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This review is intended for those who've seen the show, as is the movie itself.

All of the positives of Gurren-Hen are also positives of the 2007 show. Unfortunately, the reverse is not true.

A lot of stuff from the original that was important to character development and narrative structure was cut out from this version somewhat haphazardly. It was certainly not an exercise in good adaptation, unlike its 10/10 counterpart, Lagann-Hen.

Nevertheless, the movie has value, and I think it's a worthwhile watch for anyone who's seen the show. Despite my frustration for the way it was adapted, it still remains true that from ... spectacular animation to cathartic fights to timeless themes, many of the strengths of the show are still present. I can't give it anything less than a very positive score because of this.

Yes, it's worth watching. But it isn't anywhere near as valuable of an addition to the franchise as its sequel, much less a replacement for the first half of the show.

I don't generally prefer episodic narratives, and yet the stars aligned perfectly for Kino's Journey. The way the story was told was exactly the kind of thing I loved. Each episode brought something COMPLETELY NEW, INCREDIBLY DENSE, and FANTASTICALLY ATMOSPHERIC. It's the kind of show I would imagine simply taking in, moment by moment. It's the kind of show I would pause every second to analyze and receive massive amounts of enjoyment from doing so.

"Dense." That's an interesting word. What the hell does it mean? It means that every single component of the show added another layer of ... meaning. If your average anime is a saltine cracker, this one's a fucking lasagna (no I'm not deleting that). In fact, every time I see a show like this I have a crisis about all the shows I consider "good/entertaining" and just how empty and vapid they are in comparison. A single episode of Kino's Journey has more information in it, thematically and philosophically speaking, than a full season of even some critically acclaimed anime.

I realize now I likely sound like an elitist. I promise I don't think I'm better than anyone (except the people who think shit is objective; I'm better than them). Some people don't value quiet philosophy as much as others. That's great. This show isn't for everyone, and even most shows like this aren't for me (I gave Girls' Last Tour a 2, for fucks sake). Admittedly the animation is shit, and if you're twelve and fancy yourself a critic, you can probably spend a few words whining about how "Kino has no personality just like Kirito" (In my opinion, Kino is a character on par with Simon the Digger, but whatever). But if the kind of show I'm describing sounds interesting to you, go watch; you won't be disappointed.