First Impressions / Gurren Lagann

Summary:

With the volcanoes erupting in the distance, Simon is having trouble sleeping in the Lagann when Yoko brings him something to drink. Remembering all the times that Yoko’s been nice to him, Simon starts to tell her something, but never finishes his sentence because of an explosion in the distance. When Yoko explains to him about the volcanoes, Simon thinks that they’re the same as Kamina in how both flared up from within the earth. Yoko suddenly gets serious as if she had something to say to him, but she changes her mind and tells Simon that it’s nothing. After paying a visit to Leeron and checking out her gun, Yoko brings Kamina a drink. With Yoko standing behind him, Kamina asks her to watch his back in the upcoming battle, and Yoko agrees. She then says his name, and when he turns around, she kisses him. Yoko feels that he really is defenseless from behind, and Kamina embraces her and kisses her back. Kamina then promises to return it to her tenfold if he comes back. Unfortunately, Simon saw everything and runs back to the Lagann in tears. He tells himself that this has nothing to do with him, but he can’t get Yoko out of his thoughts. Kamina finds him curled up inside the Lagann and, not knowing that Simon saw everything, tells him not to worry, encouraging him.

The plan of attack is for Kamina and the others to engage the enemy while Simon tries to combine with the Daiganzan and take it over. The entire force soon sets out with Yoko taking a seat on top of one of the Ganmen. Viral and the other Beastmen are waiting for them, and the battle begins with the Kamina’s force throwing large rocks to crush the enemy. Neither side seems to be winning, and the Daiganzan soon joins in. While he fights Kamina, Viral suddenly notices that the Lagann is missing from the battle. Kamina uses this moment to call out Simon, and the Lagann burrows out of the earth directly above the Daiganzan. Simon digs right into the control room of the huge Ganmen and starts to take it over, but he can’t completely combine with it, so the Daiganzan continues firing its weapons. Rossiu realizes that it has to do with Simon’s state of mind, and the reason Simon isn’t in control is because he still has Yoko’s kiss with Kamina on his mind. Rushing to help, Kamina haphazardly jumps onto the Daiganzan and somehow tumbles onto the Lagann. When Simon opens the cockpit, Kamina punches him. He feels that if Simon gets lost, he’ll be there to punch Simon, so Simon doesn’t need to worry because Kamina will be with him. Simon should believe in himself, the same self that Kamina believes in.

This speech inspires Simon to fully power up the Lagann, and all seems to be well until a blast suddenly erupts under the Gurren right as Kamina returns to its cockpit. From the Daiganzan emerges a new Ganmen with Thymilph as its pilot, and both Thymilph and Viral proceed to tear apart the Gurren. Kamina gets heavily injured and screams in agony as Thymilph spears him from behind. Everyone is shocked at what just happened, and Simon screams for Kamina as the Daiganzan starts running wild. The others try to get him to stop it, but Simon is in the Lagann’s dark cockpit thinking about how it’s useless because he can’t do anything anymore. To Simon’s surprise, Kamina is still alive and throws one of the Gurren’s arms at the Lagann. In an inspiring speech, Kamina reminds Simon that his is a drill that will pierce through heaven and earth and tomorrow. Kamina feels that Simon shouldn’t be hesitating because they’ve won and the huge Ganmen is Simon’s now. Fired up again, Simon is able to control the Daiganzan completely. Unfortunately, they still have Thymilph to deal with, so Kamina wants to combine into the Gurren-Lagann once more.

Jumping off the Daiganzan, the Lagann combines with the Gurren and instantly repairs all of the Gurren’s damaged parts. With their fighting spirit all the way up, Simon and Kamina make quick work of the enemy Ganmen in one multi-directional piercing drill attack. The only one remaining is Thymilph, and the Gurren Lagann is able to stop an incoming blast with its bare hands. It is at this moment that Kamina tells Simon not to forget to believe in himself – not in the himself that believes in Kamina and not in Kamina that believes in him, but in the himself that he believes in. Kamina then throws the Gurren Lagann’s sunglasses that split in two and pin Thymilph’s Ganmen in the air. He follows this up by summoning forth a gargantuan drill and initiating the Giga-Drill Breaker attack to completely annihilate Thymilph and his Ganmen. With the battle over however, Kamina smiles one last time and says good-bye to his friends. Simon calls out to him, but Kamina never responds back. In the aftermath, rain pours down as everyone enters a state of shock over the death of Kamina. Simon recalls that on that day, they lost someone irreplaceable.

