Studio Gainax's Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of my favorite anime of all time, but it's also a really dark and depressing deconstruction of the mecha genre. With Gurren Lagann, Gainax goes in the complete opposite direction, not only making a more light-hearted and action-packed mecha anime, but making one that's absolutely insane.
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (TTGL) is a mecha anime about near-brothers Simon and Kamina joining a rag-tag team of rebels in a war against a species called the Beastmen, who have taken over the planet and forced all the humans underground. The story is fairly simplistic and bizarre, but there are a lot of layers and twists to make it engaging, from a three-episode storyline about dealing with grief, to the way it feels like a lighter version of Evangelion, to the theme about bringing hope. The pacing is pretty good, as the stakes keep increasing throughout the series, and the characters are all incredibly likable. Kamina probably made the biggest impact, for very good reason, but I also think Simon has a great character arc, Yoko gets plenty of badass sniper fights, and Viral is a fun rival for the main cast. Outside of two weaker episodes early on, TTGL is a consistently strong series with a great sense of fun and energy, and that's just the first half!
Halfway through TTGL, the antagonist is defeated, and the show completely transforms. After a seven-year time jump, the show transforms from desert punk to space opera, aging the characters, darkening the tone, and introducing a terrifying new villain. I'm a bit more split on this half. The pacing slows down for a while, the first arc's sense of fun isn't nearly as prevalant, Yoko is gone for a large portion, and Nia spends the arc captured and possessed. However, there's still a lot to like here. Some characters like Kittan and Viral get fantastic arcs during this half of the series, the space battles are pretty damn spectacular, and the second half is generally really bombastic and fun. However, I have some gripes with the finale. While the big final battle was fantastic, the decision to have Nia die right after her wedding with Simon and him becoming a drifter after saving the universe left a very bad taste in my mouth. Even with the amount of deaths in TTGL, the tone remained hopeful and the characters always manage to accomplish their goals, so this twist just felt a bit cruel.
In terms of its animation, TTGL is (when not during Episode 4) fantastic. The linework is clean, the action is bombastic, and the whole show just oozes style. The anime's visuals are consistently over the top, conveying its plot and themes with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. My biggest issue with the visuals in TTGL are really just some of the character designs. Obviously, there's the elephant in the room of the sexualized Yoko somehow being 14 (I really hope that's a joke), but I also find the mech designs a bit hit or miss. That's not a catagorical issue, though. The truly giant mechs like Dai-Gurren, Teppelin, and pretty much everything from the final few episodes look fantastic, and some of the character designs like the ones for Kamina, Nia, and Viral are really striking. The music is also pretty good, even if I think the battle theme plays a bit too frequently. The highlight of TTGL's soundtrack, though, is definitely the vocal tracks that appear during important moments and fight scenes. For lack of a better word, the music does a great job of generating hype.
TTGL has plenty of strong episodes, especially in its first half:
Later, Buddy: Kamina's death is by far the most iconic moment of TTGL, and is a decision that I think was absolutely genius. Aside from the subversive nature of killing off a main character so quickly, it changes the series for the better and solidifies the first arc's about bringing hope. The big fight with Thymilph is tense and insane, the visuals are especially mind-blowing, and Kamina himself gets a fantastic sendoff.
What, Exactly, Is A Human?: The three episodes after Later, Buddy are my favorite part of the entire series. It maintains the insane action and fun that make the series great, while also delving into its characters and exploring how they cope with Kamina's death. I especially that Simon doesn't just get over his grief in a single episode. Aside from the strong character moments, though, this episode also has Nia's first appearance as well as some pretty striking animation.
Simon, Hands Off: In this episode, Simon finally gets over his grief in incredibly satisfying fashion, finally living up to Kamina's legacy and inspiring hope by just being himself. But the most fascinating stuff here was the reveal of Nia's true nature. The fact that she was basically a doll to the Spiral King is heartbreaking, and makes the arc's antagonist that much more despicable.
I Will Head Towards Tomorrow: The ending of the first arc, this episode wasn't anything super surprising (though that probably was the point), but it's a suitably climactic and bombastic final battle with the Spiral King with insane action, plenty of questions raised and answers given, and the long-awaited confrontation between Nia and her father.
This Is My Final Duty: While the first half of arc 2 was easily the show's weakest stretch of episodes, I loved this episode. Containing the first space battle of the series, we got Gurren-Lagann having his biggest merge yet, Viral and Simon working together, Nia briefly snapping out of her possession, and Simon taking down the goddamn moon. It's a perfect balance of insane action and genuine emotional payoff.
I Accept Your Last Wish: Throughout the second arc, Kittan slowly became one of my favorite characters, and he goes out in an absolute blaze of glory this episode. The whole episode was great, but I don't think anything is as hype as hearing Libera Me From Hell for the first time as Kittan uses his own version of the Giga Drill Break to save the team. The song plays a few times in these last few episodes, but this was my favorite one.
Overall, while I generally preferred its first half, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is an incredibly fun mecha anime with insane action, beautiful visuals, likable characters, and plenty of memorable twists and turns.
4/5 Stars
Favorite Episode: Later, Buddy
