SSSS.Dynazenon

Humans always use monsters to visualize their fears and anxieties. And yet overcoming such oddities is part of human existence. Thus it's fitting that in SSSS.Dynazenon these fears materialize into "Kaiju". Both structurally and thematically, Dynazenon presents itself as beeing seemingly mundane. While unoriginal there is a new monster every week and the heroes overcome their weaknesses to beat the enemies. But there is nothing wrong such a with structure. For this is one show that takes it's structure to it's advantage. It takes care to develop it's characters, to imbue them with a sense of humanity. Character drama becomes the backbone of what is essentially a very straightforward action show. And when it comes to action, it delivers. Every battle manages to be unique and fresh in spite of the presence of supermoves and lengthy transformation sequences. The music is perfectly integrated to enhance action. Contrasted heavily with scenes of levity that keeps things from feeling dire or stale. Above all else Dynazenon is earnest. It beacons to an era where entertainment was less dire and dreary while simultaneously managing the desire to offer morals to it's viewers. If you aren't cynical enough to completely ignore raw passion, I'd highly recommend that you give it a watch.

*some spoilers for SSSS.Gridman, as SSSS.Dynazenon is a distant sequel that's best experienced with the context of Gridman* SSSS.Dynazenon is an impressive follow-up to 2018's SSSS.Gridman. It improves on all of the visual elements of its predecessor while having a far superior cast that gets explored with the level of precision rarely seen in 1-cour anime outside of Ping Pong: The Animation. With said rogues gallery, Dynazenon maintains the depth of Gridman while having more overarching themes and ideas to focus on. SSSS.Gridman was a piece of anti-escapist media. Its focus was on Akane Shinjou and her struggle to accept that she can't just callously play a malevolent god in this world she created for herself to escape her problems. Despite some unease and dissatisfaction with the show's worldbuilding, it manages to tell its message in fascinating and resonant ways thanks to director Akira Amemiya and his team. Unfortunately, while its focus is primarily on Akane and perhaps one or two others, the cast was largely pretty dry. Most of the main characters hardly had much to their personalities and weren't all that entertaining. Outside of one side character, the cast was really carried by its antagonists: Akane, Anti, and Alexis. This is where Dynazenon comes in. The main focus this time is on getting over your troubles and regrets in order to move on with a sense of purpose and direction in your life. It explores this through its entire main cast and some of its antagonists, as unlike Gridman, Dynazenon wishes to explore and develop its ensemble cast. Yomogi, Gauma, Yume, Koyomi, and Chise make up the initial Dynazenon crew, as well as the heart and soul of the show. Let's start with Yomogi, as his issues are the least important. This is not a slight against the character, but rather a statement of fact that he himself agrees with. He feels uneasy about his mom dating a new guy who could potentially become his step-father. Big whoop. Compared to everyone else, his problems are the most benign, and therefore, the easiest to get over when the show reaches its bonkers 10th episode storyboarded by Kai Ikarashi. In reality, his character is more centered around understanding the call of duty in comparison to the normal life he tried to lead, and his burgeoning and frankly charming relationship with Yume. Speaking of, Yume herself is probably the most interesting and resonant character of the lot. In stark contrast to Yomogi, Yume is probably the most damaged of our main leads. Due to the mysterious death of her estranged sister Kano, she found herself detached and standoffish for years. Since the death came after Kano invited Yume to her club's recital for the first time, she developed a habit of asking boys out and standing them up, breaking promises like the one that was robbed from her. After doing this to Yomogi and realizing that the two are now pilots of parts of Dynazenon, they eventually become closer. Yume takes the initiative to find out the truth behind her sister's death, and Yomogi joins her as their relationship deepens. Said  relationship is deemed interesting by Kaiju Eugenicist, Shizumu, who finds people's dependence on each other limiting and sad, but nonetheless finds emotions beneficial as they are what fuel Kaiju. The reason the two come together in the first place is due to Gauma and the appearance of the 4 pieces of Dynazenon. Gauma is brash, passionate, principled, and in no way accustomed to modern day society thanks to his experiences breaking away from the Kaiju Eugenicists of yester...millenia. Regardless, he's arguably the most entertaining of the bunch, and his struggle to remember the final important thing his beloved mentioned, as well as his grapples with being unable to find her, are nonetheless compelling. His interactions with Yomogi tend to be pretty amusing and endearing after the latter saves him from starvation. Plus, his antics upon getting a part-time job are priceless. He's the one who chews out Yume for standing Yomogi up and breaking promises (important thing 1), and he finds himself relating somewhat to Koyomi, as the latter lives a rather pathetic life by his own feelings (thing 2).  As for Koyomi, he's a 33-year-old NEET. The most important moment in his life was when he ran away from his crush in middle school after she proposed to run away with him. He was afraid to take life by the horns, and now he's a loser who has made nothing of himself with the girl he likes ends up coming back into his life with a husband she's on the rocks with. At best, he lives with his younger cousin, Chise, who doesn't go to school just as he doesn't go to work. He ends up being a foil to Mujina, who has no ambitions and hardly knows much about herself. Koyomi goes along with the Dynazenon cuz it gives him something to do, and Mujina goes along with the Kaiju Eugenicists' myriad of motivations including the destruction of humanity and a world where Kaijus are needed, for the same reason. To round out the main cast without spoilers, there's Chise: the middle-schooler who felt ignored by all her peers. She's also the odd one out in that she's the only member without a piece of the Dynazenon. Yomogi has Dyna Soldier, Yume has Dyna Wing, Gauma has Dyna Diver, and Koyomi has Dyna Striker. At best, Chise just tags along and gets a little bit of practice as a substitute, but between this and Koyomi's own subplot, she feels like she's second fiddle once again. She's also the only one without any Kaiju Eugenicist to serve as a foil. Yume and Yomogi have Shizumu, Koyomi has Mujina, and while the next comparison is more shallow, Gauma does have the soft-spoken, mild-mannered Juuga as well as the more brash and psychopathic buttmonkey, Onija. Chise has none of that. Her arc does come to a head around the same time as Yume's does, and Chise manages to lift the both of them up in a time of need. However, she does have the fewest connections out of anyone in her group. It's not often that a 1-cour series successfully juggles this many character arcs at once so naturally while having all of them constantly play off of and run alongside each other. Each member of the show’s ensemble cast is lively in their own way, and has a lot of powerful moments before climaxing in episode 10. Even the Kaiju Eugenicists have a lot of chemistry with one-another, especially when the show dedicates time to showing them just dicking around. It's where Mujina in particular, ends up shining the most, as the empty and often stoic girl becomes just as vibrant, fun-loving, and expressive as most of the cast. There's still a lot of fascinating and compelling specifics regarding Yume and Chise in particular left out for the sake of a spoiler-free review, and there was still a lot to unpack. To think, we didn't even get into the characters that make this show a distant sequel. There's also the two-part ending that details what happens after the bulk of the conflict is over and everyone is forced to move forward on their own terms based on their developments, or in the case of the Eugenicists, drift along due to the lack thereof over the course of the show. We shan't get into them here, but the two returjing characters add even more fun humor, character chemistry, and transformations into the show. The ending is certainly weird, but it's nonetheless a powerful conclusion.  The audiovisuals are also an improvement from Gridman. There is still a lot of CG, and when it comes to debris, it can still look weird and choppy. However, the tokusatsu feel is captured much better this time, as the compositing and the new kaiju models are more appealing to look at. The show still retains the feel of the rubber suit kaijus in toku works, as well as the environment toppling over like cardboard. It's just that the team at Studio Trigger has refined this aspect of the franchise, leading to more dynamic and stylish fight scenes with less of the jank of Dyna's predecessor. T…

