Well, I’m back at it with the references.

This probably isn’t the first time he’s used the attack (been a while since Gridman), but Gridknight’s Knight Light-wave Missiles shares its Japanese name with an attack used by Anti’s inspiration Shinobilar (to distinguish the two, Shinobilar’s is directly translated as “Explosive Light-wave Bullets”)

The 2nd’s use of the Fixer Beam is animated almost identically to a scene from episode 6 of OG Gridman (for clarity, in that episode, our resident introvert decides that his vendetta of the week is against the music store, so he tries sending a monster in to make the amplification unbearable, which is abruptly stopped when the monster Anosillus turns out to be living in there and destroys the monster he sends. So he improvises by using a keytar to brainwash Anosillus into doing what he wanted to do and as Gridman is about to destroy the monster, it turns out there’s a humanoid woman named Muse also living in the computer world, who tries doing that same ritual to remove the brainwashing.)

Yeah that was a nice little moment that I forgot to highlight. Knew that bead was gonna lead to something eventually.

Just like the scarf, it makes for a nice little nod for those of us who've seen the previous season for sure.

Mei is nothing more than a figment of Yume's' imagination and you cannot convince me otherwise.

Heck yeah he is!

Thanks for the insight! The Anosillus reference actually makes perfect sense, all things considered.

Episode 8: What is this Wavering Emotion?

I feel this post is gonna be pretty short, because we're back to the style of Dynazenon episode that I really don't care for.

Outside of the usual critiques I give this show(pacing, imbalance of focus, etc), my main issue with this episode was its tone. I... seriously have no idea what kind of mood they were gunning for here.

Best I could tell, they were going for what was mostly a gag episode, but not only does that not jive well with what little plot developments we do get, but nothing in the show really plays anything in the scenario as a joke? The episode seems to take itself almost 100% seriously on all fronts.

There's no music, none of the actors are playing any of their lines like they're meant to be comedic, and even the scenario itself, as ridiculous as it is, is surrounded by the typical "Is this thing bad" question that this series is known for not handling all too well. The entire episode comes across like one of those awkward v-logs where kids are trying to do funny skits and failing.


Even the climax, which on paper should be really emotionally charged, ends up falling flat due to Yomogi not really having all that much to him as a character.

In the end, the only part of this episode I really cared about was that bit with Koyomi at the beginning. It didn't exactly go anywhere, but it was still a nice moment with him and his struggling emotions.

Not awful per se, but an episode I felt little for.

I've got no gif for today since the episode didn't really have a good gif-able moment. I also haven't been able to keep up with the dub but I'd say the lack of selling certain lines is possibly a dub fault. I'll be real, I hate to be a sub vs dub guy but from what I've listened to, yeah the dub doesn't end up holding it's own well. Also no music is part of the style and I recall instances of SSSS.Gridman having it so you know.

But onto the dub, and case in point thanks to one of my favorite gags this episode, Instance Domination, while alright in some areas it doesn't hit as well in the dub vs the sub if I'm being honest.

Anyway I enjoyed this episode purely because of the intensity of the past episodes, so it's a nice breather episode with the new status quo of sorts. It's also good setup for the future given just, the questions it asks. Are Kaiju inherently evil without the Eugenicists doing their things? I suppose it depends on what emotions and whose heart created that Kaiju, even if it's a defective one. It's all about the heart in this case.

Yomogi also works in this situation because honestly? He's the most balanced and one with the least issues out of the cast. While his family situation isn't the best, it isn't on the level of the scars the other characters have. If I had to sum up Yomogi and his actual arc up to this point, it would be independence. That's his key thing, he wants to be independent, take care of himself. But him becoming a part of Dynazenon is him needing to become a part of the team. I suppose that independence also shows itself after he empathizes with the Kaiju here, even just a bit due to its at first, pitiful nature. After all, Yomogi starting to have Instance Domination surface? One could say being able to control living creatures for their own purposes could be a form of independence, something to not bound them to the normal rules of the world.

This is also my favorite episode in regards to Kaiju Eugenicist shenanigans. Normally they're doing something like lounging somewhere, but this was to the next level. Also this was when I fully started to get suspicious of Sizimu, while his earlier proactive actions have been in question, him seeing the Kaiju and then making sure that the others were completely distracted definitely points to stuff going on with him. This break also kind of shows that despite all the destruction and carnage, they can live as normal people? And I feel that's absolutely important to show given the fact that despite this, they're heavily reliant on utilizing Kaiju and that being their true place in the world. Even if well, given all the reactions to it we don't see for the most part, the show wants you to know that the world doesn't really care for them.

It's real nice and I also do like that Knight and The 2nd are deliberately hiding their true origins from the others. Which makes sense, that's a detail the Dynazenon Team wouldn't need to know in the slightest unless needed. Also we've gotten to the last available feature of Dynazenon, which is Soldiers ability to turn into a cannon. Quite interesting, admittedly thanks to this episode spawned a few theories of mine that mostly ended up being right.

But speaking of Knight and The 2nd, do not ask questions:

Voice Drama 8.8

As Zero said, this is the debut of Dynazenon’s final gimmick, the Dynamic Cannon, based on Gridman’s Dragonic Cannon (Unnamed in Syber Squad, but named in the toyline as Dragon Cannon). In Gridman it was the original form of Dynadragon before they added the jet thrusters, the additional jet, the T-Rex mode and the combination with Gridman, in Syber Squad, it was a one-off modification in one mid-series episode. It was meant to be the main weapon for King Gridman/Phorno, but the suit actor found the prop too heavy to hold, so it was limited to one appearance.

