The appeal of Gurren Lagann?

[carks]

So, the Blu-ray releases came out abit ago and I didn't notice, so I figured now was a good time to try out the show, but I just don't get it. Just the intro, or clips I've seen around the web, it all looks like something designed around 8 year olds, art-wise, and a mostly generic plot, yet the praise I get puts it right up there with some legendary animes.

Usually, the only thing I find praised, is Yoko, or the skimpy red-head. Like literally. It's all people talk about when they praise the show. Is the ecchi / fanservice the only reason it's popular? Even if so, I find it hard to believe it could rank up there with the big ones. Honestly, I feel embassed just booting up the episode and watching, like I've downloaded some Dora the Explorer or something, and no excuse such as a child in the room and it's what they want to watch. The art-style just bugs me. Seems all so silly and such. This is from someone who watches alot of comedy / stupid animes.

I don't know, I can't figure out what the praise is about, because everything I've been shown / told over the years points to extreme mediocrity?  Is this the Inheritance Cycle(Book series, wildly popular, however generic and poorly written, critics fail to understand why it's popular) of Anime?

Trigger does everything perfectly. Go watch Kill la Kill if you want feminine sexism. Gurren Lagann is all about masculine sexism, Yoko is there for fan service and plot delivery.

Don't make me remember you Episode 3.

Huh? What's wrong with episode 3?

Don't you remember that HORRIBLE CG in Satsuki vs Ryuko fight? They didn't even bother to fix it in the BDs :C

WHAT??! WHERE?!?! Give me the time.

It was in the middle of the battle! Even if it was 3 seconds, IT WAS HORRIBLE

[Mkilbride]

I'm @ Episode 19, or just watched it, I mean...

So the second half.

I'm not really liking it. It's more mature, which is good. However, the plot is nonsensical, more than before, because it TRIES to be serious. I don't care about how much "Spiral power" humans have...7 years? That's messed up.

Then Russio is now fucking Hitler 2.0, OUT OF NO WHERE. Yes I know about the Priest. Also, Kittans sister who is his assistant, is fucking gone utterly insane out of NO WHERE. What happened, in those 7 years? These personality switches are what get me the most. If they had explained them - if they had BUILT up to these changes in their personality, I'd understand.

Also, them rioting against Simon makes no sense. NONE. AT ALL. Russoi was ALSO piloting Gurren Lagaan and fighting the Spiral King, he was a crucial part of the revolution as well - as well as pretty much everyone in the Government. Yet, only Simon? I know politics, and sorry, no, the WHOLE administration goes, not just the figurehead.  Russio is also incredibly smart, a visonary, and understands stuff that someone 5x his age might have...I don't buy it. He couldn't read 7 years ago, and in 7 years he's become humanities foremost genius? Sorry, no.

I like the more mature moves...my issues is they conflict DIRECTLY with the established characters / plot in the first half. Kittan's sister slaps him, and tells him to fuck off? Oh, sorry, the guy who raised you, took care of you, spent your whole life with him. Also the part with Russio dodging was bullshit. Sorry. He's physically weak and never trained...Kittan is physically strong AND an accomplished fighter.

The issue with all this is, the first half was all kinda silly, and nonsensical. But that was the point. The second half is TRYING to take itself seriously...but failing because the changes don't make sense.

If this was 800 years later, I might understand...but no. It's 7.  I'm going to finish it, of course, but I feel honestly peeved watching this because it's like "Hey, just because, Russio is now like this, Kittans sisters are now like this, and in a simple 7 years people forget what Simon & Kamina did for them"

Human memory and gratitude is short, but releasing an entire people from bondage? Sorry, 7 years, his goodwill would be extended. Also, in the New Government, most of the seats are held by Team Gurren members, 100% of them disagree with Russio...how come THEY can't bar him? Kittan is also the Law guy, yet he doesn't get any say in the trial?

It wouldn't have bothered me if they hadn't tried to play this so super serious and "We're not just a hilarious show anymore!" card....


Unless Russio was literally swapped, and someone else is now in his place. I also suspect the Book the priest gave him may be related to this, afterall he can read now, but I don't buy it. Too much is "JUST BECAUSE!" in this second half...

Bothers the heck out of me.