This anime is over-rated, my score is only 4 out of 10, after watched 12 episodes Story is poor: 1) Story of Minami's sister takes a lot of time, but quite boring 2) Story and power of Chise is unclear 3) Story of Gauma and kaiju users has not been planned well 4) Story between Yomogi and Minami looks awkward 5) Power of Yomogi unexplained 6) Destruction of city has been ignored every episodes 7) Kaiju users' reason to battle is illogical Character is awkward: 1) Yomogi is very awkward, shy like a female 2) Kaiju users still wearing same clothes, not blend into modern world 3) Minami's characteristic is very bad as a main female character Fighting technique and strategy is poor: 1) Everything regarding to technique unexplained 2) Every time kaiju appears, they just only start gathering, and sometimes people absent Good side of this anime: 1) Graphic is good 2) Robots and fusion are cool

Dynazenon throws us back into the Trigger/Tsubu world after a 4 year wait and I’m glad to be back. The spiritual successor to SSSS Gridman, Dynazenon retains a lot of the same features that made Gridman successful. Great toku action scenes, a good cast with solid chemistry and an entertaining story. In my opinion, Dynazenon was actually better than its predecessor. I felt the main cast in Dynazenon’s chemistry, particularly the MC and main heroine, was amazing. A lot of their interactions felt like legitimate conversations, the seiyuus did a good job of removing that usual “anime voice” and sounding like normal teenagers. The side characters in Dynazenon also were more interesting to me. I think they played a much more relevant role, especially the Eugenicists who act as the main opposition throughout much of the series. Their backstories are so well fleshed out that you almost want to root for them. The overall story of Dynazenon was probably slightly worse than Gridman, but the quality of the characters makes up for it. I think the show also does a good job of setting up Trigger to do even more with Tsuburaya, so I’m excited to see what they’ve got up their sleeves. Dynazenon, like Gridman before it is essentially a toku anime, and with all toku series the most important thing is the action. The CGI action sequences were well done and really brought back that feeling of watching Kamen Rider or Super Sentai on Saturdays. The kaiju designs were on point throughout and were a unique mix of classic Ultraman and Kamen Rider designs. I briefly mentioned it earlier, but I have to bring up the voice acting again. It’s one of those things that can totally change the atmosphere of an anime, and in this show it really created the feeling that you were listening to real people talking. That type of quality is rare in this medium and I appreciate it a lot. Overall, Dynazenon is a really fun time and does a great job of setting up future Trigger/Tsubu works. Based on its popularity in Japan, I don’t think we’ll be waiting too long for a third instalment. While the story may be weaker, I found the show way more enjoyable than Gridman, and the characters more likeable. I am sad to see it end. SSSS Dynazenon gets 9 Ankhs out of 10.

