Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann : Review
Title: Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann
Genre: Action/Drama
Company: Gainax
Format: 27 episodes
Dates: 1 Apr 2007 – 30 Sep 2007
Synopsis: In a world where much of humanity lives in
underground cities, there are those who aspire to go up to the surface where
there is no ceiling. The ever eccentric Kamina is such a man, and with his
insane confidence, he plans to go to the top with his younger brother Simon.
Though not blood related, Kamina and Simon share a deep belief in one another
which allows them to boldly charge ahead when they find an opportunity to
escape. However, all is not rosy at the surface. Humanity is stuck in a
perpetual battle with an enigmatic opponent, the beastmen, and their giant
robots.
The
Highlights
Animation: Bold, colorful and relentlessly
dynamic.
Characters: Strong-willed and larger than life,
but still human.
Story:
Absurd.
In a nutshell: Unplug all higher brain functions and
let the adrenaline rush in.
Wow, just wow Gainax. Here I was thinking
that FLCL was
the last throws of a dying legacy when the company unexpectedly ripped out a
bombshell: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.
This show is the anti-Evangelion. Pessimism, realism and
everything in between is blasted out the window with unfettered energy and
optimism placed in its stead. The show jumps all around like rabbits hyped on
Ritalin, boldly shouting its motto of believing in oneself. I’ve seen my fair
share of bravado driven anime, but as far as super robot shows go, Gurren
Lagann pushes the bar
far above the heavens.
The series is a coming of age
story where the lead character actually comes of age. This nonstop adrenaline
rush is driven by strong characters and mind-blowing imagery. The monster of
the week formula the show employs is overshadowed by the insane amount plot
movement, character development and creativity. Amazing protagonists are thrown
against equally amazing villains in a kinetic clash where self-confidence is
all the power the characters ever need. Ignore all the crap that whizzes past
your head, the show hits you with such a heavy sledgehammer of epic that all
the corny clichés and downright stupid elements seem perfectly acceptable.
As far as the visuals go, Gurren
Lagann not only
steamrolls through uncharted boundaries, it also makes everything feel
completely off the wall. Gainax is still the king of giant robot fight
scenes, and goddamnit, they prove it over and over again in this anime.
Absolutely no expense is spared in the animation, and the grandiose music
definitely captures the sheer magnitude of events.
Despite all the show’s
accomplishments, it’s not without its flaws. The first fifteen episodes is an
amazing display of creative storytelling that has become my personal standard
that I expect all future anime to follow. In fact, the first part is so good
that much of the final twelve episodes look like a fanfic in comparison. No,
the show never stops being cool. In a sense, the show continually grows even
more ambitious with each passing episode, but actually accepting the story of
the second part requires near brain death (not that this is hard considering
how jaw-dropping epic the final episodes turn out to be).
Gurren Lagann requires a heavy dose of tolerance for the
absurd. This cup of tea is supersaturated five times over with pure caffeine,
so fasten your seatbelts and push your suspension of disbelief as high as it
can go. If you are the type of person willing to scream “hell yeah” as the
protagonist gives a bombastic speech about self-confidence in a massive,
sunglass totting robot, then be sure to check out this anime.
