Gurren Lagann

Throughout my various ventures through different types of media for entertainment, anime is one that I hardly take. Actually, the only anime I've ever seen in full is Cardcaptors with my little sister, back when I was a little Doorsey and finished later on. I have a certain detest for Fullmetal Alchemist, but I do not totally hate mainstream anime. For example, I'm really just itching to find the time to watch all of Cowboy Bebop and Neon Genesis Evangelion. Oh wait, what was I talking about? Right, Gurren Lagann.

About a week ago, a friend of mine introduced me to a very recent anime series, entitled Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann--or just Gurren Lagann for the English version. I checked it out on YouTube, noticing that the company that owned the series had made it fully available on the site--albeit in anything higher than 360p, boo. I watched the first episode, and there my journey began. Sure, my journey wasn't exactly to reach the surface, transcend the stars, or pierce the heavens, but I definitely had started something extraordinary. By the way, I am totally going to spoil half of this anime, so be cautious in reading further!


Gurren Lagann tells the story of "a man who continues to defy destiny." Many years prior to the anime, destruction on the surface of Earth has caused all of humanity to seclude themselves into underground villages. It has been so many years that in many of these communities, the surface world has been cast of a myth, or nonexistent completely. Simon, a fourteen-year old orphaned digger in his community, is the main character of this anime. Though Simon is an outcast in his society due to his work, his best friend is just the opposite: Kamina. Kamina is the "unstoppable character of ultimate awesome and greatness," as well as a rebel in the village. Kamina refuses to stop his rebellious, often destructive actions until he has reached the surface. Above, Kamina is on the left, and Simon is centered.

FLY PIGGIES!!

While inadvertently assisting Kamina in one of his attempts at freedom (summary of this would be FLY PIGGIES above), the ceiling of Simon's village finally collapses, do the impact of a GIANT ROBOT! Also falling from the sky at a similar time is Yoko, a girl wearing what can hardly be called a bra and skimpy shorts. Yoko's totally used for fanservice constantly in this show, but also packs a huge punch with her Gunman-damaging rifle. As a result of the Gunman (the name of giant robots in this show) threat, Simon goes back to something he found in the prior day's digging: a giant metallic face. What Simon and Kamina discover is that the face is actually another robot, which Kamina names "Lagann." Though terrified, Simon pilots Lagann to defeat the village's threat, with the help of Kamina's "manly tactics" and Yoko.

The next few episodes can be quickly summed up. Now traveling along the surface to free other villages from their sheltered lives underground, the trio fight many surface Gunman--the first of which is immediately captured by Kamina, who he names "Gurren." In a subsequent battle, the duo learn to combine their mechas, forming the iconic, incredibly powerful GURREN LAGANN--hence the name of the anime. Along the way, the party grows--Rossiu, a brainwashed child who flees his underground village after learning that giant destructive robots are not loving, benevolent gods, as well as two children, Gimmy and Darry. Lots of the folks from Yoko's village also arrive to assist the growing group, having stolen their own Gunmen in the same sense as Kamina and Simon.

In the first true battle, this entire group goes to fight the first of the Four Fie--I mean, Spiral King's generals. The Spiral King is the man controlling all of the Gunmen, and therefore the main antagonist. The general, Thymilph, works with a recurring antagonist to try and destroy "Team Gurren," the name of the protagonists' faction. Thymilph has a HUUUUUUUGE warship--this thing is bigger than final boss Bowser. Below is an image of the Dai-Gunzan, the battleship, compared to the already very large Gurren Lagann.

Ultimately, the battle is hard. However, the plan is for Lagann to combine with Dai-Gunzan, giving Simon control of the massive mecha. However, Simon cannot concentrate properly upon implanting Lagann into the behemoth, due to seeing Yoko and Kamina kiss just before the battle. Kamina knocks Simon out of his daze with a manly punch of manly manliness, allowing for Dai-Gunzan to become Team Gurren's. However, while watching all of this happen, Gurren is struck by a migihty combination of mecha-piercing slashes, lasers, and destructive attacks by Thymilph, using his own Gunman of about the same size. Ultimately, Kamina is badly injured--near death, in fact. Never backing down or running away, Kamina uses the last of his energy to combine with Simon's Lagann, and destroys Thymilph. The first general is defeated, Dai-Gunzan belongs to Team Dai-Gurren--but Kamina is dead.