Some time ago, when an anime called Gridman came out every sellout was hyping it as something worth checking out. Long pretentious essay videos were made about directing, cinematography, thriller-like atmosphere, and a very deep message at the finale. By the end of the season very few gave a damn, because the show was more preoccupied with zooming the camera on the girls’ thighs than telling a decent plot. Fast forward to Dynazenon, the second season, where nobody was hyping it. It lost most of its potential audience during the first season, and seeing how the pretentious sellouts couldn’t milk it for all it’s worth they moved to pretending other shows were deep. The most obvious reason is because giant monster shows haven’t been trending in decades. Now it’s all about harem isekai and videogame-like fantasy worlds. Even for old-school anime fans like me, the action of the SSSS moniker wasn’t elaborate or even lasts enough to have an impact. The sellouts kept talking about the aesthetic of having the monsters moving like people with rubber suits being the thing that makes the show to stand out from all the others, but, really, who gives a damn about that? It doesn’t make the action cool and it sure as heck doesn’t add realism to the physics or gravity to the situations. Dynazenon was more like a teen drama than a kaiju series, as every character spent most of his time in dealing with every day psychological problems that with saving the world. And even then it wasn’t doing an amazing job, since the tone of the series was very somber for the type of plot it was going for. The people in the setting didn’t give a damn about giant monsters attacking and destroying entire city blocks every week. The heroes were not trying to capture the bad guys behind the monster attacks even though they were in front of them all the time. And the bad guys were not serious about their objectives either, as they constantly found enough free time to go have fun at places with the very humans they hated so much. As a result, nothing in this show has much of an impact on the viewer. The action is too short, nobody is worried regarding the monster attacks that kill thousands of people every week, both good guys and bad guys are slacking around to the most part, and in general the anime is not committed to what it’s going for. There are many interesting themes regarding the social pressure and alienation young people are facing in contemporary societies, but the plot doesn’t go beyond mentioning them and then letting them not matter in the background. There are also several plot twists that are supposed to change the way you view the setting and certain characters, but because of the carefree way they are handled, they don’t feel nearly as significant as they should. Half of the series comes off as slice of nothing happens, so when the other half comes up and you are supposed to care, you don’t. If the characters don’t care or they don’t take what they are doing seriously, then why should the viewer give a damn? Thus we get another example for why modern anime are crap. They don’t have the guts to be serious or depressing despite constantly tackling serious and depressing issues. Retro anime weren’t afraid to be all that, they knew what they were and kept true to it. A school drama would be a school drama and an action mecha would be an action mecha. Dynazenon is all over the place because it tries to be a jack of all trades and ends up being a master of none.

Tl;dr: Visuals are sub par, writing is pretty bad and the ED theme is about this show's only redeeming quality. If you're watching more than a few shows this season or have a long backlog you wont be missing much by skipping this one. Now for the comprehensive review that contains spoilers. Story: SSSS Dynazenon is a show about teenagers piloting mechs to fight the "Kaiju Eugenicists". These Kaiju Eugensists want to destroy all of humanity. Yea, that is really it. The writing is that terrible. No real reason is ever explicitly stated as to why they want to destroy humanity despite it being so central to the plot. The fights tend to be boring as we are never given a compelling reason to care as well as the visuals being plain bad. The 3dcg makes you feel like you're watching Overlord or OPM S2. The show additionally wastes a lot of time on a subplot about Yume's dead sister Kano and follows her and Yomogi's investigation into whether he death was suicide or not. In the end we are never given any closure on the subject which is frustrating to say the least. There is no payoff and you feel like you wasted your time at best and at worst just longing for some kind of satisfaction that you didn't get. All the time wasted on this subplot also meant the ending was rushed and a lot like how Darling in the Franxx ended. Art: The 2d character art and backgrounds are generally fine however the action scenes are downright awful. SSSS Dynazenon is produced by the same studio who did Darling in the Franxx but the visuals are much worse by comparison. The action scenes are now confirmed to be plagued by lots of corner cutting 3dcg. Some of the time the combatants are hand drawn in the style of the show and other times they're 3dcg. The constant jumping between styles is for no reason other than it being more difficult/costly than the producers think is worth it to draw. The smoke also pointlessly changes styles often within a short period of time showing that there was no good communication between the various animation departments during production. It's highly jarring and looks really ugly compared to Darling in the Franxx. This sort of thing takes you out of the experience and undermines the physical properties of the word. It makes Dynazenon feel less like a work of art and moe like a cheap commercial product. You're left feeling like the show doesn't have an aesthetic or doesn't look like anything. At times it felt like I was watching a tacky youtube video with cheap editing, after effects in it. I was very disappointed because I know the studio can do better than this. Sound: No major issues here aside from music being too loud and annoying during the fight near the end of the penultimate episode. The ED track is pretty great and the best thing about this show. Character: The characters are uninteresting and unmemorable. You only really remember the main 4/5 characters through how much more often they're on the screen as opposed to great storytelling. Gauma is a plot device to develop Yomogi and is sidelined during the final episodes. Yomogi and Yume never really explain why they like each other nor do they have any heartwarming moments together. Their whole relationship comes off as artificial and even cringe-worthy at times. Something like Angel Beats has vastly more compelling characters for comparison. Conclusion: This is a pretty bad show. 4/10 My advice would be to skip it.

Gridman was one of my favourite anime from 2018. I say this despite not being into Tokusatsu all that much. The way Gridman challenged your expectations and left you with grand anticipation for every new episode, plus the excellent contrast between the human/existential drama and the over-the-top action made it one of my favourites. Dynazenon on the other hand, is thoroughly average all the way through. For what it is, Dynazenon is still a fine and competent show, but it's really missing that extra something to really reel you into its world. The human drama and high stakes action are still there, though less intense compared to its predecessor in both aspects. It's an average tokusatsu that doesn't do enough to elevate itself beyond mediocrity. The music isn't as good, the animation is less refined (though understandable given current conditions), and the action scenes all blend together. The show also reuses its transformation/combination stock animations far too much to the point of just making them unimpressive and dull as the episode rolled on. The plot itself doesn't go anywhere interesting, with the complete apathy of the general populace to their city being destroyed each episode (apart from like one scene) being such a strange detail I swore it was a plot point (it wasn't). It's your typical coming of age plot, learning to work with others, moving on yadda yadda yadda. The characters are again just fine. Like, there's nothing truly outstanding about this, which wouldn't be such a problem if this were a standalone, but the fact that it had to follow up Gridman leaves a lot to be desired. As it stands, Dynazenon is thoroughly average. It doesn't do anything particularly bad, nor does it do anything particularly good, though thankfully it isn't boring. But coming of the heels of Gridman, and having director Amamiya at its helm, it's not unfair to have such raised expectations coming into this. 5/10