I wouldn't doubt if half the problem was on the dub side of things, considering that almost none of the voice dramas have had any issues in making me laugh so far.

I suppose I could see that. I more saw Yomogi's' workaholic tendencies as wanting to escape the situation he's in more than anything, but it seems much more likely as the show goes on that his arc was not made to go at all in the way I was hoping it would.

I know the most likely thing is that Knight is literally twisting Yomogi's' arm, but uh, let's just say my immature mind went somewhere else for a sec and leave it at that, hahaha.

Yeah, Dynazenon very obviously being a mashup of Drago and Zenon makes me really curious how things are gonna play out, come the crossover they announced.

FUNimation skipped Dynazenon this week, so no post on the next episode as of yet. Instead, to serve as filler for this week, I decided to instead do a very quick highlight of some of my all time favorite non-toku anime, incase anyone feels they need a bit of a break from toku stuff. If any of the stuff I'm about to list sounds interesting to you, then by all means feel free to give them a watch and let me know your thoughts!

Brave Story

One day, the young Wataru decided to visit a haunted building in search of a ghost, but ended up meeting a boy by the name of Mitsuru instead. He has the ability to use magic, and tells Wataru about another world where the wondrous Goddess of Destiny lives – a goddess who can grant any wish. The next day, Wataru returns home only to discover that his parents are getting a divorce, and subsequently, his mother ends up in the hospital in critical condition. In an attempt to fix his family, Wataru goes back to the building and sets off on a journey to the magical world in order to gather five jewels, and ultimately, to gain an audience with the Goddess of Destiny...

Cyber City Oedo 808

In the year 2808, criminals are no longer just wasting space in prison cells. The Cyber Police have turned to using these “patrons” by giving them a choice. Their sentence, or to work with them to catch other criminals and knock some years off their sentence. But getting off easy isn't, as each criminal is fitted with booby trapped collar that operates on a 24 hour cycle, stopped ONLY if they capture their intended targets. As time runs out on each case, someone's head must roll... the target's, or their own!

Digimon Tamers

All Takato ever wanted was his very own Digimon; all Ruki ever wanted was a strong Digimon; and all Jen ever wanted was a partner Digimon. Their wish came true, but along with it a string of Digimon came to destroy the world and conquer it. This unlikely trio must now fight with their partner Digimon created from the mysterious blue card and stop the impending doom that is coming their way. Together with some other friends they explore the Digital Zone to find out what is happening, and to discover the mystery behind the D-Reaper. This is not just a regular digital monsters card game, because this time, the Digimon are real!

.hack//SIGN

In a massive online world, people act only as well as their conscience demands. When one player's punishment is to be trapped in this world, a disparate group of people seek the answers why. Their motives are varied; their methods even more so. What stands between when we tear down the walls of reality? Where does our soul end and we begin?

Interstella 5555 - The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem

In a far-off galaxy, there exists a world much the same as Earth. Save for blue skin, the people are near identical - especially with their taste for rockin' dance music. When a strange alien abduction craft lands on the planet to steal their most popular band, however, all hope seems lost. With their story told entirely via Daft Punk's album Discovery, join The Crescendolls in a journey to rediscover both themselves and their music in a galaxy millions of light years away from home.

Kino's Journey (2003)

In another world, there exist many countries, each with different cultures, customs, and traditions. From technological marvels to folk legends, each location yields a vast wealth of insight of its people: their hopes and their dreams, their failures and fears. Kino is a traveler whose goal is to visit as many new places as possible, learning about others' ways of life, but also making sure to stay clear of their affairs. Together with the talking motorrad Hermes, Kino sets out to explore the beautiful world and meet its inhabitants, wherever they may be.

Megazone 23: Part I

(No trailer for this one. I highly recommend going in cold!)

Shogo was an average teenager who worked at McDonalds, drove a motorcycle and hung out with his friends – until one day, his friend Shingi showed off a prototype motorcycle called 'Garland' and was killed by secret agents attempting to steal it for themselves. Shogo escaped with the bike and his life. The next day, there is no indication that this ever happened. Shingi is reported as overseas for special training; but secret agents are staking out Shogo's apartment and are still hunting him down! With these new developments, Shogo must discover the purpose of the conspiracy and the secret world around him.

Outlaw Star

Gene Starwind and Jim Hawking make a living on various jobs and bounties. While waiting for their ticket to hit it big time, a mysterious woman named Hilda leaves them with a key to the puzzle of finding a starship of great power, known only as the Outlaw Star. What are these long lost spaceships and what is the Galactic Leyline?