This is torture to the fans. Kamina is a totally amazing character you cannot help but admire for his heroic manliness. When he died, I was truly shocked and saddened. As does Team Dai-Gurren in the next few episodes, especially Simon. Simon won't eat, talk, or act normal at all--Yoko even suggests getting rid of him at one point. However, Simon's spirit is ever-so-slightly revived when he opens a mysterious box with his drill, inside which is a beautiful princess! Nia, the now-released princess, is totally unaware of how seemingly everything is and works. We learn quickly that Nia is the Spiral King's daughter, and uses that identity to repel the second of the King's generals off for a day. The ensuing battle is much less extravagant, and this general is killed as well later.

The third general, Guame, reveals to Nia that she had no purpose other than to be a plaything for Lord Genome, the Spiral King. When he grew tired of raising the child, she was cast away. Guame secures Dai-Gunzan back under enemy control, to which Simon finally realizes something. Simon is reawakened, given rebirth in the fact that he is himself, and has Nia to protect. Using his power, Simon destroys Guame's mecha with a little something called...

GIGA DRILL BREEEEEEAK!!

The fourth general, Cytomander, attacks Team Dai-Gurren with an aerial assault, to which Simon leads a counterattack. All of the Gurren-affiliated Gunman rise up the airlifted battleship, destroying it by slamming Dai-Gunzan into it in a beautiful clash of the titans. Later, the team is double-teamed by Cytomander and Guame's forces at once just outside of the Spiral King's capital base. However, the team prevails and destroys the protective barrier around the Spiral King's base. However, what they do not realize is that the base is actually ANOTHER GIANT GUNMAN. This one is many hundreds of times larger than Dai-Gunzan, even.

And that's not even half of it.

Simon, Rossiu, and Nia, realizing they cannot easily defeat the destructive behemoth, fly up to the top of the beast in Gurren Lagann, and see the Spiral King! Gurren Lagann breaks in to the Spiral King's throne room, and Nia confronts him about his evil ways and her abandonment. She cannot change him and realizes he is not exactly your ideal loving daddy. The Spiral King gets into his own personal Gunman, with which he decimates Gurren Lagann in a brawl. Despite the efforts of Gurren Lagann's GIGA DRILL BREAK, the enemy Gunman is not even scratched. Lord Genome summons a humongous drill to end Gurren Lagann with, to which Simon uses his small drill against. Using the power of his manly fighting spirit, Simon is able to drill through the Spiral King's drill, plunging through his Gunman.

The Spiral King then exits his destroyed Gunman to attack Simon in his now separated Lagann. Simon is without any more strength, unable to summon any drills to defeat Lord Genome. Finally, when all hope seems lost, Simon plunges the Core Drill he uses to activate Lagann and free Nia into the Spiral King's chest, forcing a large explosion of energy through his body. Lord Genome leaves a few ominous parting words, before falling off of his monstrous Gunman capital base in defeat. Romantically, Simon and Nia return in Gurren Lagann, marking the victory of Team Dai-Gurren over the Spiral King, and the dawning of a new era.

Meanwhile, Rossiu seemingly nearly faints from exhaustion in Gurren below. Alone. Lonely. Got nobody besiiiiiides him.

This concludes the first half of Gurren Lagann. This anime series is so amazing and fantastic that I'm going to summarize it in two parts, then write a big review after that. Now, I have one last thing to say:

"My bro is dead. He's gone! But he's there on my back, and here in my heart! He lives on as a part of me! If you're gonna dig, dig to the heavens! No matter what's in my way I won't stop!! Once I've dug through...it means that I've won! Just who the hell do you think I am? I'm Simon. I'm NOT my bro! I'M ME!! SIMON THE DIGGER!"