[D4oS]

TTGL was an average anime and it annoys me that it's abbreviation is so close to TTG, every time I read it I get my hopes high for a moment that I met a guy praising the great Tatami Galaxy, but it turns out to be another boring Gurenn Lagann fan ;(

[Killjoy]

Also the part with Russio dodging was bullshit. Sorry. He's physically weak and never trained...Kittan is physically strong AND an accomplished fighter.

That was to mimic the part in the first arc where Kamina tries to slap Rossiu's village's priest. It didn't make sense then either.

I know politics, and sorry, no, the WHOLE administration goes, not just the figurehead

Simon's the one being offered as a sacrifice for the crowd especially for that reason. If they have a specific person to single out as a villain they won't try to overthrow the government is Rossiu's idea.

In any case, keep watching. Shit gets realer than real.

[Mkilbride]

Except it doesn't make sense.

But condemning Simon, you condemn everyone who helped him...which includes RUssio himself...and basically the entire Government. By claiming that Simon was in the wrong, that it's all his fault, that he should be held accountable...so should everyone else, including Russio.

It's just terrible writing. That's how I feel.

I also don't remember that part with the priest. Perhaps it does relate to book, I don't know. But I don't like the change, if it's not explained, why did he suddenly turn from "Bright, hopeful young lad", to "I'ma be Hitler...for the greater good"

No character development. He suddenly IS...it's bad. Also, he says Simon never grew up, which is actually the COMPLETE opposite of the truth, Simon changed, singular, in the series, only he is different from the start point, and they showed how he got there.

While Russio seems to have been made a villain so we'd have someone to hate who we could relate to.

[Mimishiki19]

It's deus ex machina.You'll always hate it when you spot it.

[Mkilbride]

True. It's just I wish they weren't so blatantly obvious. I would've accepted a FLASH BACK of Rossiu having a reason for his change. A simple 30 second clip showing WHY he is how he is. Like, a conversation with the Priest again, after all these years, some traumatic event, or I just don't know. It's too jarring.

It's like, imagine watching Gintama, then suddenly it switches over, half-way through, into a completely serious show. It's just bad...maybe for an episode or two, as Gintama does, sometimes they have 2-3 episode arcs where things get semi-serious, but go back to normal after, but in a 26 episode anime...no.


Also, I just reached the Yoko teacher episode and am absolutely despising the Clark Kent thing going on...plus, another dues ex, it makes no sense, she's never expressed any desire to educate and has shown to have a low tolerance for children before hand. Now she's the PERFECT teacher / child care person. NOT enough explaining how this came to be.

[SchoolDaysEX]

I'm @ Episode 19, or just watched it, I mean...

So the second half.

 Ahh, theres your problem. I too thought it was all right until I finished it. After all, it is basically just battles getting bigger and bigger.

(click to show/hide)

The theme of the anime is that anyone can do anything. Gives a reason for the overpoweredness

In 7 years, you can build giant buildings with the help of giant robots. It shouldn't be too much work designing them if you got a mechanic who can fix giant mechas.

Russio employs the same tactics the priest did because it was effective in controlling non-aware populations. Remember that he knows what will happen if the population rises above 1 million.

Kittan's sisters aren't main characters, and there is relatively little filler in this 26 episode anime series. Not enough room and I think 26 episodes is the right number.
Even Yoko is only allowed ONE episode dedicated to her, the school one, it really is a fast paced anime.

Russio blamed Simon because he is the head of government because it is easy to do so. You know like some people blaming Obama instead of Congress for bad policies.

Yoko lost the love of her life. That can make a 180 turnaround for anyone. She probably wanted to start a family, but realizes she can't so may as well be a teacher?

Russio is not meant to be hated. He is meant to show that growing up is hard and sometimes you have to be someone you don't want to be. He has a responsibility to keep the humans alive, just like the priest in the village.

[Mkilbride]

Erm, no, he did NOT know what would happen when the population rose above 1 Million. He didn't find out about that TIL they already invaded.

27 Episodes, actually, 2 movies(Haven't watched those though, so yeah)

I found the Yoko teaching episode redundant. IT was just plainly, boring and bad, and she came back to "Rescue" Simon, who was already rescued, since then she's done nothing of worth...much like the entire series.