It's that time again when Trigger (and most appropriately, it's in-house highly acclaimed director Akira Amemiya) has found another series to milk from, and it's from the cult classic that is Tsuburaya Productions' Gridman mecha series. SSSS.Gridman back in Fall 2018 was an unexpected game-changer in the slew of mecha-genred shows, showcasing that despite the "love it or hate it" backlash of the West that doesn't appreciate Tokusatsu shows like the ingraining of Japan, the latter has always been very positive of anything that is Tokusatsu-related. Fast forward to Spring 2021, and we get the sequel installment in the form of SSSS.Dynazenon: the continuation of the prequel season that while is 100% intergrated into the Gridman Universe, everything else is standalone. Despite being in the same universe, please do not see Dynazenon as merely another iteration of Gridman, because it's clearly not trying to be one. Tokusatsu shows have always been meant to showcase the iconic "robot vs. Kaiju-of-the-week" formula that fans love, and Dynazenon, like Gridman, doesn't shy away from the fact that this sequence is still essential to its world-building, with or without stories that start off being nonsensical to making some sense out of it. You have the stereotypical character cast whose cultural standards of the way of life have been disrupted by Kaiju and enemies, and in Dynazenon's case, to put it in a similar Western context, is like Power Rangers in all of its kid-like fancy pizzazz and allure that everything feels right at home where it should be according to its foundation. If you're thinking of comparing between the character cast between Gridman and Dynazenon, I'm sorry to say that you'll be sorely disappointed as their rudimentary objectives are very different from each other. Still though, while it is strictly conforming to the Trigger formula for shows like these, you can expect to have similar, but different feelings when putting your shoes and interacting together with the cast on their nonchalant journey to find themselves and defeat Kaiju while at it. All in all, the familarity of the formula module, combined with fans who adore the Tokusatsu feeling, will instantly click and vibe with what Dynazenon has going for it. It's standard brandishing nonsense (with some sense) that mecha fans will enjoy with this one, and IMO, while it's no Gridman, this standalone project is as equally enjoyable, only to a certain degree. Other than that, if you've seen SSSS.Gridman back in the day, everything else is standard: from the familiarized Trigger-style bombarding animation to the classic mecha-style hyped OST (which I've gotta commend to Dynazenon that the production team actually referenced the original Dynazenon transformation music in big battle episodes, that was epic). While this sequel's OST is IMO a downgrade when compared to Gridman, both Masayoishi Ooishi and Maaya Uchida did their best to create a song pairing that suits the thematics of Dynazenon, accounting to the fact that while the sequel has had its fair share of some disingenuous-like storytelling (that adds to the charm of an already non-linear plot established with Gridman), there's some enjoyment values to be had here. An "Imperfect" sequel, but is by no means bad, serving as a "Strobe Memory" of sorts if you're into mecha (or more specifically, Tokusatsu shows). Only a select few of you who has any interest of mecha (or more specifically Tokusatsu) shows will find an inkling of this show to be had, and for the naysayers, don't be an implicit dick to strike off people who enjoy Gridman, and by extension, adding to the "conglomerate" of the cult classic, now with Dynazenon. Lovers be lovers, haters be haters, let's keep it civil that the mecha genre is for the niche group of people who'll leap with joy for all things grandiose of flashy robotz and Kaiju from design to size.

If you are looking for one of those somewhat underrated animes, flying under the radar, but with both entertainment and good technical elements guaranteed, search no more. SSSS.Dynazenon is what you are looking for. There are many reasons for this: engaging characters, a story that will keep your interest every single chapter, a superb soundtrack, a nicely achieved homage to the "tokutatsu" genre, epic fight scenes, beautiful designs and a good balance between drama and comedy. I'll start with the characters, since I think it is the most outstanding aspect of the series. The best word to describe them is "engaging". As you watch the show it is easy to generate a connection with every one of them. Each one has their own personality traits and a particular background. They generate a nice synergy among them, which will make you miss them when you finish watching the last chapter. The main conflict and the mecha/shounen aspect is spiced with some slice-of-life elements that are quite welcome. Drama, comedy and action are very well balanced. The story may appear to start slowly. You might even think that, at some point, it is going nowhere. But, without spoiling anything, that statement ends up not being true. Every chapter will leave you waiting impatiently to know how the next one will develop; what is the mistery behind. I'm not going into the details, so I don't spoil anything, but yes, at some point the various plots get nicely rounded. Maybe, this happenned a little bit to fast in a couple of chapters, but that minor flaw didn't negatively affect the enjoyment. The good story is accompanied with an excellent soundtrack. You can find "anthem like" themes that ressemble those from old tokutatsu shows, upbeat metal for the fights and heart-warming pop songs. The opening and ending could very probably end up being on the top ten for 2021. Perhaps I'm not being very objective here, since both Masayoshi Ooishi and Maaya Uchida are among my favorite singers. The artwork is beautiful. I'm not going to be picky about some of the CGI or small animation flaws which are never absent. I prefer to talk about, for example, the characters design. Looking at them complements very well their personality. It really helps enhancing the connection one can have with them. There is also, as its predecessor SSSS.Gridman, good waifu potential, being Kaijuu Shoujo Anosillus (2-daime) my personal favorite. There is variety for every taste, anyway. Other than that, both the backgrounds and the mechas are designed and animated very well according to their goal: being a homage to the tokutatsu shows. Whether you are a tokutatsu fan or not, you will find the animation and artwork very adequate to the series thematic. Finally, even when this anime is connected with SSSS.Gridman, you don't need to previously watch it in order to enjoy Dynazenon (but I highly recommend it). As I mentioned at the beginning, if you are looking for an anime with amazing fights, action, drama and comedy, unforgettable soundtrack and engaging and beautifully designed characters, SSSS.Dynazenon is the show for you. While it is true that, if you are a fan of the tokutatsu or the mecha genre, you will enjoy the show more, this series can provide something unforgettable for everyone. Also, if you like the old Gainax/Evangelion feeling and how Trigger develops it, SSSS.Dynazenon will grant you this bonus.