Rune Soldier

Louie is a student at a mage’s school, but secretly yearns for adventure. One night he meets a group of treasure hunters: Melissa, a Mylee priestess; Genie, a warrior; and Merill, a thief. They are in need of a mage so Louie volunteers to join them, but they decline his offer when they witness his poor mage skills. The next day, Melissa prays to her god to guide her to the hero she should serve. Her god replies that the next man she sees will be her hero, after which Louie literally falls down from the sky! Against her will, Louie is the hero she should honor and thus, Louie is accepted into their group. He is now a treasure hunter, mage, warrior, and hero?! With little expertise in anything, he can't possibly be of much use!

s-CRY-ed

Some years into the future, a strange, unexplainable natural disaster has broken off a piece of the Japanese mainland. Known as the Lost Ground, it is now inhabited by people with Alters -- machine-like extensions of their own will. In order to keep the peace on the Lost Ground, the HOLY organization uses its own Alter capabilists to police the region. In the midst of the chaos is a young man named Kazuma. No last name, just Kazuma.

The Big O

Years ago the citizens of Paradigm lost all of their memories, and live their lives without any knowledge of their past, or any hope for the future. Roger Smith is a man who performs the much needed task of negotiator in Paradigm. He provides his services to the wealthy with the help of a peculiar android named Dorothy and his mechanically inclined butler Norman. When greater evil arises, he calls on his magnificent relic of Paradigm's past, the Megadeus Big O. With Big O at his side, Roger Smith may be Paradigm's only hope of surviving in this new world without memories.

Turn A Gundam

The year is 2345 Correct Century, and in the aftermath of humanity forgetting about their advanced technology, Earth has regressed to simpler times. The Moonrace, an advanced colony of people on the moon, has sent the three teenagers Loran Cehack, Keith Laijie, and Fran Doll to Earth to see if it is suitable to live on once again. Two years have passed, and the Moonrace has arrived on Earth to settle in the Sunbelt zone with the help of the Dianna Counter forces; however, the people of Earth are angry and respond aggressively to their invaders. With negotiations for peace failing, will the people from Earth and the Moonrace ever learn to coexist? Or is this the dawn of a new war?

So with what's looking like another dry week.

I'mma just post this Audio Drama exclusive to the Blu-Ray's for Dynazenon. We'll probably be getting a new one relatively soon too since box set 3 is about to drop in a few days. I would have posted both current ones, but the only one I can find of Episode √36 is a youtube video that has a spoiler image on it from a later episode.

So anyway, let's get on with Episode 3/1

Mei is an imaginary friend and you'll never convince me otherwise!

But man, it's so weird to hear Yume actually having fun.

FUNimation skipping the Dynazenon dub yet again. I was gonna do these later on, but considering there's not much else better for me to do right now, why not? Thanks to En-chan for these:

Episode 1.1: We get little bits of backstory on Rikka, as well as some decent foreshadowing on Yuta's' crush. They also once again tease the promise that Yuta made to her, which is of course gonna go nowhere. I like the idea of Rikka being pampered, though, given later revelations in the show.

Episode 2.2: Pretty funny! I like the idea of Yuta constantly almost blowing everyone's' cover due to just being too honest. And the reveal that Calibur's' first name is literally Samurai gave me a good laugh.

Episode 2.9:Very good! This one features not only the creation of Anti, but also more interaction and play between Akane and Alexis, which the show very much could've used. I also dug how this one further drove in the point that Akane really has very little idea how people actually work.

Episode 3.3: While not my favorite, I did appreciate the idea behind this; Having the kids hang out with their friends and showing off more of their interplay. Yuta and Sho bounce off eachother pretty well, and it was nice to see the dynamic between Rikka and her gal pals, even if none it really amused me all that much.

Episode 4.4: I REALLY dug this one. It's all about how the entire situation is really weighing on Rikka's' mind, and her trying to talk through it with her mom without being too specific. It gives alot more justification to some of her actions in later episodes too. Nicely done!

Episode 5.5: Borr is a guy apparently. Didn't know that. Anyway, this one features some good character interaction once again. Loved the reveal that Calibur owns a bunch of cats. The final few lines offer some really good foreshadowing to one of the major twists towards the end of the anime proper.

Episode 6.6: This episode raises a debate I never thought about. Is Anti Purple or Blue? I say he's Purple, don't @ me. Anyway, didn't really dig this one too much as it's mostly just about school work. The callback to Gridman and Syber-Squad was nice though!

Episode 6.n: Didn't really dig this one either! It goes into more detail on Akane's' hangout with Sho, and her messing with him more. There was enough of that in the episode itself. Though I now recognize that the Dynazenon voice dramas specifically called back to this episode, for some reason.

Episode 7.7: Dynazenon called back to this one too, actually. Slightly funny interaction between Rikka's' friends. That's about it.

Episode 8.8: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are canon to the Gridman Universe. Outside of that, it was atleast nice to see Vit get some more interaction with other characters, even if Rikka having a playful argument with her mom didn't do much for me.

Episode 9.9: Pop culture references!

Episode 9.99999999: Foreshadowing to the stabbing incident and more teasing about the promise made between Yuta and Rikka. Not a fan.

Episode 10.10: The mocking of YouTubers gave me a good laugh, as well as the reveal that Hass(girl with the facemask) is one. Also offers a good hint about how Akane's' mindwipes are starting to slip.

Episode 11.11: Pretty nice! It was great to hear Sho and Rikka actually come to terms with one another, as well further displaying their love for Yuta as they wait for him to wake up. All in all hammering in the nail that yes, these three have a bond that won't soon fade.

Episode 12.12: Didn't really see the point in this one? They tease Akane's' avatar as something important, so maybe that'll come up in Dynazenon? Either way, kind of a lackluster end to all of these.

