Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

There was a time.
When men were men. They were screaming like crazy speeches, faced the impossible, and said things that made no sense, but that even so we did say "EPIC".
There was a time.
A time of captains Harlock, a master time Asia, a time of Domons.
Logic was not important. The strategy was not important. If you believe in the impossible, impossible would be nothing in front of you.

The time is gone
A wave of animes that have to be "realistic", "philosophical", "adults" around us. Are good? Are. Meet your purpose? Meet.
However, however ... I miss something.
Characters idiots who laugh in the face of death, and not ... to be shaken by anything. Characters that I remember that, in essence, in the beginning, were not meant to be realistic.
No wonder that I am addicted to shonens: manga as One Piece, Fairy Tail remind me that there are heroes who still believe that boundaries are bullshit, and that men should talk about crazy dreams with a smile on his face.

Few original anime (non-manga based) can pass this spirit, and if I had to indicate a Studio to produce an epic-without-notion, "Gainax" probably would not be the first on my list.
But they did so. Oh, how did.
Ladies and gentlemen, forgiveness for the lengthy introduction: Let's talk of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.

Many have already heard things about this series of 27 episodes. Effusive praise. Discouraging reviews. And you may already have heard the following phrase: "compliments to the Gurren Lagann are exaggerated"
And let us be clear: Yes. ARE.
But it could not be otherwise.
Gurren Lagann anime is not the type that parses. Is the type of anime to which you manifested with exaggeration and passion. "Overkill" is the key word of the anime: everything is extremely Titanic, extreme, "over-the-top", "larger than life", etc.

With certain exceptions (some Gundam, some Macross, tss), never been a fan of mecha anime. Would be far from the top of my list and, being this a recurrent genre in every new season animes, I believe my dismay is understandable: it is both anime mecha clamoring arrogantly that will "revolutionize the genre", "overcome Evangelion", "be the new Gundam" and other things that many simply die on the beach, lost in own mediocrity.
Gurren Lagann will by reverse path: doesn't take itself seriously. Does not involve complex plots policies or attempts to "explore the essence of the human being". It's about guys inconsequential facing death in colorful fuses (and often ungainly) and BLOWING THINGS UP. Many things.

The series is a species of "giant parody mecha", a spoof so well done that took an undeniable brilliance. As the series develops, over the hump "70 years" (frantic action and episodic with colored robots), "80 years" (frantic action and sequential with specific enemies ... and colored robots!), "90 years" (frantic action with colorful robots ... in space!) and Century 21 (IE ... a tribute to the series, where the hype coming into the extreme).
The series features a climate extremely pure (remember One Piece in this sense) that does not match the latest productions of Gainax (with the exception of perhaps Diebuster): in Gurren the Studio tries their best to tell a story extremely positive, bright, boiling the blood-is as an antithesis of Evangelion.

-Characters-
The cast features some of the most best ever seen in recent years, with big names like Kamina ("do not believe in yourself. Believe me, I believe in you "), Kittan (" no, this is my soul! You will regret it! "), Simon (" my drill is one that PIERCES the HEAVENS! "), just to name the most unbelievable (after all, we still have Viral Genome, Dayakka-" My wife is the best of the universe-SWING! ").
Heroes who face the impossible again and again, like real men. The psychological development of some of them (Simon, to quote) is monstrous: the series managed to combine and traces of human "weaknesses" with the "iconic" of characters (courage to sacrifice himself when necessary, never retreat, and other elements worthy of legends).

-Style-
Council to watch this anime: turn off your brain. One of the best quotes of the anime is "Go beyond the impossible and kick the logic to corner" (Kamina), and this is often taken in a sense more than literal. Gurren Lagann is about ridiculously scenes with epic songs -Sung playing in the background (and I know that many of us love this type of scene, feeling rather lack thereof in the current anime), is about characters screaming attack names aloud, and gigantic explosions. If you allow "get in the mood", you will be taken to an unbelievable journey. And smile like a fool, knowing you made the right decision.

-Technical Issues-

The animation is jaw-dropping. To get an idea, 40% of the money used in the production were dedicated to the last 5 episodes, creating sequences that make many films out there go shame. The soundtrack contributes with the light/climate: epic songs sung, rap and Opera hybridizes to give a special glow to several of the best scenes of the series (many of these will be marked for those that see).
Perhaps the only factor of production that is worth being criticized is the episodes "reprise" (there are two of them, a long piece of episode 6 and episode 16 integer), but it is worth remembering that this is part of the "joke" that Gainax proposed to do, saying that "kick the logic to corner" with this series: 27 episodes rather than 26, the protagonist being voiced by a man (many of the previous, as Shinji Ikari of Eva, were dubbed by women), etc.

"you're praising too! You're exaggerating! "-
I 'M. But as I said earlier, this is an anime that does not allow cold and calculating analysis. The very premise, the first episode, it doesn't make much sense. It is a classic "love or hate". Or you enter the atmosphere of "OW MAN, WAY TOO EPICNESS" or so says "This is not my type." Despite the success that had (yielding promises of future projects), Gurren Lagann is not for everyone.

It's about courage.
Dramatic sacrifices.
Struggles that make the DBZ characters seem Wimpy
It's about heroic speeches and exaggerated.
If you are unable to watch something that cannot lead to seriously, I recommend more sober, more series "feet-in-the-ground".
If you are willing to embark with the crew of the Gurren-Dan, welcome to war.
For freedom.
By the human race.
Through The Universe.
To quote the slogan of a well-known epic film: "Prepare for glory".

Perhaps no other show I have viewed have I gone into with higher expectations and hype than with Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. Practically everyone I know has told me about how awesome it is, how its epic ending is the best thing since the invention of the internal combustion engine. Looking back I suppose that made it inevitable for me to be let down and disappointed.

A message to the rabid fanboys probably is in order. If you are incapable of accepting anyone’s opinion that differs from your own then you might as well stop reading this right now. What follows is ... a critical and perhaps a bit harsh analysis of a series that at its best was one of the best things I have ever seen, but at its worst made me want to punch a hole in my television. I certainly did not hate TTGL. I can clearly recognize its achievements and its place in anime history and its influence. But it also has some unforgivable warts that many of which were unnecessary. It's typical of a GAINAX project which always seems to be high on presentation and build up and piss poor at conclusions.

There is nothing remarkable about the story in TTGL. It borrows from familiar themes and unfolds in a pretty predictable and formulaic manner. It’s the presentation of the storyline that makes it so unique from most anime of this type. TTGL is really two anime in one. The series is divided into two major story arcs. Both are full of balls out macho testosterone filled awesomeness. The scale of the story grows exponentially as each battle and each Gurren Lagann transformation becomes more and more epic. Taken at that, TTGL succeeds at an unrivaled level. The first arc has a perfect mix of comedy, tragedy, drama, and GAR. I loved it. It totally worked at every level. Until...

Where things start to come undone is in the second arc which starts at episode 16 and is set seven years after those events. The feeling is totally different. First you’re trying to get used to characters that have grown up, at least physically, and a setting that is completely alien to the apocalyptic wastelands of the first half of the series. But where things unravel is that it starts to get away from what made the early parts of the series so successful. It begins more of a romance arc, which you expected given the way things went in the first part and frankly I would have been disappointed if this hadn’t developed. However it’s so ridiculous that all it does it make you think the characters are completely retarded. I mean seriously, how can you be in a relationship with someone for seven fucking years and never kissed that person? Really? You expect me to take this seriously or actually care? The second is the addition of a political drama that does about as much for the story as the unrealistic romance elements. All it does it take a cast that was almost entirely likeable from the first half and make half of them asshats and douche bags.

Eventually though things get back on track with what made the show so completely awesome before. The problem is by time they do will you be so angry and pissed off that you even care anymore? That was the situation I found myself in. As much as I wanted to be angry at it the feelings I had for it do start to pop up again. The battles are even more epic and literally galaxy shattering. It’s so totally masculine that I am surprised I didn’t grow a pair of balls myself. But... it seems I always have to say that, just as it manages to redeem itself and make me swoon with delight; GAINAX delivers their final fuck you to the audience and frankly, it is unforgivable. Sadly it completely ruined any enjoyment I had for it.

TTGL characters are pretty much what you would expect from shounen anime. However it manages to carve out a few legendary ones. Pretty much anyone who is a fan of anime knows who Simon, Kamina, and Yoko are. I can say that they aren’t overrated by the fandom either. Kamina is pure awesomeness. A man’s man and a woman’s dream. His single minded determination and love for his comrades makes him the kind of friend that any man would want. While he may not be "husband material" to us girls every one of us would want to put our arm in his and be protected by him. He’s the kind of guy that can really only survive in a world of conflict. A true hero for the ages.

Simon has many of Kamina's traits. As the main protagonist in the series he does well to overcome the obstacles in front of him. I loved him, as a boy. It was after the time skip that he has grown up that he becomes less interesting as a character. He evolves into something he’s not, a virtual clone of Kamina that they are almost indistinguishable from one another. The weaknesses and more reserved nature of the younger Simon which made him for me a much more real and interesting character disappear. Instead of the thoughtful and cowardly boy we have a guy who is as reckless as Kamina ever was and goes into everything with all guns blazing and damn the torpedoes! Its so uncharacteristic of him that it takes away from his character. The final events of the story in particular are needless cruel and unnecessary and a further example of how out of character he has become. By the end he is Kamina, complete with the ending you would have expected of him and all traces of the likeable kid all but erased.

Yoko is the ship that launched a million wet dreams from boys and probably a few grown men alike. You might think that a character with eye popping measurements that spends the majority of the series in a bathing suit would be simply a tool for exploitive fan service. But that’s not the case, as she really shines on her own and manages to be sexy without feeling like she’s just a prop. Yoko is one of the few characters in the story to actually grow up. She takes on responsibility as opposed to the rest of the cast who seem intend on riding the coattails of their past glories instead of contributing something to society. Overall though she's treated poorly by the story and while she is very important to the first part of the series it’s almost like she became just another face in the crowd later on. Being a big fan of hers I found that to be particularly disappointing.

The rest of the main and supporting cast is a bit of a mixed bag. The reason my score of them as a total suffers is that the vast majority of them are very static and unchanging. Most of them are not all that interesting and are more like the background. With few exceptions when one of them dies in the story's epic death count you are left with little emotional reaction because you didn’t feel anything for them when they were alive. The time jump also affected my enjoyment of them as I mentioned many of them had total personality changes that really had no justification. Some initially charming and interesting characters such as Nia I found myself just despising or becoming apathetic towards.

One thing that TTGL does not fail to deliver though is heart pounding and eye-popping visual effects and artwork. This series is truly a masterful work of art. Everything about it screams epic goodness. GAINAX always has a bit of a unique and cartoony art style. But what I really love is the bright colors and quirky designs. It totally works for this series perhaps like no other ever has. This is truly an achievement that I can find absolutely no flaws with.

Not to be outdone, the musical score and voice acting is just as exceptional. The actors manage to bring out all the macho characters and the often screaming dialogue and make it all work. The music is some of the best I have heard in an anime. The OP/EN themes rock hardcore and will have you moving your feet and singing out loud.

So did I like TTGL? The answer is yes. Did I enjoy it? Not really. Because of that it just can’t go down as one of my favorite series as it really should have thanks to that retardation at the end. I know I am going to be in the minority here. The story is not meant to be taken seriously and for the most part I didn’t. However I was expecting more and I didn’t get it. Chances are if you’re male, and under the age of 30 you just might watch this and think it’s the best thing ever. For us girls your experience may vary. It’s definitely worth the viewing but beware the trap of unrealistic expectations and hype.

The show that turns boys into men.

Gurren Lagann was breathtaking. An endlessly thrilling ride from the most humble beginnings to the most fantastic of ends. Absolutely inspiring and a must-watch. There are so many memorable moments in this series, and lines and ideas that it imprints into your very soul.

I will admit this is one of the first anime I had ever watched, except Miyazaki films. And its ridiculousness shocked me as a newcomer. Even so, I was enraptured, drawn by the infectious energy and the constant adrenaline rush from this show.

Because it was unique. It was so very unique.

Tengen Toppa, while ... it does have an amazing story, is not about the story. It's not about a logical progression, strategy, conflicts of interests, world building, exploring the sci-fi or the other ideas in it. In fact, it is about the deconstruction of all those things. I usually like smart anime. But Tengen Toppa is unique, managing to be good without trying to be smart. Because it isn't about being smart. Its about feeling. Everything else is just a plot device. Its abstract almost, like a legend or an epic. You don't need to believe it. TTGL takes your ideas and your expectations and says fuck you. The only one idea that matters is feeling and spirit. It delivers on an emotional level. A primal instinct; willpower, that adrenaline rush and madness that overcomes you as you resolve to beat an impossible challenge in pursuit of what you want.

Every aspect of the show work to arouse and reinforce this zeal in the viewer. Its art, with a clever use of angles, bold lines, exaggerated designs and at times simplified drawings personify its brazen self-confidence and panache. Its soundtrack oozes fearless charisma with a liberal use of energetic horns, drums, opera, rap(!), violin ensembles, and forceful sound effects... all the while also reserving a soft, passionately delicate side for its emotional moments. Its vibrant characters(especially one of the manliest leads in anime I know, Kamina) are among the most unforgettable I've ever encountered, and how far they come by the end, and indeed how much they grow on you is amazing to behold. Every single one of them, in the span of 27 episodes(yes, TTGL hates norms, even season counts), manages to surprise you and show you the many faces of human nature. In a way, they are perfectly chosen to represent the show's central theme of the struggle between human "spirit" against the abyss of "despair".

I like to think of Gurren Lagann now as at least in part, as a light hearted jab at various overused tropes in anime(such as copious amounts of fanservice, plot arcs that escalates from small to unbelievably huge and so so many more). Gurren Lagann takes every cliche trope there is and ramps it up to 11, in a way that it feels strangely new and enjoyable again. If I could describe this show in one word, it'd be "ridiculous"... and I don't mean that in a bad way in the slightest.

The blatant and ridiculous sexual innuendos everywhere(the Di-gurren has a gigantic dick for a hull for just one example), the in-your-face approach to fan service, the seemingly boundless main plot arc, the battles, the set pieces, those outrageous VILLAINS, Nia and her moeblob eyes, the cheesy dialogue(it actually seems to work quite well in TTGL for some reason although it wouldn't anywhere else), the over-the-top speeches and declarations, the attack names... the list goes on and on. It presents these obviously un-serious things in the most serious and cocksure way possible. And somehow... manages to be convincing. It shocks you and grabs your attention with nothing else other than its unique spirit and confidence. TTGL feels like its taking an adult and making him play pretend, dragging him about in a crazed rush, and learn again what its like to be mad with drive and child-like passion for your dreams.

For deus ex machinas, there were so many in Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann I couldn't count them all. But it played into the show's theme "Kick logic out and do the impossible" perfectly. I didn't get the impression from the rest of the narrative that the show was taking itself very seriously at all(viewed as a parody, TTGL is pretty damn good), so they actually felt natural and strangely uplifting, instead of disappointing.

Tengen Toppa is also excellent at emotionally moving you. They even state in the anime itself, "kick logic out... it's all about spirit!" And it delivers. It will move you, fire you up, make you cry, laugh. But it will most definitely not intrigue you, or make you race the characters in deductive reasoning like in other shows. But it will leave you exhilarated regardless.

And maybe... just maybe... etch itself into your memory for a long time to come.

EDIT: Now, as much as I know it is strange to say now, right at the end, especially after(rightly!) emphasizing the ridiculousness so much, I think it is dishonest to give the impression that this is just a mindless show intended to make you scream. Believe it or not, how epic it manages to be despite the absurdity is actually the result of very clever writing, brilliant implementation and noticeably passionate production values and attention to detail. In fact, I would even say this is one of most subtly intricate and thoughtful series to come out in recent years. This doesn't take the form of philosophical debates and pretentious sci-fi however. In true TTGL(and Gainax) style, it defies expectations. Everything thats silly is in your face, and whats clever is hidden for those who care to look.

