>ACCESS CODE: ‘Skyfall’
IT’S TIME. Gather round for this week’s #SSSS_Gridman reference recap thread. It goes without saying that spoilers are ahead for this week’s episode so go ahead and watch before reading.
Episode 7 of SSSS.GRIDMAN continues from the wham episode that was Episode 6 with another big reveal: the ceiling of the Computer World. Similar structures were seen in wide shots of the original series. And this has massive implications for the story at large, namely the confirmation of what Anocillus II mentioned last week — Tsutsujidai is all there is in this world. And Akane is in control of all of it.
Leading up to this, however, there was a slew of references to famed animator Ichiro Itano, as well as more classic Ultra Series kaiju, aliens, and a fan-favorite manga!
FIRST UP, GRIDMAN USES a new weapon this week: the Grid Light Saber Slash. This is a two-fold reference: 1.) To the original Grid Light Saber attack from the live-action series. (one of my favorites!) and 2.) Ultraman Mebius’s Mebium Blade which also was summoned via bracelet.
It’s worth noting that there may have been a gaffe in the subtitles which translated it as “Gridknight” instead of Grid Light. Funny enough, Grid Knight is actually the name of a character from an abandoned GRIDMAN THE HYPER AGENT arc. There’s a bit of irony with this mistranslation, it’ll become clear in Episode 10.
THROUGHOUT THE EPISODE, there are references to aliens and UFOs. Following the usual pattern, this is set up through visual references or what I call “foreshadow meta” — using easter eggs and homages to allude to themes in the episode or major plot points. This comes into play on Akane’s top shelf where we get to see a collection of UFO-related Ultra Kaiju!
From left to right:
- Robo-Fo (ULTRAMAN 80, Episode 24),
- Silver Blume (ULTRAMAN LEO, Episode 40)
- Robelugar (ULTRAMAN MEBIUS, Episode 31)
- Abdolaars (ULTRAMAN 80, Episode 6)
- Nova (ULTRAMAN LEO, Episode 49).
Out of the five, Silver Blume & Robo-Fo are string-controlled kaiju, meaning instead of a traditional man-in-suit setup, they are controlled by puppetry. This slightly alludes to the true nature of this week’s kaiju.
Also, Silver Blume is best known for single-handedly massacring the MAC team in ULTRAMAN LEO, Episode 40. It’s one of the bloodiest moments in Ultra Series history that has never been topped and signaled a massive status quo change for Leo.
A Japanese Twitter user called the group shot in this week’s episode “Everyone’s Trauma”. They’re not wrong.
THIS WEEK’S KAIJU, DIRIVER (potentially alluding to the English word ‘derivative’), is unique for a number of reasons. In-series, it’s a kaiju made by Anti as an attempt to draw out the Gridman Alliance. And look-wise, he bears a striking resemblance to Super Tsuiphon, the villain of the ULTRAMAN SUPER FIGHTER LEGEND OVA.
The confirmation of the Tsuifon connection (as well as the foreshadowing of his demise) came early in the episode. Pay special attention to the anime in the Ryutei Chinese restaurant. It features Ultraman Hikari in Super Fighter armor using a slashing finisher!
In a later-released volume of ULTRAMAN: SUPER FIGHTER LEGEND, Trigger actually printed an apology on the obi wrap. It’s kind of adorable.
Also worth noting about Diriver. He’s a puppeteer. The UFO that Gridman fights at first is being manipulated via strings like the kaiju that were shown in the group shot. Throughout the history of the Ultra Series, there have been several kaiju that were controlled via puppetry. The best example is the dragon Narse from Ultraseven…who coincidentally can turn into a flying saucer.
But the biggest noteworthy factor about Diriver? The fact that he was designed by famed animator, Ichiro Itano.
A veteran of shows like MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM and SPACE RUNAWAY IDEON, Itano is best known for his work on SUPER DIMENSION FORTRESS MACROSS and its film adaptation, DO YOU REMEMBER LOVE.
Well, that and the OVA ANGEL COP…and also BLASSRETTER. Both of which need to be experienced at least once.
Itano also served as CGI Motion Director on ULTRAMAN NEXUS, the Ultra Series that SSSS.GRIDMAN writer Keiichi Hasegawa previous worked on. Additionally, he filled the same role in ULTRAMAN MAX and MEBIUS, the latter of which he designed several kaiju for, and was the Flying Sequence Director for the 2004 ULTRAMAN movie. His work in the Ultra Series mostly invoked his trademark move as an animator — the Itano Circus.
The Circus first appeared in scenes animated by Ichiro Itano for SUPER DIMENSION FORTRESS MACROSS, hence the other name for it being the Macross Missile Massacre. It involves a special way of showing missile fire and the stylized means of dodging them. It has since gone on to become not only a staple for the MACROSS franchise but a signature technique that has been homaged to hell and back. It shows up in this episode of SSSS via Sky Vitter’s final attack, the Amp Laser Circus.
Speaking of Sky Vitter, like Borr and Max, his weapons are named after characters in SUPERHUMAN SAMURAI SYBER-SQUAD. Specifically, they reference both pilots of Vitor (aka Thunder Jet in GRIDMAN THE HYPER AGENT): Amp Ere (left) who was in the series until Episode 39, and Lucky London (right) who took over from Episode 41 to the finale.
A bit of irony with the Amp weapon reveal: Amp was revealed to have been an alien all along in Episode 40 via a postcard left in his locker. This week in SSSS? Revolves around UFOs and aliens.
And that concludes this recap. I leave you this week with an Itano Circus compilation that also includes his Ultra Series work.
This is part seven of my expanded twelve-part SSSS.GRIDMAN Reference Recap. Click here to go back to the master page or here to go to the next episode.
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