Anime recommendation: Gurren Lagann (2007)

Photo Courtesy of ™/® 中島かずき・今石洋之・プロジェクト「グレンラガン」- Wikimedia commons

There is a single word that perfectly encapsulates all of what Gurren Lagann (2007) is: awesome. Giant robots battling other giant robots, spacefaring though dimensions in the double-digits, power strong enough to bend space-time and throw galaxies like frisbees. However, despite all of the heartracing spectacles, the most awesome thing about Gurren Lagann (2007) is you. You are a human. You exist, you live in this world, and that is amazing.

The story begins with 14-year-old Simon the Digger digging with his trusty drill in an underground refuge, safe from the post-apocalyptic setting outside. He is willing to be idle as he experiences oppression, because he is afraid to fight back. Kamina, however, is the foil to Simon’s character. Kamina is reckless, bold, and has a fighting spirit like no other. When the ceiling of the shelter came crashing down and a massive enemy robot started wreaking havoc, he stood up against it with nothing but a single katana. The show mainly follows this pair as they escape to the outside world and fight a series of seemingly impossible battles, reaching a climax that will make you feel like there is no such thing as impossible.

There is never a point in Gurren Lagann (2007) in which it gives the illusion that the world is free of oppressive forces; you will always face adversity. Yet, what makes being a human so awesome is the spirit that resides within us. No matter how astronomical a threat or an evil might seem, you always have the ability to fight against it. Gurren Lagann (2007) preaches about persistence against impossible odds. This message is prominent everywhere, even down to the music. The most famous musical piece from the show, besides perhaps the intro, is “Libera me from Hell.” This song starts as an operatic requiem with the famous Dies Irae motif—symbolic of the Last Judgement and inevitability, as can be seen from an article on The Hildegard Collective—but is suddenly juxtaposed with punk rap. Parallel to the daunting requiem are the lyrics “Do the impossible, see the invisible. Row, Row! Fight the power!” rapped with angst and vigor. This is what Gurren Lagann (2007) is about. 

If you are feeling down, hopeless, or trapped, watch Gurren Lagann (2007). If you are feeling good, hopeful, or free, watch Gurren Lagann (2007). Or perhaps there is not some deep or introspective reason and you merely want to bear witness to awesome, over-the-top giant robot combat. Watch Gurren Lagann (2007). It is an unforgettable, 27-episode-long experience that will make you feel amazing no matter what sort of state you are in.

Happiness does not come from the external, but the internal. Nothing is worth more than self-worth. If you believe that only bad things will happen to you, then it becomes a self-fullfilling prophecy and you will prove yourself right. Gurren Lagann (2007) is not just about putting up a fight against the world, but the battle that is sometimes even harder: having confidence and banishing the harmful things you say to a mirror. In Kamina’s own words in episode eight, “believe in the you that believes in yourself.”