Preview:

It’s official, Gurren Lagann is now my favorite show this season. With a few exceptions, these episodes have consistently gotten better and better, and I really love how the characters and story have developed. I had suspected that Kamina might die this episode after the preview from last week, but the episode still went far above and beyond anything I expected. In almost every regard, whether it was the music or animation or all of Kamina’s inspiring speeches, this had the same quality level that I often see in final episodes, and this is only episode eight. Simply put, this was amazing. I haven’t been this excited about a show since CODE GEASS ended, and that’s saying a lot because of how highly I thought of GEASS.

As I was watching the episode, I got a bad feeling when Yoko kissed Kamina. Their relationship had been developing gradually, but it seemed a bit too early for them to be kissing unless something was going to happen to Kamina. ‘Lo and behold, something did. With Kamina now gone, I’m very curious what direction the show will take. To me, Kamina was the crux of it all, and I’m not sure where we’ll be without him. I imagine this will be particularly hard on Yoko since she had just started a relationship with him and since she had said that she’d watch his back. I have no idea how there can be a happy ending for her, but there’s so many episodes left that anything can happen. Simon will also get hit pretty hard, but the preview shows that he might get to know a new girl named Nia next week. She looks to be about Simon’s size, so perhaps there’s a potential relationship with her in store for him (as opposed to a YokoXSimon mismatch). There’s also the question of who will pilot the Gurren now – maybe Rossiu or Yoko?

Regardless of what happens, my feelings right now reflect Simon’s last line in the episode, “On that day, we lost someone irreplaceable.”

88 Comments

  12. Well in DTB there were many tragic deaths like this, but unfortunately considering everything is only a two episode arc you can’t feel so attached to the character, while if we also had 8 episodes with havoc in them I bet everyone would have cried when she died.

    Deadlyrain
    Reply

  14. With Kamina’s death shall come a brand new manly Simon that will surpass even Kamina himself. That is of course after a few mourning and angst episodes.

    I salute Kamina, who taught Simon the way to become a real man. You would’ve lived if you were the main character, but this story is about Simon.

    RandomDendohfanboy
    Reply

  16. Deadlyrain, I don’t think I would have cried even if Havoc was present since the first episode. It’s just that Kamina is probably one of the most charismatic (and loved) male character of this year, so this episode does come as a shocking event even though a lot of people predicted it would happen sooner or later.

    ShiNN
    Reply

  21. Now its NIA!
    Its NIA people!! Next episode Shimon destiny encounter with her (well.. according to her at least). Sleeping princess Nia, and a hero who just lost his way; can’t get any more classic than that. Its Nia x Shimon!!

    She just replace Kamina naming episodes and also doing the preview. Next main heroine is here! Hopefully she can get Shimon shape up to replace Sir Gar

    quina
    Reply

  23. So many man tears ;_; so …. man, it’s Master Asia all over again.

    also to whoever is using the 7th username, Knock it off that’s been my name for a 6-7 many years now.

    King7th
    Reply

  33. can we have a moment of silence for machisimo incarnate……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….now lets see if this little pussy can finally man up!!!

    BROOKLYN otaku
    Reply

  35. Ugh, I wish kamina died later because now there’s nobody to pick up the immediate slack in the manliness department. Of course Simon will pick it up later, but what about NOW?! I can’t help but feel like the episodes between this one and whenever simon picks up the slack will just suck.

    Dash
    Reply

  37. DAMN SPOILER WARNING!!
    MADE ME READ THE POST!!!

    When I saw the first ep, I thought the commander of the battleship with the katana was Kamina. Makes it really interesting….. But I don’t see how Simon will ever pull this show through, given his lack of self confidence.

