Gurren Laggan is a brilliant work done. It is funny and at the same time serious. However, its strength lies in the characters both supporting and major as well as their depth. In my opinion, the anime develops in three phases; the first phase is from episode 1-8. The second phase picks off from episode 9-16 and the final phase is from 17 to the last episode. The first phase does not take the show seriously. Watching the first 7 episodes, the show might appear like a comedy series. Don't take this phase seriously and write the anime off; it is actually building up and setting a pace for a great story arc that follows. On episode 8, the show matures taking a brilliant approach we rarely see in anime. The second phase was on fire. The show now envelopes into a serious anime while maintaining the comedy. It creates simple battles between our heroes and opponents but the fight scenes are so brilliant it will have you cheering on your seat. The third phase was a Revolution. The anime becomes so good, transforming the entire story from a simple "save the world" plot into a complex, politically sophisticated "save the world" plot. It is here that the characters shine the most. The development of the characters and their depth is nearly unmatched by other anime. The construction of the main and side characters was originally simple but it transitioned them into characters who were actually "human" in the third phase. When people speak about Gurren Laggan, fans love to point out at the brilliant action scenes which are well done. However, people forget the political side as well which I dare say is on par with Attack on Titan, Galactic heroes, Code Geass etc. Gurren Laggan is truly among the most amazing mecha animes ever made because it takes a very unique approach to that "humans vs monsters" plot we've seen all the time. It serves as a role model for animes with well developed large characters.
Review of Gurren Lagann