No anime has quite captured my attention as much as SSSS.Dynazenon while being somewhat unpopular or niche within the community. This is a quasi-sequel to SSSS.Gridman, a mecha/tokutatsu series that surprised viewers with both its creative direction and undeniable Saturday morning cartoon feel, which you will find again here. But don't worry, no prior knowledge of the previous series (or the even larger Gridman Universe) is needed to get in on the fun. Director Akira Amemiya and his team at Studio Trigger are back at it to creating his uniquely singular take on the countlessly-done setup of mixing the banal and the fantastical. But whereas he previously focused on mood-setting and world-building, this is more of a character study that happens to have short fun fights at the end. I'd like to emphasize how that change made a difference. Gridman is a show I appreciate; Dynazenon is a show I love. Although 2 characters take up most of the screen time, the gang itself are fun and likable right out of the gate. If I wasn't so busy right now, I could honestly write paragraph after paragraph about why its great and why you should watch it. I could even discuss to returning fans the differences and similarities between the two series. Its characters, beautiful shot compositions, astute sound design, and numerous other aspects truly deserve a more thorough discussion than what I can convey to a passing viewer on an anime rating site. Still, if you're looking for something fresh, interesting, or just plain enjoyable, then you've come to the right place Story - 7 Art - 9 Sound - 9 Character - 9 Enjoyment - 9

I completely get the direction they were going for, and it works. No one would ever think that a robot anime would fit in with a slice of life anime, but this studio succeeded. This studio succeeded in delivering excellent character development and a chill slice-of-life vibe while maintaining the sci-fi plotline. Each character was interesting and had their own personal problems that were unique to one another, which were individually covered and expressed fabulously within the time frame given. The fact that the series dived deep into each character's family perspective constantly showed what the characters were thinking and feeling at the moment, which also makes us enjoy the journey of watching them grow mentally through the problems they have to face and appreciating their results. The soundtrack fits the atmosphere quite well in every episode, and the opening/ending is just downright gorgeous. Sadly, the story's pace and plot aren't very engaging for the first half of the series, making it quite dull and boring at first. But, it was essential for it to lead to the second half, which explained why the first part was also important. In short, one of my favorite slice of life anime I've ever watched. It is definitely not for everyone, but it certainly will hold a special place in my heart—a solid 8/10.

Studio Trigger is a studio I always want to root for because of their flare, ambition, and their frequent anime originals. However, many of their anime stumble in the latter half of their episodes because they forgot that there is a plot that needs to get going, and as a result I am always doubtful of any of their work these days. All of my usual gripes with the style of Trigger shows seems to be minimized whenever they are paying homage to classic shows, as seen in SSSS.Gridman (which until now I thought was the studio's best TV anime) and most recently its sequel, SSSS.Dynazenon. I enjoyed Dynazenon for a lot of the same reasons as Gridman. The art style is utterly gorgeous - from the colors, to the detailed background art, to the dynamic lighting. It is all top notch. The normal everyday world character designs show off a trendy and modern style very characteristic of how people of this past decade would dress, while the designs for Gauma and the Kaiju Users are stylish, zany, and eyecatching. What really enamored me about this anime was the naturalistic dialogue that is carried over from its prequel. Coupled with great voice acting, the dialogue in Dynazenon is incredible. The way people talk as well as not talk at all feels unforced and real. The budding relationship between Yomogi and Yume slowly starts off awkward as the two tip-toe around each other, probing the other to get a grasp of what the other person is like. As their relationship progresses, they gradually become more comfortable with each other, confiding in their personal issues and cracking teasing jokes at each other. Unlike other anime, Dynazenon embraces silence. There are long breaks between lines of dialogue or just still set pieces with people going about their day where only ambient noises are heard. The amount of silence throughout the show lends itself greatly to capturing the monotony of life... And then when it's time to fight the Kaiju enemy, all of a sudden the anime gets LOUD. Fight scenes are filled with the impassioned screams of our heroes as they pilot towering machines that shake the ground as it walks, firing high powered missiles and lasers at the bellowing monster doing the same, all while the city around them crumbles and topples from the sheer destructive force of the battle. When they are not fighting, a beautiful silence permeates every scene. And when they are fighting, the music is bombastic and the dialogue becomes markedly more campy. I thought the juxtaposition of everyday life and city-destroying battles through sound and dialogue was brilliant. One aspect that differs between Gridman and Dynazenon is which characters they chose to put the most focus on. In Gridman, most of the time was spent on Rikka and the antagonist Akane. As for Dynazenon, Yomogi and Yume undoubtedly receive the most development in the show. While I quite loved the romance between the two as they slowly grew to understand each other better, the lack of development for the rest of the cast is my biggest knock on the anime. I felt that Koyomi's story progressed pretty decently despite it feeling sidelined. Chise's story on the other hand felt a tad rushed, with the tiny crumbs of foreshadowing in earlier episodes being its saving grace. Gauma's search for his princess is pretty straightforward, but is bogged down by the lack of background for his former allies, the Kaiju users. The Kaiju users themselves are quite entertaining throughout the show, but the fact that not much is revealed about their past makes their ambitions as villains rather flimsy and half-baked. I thought that more could have been done between Mujina and Koyomi, as well as more for Shizumu rather than just mysteriously standing around every episode. Overall, I super enjoyed this anime for its character-focused plot and beautiful directorial framing. The story isn't anything exceptional or deep, but it is entertaining. I have always had a thing for using the supernatural or otherworldly to drive real-life and relatable character drama. To me, Studio Trigger is at their best when they are put on a leash like this, and I hope that they do better in suppressing their bad habits that have plagued their past work. INSTANCE DOMINATION!

