[DreamSword]

Episode 12: Awakening

Expect alot of screenshots for this one, because alot goes on in this episode.

And this is another case where I feel I need to be upfront about things. Remember when I said that very rarely do I find endings to stories perfect?

SSSS.Gridman, unfortunately, has an example of an ending that I feel is pretty bungled. I don't think it's out and out bad per se, but there's alot of aspects to this episode that I feel just don't work out.

It does have some good stuff going for it though, and I'll be sure to highlight those aspects as I go along. For example, I really liked Alexis in this episode! Although I don't really think the show wanted me to for various reasons, one of those being his turning Akane into a Kaiju.

From a meta/writing perspective(note: I am by no means a professional writer), it's actually kinda funny, because we start off with a scene where Rikka accuses Alexis of turning Akane vile, to which Alexis merely replies "Yeah I didn't have have to do anything, she was already like that." And all Rikka can think to say to that is "Well then we'll change her!"

Which says to me that the writers themselves couldn't think of a proper way to justify everything that Akane has done, and thus try to double down on her being "saved" ontop of the way previous episodes tried to frame her as sympathetic. But that's not what's important here. What's important is that Alexis delivers my favorite line in the entire show. One that elevates the dub to being superior to the sub. So what exactly does he say?

He refers to humans as "meat things."

If you're confused, "meat thing" is what Kilokahn from Syber-Squad would often refer to humans as, especially whenever he was trying to belittle Malcolm. And me? I highly appreciate that FUNimation went out of their way to work that reference in, and in a rather natural way too! That, ontop of their making Alexis' actor do a Tim Curry impression, really shows that they wanted to pay ode to the US version in their own way, and I love it.

Meanwhile, we get a scene that comes really close to working, but then doesn't.

As Sho is wallowing in self-pity, Gridman and Rikka come to convince him to help out in the final battle, in his own way. Sho comments that he's been useless this entire time as he's never helped in a direct way, to which then he's reminded: Moral support and being a true friend are every bit as valid, and he should feel proud of that.

The issue is that it's Rikka who tells him this and not Gridman.

Seriously, what a way to botch what would've been an otherwise fantastic moment! One of Sho's' primary reasons for his state of mind was that because Yuta was Gridman, he felt his friendship was running hallow. How awesome would it have been for Gridman himself to say "No Sho, I can tell Yuta cared every bit for you as you did him, and you're my friend as well." But nope! Gridman is focused solely on the mission and Rikka is the one who has to insist that Yuta and Sho are friends, because you know, that's genuine! Ugh.

So how's Anti holding up in all this? Well, he's the one to take on Kaiju Akane, but the entire thing is framed as him attempting to save her rather than defeat her. And knee jerk reactions might make one think "Why should he even care? He has every right to want her dead." Which, yeah, but personally, I like to think that it's meant to show that's he's grown and pushed past all of that. Being the bigger man, in other words, and proving that he won't be as vile as Akane was.

It works! But then it leads to the worst moment in the show.

I'm (half) kidding by the way. While it would've been great to see Anti be a part of the final battle, I understand in a narrative sense why he's not.

Alexis then absorbs Akane, achieving his final form.

Gridman is ready though. He links the hearts of the entire Gridman Alliance, which results in...

The Samurizer!

And the stat screen from the old show!

We of course here learn that the "SSSS" in the title refers to in the context of this show: "Special Signature to Save a Soul." Which, yeah, I dig it, since we as the audience all know what it actually means, haha.

Keep in mind, I was already hype at this point, but what happened next made me go off the wall the first time I saw it.

Not only does Gridman get his classic design back, Not Only does the original theme song start to blare in the background, NOT ONLY does the ensuing fight come straight out of DBZ, but the grand finale, using the Fixer Beam as the finisher??? Oh man, that was absolutely AMAZING. Sure, it's all for "saving Akane" and trying to net her more sympathy points, but man, the whole sequence is so high energy and such a great tribute to the old shows that I can't help but love it.

Oh right, there's also that other thing in this show that made everyone lose their mind, but I didn't much care for.

Yeah, the two holding hands in the opening? That was Akane and Rikka the whole time. And boy does this fall flat.

Don't get me wrong, I understand that LGBT representation is important, and I do understand that this doesn't totally come out of nowhere, but here's the problem: These two have barely interacted up to now, and what little they have hasn't really made any sense.

Sure, there's been sexual tension on Akane's' part, and yeah, Rikka never showed any interest in guys up to now, but like, so? The two straight up barely talk and then come the last leg of the show suddenly the two act like they've been together for like 12 years.

I neglected to mention it in the write-up to last episode, because I wanted to save it for here to emphasize this show's' problem with informed attributes. Here's a conversation the two have:

Akane: "You know all of this could've been avoided had you just killed me sooner, right?"

Rikka: "Why are you always going on about that??"

When this is straight up the first time Akane has even said anything like that. And again, this is all with the greater context that Akane actually has any redeeming qualities to begin with(she doesn't).

Heck, while it's certainly one-sided, had Yuta ended up with Rikka instead, atleast there's a more firm basis for it. Here? LGBT representation is nice and all, but is it too much to ask that it also be written well? I know I'm getting on a touchy subject here but I hope you all can see where I'm coming from.

But hey, as an Ace man, maybe I just don't 'get' this whole love ordeal.

After all that, we're treated to a scene inside of the same room that Servo was often seen in during Syber-Squad, where Gridman explains that while yes, he was in possession of Yuta, Yuta's' feelings were so strong that alot of his personality still shined through, like his love for Rikka. Sho also gives a nice speech about how next time Gridman arrives, if he has to take hold of someone he should take Sho instead, that way Sho won't have to say goodbye. It's all a really nice scene. Good stuff.

Then we get to, as far as I'm concerned, what is the REAL ending scene of this entire show. Anti and the Kaiju Girl.

Turns out Kaiju Girl is actually the daughter of the Virus that Sydney made in Syber-Squad; The only Mega Virus that Sam as Servo didn't destroy and instead let roam through the digital world. I never expected a follow up on that and I am so glad this show bothered to do so.

As for Anti, well...

I couldn't think of a better shot to end the show on.

...

Oh, and then there's this live-action sequence of Akane waking up in the real world that everyone lost their mind over, but more just left me confused and wondering how the heck the pass holder managed to materialize and become physical.

Honestly by the end I'm just left wondering: Who did Akane kill before the first episode, and what promise did Yuta make to Rikka before Gridman showed up?

FINAL THOUGHTS POST COMES TOMORROW.