And that's it! Overall the voice dramas serve as some nice supplementary material, and I recommend them if you're a fan of the show.

I hope you watch the Viewtiful Joe anime for this thread.

I had actually totally forgotten about that one! I barely remember it, so maybe I'd like it more now? I'll add it to the list.

Dynazenon's' dub got skipped yet again this week. So instead I'll just take this time to tell you all that Netflix Ultraman Season 2 is now set to be released next year, and that I have no plans to cover it unless you all just REALLY wanna hear me rant and rave for a month straight.

Man, they're really not making this easy for you, are they?

Yeah I have no idea what the hold up has been. This has been the longest gap between episodes in any SimulDub that I've followed so far, that's for sure(A whole month!).

As someone who fairly liked both the manga and the anime, I'm definitely hyped for the second season. Most especially because we'll finally get to see the JacK(ed) American suits.

Hope they get a model kit and maybe Ultra suit Marie someday.

https://pm1.narvii.com/6537/1180b401...3f5d3b0_hq.jpg

i know this is an old comment, but id like to add my opinion on this as someone whose see the entire brave series (except that second half of might gaine- to this day its still very difficult to find goods subs of those) as it was basically my gateway into anime as a whole- I was a HUGE transformers fan back in the day and the brave series seemed like the next best step

anyway enough of me rambling
i can understand why you might not like GGG but it definitly different to the other brave series
but considering the topic of this thread you should definity give dagwon a watch- the best way to sum it up would be that its basically an animated sentai series- with some easily identifiable sentai tropes throuhout the show

Alright. I'll be sure to give it a shot sometime down the road then! Thanks for the info.

a bit of a fun fact since youve mentioned betterman here before:
did you know that GGG and betterman canoniclly take place in the same universe?

I did. I actually saw Betterman long before GGG, and was totally unaware that the two were connected until the friend who convinced me to watch GGG told me.

Episode 9: What are these Overlapping Emotions?

I think Dynazenon's' best friend right now is the mere fact that I've been more focused on watching Kamen Rider Decade over the past month, of which I have been disliking far more.

Like, as much as I ragged on Imperfect as a song earlier on in this watch, it was such a relief to hear it again after having heard nothing but Journey Through the Decade over the past month. A song of which is tied to what might be my least liked Kamen Rider opening to date.

That said, I'm not entirely sure on if my feelings towards this episode would have been all that different otherwise, because I rather liked this one! The episode tries to tie everything together with Yume at the end, thus implying her to be the intended main focus, but to me the real star of this show was Chise and her new friend, Goldburn.


Don't get me wrong, while I am glad that Yume's' arc got a step forward, if this episode had been about nothing but Chise and her feelings of being an outsider, I would've probably loved this all the more. The atmosphere gets built up right away at the start with the nightmare Chise is shown having, and the episode actually manages to have a good balance with some(for once) simple, yet solid comedic moments.

Yume might've gotten the most focus here, but Chise's' story was far more engaging.

I also really liked how she, to put it bluntly, told Yume to get over herself at the end, and that there's more at stake in this entire thing than just Yume and her feelings. Chise's' importance to Yume getting out of her funk also does good in highlighting how valued Chise is to the group, even as a mere "supporter" which S4 Gridman also did with Sho(though there I felt it was done a bit better). Of all the episodes so far, I feel like this one might be the one to do the whole "bridging distances" theme the best.

I also appreciated how Goldburn came to be: A literal manifestation of Chise's' feelings, and as such responded to her desires and emotions. She wanted to have friends, so Goldberg is born her friend. She wanted to save Yume, so it saved Yume. And of course in the end, she wanted to be a full member of the Dynazenon crew, so Goldburn becomes their shield. Chise's' emotions both literally and figuratively reach out and connect to the entire group with this episodes. Which of course, because this is a Super Robot show, results in what I'm assuming is Dynazenon's' final form.


Yeah, the fight at the end, while not anything super special, does at the very least highlight everyone coming together as a group. The new combination for Dynazenon is over the top and gaudy, but it really seems like that was the intended effect, so I give it a pass. I got a chuckle at how the Cannon is literally attached just by Knight gripping onto it though.

Speaking of Knight, he yet again delivers onto us one of the best moments that this show has had.


Knight playing with a sparkler is way funnier than it has any right to be.

So yeah, overall, I really dug this one. If we're not counting Knight, then this episode made Chise my favorite character for of everyone so far. Not what I expected!

Also, total side note at the end here because I couldn't think of a way to fit it in naturally to the rest of the post. The SimulDub actually missed a very blatant callback to SSSS.Gridman in this episode. It's obvious that at one point Yomogi is meant to be repeating Yuta's' signature line from the previous season, that being:

"This is something only I can do. Something I must do!"

But instead the dub has him say:

"If there's something only I can do, then I gotta do it!"

Hopefully it gets fixed in the finalized dub.

Glad to see you warm up to Chise via this episode, she's definitely an interesting character in more ways than one. So having her essentially duo spotlight the episode with Yume was a good call. While Yume's plot moves just a bit more forward alongside her relationship with Yomogi, Chise definitely forms a lot of the emotional core here.

