Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

Let me throw this out there.....I don't usually look at reviews before I watch something. With that said, I had NO idea what was in store before I started watching this show.

Simply put - this is flat out the most absurdly motivating, surprisingly deep, ridiculously awesome show I've ever seen.

Question: Does it matter that at a few points I said to myself "I'm not really sure I understand what exactly is happening right now"?

Answer: NO!

This show is so over the top it really doesn't matter if you 100% understand whats goin on at certain points (don't get me wrong the story is SUPER good and well thought out). That's not the point. The point is that whatever you believe to be within your grasp....go for it!

Just watch this and enjoy it for what it is....EPIC!

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is the pinnacle of anime insanity. No Dragon Ball or super robot show can come close to the ridiculousness of TTGL. It breaks the record, then reaches a million miles further. Its so over-the-top that any anime that would try to beat it would only chase its coat tails.

But what really makes TTGL one of the best is its controlled juuuuust enough for you to take it seriously. It isn't amped to 11 every episode. Its well-paced, and gradually progresses. The characters are very likable, the animation is solid, and the music is great! The best moments of the show are perfectly executed, working on so many levels. Its more than gigantic explosions and drills.

You'd have to be a sworn enemy of fun to hate TTGL. Its awesome, but emotional too. Its easily one of my favorites.

Final note - The movies are mostly rehashes of the TV series. But the final battle...well, let's just say it managed to top itself, somehow. See the second movie's ending for the stunning conclusion to the series, skip the rest.

I'd like to make a few things clear before I say what i'm about to say about this anime. And that's: "I didn't want to like it." I'm serious, when I saw all the hype surrounding it and claims of "THE best anime", I felt antagonistic of the whole idea. I never believed it, I mean THE best? There's no way... But then I watched it...Now again, another thing, I don't usually cry. Like, at all. Not a bit. Nor do I scream in excitement, which is why I didn't very much like watching Football with my uncles growing up. But man does Gurren Lagann rip me out of that state of mind. Never before have I seen such a perfect blend, just the right amount of episodes, just the right amount of characters, just the right amount of plot progression, and topped off with a PERFECT amount of action and romance to give me an experience I wouldn't believe. Bawling at some parts and jumping up and chanting "FIGHT THE POWER!!" at others, this is definitely the anime to watch, and absolutely the best anime ever. With an ending so satisfying and bittersweet giving you the proper closure you needed for letting go of such a perfect experience. If you haven't watched it do so now. It's Dub is just as good as the original, a rare case indeed, so get out there and become part of the Dai-Gurren Brigade!!

This show is so very stoic and awesome. The way it plays out reminds of some of the Ancient Greek epics like the Odyssey. The characters are expertly designed as well as the action and visuals. If you're looking to get into anime I recommend you start with this one, it's really a modern classic.

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. Quite a mouthful. Anyway, I won't go on and on here, but I feel compelled to say something about this show because with its perfect blend of comedy, drama, action, and romance, (with no aspect of either feeling forced just for the sake of having it), it is quite simply one of the best animes ever made. Ask a few anime fans to list some of their favorite shows and you'll start to hear quite a few of the greats being repeated. This show easily stands shoulder to shoulder with any and all of them.

To give a little idea of the overall feel of this show for the anime fans out there. Let's say you hold, "Neon Genesis Evangelion", in one hand and, "FLCL", in the other. Now put your hands together and you've got Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.

Epic is probably the single best word to describe this show; epic in both scope and scale. From the technical aspects of the truly incredible, fluid and stylish animation; to the story with it's take on humanity, evolution and the potential finish lines to which we're sprinting; to the battles, ranging from underground guerrilla warfare in the early stages and ultimately culminating in a climactic finale of truly galactic proportions. Without spoiling anything, I'll just say it involves literally tossing whole planets like baseballs and even flinging entire galaxies like so many shuriken. Epic.

Nothing is perfect though, it does stumble a bit in the audio department. However, it only falls short in comparison to the rest of itself. That is to say, while the rest of the show is, "excellent", some of the audio aspects are only, "very good". The character designs are also nothing special, but that is easily countered by the spectacular animation and the personalities of the characters themselves.

It's probably not for everyone. Some may be put off by the artistic styling such as the unconventional and often bizarre angles and techniques as well as the hyperkinetic feel of the animation. I, for one, couldn't be more thrilled with all of it. I've seen a lot of anime and quite frankly most of it is mediocre at best. After wading through so many anime lately with virtually interchangeable story lines, art and characters, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is like a breath of fresh air.

Sorry, I guess I did kind of go on and on after all. Anyway...

9.5 out of 10, but since IMDb doesn't allow the .5, I'll have to round it up and give my first ever 10.