Reideen
Synopsis
Saiga is a normal high school student with a gift in mathematics. His daily routine is disrupted when his family gets news that his Father's remains have been discovered—a noted archeologist and researcher who had gone missing while exploring a site many years before. Among his remains were notes and artifacts that needed to be identified by the family near a notable triangular mountain in Japan known as "Japan's pyramid", a place suspected by some to be man-made. A meteor containing a strange robotic lifeform falls from the sky and begins to cause destruction, putting Saiga in danger and causing a mysterious bracelet from his father's research to activate and merge him with an ancient robot burried within the pyramid—a robot the runes describe as Reideen. It is now up to Saiga and guardian Reideen to fight against this unknown alien threat from the sky. (Source: ANN)
Audience Consensus
Audience reception is mixed. Some appreciate the animation, music, and political intrigue elements that emerge later in the series. However, many are critical of the slow pacing, reliance on deus ex machina, uninspired characters, and poor mech action sequences. The show requires patience and investment, which may not be worth it for many viewers.
Strengths
- Excellent CG animation work on the mecha and alien weaponry.
- Fluid mecha battle scenes.
- Good number of tense musical tracks fitting for the show's serious mood.
- Interesting plot about factions struggling for control of Reideen.
- Exploration of how competing incentives within the military-industrial complex can lead to irrational decision-making.
Weaknesses
- Story relies on deus ex machina.
- Poor job of fleshing out major story elements and characters.
- Alien motives lack depth.
- Slow, plodding mech action scenes with terrible CGI.
- Frequent reuse of animation in mech scenes.
- Drab color palette drains energy from the show.
- Midorino's character is underdeveloped despite being heavily featured in advertising.