SSSS.Dynazenon is the second anime in the Gridman universe, just like the tokusatsu and the previous anime, SSSS.Gridman, this one uses Kaijus to represent something. The theme is bland and even simplistic, but it is represented through the changes the characters have after becoming close and confronting the conflicts of their past, after all in SSSS.Dynazenon the kaijus are born from the wills of humans. All this is shown to us through EXCELLENT direction, it's amazing and becomes even better when you notice parallels between previous scenes (Some from SSSS.Gridman). Also, SSSS.Dynazenon is a very exciting and well animated anime, the fights are amazing especially the one in the final episode, very epic. Summing up... I LOVE IT

Past regrets, finding a purpose in life, and moving forward. SSSS.Dynazenon effectively conveys a vast range of emotion with masterclass creativity and superb writing. Dynazenon does not strive to emulate the classics. Instead, it confidently crafts its own niche in the mecha genre—inhabiting a space between realism and science fantasy. Every moment, shot, line of dialogue holds meaning. Though it lacks the constant stunning animation of large-budget anime, it surpasses most with considerate editing, thoughtful framing of each storyboard, expressive character acting and detailed body language, and complex background art. Dynazenon uses every aspect of anime to its advantage, designing a work of art that reveals more information through its visuals than through simple dialogue. Many scenes are cut before the dialogue finishes, abruptly stopping all background sounds. Each cut is purposeful; it gives us a sense of how the characters feel and what meaningful information we must pay attention to. The times Dynazenon is fully animated, it looks as fantastic, if not more, than Trigger's best titles. Dynazenon has its fair share of formulaic elements repurposed for its benefit. Our four main characters combine pieces of a toy mecha to become Dynazenon—the robot as tall as a skyscraper. The cast aimlessly wanders through their everyday lives until a kaiju appears and gives them a purpose, to fight evil kaiju as Dynazenon! Dramatic tension slowly builds up throughout each episode's quiet and subtle first half, leading into a bombastic last third. Again and again, a kaiju is summoned to wreak havoc on the city. The tonal shift between subtle and over-the-top tokusatsu mecha action is deserved. It's pure cathartic joy. All five main characters have a vibrant personality and distinct idiosyncrasies that set them apart from the rest. Their lives, fears, and insecurities are vividly detailed through quiet, intimate scenes and backstories. Confronted with their past, they must overcome their relatable insecurities. Notably, all of them feel real. Of course, they're animated, but their personalities are never forced, as so often happens with anime targeted at a young audience. These successes can also be attributed to the impressive VA performances. A few of the VAs are surprisingly industry newcomers—like Minami's actor. She delivers every emotion naturally. Conversely, Gauma, the supposed kaiju slayer reincarnated 5,000 years ago, talks and acts like a zany anime hero. He speaks with every trait of an energetic kid fascinated with fictional stories. Unlike the others, Gauma works three jobs, doesn't go to school, and lives under a bridge, firmly grounding him in reality. Although at first, his aspiration to be a hero comes off as heavy-handed, through developments, he transforms into a person worthy of admiration. Taking a glance at the poster, you might guess Gauma is the main protagonist, but Yomogi fits that role the most. He is our central perspective. We spend the most time with him. His life is like an open book—unlike everyone else, he's not mysterious or secretive. More importantly, when everyone is given a piece of Dynazenon, he gets the middle part, Dyna-soldier. Yomogi could've quickly fallen into the bland protagonist archetype; luckily enough, he has an intriguing depth surpassing his traditional appearance. Koyomi and Chise, the last two of the group, leave a slight impression at first, being shuffled to the side in favor of Gauma and Yomogi. Their development comes later, but it's well worth the wait. Both of them are necessary to the success of the team. Chise isn't given a piece of Dynazenon, though she is very much a part of the team. Oftentimes we see the catastrophic battles from her perspective. Connecting with others is a theme they embody. Without a strong connection, they would be unable to pilot Dynazenon together. Each kaiju has a distinct power that I couldn't possibly spoil because they're so creatively thought up. Certain kaiju powers test the characters' minds, memories, and trauma. If any of them are facing obstacles, whether physically or mentally, it will show in how they fight as Dynazenon. If one of them is off, all of them are. Part of their growth as a team is dealing with individual problems together. Beginning as random strangers, they become a believable found family. Forever, kaiju have been known as irrationally vicious monsters from films like Godzilla. Similar to how Jaws made me think sharks were man-eating monsters. In truth, they only kill three humans every year. Dynazenon challenges our assumptions of Kaiju. They're innocent creatures, often small and scared until the Kaiju Eugenicists control them with mysterious powers. These four antagonists could be mistaken for ordinary people. They appear to wear futuristic military uniforms, and they treat human life with no care in the world. Despite doing everyday things, like eating at a restaurant or visiting a water park, they're unambiguously cruel. As antagonists, they embody 'banality of evil,' a trait associated with fascists. They have hidden motivations, which are both comprehensible and morally reprehensible. Their fascist ideals directly conflict with the heroes' righteous morals—emotionally charging each of their confrontations. Unfortunately, there was not enough time for the series to adequately delve into each villain. There are no wordy explanations for powers, kaiju, or robots, no need for exposition. If we receive new information, it is from witnessing it rather than being told it. The sci-fi elements, such as controlling mechas, maintain an internal logic. There are no retcons or forced developments. Director Akira Amemiya found his niche in SSSS.Gridman and refined it, this time embracing a more personal script giving the cast room to explore every emotion. This fact is especially true in the anime's finale—a moving, thought-provoking reveal that will linger in discourse long after the end. Like its predecessor, SSSS.Gridman, this series is brimming with foreshadowing, visual metaphors, and awe-inspiring twists. Is Dynazenon a sequel to Gridman? No. There are a multitude of references, similar themes, and two minor characters who connect both universes. You don't need to watch Gridman first, though it would undoubtedly make you appreciate it more. Both anime are highly recommended. SSSS.Dynazenon is the work of master artists. It may not have a big budget to attract mainstream attention, what it does have is talent, ambition, and heart. Like all great sci-fi anime, the story it tells is less about giant robots battling and more about the human condition. It successfully told a compelling story with well-rounded characters in a mere 12 episodes. There are few anime more deserving of the label "Underrated" than this fantastic show.