It takes the form of exquisite symbolism, subliminal homo-erotic rap, intricately interwoven themes which the show doesn't always spell out for you(as just one slightly spoilerific example; think about the mistakes of humanity. Think about the Elder in the Face-God Village or the Chief of Jiha village and compare population-control Rossiu and the Anti-Spirals to them... they all are driven by the same thing), the bitter contrasts of war and how they seem to fade once you actually understand the sides, how infectious and inspiring spirit is when it truly refuses to give in to cynicism... hell, when you've finished I actually encourage you to read this: http://wtf.animeblogger.net/?p=140

For now, the rest of you: watch this show.

Only on the rarest of occasions does an anime come along that truly grabs me and elevates itself above mere entertainment and into the realms of gripping television. Gurren Lagann did this with frightening ease, not with complexity or depth of its storyline, nor with its technical excellence, or innovation, but with its boldness, energy, sense of humour, and heart. Some people may be put off with the degree of silliness the show never ceases to deliver, or at least be deterred from becoming deeply invested in the plot or its characters, but being the sucker for just this kind of shameless splendour and over-the-top ... theatrics, I took to it with enthusiasm, and came out of it with a strong sense of appreciation for the fun that the show delivered from week to week. Gurren Lagann is the kind of series that you may scoff at while you’re watching it, or laugh at its unapologetically ridiculous antics, but which still leaves you craving the next episode. I became so swept up in the show’s passion and heavy-handed charm that I quickly learned to turn my brain off and just go along with the ride. And this is how Gurren Lagann is best enjoyed, with an open-mind and a desire to sit back and enjoy yourself; if you can’t refrain from cynicism or pretentiousness, you likely won’t enjoy the show. I also recommend that the series is not watched as marathon fodder, in fact I’m not sure you can truly capture the same experience if you missed out on watching it on a week-by-week basis.

But the show is not just for action junkies and comedy fanatics; it may have more than its share of explosion-riddled skies, sexual innuendo and galaxy-sized mecha, but more than that the show is somehow able to endear the viewer to its characters through all the furore and anarchy of the plot - and it is not afraid to cash in on that either. The characters are all really fun to watch, each of them flamboyant and charismatic in their own peculiar way, and on top of that, the series weaves in a good amount of sincere character development almost without the viewer noticing. Kamina, in particular is instantly likeable and memorable as the unstoppable and inspired leader of the group that the show revolves around. His unquenchable determination and guts are what really caught me into the series to begin with - one cannot help but stand alongside the other characters in the show with their reverence for him. More than being a likeable gang, the characters are used to great dramatic effect; the show has a number of dramatic peaks over its course that won’t easily fade from my memory. Simon’s transformation from a cowardly underling of Kamina, to an empowered and confident hero is also a key part of the story, and it is handled acceptably, though not quite believably. For that type of theme, I defer to Eureka 7’s development of its protagonist, Renton.

Furthermore, the story itself, while inarguably simplistic, revolves around a strong moral core, with themes that are challenging at times and rousing at others. The use of metaphor is vastly overdone, but revelations further into the show made me appreciate the central “drill” metaphor a bit more. My actual interest in the plot varied throughout the series, starting off quite high with the intrigue of the mysterious new world and the immediate threat of the Beastmen, and cooling off until the post-timeskip story kicked in, which introduced a more serious and challenging feel to the series and hence boosted my interests once again. The pacing is probably my biggest complaint for the show, as the constant action, ironically, became tedious at times, particularly in the build-up to the climactic episode 15. The show may always have a sense of fun, but it is inconsistently gripping.

The animation, episode 4 aside (whose director was later fired - although that’s another story), is brimming with vigour and vitality; it is not always consistent, and rarely very detailed, but it seems to adjust itself to the mood of the show in a very unsubtle but fitting manner. There were a number of blatant shortcuts that were used during many of the battle sequences that I couldn’t help but notice, but given the ‘epic’ nature of the show, it is difficult to expect top-class animation right the way through. At times, the art and animation are genuinely amazing, and there is no denying that this was an ambitious and costly undertaking by the usually self-preservational GAINAX. An extra boost of cel detail would have welcome but probably impractical from a budgetary perspective.

The music for the show is much like the show itself, in that it’s hard to take seriously, but it is unavoidably engaging. Rather than cinematic type of score work, the show is packed with insert songs and a handful of key piece of theme music. I am appreciative of the way the music was distributed throughout the series, with new music being added to the mix right up until the end. This prevented it from stagnating. A few of the tracks are stand-out pieces of music, and are used in the show to give it a genuine boost of captivation and emotion. In particular, the main heroic theme of the show never fails to rouse me into a high-spirited love for the series.

At times powerful, almost always senselessly fun, and with a strong moral core top its themes and story, Gurren Lagann is the highlight of 2007, and an anime worthy of anyone’s viewing. Far from flawless, yet somehow rarely flawed, this anime series is inexplicably lovable for those who are easily hooked in by unsubtle fun. Gurren Lagann has something for everyone, and as such I recommend it to everyone. However, I think it appeals more directly to a male audience with its badassery and male hero role models.

Gainax is easily one of the most well known anime studio, especially with titles like, Neon Genesis Evangelion, KareKano, and Wings of Honneamise. However, as of late many fans claim that the quality of Gainax has dropped down significantly and that their golden age is over, well that was until Gurren Lagann. Without a doubt Gurren Lagann took both Japanese and western fandom by storm. This coupled with the fact that there was very little hype before hand thus, making the extreme popularity even more impressive. For me what was more impressive was the fact that people that normally don’t like ... this sort of thing (ie prefer more serious, dramatic works) enjoy it immensely. This was what drove me to watch Gurren Lagann and write this review afterwards.

Gurren Lagann reminds me of another Gainax title, Gunbuster especially the last third. GaoGaiGar was another anime as both GaoGaiGar and Gunbuster are unabashedly over-the-top and cheesy. Not only that, it thrives in its cheesiness and over-the-top nature. Also, one cannot claim that Gurren Lagann half-asses anything, it does everything with the same vigor and intensity. At the same time this is what makes or breaks Gurren Lagann for most viewers. Its cheesiness or over-the-top nature will strike a chord in you or (as some people put it) appeal to something more primal inside else you’ll end up like me, facepalming. This is something I cannot understand for the life of me. Perhaps this is due to the fact that Gurren Lagann can be seen as a throw back to super robots/”manly” series of the seventies a direct contrast to the proliferation of so called “sissy” anime as of late. However, it fails to achieve any more than that, a mindless, over-the-top mecha/action series. Now whether or not that’s a bad thing is up to you.

The story and structure was distinctly shounen thus, suffering from a high degree of predictability. First, you have a powerful opponent yet against all odds the protagonists defeat them. Then another more powerful opponent pops up and yet again against all odds the protagonists defeat them, usually by some kind of power up. Keep on repeating till there are no more enemies left. Many of the characters are also the embodiment of your typical shounen protagonist, energetic idiots that keep running forward destroying every obstacle in their way. This was accomplished with very little thought when it comes to probability, strategy, and even logic. It keeps on this monotonous path until the time skip.

Here the cheesiness and its shounen nature are reduced significantly. The characters and setting are also different and quite interesting. However, at the same time I can see the characters mature/grow in that manner. I was pleasantly surprised by this turn of events and for a fleeting moment thought that Gurren Lagann would redeem itself in my eyes. Sadly it was nothing more than that, a fleeting moment, as it went back to its same old self, magnified 10 times, a few episodes later. It is ironic that for the overall review of Gurren Lagann, I lowered the score due to the fact that’s it was out of place. Consistency is very important in my books. If they had kept with the same seriousness until the end, then it would have rated Gurren Lagann higher.

If my favorite part was after the time skip then my least favorite part would the very beginning, the first arc (ep 1-8). This arc was easily the silliest and dumbest of Gurren Lagann. I can easily see why so many people dropped it during this arc. Not only was it stupid but slow. It took forever for me to get through these episodes as I couldn’t watch more than one episode at a time. If I had to rate this arc alone it would probably get 3 out of 10. Thankfully, after all the mandatory character introductions it starts to really move. By the 2nd arc (ep 9-16) the episodes seamlessly blended together as the overall flow/pacing was much better. Also, idiotic filler such as the onsen episode were gone and the stupidity in the name of comedy was reduced a little bit. Yes, I still find it stupid and over-the-top but at least it had a fast pace and somewhat enjoyable, because of this I could watch multiple episodes in one sitting. This arc would get a 6 or 7 out of 10 and the 3rd arc would be a 5 out of 10.

As for the characters, I mentioned that most of crew are energetic idiots and Kamina was the worst one of them all, as well as being the shallowest (character-wise) of the main characters. All he had was “guts” and confidence that was completely baseless. He said it himself, Simon was the one that saved him countless times, and it was Simon that had the ability, not Kamina. However, not all of characters are like this (shallow I mean), in fact there was a decent amount of characterization and those characters were quite interesting in their own right. Yoko was an awesome side character that was far more than a fanservice character, Simon developed quite nicely throughout the series, Viral was an incredibly sympathetic beastman, etc. I could go on but I think you get the idea. Perhaps this is why I really enjoyed the episodes after the time skip, as there was a lot of focus on the characters themselves and not on the next battle. Sadly, Gurren Lagann didn’t focus enough on the characters. This brings me to my next point, the ending and the epilogue.

The ending just didn’t feel right considering the overall tone and feel of the series. Interestingly enough, I actually thought the epilogue hurt the ending. This is considering how much I love epilogues. Spoilerish comments hidden…
In particular, Simon being a wanderer and Nia dying are two things I didn’t expect. Nia dying really didn’t make much sense to me and even if there is logic behind it, it still doesn’t feel right considering the series. While I can accept that, what Simon did feels really forced. He’s saying he’s tired/done fighting and left everything to the new generation. I can understand the idea they’re trying to get across. With him leaving everything to the new generation at such an early age, albeit forced, reinforces the idea. If it ended right there then it would be a perfectly good ending. However, with the epilogue I was forced to take his decision more literal. He’s only around 20 years old and he’s already done everything he can in his life!? While I don’t see him leading epic space battles, I don’t see him being a wanderer either. Perhaps a mentor to reinforce the idea of the child surpassing the parent.

Since this is an action series, animation is of considerable importance. Gurren Lagann thankfully delivers, and features well animated giant robot action. However, as I stated above I put a lot into consistency and quite often there was be a dip in art/animation after an explosive episode. For example, there was some noticeable weakness in the art in episode 9, which was after the huge battle in episode 8. In general, there were some fluctuations in terms of art/animation throughout the series. As for the art it was unique, but fits with its extreme shounen and silly feel. The only thing that bothers me about the art was the slight lack of detail. However, I really can’t complain too much about the art.

Gurren Lagann was over-the-top, silly, and corny mecha anime. However, it did it with so much gusto it can be seen as a plus for some. This is why I think some people that normally like serious/dramatic/intelligent anime also enjoy this. For me it was simply too silly, too corny, too much. Its blatant shounen nature didn’t help either. Thankfully, the characters fared a bit better as not all of them were overly energetic idiots. Those characters received quite a bit of characterization and are fairly likeable. This was what saved Gurren Lagann from being dropped again. Sadly they didn’t spend nearly enough time on those characters and moments like the dream sequence in ep 26 are far and few in-between. In the end it all boils down to whether or not one can accept its over-the-top and extremely corny nature.

"The story of a man who fights to forge his own destiny."

Pretty much we can resume those words onto this story. To be honest i would have never thought that i would enjoy a show where you can find excesive and overadrenaline fights. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann called my atention just because of the very commotion of being such a overrated anime, or people calling it trash. Turned out that i was wrong to think that this anime would be a waste.

From unexpected shouts of wars to supergalactic fights that our imagination never would manage to have, we have Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, a plot ... that brings the story of a man who tries to forge his own destiny with the company of his friends. Sounds very simple isn't? It is indeed, but just because it is simple it doesn't mean it lacks of complexity and it still will be of easy understanding. The plot revolves in a very simple way, we can see the two main characters standing in a world they don't quite feel comfortable with. What would you do if you were on their shoes? On the surface this seems like a fairly straightforward plot and you may be wondering what's so special about it. And that's part of it, the story is a straightforward tale of two dreamers and the path they take.
With zero weapons, zero plans and a lot of guts, our main heroes try to grasp this first dream; reach the surface.

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann wasn’t really about being deep or carrying serious issues -although the themes dearest to Gainax, such as the adolescent growing and the contrast between reality and dreamworld, make an appearance; I think it nevertheless was a compelling story, and also not too much predictable -Sure, it is a Super Robot anime, the hero has to win every time no matter how it is unrealistic and predictable; but if its predictable moments are compelling and carried with style, they just succeed- no matter if you like it or not.
One of gurren lagann's advantage is a story that could be told in 27 episodes without something like fillers or other annoying things. Why advantage? Because Gurren Lagann didn't have enough time to pause and remind everyone their past and showing weaknesses and long ass monologues every episode.

I wouldn't say that Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is a masterpiece on terms of artwork and animation, The Cartoony yet ambitious style is why it fits so well. This is because even though it doesn't look serious, it takes it self seriously. Yet in the other hand, the 'draw' efect that some episodes has is just incredible on itself, you will be really pleased with the changes that the time-skip this series had. Also when things get hectic and packed with alot of action the art changes to being very epic looking. Especially the scenes where they take a break half way through the anime.
It is indeed very stylish and artistic. I didn't seem -in my opinion- perfect, because it didn't seem to go above and beyond. It was very well done, but still seemed within the realms of 'safe'.

The sound in itself fits so well, from the long battles scenes to even the dramatic moments, the music is just, is just incredible in all the sense of the word, you won't be disappointed and therefore pleased you will be. The opening is inspiring in all ways, from the very first AMV to the last one, Sorairo Days will be on my mind always as one of the soundtracks most enjoyable ever and of course without leaving behind the ending,"Minna no Peace", wich suits perfectly for such fantastic season. The hardcore songs in the middle of the battle will make you scream! Even to the point that it will give you the chills of how epic the music is! Believe me that the soundtracks of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is the very embodiment of exitement.

Well setup and mechas are two important ingredients of a good Giant Robot show, but any anime ultimately lives or dies based on its characters, and on this count, Gurren Lagann doesn't disappoint.
Yoko almost has no purpose other than to fulfill the requirement for X amount of boobs in an anime. People may hate me for saying this, but she's only there to balance the testosterone with estrogen. She saved Simon and Kamina countless of times, yes, but she didn't moved too much the plot. (Hurts me to say this because i love her). Kamina in a lot of ways is the living embodiment of the series its spirit and he's loudly outspoken, supremely confident in his and Simon's abilities and believes so much in his dream, his friends and his own ability that he comes up with some crazy ideas. I don't want to say too much for fear of spoiling the surprise, but Kamina, with his boundless 'machismo' and optimism, is an energetic and charismatic enough character that soon he has inspired humans all across the surface to join his banner and fight against their mysterious oppressors, the beastmen. And although Simon comes close to the whining protagonist archetype that bugs me so much, Kamina's presence and his own inner reserves force him to come through in the clinch and ultimately make him a much more likeable character.

Other than Simon's growth and development, though, the characters just aren't that interesting. You may argue that they're a perfect balance of different character personalities, but they really do nothing other than one thing (ugly button pushing nerd, grunting twins, dumb three useless sisters, conveniently placed old man, mindless battalion leaders, etc, etc).

Enjoyment? Do I need words to express this? To be honest, my first impression was really bad, thought that really changed as i saw every episode. This is, in my opinion, one of the most enjoyable series out there. All the explosions keep you at the edge of your seat wanting more and more. The story flows smoothly without an episode wasting its time on petty things. You will love each one of the elements on this series, his action, his drama, his comedy and even romance.

Emotionally, Gurren Lagann is all about self-belief, confidence and optimism; after all, that is 'spiral energy', an unrelenting, blood boiling ambition to succeed; even when all seems lost, dare to have hope and god dammit, believe in yourself.

