TTGL begins with one of the most chaotic pilot episodes ever, similar to Space Dandy. The show sets the rules and tone early; there is a lot of action and comedy with little logic. After defeating their first enemy gunman by yelling and throwing themselves recklessly at it, the adventure begins with our main trio; Kamina, Simon and Yoko.
Kamina embodies the main themes of the show; courage, bravery and confidence against all odds. His lack of intelligence allows for plenty of jokes and comedy, making Kamina the most entertaining character. Some people may dislike Kamina because of his constant yelling and stupid ideas, but he is used by the show to be the hero that everyone strives to be. If you find yourself disliking Kamina you might struggle to enjoy the rest of the show.
On first impression, Simon is a shy kid who looks up to Kamina, while Yoko is a scantily clad teenager with a giant sniper rifle. As a trio for the first few episodes it's entertaining watching them take on bigger and harder foes in a comedic fashion while gaining new fighting abilities with each episode. When they're losing a battle, all they have to do is believe in themselves and they gain some new power to win the battle and come out unscathed.
These episodes all lead up to the epic battle of episode 8. Here is where the show makes what I believe is a decision for the worse. At the end of episode 8, Kamina dies. Now, I have no problem with characters dying, however it is clear that this death was done for a symbollic reason only (for Simon the step out of his shadow). But without Kamina, 90% of the comedy in the show is lost. Hence, TTGL becomes less enjoyable.
Kamina's replacement is Nia; the pure-hearted daughter of Lord Genome, who for no reason at all, has complete faith in Simon's abilities to save the world. Similar to Kamina, she isn't very perceptive so there is some comedy from that, but these moments are rare. However, other than being Simon's cheerleader, she doesn't really do anything other than provide an exposition dump in the later episodes. It also doesn't help that her inclusion takes focus away from Yoko who's character seemed to be going somewhere.
After having seemingly won the war, TTGL then makes an odd decision to have a time skip and a sudden weird shift in tone. For approximately 5 episodes TTGL attempts to become a serious drama, conflicting with everything that has happened beforehand. These episodes have no place in the show and actually seem more nonsensical than the battles beforehand (for example, blaming Simon for the antispiral invasion of Earth after he just saved everyone from them). This especially feels out of place when it is followed by a mech-fight involving throwing galaxies around. Some of the characters change completely for no reason (and the show even pokes fun at this in one scene). All these factors put together make these episodes seem like a completely different show. The attempt to be serious and add variety to the show is appreciated, but it did not work in this case.
If there is one thing the show did right, it is the animation. From beginning to end, the animation in TTGL is insanely impressive. The mech battles are spectacular with an incredible array of colours and quick movement. This is backed up by a score that will have you feeling pumped up in every scene. Of course, the iconic "Row Row Fight The Powah" must be mentioned since it has managed to capture the love of every fan of TTGL (myself included).
However, even with the well choreographed mech battles, the fights end up being repetitive. The stakes increase but it's the same formula; enemy is cocky, enemy starts losing, enemy gets serious, Simon starts losing, mechs fuse, Simon wins. Hence, the final battles are straightforward to the viewer. This doesn't mean the show would be better off without the second half since it does add to the plot.
Having said that, the new perspective the second half brings to the show has its problems. To claim Lord Genome was simply jaded after losing the war with the antispiral doesn't explain why he created evil generals to "keep humans safe". This is the problem with the narrative, and symbolism use in TTGL; everything is done in extremes. The idea of coming out of the shadow of a role model to be yourself is a great message, but it doesn't require the death of the role model for that to happen. The message of falling in love with the right person has good intentions, but it doesn't mean the character needs to have 100% blind faith in the protagonist to show they're a good fit. If these aspects were dialed back the messages would have more impact due to being more grounded.
TTGL is a series that is fun enough to keep almost any anime fan watching. It is a mech/shonen with a little more depth and uniqueness while having amazing animation and sound. For most anime fans, this is more than enough, which can be seen by how highly rated this show is. Therefore I would recommend this show to every fan of action. Younger teens will especially enjoy this more simply due to being able to better identify with Simon.
