Ranked #3

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

For most your life, all you have ever known is disappointment, loneliness and rejection. Digging yourself lower and lower into the earth is your only comfort. If the chance to burst through the ceiling, seize the world above and claim it as your own arrives, will you take it?

This is a story of a boy who grasps at the skies with his dirt covered hands. A boy who spent his days drilling his way deeper and deeper into the ground, then eventually turns his drill to the heavens above. And he does it not alone, but with the help of those who come to mean more than the universe to him.

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is more of an experience than anything else. It is a captivating and entertaining piece of art that will have all your senses in a tangle over it. And like any piece of art, it is up for interpretation. While it is clear that most people are caught up with its strong points, very few notice its weaknesses. It is a masterful anime in many respects, but it is far from perfection.

The story involves a group of rebels led by the charismatic hothead Kamina with his young friend and partner Simon in tow, while in the company of an extremely competent and cool sniper, Yoko. Simon gains control over a mecha called Lagann, and from there, his destiny begins to unfold around him. Their world is overrun by beasts who oppress humans. So they make up their mind to fight. And fight hard. There is no other way to do it, these men and women go all out--who the hell do you think they are!?

What you have here is a fun, energy filled, manly action series with some of the most over the top mecha and fight scenes that at its core is entertainment at its purest. It is witty, funny, and highly simplistic in the way the story unfolds. Mecha battle after battle, ridiculous power ups that are satirical to the genre, and lots of babes to go around without getting in the way and actually contributing than being damsels in distress. It plays out traditionally with the expected mini-boss battles that are even thematic (based on fire, water, earth and air) depending on which evil minion the Gurren Brigade encounters. This is an adventure to its fullest, not holding back at all, shoving everything in your face and blowing you away. It is absolutely incredible.

For the first half.

The second half evolves into something grander and something a lot deeper. The problem with this is that it ultimately turns TTGL into an anime you can barely recognise. It has the skin and bones and guts of the first arc, but its heart and mindset has become something else. It eventually turns out to be like meeting a likeable prankster from back when you were twelve years old once again when you turn nineteen. And he turns out to be mean and horrible but still up to his childish tricks. You are not sure what to think because he still has that nice smile he always had, his laugh is the same one you always liked hearing, and that boyish air to him remains... but you just cannot help but wonder why he has changed but not grown up at all even after all this time. But before discussing all the horrible turns the story takes, the high points of this series should be taken into account.

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is for one, a visual and aural masterpiece of an anime. The animation is extremely top notch stuff, and the artwork incorporates several styles. The crayon-y, cartoonish elements works in this anime because most of it is so unreal and over the top anyway that it simply cannot be contained or expressed by neat animation. There is a striking variety in the colours used. You get explosion after explosion and fight after fight, and yet this is presented with such fluidity and freshness in the art that is becomes a pleasure to see endless battles rather than a bore.

The music is absolutely stunning. It is hard to describe a soundtrack as "epic", but it lives up to its name, and TTGL has one of the best scores ever made for anime. It is inspiring, it is hardcore, it is beautiful. It is exactly the sort of music you want to hear when you're forging your destiny. 'Libera me from Hell' is one of the most brilliant pieces of music ever composed. Who can forget the repeated lines, "Fight the power!"? 'All You Bastards, Get Fired Up!' is a command more than just a track title. And if the best piece of music in this entire series, 'Pierce the Heavens with your XXX!' does not make you want to stand and salute it like a national anthem, you have no spirit. The lovely Sorairo Days makes for a wonderful OP theme song as well. The rough and punkish ED themes contribute to the rebellious mood of the series.

