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Year: 2007
Genre: Action-adventure, Comedy-drama, Mecha
Episodes: 27
Rating:
Impossible. A word that has more meaning than many other words in the English dictionary. Merriam-Webster defines impossible as incapable of being or of occurring. Many times in our lives, we question ourselves, thinking that many things are impossible to do. Are things really impossible to obtain if one is willing to put their mind, body, and soul behind it?
The car was once an impossible dream. Horses and carriages were the means of transportation, but Henry Ford does the impossible and builds the first car. Now horses are a luxury item while vehicles rule the roads. Flying amongst the birds has always been a dream for some with many thinking it would be impossible to obtain. The Wright Brothers decided to make it a reality by showing the world that man is meant to fly in the sky. Now airplanes fly high in the skies. Flying into space and landing on the moon was thought to be impossible. President John F. Kennedy said, “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.” With help from NASA, the impossible was done with Neil Armstrong flying in the stars and landing on the moon.
What is truly impossible? Is something so unattainable that we will never reach it? Everyone has dreams they would like to achieve. Whether it is Bill Gates, who changed the world with a computer to Steve Jobs changing the world with the iPod/iPhone to Usain Bolt breaking land records to Michael Jordan flying through the air. Nothing is truly impossible if you put your mind to it.
Gurren Lagaan presents a story with what it truly means to do the impossible. What it truly means to kick logic to the curb and do the impossible. It’s an anime that will make you want to take your own drill and pierce the heavens.
Overview:
Gurren Lagann sets in the far future where the Earth is ruled by the Spiral King, Lordgenome. Lordgenome has forced mankind to live underground in isolated villages. The villages have no contact with the world above or even other communities. The villages are under constant threat of earthquakes. Selected villagers called diggers are hired to expand their homes deeper underground.
The story revolves around two friends, Simon and Kamina. Simon is a meek young digger disliked by his peers. He spends all his time digging and finds solace in his best friend and older brother figure, Kamina. Kamina is the complete opposite of Simon. Kamina is an eccentric delinquent, who believes that man isn’t meant to live underground and that their goal is to pierce the heavens. Kamina encourages/forces Simon to join his gang called Team Gurren, to help him achieve his dream of visiting the surface world. One day during an attempt to get to the surface, Simon finds a drill-shaped key called a Core Drill followed by a small mecha resembling a face called a Gunmen.
Shortly after finding the Core Drill and gunmen, a huge Gunmen crashes through the ceiling and begins attacking the village. A girl from the surface named Yoko shows up and attempts to repel the Gunmen. During the battle, Simon uses his Core Drill to activate the smaller Gunmen and uses it to destroy the more gigantic Gunmen and breakthrough to the surface world. Simon and Kamina make it to the surface where they learned that the Gunmen are piloted by beastmen, humanoid creatures who serve as Lordgenome’s army along with attacking all the villages daily to keep them underground. Kamina hijacks a Gunmen and names him Gurren, combining him with Lagann to form the mecha Gurren Lagann.
Simon and Kamina set out on an adventure to free the other villagers, along with doing the impossible and pierce the heavens.
Review:
Who the hell do you think I am?! Yours is the drill that will pierce the Heavens! Gurren Lagaan is a rousing anime that hits all the elements of an all-time great and epic anime. Whether it’s the fantastic story, the many characters that you will root and connect with or the animations that bring to life the anime. Gurren will leave you feeling good inside. When I’m down, I watch this anime over and over again because it makes me feel like I can accomplish anything in the world.
The first part that must be talked about is the plot/story. You might think this is another mecha story like the Gundam series or other series that use mecha, but this one doesn’t. Yes, the main characters use mechs, but they are an added bonus to the overall anime. The primary topic of the storyline is that anything is possible no matter how crazy the idea is. Kamina is the main person that pushes this belief. No matter how crazy the idea, he never believes anything is impossible. The main story revolves around Simon and how Kamina always pushes him to believe in himself. In the beginning, Simon is a shy, timid boy who questions himself and every decision he makes. He would rather stay where safety is. What a great thing to see your best friend believe more in you. Back to the storyline, it will make you realize that nothing is impossible if you put your mind, heart, and soul behind it. As Kamina always tells Simon, “Your drill is the drill that will pierce the Heavens!”
The story does a great job of showing what happens when depression hits and how to overcome it. The struggle that a person goes through to finally believe in themselves and push beyond what they can do. One of the defying statements is when Kamina, Simon and the group go to battle and Simon starts questioning himself. Kamina looks Simon in the eyes and says, “Don’t believe in the you that believes in me and don’t believe in the me that believes in you. Believe in the you that believes in yourself.”
Gurren Lagaan also does a fantastic job at character development along with having a wide range of characters. The main character that has the most significant amount of character development is Simon. Simon starts off as a complete wimp. He is shy, keeps to himself, afraid of practically everything, and has little backbone. As the story progresses, Simon goes from being shy to a person that believes whole heartedly in himself and his abilities. He has extreme courage and never backs away from a challenge.
Another must talk about character is Kamina. Kamina is the complete opposite of Simon. He knows what he wants and will do anything to get it, even at the expense of hurting himself. He is the extreme leader that puts faith in everyone that gets to know him. He is loud, reckless, energetic, always optimistic, and one of the coolest dressed people you will ever see. His confidence is off the charts. He will be your favorite character, no matter what.
Throughout the series, many other unique and entertaining characters come along that will push the characters to their goal. If you can’t find one character to latch on, then you are watching the wrong anime.
Two areas that add to the overall appeal of this anime is the animation and music. The anime is beyond exceptional. The animation is consistent throughout the whole anime. It’s full of bright colors when times are good and slowly change to dull, sad colors when times are rough. One example of this is when Simon is going through his major sadness. The colors are really flat as Simon mopes around all over the place. When he regains his confidence, the colors become bright all over again. The music is intense. The best song that captures the whole of the anime is “Libera me from Hell.” It’s played the last three episodes of the series, but it fully captures everything the anime is all about. The opening bars are: Do the impossible, see the invisible. Row! Row! Fight the power! Touch the untouchable, break the unbreakable Row! Row! fight the power!” It actually combines a rap song with an opera song. That’s doing the impossible right there.
I will also say that I like the Japanese voices better than the dubbed voices. The voices of Kamina and Simon sound much more natural and fits their personality. I felt like the dubbed versions made Simon sound way too pitiful and without confidence. When Kamina spoke, the Japanese voice seemed to have more appeal and confidence in it.
Gurren Laggan is a top 10, maybe a top 5 anime in my world. If you need an anime that makes you believe that you can overcome anything, this is the anime. This anime will make you laugh but also say, forget everything! I’m going to make it and do it my way. How do you end an all-time epic anime with a review? Easy, just put some kick-ass quotes!!
“Believe in yourself. Not in you who believes in me. Not in me who believes in you. Believe in yourself!”
“God gave us eyes at the front of our heads so we can look forward to the future.”
“Don’t be distracted by the what-if’s, should-haves, and if-only’s. The one thing you choose for yourself – that is the truth of your universe.”
