STORY... Not much has changed in this category, but you get a sense of nostalgia when you see the heroes of 3G back again. There's still villains wanting to rule the universe, but where it gets interesting is the methods used by the villains. The methods carried out by the villains inflict absolute despair on the heroes that it had enough SHOCK VALUE to make me say, "No way... Did that really just happen? Whoa, the heroes might actually lose this time." But then I suddenly remembered that this is GAOGAIGAR, the heroes ALWAYS find a way to win. And with that, lies a flaw- While watching this, I never had the sense that the heroes of 3G would lose in the end= slight sense of predictability. But as I got towards the end, I was finally given a befitting ending that left me satisfied. Watch it for yourself to find out.
ANIMATION... This is one of the strong points of the series and also where I explain why kid viewers will have to wait until they're teenagers. The robot designs definitely look fresher, crisper, and much cooler. There are definitely those heavy GAR moments when power-ups are achieved and when transformations are done. The battle scenes are splendid- seeing mechas go at it, as bits and pieces of their armor break apart and lots of sparks flying everywhere with each intense collision. Not to mention, over the scale screaming of emotions of the pilots. Definitely fun to watch. It was enough to make me say wow. It's just that awesome. Haha... To my surprise, there is a lot of nudity and ecchi themes like huge breasts jiggling and seeing panties under the skirts of women. They even focus on it for like 1-2 seconds, sometimes 2-3 seconds. I thought this was a kids' show!? Anyways, let's go on- there are still the over exaggerated movements for the simplest of commands, and luckily, you don't see as much of that stuff anymore, (not like in the first season, wherein, every episode it's loaded with that junk) so you'll be more amused rather than annoyed. I also applaud the designers for making the villains look more menacing and dangerous. They weren't lazy this time. I commend them for that.
SOUND... Not much can be said in this category, there's still the same opening theme song, but with a "grander" feeling about it. Maybe it's because it's the finale? I guess so... I didn't particularly like the ending theme song. In essence, it's still basically the same soundtrack.
CHARACTERS... The same heroic 3G group is still here, but early on, the series lets you know that most members of the original crew have all moved to different places and different people have replaced their old positions. For example, remember how Mr. Chief use to give the approval for Final Fusion with wild energy and emotion? The new guy who replaced him is so relaxed, and so laid back that it is outrageously funny watching him give the approval for Final Fusion (because it's something you're not use to, if you watched the first season). There are also the introduction of a few new side characters, like the new sister robots of Enryu and Hyoryu, and Renee, who is Guy's cousin. But I ended up not really feeling for them because this is about the original 3G and their final battle. It feels as if they were just put in there because the number of villains turned out to be extra, so the directors needed an opponent for the villain. Surprisingly, Mikoto Utsugi was given a stronger role in the story, which I found to be respectable and likeable- refreshing. The directors finally made full use of the cast, which resulted in a better story.
OVERALL SCORE: 8/10= Awesome
STRENGTHS
+ Still conveys the wonderful message: "Anything can be overcome with courage."
+ Has SHOCK VALUE.
+ Full use of cast characters.
+ Excellent Animation. (Especially mecha battles loaded with GAR moments.)
+ Finally delivers an appropriate ending GaoGaiGar should have had a long time ago.
WEAKNESSES
- Predictability still exists.
- Too much unnecessary nudity and ecchi themes.
Note: I can't really say whether you should watch this or not. If you watched the first season, then why not watch it for closure? (It's what I did and I was rewarded.) But if you didn't watch the first season, then you don't have to bother with this one. Remember, tell the kids they're going to have to wait a few years before watching this. I recommend this for GaoGaiGar fans and for regular viewers who happened to watch the first season.
