(note: most of this is an extended edit of my Letterboxd review. Either way, here it is).

(spoilers)

Get you a girl that rocks your world like Gurren Lagann does.

Both halves of the show are distinct, yet still exemplary. Transitioning from wide-eyed optimism and motivation into....well, more wide-eyed optimism and motivation. But with the gift of time, effort, and accepting yourself to the end. All culminating in a finale that fucks supreme. Seriously, who the hell ~~do you think I am~~ are you to complain about a finale that features badass, colorful robots the size of universes duking it out across the universe flinging entire fucking galaxies at each other like they're frisbees (I wish I could take credit for that comparison but it's too perfect). From high-octane desert survival to intergalactic stakes, it just makes you look back with warm memories of how far these characters, Simon especially, have come.

It'd seem as though the animators injected all the steroids they could to give you a (literally) colorful, ball-busting, off-the-chain, and borderline teary experience. It just doesn't let up! This is a series that's constantly upping itself time and time again. And it's so friggin' obvious and in-your-face about what it is that it weirdly works. Like yeah, sometimes, you gotta say "screw the math, screw the logic, screw everything: just don't give up or give in." Gurren Lagann's commitment is an undeniable strength. Simple and/or complicated as it may be in the end, just do you. And it's all worth it to see our characters we've grown to know and love for so long get their deserved happy endings.

I'll try to keep any Evangelion references/comparisons to a minimum, as while EVA will forever remain my personal favorite solely on how it left an impact on my life, Gurren Lagann is easily the more enjoyable and accessible experience. A lot of it is an antithesis to Evangelion, (and it's great it because of that no less). But I can confidently say this still has a lot of the same important, ultimately uplifting and hopeful messages that stuck with me so hard when I watch Eva (amidst all the crushing depression, it's not a complete downer story). Gurren Lagann just whacks the idea of "subtlety" out the window (I mean a lot of EVA's actual messages aren't really THAT deep and I'd argue are fairly simple too, it's just that both shows express a lot of similar themes in different ways. One with more sobriety and bittersweetness, the other with flashiness and rich sakuga. And they both impressively stick the landing). Accept yourself, pay it forward (in this case, taken up beyond the extreme), and give it time. With a typical (albeit not extremely mindscrewy) Gainax reality-pondering penultimate episode that at least gets you in the emotional vicinity of what it's trying to get at. The story is incredibly compelling (with the 2nd half's arc reminding me a bit of Legend of Korra Book 4, which had a similar gripping tone), and the characters are all So. Damn. Memorable. Kamina, despite not even being in most of the show, leaves such a bold impact on you. Simon's rise to becoming a man feels earned by the end, Viral actually gets an interesting arc, we got our icon Ron, best girl Yoko....they just nail them.

Granted, the ensemble cast doesn't feel too worthwhile, as you get a bunch of randos who end up dying, and you really could care less. And while I do love Nia, she can come across as a being pretty one-note mpdg. At times, almost too pure and sweet. Oversimplifying it, she's the Rei Ayanami of Gurren Lagann (and I love Rei as a character mind you), just not as nuanced. But she's so heart-meltingly sweet, wholesome, and encouraging that it's impossible to even complain. And it's not like she has zero agency or interesting characteristics at all. At the end of the day, the girl's a certified cinamon roll, and her and Simon are absolutely cute together.

It can also feel like the show gets a bit too big of itself to fail (which factors into the story a little), what with the stakes, moments, and sakuga being cranked up beyond belief. It can be overwhelming, but again, the commitment is all over it which keeps it from being a dealbreaker for me. And if the ending wedding scene is anything to go by: really shows Simon's newfound maturity in learning to not lose yourself too much. And to wrap up, the ending really is just PERFECT. Pretty much every single character we've grown to know and love gets a respectful sendoff, the wedding and epilogue are beautifully satisfying, and I just can't imagine this unforgettable journey signing off any other way. Just....whoo!

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is such a perfect, textbook mecha anime. A rare show that I feel anyone can find something to enjoy in. If you just want the skillfully-crafted blend of story, characters, fist-pumping jaw-dropping cinematic quality action & visuals, killer music, and earned emotional moments: I implore you to give it a go. You pierce that goddamn drill to the heavens and beyond Simon you beautiful chadass.

Favorite episodes: 8, 10-15, 21-22, 25-27

miscellaneous notes: Episode 4 definitely is the more awkward one visually, and I guess I can't complain too much about episodes 6 (and 12 I guess) being the obligatory fanservice episodes, even if I think the fanservice could've been toned down a bit throughout the entire show.

I'd buy it on DVD or Blu-ray if the prices didn't force me to burn my wallet up.

Some songs I like associating with Gurren Lagann: "Bossman" by Lucky Boys Confusion (first thing I listened to after finishing Lights in the Sky...), the album "Grand Unification" by Fightstar (full of AMV worthy material), "Little Things" by the Dead On, and last but certainly not least: Stan Bush's "The Touch (the epic guitar remix, specifically)" which is probably the perfect encapsulation of Gurren Lagann tbh (hey, I've always got a special place in my heart for some Transformers. Besides, tell me I'm wrong that "The Touch" doesn't fit. I dare you).

Oh yeah, and one more thing: Fuck CBR for calling the ending trash. That goes for EVA's original ending too.