"Who the hell do you think i am?".
Indeed, without a doubt such words will stay on our memories forever as one of the war shouts more surprisings that an enemy could have.

Overall no other anime has ever crossed the line to make itself this predictable. Don’t you guys see? It’s this stupendous mash up of predictable and generic plot elements that also make this anime one of the most original animes I’ve ever seen.

I just finished watching TTGL about a few days ago, and let me tell you all, this anime isn't rated #1 for nothing.

Now because there are already reviews that I couldn't hope to outwrite already posted on this page, let's assume that I agree with all of the positive ones. What I hope to do is give an image of what to expect by addressing some of the negative comments about the anime.

First off, some people say "This anime is way too cliche, it doesnt work for me cause theres nothing new". This is completely understandable, because usually the cliche can breach the lines of ... corny and become, well, cliche. The thing is, I am REALLY into the whole "if you think you can do it, you can" mentality, and when you watch TTGL, keep in mind that that mindset is a focal point to the series. Personally, I think its great, and of course, EPIC. The characters are indeed cliche, and the story as well. But something about TTGL elevates these to such a level that you find yourself getting into the story, and attaching to certain characters. There were absolutely no major flaws in the plotline of this story, and the last episode left me tingling with enjoyment. The rewatch value of TTGL is immense; it's ridiculous.

Next, people say "This anime makes no logical sense, how can all this possibly happen?" Well, you're watching an anime, people. Do you expect it to be realistic? To be special, a story usually has to be unrealistic, if not romantic. Ignore that the events of this show could not possibly exist, and enjoy the moment. It really is fantastic.

Also, I wanna add this for people who are thinking about watching TTGL. You might think "I don't really like mech animes" or "I just watched evangelion, and everyone was depressed and it sucked!" I think both of those as well, and mech animes in general aren't that entertaining unless people can really relate to the characters. TTGL really blows down the boundary between your average mech anime and... well, everything else. If you dont like mech animes, watch this anyway.

Finally, some people say "This anime tries to be everything at once: Funny, serious, crazy, it just doesnt work!" Well if you are a seasoned anime watcher, you should know that it works great for an anime to be funny and serious at the same time, and as I already mentioned, pretty much every anime is hard to believe. I'll bet some of the people that didnt like TTGL because it was unrealistic didnt even give Death Note a second thought, both of which are pretty darn unrealistic. But who cares about that anyway? Just sit back and enjoy!

Anyway, my thoughts: Perfect anime. This is one of the ONLY animes I have seen that has a proper end, and leaves nothing unanswered. Basically, every time you think you can withstand the awesome, another wave hits you and you gape in awe at the screen. It's almost never negative, always with a "get up and believe in yourself" attitude throughout. You do not want to miss this cliche yet somehow amazingly captivating series.

I was basically forced into watching TTGL by my brother, and I'm ever so grateful because I, like many others, had not experienced true epicness until I saw this series.

STORY - The story for Gurren Lagann seems very modest at first glance. That's very misleading though, as it eventually becomes quite grand and all-encompassing. Simon and Kamina just wanted to break out of the underground and see what was on the surface, but they got so much more than that... It's amazing to me just how far the story goes between episode 1 and episode 27 (is it 27 episodes because it was just way ... too amazing to fit into 26? I think so). The characters' goals at the beginning and end of the series can't even be compared, and yet, the progression happens incredibly smoothly... so smoothly that you don't even realize how different everything's become until it's all done and over. I find astonishingly impressive. It totally floored me.

Gurren Lagann's story also makes it accessible to a very wide audience, which I also find impressive. Mecha and shounen fans get a great deal of fighting and big robots (really, really big robots...). Shoujo fans get a substantial bit of romance and plenty of general cuteness. There's great general adventure for everyone else, and even moe fans have something to look forward to! The only real catch is that there's a lot of stuff that's just silly and over-the-top. It doesn't take long to realize that TTGL is a rather ridiculous series that can be difficult to take seriously at times -- but that's fine because it's all in good and clever self-mockery (gar is the fuel source of the universe!). Besides, the sillier bits just make the more serious sides more amazing. I love it when a series manages to be outrageous and poignant all in the same breath; it's definitely something that takes skillful storytelling. And satire fans will get a big kick out of all the madness.

Gurren Lagann also manages to do a lot of things you don't normally see in anime. Romantic relationships are actually confirmed and canonized. People die. Important people die. There is a timeskip that doesn't suck. There is a fanservice character that's actually pretty cool and substantial! The bad guys aren't completely one-sided! That's a lot of pretty refreshing stuff!

CHARACTER - There is only one character in Gurren Lagann that you probably won't like, but that's okay because you're not supposed to like him anyway (the backstabbing bastard!). The protagonists are fantastic at garnering audience support and sympathy. Kamina is the manliest man in the world and has enough gar to power nuclear reactors. Despite being Shinji-like and overly emo initially, Simon is very easy to relate to and you just can't help but cheer him on every step of the way. Yoko and Leeron are both fantastic support characters that have quirky habits (and they're also there to poke lots of fun at anime stereotypes). Even the antagonists are fun people! Viral is just... probably the most pathetic villain you ever did see, but so much that you seriously just feel bad for the guy. He tries hard! Very hard! It isn't even that he isn't skilled! He just... can't win against the good guys because they're good! And his superiors are all unique and memorable fellows that put up good, entertaining fights.

Admittedly, few of these characters have deep, probing psychological complexes -- they are simple people with simple goals, but this doesn't necessarily make them one-dimensional. Simon grows a great deal throughout the course of the series, something that's really accented by the timeskip. He's easy to understand, which really adds to his likability as a character. Yoko and Viral are two other characters that really benefited from the timeskip: both develop in somewhat unexpected and interesting ways. The two of them answer the questions of "what does a fanservice girl do after the war?" and "what does a bad guy do when his team loses?" -- two questions that aren't often addressed in other series. Some of the developments are a bit tongue-in-cheek, but overall, they're pretty interesting. And actually, though it isn't obvious at first, there is a question of morals and ethics presented in Gurren Lagann. It can be as deep as you want it to be, or as simple as you want; maybe the ability for you to choose and be satisfied either way is another grand merit of the show.

ARTWORK & ANIMATION - Excluding the infamous episode 4, the animation is pretty nice all the way through. The art style's interesting and fun, and while it isn't anything amazing, it does the job. Now... episode 4. I've heard a lot of reasons why, but the fact is just that there was someone different animating that episode, and it looks awful.The style is completely different; the characters look pretty retarded, and it's just lackluster all around. Don't worry though. Episode 5 is back to normal, and you never see it again! <_<

Also, Gurren Lagann also sports some of the most innovative mecha designs I've ever seen. In a way, they're a mockery of every other kind of mecha out there just because they're absolutely ridiculous. The whole "combining" thing is especially "what the hell???"-inducing. It really gets out of hand after a while...but in a good way though, I assure you.

MUSIC - Gurren Lagann has some pretty epic music. It isn't often you hear opera and rap mixed together for your final boss battle theme. "Libera me" is probably the most heralded track in the series, but for good reason! It's fantastically done and does well to boost your excitement levels for the corresponding scenes. The rest of the music is also pretty amazing, and I'd definitely recommend getting your hands on the soundtrack if you can. The battle themes and unique tracks like Viral's theme are just very memorable and fun to listen to, even if you're not watching the series. Additionally, all of the OP/ED themes for the series were great. I'm especially fond of the opening as it seems to capture the spirit and energy of Gurren Lagann very well. It'll also get stuck in your head for days.

VOICE ACTING - The Japanese voice cast is top notch. Kamina's voice is the perfect amount of epic for his character, which is very impressive considering his gar fuels the entire show. Simon's voice also fits perfectly throughout his many mood swings, and it's hard to imagine anyone being able to replicate Viral's strange voice. Like most others, I was incredibly skeptical about the dub. ADV's cast seemed lackluster, and I balked at the idea of Vic Mignogna as Viral. Bandai's cast, however, was nothing short of WTF... mostly because of Steve Blum's role as Leeron. In general, Bandai's list had a lot more talented names on it, and I actually looked forward to the dub's big premiere on Sci-fi.

For the most part, I wasn't disappointed. Kyle Hebert as Kamina takes a little getting used to -- it's true, he's not as manly as Katsuyuki Konishi, but he does a pretty damn good job anyway. I was the most impressed by Yuri Lowenthal as Simon though. The voice is perfect and Yuri doesn't sound anything like his other prominent roles (it's very easy to forget he's also Sasuke and Suzaku). The rest of the cast isn't nearly as great, but they don't bomb their roles either. I'm not a big fan of Michelle Ruff and think most of her voices are pretty generic; Yoko isn't an exception. Johnny Yong Bosch as Rossiu is kind of hilarious because unlike Yuri, Johnny's voice is reminiscent of his other roles. Hynden Walch as Nia is a bit too cute for me. She sounds exactly like Starfire, but while Starfire's personality is very fitting to Nia's, I just find the voice in general to be way too high-pitched. Viral also isn't that great, but ah well. Like I said, none of them are nearly bad enough to make me go screaming in the other direction.

Oh, and Steve Blum as Leeron? Fabulous. (The voice is a little stereotypical, but it's fabulous nonetheless.)

OVERALL - It's hard to dispute TTGL's sheer epicness, and I think it's a pretty awesome series for both the newcomer to anime and the longtime veteran. You just have to have a sense of humor and the ability to embrace the ridiculousness that will be thrown your way. Live a little, laugh a little, right? Everyone I know came away with the same reaction as me. This is one of those series that after you see it, you will become gripped with the need and desire to share it with everyone you know. So be it. ;3

Believe me when I say I don't give overall scores of 10 very often.

This review contains spoilers.

You see, I completely disagree with Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann's entire ethos and execution; you could even say that it is my antithesis; it is a total contrast to my general thoughts. Hope, comradery and the human spirit are three common themes in fiction, as they directly relate to our day-to-day basis, nature, and overarching history. If you asked me, I personally can't ignore the all-powerful nature of entropy and the overarching cruelty of the universe; existential dread is a core attribute I have installed and something I constantly meander about; thus, I believe hope is supplied best when injected in a ... small dosage against sorrow, as an excess can promptly become intoxicating and ruin a story by using platitudes of asinine hopefulness. If you're going to make a case of hope, make it human and plausible—TTGL fails at doing this. To represent the natural fight against misery and oppression as a constant human victory is to be quixotic and utterly ridiculous. Gurren Lagann has zero potency on its message. I do think these themes are important to address, but Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann makes a very clumsy attempt at doing so and, in turn, becomes one of the preachiest and most ridiculous shows I've ever seen. It's a painfully written work that only seems to be able to deliver half-assed absurdist commentary about our nature and completely corny self-improvement stock phrases you'd find through a simple Google search.

TTGL aims high (as the heavens) but falls (to hell) in the middle of this voyage, laying half-dead in a pit of clichés and toxic optimism. Certain art pieces function as beacons of hope because all of them deliver "hope" in the right way and in a proper dose. They also demand personal development and work coming from oneself, not being obligated by someone else's ego and reckless optimism; many of them also work as excellent tales of caution. In order for all of them to change, the characters have to consider their motifs, their life situations, and much more. Many times, it is a very difficult, personal, and painful work of introspection, but it's amazing to see them evolve over time. 

I believe the absurd and incomprehensible works in a similar way; it has to be delivered cleverly; it's not really clever or interesting when characters are basically juggling planets and making a dick-measuring competition on who has the biggest mech or the most powerful transformation. If there's something that's similar between schlock like Dragon Ball Super and TTGL, it's definitely that they quickly become extremely asinine and a ridiculous dick-measuring contest. When all of this is done wrongly, what was once impressive rapidly turns mundane, boring, and completely asinine; basically, you get Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. By the end, I was driven into pure apathy because of the utter idiocy that was going on. As a whole, this show crumbles like a wrongly-assembled Jenga tower and turns into a disaster because of these issues that I have:

1st issue: Kamina. Just Kamina.

Kamina is not a role model, a badass, or a pleasant person by any means; he's a self-important, suicidal, preachy douchebag who puts others in danger for the sake of his own planet-sized ego, messiah complex, and overtly toxic mindset who, for some reason, the anime insists on portraying as a paragon, a messianic figure, AND Yoko's (admittedly forced) love interest. As soon as Bimbo Redhead appears in the first episode, he slobbers all over her like an absolute buffoon, nearly getting himself and others killed. He's awfully idealistic, filled with toxic optimism, and actively puts others in incredibly awkward situations, such as Simon, who clearly deserves better than this.

He actively ruins plans or clear advantages they (the character cast) have over enemies because of his own colossal ego and foolishness. In episode two, Kamina puts others and himself in danger by standing in front of a giant mech with only a katana. Luckily, they are saved by a convenient firesquad just being there because... idk, and Simon being Superman and somehow snapping out of his anxiety attack again in an instant, but the fact that this time it conveniently ended well doesn't mean I have to disregard all of the garbage that I just had to digest. Kaminas own ego is so astronomically big that he purposefully avoids any and every discussion about his meaninglessness and mortality using vain statements, instead astrally projecting his delusion and himself into being more than he really is, truly showcasing his idiotic grandeur.

He's also a fucking hypocrite, telling Simon to not "heat up" when he sees the mech who caused earthquakes in the village and to maintain a cold head; the AUDACITY of this asshole, weren't YOU the one screaming like a rabid dog to a fucking mech, ruining Yoko's line of sight and standing face to face with a gigantic mech? Or just generally being an obnoxious motherfucker in the least appropriate situations? Who are YOU of all people to say this??? Of course this mindless dork just charges in without any care for their lives, no care for strategy, no care for tactics; just going in without anything in mind but "fighting spirit" and "being a man"... okay, such asinine concepts. Kamina is a headless chicken, which defies its innate duty as a role model. He's idolized for falling into the hands of the enemy out of his own volition. Kamina has to hatch implausible, logic-defying strategies to defeat the enemy in the middle of a battle, putting others and himself at risk, and this is the precedent he wants to set for Simon? He's essentially teaching a persuadable, shy young boy to be a suicidal, pretentious fuck with no care for his or others' wellbeing or any strategy whatsoever, plastering his bad traits all over Simon. 
 
This whole situation ends with the most cliché ending imaginable. "Father, you died in a place like this?" Of course, you idiot, I assume the experiences you've gone through in the latest hours haven't yet clicked in your brain. THERES MURDEROUS MECHS EVERYWHERE IN THE SURFACE, AND YOUR DAD DIDN'T HAVE ADEQUATE TECHNOLOGY TO DEAL WITH THEM, YET HE STILL WANDERED OUT THERE. He was as delusional as you were; the apple doesn't fall far from the tree; I can even say that "he drilled a bit too close to the sun." Kamina DOES NOT realize that his dad was erroneous and deranged or changed after the idealized persona of his father was broken in pieces; also, I guess he knows how to drive that gunman out of fighting spirit and manliness too. Knowing your own weaknesses is important, but Kamina seems to ignore his human mortality.

In episode three, which starts with essentially the intent of a glorified date between Yoko and Kamina, we get to see how she gets flustered because Kamina agreed to go hunting with her; this is basically her version of a date, as she's a no-substance, no-thoughts bimbo meathead. After a certain encounter where the Gurren and Lagann pilots are crushed by an enemy, both Kamina and Simon are sitting in some type of canyon vale on a rock. After Simon tells him some valid complaints and concerns, this absolute moron replies with his classic stock-phrase Oblivion NPC dialogue, "Simon! Our drill will pierce the heavens! It isn't for running away." WHAT. You are now talking because Simon decided to escape. He's also a terrible counselor; he isn't addressing Simon's feelings or problems in any way whatsoever by spitting nothing-burger dialogue like this, but he's also clearly encouraging Simon to follow the same idiotic path as him, which, by the things I've mentioned before, is heinous. 