The minute I saw Goldburn look the way he did, I knew that he was going to Gattai somehow with someone. It's a very nice way to build up prior things, Chise feels a bit left out, wants to help somehow, and it manifests in a very different looking Kaiju. Goldburn is also a good boy, I'd love to have gotten a figure of him if the DX Set with him and Gridknight wasn't so damn expensive.

But yeah, overall this episode is sort of about airing out everything, coming together, resulting in probably my favorite of the anime combinations in both series, Kaiser Gridknight! It's a ridiculous transformation that only really changes the upper body of Dynazenon, but it's played with such grandiose that I can't help but love it. But speaking of Kaiser Gridknight, I suppose it's time for gif's!

http://64.media.tumblr.com/1dc4d2126...72a80f2474.gif

http://64.media.tumblr.com/40639db84...ef125593ea.gif

Now because of issues I had to split the scene into two gif's, but this was a highlight of the CG fighting for this episode for me. Kaiser Gridknight bouncing between buildings before transitioning into a punch was cool. And then the slick move of punch, kick, both Kaiju's arms are occupied so blast it with their free arm was also great to see.

But we aren't moving to the Voice Drama yet as I said I had another favorite All This Time remix aside from All This Metal. I lied, there were two, we'll get to the original one I thought of later, for now, here's All This Fanfare, the song that plays during Chise's call to Gauma to trust Goldburn before the ensuing Dynazenon transformation. It's got a real nice soft tune before it grows into a more triumphant sounding track that I just adore.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz7JVTx4IcM

Now then as for the Voice Drama? We get a lengthy interaction between Yomogi and his boss. Which I only relate to towards the end because, retail.

Voice Drama 9.9

After three weeks of nothing, Funimation remembered they had Dynazenon.

Chise's arc, in a way, felt like it was worth the wait. What makes it so is that the previous episodes were the buildup for the other members of the Dyna Troupe (That is what I shall name them) working to accept their role with Gauma and Dynazenon, along with their everyday struggles and their imperfect lives, which culminates to Chise as the odd one out, leading to Goldburn's debut.

Kaiser Gridknight, while yes, Dynazenon is a magnificent mech who looks absolutely amazing, perhaps perfect, I can't say this super combination is bad. As expected of Trigger to make the most over-the-top, super mech, with the visual flare to back it up, I love this form, though not as much as base Dynazenon, as great as I think Kaiser Gridknight looks. Funny you mention the Dyna Cannon, I simply loved how they just threw it onto his shoulder permanently, instead of coming up with a way to make something that fits onto the form.

My first thought when seeing Goldburn was "did she deadass just create King Ghidorah?" Haha.

Yeah that was a legit cool moment. So glad you chose that to highlight!

Of all the mixes of this song so far, I think that it's a tie between the original and All This Metal for the spot of best. This was good though.

Oof, that final bit. Yeah, yeah I feel that too, having also worked retail.

Yeah I have no idea what the hold up was. First time a SimulDub has been this late. Atleast in my experience.

"Worth the wait" depends entirely on what context it's being used in, for me. While I still stand by opinion that this show has some serious pacing issues, the episode overall WAS a pleasant surprise after all this time.

Dunno if I'd say perfect, for what seems to be its intended design philosophy, I do approve. Having an energy cape flare out of the wings is odd, but that just adds to the over the top gaudiness that it's putting on full display.

I suppose I should have clarified the context first, but as you said, it does come down to how we perceive it. I refer to it as everyone else got more focus, give or take, over Chise, whose watched everyone else grow and more distant. It did feel like this was where she took her first steps to catch up with everyone.

I say "perfect" in the sense that Dynazenon could have made it through the whole season without any extra transformations, given how it's bulky enough as it is, and I would still not get tired of seeing it. I especially appreciate Kaiser Gridknight in how it's more of his form rather than Dynazenon's, and Full Powered Gridman from SSSS. Gridman, rounding out the trinity.

Ryo just reminded me of another anime that I need to add to the list and I cannot believe I forgot about it until now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12hZIbJREmA

Episode 10: Which Memories Do You Regret?

Holy cow was the animation off model for the majority of this episode.

This is Dynazenon's' version of SSSS.Gridman's' "Dream" episode, an episode I remember noting that I wasn't really a fan of.

As such, it should serve as no surprise that not only do I not think very highly of this particular episode, but if we're to compare the two, I actually think this one is a little bit worse.

Alot of the issues I had with that episode carry over to this one, but with even more elements that I just can't jive with added ontop. To try and keep it short, this episode has bad animation, bad pacing, a bad action sequence, and entirely hinges on you being absolutely in love with this show's' plot, of which I ain't.

See, here's the thing. This episode is meant to be a sort of deep dive into the pasts of the entire main cast(except Yomogi because he's not allowed to have a character arc), giving you more insight into their regrets, their motivations, and what they might do if they had the chance to do things different. Except that this episode fails to deliver on all fronts.

Koyomi and Knight get basically no focus despite being dragged into the dream, Kano is revealed to have not actually committed suicide which in turn robs that entire plotline of half its drama as well as the social commentary it seemed to be going for, and the bit with Gauma exists solely to try and make the Kaiju Eugenicists look more sympathetic than what they actually are(Note: them being persecuted/betrayed does not excuse any of their actions up to now).

My biggest issue however lies with Yomogi. And I'm not even talking about how he doesn't even get a chance to show any of his past. I have long since accepted that his entire arc is to hover around Yume, much as I don't like it.

