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Jun 27, 2018
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann has already earned its placement into the "essential anime" pantheon, and it is by far considered one of the best anime of the 2000's. In other words, there's not much I can say that will make you want to watch this anime more, in case you haven't.
Either way, I do feel the need to comment on how great this show is. It is celebration of everything that makes anime an unique media, while still presenting us with a very well told story about maturement.
One day, I was reading through an anime magazine and was struck by an image of Kamina,
...
ever so imposing. From that moment on, I knew I had found a new show to occupy my time for a brief while. Knowing nothing about it, I delve into the first episode of Gurren Lagann, and was never really the same from then on.
Having rewatched it recently, I can see how well constructed it is, how the shows's direction is always on point, and how the overall theme of the story is told in a near flawless way. Back then, though, it was all spectacle. Giant robots piloting giant robots to take down a giant spaceship never seemed like a possibility to me, but I guess that's the magic of anime, it can make those sorts of things happen.
Of course, Gurren Lagann has its own level of spectacle. Its scope is so big that it can't really be compared to anything else. Simon begins the story digging wholes while trappes in an underground society which doesn't offer anything other than work for the rest of your life. By the end of the series, he's fighting inside a robot that can't even be measured.
That's how Gurren Lagann makes the impossible possible. It's not that it doesn't have a foot in reality, it's that it doesn't even try to pretend it has anything to do with reality to begin with. In episode 3, Kamina pulls out a sword in a scene where the sword stretches for so long that it would be nearky impossible for any human being to handle it. But Kamina can. Because he's an anime character, and, more specifically, because he's an anime character IN Gurren Lagann.
Of course, none of these things would ammount to anything if it wasn't for the amazingly written characters. Kamina is the most well known of the bunch, and, even though he's basically a plot device, his charisma and instantly recognizeable character design elevates him to a point where he is the face of the show, even though he's absent for most of it.
Simon, on the other hand, is the focus. From the very first episode, the narrator makes it clear that this is his story, and his development is shown gradually, beginning with Kamina's death. By the timeskip, he's grown to a leader, and, by the end of the show, a legend. We haven't exactly seen every step of the way, but the few moments where he surpasses all the limits he has self-imposed are enoguh to show us that, yes, Simon is a person who's determined to be great, and who's doing all sorts of things to be it.
Yoko, Viral, Kittan, Nia, Rossiu... there are so many characters I could go on and on about, but I'll just generally say that all of them are great and serve very specific functions in the story, while being charismatic and each getting its own development as the show goes on.
Overall, I guess I haven't really said anything that wasn't already explicitated in better ways by other people, but, in case you've bumped into this review, let it be known that it's not a coincidence that I'm just one more gushing about how great Gurren Lagann is. It really is THE Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.
And I know that, in case I ever grow tired of anime, or start doubting my reasons for loving the media in the first place, I can always remember the peak of excitement I had when all of the remaining Dai-Gurren members merged to form the ultimate power of the universe. "Who the hell do you think we are?"
Is there any way to resist that kind of attitude?
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Nov 19, 2017
The one thing that fascinates me the most about the Jojo's Bizarre Adventure franchise as a whole, is how the division of each part manages to focus on a different theme, all relating to its time and period.
Diamond is Unbreabakle is the fourth instalment, and while it doesn't have the thematic cohesion of Phantom Blood, the charisma of Vento Aureo, or the overall quality of Steel Ball Run, it remains my favorite, mostly because of how it treats is themes, especially in the second half.
The setting is Morioh, a small town that's apparently peaceful. As the stands threat starts to desolate the place, we
...
are met with our group of protagonists, each trying to unveil the many mysteries behind their hometown.
The first half is arguably the worst, with many episodic battles that range from great (Let's go to the mangaka House) to just silly and bad (Tonio's Restaurant). The story sustains itself on developing our characters through the challenges they face.
Josuke is our protagonist this time around, and he's a great one. While his exterior may seem brute, with his tall stature and yankee-like appearence, he's a soft and kind person, always willing to help the others around him, no matter what. This is reflected on his stand. Crazy Diamond, who has the ability to restore things, "the kindest ability in the world", as described by Jotaro (who remains an uninteresting character, despite working better as a sidekick).
Koichi is also an interesting character, in that his fragile looks mask a strong determination and a great sense of duty towards his friends. Both of these characters work in the overall theme of DiU: appearence.
Morioh has a huge dissapearence rating, way bigger than any other town, but the people in the town don't seem to mind. They want to keep the facade. The exterior is more important than the interior. No wonder most of the villains end up becoming allies: onde you see - and accept- the true nature of someone, that person is inclined to grow closer to you.
Then comes Kira, a character that best represents this side of the story. He's a serial killer with a twisted obsession towards hands, but he still wants a peaceful life. He understands that, for that to be achieved, he must be invisible, to cloak his true self with a blank exterior. Because that's what people see, and only see: the surface. He goes as far as to change his appearence entirely and start a new life as someone else, adapting to the situation.
This is the thematic value of DiU, and while it's not worked perfectly, it is there. What about the "surface level" stuff? The battles are a mixed bag, and the formula of "villain of the week" gets really tired after a few episodes. Despite that, the final confrontation remains one of the best moments I've ever read in any manga, period.
Araki's art is sharp, even if this is where he started switching from his 80's manly style to a more 90's friendly one. The roots of the androginy that would become Araki's trademark are here, and would bloom with VA. Still, the way he works his frames is amazing, and his flow is as sharp as it's ever been.
"Goodbye Morioh - The Golden Heart". This is the name of the last chapter. It's a fitting name, considering that, after the cleanse, we can expect Morioh to be as peaceful as it appears to be. It is the end road to a story that's interesting, enjoyable and, most of all, exciting. Diamond sure is unbreakable.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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