In general, SGRvNGR is an alternate reality version of the original Getter Robo franchise. Without spoiling much of the original Getter Robo, it shows what might happen if Musashi (the original Getter 3 pilot) sacrifices himself to destroy the Reptilian Kingdom before the unfortunate event that changes the original Getter Robo from a regular fun-filled, monster-of-the-day anime into a story that made the 12 years old me loses all faith in humanity (not really, but you get the point).
If the second act of Getter Robo, and its canon, Getter Robo Armageddon, shows a darker side of Go Nagai, then SGRvNGR portrays a lighter story akin to Mazinger Z where good people stays good and justice always prevail in the end.
The story itself is nothing special. The story circles around Ichimonji Gou, the new candidate for the newly developed Neo Getter Robo: A safer and stable version of Getter Robo that is developed by the previous pilot of Getter 2, Jin Hayato to combat the upcoming threat from the newly reformed Reptilian Empire.
Where's the high review score came from then? The answer is simple: It's highly enjoyable. Due to its 4 episode-long nature, SGRvNGR presents its story in a fast paced, comprehensive manner with a lot of action in every episode. In just four episodes, it manages to:
- Throw cameos from most original Getter Robo characters.
- Shows Neo Getter Robo in all of its three glories.
- Tease just enough of Shin Getter Robo to make it interesting.
- Introduce a fun super robot sidekick to the Getter Robo universe.
- Made the kid in me shouts "Getter Change!!!" from the bottom of my lung.
Therefore, here's my review for SGRvNGR:
What's in it : Super Robot, hand-to-hand fight, giant axe, and lots of cameos.
What's to like : Action packed story with excellent pace and enjoyment.
What's not to like : Typical story with no character development.
Mood needed to watch : Mood for a light and fun, no brainer kind of story.
Overall score : 9 (Great)
As an added bonus, the music and sound effects are surprisingly good and complement both the action and the story well. Try and watch this using a good sound system and you'll see what I mean.
In short, SGRvNGR is something that you might like to watch after a long day's work just to relax for two hours. I can almost guarantee that you'll end the session with a big grin on your face and an urge to start every sentence with the word "Getter". With all that in mind, "Getter See You Later And Watch This Anime NOW!!!!!"