I didn't know what I was expecting from this series but I have watched SSSS gridman so I figured it'd be something similar. Nope, Dynazenon was far inferior to Gridman in almost every aspect. Characters: not gonna lie the otaku looking dude was probably the best character in the entire show considering that he was the only one with significant change by the end, and every other character kinda just remained stagnant throughout the entire series so not much to say there. But the character designs were pretty dope doe like yume and that kaiju chick were the highlights of this show if anything. Aside from that I just didn't really like the cast and I thought they were pretty forgettable since I don't even remember their names after watching the damn thing. Story: nothing too special here, I mean it didn't really pack a punch like gridman, and the character motives throughout the show were all over the place considering that nothing really happened even at the end of the series aside from "LOOK I made some friends". the kaiju guys weren't really that bad and I totally thought there was gonna be a final boss where it required the kaiju guys to work together with the dynazenon team, that would've been dope. Animation and music: I really liked the mix between styles where there would be a 3d scene and a 2d scene back to back, that shit looked clean as hell. The animation is well.... Trigger, so not much to say there aside from the fact that we all kinda expected this level of animation anyways. The music choice was pretty solid, and really added to the atmosphere of some scenes, and even when there were scenes that didn't have any soundtrack attached to it, I thought the decision to leave music out was a good choice on the directors end. 6/10 Overall: Decent show, but not great.

I have so many issues with this series, yet - I still enjoyed it immensely. To start - they never established why the Kaiju Eugenicists want to destroy humanity. Why would they do that in the first place? If Kaiju are born of human emotions, wouldn't Kaiju also be destroyed if that happened? Why are the main characters so comparatively chill w/ the villains who genuinely want to destroy the entire human race? How come none of them even ask why they're doing this??? I had a hard time caring about the main plot of the series to be honest, they never really established any kind of stakes here, it didn't feel as urgent or world ending as Gridman. Because of that, I found the fight scenes to be kind of underwhelming and wished they would get back to the developing relationships of the characters instead. The entire reason I kept watching is because the characters and character designs were excellent. There were no characters in the whole serious who i mixed up with one another, which is a rarity in modern anime. The eyes on the characters alone were distinctive and detailed. The relationship between Minami and Yomogi was sweet and developed really well, and the plot with Minami's sister was really well done. It's remarkable that a series like this was able to develop its characters more in 12 episodes than a show like My Hero Academia has w/ any of its characters in 5 seasons. If the characters weren't so likeable, I would be rating this series significantly lower. The plot makes little to no sense, and the villains themselves have no revealed motivation for doing literally anything. That said, the band of misfits roped together by Gauma (an excellent character and design) is charming and made the series worth it. While individually I would rank a lot of aspects of this series fairly low, strung together it creates a charming if ultimately disappointing series.

Dynazenon. After the quality that Gridman gave us, I didn't think it was possible for Trigger to repeat the feat. Indeed, Gridman was an anomaly in this cursed industry known as Japanese animation: no production problem, very high quality, and all without any drop in the middle of the season. Realize, the anime was over before it started airing! Despite all that, Gridman could have looked like a miracle, and well no. Amemiya, the director of the 2 shows, had a vision, and accompanied by his staff, who gained experience, they did it again, but better. At the character level, Dynazenon is the opposite of Gridman. While the former focused on Akane Shinjo, the antagonist and protagonist of the series, he left most of his characters by the wayside. The most obvious failure? Yuuta Hibiki, the so-called owner of the series who is reduced to being nothing. A pile of clichés, a piece of shit that pollutes something pure. While Dynazenon is what we call "a whole cast"; we are focused on a group of characters going through hardships, and who find themselves bound by the power of Dynazenon & amp; the personality of Gauma (a kind of Kamina, who pushes the group with his determination). And I can tell you one thing, their arcs are handled perfectly. One of the themes that bring them all together are regrets about the past, actions we did (or not) that led us to make mistakes. Our inability to see the suffering of the people around us, only to be filled with guilt when the worst happens. I wouldn't go further, but know that in addition to being really well produced, Dynazenon learned from Gridman, to go higher, combine their forces and why not pierce the heavens, in search of the truth. Dynazenon. Après la qualité que nous avez offert Gridman, je ne pensais pas qu'il était possible pour Trigger de réitérer l'exploit. En effet, Gridman était une anomalie dans cette industrie maudite que l'on appelle l'animation japonaise : pas de problème de production, une qualité de très haute facture, et le tout sans aucune baisse de régime au milieu de la saison. Rendez vous compte, l'anime était terminé avant que sa diffusion ne commence ! Malgré tous ça, Gridman aurait pu s'apparenter à un miracle, et ben non. Amemiya, le directeur des 2 shows, avait une vision, et accompagné de son staff, qui a gagné en expérience, ils l'ont refait cet exploit, mais en mieux. Au niveau des personnages, Dynazenon est à l'opposé de Gridman. Tandis que le premier se focalisé sur Akane Shinjo, l'antagoniste et le protagoniste de la série, il laissait sur le bord de la route, la plupart de ses personnages. L'échec le plus évident ? Yuuta Hibiki, le soi disant titulaire de la série qui est réduit à n'être rien. Un amas de clichés, une merde qui pollue quelque chose de pure. Tandis que Dynazenon est ce qu'on appelle "un ensemble cast" ; nous sommes focalisé sur un groupe de personnages traversant les épreuves, et qui se retrouve lié par le pouvoir de Dynazenon & la personnalité de Gauma (une sorte de Kamina, qui pousse le groupe par sa détermination). Et je peux vous dire une chose, leurs arcs sont gérés à la perfection. Un des thèmes qui les rapprochent tous sont les regrets du passé, les actions que l'on a faits (ou pas) qui nous ont menés à faire des erreurs. Notre incapacité à voir la souffrance des gens qui nous entourent, pour ensuite être remplis de culpabilité quand le pire arrive.. Je n'irais pas plus loin, mais sachez qu' en plus d'être vraiment bien produit, Dynazenon à appris de Gridman, pour aller plus haut, combinez leurs forces et pourquoi pas percez les cieux, à la recherche de la vérité. C'est ma première review, et, étant français, j'ai voulu l'a faire dans ma langue natale, donc, au vue du peu de review française sur ce site, si mon commentaire vous a plu, alors n'hésitez pas à liker !