No, my biggest issue is that he's the one who breaks everyone else out of their trance. He's the one who gets shilled as the heart of the team when up to now it's been Gauma that's been the legs that the entire group stands on. Not only does it give Yomogi credit that I feel he's never earned, but it completely robs everyone else of having what could've been a strong moment for themselves(other than arguably Yume).

For as much as I disliked the previous season's' "Dream" episode, atleast there, the Gridman Alliance were able to showcase their own growth and inner strength on their own. Atleast there, the point was that the crew were able to get past their hang ups and come back together despite everything. Atleast there, there was a lesson to be said about not living in a fantasy. Not so much here, where the solution is not to find the strength to keep going from within, but rather to sit around and wait for someone else to save you.

I really couldn't find anything to like in this episode, but hey, I had similar feelings with "Dream" and was later able to find some aspects that stood out with time, so who knows, maybe this is just an episode that I'm required to reflect on in order to appreciate; Not that it should be a requirement.

Shame you didn't enjoy this episode because I actually like this Kaiju more than Dreams' one. This one... idk I like the scary idea of a Kaiju that can just stand there, and then "Blink" anything in the vicinity or even far away is gone without a trace. Combined with the intentionally off model designs (Honestly this episode to me had some really cool bits of animation) and you get a really weird episode which I enjoyed. Especially given this isn't a dream, this is basically a weird redo scenario where you can do whatever you want. I especially like how Knight pretty much redid everything the same up to the point he was picked up.

Also it's a shame that you don't seem to be gelling with the plot since that seems to be your biggest barrier, of what you think the show is going to go for, but it's actually going for something entirely different.

Take the Kano thing for example, I feel like they left it pretty vague in a will they, won't they way. Never leaning that hard into suicide since it was still very vague to all of the characters. At least until Episode 9 when Yume was there at the place her sister died, legitimately, I felt validated when I guessed correctly at the end of Episode 9. I'm like "Oh Kano didn't commit Suicide, it was clearly a strong wind or something blowing the puzzle out of her hands and her reaching out to get it in a hurry". And then like, given the conversation and direction this episode went for, made me realize, yeah that was definitely what they were trying to frame it as.

Same with Yomogi, the dude's probably the least emotionally broken out of all the team, so him being the one to snap out of his trance immediately makes sense. His emotional arc isn't about his family, it's about him learning that independence isn't everything and it's alright to have connections. I wouldn't say it's him being sold as the heart of the team either, it's just him trying to help the others snap out of it. Everyone gets a chance to redo certain things, or go about things in the same way. For Koyomi, while he was mostly at the end of his whole thing, he still had that lingering question of "What if I did that?" and he got to see it play out and see what happened. Gauma well, that was mostly just to see more of the Eugenicists in the past. Knight well, we couldn't show Akane, her stories done, so that's the most you're getting with him. Of course we couldn't have any easy "Someone kills the Kaiju" to save everyone trapped inside which is why he got hit as one of the first.

My only disappointment is that Chise didn't get pulled into this since I would have liked to see a bit more from her past. But oh well.

I also don't think that they're trying to sell the Kaiju Eugenicists as more sympathetic, or at least in the way you think they are. They're more trying to make you understand their actions, are their actions horrible? Yeah! But they're trying to get you into the characters a bit more.

Anyway, while the fight didn't have much to it. (Even I struggled to come up with a gif at first) I settled on Gridknight doing a spinny throw with his legs.

http://64.media.tumblr.com/09a5fef8b...799ba0655.gifv

Gauma getting a case of Deja Vu is also the topic of our Audio Drama for this week. We get a bit more insight about things, and the Kaiju Eugenicists face their toughest foe yet.

Episode 10.01

But we're not done, it's also time for Episode √36 the second Blu-Ray Drama, just like how it was Onija who got the spotlight last time, this time another Kaiju Eugenicist gets the spotlight. And the reason I held back on this was because of the thumbnail:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DvKFlO3_rQ

The powers are cooler, yeah. The designs of the Kaiju themselves are pretty similar though. Atleast the one from Dreams had those cool wings.

I would not be surprised if this show is infact far smarter than what I am.

And I'm glad you got what you wanted! To me though, considering this is a sequel, as well as other themes that the show has done to try and keep ties with the season that came before it, it felt alot more narratively and thematically appropriate to me for Kano to have killed herself, as it combined with her harassment for the sake of YouTube clicks tied into how technology has affected the world over time; Showcasing ways the internet can be both beautiful and extremely dangerous felt entirely on point in that respect.

But hey, if that's not at all what they were going for, then it is what it is.

My issue is less about how his family isn't getting addressed(I've long since realized that's gonna go nowhere) and more that he's an unmoving satellite character. Don't get me wrong, there is something to be said in how important emotional support is; Gridman did that with Sho, but at least as of now, almost at the end of the season, Yomogi hasn't done much outside of just fall in love and hover around Yume. Even his abilities as a Kaiju User have gone nowhere, when this episode presented a pretty good angle to have that plot hook continue.

But in the context of previous episodes, where they repeatedly ask the question of "Are they really bad guys?" it's gotten to be a drag. Especially since we are right before the end of this thing and the show hasn't given me much reason at to care about them other than they're the opposing group.

