After SSSS.DYNAZENON hinted at it from time to time, Chise has created her own kaiju, a little robot dragon whom she names Goldburn. Like with Yomogi and the monster of last week, Chise contemplates on letting Goldburn live and in doing so, the kaiju grows to giant size. Surprisingly however, Goldburn is not a bad omen for Chise as it listens to her commands and it helps the Dynazenon team and the Gridknight Alliance during this episode’s fight scene.
Goldburn’s introduction and inclusion into the plot does feel a bit weird. Like, we just had an episode where the Dynazenon team tries to let a kaiju live, only for the conclusion of that story to be that they should’ve killed it as soon they found found it. Right after that, the show is now presenting a kaiju where it just so happens to be perfectly fine to let it live. It’s a bit muddled but then again, we already have two good kaijus in the cast so Goldburn being one of them isn’t entirely contrived.
We get some insight into Chise’s backstory. It was mentioned before that Chise dropped out of middle school though we never knew why she did. In this episode, we learn that Chise has a tattoo on her arm and while it’s not explicitly confirmed, we can safely infer that this form of expression ostracized Chise and it pushed her into dropping out. There’s an interesting moment where Chise hops a ride on Goldburn and she spots her school. Goldburn flies towards the building, giving the impression that it’s going to terrorize it, before Chise tells it to stop. I’m guessing Goldburn is acting on what Chise feels deep down and it stops because Chise doesn’t go down whatever spiraled path those feelings will take her. Ultimately, it seems like Chise taking a dark path is a fake out and I’m perfectly fine with that. I wasn’t sure if I wanted that anyway. I still hope Chise can pilot a robot, though (and no, I don’t think Goldburn counts).
Aside from Chise and Goldburn, this episode advances Yomogi and Yume’s subplot as well. Yume finally gets to meet Futaba, who is Kano’s ex-boyfriend. You’d think Futaba would be Yume’s best lead in understanding Kano but surprisingly and unfortunately, the dude has little to offer. He doesn’t have much of an opinion on whether or not Kano committed suicide and judging by a ring on one of his hands, it’s implied that he’s already moved on with another girlfriend. When Yume asks him why he didn’t do anything to prevent Kano’s death, Futaba aloofly responds that most people would think a boyfriend would do that. You really feel Yume’s frustration and despair here. She’s no further towards the truth than she was before and the one tidbit she does get is that her sister dated someone who didn’t take her seriously.
Futaba leaves right when the monster of the week appears. Yume convinces Yomogi to head out without her, which is very concerning given the headspace she is in. It gets even more nerve-wrecking when Yume’s next scene is at the top of the tower where Kano fell to her death. Fortunately, Gauma convinces Yomogi to go back to Yume. Props to him for doing that. He, Koyomi, and Knight are getting their butts kicked and yet, he’s willing to risk defeat so that Yomogi can be there for Yume.
I wonder if learning about Kano’s ex helps Yume recognize more that Yomogi likes her. Kano didn’t luck out with her boyfriend but Yume has with Yomogi. The contrast makes Yomogi’s affection even more apparent than it already is. If not that, we certainly have Chise telling Yume as it is. Yume clearly has someone looking for her and she shouldn’t that for granted. For crying out loud, Yomogi is running to her aid in a giant robot. If that doesn’t make him a keeper, what will? I like how Goldburn also plays a role here. Yomogi puts himself between it and Yume and it’s a big misunderstanding but it nevertheless conveys Yomogi’s protectiveness. There’s also the part where Yume accidentally falls off the tower to grab her sister’s puzzle. Goldburn ends up saving Yume but Yomogi’s attempt is enough to open Yume’s eyes a little.
Going back to the fight, Goldburn is accepted into the team thanks to its actions and it turns out that it can combine with both Dynazenon and Gridknight to form Kaiser Gridknight. I am a little surprised to see the final giant robot combination within the same episode that introduces the final “piece” to the “puzzle”. Goldburn gets to flex some of its abilities during the fight but I figured that would be its contribution for the episode and the show would save any new combination for later. Gridknight being part of the combination is to be expected though it is funny to think of it as Knight finally reaching the peak of copying Gridman. He truly has done everything, right down to getting his own final form. That all said, it is hyped seeing all these mechs combine for the first time and Kaiser Gridknight’s design is freaking awesome, especially with that cape.
After the fight, the gang plays with some fireworks after missing out on the summer festival and Yume dresses up in a kimono before hanging out with Yomogi. I don’t know if it’s confirmation that these two are official but it’s certainly progress. Meanwhile, Juuga worries that he and his team are running out of kaiju to control. I don’t know what makes Juuga think that. If kaiju are born from human emotions, I’d imagine they’ll spawn indefinitely. That said, there are three episodes left in SSSS.Dynazenon so regardless if Juuga is right or not, the show is entering its final stretch.
Watch SSSS.DYNAZENON on Crunchyroll and Funimation
Xenodude Scribbles 