I know the movie came out last year(2023), but I wanted to watch it when I felt like it, so recently I decided to rewatch the previous two seasons and then watch the movie. If you want to know what I think about them, each one has its respective review.
Both SSSS.Gridman and SSSS.Dynazenon were enjoyable to me, so seeing their characters together was amazing. Unlike its predecessors, this movie focuses almost entirely on action, which doesn’t bother me but does feel like a downgrade since the best part of the Gridman universe is the messages it conveys. I understand that it’s a movie and that an action-centric plot fits better in this format.
Normally, I summarize the beginning of the plot, but since that takes about 30 minutes in this movie, I think it’s better for you to experience it yourself.
FROM HERE ON, I’LL TALK ABOUT SPOILERS FROM BOTH THE MOVIE AND ITS PREDECESSORS, SO IF YOU HAVEN’T WATCHED THEM, I WOULDN’T RECOMMEND CONTINUING
That said, Yuuta continues to show himself as a brave person who proves his worth through actions. When he realizes Gridman is calling or needs him, Yuuta doesn’t hesitate to run, even if a Kaiju might crush him. Moreover, when he’s told that fusing with the “Universal Gridman” could lead to his death or losing his consciousness forever, Yuuta doesn’t hesitate for a second. So, even though he spends much of the movie thinking about Rikka, his top priority remains saving everyone. I found it a bit forced that Yuuta and Rikka end up together in the end, but my boy is happy, and he managed to resolve what was troubling him throughout the movie.
As for Gridman, the fact that he felt guilty for taking Yuuta’s memories didn’t quite make sense to me since he thanks him at the end of the season, almost as a form of forgiveness. Still, seeing Gridman feel guilty about this was endearing, so I won’t judge.
I liked how they portrayed Yomogi here. In Dynazenon, he felt like a somewhat weak character compared to the others, but here he comes across as a true leader. Yomogi cares about others, even if he doesn’t know them. He asks how they’re feeling and listens to them. While this is only shown with Yuuta, I’m sure he treats everyone this way. He was also willing to buy time for Yuuta to fuse with the “Universal Gridman” while protecting the others.
I enjoyed the conversation Yomogi had with Gauma about how he wanted to say so many things to him but didn’t know what to say once he was there. However, the unbreakable bond of friendship between the two is palpable. By the way, the last part of the line, “The most important things in life are promises, love, and… expiration dates,” was a bit disappointing. I expected something like “hope,” but I suppose this phrase means not to waste your time—gather your courage and do things before it’s too late.
At first, I wasn’t a fan of Akane returning, but I understand why, and it’s perfect. Of course, at the end of Gridman, we saw her accept opening her eyes and living in her reality, leaving her fantasy behind. But here, she decides to appear again as a way of thanking that fantasy for awakening her. Additionally, we can see that in the real world, there was actual change: she has friends and is enjoying herself, which I think is a perfect ending for the character.
I loved everything the Gridman Universe offered me, and if they ever release more, I’ll be excited to see characters as deep and well-written as the ones in this universe so far. Overall, if you liked SSSS.Gridman and SSSS.Dynazenon, you’ll have a good time watching how these two universes collide and collaborate in this action-packed movie with great characters.
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