Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (Heaven Shattering Gurren Lagann)
Brave new world

// Synopsis: Simon and Kamina live in an archaic subterranean village. Kamina dreams of one day making it to the surface. After a gigantic robot comes crashing down from above, they fight it off with a robot head Simon found. They make it to the surface and discover that there are villages all over the planet that have been oppressed by the Spiral King and his army of beastmen. Kamina rallies people from other villages and they form a brigade to liberate mankind.

// Review: A reluctant hero who comes of age and matures into The One isn't exactly breaking any new ground, but with Gurren Lagann it's done in a very whimsical and fun way. The art style is very cartoonish, and Simon and Kamina's mech even looks like the Kool Aid man with a giant head wearing sunglasses and appendages sticking out. Much of the humor also has a very Looney Tunes slap stick quality to it.

/ Simon is basically a very shy stick-in-the-mud kid but Kamina makes up for him with his very charismatic never-say-die personality. And once he forms their band of merry mechs, it's off to vanquish the evil king of the world one general at a time.

/ As they go from boss battle to boss battle it's just light episodic fun. But then some actual tragedy is mixed in, forcing the characters to evolve that adds some surprising depth without compromising the series too much.

/ But then it's night and day with season two, which takes place 7 years in the future. It seems like everyone including the anime have outgrown what it meant to be fun and the entire tone of the anime takes a turn for the melodramatic. There are several parts that drift between frustrating to painful to boring. There is so much cynicism and despair all to prop up the theme of "belief in yourself can conquer all." Thankfully though, the ending is an action packed and explosive conclusion.

// Wrap up: Gurren Lagann is a fun action comedy anime with a very unique look. But the second season suffers from an identity crisis and seems to lose its way.

Entertainment rating: 3