    Zen
    Reply

  45. So in the end does simon hook up with this new rainbow looking chick from the previews or does he stick with the big boobies, porno start bodied, 14 year old girl he currently has?

    Daniel
    Reply

  48. I might be one of a very select few, but I’ve never really been a huge fan of characters with personalities like Kamina. Hell, I don’t relly like it when a series starts, introduces us to one character first, makes us think he is the lead character, only to have him relegated to whipping boy afterward (Simon here, Masataka from Tenjou Tenge, Naruto and Renton to some extent). I love rooting for the underdog, and this episode just pissed me off. I think the Simon-Yoko dynamic was really good, but apparently not, since almost from the beginning we see that her eyes are on Kamina’s the entire way.

    Again, I’m hoping against hope that there’s going to be a turnaround at some point, but we can all be pretty sure that’s not going to happen, especially what with the new female character being introduced. Those secondary romantic interests always seem like sloppy seconds to me: Nia after Yoko, I forgot the name of that one chick that came way later in Tenjou Tenge to sort of replace Aya, Hinata after Sakura even though this is arguable since Naruto barely realizes she exists, and Eureka after Talho.

    Then again, that’s just my opinion.

    Tetsuei
    Reply

  49. T_T Kamina was the best in this series, Simon is a whiny crybaby who looks like he’s 5 years old. I will forever blame Simon for Kamina’s untimely demise. Dammit, if you could freaking pilot a giant ship on your FIRST try…

    There’s no way Yoko and Simon should be the same age. I will forever believe that Kamina and Yoko are/were in their 20’s.

    Let Simon end up with Nia. It’s a better match anyways. Yoko can stay the fierce, single female who is out to avenge Kamina.

    KK
    Reply

  50. “Ttsuei” i can see where your coming from with that, i like the underdog too,BUT and thats a big BUT! i’m with “KK” …””i’m gonna sound like a retard for comparing anime to real life but fuck it!!” you see LIFE IS NOT FAIR! it truly is about survival of the fittest. the truth of the matter is guys like kamina make shit happen. not guys like simon guys like kamina get to bang the prom queen a week before the dance. while guys like simon who hesitate usually end up beating off to what would have been. i’m assuming this story is on a similar formula to help simon become the go getter type to MAN UP!! and unlock his potential,,,yoko is the prom queen and she liked the cool dude,end of story.. but maybe if he can fix himself he can become the alpha male that kamina belived he could be..”man look how much i wrote about a fucking show…u know i love it.. call me your typical american anime viewer but to me when i think of anime,, this is the kind of hot shit i like to assosiate the word with.

    BROOKLYN otaku
    Reply

  52. Even if he is killed, a real man is never defeated. That’s what Kamina said earlier in the series, and as always (in matters that are important, at least) he is correct. Kamina’s role as a character foil for Simon has been played out to its logical conclusion, in an appropriate fashion. Good work, Gainax.

    Burrowowl
    Reply

  54. The fact that Kamina was going to die was already given in Ep 1. If you see in ep 1, the part where it seems way into the future, you can tell the commander is Shimon.

    ChansteR
    Reply

  56. And Kamina was totally one of my favorite male anime characters of all time. V.V

    I admit I kind of expected Kamina to live through when he woke up from being badly beaten because of his appearance in OP, but I’m also kind of glad that wasn’t the case because it would have made the scene less than what it was; a true masterpiece.

    I can’t help but feel sorry for Youko. Maybe it’s because of all the nice expressions she made in the scene with Kamina. *Sigh*

    Rasmiel
    Reply

  57. That was, in one word, epic. Probably the best way for any character to go out, props to Gainax. As someone mentioned, Kamina was only rivaled by Archer in pure GAR potential. Hell, maybe he will come back as a heroic spirit and stuff. If not, I’m sure we will get to see more of him some time in the future.
    Also, I think that new girl is some Beastmen princess something or other (bonus points if she is related to Viral). Speaking of Viral, we need more of him, he’s kool.
    Finally, that new General’s mech was awesome, too bad it got blown up so soon.

