SSSS.Gridman First Impressions (1): RIP sandwich

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This was kind of a strange premiere. It’s not super strange for Trigger, but I left the episode with such a weak grasp of what it was trying to do that I question how effective it was. The series has a cool concept with the main character entering an old computer to become a giant robot that fights away giant monsters. The episode just had a weird amount of dead air that made it feel like it was dragging on. I’ll probably keep watching to see where it goes, but I’m in an uncertain state for now.

Yuuta’s amnesia in the first episode feels like most subdued plot device ever. It just shows up and no one really cares. I think it makes sense that everyone just assumes he’s crazy from seeing Gridman and the giant kaiju, but I would have expected the memory loss thing to be a bigger deal. Also, I’m surprised the doctor says Yuuta’s memory should come back soon. I feel like that’s not remotely realistic.

The characters in the series at least feel pretty entertaining to watch. Rikka probably has a crush on Yuuta, but it’s still funny that she doesn’t take his crap. And the way Shou gets super excited about Gridman is hilarious.

I honestly have no idea what to make of this scene. A ball hits a sandwich. Why is it even a big deal if a sandwich gets slightly crushed? The pause on this scene is uncomfortably long.

I was wondering where the episode was going with this neck thing, but it turned out to just be a weak point for the opening battle. I was hoping it was meant to be more long-term foreshadowing.

To the episode’s credit, the battle looked pretty cool. I think there’s a weird simplicity to the plot developments in this episode as a whole, but the action seemed solid to me. I have so many questions, though…