I understood the Russio part. I did...that doesn't mean it makes any sense in the series / character development. Kittans sisters are ones who should've gotten more focus / some backstory on one Kinion is now Russios bottom bitch. (Seriously, she's a TOTAL BITCH to anyone else until near the end, her personality is different and Kittan even remarks on this, but it's never explored and I find that annoying when an established character changes completely)

Finished Episode 23...and now I'm even ANGRIER. It invalidates the WHOLE Russio arc of "You sometimes have to do thing you don't want to do to survive", and makes it "NOPE, WE CAN DO ONLY WHAT WE WANT AND STILL SUCCEED!" 

I mean, the fucking anime itself, invalidates the point it JUST made an episode ago.

Then Yokos new outfit, which Kittan goes nuts over. I'm honestly annoyed...because she's a 100% fanservice character, but they try to portray her as someone deep / of importance. She's less important than Even the two young kids in terms of the actual story, less important than hell, even Boota, anyone. It's insulting to anyone watching when they try to make her seem like she's some part of the plot. They handle it lazy.

Christ, I watch shows like To Love Ru, a show that exists for fanservice entirely and there's no character as BAD as Yoko.

[Mimishiki19]

To be fair it is Japan and if it the female character isn't a housewife by the end of the anime something went wrong.

[SchoolDaysEX]

I am not trying to convince you into liking the anime. I have had bad experiences trying to convince others that School Days is amazing. xD

The severed head told him something bad would happen if the population rose above 1 million, even if it was just a hint. Just like the priest said something bad might happen if you go up/ touch the mechas face. Can't get rid of some habits that have been ingrained into you the first 15 or so years of your life.
At 4 minutes 21 seconds of episode 17, "When the land comes to overflow with one million apes, the moon shall become hell's messenger and destroy the world of the Spiral. Those were Lord Genome's last words". They clearly knew what would happen. Maybe some didn't believe, but growing up the way he did, he did believe and he was right, because of the way he was raised.

And with Russio at episode 23, of he didn't change. They must succeed to survive. They were knee deep in shit by that time and if they lost humanity would be destroyed. His ultimate goal was for humans to survive.

As with most highly rated anime, its going to be appealing to the widest audience. Is Clannad Afterstory really the best romance? Is Steins; Gate really the best sci fi? I don't think so, but it is readily enjoyable to the most people.

[Mkilbride]

Lol, you try to convince people School Days is amazing?

Listen, if even the Visual novel sucked, how could the anime be any good?

[Grimpak]

Lol, you try to convince people School Days is amazing?

Listen, if even the Visual novel sucked, how could the anime be any good?

Christ, I watch shows like To Love Ru, a show that exists for fanservice entirely and there's no character as BAD as Yoko.

your opinions are your opinions, and it's fine like that, as long as you don't push them on other people.

[SchoolDaysEX]

Lol, you try to convince people School Days is amazing?

Listen, if even the Visual novel sucked, how could the anime be any good?

The School Days topic has 150 pages on bakabt forums. It is in the top 100 viewed on MAL. It has to be good. Now back on topic before mods come...

The anime never invalidated itself. Its about a group of people who overcome all odds against them. Simple as that. Take down a moon? Sure. break space and time dimensions? No problem with helix missiles fueled by human will. Yes it is overblown and exaggerated, but that's the whole point of it, and a really a good representation of anime(especially mechas and shounen).

[Mkilbride]

Finished.

It was leading up to something good. Good music, atmosphere, and overall I didn't mind what happened to Nia. What bothered me was the Epilogue, which I usually live for, felt so damn out of place. Simon's like 50 now...Yoko looks 60...it's been 20 god damned years, they're in their 40's, not 60's. No reason why one of Simon's eyes is like that? No explanation why Lord Genome was immortal / the guy at the start of the series? Was it Kaminas father, who previously fought Lord Genome? If so, why did it never come up / no one knew of it, and the all the Laganns before hand.

Simon giving the Drill Core to Darry or whatever just was...so out of place, it was his soul and all that crap he talked about...didn't make sense, if he stuck around after Lord Genomes defeat, why not the Anti-Spirals? No proper motivation around that.