Kamina gets beaten again because he's so incompetent that he can't formulate the right plan. This edgy guy for some reason doesn't kill him—despite working for the SURFACE HUMAN ANNIHILATION SQUAD and deeming humans as an inferior species who do not deserve his attention—and of course, remember: His vapid character does not inspire only Simon but also Yoko, who in turn has to inspire Simon up; and, as he has done before in his completely schizophrenic character, goes through a 180º spin, and he momentarily turns off his anxiety mode because the plot demands so. That's how anxiety totally works, bro, trust me! You just spit useless shit, and they'll get up again! Good job, Yoko; you just vapidly spoke the anxiety out of him, just like "Cool Boy" Kamina does.

And of course, Kamina gets a love interest in Waifu (Yoko) in three episodes. I'll talk more about this later, since this section is exclusively related to Kamina and his antics. His annoying shenanigans and terrible character continue throughout the series. He also complains about food that is being given to him out of generosity (they have ruined the house of these people, btw, opening up the surface and essentially condemning them; and even with all of this, they are still accommodating the main characters) in episode five, and he interrupts this kid, who was talking about important stuff regarding the orphan children in his village, by asking obvious questions. Seriously, it's like they want me to hate this guy and his fucking guts. And, lastly, in episode 8, even before finally kicking his last breath, he delivers his classic technique: THE TALK NO JUTSU! Freeing Simon from the panic attack of perceiving someone on the verge of death. Kamina might thankfully be dead, rotting away in some pit just like his dad, but the effect he leaves on this show is no less than completely repulsive, like a trail of putrid vomit. The plot loves him so much that it can't leave Kamina's message behind—which brought him his own demise—even after his death. 

To sum it all up, Kamina is actually so retarded that he infects others with his own stupidity. The show really doesn't know what to do with him. Kamina strives and wants to dance above the absurd (or rather above the heavens), but he really can't do that and appreciate the passion of living if he's rotting away in some pit after like eight episodes! He's so fucking suicidal and delusional that he turns into a schizophrenic concoction. Ravelling in the absurd doesn't mean being a freak who can't recognize the shit situations he gets himself and others into out of his own volition, which are oftentimes life-threatening; the absurd doesn't dictate death, but Kamina's own impossibly colossal foolishness and vapidity do.

He's a pretentious idiot who spits dumb glossolalia about absurdity even in situations where they do not belong; he's a horrible counselor who only inspires Simon because the plot loves him; and due to the fact that Simon is also a terrible, bland character, I'll talk about him later. Kamina also has the plot by his side, even after his death, to grandify him and make a masturbatory hagiology of his thought process, actions, and complete vapidity that would never work and which would be disagreed with if he wasn't this anime's pampered golden child. His message is fundamentally contradicted by everything he does and says. The show attempts to make him likable and a "big bro" character, but he ends up being one of the most insufferable motherfuckers I've ever seen in an anime; indirectly or directly, he causes pain to others due to his own negligence.

His beliefs are never disagreed upon in a valuable way by other characters, and he isn't as challenged as he should be. He's a stubborn idiot who can't change the thoughts and values he has learned from his father. Even after seeing his skull, it didn't even make him question his values; instead, it made him even more of a moron. Yet Yoko instantly falls in love with this absolute tool in just three episodes, and she kisses him in episode 8. Mind you, Simon and Kamina's relationship is at a point where they call each other "brothers," so Kamina DEFINITELY had to know that Simon had an interest in Yoko from their experiences and time traveling together, yet he still decided to kiss her. What an absolute fucking idiot! I'll also go into this on my part, talking about Simon. Yeah, this is a load of bullshit. Not even after his death am I free from his vomitive after-death presence; since after that, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann essentially becomes Kamina's shitty parable. The "development" given in episode 11 only further amplifies my complaints about him and his messiah-esque character. Fuck Kamina, one of my most hated anime characters. In any well-crafted show, he'd be the laughing-stock, here he's hailed ad nauseam

2nd issue: The Character Cast

There isn't a single good character in TTGL.

Yoko:

What is Yoko supposed to be? Tell me: What is she, as a character, supposed to be? Anime (especially battle shounen) as a whole is often infamous for including some of the most bland and vapid female characters in existence; clear examples are everywhere: from Mikasa, Annie, and Sasha in Attack on Titan to Jujutsu Kaisen's Nobara and Maki, CC, Shirley, Nina from Code Geass, or Frieren from Sousou no Frieren, and many more. Yoko for sure enters the absolutely list of purposeless, idiotic female characters; she doesn't get any development whatsoever; Yoko is shoehorned into being a love interest for this show's messiah buffoon, because why not right? There's no reason to adore this unlikable court jester yet she takes an unnatural liking to him in a short period of time; just more pandering towards the author's clearly favorite character.

When she barely knows Kamina and his stupidly suicidal personality, she abandons her people and convictions to go with his newly acquired husbando to some death place, and she's constantly used for shameless fan service bait. In the second part, she just... leaves, I guess? Not having received any fruitful development over the first or second half except for waifu pandering and fanservice, you could think of Nia as Yoko's replacement as seasonal waifu, and I'd buy it. She's essentially a pair of walking giant bazongers, boobily boobing her way into boobing her boobs; expect her breasts in a skimpy piece of clothing to be jiggled around your screen constantly. I'm not complaining, honestly, but that's an issue when it's the only defining trait of your character.

Nia: 

Kamina died? Fret not, for Nia is here! She is practically Kamina throughout the second half; however, to TTGL's favor, she is certainly less obnoxious since she doesn't indulge in annoying machoisms or constant platitudes; however, her excessive naivete and purity can get old pretty fast, and they are for sure a solid replacement for Kamina's terrible traits.

At first, Nia is contrary to Depresso Simon and a foil to Kamina; however, she soon turns into just another character who consistently spins around Simon and Kamina without any thought; she blindly trusts the protagonist, and her existential thoughts never get fully exploited into fruition. Nia is a blank slate; that's the purpose of her character; yet she only seems to copy thoughts pertinent to Simon or Kamina's mindsets; she gets nothing else beyond this; her personality remains the exact same through the first and second parts, except for when she's the anti-spiral proxy, and even this is aided by Second Part Simon's glossolalia.

Her introduction into the show is at minimum forced, at worst laughable; she's found through raw lack by Simon in a fight that had nothing to do with her, and she joins the Gurren Lagann squad after changing Depresso Simon's mood within a second; thus, we know her purpose from the very first second she enters the scene! The interesting dynamic between her and the squad is soon completely annihilated by this show's antics and contrivances, which have already been showcased ad nauseam in the first half. Everyone being overtly inept, everyone trusting someone they barely know (granted, Nia risked her life vs. shark woman, but couldn't it be a ploy from the Spiral King or something akin to that? He's a pretty enigmatic figure at that point) or everyone just changing their entire character to fit what the plot wants; her trust in Simon and the squad feels cobbled out of absolutely nowhere.

If I had a nickel for every terrible, soft-shy female character who got black and red clothing after a bad change in characterization, I would get two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice.

Leeroy Littner:

A flamboyant guy whose entire personality is the gay archetype and comedy flavor. In the single episode where he's presented, at least 90% of his spotlight is entirely based on a single comedy gag of him being very extravagant and being a complete gay perv; that's about it for his character. Ron also abandons his people and gets his bag to travel with both Kamina and Simon (two guys he barely knows) to potentially life-threatening territory because they "need a good mechanic." What an absolute goofer!! What about, you know, your own home? The circumstances leading him to leave are so absolutely asinine that I can't even bother. Same thing with Yoko because, of course, you know, she has to be with her FUCKING BLAND LOVE INTEREST THAT SHE KNEW FOR THREE EPISODES everywhere he goes, even if it means abandoning her own people that she has known for years. It's quite funny how both of them have extravagant designs, and then you have the OBVIOUS NPCs who clearly aren't doing shit. I guess character vapidity comes with being from the Littner village. There is nothing. There is nothing more to say; his purpose later on is to do exposition.

Rossiu: 

If Kamina is the dumbest character in this show, second-part Rossiu is probably up there with him too. If Kamina is stupid irrationality, Rossiu is idiotic rationality. We are a mixture of both irrational and logical impulses, both equally driven by impulse and reason, yet Rossiu cannot seem to comprehend this, even after having seen his fair share of Kaminaisms and contrivances in this bullshit verse. "Point A to Point Z" also plagues Rossiu's character, who makes a sudden spin in characterization from being an amused kid with his fair share of impulse and logic to a 100% (stupid) logic, no non-sense type of person, which honestly contrasts with his previous experiences and invalidates his whole arc in the first part. Like, how does he turn into this type of person even after everything he's been through? It doesn't make much sense honestly, and his upbringings from the village weren't taking much of a toll on him on the first part; usually we are most influential in childhood; we repeat things and opinions we hear from adults, yet Rossiu honestly didn't have any of this when he was much younger. He is clearly crammed into this archetype to fit in as a forced foil to Simon and, again, prove an impossible message. Rossiu is also a complete goofball, by the way.

If we view it from a logical, utilitarian standpoint, jailing Simon is a terrible fucking idea considering hes the only one capable of actually fighting the anti-spirals; you're essentially incarcerating the Batman to your Arkham—the Simon to your Kamina City; yet Mr. Fucktard Rossiu and his lapdog are against Simon being free. I also find it incredibly idiotic how this anime just manifests hordes of angry people and riots out of nowhere to force this dumb clash of ideals. In the second half, I just wanted to crush the craneum of this insufferable douchebag. Who even thinks that incarcerating your best soldier and strategist is a good idea? Why did his government decide to scrap the Ganmen when these mechs were clearly created to fight off the Anti-Spirals in Lordgenome's era? What is he going to do with his spaceship after escaping the Earth anyway? Also, it's just an overall terrible idea because you're essentially entering the Anti-Spirals' territory. I was indifferent to Rossiu at first, but I fucking hated him post-time skip. Episode 23, which is based around him, is a fucking train wreck.

Viral: 

Viral is a silly goofball who could have easily defeated all of the squad in an easy way when he was introduced early on, but he decided to be a buffoon since he was in front of this show's golden child, aka Kamina. He is also a recycled antagonist turned ally, akin to that of Jeremiah from Code Geass, who returns constantly to do nothing but get his ass beaten and be sodomized by a scantily clad woman. He isn't an intricate character by any means, but at least he's a pretty fun and charming guy to have around; possibly my favorite character on this show... which isn't saying much honestly; his theme is also a banger, so that definitely helps. Also, am I the only one to think that it is very pathetic to hear Viral repeating one of Kamina's NPC quotes? Like he's repeating the phrase of a guy who directly or indirectly killed everyone who was closest to him and someone who changed his entire life's tide, soon converting Viral into just another devoid of personality Gurren Lagann squad member.

The Gurren Lagann Squadron and other characters:

The more I see of the Gurren Lagann Squadron and their living conditions, the more it makes me question the fact that, despite their situation, they live too well. I mean, they have a clinic, plenty of food for everyone, potable water (or else they would have died of dehydration); they are all in good physical condition and have endless tools and materials; it really contrasts a lot with the situation they live in; it doesn't seem realistic to me; I haven't seen a single moment of them fetching food, or finding abandoned parts to use, or tools for the clinic, or food, them providing manpower, using their time; nothing, there is nothing; how and where do they get so much stuff from? Let alone keeping the Ganmen functional, that must cost not only a lot of manpower and time but also resources and tools, but well, it seems they simply have the amount of resources the plot determines necessary. This lack of consideration into the living conditions of the Gurren Lagann squad undermines this show's feeble core message of human endurance.

The plans that the squadron comes up with are woven out of thin air, and often one can't help but wonder... What do they do before combat? Why do clear strategies not enter into consideration when engaging in combat against the Spiral King's commanders? The enemies are utterly inept, and it is unbelievable how they fail in every situation. All fights are very predictable when this consideration is taken into account.

The others don't even have enough of a reason to care about Kamina's death yet they just... do, like alright; he spat some bullshit and went full self-immolation mode for your own sake, but you all don't know him; like cool "he sacrificed himself for our own sake, nice" that should be the response; yet they all weep, cry, piss, and shit for this man who they've known for a maximum of a week; and of course everyone loves him. Female characters in Gurren Lagann are completely stupid and barebones, even by Shounen standards; mostly defined by their love for another character or a single quirk, Yoko has huge boobs and likes Kamina, Kinon is a hard worker girl and likes Rossiu, Nia is a shy girl and likes Simon, etcetera. None of them are explored in an interesting fashion; I just despise this shoehorned romance. The same could be said for the bland secondary characters, who are completely flanderized into oblivion; Kittan, the twin fuckers, and the big lips comedy relief idiot are some of the worst and most obnoxious. I completely understand Rossiu's complaints towards them; they are absolute morons.

3rd issue: Simon. Just Simon.

Another long rant is incoming. Simon is terrible, so the whole show just falls.

Simon is an utterly schizophrenic, unrealistic character who serves as the direct addressee for the infamous Talk no Jutsu. He's a plain and bland representation of anxiety and grief that constantly does complete spins in personality and ideals when the plot (also known as Kamina's lapdog) demands as such, only to prove messages that, in any capacity and situation, would be wrong; however, they are presented as valid in forced and asinine ways. He is often included in some of the most astoundingly obnoxious and eye-rolling scenes this anime has to offer, paying no attention to actual development and instead going from point A to point Z without any nuance. Simon is virtually a substanceless heap of barebones emotionality and feelings that constantly alternate, in incomprehensible ways, to prove otherwise unrealistic points or messages however the plot (or Kamina) demands; he goes from having a panic attack, then becomes confident out of a sudden, back again to timidity, now he's aggressive, back to panic attack, then he's jealous... 

Which is absolutely fucking retarded, by the way. Simon has known him for a lot of time already; they call each other "brothers," yet all of this goes into the dump as soon as Simon watches Kamina kissing a substanceless girl they've known for, like, less than a month? The relationship between Budget Shinji and Goofy Messiah might be cobbled out of nowhere if it means that it can break that easily; moreover, I'm not even taking into consideration Kamina and Yoko's idiocy and their lack of emotional or situational awareness (it is VERY clear when someones infatuated) or the fact that both romances (Yoko and Kamina, or Yoko and Simon) are horribly built, they (Simon and Yoko) have no valuable interactions whatsoever, yet Simon takes a liking to her so quickly it is completely unrealistic when he dumps his relationship with Kamina over such bland jealousy; episode 8 is a very contrived melodrama, ZERO communication between parties, absolute fucking idiots every single one of them.

He starts as your archetypical wimpy boy who has no future prospects; he's bullied by girls because he is a dirty, stinky guy, and all he does twenty-four hours of the clock every day is drill stuff. Of course, this sets up a clear situation where one, as the audience, is bound to sympathize with this guy. Underdog and coming-of-age stories are always attractive, and viewers are usually expecting to see this once ridiculized or self-deprecating individual raise beyond anything he's ever foreseen. This sounds great, right? We've seen many good coming-of-age stories that make us feel the character's growth. The main issue arises from the fact that EVERY change in Simon's whole persona and ethos resides in Kamina's influence, not any satisfactory or well-built change; it feels utterly false and artificial, as all of Kamina's platitudes and actions apparently emanate some type of supernatural energy that constantly changes the whole cast's characterization and personal dilemmas at his predisposition; soon-enough turning into less coming of age and more like some self-gratifying hagiology or coming-of-Kamina.

It's impressive to me how Yoko doesn't address her kiss with Kamina as soon as the battle is over, just to tell Simon that he shouldn't blame himself for anything; it was his fucking idiotic friend and herself who were devoid of any situational awareness. Simon does this sudden twist from "MY ANIKI KAMINA WE CAN'T DO THIS" to "urghhh... Kamina would easily do this if he were here... we need to do this like Kamina... *executes self-immolation*" putting both him and Rossiu in danger due to the awful fuck teachings from his deceased big brother and a grandious lack of communication; all of this is done in the cheesiest way possible. It could've been interesting to see a more realistic deconstruction of Kamina's ridiculous idealism and how it negatively affects Simon, leading to an eventual breakdown and change, but we get nothing of that—just one blink—and you'll miss the 360-degree change in Simon's personality from one episode to the next. Let me tell you, nobody does Talk No Jutsu like Dead Aniki did, that's the issue. Why isn't it their top priority to talk to Simon and address his feelings? He's the ace pilot of the squad; his Gurren Lagann is extremely powerful, and he's been one of the reasons they've progressed so much, yet nobody seems to really care about him. This only emphasizes Kamina's role as some kind of messiah or role model, which definitely doesn't work. But Simon has a deranged expression! It is so emotional! There is not a single change from Simon that feels natural.