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann has an impressive cast, and impress you they will for the most part. The supporting characters have their own charm, even the "Mary Sue" Nia is hard to hate despite being exactly the type of loathsome character you might find plaguing anime: cute, ineffective, always in the way. She just has a disarming sweetness about her that makes you want to save her yourself. Then there are the constants, characters like Leeron and Rossiu, whose presence provide stability. Plus, you got a myriad of fanservice girls who turn out to be more than just that, and hotheaded guys, who also turn out to be more than that. There's the hapless villain Viral who ends up being one of the more likeable evil tools of anime, perhaps due to how sympathetic you become towards him.

You have Kamina, the man who makes other men seem like boys. It seems hot blood and testosterone runs through his veins, and surprisingly, rather than being insipid or annoying, he is possibly the most magnificent creature in the series. He grabs your attention from the get-go. He is quite the man; if he leads you to the ends of the earth or the depths of hell, you will want to follow him anyway. He is a leader in every sense of the word and has an inspiring amount of charisma and confidence to him. Simon is a sweet although understandably, frustratingly low self esteemed fellow. Part of liking him comes from being able to relate so deeply with his feelings. He is afraid during moments we too will feel fear. He is a conflicted boy, growing through the pains of adolescence and having to deal with a man who tells him not to think but to feel, and to interact with a girl who tells him that he should think and not just blindly act. And this girl is Yoko, possibly the most iconic character in the series. Even people who do not watch anime can recognise her face (amongst other parts of her anatomy), more so than Kamina. Impressive assets aside, Yoko ends up being the most developed out of all the characters.

And yet, she is the character given the shaft the worst by the series. It is almost as if they want to mess with her and then dump her eventually until she is needed again. A character of her calibre does not deserve this sort of treatment by the very story she helped forge in the initial stages. But Yoko, with her playfulness, sensible side, and general attractiveness, is more rounded than Simon, who is the protagonist. The reason for that is she eventually grows up and accepts life while Simon unknowingly suffers through this Peter Pan syndrome that makes the latter half of the series almost unbearable.

And here is where we eventually have problems.

Many people said to turn off your minds and just sit back and let TTGL bombard you with its epic battles and brainless fun. Which is what I did, and I loved the first arc of this series endlessly. The problem is that while this series sets you up in this frame of mind, it completely changes character and becomes something else. Something it is not. A story can take a turn to the more unfavourable and still become better. "Growing the beard", as the trope is named. It does not, in any way, work for TTGL. The second half becomes an entity so unlike the first that the only thing linking the two are the characters, who seem determined not to have changed in any way just to make sure you know that you're still watching Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. I accepted many ridiculous things in this series easily. This is one thing that is absolutely unacceptable. The masterpiece becomes a disasterpiece.

The story betrays itself and becomes something it is not, and does not even bother to let the characters grow in any way. It is like watching a little child dressing up in his dad's suit for work. It just does not fit or look right, even though it is interesting to look at. It is nearly comical how much darker this series becomes and while most will definitely think this is the story getting better--it is not. This is the story becoming something else.

Most, who saw this as the series' way of reaching maturity, will love the darker and heavier turns of this series. For those who enjoyed the mindless, gutsy, high octane fun of the first arc will find the second to be one of the most tedious things to endure. In essence, the second part dug the first arc a grave and buried it. It is not a bad arc as far as the anime on the whole is concerned--far from it. The writing remains excellent (though the content is just ulcer-inducing), the plotting remains en pointe, the fight scenes get so dramatic and intense that it is truly beyond the realms of this world. But it does not fit. It is as though the characters of the first arc have been dumped into a setting that is completely unlike what we had grown to love and accept as the world of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.

It is almost ironic how much more humane they seemed when the world was run by beastmen. In the second arc, science and civilisation proves to be this anime's greatest undoing. You literally have to watch a cast of monkeys trying to invent the wheel at most points. It is hard to stomach this since it is sheerly stupid to see that seven years have passed, and nobody seems to have matured at all. The world in TTGL changes vastly, but the people in it remain as backwards and idiotic as ever. While that stupidity and brashness of the characters is endearing, while those are elements of their personalities that powered the series and made it work in the first part, these attributes take away entirely from the second arc.