Ah, the ol' Green Ranger maneuver, haha.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSuJwXt2arw

I rather liked this one actually. And given the subject matter, I understand why the uploader chose the thumbnail they did. Nice touch.

Oh one thing I forgot since i packed in both Audio Drama's for this initial post was that this episode made me take notice of another "All This" remix which is All This Human.

We've heard it before without the vocals in the background but we actually get the vocal version during the build up to the fight alongside the first half of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mw_rSNYfbHI

Okay that was a total bop. Thanks for sharing that one!

Would Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon count for this? I have all 6 series of it. Almost done with Series I.

I mean, technically I guess? I have no plans to cover anything Sailor Moon related, though.

Do recommend seasons 1 and 2 of the 90s anime and the live-action version though!

FUNimation just hates dubbing Dynazenon I guess, because it's once again been skipped for the week.

Not too bad of a time for me to do filler though, since I recently discovered something interesting when doing a cursory glance at people's' impressions of the show: Turns out that Dynazenon is actually the first mecha anime for a handful of viewers, and as such I figured why not highlight some of my all time favorite mecha anime? Turn A Gundam, Voltron, Macross, and The Big O will be exempt from the list, since I already highlighted those. This list will also be focused on Giant Mecha specifically, since I already plan to cover shows with smaller mecha like Heroman.

Just like how I did when highlighting my favorite anime in general beforehand, you can click on the titles of each show to view a trailer. If you decide to check any of these out, then by all means, lemme know!

Argevollen

The Kingdom of Arandas alliance and the Countries Unification of Ingelmia have been at war for many years. The situation has been at a stalemate across the fortress of the Great Wall, which has never been penetrated since the foundation of Arandas. The gate to the fortress has remained firmly closed, but when it creaks open, the complexity of war starts to change dramatically.

Captain Earth

The day before summer vacation starts, Daichi, who is a high school boy, sees a rainbow on TV in an island. “I’ve seen this rainbow before…” He is suddenly urged to visit this island to find about this rainbow, bits of forgotten memories from the past and his father’s mysterious death. At the island, he encounters a gigantic unknown robot called “Earth Engine”. He is asked by a crew member, “Are you the Captain”? From then on, Daichi is sucked into the space battle against robots from Uranus, “Kiltgung”. When the stars shines brightly in the sky, the battles begin.

Dai-Guard

A mysterious alien race known as the Heterodyne suddenly arrive on Earth, wreaking havoc and destruction. In response, the 21st Century Security Corporation develops Dai-Guard, a giant robot to counter the threat; but the Heterodyne vanish as quickly as they appeared and Dai-Guard becomes nothing more than a publicity tool for the corporation that developed it. Twelve years later, the Heterodyne return – but unfortunately, Dai-Guard has fallen into disrepair. What’s more, no one knows how to pilot it... that is, until three public relation workers from the company unexpectedly find themselves in the driver's seat! It is now up to Ibuki, Akagi, and Aoyama to prove that office workers can save the world!

Dancougar

Deep in outer space, the emperor Muge plots his next conquest - an out-of-the-way planet known as Earth. Mustering all the forces of his own personal Empire of Death, the Emperor is by far the most formidable foe humans have ever faced. And now he's even more fearsome thanks to the defection of Shapiro Keats, a power-hungry Earthling reborn as an Empire informer. But now there's a team that just might be able to stop them: Shinobu, Sara, Masato, and Ryo. Together, they're in command of a new secret weapon developed in a laboratory hidden deep in a lake in Japan.

Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket

The One Year War is winding down and the principality of Zeon is desperate to keep the Earth Alliance Federation from completing its new Gundam NT-1. In order to keep it from being destroyed before completion, the Federation has moved this valuable asset to the Libot colony on Space Colony Side 6. Al, son of one of the Gundam's designers, is a young boy who lives in this colony; he quickly becomes entangled in both the future of the colony, and the war against Zeon.

Hades Project Zeorymer

After being kidnapped by a mysterious organization, Masato's life is changed forever when he discovers that he was born to pilot the robot "Zeorymer of the Heavens". But exactly what is Zeorymer, and what is the nature of Masato's birth? Masato searches for the truth as a group known as Hau Dragon search for this robot and attempt to destroy the only thing that can stop them from world domination. Every battle brings Masato closer to the truth -- a truth that he may not like once it is revealed.

Mazinger Z infinity

It has been 10 years since then. Humanity awaits a new fate. Once humanity was on the verge of destruction at the hands of the evil scientist Dr. Hell and his underground empire. Kouji Kabuto, his Mazinger Z super robot, and his friends at the photon power laboratory put an end to Dr. Hell's evil ambitions, and returned peace to the world. It has been 10 years since then. Kouji has followed his father and grandfather and now walks the path of a scientist. He encounters a mysterious life form buried in a giant structure buried deep below Mt. Fuji. A new encounter, a new threat, and a new fate await humanity. And Kouji, who was once a hero, makes a decision for the future. It can be a god or a demon. Once again the future is entrusted to Mazinger Z.