Simon, who clearly disagrees with his aniki's douchebaggery, sets up clear walls and concerns; however, the anime quickly crushes any prospect of developing his own protagonist in a more elegant fashion or any chance of him contradicting Kamina in any valuable way whatsoever. I believe the authors didn't know what to do for Simon to be an engaging character; his struggles are completely milquetoast and explored in a vapid manner; his emotions and philosophy are incongruous and nonsensical; his thoughts are explored in an utterly superficial way; his growth is from point A to point Z and much more; he's more of a receiver than an actual character, I'd dare say. In my case, the least I want is some fucking idiot spitting stupid shit in my ears, but Simon is bland enough for that to work in contrived ways. He does another completely absurd spin in Episode 11 after a flashback regarding Kamina; because of course that happens, he goes from full depresso expresso "I want to kill myself" to "KAMINA! LAGANN! I'M NOT GONNA GIVE UP, COME FEMALE, I'LL SAVE YOU" or whatever corny bullshit; another blink and you'll miss it change, seeing a pattern? Is Gurren Lagann incapable of doing character development? I'm not kidding, Simon gets both ruined and fixed by waifu bait; you really can't make this shit up. 

After Kamina's death, Simon essentially and forcefully becomes proto-Kamina, walking through an obscene path of replicating the exact same thoughts and personality, despite the plot gaslighting you to think otherwise. "Kamina is no longer here!" "I'm not Kamina!" he says, as he proceeds to do Kamina shit and say Kamina's one-liners, revere Kamina every single fucking second, and remember Kamina every single time. You're truly not helping your case, Simon. In the second half, Simon's schizophrenic character essentially dies, now becoming a one-trick pony of faux confidence built upon his deceased friend's diarrhea. Also, I assume that controlling logistics, paperwork, and assigning or managing governmental roles come within the Kamina Inspiration starter pack. It truly seems like the first part of Simon ceases to exist; anxiety and depression traits will always remain even after managing to work around these disorders, sometimes even resurfacing again, yet for our protagonist this phase apparently didn't exist, as the second part of Simon retains nothing of the original Simon.

Again, from point A to point Z, Simon just becomes this wall of confidence out of nowhere! Hell, he even gets his newly acquired waifu to marry him. Great job. Budget Shinji, you've done fantastically well! Mental illness has been officially defeated! If Yoko x Kamina is forced, I won't even talk about how stupid Nia x Simon is. In the second part, Simon gives me huge Kirito vibes, which is not a compliment, as you might assume. Second Part Simon is HORRIBLY bland and boring, his impossible mental fortitude being implausible and vapid, but I couldn't realistically expect anything from such a barebones cast and forced development—nothing but vapidness. From now on, just so you know, I'll sometimes refer to Second Part Simon as "Kirito" because: 1. that's really the quality of a character we have in our hands; and 2. because it's more concise than "Second Part Simon.".

4th issue: Second Part. Just the second part.

After a format of weekly BBEG and finally defeating the Spiral King, a time-skip happens, and they have created a whole ass city (which they baptized "Kamina City," and I want to kill myself) and populated the surface with thousands of humans. What? Yes, in the second part, the main cast manages the government of a country they founded upon the rest of the spiral capital. If, after reading this, dear reader, you're thinking, "It can't be this retarded,"  it really is. I'm not even taking into account the INSANE amount of logistics, resources, planning, and role-assigning (for which the Gurren squad apparently has an infinite storage of) for everything in the republic, but also the fact that this country has been working for so much time under a government composed purely by inept buffoons. Granted, that also happens in real life, but you could replace TTGL's government with a bunch of babbling donkeys and nothing would change. The entire Gurren squad is an obscene composition of drooling idiots, yet they are able to make and organize a citadel. I think something like the Meteor City from Hunter x Hunter is way more plausible, yet the Gurren Squad's city looks like something out of fucking Blade Runner. WHERE DO THEY GET ALL OF THIS TECHNOLOGY (besides the Teppelin Capital's leftovers after the defeat of the Spiral King)? Did they just scavenge everything they could to recycle it? Did they somehow use the ruins and technology from the Teppelin Capital to make their own city? This seems impossible to manage in only seven years. An extremely dumb and non-sensical anime soon turns into a cheesy political drama; it is a spin that honestly dumbfounds me, and it does neither correctly.

A flourishing metropolis just sounds absurd in TTGL's circumstances and zeitgeist, yet it happens because... why not? We need a way to propel the second half after all! The worldbuilding around how this city works is also extremely barebones; also, just to rub salt in the wound, there's a big Kamina statue, of course. You know how Code Geass was almost surprising in how stupid the show is? Like, "it cannot possibly get any dumber," and yet it DOES get more idiotic? Gurren Lagann is exactly that, and oh, just bear with me, because it gets worse than the implausible nation they've cobbled out of nowhere.

The first anti-spiral invades the city, Nia goes into evil mode, and Simon destroys a whole bunch of the city—in complete justification, mind you, this technology was clearly extraterrestrial and there was no way they could analyze it on time; besides, they can easily rebuild the city, considering they did this entire citadel in only seven years; and what other option did they have? Just let the anti-spiral crab go rampant in the city and kill even more people? Yet Rossiu shits and pisses himself when Simon fights, when it's clear that the original Gurren Lagann is dimensions above the mass-produced copies, which would never even touch this creature; sending the mass-produced mechs to fight against the anti-spiral would have been completely in vain and a waste of resources. Although considering Rossiu asks beheaded Lord Genoma what the "system of human annihilation" is, yeah, I'd say Rossiu has a few loose screws, and he doesn't seem to comprehend the concept of war.

Episode 18 is essentially a bunch of exposition and stuff being explained by "muh spiral power," a power system I'll talk more about later; the political intrigue is also pathetic, further amplified by the weak construction of Kamina City. Rossiu is completely delusional: "They cannot know about this." Bitch, they just saw a giant red and black crab shooting lasers, and the moon is next to the Earth. Everyone has already noticed, and those who haven't will soon know. The absolute lack of any patriotism or cult following towards (what should be) one of the biggest revolutionary symbols in the city (the Gurren Lagann) is also preposterous; you'd believe a giant fucking mech would be pretty good patriot fodder.

This show also collects all of humanity, or a very large populace (in this case, an entire city), into a single monolithic group when the plot demands as such, which is completely implausible and denies any prospect of nuance. Even with this singular, ridiculous representation of humanity (where a goofy riot just materializes itself when a point needs to be preached), the roots for an interesting part are certainly here, although I personally think it's completely asinine that Rossiu decided to incarcerate Simon; this is like if Superman was taken to jail after fighting Doomsday because he destroyed too many properties and many civilians were killed. That's what fucking comes when you're going to war with a world-threatening enemy; you all are essentially erasing away your only chance of beating the enemy, you dumb fucks. It's anger-inducing just how ignored Simon seems to be throughout the entire anime, making his already faux growth even more irrelevant and non-existent.

Simon goes to jail, and there he encounters Viral. Shit goes down in Kamina City, and they get inside a spaceship, which I'm not sure what that will achieve. Sure, you might not die from the moon crashing into the earth, but where are you going to go? Supplies will eventually run out and the earth will be inhabitable, and I don't think they have the technology to travel across the galaxy, plus they are going straight into the Anti-Spirals' territory. Edgy Nia talks to Viral and Simon about the Anti-Spiral's purpose and why Rossiu's spaceship idea is absolute garbage, and then BOOM, Yoko appears. For what purpose? Where, specifically, has she been? How did she know the place where he was incarcerated? Nobody missed her anyway; she's less than a character; her time away at the island as a teacher (which, ngl, is a weird occupation for someone like her) could've been a good time for good characterization and development, but it really goes nowhere, just like the Adai Village section. Also LOL at her making up a lame fake name despite... her full, long red-toned hair still being there... a hair color literally nobody else has—they apparently have super computers but not hair dye, or maybe she just didn't care. Although I still have to admit that this was a nice SOL break, something to appreciate after all the political slop.

They all go to space to stop the freaking moon, and Dai-Gurren Lagann happens, which is admittedly cool. I can't believe Viral is repeating Kamina's one-liners; it is so pathetic, imo. I couldn't help but ROLL MY FUCKING EYES when Kirito Simon just talked about no Jutsu'd Nia out of the anti-spiral form. Guess what? Talking now modifies internal programming and technology! Or is that just another property of the *gasp* spiral power!!!? Seriously, such a bullshit power system, it feels so anticlimactic and dumb. Fuck the Anti-Spirals' empyrean technology! Kirito will get his female again! Truly learning from the best. THEY DESTROY THE MOON (which turned out to be Lordgenome's best technology), and IT TURNS INTO A FUCKING SPACESHIP! That's for sure convenient! I just want to delete myself from existence at this point.

Kirito gets to uncorrupt his flustered female from the big bad anti-spirals, so all is good... He ends this up with a one-liner. He's learning. "And someone showed after six years of not showing herself... and she hasn't changed a bit." Even fucking Kittan knows that Yoko didn't get any development whatsoever. OH and Kirito punches the suicidal tendencies of a man with an extremely guilty consciousness (just like Kamina did, get it?) because of course he does; TTGL just invented a new form of therapy! Punch someone in the face! The violin soundtrack comes in, and Kirito soon talks with this suicidal person, who instantly changes his entire mind because he's been graced by the protagonist. This is CANCEROUS, thats the least I can say about this. At this point, this show just becomes Dragon Ball Super slop but with mechs.

Mind you, they are traveling and teleporting through time and space now. The fact that the anti-spirals control the entire galaxy around them is astounding to me. Why can't they just summon a black hole or some shit where they are and spaghettizize all of the Gurren Lagann squad members? Or does the spiral energy also protect them against fucking black holes?? Soon enough, they start to fight against stone flying heads (which loosely resemble Pretty Squidward), and... yeah, do not ask me; this is the part of the show where everything goes into an absurd magnitude. Remember how I said that nobody from the Gurren Lagann squad died in the first part? Well, cut that, because TTGL goes fucking SHIBUYA INCIDENT mode and kills like a third of the squad in a single episode, most of whom undoubtedly and with an implausible mental fortitude sacrifice themselves for the cause. I am okay with character death; in fact, I like it, but holy shit, episode 24 feels like the authors just wanted to cut away the fat from the main squad. THIS SECONDARY CHARACTER? DEAD. THIS OTHER SECONDARY CHARACTER? He also dies! Everyone will just sacrifice themselves without any doubt or fear, and look, they are fighting for the fate of humanity. But even with this in mind, one is just bound to eventually mindbreak and let loose, yet none of this happens. And a freaking ocean in space—that's pretty cool. Can they please leave Kamina behind? We are on episode 25, and they keep mentioning him. I know they are inspired by him and shit, but it is so exhausting and preachy.

NAH, there's absolutely no way the fucking pigmole just recharges the Gurren Lagann with spiral energy. What the fuck is even happening?? At this point, Yoko is just a husbando trap; she has also been kissed by Kittan. lol.  Also, ULTRA BONER SUPER POWERFUL HOLY SHIT GALACTIC GURREN LAGANN is here. The Gurren Lagann is now capable of tanking entire planets, and brace yourself; it gets even worse. The anti-spirals are throwing missiles that alter the probability of hitting the enemy; why haven't they used that in the first place? Kirito now knows the fact that a large enough amount of spiral energy might destroy the fucking universe, but he has a female to save, so he gets on the grind again; also, nobody is seemingly worried about this information. Everyone is just like, "Yeah, sure, let's save the waifu" but anyways.

Admittedly, I liked the surreal section of episode 26, and The Anti-Spiral has a nice design, his discussion with Lordgenome is cool; all of this is ruined by the fucking pigmole evolving into a furry. Yes, you've read this right; due to the potential of spiral energy, he turns into a furry. What a way to completely ruin immersion, and that is ignoring the fact that this irrelevant comedy gag turned out to be a Pokemon on steroids all along, evolving at the right moment thanks to this shitty power system. Pigmole Furry is truly one of the top 10 most powerful characters in anime; his only weakness is Yoko's enormous fleshy watermelons.

Fucking. Kamina. appears in everyone's flashbacks; they are liberated from the Anti-Spiral's grasp, and SUPER ULTRA OMEGA JUICER SIGMA MALE SKIBIDI TOILET HOLY FUCKING SHIT AMERICAN PSYCHO GIGACHAD MULTIVERSE GALACTIC GURREN LAGANN IS HERE, AND KIRITO IS MORE MOTIVATED THAN EVER. PREPARE YOURSELF, SKINNY FUCKER. That's basically the last fight in TTGL. How is this any different from slop like Dragon Ball Super or Fairy Tail? Seriously, they keep popping in with new transformations and friendship "evolution" power bullshit; the ending run of Gurren Lagann is absolutely abhorrent. One is bound to witness many of the most asinine sequences I've ever seen on a show, with flashbacks to accentuate and further preach messages that have been nailed into my brain a hundred times by now. I'm basically being subjected to SAW torture at this point; nevertheless, I kept watching, as this was the final episode and I was going to be free. I just don't care anymore at this point; it's just a power-up galore and dick-measuring contest. Opening ensues, and shit happens.

5th issue: So absurd and massive, yet so mundane and small.

Now, I know nothing about astrophysics, astronomy, or anything of the sort, but the absolute magnitude of TTGL's end arc with spiral power, them traveling through time and space at lightspeed, the anti-spiral big boss, and the STTGL still made me wince in cringe. I've heard of a review mentioning how their knowledge of astrophysics led them to "sit in a corner and cry." I truly can't imagine the trauma this person had to go through—some Dante's Divine Comedy type of shit. The Gurren Lagann combining itself with the Dai-Gurren was cool, but them juggling universes around and doing Dragon Ball Super shit was just asinine; hell, they start to break the space time as soon as the Tengen Toppa Dai-Gurren is a thing; that's when you know shits are going to go down—and not in a good way. At Galactic Gurren Lagann, shit's already dire; it quickly becomes a superhero slop with constant asinine transformations and bullshit spiral energy everywhere. OH, YOU THOUGHT WE WERE DEFEATED??? GURREN LAGANN EVOLVES AGAIN, like it is fucking Dragon Ball, yet it feels so small and just... boring. Keep throwing universes and playing with sticks, Gurren Lagann; maybe you'll manage to be amusing at some point, even though I consider it to be a sisyphean task in my case.

The lovecraftian and absurd, when done well, are impacting and unbelievable; often times one doesn't know where to start in analyzing them, but the STTGL and the Anti-Spiral are just asinine. Sincerely, they are doing this shit and ripping the space-time continuum like its nothing; at this point, it just feels like you're watching your two small cousins fight with sticks, and they are pulling off bigger hacks from under their sleeves. BOOM, I HAVE A BIGGER STICK! NO, BECAUSE, ACKSHUALLY, I HAVE ANTI-BIGGER STICK RESISTANCE! MY STICK IS NOW EXTRA BIG, AND IT COUNTERS YOUR ANTI BIG STICK RESISTANCE! That's how the ending of Gurren Lagann goes off; it feels like nothing. The Anti-Spiral throws a laser with an energy equivalent to that of the fucking big bang at them, and at this point, I'm just wondering how the Earth isn't being fucking annihilated and vanished from existence just from the impact of their clash. THEY ARE BIGGER THAN ENTIRE UNIVERSES, for fuck's sake; it is just bland and boring; I don't care.

