Do not watch Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagaan to gain any deep insights. Do not expect it to overwhelm you with anything other than crazy action sequences. GL is basically every over-the-top action cartoon and videogame taken to an insurmountable extreme. But in this case, that's a good thing.
The series follows the digger boy known as Simon, as he goes from an unlucky slave to the most respected warrior the human race has ever known. Joining him are Kamina, a musclebound adrenaline junkie that speaks mostly in catchphrases, Yoko, a young woman with (possibly fake) large breasts and an even larger sniper rifle, Leeron, a gifted mechanic who is also very flamboyant, Kittan, an overprotective older brother to three sisters, among others. They form Team Gurren Lagaan, a rebel faction that fights with Gunman, or "mecha" to serious anime fans. The premise is not too original, nor are many of the characters. What sets GL apart? Simple; it's brazenly over-the-top.
Even during its more dramatic moments, GL never takes itself too seriously. Most of the exposition is done with visuals, not dialogue. There are good guys and bad guys, no in-betweens for the most part. This is something primarily for the 14-18 male crowd out there. There's plenty of fanservice, some of which is funny, some of which is annoying.
The production values for GL are something else. During lulls between combat, the animation is usually average to above-average. During Gunman battles, it rivals movie quality animation. This is why people watch GL; to see the battles unfold in ways I can't describe with words. Seeing the "GIGA! DRILL! BREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAK!" attack never gets old. It's a feast for the eyes, the kind of action you wished you could see in your Saturday Morning cartoons as a kid, but only get to experience now. The soundtrack is worth mention, also. Not one of the best scores I've ever heard in a series, but it certainly sets an epic mood.
I've only seen the series dubbed in English, and cannot compare to the original Japanese soundtrack. The voice-acting in the earlier episodes is okay, but not fantastic. Later on in the series though, the VAs sound better. By the last few episodes, GL becomes one of the more memorable dubs I've heard. GL does not approach the dub quality of, say, Fullmetal Alchemist, but at its best, it gets close. There are two exceptional performances: one is Yuri Lowenthal as Simon. I've heard Yuri in many games and animations, but his take on Simon is perhaps the best performance I've ever heard from him. It's like, he doesn't merely voice Simon, he is Simon. Whether Simon is a child or a young adult, he never sounds off. My other "shout-out" is to Hynden Walch as Nia. I didn't know who she was before watching GL, but now I do. I get the same sensation from watching Hynden as Nia, as in I don't think she merely plays Nia, she is Nia. Her voice perfectly illustrates her character, someone who is almost too sweet to be real, yet is also absolutely fearless. For fans of dubs from Bandai, also look out for the voices of Johnny Yong Bosch, Kyle Hebert, Michelle Ruff, Bridget Hoffman, and a few other VA superstars.
If there is a downside to GL, it's that, because of its simplistic nature, it doesn't have much depth to it. It doesn't make one very philosophical after viewing. It will not dethrone my favorite anime series because of this. It lacks the complex characterizations of Eureka Seven. It lacks the paranoia and mind games of Death Note. It is offbeat and absurd at times, but not to the degree that Haruhi Suzumiya is. Aside from a few scenes with Simon and Nia, it lacks the warmth of Cardcaptor Sakura, as well as Miyazaki's earlier films. Not only that, the series does not really take off until episode 7. Every episode before that is pretty generic. This, combined with the somewhat mediocre English voice-acting in the earlier episodes, may turn viewers away.
Nonetheless, GL is a good series to watch if you need to "unwind." And if you stick it out to the very end, you will witness one of the most poignant endings I've ever seen to an anime series. The ending makes up for the weak start and the simplistic nature of the series. And if that wasn't enough, there will be a GL movie in the future. Until that happens, let us commemorate one of the better anime series of my time with a saying, "Don't believe in me who believes in you. Believe in the you, who believes in yourself. That's the Gurren Lagaan way." What, did you think I was gonna say JWTHDYTIA? Save that for after the movie.
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagaan overview.
Good Stuff: Incredible animation, some good humor, a few standout voiceover performances, great ending, and it's easy to follow . . .
Bad Stuff: . . . which also makes it shallow compared to some other series. A slow start. And if you don't like action anime cliches, stay away.
Final Score: 8 out of 10. At times, I was tempted to score it a 9. If the whole series was like the first 6 episodes, I would've scored it a 6. But I feel an 8 is how I feel about the quality of this Gainax production.
