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".
Alternative Titles
Synonyms: Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann, Making Break-Through Gurren Lagann, Heavenly Breakthrough Gurren Lagann, TTGL, Gurren Laggan
Japanese: 天元突破グレンラガン
More titlesInformation
Type:
TV
Episodes:
27
Status:
Finished Airing
Aired:
Apr 1, 2007 to Sep 30, 2007
Premiered:
Spring 2007
Broadcast:
Sundays at 08:30 (JST)
Studios:
Gainax
Source:
Original
Theme:
Mecha
Duration:
24 min. per ep.
Rating:
PG-13 - Teens 13 or older
Statistics
Ranked:
#732
2
based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Popularity:
#64
Members:
1,514,755
Favorites:
74,575
Available AtResourcesStreaming Platforms | Reviews
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Your Feelings Categories Jul 27, 2012
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 ... Sep 1, 2009
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 ... Sep 6, 2013
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 ... Oct 3, 2007
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
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Jun 19, 2008
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
...
Apr 12, 2009
"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 ... Oct 30, 2014
Your review is the review that will pierce the public opinion!
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is an over the top, in your face show that is fast paced, fun, and almost nonsensical at times. The opinion on this show is split right down the middle. Many people love it to death, while others go as far as to say that it is a non-functioning piece of garbage. My rating may seem too harsh to those aforementioned diehard fans, but there is reasoning behind it. This is mainly because I found the first "half" to be uniquely crazy and exciting. However, I felt that the final eleven ... Jul 4, 2008
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 ... Jun 5, 2008
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 ... Sep 19, 2008
"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 ... Mar 8, 2008
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
...
Jan 11, 2008
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 ... Sep 16, 2008
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 ... Sep 30, 2007
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
...
Oct 12, 2008
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, ... Mar 10, 2009
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 ... Feb 16, 2008
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
...
Feb 25, 2011 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 ... Dec 10, 2009
“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, ... Oct 19, 2008
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. ... |