6th issue: Gurren Lagann and how it fails

Call me a nihilistic freak, a callous individual, or a bitter person, but I really need to give my two cents on this.

Coming of age:

I think Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann completely fails in the way it depicts coming-of-age and its themes as a whole; I am meant to like Kamina and his boisterous ideologies or be happy for Simon's growth; I am meant to have fun as the anime gets retarded on the second half climax with the anti-spiral galactic STTGL stuff; I am meant to like the character cast, but... I just don't. Simon is never well-built enough for me to care in any fashion about his plastic faux "growth" or anything he has to offer, and Kamina is a terrible character and role model for everything I've mentioned before; if you fail to build the very first two characters who exemplify and showcase this show's message, you know that you're in big trouble. The super galactic, ultra absurd stuff also doesn't work because everything else fails; it doesn't feel as climactic as it wants to be. As I said before, "After Kamina's death, Simon essentially and forcefully becomes proto-Kamina, walking through an obscene path of replicating the exact same thoughts and personality despite the plot gaslighting you to think otherwise. "Kamina is no longer here!" "I'm not Kamina!" he says, as he proceeds to do Kamina shit and say Kamina's one-liners, revere Kamina every single fucking second, and remember Kamina every single time".

Simon becomes no one but a substanceless replica of someone who has already existed, which is just completely lame. TTGL completely fails as a coming-of-age history since there's no real growth to talk about, just severe jumps in characterization fed by implausible situations; when he grows up, he doesn't become a better person or an individual with their own mindset and personality; Simon just becomes Kamina, and that's about it. Others oblige Simon to grow up by feeding him ridiculous one-liners and thoughts, which are completely implausible to work with any other person, but they function with Simon as he isn't a real character but a plot device to further accentuate an impossible message. He changes constantly, with no satisfying character arc to speak of, to justify anything the plot wants to at that specific moment.

Evangelion triumphs because we can sympathize with Shinji, Asuka, Rei, and the rest of the cast's struggles, even the secondary characters; the Third Impact triumphs because it is a well-built climax which expands on character arcs and ends the characters' journey in a very satisfying manner; but that doesn't happen in TTGL's paper-thin fashion; whatever growth Simon goes through is forced by highly unlikable situations or quixotisms; whatever Kamina says and does is word of preach, essentially solidifying this anime's place in a single platitude. It is completely out of touch with human mortality and meaninglessness, deifying mere humans who should only walk; the message of this show resides in dumbing down an existential issue bound to the human species. TTGL wants us to see the "human potential" to drill "beyond the heavens," but it is completely contrary to our natural place; it is really just a non-sensical landscape of one-liners and bad writing, which do nothing but augment my suspicions that this show isn't meant to be anything beyond what it seems, other than mere "LE WHOLESOME INDOMITABLE HUMAN SPIRIT" masturbation material, devoid of any points to make, and that gets me to my next point.

"If you believe in yourself and work together, you can achieve anything." 

This is one of those classic phrases you'd see being reposted by a Facebook mom or being imprinted on some cheap merchandise. Do not think of the main character cast or secondary characters who are graced by Kamina's direct presence and by his sacrosanct words; think of the characters who don't receive a name, those who didn't stumble upon an ancient piece of technology out of pure coincidence, those who don't have the entire plot by his side, the other townfolk from the Adai Village—just anyone really. We are intrinsically tied to our circumstances and surroundings; to believe otherwise would be foolish. Our hard work will many times be wasted on absolutely nothing; we will be reprimanded despite giving our best efforts, and we will be unjustifiably fucked over. I wanted to go to college, study my dream career, and have a cool job I liked, but guess what? I was held back by financial and real-life issues, so I had to work in jobs I absolutely despised and have a life I didn't want, my dreams going down the drain. To say "lol, just believe in yourself and work hard" is truly having a highly dreamlike and quixotical worldview, especially considering the expensiveness and unaccessibility of everything nowadays. 

The mental fortitude of every character in Gurren Lagann is unreal. Shinji triumphs as a character because he's a teenager who has to fight a biblical battle beyond comprehension; he has to stop an earth-ending event and fight against the powers that be; and he goes into a complete fucking mental breakdown, understandably so, and that's why he's so relatable. But every Gurren Lagann character, kids and adults alike, just fucking fistfights lovecraftian enemies; they fight God; they destroy planets; they just travel into space; they sacrifice themselves for a single cause without a doubt, a single concern, or without any semblance of introspection or breakdown and they are filled with an impossible sense of comradery; it is so fucking terrible and unrealistic; I can't relate to any of these characters, who don't seldom pose a single drop of preoccupation, humanity, or pessimism.

"Indomitable Power of the Human Spirit"

No, the human spirit, as long as it has to pass through the painful process of living, will never be able to clash elbow-to-elbow against the overarching zeitgeist of the universe. We die pathetically in decay; we fight between ourselves and live no more than a spark of life itself; we exist in a nigh-lovecraftian order of heartlessness, a cold progression of time and space, and a neverending clash between a cruel order and disorder; the ever-passing nature of time and the universe crushes us. Hell, we barely put up a fight in opposition to the political and social circumstances that have surrounded us time and time again; our own laws fall flat, insanity coupled with agendas threatens our everyday lives, and we are often deprived of autonomy due to outside circumstances. How is it even thinkable that, even on a grand scale, we even stand a chance against the always-looming chaos and agony? This trope is an insurmountable cliché used on many tales, which often turns into a detriment; it is corny, ridiculous and narcissistic.

Of course, this shouldn't limit us, but to believe that humans are much more than a mere speck of dust or number in this infinite cycle of natural cruelty is, at minimum, foolish; we can express ourselves, but on a grander scale, we are nothing more than a plaything in the order of an impossible-to-understand order. Thinking we can even brawl against the crushing nature of entropy and chaos is preposterous. This show aims to clear or at least give clarity to these questions, but it does nothing to aid its case or reply to these questions in any way whatsoever, except if you consider awful, trite dialogue, vapid theming, horrible development, and a volatile characterization to be a correct response to such an existential issue. Honestly? Fuck the "indomitable human spirit" trope, quite possibly one of my most hated tropes out there, and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann embodies that but augmented a million times in the worst way possible, and I despise it. The human spirit is feeble and weak—if it even exists in the first place.

Spiral energy and why I hate it:

Spiral Power is a hack power system that unsatisfyingly explains everything and covers every technique of bad writing with asinine explanations and limits. It is also in place to justify haphazard, implausible plans and prove impossible messages right, I believe this is one of the reasons why I felt like everything in Gurren Lagann was so anticlimactic and predictable. Spiral Energy as a power system is mind-numbingly simple and seems to devolve into a single platitude, which makes it so unappealing. Everything is explained with "well, it's spiral energy, dummy," like, how did the humans reproduce so much during the time skip? "Spiral Energy!" How did they manage to forcefully prove certain messages right? "Spiral Energy!" and more, it also taints the execution of themes and messages this show tries to output since it relies so heavily on this vaguely assembled power system. When the main squad faces an obstacle, expect this power system to do the chores and raise their power beyond comprehension. The immature thoughts of reckless machoisms and bravado are impossible to digest, and representing brainrotting schemes as always working better than carefully planned strategies is astoundingly obnoxious. Seriously, I couldn't help but roll my eyes constantly.

Fear exists for a valid reason:

Fear is an instinctive response to many situations in our day-to-day lives, and understandably so; it has helped us to fear natural predators or to further improve the survivability of our species. Fear is a mixed response; sometimes it will help us, but on other occasions it will freeze us in place. And justifiably enough, Gurren Lagann just erases any fear and doubt the characters have, which is excessively inhuman. To undermine the importance of our fear is also ridiculous and akin to my complaint about the treatment of the absurd in this show. Every character is unfathomably strong mentally, and they never have any doubts, even when clashing against the overarching forces of the universe.

Kamina Effect:

The Kamina effect, aptly named after a character in this work, is the product of a character whose influence borders on the supernatural and whose message borders on the absurdly impossible; however, the aftermath of this character, even after his death, makes the plot convoluted in ways one can't help but roll one's eyes or scratch one's head. Characters are changed from one moment to the next by Kamina; characters are completely influenced by Kamina; people who should give a damn about Kamina suddenly care a lot about Kamina; people with thoughts contrary to Kamina are changed; it's the Kamina effect; it's the outcome of a character who serves purely and solely to change the plot on a whim instead of letting the story change him or the plot develop naturally. Remember the element manipulators in Avatar? Kamina would be the only plot manipulator there. The message Kamina gives only works because of forced elements of the anime or sudden changes in characterization, which feel anticlimactic and contrived to say the least; the fact is that in a more natural work, Kamina would be taken as a court jester, and his messages would be quickly dismissed as an ode to optimistic suicide.

A one-sided clash of logic vs. absurdity:

The following individuals are always depicted as apathetic, power-hungry megalomaniacs: The leader of Simon's hometown is depicted as a tyrannical bastard, the Anti-Spirals are downright genocidal villains, and Rossiu's father is depicted as an oppressive leader who follows a faux rulebook—soon, inexplicably, his son growing to be like him; an absolute force of pure logic, becoming the antagonist of the second part. Every law-abiding, logical character is represented as a force of antagonism in this series' unrestrained appraisal of the irrational absurd, deliberately ignoring our own nature and how logic has served us time and time again. Be it for militaristic strategy, science (which is able to explain many phenomena with an absurdity akin to that of spiral energy), or many other things, of course, the same thing could also be said for irrationality. BOTH POLAR OPPOSITES ARE BAD, but Kamina is ridiculously considered the overaching hero of this series; his suicidal tendencies and baffling character are deified in every second, for which I cannot help but be weirded out. 

Granted, a lot of TTGL's verse is based on and powered by the absurd, but to take logic and paint it as the antagonistic force of this series is completely incomprehensible. How do they think buildings in Kamina City were done? Just slapping components together and hoping it works by "manly power" or some shit? They are based on cold architecture; supercomputers were created by frigid math and science; mechs were created by robotics and technology; all of these are logical powers that cannot possibly work under the absurd since everything would just break. Yet all of this is ignored. Taking the absurd as the driving force behind everything and antagonizing rationality. Never strategizing, never explaining anything; absolutely nothing, just "DRILL DA HEAVENZ SIMON!!!1111" and "MANLY POWER BITCH I TRUST HIM LOL" stupidity. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann constantly abides by the absurd, making it an utterly predictable and dull show.

7th issue: Other aspects

The soundtrack is easily the best aspect of this show; although it isn't particularly unique, the rap songs and metal tracks perfectly fit the frantic pace of this anime. I specifically like "To Hell with Gattai!!" and "Nikopol" and whenever they popped up, I couldn't help but at least utter a faint grin. However, the other tracks aren't very highlightable. There's a single nice opening track and a decent amount of forgettable ending tracks. Regarding the show's overall mood, I'm told to turn off my brain, but then you insert dumb geopolitics and Spiral Energy babble? But then I try to see this show's properties, and I can't help but be utterly disappointed. Just about everything crumbles, and it is laughable. The message stinks, the themes stink, everything stinks. "Turning my brain off" also doesn't allow me to just digest garbage; I cannot do it. Overall bad plot, but it doesn't matter much, honestly.

Pacing is all over the place; you've got sudden beach sections, then a fucking sauna filler episode; then you've got whatever the fuck episodes four and six are; enemies come out of nowhere with no plausible anticipation or buildup; they fight, they go away, then suddenly a calm section, and that's about it. Gurren Lagann is a glorified enemy of the week series; enemies constantly arrive to be beaten by the main squad using bullshit spiral energy and whatever they pull out of their asses. I also didn't understand the decision to turn this into some shitty political drama when it doesn't work. There isn't enough time or interactions to sympathize with and connect with the characters or to digest what just happened; they just spit whatever one-liners, fight, and do goofy shit. The events do not really feel "connected," if that makes sense; it is mostly just a sequence of anticlimactic sections lazily knit together.

8th issue: Conclusion

I deem Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann to be an utter failure, not only lacking in a good message but also in the frailty of every single component in this show: its barebones character cast, the idiotic plot decisions and pacing, the non-existent development, the eye-rolling dialogue, the ad nauseam preachiness, contrivances, idiotic ideology and philosophy, forced and erratic characterization, and just about everything, seriously. Of course, we can and should attempt and try to tap upon our potential, that isnt a bad thing—but TTGL's optimism is nearly offensive. There are things that will be outside of our reach and fuck us up without any fix or remorse, no matter what we do; and there will be no messianic figure to figure it out for us or make it work, no "spiral power" or sudden life spins to change your life in a positive way forever; this toxic optimism for human potential and hope makes me sick to my stomach, as it is so blatantly untrue.

The only aspect where I believe Gurren Lagann has a small win is in the soundtrack and sometimes the action, yet both are so overwhelmingly crushed by every other bad aspect of this show that I cannot help but give TTGL the minimum score possible. Congratulations to Gainax for getting both a 1 and a 10 from me.

Fuck this show, fuck everything it stands for, and fuck everyone who delivers platitudes of insincere, shallow hope for a living.

"Who the hell do you think I am?!"

A now famous quote that is Kamina's battle cry, Simon's battle cry, and arguably the show's battle cry. Gurren Lagann is a show that screams this in every way, shattering all limitations placed upon the constraints of its world. In doing so, it becomes what is arguably the most epic anime on the map today, in every sense of the word.

Gurren Lagann is an epic story, because the narrative actually is the layout of classic epic poetry. A vast limitless setting to journey across, passionate speeches, and heroes that embody the hopes and dreams of entire civilizations. It ... is a tried-and-true formula that Lagann follows to the letter. This is especially enjoyable for people such as myself, who need more... much much more, to even consider watching a "mecha" anime. In telling the story as it does, Gainax yet again reinvents the mecha anime. Bravo.

Unfortunately, epics tend to tell the story of one man, not a whole cast. Lagann however has a huge cast of supporting characters, and many of them are hardly necessary to the plot and do nothing but chew (or in this case, blow up) the scenery. The only real key characters to the story are Kamina, Simon, and Nia... yes, Yoko really is just a pair of boobs and a gun. Disagree all you want but tell me how she significantly moved the plot... that's what I thought. So it goes for the majority of the cast in terms of development and usefulness. If the three mentioned aren't on screen, it's kind of hard to care about what's going on. Regardless, this flaw is relatively minor in terms of series quality and the characterization of the three key players is still outstanding.

Lagann is animated expertly by the infamous veteran studio Gainax. A studio known for inventive directing, and this series is no exception. Animation is jerky and sketchy, but given the sheer energy of the material and it's unbridled force, it works and it works perfectly. You may not like the look of it, but that doesn't mean it's not appropriate. Only one episode of the bunch really stands out in quality, but it is a one-time slip... still it is a massive slip so points need to be taken off for it. Everything else is Grade-A material.

The journey of Gurren Lagann is accompanied by Taku Iwasaki's soundtrack. The use of rap doesn't always work, but the majority of the music is not rap, and does well to highlight the epic nature of the series with swelling brass, snare drums, and even opera. The sum of it sounds like a grand call to war, which fits the series perfectly. Shoko Nakagawa's opening song and insert song always do a great job of pumping up the viewers, but I feel mixed about the ending themes. They're not bad, but they don't really add anything.

So here we are at review's end. To be frank, very frank, when I finished Gurren Lagann I felt like my soul had had an orgasm. The passionate dialogue and grandiose animation are rhetorically dynamic. You feel what Simon feels, you want what Simon wants, and you go through it all with a deep sense of satisfaction. Gurren Lagann is a genius anime, but it is also a respectable triumph in general entertainment, anime or otherwise.

Overall, I give Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann a 9 out of 10.

First of all, I'd like to point out that I do not normally watch anime about mecha. That being said, I found Gurren Lagann to be a fresh look at the genre, and one that was quite entertaining as well. Unfortunately, I do think the show has been slightly overrated (being ranked #1 on this site at the time of writing) and for this reason my expectations upon starting Gurren Lagann were somewhat higher than they should have been. I'd have probably enjoyed the show more if I'd gone in with my usual attitude toward anime of this genre and been pleasantly surprised rather than ... mildly disappointed.

