks to be cool stuff based on it and the original series. I'm really hoping to get one of these Zenon candy toys. The old Takara toy is just out of reach of what I'd like to pay, so I'm hoping these will be a fair price. Zenon is such a cool looking robot, and while I dig the mini PVC I have of him, a better figure of him would be great to own.

Super Gridman Cyber Squad

Gridman/Super Human Samurai Syber Squad toys are great. Mostly Zenon though, not that the others aren't as good, just man Zenon is such a bad ass. Getting that pvc of him this past weekend at Toylanta reminded me of just how much I'd like to track down his DX figure.

The new ReBoot sure is VR Troopers/Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad

ReBoot-The Guardian Code 

VR Troopers

Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad

Korean Super Human Samurai Syber Squad/Gridman Sneakers commercial

Honestly, it's the original animation that's really got my interest in this one. The little included robot toy is also pretty familiar, I believe I've seen it a few times in discount toy lines at discount stores. I may be prompted to pick one up now.

Gridman/Super Human Samurai Syber-Squad Intros

Gridman

Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad

Ninjas have particular steel

That would make a great Trapper Keeper.

The new Power Rangers show, Ninja Steel, is starting soon and I'm pretty excited for it. I've always been pretty casual fan of Power Rangers, but this one has me stoked. I've always been a fan of Godzilla and other giant monsters in movies. It wasn't until much later in life I learned the word kaiju, but damn I knew I loved them. Fortunately, TBS showed one practically every Saturday afternoon hosted by Grandpa Munster.

As I got older, USA started showing Dynaman late Friday nights. They dubbed the show with hilarious comedy and I loved it. Then a few years later, Ultraman started showing on local channels in the afternoon. By the time I was in high school and Power Rangers started, I knew I liked this kind of show that was like Godzilla. So, I watched Power Rangers every afternoon after school and eventually VR Troopers and Super Human Samurai Cyber Squad joined my viewing. I watched Power Rangers regularly up until the end of Power Rangers Zeo.

That was pretty much when it became a show I watched when it was on and I was in front of a tv, versus make time out for every day. I've pretty much been like that with Power Rangers and similar shows since then, if it's on when I'm watching TV, I'm watching. So, I fairly admit to being a pretty casual fan. I know of it's Japanese origins and have watched some of different toku shows in subtitles, but I just like good old cheesy Power Rangers. Regularly older episodes of different Power Rangers shows and similar shows would be on my cables in demand menu, so I'd watch them.

This past summer I finally became a regular Netflix user. Before I'd off and on have a membership, but the wife and I decided to use the service more regularly and oh hey... pretty much all those shows were now available all the time. So, my usual Saturday night routine of watching tv while working on a 6 pack of beer, has became watch old episodes of Power Rangers while I work on a 6 pack of beer.

I've bought toys from these shows off and on. Not a lot, just a few. I just enjoy watching the shows. Ok, I've pretty much gotten all the Imaginext Power Rangers, but can you blame me? They're awesome.

So when the various adverts for this new series starting soon popped up online, I was pretty interested. I like the way the show looks and dude, pretty much all the monsters are contestants on a intergalactic game show.  So I've decided to watch this one completely. Just like I used to, but instead of after school, it would be off my dvr instead of watching reruns of The Middle before work. I'm kinda looking forward to it. I like ninjas.

And there is no way I can't watch this little guy