    Ziro
    Reply

  58. We have lost a hero to our glorious and noble cause! But does this foreshadow our defeat?! No! It is a new beginning! Compared to the Beastmen the natural resources of Gurren Brigade are less than 1/30th. Despite this major difference, how is it that we’ve been able to fight for so long?! My people it is because our goal in this war is a righteous one! You of all know this the best. We were driven from the surface and forced to become colonists underground. For over fifty years the elites on the Surface have extended control of Beastmen into our villages! How many times have the beastmen quashed our demands for freedom? As long as we are, the Gurren Brigade fight for this sacred cause, God will not abandon us.

    My beloved brother Kamina was sacrificed! Why?! History demands that we, the chosen, must dominate this new age! We must not become complacent and we must bring an end to this stalemate! Together we have struggled in the harsh life and built a new culture on which we stand. Kamina’s father said that the rebirth of man would begin with us, those who live in on the surface. However the arrogant worms of the Beastmen claim that they are the ones to control mankind and resist this renaissance. Many of you have lost fathers and sons to the Beastmen’s senseless resistance! You must keep this sadness and hatred alive within you! My brother Kamina has shown us these virtues through his own valiant sacrifice! We must gather this hatred and crush the Beastmen, for true victory is within our grasp. Victory is the ultimate vindication to all those who have sacrificed their lives in this conflict!

    My people! My people rise! Take your sorrow and transform it into anger! Never forget that we, the Gurren Brigade, are the chosen! We, the superior race, shall save mankind!

    SIEG!

    GURREN!

    Gurrendan
    Reply

  59. OMNI -> ” I got a bad feeling when Yoko kissed Kamina ”

    I thought the same way…..EVERYTIME!!EVERYTIME you see a character from a mecha anime kissing at the begining of a violent series or giving a KOKUHAKU , you have that 80% of feeling that this character (or the other one) will probably die in 1 to 3 episodes!!!For example an anime that the main character has a GOD power(more powerfull than the superman or a supe saiyajin) like Heroic AGE …..See that girl from the dianeira´s ship named aneshia that likes that pilot (ioraos I think)that likes dianeira for example….when she´ll tell him that she loves him or kisses him…one from the both will certaly DIE in 1 to 2 episodes…And of course by the hands of eiji or one of the other god power clans(yes they are TOO strong even for a miserable planet 😛 )
    This is even CLICHE for us professional anime lovers( I have more than 23 years watching animes soooooo) ” I COULD FELT THE DEATH COMING!! ”
    CLICHE LIKE HELL T_T

    tensai_otaku
    Reply

  60. Kinda expected but my god, if you gotta go that is the way to go… this episode was amazing. And anyone else notice the similarities between the simon speaking in this episode and the man who declares himself to the universe at the start of episode 1? o_O

    BuckRodgers
    Reply

  61. To spoil the whole series, gainax is famous for making mech shows that pertain largely to the coming of age of a protagonist, as seen in flcl, and eva. That’s exactly what tengen toppa is going to be.

    Simon, irrefutably the main character of the show, starts off as a meek, modest, afraid, weak, and distraught youth relying on others for strength. He has his best friend kamina, the polar opposite of himself, who plays the role of his support, and his confidante.

    As the story progresses we’re going to see simon change remarkably. Like tbh, I was expecting kamina to die from the start of about episode 3-4 because his sense of pride, justice, and “man can do whatever he sets his mind to” lifestyle would drive the series ahead too quickly. Good anime almost always portrays some growth in the characters, and tengen toppa gurren laggan needed the plot device to push simon forward, a breaking point; kamina, his idol and polar opposite, the kamina we love, is just that.

    I can’t wait to see simon come of age and mature as the show progresses. The premise is already set, all that’s left is to sit and enjoy.

    Best show I’ve seen in two years.