My main reason for writing this review therefore is for those like me who might otherwise watch this show without regard to the fact that it still follows many the typical shounen mecha tropes that made me dislike this genre in the first place. However, this is not meant to be a critical review of the genre in general but of Gurren Lagann in particular, so let me emphasize that no matter what your preconceptions of this type of anime may be, I still believe that this show is worth watching.

Gurren Lagann is primarily a coming-of-age story. The main character, Simon, begins the story as a young boy who is unsure of himself and largely dependent on his older brother Kamina. As the story progresses however, Simon is forced to with situations where his brother can no longer protect him. Simon must therefore learn to become a hero in his own right if he is to survive in the dangerous world in which he finds himself.

The story progression is fast paced and the characters undergo changes with each episode, so it was definitely much more than the mecha-battle-of-the-week show that generally turns me off toward this genre, as I mentioned previously. The story has a few good plot twists and most of the characters make a meaningful contribution to the story (with the exception of Yoko who is mostly fanservice, though even she is given an interesting subplot toward the end of the series.) Although the plot can be somewhat silly at times, especially in the beginning, it is offset by serious moments and the mood of the show can change in an instant.

The biggest complaint I have about the story is the overextension of the technology/science around which the entire plot is centered. The technology involves a (metaphoric?) relationship to drills, which I felt was somewhat strange and could at least have been better explained. I tend to make a big deal about this sort of thing, so I expect others will disagree with me, but I found the somewhat ridiculous extent to which the characters powers had evolved by the end of the series to be somewhat unbelievable based on the premises set down by the rest of the show. I realize that the evolution of main characters to demigod like status is widely accepted in anime (i.e. DBZ, Bleach, etc.) I just thought I should warn those who are mildly annoyed by this as I am.

That being said, the action scenes are rather well done, even those toward the end that involve large mecha hurling galaxy sized energy blasts at each other. The fights are greatly enhanced by a mostly techno/rap soundtrack, and the fast paced action, while not the best I’ve seen, was more than enough to remain exciting throughout each battle. I even found myself enjoying some of the epic battles near the conclusion in spite of myself. These closing battles were quite attractive to look at and the operatic background music completed the feeling to create something that was actually quite enjoyable.

The animation is definitely not the most realistic, but instead uses a unique style that is still pleasing to look at most of the time. The simplicity of the artistic style combined with the bright colors are reminiscent of earlier shounen action anime, but somewhat more caricatured.

Overall, Gurren Lagann was well worth watching, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys mecha and fast paced action. Even if this type of thing isn’t what you normally watch, this show is still worth a try. It is necessary to suspend disbelief at several points of the story, but the action is still quite enjoyable, so long as the viewer is not prone to over analyzing everything.

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is a fast paced, no-holds-barred Shounen, Sci-fi, Mecha, Adventure anime that takes many of the elements that worked well, to form something that is bursting with entertainment. ^_^

The story revolves around humanity’s struggle against enemies known as the “beastmen” who use mecha to annihilate all the humans on the surface. The story is really simple, with no need for complications as it follows several people (including Simon, Kamina, Yoko, etc.) who stand up and fight. As the story goes, the people get stronger and their numbers grow larger and even after some major turning-points it never loses its focus. Nonetheless the ... story may be too simple for its own good. Yet this still doesn’t change the fact that the anime is pure entertainment, having no dull moments but is always full of action and laughs. This somewhat changes after the time-skip though.

The characters are all pretty great themselves, with plenty of laughs to be had but it is the main ones that truly stand out. Simon who is the typical weak-minded boy found in a lot of shounen anime, Kamina the extreme, fanatical guy always moving forward towards his dream and Yoko the hot babe who is not only there for fanservice. These are the ones that develop the most throughout the story and in such interesting ways.

The animation quality may not be the best ever but it is perfect for this series. It embraces a rich colour palette with detailed background and environments. The characters and mecha have pretty basic but cool designs; with completely fluid movements, even during the comic book style action sequences. These over-the-top action sequences are what make the series so exciting with superbly implemented explosions, smoke and other special FX.

The music comprises of a mixture between sombre and thumping Rock, Rap and JPop beats and even though it gets fairly repetitive, the adrenaline will still be flowing whenever the action kicks in. The constant screaming and shouting can get annoying though.

Overall this is a fast-paced anime series that will give young fans something to get excited over but also give of a classic anime feel for the somewhat mature viewer. What makes this mecha anime stand out from the rest is that is never gets too serious, so there’s nothing in the way to ruin the enjoyment and mindless fun to be had. Of course for those who don’t like mecha anime wouldn’t suddenly like this one but if you don’t have anything against giant robots then this series is a must (especially for FL CL and FMP! fans).

^_^

When I hear about a company making a mecha anime, there are only two things that spring to mind: either they are brilliant, or they are goddamn blind and living under a rock. Thankfully for fans of anime worldwide, the boys and gals at Gainax are neither blind, nor living under a rock. The simple fact is that Gainax has proven one universal truth: no matter how saturated the genre may appear at any given time, there is always room for improvement. All you need is a robot with two heads, arguably the most elusive quality in a mecha.

In many ways, TTGL represents the true ... evolution of mecha. It takes the concept of armored fighting vehicle to a whole new level. A level no mecha anime dared to do before.

Not once in TTGL did I feel like being let down. It is both visually and in terms of concept, a cross between Eureka Seven and Fooly Cool. Only, because of the nature of the genre itself, it's far less scripted. I was constantly being shocked in each episode, as it just keeps on getting better and better. The whole anime was frantic, brimming all kinds of nonsensical BS. But thats what separates TTGL from the rest of the mecha's. And it is the key of TTGL to winning the hearts of millions of people.

The story was enough for me to get hooked although it wasnt anything lavish. Ive always lean more on post-apocalyptic anime's since it has a tendency have an interesting story. There's even a major twist later on the series which is an excellent addition. In even went as far as, botching all logical sound judgment just to be able to explain what it has done.





The unusual thing about this show is the pace. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann had the advantage of not being based on manga, thus the speed of unfolding events was not constrained by manga releases. While Tengen Toppen Gurren Lagann certainly went through content faster than other animes usually do, it is actually quite reasonably paced. In truth I was quite pleased with the rate of progression throughout the series. It did not really feel too fast nor was it too slow. Despite the story being nothing unusual, it is very well done and well worth the watch, at least the first two thirds of it.

The characters here are also striking. They werent believable by any means, but they were certainly memorable. One in particular is Kamina, favored by the majority. I myself cannot deny this. With an optimistic, easy going personality, who wouldnt like Kamina? He and the strikingly bold style of this anime made what is today. Aside from him, a handful of characters go through a major development. We have Simon, a hopeless digger who is worse than dog **** acquires maturation. Rossiu, an annoying prick who becomes well... it wouldnt be fair if I give it away, now would it? There is even a minor romance here between the characters that increases the relationships between the characters. It was amazing how they were able to add drama in the middle of all the eccentric events.

The animation is top notch. It was able to change something so common in anime's into something deviating from the recognized that catches the eye of millions of people out there . The fan service here are also a plus, to most people at least. So if your not into "bouncing", skip episode 6 and you'll be just fine.

The music was owing. The OP was lively enough for you to go to the top of your roof and scream your lungs out. It really made you prepare for what is to come, one hell of an awesome anime. Even better, it was prevalent during climactic parts which really spices up the mood. The ED was also good. It had a nice mix of rap and metal.

Granted, no anime is perfect, and neither is this one but as far as action anime's go, TTGL has done a stellar job. From guerrilla warfare to flinging cosmos as if its just mere softball, everywhere you look something over the top is happening.
Every second was intoxicating in TTGL. The comedy is also outrageously utterly ridiculous, you wont miss a laugh from it. But that doesnt mean TTGL cant be a tear jerker too, there are moments when there wont be a dry eye on the house.

In all, while no anime is perfect, Gainax should be praised if only for doing the unthinkable - by innovating the mecha genre. Of course, its effects go well beyond the sub-genre and advance the genre as a whole, which in itself has become a remarkably rare quality in the anime. Hats off to the Gainax boys. I may not be the biggest fan of mecha anime's, but this one just goes way beyond anyone's affinities towards mecha. Unless you hate being driven to shrill uncontrollably, Mecha fan or not, you will not regret watching this. You will rather regret for having read this review and have wasted all this time, not watching it.

Every once in a while a series comes along that, for lack of a better word, owns the competition. Ladies and gentlemen that series is Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, do not let the lengthy name intimidate you or the seemingly cartoonish style put you off because this show is worth it and you'd sorely regret not experiencing this gem of a series. In a world where the majority considers mediocre shows such as Naruto to be masterpieces, we often overlook shows that so sorely deserve our attention and they end up just passing us by. I'm writing this review in hopes it will divert ... your attention away from shouting bankai as you imitate Ichigo and open your eyes to this series.

Story wise Gurren Lagann shows us exactly what an anime should be, a seemingly simple story of a young men forced to stay in a world against their will delves into gripping story of man vs fate, man vs man, and man vs self. The story itself doesn't drag on and on for episodes on end trying to solve what could be done in one it is, in short, paced perfectly. Also it is impossible to be lost or confused in this series as you are constantly given just enough information to understand what is going on but it holds back enough to keep you interested.

The art is easy on the eyes though it does have a choppy feel at times it isn't so bad that you can't make out what is going on. Chalk it up to production expenses, since there are a lot of action scenes.

The musical score was obviously well thought out, it matches the mood of the scene and doesn't interfere with the story at all it remains where it should be...the backround. It also incorporates many genres as well it's a mix of hip hop, contemporary, rock, even opera so you should find a few pieces that are similar to your taste in music.

The characters are done extremely well, they are developed nicely and convey emotions quite well, you can literally feel their plight. Also their emotional depth doesn't consist of a bad childhood, and crying when the world doesn't bend to their will. The are a wide range of characters, and as well so you're bound to find one that interests you . A word of warning, this isn't a cutesy series where all semi important characters are protected by an anti-death shield so don't expect your favorite characters to have happy endings.

The enjoyment factor should be apparent in the way I've written so far, just in case you are slow this is an extremely enjoyable show, it has quite a bit of slapstick as well as non-slapstick comedy. The battle scenes are intense and fast paced be they in mecha or hand to hand.

Overall this is a series that you shouldn't let pass you by, so please if only for a second turn away from Naruto and Bleach (take a deep breath buddy, they'll be there when you turn back) and give Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann a chance you won't regret it.

When reading some of the reviews for Gurren Lagann, I realized very quickly that a lot of people are transposing their enjoyment of the series onto their opinion of its story and characterization quality.

This is a mistake.

While Gurren Lagann is a fun, entertaining anime with many over-the-top, wow-factor moments, it doesn't do anything that hasn't been done before in one form or another. The overall message of believing in oneself and that "Ganbarre yo!" atmosphere is a major factor in the enjoyment of the show. The opening theme is great, the animation, apart from one episode near the beginning of the series, is mostly spot-on, ... and the voice acting is superb.

However, if you're looking for a serious anime like Death Note or the majority of Code Geass, you won't find it here. Don't expect many intellectually mind-blowing events or characters, if any. This anime is zany, wacky, fun, and almost nothing more.

I want to be clear: I enjoyed this series, but I can acknowledge that it really isn't anything special.

The emotional impact of the show is pretty much summed up in the "Ganbarre yo!" effect I mentioned earlier. It's all about doing your best and fighting no matter how bad the situation gets.

If you like a series where things are zany, over-the-top, and crazy, you might like Gurren Lagann.

If you like a series where the characters win by force of will alone, you might like Gurren Lagann.

Finally, if you like a light-hearted series that you can sit down and watch without the emotional turmoil of some other series (read: Code Geass), you might like Gurren Lagann.

Watch the first 4 or 5 episodes. If you don't like it by then, it probably isn't happening.

This is the only series that is bad enough for me to put it on hold thrice but just good enough for me to pick up again and finish. I am astounded by the mass popularity of this anime, there is no logical reason for it. The story you can say is about fulfilling dreams, which is fine. The problem is that it tries to be serious and absurd at the same time. Combining FLCL and Gundams does not work, yet that is exactly what this anime is. The animation is very good however and and their use of CGI fit in nicely when they ... used it. The musical score is nothing to brag about, it was neither a + or - for the show it was just there. The development of Simon may be the shows one redeeming quality. With the exception of a few incredibly bland characters like Kamina, most were fairly unique and a few core characters grew quite a bit. Overall it is hard to take this series seriously when you have giant drills coming out of nowhere, mechs with faces(for no explainable reason) and talk of "spirals". If your just coming out of the DBZ watching anime faze then yes this will seem like a work of art to you. If not, then its nothing special and watch it if you find the time after watching better anime.

I just don't seem to be able to wrap my head around this anime and the ideas of the people at Gainax behind making it...
It seems almost like what Quentin Tarantino did with Kill Bill, which is a throwback to something that was mildly popular back in the 70s. Gurren Lagann seems to do the same thing, as in copying the over-the-top style and cheesy writing from the mecha anime from those days. Or they made a parody on that exact same thing by going even further into it then they did back in the 70s.

I'll admit straight away that this type of anime is ... not my style, especially since I'm someone that loves an anime with a great story, which is something that seems to be put into this anime as an afterthought to fill in the few seconds in between the senseless battles and fanservice.

I'll give a rundown of the scores, as I usually do.

Story: 2
There is something of a story put into this anime, but it's far from original, full of plot holes and succeeding in making as little sense as possible. The story is mainly used to drive the main characters from fight A to fight B while occasionally stopping for some fanservice. It's definitely not used to explain the events of the story, and when they try to do that it fails miserably and leaves holes in the plot large enough to fly a spaceship through.

Art: 6
It's decent to look at, although it does have quite a few repeated scenes (some even to the point of being nauseating) that are shown and reshown in several episodes. I also felt that the inclusion of "manga" style images broke the flow.
However even if the art was decent to look at the amount of cheesiness that it threw at the screen was so far over-the-top that it made me want to go and do something else that didn't include have to watch this anime, even Dragonball GT seems to be preferable over this at times...
The style of the art seems modern but the way in which it's used is fit for an anime from 30 years ago.

Sound: 6
It's decent, but like the art and the story very cheesy. The screaming out of a character's name during a death scene is SO overused, done to death and over the top that it really should become punishable by death to use it.

Characters: 2
What can I say... They are shallow, have very little character development, many seem to be included for the sole purpose of fanservice or comic relief and the amount of cliché character traits is as over-the-top as the rest of the anime.
We've got the whiny spineless emo teenager, the "I'm so cool that I'm gonna die halfway though the series" guy, the bigbreasted airhead, the faceless nameless enemy that's as 2 dimensional as can be, and so forth, and so forth.
The character design and character development are practically the worst I've ever seen.

Enjoyment: 4
Yeah, it was a load of fun action topped off with fanservice, atleast if you don't mind an almost complete lack of a coherent story and got plenty of crackers to scoop up the cheese with.

Overall: 5
It's a bit of fun, looks nice, sounds kinda nice but trips over it's own plot holes.
2 dimensional stock characters with hardly any development going on and a shaky over-the-top lack of a storyline.

In my opinion mediocre at best, which is something that Gainax seems to be specializing in lately.

If you didn't think my review was helpful, please leave a message on my profile and explain why you thought my review wasn't helpful. That way I can improve my reviews to make them better in the future.
Thank you in advance.

The thing about having high expectations is that you do your best to enjoy the show even before you press play. And once you’ve finished watching, you either feel satisfied that this series truly lived up to the hype and something you too would recommend to others or, more than often, you wind up sitting down, watching the credits roll and wondering why you were looking forward to this wishy-washy stuff in the first place.

