Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann was born as a dream project: bringing together some of GAINAX's finest in an original concept with all the flamboyance and energy the best works from the studio are noted for. An ensemble of animation and episode directors could have easily birthed an amalgam of half-cocked ideas and tepid action; instead a rare gem, vast in imagination and rich in breathless enthusiasm, was created and took the varied mecha genre to outlandish heights.
Beginning deep underground, Simon is a reticent young digger for a village sequestered from the surface; his companion, Kamina, is brash, forthright and instantly charismatic. After a giant robot falls from the surface - swiftly followed by the sparsely clothed Yoko - they begin an adventure across the surface and all the trouble that entails. For many series this would be the entire narrative, however after a monumental battle with the aggressor of the surface, the Spiral King, time moves forward. Characters are older and divisions deeper, it is only then that the true threat appears which threatens not just the world or the galaxy, but the entire universe.
Every element in the series is ambitious; just when one thinks the measure has been taken, it is overwhelmed by something even more ludicrously grandiose. At its core it is a coming of age story: Simon evolves from the frightened, bashful child into a man and an historical leader; his is the journey that drives the series, facing down increasingly powerful opponents until the climax with a frighteningly powerful being, capable of tossing galaxies at a whim. Like so many series from GAINAX, it is a brilliant metaphor for growing up transforming from childish whims to adult concerns; it may be hidden behind bellowed nomenclature such as "Giga Drill Breaker" and colliding robots, but it loses none of its potency for satisfying progression. The studio's heritage is never forgotten and cameos from past luminaries as well as a juvenile focus on breast jiggling ensures it is impossible to forget this is a thoroughly GAINAX series.
The spiral emblems used throughout are welded into the core of the story, from the more obvious phallic drills to the concept of exponential evolutionary advancement - so hated by the antagonists who seek to seal it away. Incidental details such as the markings on weapons or the computer interfaces all live and breathe the theme, the spiral becomes a standard for the loud, energy filled cries that characterise every duel, skirmish and battle. And what combat there is. Staying clear of the tedious expository fights that are standard fare for the genre, events are rapid, brutal and superbly unmuddled affairs. Constant explosions and exclamations threaten to overburden but instead just add to the organised bedlam.
Combat animations are given the most attention, fervent care ensures that platitudes are minimised and the focus is always on the most outlandish combat possible. Like Matryoshka dolls, robots sit within robots and at the core is a glowing pilot, visibly overflowing with energy and chutzpah. Often though, movement barely maintains the visual consistency with static shots illustrating the shortcuts used to enable such kinetic and fluid motion. Certain episodes show a distinct lack of fidelity, however all can be forgiven when the music rises to a crescendo and elements on the screen pop with life and vigour in a way that only the most jaded could not feel energised by. Even the DVD format fails to fully capture the grit and barrage of textures that suffuse the most climactic of moments.
Defying expectation becomes commonplace by the midpoint of the series: opponents and subplots that could power a series by themselves are discarded just as quickly as new ones are brought in. Nevertheless, none are treated flippantly; miscreants such as the bombastic Cytomander or the domineering Adiane have all the visual flair and heady personalities of lead antagonists but rarely last more than a few episodes in the path of the protagonist's meteoric ascension. Early on the series teaches the permanence of death, hammering home that these are not Marvel-comic deaths and the ramifications and the vacuum left by them is indelible. Falling in love with the characters is easily done when they are written with such strength, the pragmatism demonstrated by everyone is refreshing but the tiny details - sometimes as slight as an off-duty hobby - are enough to fill them with life beyond the noisy carnage of battle.
At an obstinate twenty seven episodes long with two recap movies and a number of manga adaptations to accompany it, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is an exuberant, coruscating series that takes the mind boggling excess of well-loved shows such as Gunbuster and FLCL and adds jet-fuel to it. The scale is frequently staggering and that the narrative and characters can not only keep pace but frequently eclipse ongoing events says all it needs to regarding the quality of production. One of the decade's most exhilarating series that grips from the outset and doesn't easily let go.
Vitals
First aired: 01 April 2007
Finished airing: 30 September 2007
Episodes: 27
Availability: DVD — Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, United Publications (UK)
References: MyAnimeList, Wikipedia, AniDB
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