Given a time skip, you expect certain changes. If anyone has changed, it is guaranteed that they did it for the worse.

It is as though they transplanted a hardcore action anime into an anime with heavy handed politics that wants to rival that of Legend of the Galactic Heroes while maintaining a cast full of bastards like Neon Genesis Evangelion. And that's the problem. What happened to the characters we loved? Why did they either grow up to become completely frustrating fools or not grow up at all? Is this supposed to be irony or terrible scripting? The cast that used their guts and determination to win us over with such ease appears to go out of their way in the second arc to prove that they are still just as loud and moronic in a setting that calls for their maturation. In fact, as much as people may come to hate him, Rossiu is the only character whose growth makes any sense given the context of the second arc. But the fact of the matter is--why must we come to hate someone we once loved or why must we now not give a damn about characters we once cared about? Is this some sort of cruel experiment Gainax wants to pull on the viewers? They should have left that in their other mind fuck anime and leave it out of TTGL.

The strength of this particular series rides on its honesty and sheer forthrightness. Convolution does not work well in this world. It only leads to misdirected ambition. It ruins what the first arc built for us. The first major death in this anime is almost like an invitation for you to just stop giving a crap about what happens to the rest of the characters. Despite said death being the catalyst for the events of the later arc, it is more detrimental than it does good. Inspiration is one thing, but imitation is another. And what happens is that the characters blindly cling to the memory of that person, imitating rather than being inspired.

In any case, you can be glad for the characters who did not make it to the second arc so they would not have to see what a bunch of fakes, losers, ingrates, and tools that everyone has become eventually. Even Kittan seems to be in shock that his own sister turned out to be cruel. What is annoying is he does not realise this in SEVEN YEARS. THAT shows you just how much people have snapped and had a 180 in personality (Simon, Rossiu, Kinon) or how much they haven't changed in the slightest (every bloody body else except Yoko).

Character interaction seems to have been given the shaft as well. Simon's subtle longing for Yoko turns to dust as soon as Nia appears. Is this what "being a man" is all about? Ignoring his emotional burdens and unloading his feelings on a girl who (without fail and without question) approves of him and everything he does? Being devoted is one thing, but her approval of everything Simon ever does makes him start behaving rashly and in ways that destroys his voice of reason. That is not helping him at all. It's like seeing your friend sticking his wet finger into an electric socket, and you just sitting there smiling saying, "It's okay--he knows what he's doing. I trust in him not to electrocute himself!" Yoko kept Simon in check and she just gets dumped to the wayside until she is needed conveniently again in this new setting. So we are supposed to buy, hook, line and sinker, that Nia and Simon are some perfect match for one another? Maybe, since she does not seem to have many needs and he clearly needs someone as palpable and brainless as she is to be at his side. Fearless leaders of course never like to be told they are wrong.

The reason so much emphasis has been put on this is that his relationship with Nia basically becomes the plot for the rest of the anime. Yet, we feel no chemistry in the latter half (what happened to the sweet, realistically budding romance in the first part!?), nothing to say why exactly this man is doing all this for this woman. Not asking for hugs and kisses, chocolates and romance (this is not a series about that)--just asking for some believability. Especially considering the crusade Simon goes on for her eventually.

This is no longer a world where the strength of a man matters. No longer does his power come from the heart pounding in his chest, a good friend at his side, and some food in his belly. It is a world where his words weigh much more than his actions. This is not a world for the men of TTGL who refuse to grow up in any way. It is almost tragic to watch them run around blindly acting like a bunch of children. Simon especially, who you have a lot of hope for as a character, becomes such a failure that not even his heroic actions can make up for it. What happened to Simon? Where did the shy, sweet, lovable boy go?

