Since its release in 2007, Gurren Lagann has enjoyed a spot in the mecha genre's hall of fame. Directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi, who had previously worked on Gainax's Neon Genesis Evangelion and FLCL, Gurren Lagann immediately made waves thanks to its boisterous visual style and visceral mecha action.
Imaishi would later go on to co-found Studio Trigger, directing immensely popular titles such as Kill la Kill and Promare. His unique style has helped make Trigger a household name among the anime community, and each new Imaishi-led title is an event unto itself. For those curious where that legacy all began, here's everything to know about Gurren Lagann, as well as where to watch it.
The Plot of Gurren Lagann
Gurren Lagann takes place on Earth, an unspecified amount of time into the future. Humanity has been forced to live in underground colonies by the tyrannical Spiral King, leader of the Beastmen. Things look bleak for the human race until a meek digger boy, Simon, along with his charismatic older friend Kamina, discover a drill-shaped key along with a robot head named a ''Gunman'' in one of the subterranean tunnels.
The strange discoveries continue when a mysterious girl, Yoko Littner, crashes into the village, hot in pursuit of an invading Gunman. Soon discovering that the key is used to pilot the head, Simon wields the mecha -- which Kamina dubs ''Lagann'' -- to fend off the antagonistic Gunman. The pair accompany Yoko to the surface, where Kamina discovers a Gunman of his own, ''Gurren'', which can combine with Simon's ''Lagann'' to become the titular ''Gurren Lagann''. With the might of Gurren Lagann on their side, Simon, Kamina, and Yoko do battle with the Beastmen, making many new allies along the way.
Gurren Lagann's premise may sound familiar to fans of the mecha genre, to the point of being derivative -- but the show holds many surprises. Boasting twists, turns and shocking swerves aplenty, this story is an unpredictable roller coaster, with a second half nearly unrecognizable compared to its first. Despite going to some darker, more dramatic places along the way, Gurren Lagann never loses sight of the bombast and fun of its earlier episodes, making for an exhilarating watch from start to finish.
Where to Watch the Gurren Lagann Anime
Luckily, Gurren Lagann is an incredibly easy show to get into. It sits at 27 episodes and, as an anime-original, requires no extra reading to understand or get the full experience. The entire series is available in both subbed and dubbed formats on Hulu, and is also available to buy on Blu-ray with both formats included.
For those eager for more after finishing the show, there are also two compilation films: Gurren Lagann the Movie: Childhood's End and Gurren Lagann the Movie: The Lights in the Sky are Stars. The films aren't direct substitutes for the show, cutting a lot of key character building and downtime -- instead, they feature some new gorgeously animated sequences, making them great bonuses for Gurren Lagann completionists. Neither film is available on streaming, but luckily they are included in the physical Blu-ray boxset.
Where to Read the Gurren Lagann Manga/Light Novels
Despite originating as an anime, Gurren Lagann would later receive both a manga and a light novel adaptation. The manga, illustrated by Kotaro Mori, adapts the events of the anime, as well as adding and expanding upon certain plotlines. Bandai Entertainment licensed the manga in English a few years back -- unfortunately, it is now out of print, meaning fans eager to check out Mori's take on the story will have to rely on tracking down second-hand copies.
At the very least, the manga fares better than the light novels -- penned by Kurasumi Sunayama -- which have never received an official English release. Despite Gurren Lagann's immense popularity, its incidental material remains unfortunately neglected in the English-speaking world.
Hopefully, if Gurren Lagann sees enough renewed interest, Bandai might see fit to reprint the manga and localize the light novels. In the meantime, the anime remains readily available for both returning fans and those eager to check out the cosmically large, mecha-filled coming-of-age story for the first time.