Dynazenon is a show I didn't think I'd enjoy by the synopsis alone, but I was really pleasantly surprised by a lot of elements I didn't expect to be surprised by. Our main cast are very fun and interesting, especially Yomogi and Yume, and the art and animation are well done too (with some decent CGI to boot). The main element I was surprised by in this show was the dialogue, I don't think I've seen a show with dialogue this realistic in a long time if ever - it all just feels so natural, awkward scenes are awkward and characters don't fill out the quiet when it doesn't need to be filled out. I found myself really growing attached to our main two because their interactions were so believable and enjoyable to watch, even the more exotic characters spoke and behaved exactly how you'd expect them to but not in an exaggerated way. The art is great, and I REALLY like the character designs too - they did a great job making them all feel so alive and full of personality. Without going into spoilers, the plot overall was enjoyable but I found myself really invested in Yume's subplot, it was so touching and real - honestly I still would have watched the show if this was all it was. I also really appreciated how the show knew when to be serious and when not to be, during some fights you can tell it was mocking certain tropes or just making light of itself which you really love to see in a show that otherwise would be fairly generic. Overall I have to say I was really impressed by this anime, it definitely wasn't what I was expecting it to be and I mean that in the best way possible. Really really liked Yomogi and Yume as I said earlier, I'm sure I'll remember these characters for a while. I definitely recommend this to everyone, it's touching and pretty dark but also has its many moments of comedy and some pretty epic fights too.

Once again, the creative powerhouse that is Trigger, under the deft guidance of its celebrated in-house director Akira Amemiya, has set its sights on revitalizing yet another iconic series. This time, the studio has turned its attention to Tsuburaya Productions’ cult classic Gridman mecha franchise, breathing new life into a world that resonates deeply with fans of the Tokusatsu genre. Back in Fall 2018, Trigger unleashed SSSS.Gridman, a bold and unexpected triumph that shook up the mecha landscape. The series proved to be a game-changer, demonstrating that even amidst the polarized reception in Western markets—where Tokusatsu often struggles to find widespread appreciation—Japan’s enduring love for the genre remains unshaken. The vibrant enthusiasm for all things Tokusatsu in its homeland provided fertile ground for Gridman’s success, paving the way for its highly anticipated sequel. Fast forward to Spring 2021, and Trigger delivered SSSS.Dynazenon, a continuation that, while firmly rooted in the Gridman Universe, boldly carves out its own distinct identity as a standalone adventure. It’s crucial to approach SSSS.Dynazenon with fresh eyes and an open mind, as it is emphatically not a mere rehash of its predecessor. To view it as just another chapter of Gridman would be to miss the point entirely. Tokusatsu, at its core, has always thrived on the timeless spectacle of colossal robots clashing with the “Kaiju-of-the-week,” a formula that fans cherish for its blend of chaotic action and larger-than-life stakes. Dynazenon embraces this tradition wholeheartedly, weaving the iconic robot-versus-monster battles into the fabric of its world-building. Whether the narrative begins with a touch of absurdity or gradually coalesces into something more coherent, the series never loses sight of what makes Tokusatsu so beloved. Much like Gridman before it, Dynazenon introduces a colorful cast of characters whose everyday lives—steeped in cultural norms and personal struggles—are dramatically upended by the arrival of Kaiju and otherworldly adversaries. For Western audiences, the show’s vibe might evoke the playful, almost nostalgic charm of

When I first started watching SSSS.Dynazenon, I was tempted to write it off due to the awkward dialogue and audio that initially felt off. However, as I continued, I found these elements actually added to the charm of the anime. The use of source music during everyday scenes, contrasted with dynamic scores during the Mecha vs. Kaiju battles, effectively highlighted the divide between the characters' mundane daily lives and the fantastical intensity of the fights. The dialogue, while awkward at first, began to feel more authentic when viewed through the lens of the younger characters. It captured the natural awkwardness of youth, adding depth to the setting and making the interactions feel grounded. The fights themselves were engaging, with each Kaiju bringing unique abilities to the table, keeping the action fresh and exciting. Outside of the battles, the character development was thoughtfully paced and felt genuinely rewarding. Overall, I would say SSSS.Dynazenon is definitely worth a watch. If you’re willing to look deeper, you’ll find a lot to appreciate in this series.