So much left unexplained, that seems like it should've been. Part of the mystery is always good to be kept hidden, but events were referenced and connections half-made, that were never fully connected, but felt like they were SUPPOSED to be.

It was a nice bitter-sweet ending, what I wanted, but it was done so poorly. Simon was a fucking Hobo. There's a difference between living a normal life and being a hobo. It annoyed me.

I liked it, I just didn't like them trying to make it a serious themed anime at parts, when ti had no business being so, the contrast was too much.

[SchoolDaysEX]

"So much left unexplained", Its amazingly paced for 26 episodes. Relatively little filler. Only one fan service episode. I am glad they didn't extend it past 30. It is a very closed ending compared to most anime. We know everything wrapped up.

if you want every single little thing explains, watch a standard 100+ episode shounen anime.

Simon gives up the drill so that someone else may pilot it in case the world needs saving. He finally had enough, he admits he is just a digger and no longer wants to be a part of government or army.

Simon wanted others to live the way they want and he will live how he wants. Dude was president of Earth, OF COURSE  he had money and connections. If wants to wander the Earth instead of staying home alone, he can. Its great that he went down this route, makes him seem like a one of those old type western hero, instead of "a fucking hobo"

You never should have took this anime seriously when a robot head obliterated a robot 100x its size, and the consequent battles, tell you to go with the flow.

[BronBron06]

(click to show/hide)

[Mimishiki19]

That's from the doujinshi.Really liked that one.Can I please have a link to it on PM?

[Mistgun_Zero]

Finished.

It was leading up to something good. Good music, atmosphere, and overall I didn't mind what happened to Nia. What bothered me was the Epilogue, which I usually live for, felt so damn out of place. Simon's like 50 now...Yoko looks 60...it's been 20 god damned years, they're in their 40's, not 60's. No reason why one of Simon's eyes is like that? No explanation why Lord Genome was immortal / the guy at the start of the series? Was it Kaminas father, who previously fought Lord Genome? If so, why did it never come up / no one knew of it, and the all the Laganns before hand.

Simon giving the Drill Core to Darry or whatever just was...so out of place, it was his soul and all that crap he talked about...didn't make sense, if he stuck around after Lord Genomes defeat, why not the Anti-Spirals? No proper motivation around that.

So much left unexplained, that seems like it should've been. Part of the mystery is always good to be kept hidden, but events were referenced and connections half-made, that were never fully connected, but felt like they were SUPPOSED to be.

It was a nice bitter-sweet ending, what I wanted, but it was done so poorly. Simon was a fucking Hobo. There's a difference between living a normal life and being a hobo. It annoyed me.

I liked it, I just didn't like them trying to make it a serious themed anime at parts, when ti had no business being so, the contrast was too much.

On the other hand, I really can't understand you or your taste.

You didn't care what happened to Nia? Really? The main character after simon? The person who besides Yoko actually supported simon to the very end?!?! Basically, just because his wife died, it was no big deal?

Well, everyone has their own opinions, so well, let it be. And schooldaysx did answer your questions correctly.

If one thing I would have loved, then it would be if Yoko and Simon did get together. Sure, after what both of them faced, their relation would be completely different, but still they could have supported each other. Or maybe not...... Their relation at the end is something not easy to write.

Also, where exactly is Kamina's father even mentioned in series. Kamina and lord genome have no connection whatsoever. Lord genome wasn't immortal either. He was just pretty strong. Since his mind was preserved, at the end he reconstructed his body thanks to spiral power.

And giving the drill, since it's something like a soul to him, he gave it to the person who he knew would look after it and use it without perverting it. He made the perfect choice. Not to mention simon never wanted power. He only wanted freedom for himself and for he cared. And he got that. Mission accomplished. As simple as that. Also, our hitler type Rosario? guy had learned his lesson and even simon knew he would be the perfect person to lead the earth.

[Sinjo]

I was initially pretty against TTGL. I watched it for I believe seven episodes and thought ' Is this lal this is going to be? Fanservice? They've done nothing but focus on this girl's sex appeal." But my friend who had seen the entire series told me to stick through. And I did. I'm glad I did. The show evolves very quickly once you get into the middle of it. They did the same thing with Kill la kill. But this time I knew to stick it out.

I still rank it as one of my top animes.