People often assume that a character of his sort's "true nature" is a hidden badass. Not in Simon's case. The real Simon is thoughtful, a worrier warrior and a sensible, considerate lad. What he becomes in the second arc is Kamina II, and not in a good way. And nobody seems to notice this at all, which is the absolute worst thing--they have accepted his adopted personality and the essence known as "Simon" is left to disappear into nothingness. This is not growth. This is transposing someone else's personality onto his own, wiping out whatever it was that made him "himself".

It's as though he is trying to fill a void and disregards who HE is to become who he wants to be, which is a man like Kamina. This is the worst thing done to Simon, since he does not even seem to be aware that he is no longer himself, but is trying to replicate the behaviour, rationality, and mentality of the man he admires. It is sad that he never gets a chance to be truly Simon. It is only perhaps in the epilogue that we really get a glimpse of a Simon who has found himself.

What we have in the beginning is a tale of rebellion, about the blood and muscle and guts that went into fighting for freedom. It is a story of a boy whose determination to survive is the stepping stone for the survival of mankind. On that alone, TTGL can be considered a masterpiece. Its flaw in the second arc is that it loses its sense of identity. Which is again completely ironic since this is an anime about being true to yourself. It seems TTGL forgot to do that with its own storyline. In contrast to the wild, moving, inspiring beginning, what you have in the end is the story of Simon, who loses himself trying to become someone he is not. What you have is a typical "Rescue the princess!" fuelled plot disguised as a "Save the universe!" story. What began as severely entertaining became fairly excruciating to behold. But then no again!

In an almost insulting manner, the series attempts to revert to what it once was in the beginning. An anime about manly tears, sweat, power ups and camaraderie. Now you really start to wonder how many people were working on this script at the same time, because seems like two different people who wanted to tell entirely different stories ended up working together out of force.

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is one of the best anime ever created and yet it happens to be one of the worst viewing experiences I ever had given the extremely sour turn of the second arc. Of course, if your concerns and issues are not similar to my own, then this remains simply a remarkable anime worth all the hype and worth the watch. This is in no way a bad anime. It is an excellent anime, which makes its disappointing moments all the more painful to endure. Thank you for the gigantic middle finger, Gainax. Even though, unlike most of this studio's work, this series actually HAS a resolution and an ending, it seems that they just wanted to make sure that the audience knows with whom they are they dealing.

If Gainax goes out of their way to actually give an anime an ending, you can bet your ass that it might make you want to huddle in a corner, trying to fight off the nausea from being so emotionally involved only to have your heart crushed with a depressing conclusion. Then there's the epilogue which seems like the piece de resistance in making you just want to sob from frustration, sadness, acceptance and perhaps contentedness over what has become of these people who not only pierced the sky, but our hearts as well.

The ending of this epic saga, depending on the interpretation, is one of the most uplifting or downright dismal conclusions ever given to an anime. Either way you take it, you will be left most likely with salty stains streaking your face at the bittersweet ending. Bitter or sweet, whatever you make of it. There is a strange amount of solace you can get seeing that the world continues changing and growing, and even in the minutest of ways, people do too. Maybe not for the better, maybe not in ways you would expect them to, but things can only move forward if they can adapt and evolve.

That's a lesson you can take from this series. Those who refuse to or are unable to change cannot survive. That is the fundamental aspect of evolution, which surprisingly, is what this anime gives you a crash course in. The final moments of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann makes one wonder whether or not this was the only way to put to rest the tale of these men and women whose stories and lives shook the earth below and shattered the skies above them. In some ways, it is beautiful, but so very hard to accept. But such is the life of those who have been to the ends of the earth and the skies and back.

Heroes, after all, are not like the rest of us. They live hard and die young. They are made to sacrifice what they want and love so everyone else can be happy. That's what makes them heroes, after all. Maybe if they can smile in the end while looking back and, of course, while looking ahead, that is their victory. read more

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.
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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. read more

"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. read more

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. read more

"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. read more

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. read more

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.
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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. read more

It might seem a bit pretentious if not outright outlandish to award Gurren Lagann a perfect 10, but meh, I'm doing it anyway. Just simply put this is a masterpiece of animated storytelling. Everyone, regardless of whether or not they're an anime fan, owes it to themselves to see Gurren Lagann before they die.