Overman King Gainer

As the result of heavy pollution, mankind now lives in remote and desolate locations in order to survive. The government rules with an iron fist, keeping close control over the masses. Gainer is a boy who has been playing a video game so much that he has finally secured the title of King. However, the next day he is falsely arrested for allegedly starting an Exodus – a journey to the mythical paradise known as Yapan. While in prison, fellow prisoner Gain offers to help Gainer escape, so with nothing to lose Gainer finds an Overman and makes his exit. However, in order to return the favor, Gainer chooses to further Gain’s cause: protecting the Exodus movement, even though Gainer’s parents were killed for their anti-Exodus ways…

Shin Getter Robo vs Neo Getter Robo

Five years ago, Dinosaur Emperor Gore and his Mechasaurus army were vanquished by Getter Robo in a catastrophic battle that wiped out New York City. When the threat of invasion looms again, it’s up to ex-robot pilot Hayato to bring forth a new Getter from the ashes...one powered by plasma and controlled by a new generation of heroes! But even with the skills of wild fighter Go Ichimonji, Neo Getter Robo might not be strong enough. Humankind’s best hope still lies in the resurrection of the most dangerous super robot ever: Shin Getter Robo!

Star Driver

Star Driver takes place on the fictional Southern Cross Isle. One night, a boy named Takuto washes up on shore swimming from the mainland. He later enrolls in Southern Cross High School as a freshmen and makes new friends. However, beneath the school is a group of mysterious giants called Cybodies, which can be controlled by humans in an alternate dimension known as Zero Time. Takuto, The "Galactic Pretty Boy" , finds himself dragged into opposition with the Glittering Crux Brigade: A mysterious group that intends to take possession of the island's Cybodies for their own purposes as well as break the seals of the island's four Shrine Maidens, whose powers prevent the Cybodies from functioning outside of Zero Time.

Vandread

In a far and distant future, men and women have become mortal enemies. Each living on separate planets, an interstellar war is being fought between the two very different peoples. Hibiki, a mere 3rd class worker, finds himself in the middle of a huge space battle, facing the nemesis of mankind: Womankind!

Zoids Fuzors

On Planet Zi, in Blue City, a boy named R.D. works as a delivery boy for the Mach Storm team; he pilots his Liger Zero to help with his job-related tasks, but often finds himself in the middle of a Zoid battle as well. However, R.D.’s personal mission is to find the Alpha Zoid, the legendary machine that his father spent his lifetime trying to find. Along the path to fulfilling his dream, R.D. must deal with rivals such as Blake and the Savage Hammer team, and also somehow figure out the secrets of the Fuzor Zoids!

Zone of the Enders: Dolores, i

The hostility between Earth and Mars has grown, and a war is drawing close. This, however, does not concern James Links, a rough American cargo hauler who wants nothing else but to patch up the relationship between him and his family. But things change when he discovers the highly sought after orbital frame Dolores, quickly causing himself and his two teenage children to be framed for murder and accused of terrorist actions. Follow them on their journey to Mars as they try to clear their names of these crimes they did not commit, with only each other to rely on.

What are some of your favorite giant mecha anime?

I have a distinct feeling Funimation is likely prepping for Demons Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Season 2, or something.

Anyway, your list of Mecha Anime is interesting. I've heard of Star Diver and Vandered (that plot honestly sounds hilarious for some reason), and I've considered Mazinger Z Infinity, though to my understanding, it's a sequel to the series, so I thought I'd have to watch the original and then some to truly enjoy it.

I've actually seen quite a few Mecha Anime before Dynazenon, such as: Tengen Toppa: Gurren Lagann, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Gundam Build Divers (only season one being my only Gundam series I've even seen), Knights and Magic (Not a favorite), Concrete Revolutio (it counts), and I'm currently planning on watching Code Geas: Lelouche of the Rebellion.

I also have an interest in looking into Getter Robo, mainly because this opening for the recent adaptation sounds so good (Jam Project kills it every time.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2xDk6WA8SM

Vandread is a very funny, but very heartfelt show. Certain things in it haven't aged too well (please do not argue over gender politics in this thread) but its heart is in the right place and I had alot of fun watching it.

You don't really need to see all of OG Mazinger Z to fully appreciate it, just have the general idea of it. Play any given Super Robot Wars game with Mazinger Z in it, read the manga, whatever, and I think you'll be able to appreciate all the smart things that Infinity does with the characters.

Not to worry, I don't care about politics:D. I just find it funny that they literally made an Anime about Mecha in the format of Battle of the Sexes, especially considering how waifus and mechs seem to go hand-in-hand.

That's good to know. I'm usually under the impression that watching the original source material would help make the experience all the better.

But all in all, I'll keep these shows in mind for when I have time, since I certainly have been interested in seeing more Mecha Anime.

the original Dancouga is such a classic, I really should rewatch it sometime

as for Captain Earth,
to this day it bothers me how no one ever mentions this extremly underrated gem of of a series when talking about the best original mecha series of the 2010's

The thing I loved most about Dancougar was how it asked the question "What if a super robo were in a real robo show?" Plus, the sheer balls of the show to not even have its title robot appear until around 20 episodes in and instead focus on the characters and how they develop as a cohesive unit. God Bless Dancougar also serves as an absolutely perfect finale for the show, whereas Burning Epilogue and Dancougar Nova are best left forgotten, IMO. Especially the former.

And yeah, Captain Earth is a fun show that's full of charm, which is to be expected for a show that's indirectly connected to Star Driver. Never forget the boomerang line, haha.

hold up theyre connected?! how?