    Blue
    Reply

  64. Yay, sure the anime was at its downest point in Ep4. It was since recovering slowly to regain its full magnificence at the end of this episode.
    That was an amazing final transformation to end the evil boss, it made me remind -in term of animation and impact- of the greatest scenes of Noein.
    And the story just got its summum with the final moment with Kamina’s death.
    Can it go further ? Hell, I bet they can, otherwise it would just be a shame. I’m sure the downpit of Ep4 was just to make Ep7 even more brilliant in comparison. Way to go !

    xiny
    Reply

  67. Well I would certainly assume that the new girl Nia would be Simon’s love interest but then again Yoko may do a complete turn around and make it a love triangle(to make it interesting).Although Simon would probably make her realize that he does not want to be Kamina’s replacement/substitute and be dumped.Ok I may be assuming too much but hell I never expected this anime to be this good!Good story pacing,character development and actual likable characters.Now we can only hope it stays consistent!

    tabs05
    Reply

  69. I might sound like a fool if I’m wrong in the next episodes, but let’s say these Gunmen aren’t just robots but has a mind of its own. That’s how they can synchronize with the pilot then maybe it won’t let anyone else operate it again because its “master” died.

    kenta
    Reply

  71. Just for side note:
    No official page has state that “they are the same age”, only they are “around the same age” :\.

    14, 14, 17 was since design stage. They havn’t finish the char design. Now its probably 14, 16, 17.

    quina
    Reply

  73. WAAHH what a nice episode… but Kamina really die…=S? and it getting exciting now…
    after a main character die…o.O didnt really thought someone dying at ep 8 already…

    Ps: Who’s the main characters?… i thought it was simon and kamina+yogo but now kamina what
    going to happen >.>?

    Xtrike
    Reply

  74. Well, never say never.This is GAINAX we’re talking about.With their previous track history in dealing with romance,the main protagonist majority of times, ends up with the female that has a more stonger personality. So a Yoko pair up may not be entirely impossible.Plus they have the penchant to pull the unexpected(however bad or annoying it may be).Anyway it might be just me but,I think there were subtle hints in the previous episodes that Yoko may have some feelings for Simon but was easily overshadowed due to Kaminas’s presence.But like I said,I can only speculate.I don’t think it defies logic if it does happen nor would it make Kamina look like a fool.After all the main theme is about growth and change,it would be a waste for a main female protagonist to just be stuck in a certain state for the remainder of the series.

    tabs05
    Reply

  75. in 8 episodes Gurren Lagann surpassed code geass for me and many other anime
    L death wasnt as strong as kamina death i am really really sad
    action animation story characters all of them are of the top i have seen
    Gurren Lagann willnt be the 26 episode that i watch and forget about its officially one of the best anime
    GAINAX best work since evangelion
    kamina you are in my heart

    qwertypoiuy
    Reply

  76. Hey don’t get me wrong php.I’m not rooting for Yoko to end up with Simon.It would just be somewhat interesting to have a lil complicated relationship if Yoko does happen to have some feelings for Simon and potentially with Nia.And since this is anime,anything goes right?so being realistic doesn’t really mean it’ll tie in.Anyway I’d like to see what Nia is like first before I begin rooting for someone and if she doesn’t turn out as interesting as Yoko then you have yourself a deal, php.lol.

    tabs05
    Reply

  77. God, I LOVE THIS SERIES!! A roommate came in while I watching this episode and remarked, even though he had never seen this series, on how EPIC this episode was. I am so insanely a fan now! And this is only EPISODE 8~!

    Also, the Ashita no Joe referrence was awesome.

    Takepon
    Reply

  83. Fail.

    Obviously death of Kamina is copied from the death of Archer from Fate Stay Night. But I think Gainax fail. Reason being that Kamina is stupid. I don’t like Kamina since episode 1 because he is nothing but a mindless barbarian, but I think Archer is cool. Archer is intelligent, always think before acting, have taste in culture and not only know how to fight, does housework. Kamina can’t compare.

    Death of Archer is one of the classic moments of anime, but death of Kamina is nothing but a plot enhancer.

    MSSniper
    Reply

  85. Was one of the most best and saddest epsiode! Live and die hard kamina! Your the symbol of how a real men should be!

    Damn and i thought that yoko and kamina gonna be acouble in this anime! (Thats why i had such a bad feeling by the kiss scene!)

    Freedomaster
    Reply

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