[panzerfan]

I have a kinder opinion on this anime...

Gurren Lagann is a summary of the macha anime from its inception till today.

The story starting with the first segment, where Kamina and Simon first undertake their meteoric rise in the style of the 50s'- 60s',
the lost hero being guided back to face his own humanity in the style of the 70s',
the utter sense of restraints and Machiavellianism in realist approach of the 80s',
and finally, the conclusion which challenge and pierces the Evangelionism by the 90s.

Using the most impractical of drills, the least concern for physics, here is the return to connecting to the audience through humanity. Gurren Lagann is a short, focused look at the macha genre, from mass-produced cannon fodders, larger-than-life persona, black and white with shades of gray to the burning passion of mankind.


It does not explicitly indulge into any one of these period substantially, as it hurries itself from the beginning to the end, and making a connection going from humanity to humanity in the stars being enemies or allies. Ultimately, it may seem to be obvious that human element is what should connect all of the macha anime, but this relatively little gain still takes decades to see... ironic how that a genre started to sell toys has to travel all this way and to see itself in the mirror like this.