In 2007, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann pierced its drill not just into the heavens, but also into the hearts of millions of fans across the globe. It is probably one ... of the most massively raved shows with fans believing the series was a gift from the mecha Gods themselves and critics lavishing praise to the point of reducing the scores of its counterparts just because they didn’t stand up to what was thought to be Gainax’s magnum opus.

All build-up and fandom aside, the critical question must be answered: “Does Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann deliver?”

To an extent, it does. But this is by no means masterpiece material.

As you might’ve noticed from the score and the introduction, I am not a fanboy of this show. If you are, then please hold your horses and try not to burst a vein, because everyone is entitled to an opinion and I’m doing my best to justify mine here. Your patience is appreciated, thank you.

In the world of TTGL, humans live in underground cities and must dig to expand and survive. In the tiny village of Jiha, Simon, a young and skilled driller, teams up with Kamina, a hot blooded punk, to break out of their cage. After stumbling upon a mecha head and running into a voluptuous teen named Yoko, the trio manages to break out of their hell hole and reach the surface, where danger and destiny awaits.

There are two ways one can look at TTGL:
1. As a homage/tribute to the old school mecha anime. (If you’re a fan of the genre.)
2. As a standalone series. (If your knowledge of mecha anime is little to none.)

In the first case, the show is said to be parody/tribute to fans of the genre defining anime of the 20th century – the Super Robot era. I’m referring to the time when the word ‘anime’ was almost synonymous with mecha shows such as Gundam, Neon Genesis Evangelion and Macross. This was the period when anime gained its most fervent otaku, who believe this to be the Golden Age of anime. TTGL captures the key elements of these anime and crams it all into a single 27 episode series. Although you may be thinking that the handling might come out as kind of rough and rushed because of the sheer ground that needs to be covered, it does not. The execution is seamless and manages to port every one of those memorable scenarios, which are today clichés because of their success then. It’s a lot of fun for those who closely followed those classics, because TTGL is a wonderful tribute and is sure to get you to join the “Bring back the GAR!” gang. It’s a lot like the warm and nostalgic feeling of watching Star Wars reruns on TV. So, assuming you’re one of those “Old is gold” and “Screw the moe, bring the GAR” people, then you’re sure to find TTGL to be one of the most engrossing stories you’ve ever watched. The pure manliness of it all will win a place in your heart.

Now, let’s consider TTGL as a standalone anime and not as a “homage series”. When I watched TTGL, I had no idea that it was a parody/tribute. It was only later when one of my friends told me that it was did I even start thinking from that perspective. The reason for that is probably because I don’t watch a lot of mecha anime and had no idea that most of the scenes were references to the beloved 90s shows. Therefore, not knowing that the clichés were intentional, I found the plot to be a total and complete letdown. It is downright predictable and there were only a handful of moments when I sat up and said “Whoa, I did not see that coming”. The story progresses in the usual style of beating mini bosses until you find out that the main boss was actually a mini boss to another main boss and so on. Trademark, textbook stuff, this one. Take a kid, sit him on a mecha, hand him a shonen script and your TTGL storyline is good to go. If this is your first mecha anime, skip this one at all costs. Nothing surprising, shocking or even mildly original.

One other thing that must be known about TTGL is that it is split into two arcs, the second arc beginning just after the halfway mark of the series. The second arc occurs after a time skip of 7 years and this makes it seem like almost a second season. There is a complete overhaul of the TTGL mechanism and there are drastic changes to the point that it is hardly recognizable with the anime you watched a couple of episodes ago.

The first arc was about Simon manning up and facing the wrath of the Beastmen Empire. The tale is the usual “boy grows a pair” one, which is shockingly (and intentionally) similar to that of Shinji of Evangelion. While fighting off hordes of mecha (referred to as Ganmen in the show), he also bonds with Kamina and the rest of the cast, slowly paving the way to adulthood. The story moves pretty fast paced here and testosterone charged action is aplenty. While nowhere close to adrenaline pumping, it does retain your attention from start to finish.

And then there’s the second arc. Here, the show transforms into something completely different. Many hated it, but I personally preferred the second arc to the first. In fact, if you’re one of those guys who doesn’t have a very large attention span and found the first few episodes of TTGL to be disappointing, then I recommend you watch episode 15, which is a recap episode, and move on to the rest of the series. The second arc is more about the people and less about the mecha. It throws in dashes of politics and psychology. It is still fast paced, but doesn’t quite feel like it because of the sudden lack of explosions, missiles and screaming shonen kids. Things finally get a tad emotional. But don’t let that delude you into thinking that TTGL becomes a more mature show. Hell, no.

Which perfectly poises me to break down one of the show’s biggest downfalls (or biggest selling point, depending upon your perspective): Wackiness. What starts out as mere lack of logic soon turns into sheer idiocy. There is only so much nonsensical content one can take. There are moments in this show when you feel like banging your head against the screen because of the fact that even suspending your disbelief cannot eradicate the magnitude of insanity. Ripping dimensions apart to travel faster, using galaxies as bullets, mashing them together to make a bigger bullet, claiming planets to be mechas, it’s all here. But then again, when you can have a bot that relies on emotions as a fuel, what is to be expected other than chaos?

The shows TTGL borrows from actually had field tactics, strategies, pilot psychology and other intellectual plot twists. But TTGL itself has nothing of that sort, which is a total misfit if it’s supposed to be a series that should bring memories of the classics.

All criticism aside, I finally land on the thing that impressed me most about TTGL – the animation. It’s fresh, funky and fun. Bold and bright colors are thrown around to make the episodes vibrant with life. There is an overall punk-style. The font of the episode name and the mid-screen change, depending upon the character in focus, and it all shows that the artists put some heart and soul into it. The Ganmen look varied enough and there’s hardly any room for confusion even though there are tons of them. My opinion here might be a bit biased since I watched this on Blu-ray, but I’m still not denying the animation department a ten on ten.

The soundtrack was on target too. The OP was bad and the EDs, except for Love and Rock Peace, were painful to hear as well. But, there is one track that stands out as one of the most memorable pieces of anime music I’ve heard in a while. Yes, I am of course referring to the rappera (rap + opera) song, Fight the Powah! This one track carries the weight of the ending on its shoulders and is played around 4 times in the last 3 episodes. In fact, here’s a message to the people who’ve watched TTGL and ran around the forums screaming on how epic the ending was: Try to blank out the soundtrack playing in the background and just focus on the video and the voices. You’ll notice how terribly stupid it sounds. Good music makes for a good atmosphere.

The characters are, in all honesty, terrible. They are paper cut-outs from the “How to Make Shonen Characters” book. Some of the side characters (Viral, Rossiu, Kittan) were easily more eye-catching than the main cast.

Simon is a meek attempt at Shinji Ikari of Neon Genesis Evangelion. He is the usual bloke who throws a tantrum when he doesn’t get what he wants and shouting like a little girl who was bit by a rabid dog seems to solve all the world’s problems. He is totally boring and even the slight addition of layers to his character in the second half aren’t enough to make him an interesting character. Sad stuff, really. I really was expecting more from a character who appears on almost every episode of the series. However, his second arc changes are what made me boost his scores up a bit.

Kamina is the hot blooded shonen teen punk, the optimistic happy-go-lucky git. Not too much to say about him because he doesn’t get as much air time as Simon, for reasons you’ve got to watch to know. But Kamina is definitely an embodiment of badass leadership and the sort of hero every nerd wants to be, and you can’t really blame them.

Yoko, the wet dream frequenter of thousands of otaku, is actually a pretty complex character. Sadly, she doesn’t live upto her potential because of her poor treatment by the scriptwriters. What could’ve been a fantastic female lead is turned into a jiggle-bimbo with a gun. There is one other female character that deserves a mention. This character was a complete and shameless Ctrl+C – Ctrl+V of Euphemia from Code Geass. Faanboys are bound to blame that on the “tribute factor” too.

The enjoyment factor…probably the hardest place for me to rate TTGL on. Why? Because its stupidity was actually entertaining at times. Hearing “Who the hell do you think we are?!” right at the finish of an epic battle sequence, feels, well, epic. Uber-manliness. There were times when I pumped my fist in the air and gave a “Hell, yeah!” to Simon and his gang. But there were also times when I used that same fist to smash the screen because of the WTFness. I just couldn’t handle the clichés under the pretext of homage during the first arc. Once again, your enjoyment will depend on whether you look at TTGL as a tribute or a standalone, the former triumphing over the latter.

Overall, TTGL is the kind of anime which you’re going to enjoy depending upon your love for the genre. If you love mecha anime, then this one is sure to give you a bang for your buck. If not, then your experience might be underwhelming.

[ THE WRAP-UP ]
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is the sort of anime that ends up being disappointing mainly because of a reputation that precedes it. It’s a matter of whether you look at TTGL to be a mark of respect for the mecha anime over the years or whether you consider it to be a completely detached series. If it is a case of the former with you, then TTGL will be one of the most epic anime to ever hit the screen, but it will be the exact opposite if your opinion is of the latter. It is a giant banner for the “Bring back the GAR!” movement. The story is split into two very different arcs, of which you will love one and hate the other, based on your personal tastes. The animation has a funky punk style and is one of the most richly drawn anime I have ever seen. It is evident that Gainax did not spare any expense in the audio department as well, because the soundtrack is almost as stunning. The characters are a massive let down and do no justice to their massive fandom. My advice is to watch the first five episodes and if you don’t like it, then just watch the recap episode on 15 and move on to the second arc. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is one of those anime I liked, but never enjoyed.

Love and rock. Peace.

“Pierce the heavens, Gurren Lagann!”

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is one of the most watched, most rated, most talked about anime series on MAL. Have you ever considered whether you should give this show a try? Just why do people keep calling it “epicness”? If you are curious enough to look up this show but is undecided (or unsure) if it will turn out being a complete waste of time for you, then look no further! You have found the missing piece to your puzzle.

Imagine. Life in underground caves where the sky is blocked off by thick layers of dirt, where no trees can ever grow, ... where no wind can ever blow. Imagine. Life as a digger whose sole purpose is to endlessly dig and drill as there is nothing better to do. To top it off, let us further imagine that life are constantly under threat by an unknown source of earthquake from above. This hell hole is precisely where the story begins.

Our teenage protagonist, Simon the digger as he calls himself, has absolutely zero talent of being a hero-type guy to begin with. In fact, he was more likely to be viewed as a loser. His eventual success of being “the man who saves the universe”, in part, is thanks to his best friend whom he often regards as his older brother known as Kamina (*and no my name was not derived from him*). Brother Kamina, along with a cute long hair sniper girl called Yoko helped transform the loser Simon into a “GAR” Simon.

While the story, to a large extend, focus on the character growth of Simon and how he cope with various issues in life, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the story itself is very plot driven. This is especially true in the latter half where viewers will notice an onion peel effect in the battles. One can find a story buried within another story, yet buried still within another story. There may also be people out there who will tell you the story can be basically split into two parts. Where the first part totally owns in terms of character growth and overall sanity of the show and the latter just totally transform the plot into something not recognizable but any sane person. Guess what? They have a point.

Although the battles in the first half of the story pales compare to the latter part (as far as actions are concerned), at the very least there was a sensible goal and sensible way to deal with the problem. However, the second half literally takes things to the edge of the universe. Hardcore action fans will most certainly scream with joy seeing the most unbelievable action in their lifetime, but to the everyday norm like the rest of us, it may seem a little unexpected (some extremists called it unacceptable for ruining all the hard work built up from the first half). Anyhow, at least it was a nice change from the predictable monster of the week cliché.

The soundtracks, by and large, are extremely well made. A few particular BGM played during the key moments of the story just make things all the better. Both the OP and various ED fit nicely with their corresponding animation counterpart. The seiyu have done a wonderful job as well, acting out their roles with great passion and pride. Surprisingly, a few seiyu used such a unique voice that most people (even fans) don’t even recognize them (see if you can identify their voices without spoiling yourself).

Certainly TTGL is not just another one of your average anime. With intense battle scenes, a decent amount of character developments, and creative plot (note that I acknowledge its creativity and originality, but I am not necessary saying the plot make sense nor reasonable … that my friend, will be decided by you once you have watched the series) it will deliver beyond your expectation.

Born deep in the dirt, surrounded and made captive by earth above and below, where can a person go from there? There are three options: you do nothing and lay there until you die, you dig lower and strive to find yourself in the filth and darkness and loneliness, or you cast it all aside and reach for the sky you know exists. Certainly, the latter is the most difficult path to choose and it's not likely to just fall into your lap—but let's say it does just that, in the form of a device that will empower your very desire to explode ... forth into the world.

In this case, a boy named Simon—Simon the Digger to most—finds a small key that resembles the drill he uses to explore his surroundings in search of treasure. Little does he know at first that he has just found a treasure that will grant him control of a mecha that will respond to his emotions. And before long, when the huge and scary world above comes crashing down into the tiny world he knows, he'll discover what he can do with this machine thanks to the encouragement of his big bro, the fiercely optimistic Kamina. One battle leads to a sort of tumbling-up-the-rabbit-hole, where the vast sky wheels around them and there's no limit to be seen—no dirt ceiling hanging above, just the endless blue horizon.

By the second episode, Simon and Kamina have met Yoko and her band of rebels up on the surface. Where do they go from there? They soon learn that the surface world is a scary place, and the old cave from which they emerged begins to seem like a refuge, the place of their childhood—an earthly womb, perhaps. Up here, the beastmen piloting mecha with giant faces called Ganmen seek to exterminate humans, and along with this group of scrappers Simon and Kamina find themselves engaging in a succession of battles, awkwardly beginning to realize what they're capable of doing. Kamina, especially, throws himself into the mix with a boldness that sets the tone for the series. "Who the hell do you think I am?!" he shouts, demonstrating that in this world, where there's a will there's a way. And as the forces of oppression loom ever larger, the Gurren Brigade gains more and more resolve.

Like many coming-of-age stories, TTGL has its phase of male adolescence. A time-leap brings us to an era when our heroes, once grasping for the skies, have lost their way. They struggle to face their new freedom and responsibility, and suddenly they are not very likable. In fact, you'll probably want to punch most of them. Simon especially, as he struggles to become even half the man that Kamina proved to be early in the series, let alone a man of his own strengths and desires. He may as well be back in the cave he came from, gathering dust in angsty stagnation. It's only fitting that Yoko and the other women at the core of the cast have found their place in the world apart from the rest, accepting their adulthood in stride. And it is only a new threat of loss and oppression that provides the man-children the kick in the ass necessary to get them moving again. And move they do. Purpose is rediscovered. Maybe the scared and thoughtful boy that Simon was can find himself after all, even if he does follow in Kamina's footsteps. There are far worse things one could aspire to.

Quick comments on the quality of animation and sound here: excellent. Aside from the occasional misstep (such as the notoriously ugly fourth episode), everything here looks great, emphasizing the wild boldness of the story with animation that threatens to disintegrate into pure color and energy under such force. The soundtrack is thunderous, full of upbeat pop-rock and bombastic classical or neoclassical pieces that suit the increasingly epic feel perfectly.

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann could be considered Gainax's magnum opus—the contrarily nihilistic Neon Genesis Evangelion notwithstanding. What they've managed to do with this show is take traditions set forth by Gunbuster/Top wo Nerae! and its sequel, Diebuster/Top wo Nerae! 2 and blend them with more subtle elements of the very non-traditional postmodernist FLCL. Rather than having robots popping out of the young protagonist's head after being clocked by a girl with an electric guitar, the boy goes about his usual mode of working his way through life and discovers the key to a robot that responds to his emotions, his very spirit, opening the way up and out, eradicating limitations as long as he can muster the desire to change, grow, and realize his destiny. Look to your dreams and reach for the heavens: every light in the sky is a star. It's a premise that is just as absurd, yet it seems to make sense compared to all the pubescent confusion FLCL hurls at its audience. This drill is the boy's soul—the key to a boundless extension of himself that he will call Gurren Lagann. "This drill is me." The "hard work and guts!" of Gunbuster becomes, "My drill is the drill that will penetrate the heavens!" Aim for the top, indeed.