Story: 10 (Outstanding)

The story is deceptively simple yet simply hits all the right notes where it needs to. Kamina and Simon are diggers living in an underground village. Their job is to dig - digging is the lifeblood of the village, it's what allows the village to expand and grow in population. But it's not the kind of life Kamina wants. Kamina wants to kick logic to the curb and drill through the heavens, just like his long-believed to be dead dad who, as the rumors go, actually makes it to the surface. The desire to drill to the surface is Kamina's one great ambition in life, an ambition that earns him the ire of the rest of the village, and he frequently has to be tempered by his adoptive brother Simon.

Then one day, Simon stumbles upon a strange, drill-like object buried underneath the dirt. He races over to show Kamina, who tells him that the strange object rightly belongs to Simon and shall forever belong to him. Soon afterwards, Simon stumbles upon an even stranger object - it looks like a giant head! Once again he races to tell Kamina, but before he can show him a giant mechanical beast crashes through the heavens and onto the village, along with the beautiful "surface girl" Yoko.

And all of this and more happens in just the first episode!

The plot evolves quickly and is very fast pace, and soon an expanding team headed by Kamina, Simon, Yoko and a field of friends and former enemies soon find themselves staring down what may very well be the complete annihilation of the entire universe!

Art: 10 (Outstanding)

The art is just terrific, and does much to carry on the incredible fast pace of the series. Simple when it needs to be, detailed when it needs to be, the featureless plains of a desert earth contrasts with a vast, detailed and colorful sky to bring the viewer into the desolate world these characters reside in. The character designs themselves may very well go down in history as some of the best remembered and most celebrated, at times looking more like an animated superhero comic book than a shonen anime. The mecha is fantastic too - very distinct with the main body of most mecha being dominated by a face (indeed, halfway through the anime everything, and I mean everything the humans and beastmen build seems to have a face for unexplained reasons, which only adds to the charm) and the Gurren Lagann itself will probably go down as an icon of mecha alongside EVA-01, Ray Armuro's Gundam and the VFS-1 Valkyrie.

Sound: 10 (Outstanding)

...is perhaps the least that can be said about the sound of Gurren Lagann. The OST is probably filled to the brim with the most memorable music in all of humanity's existence, from the OP Sora ino Days to all three EDs (including Happy Endings, which accompanied only a single episode, the appropriate and unusually well done compilation episode). Perhaps the most legendary of them all is Libra Me aka ROW ROW FIGHT DA POWAH!, which is now known far and wide to even those who have never heard of Gurren Lagann thanks to its memetic power.

Character: 10 (Outstanding)

The characters of Gurren Lagann are an interesting lot - some are memorable because of their singular motivations and two-dimensions, such as Kamina and his sole ambition to be the best living specimen he can possibly be, a notion so strong it cannot help but infect everyone around him and even his enemies. Other characters are actually very well mapped out and surprisingly deep, such as Simon, who is conflicted by his own insecurities and his aspirations to be just like Kamina. Even Boota, Simon's mute pet pigmole, gets a lot of character development, especially in regards to an incredible, jaw-dropping twist near the end. The bad guys show up as amazing characters as well, especially Viral, who surprisingly only tries to do what he believes is good and useful, and Lord Genome, whose character development turns out to be one of the many developing twists in the series.

Enjoyment: 10 (Outstanding)

As you may have already gathered by now, there is nothing not to like in Gurren Lagann even for those who hate mecha anime. Nary a single second is boring, and the action and story is a non-stop whirlwind.

With all that said, it comes as no surprise that Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann gets a final score of:

10 - Outstanding

Really, nothing more needs to be said. read more