ROW, ROW, FIGHT THE POWAH!!! Gurren Lagann complete simulwatch

[João Gomes]

@Neil.T I kinda wanted to let that be the last post of the thread, with it being so good and all but I can't help finding that story cool and yeah, this is without a doubt, one of the best examples for finding positive inspiration.

There are not a whole lot of characters like Simon that come to mind when talking anime, we've been over this but his is a tremendous character indeed and the core of what the series is. Everything else is great, yes, but Simon is undoubtedly the most interesting and important part.

I think that barring specific technical insight that one may have concerning a series or its creators/staff (which is harder to come by, 'cause you know, everyone has internet), mixing a bit of your own experiences and opening up a bit is about the only way to enrich the stuff we write here every now and then, so I loved your post.

I love that I happened to be on an anime watching mood at the right time and so I was lucky to share this with you all and I'm happy you were the one to host this simulwatch!

Loved it, truly.

FAVORITE LAGANN RE-WATCH AT THE VERY LEAST.

Sorry, wouldn't be the same without annoying text in caps and fire emojis

 

[Neil.T]

@João Gomes:

I was honestly hoping that my post wouldn't be the last in the thread, so I'm very happy for the reply, João. I'd always want any one of my posts to be a potential jumping-off point for another discussion rather than any kind of "last word" on a subject.

But truly, for the reasons I've shared on the previous page, this simulwatch has been a dream come true for me, and it's been a very real privilege to be the one to organise the thread for it as well. I'm so pleased you enjoyed that post of mine, João, because that honestly is what Gurren Lagann means to me, and I'm glad it didn't come across as too self-indulgent to you.

I think that the best artistic works will always be those that reveal something about their creator but also allow the audience to see a part of their own self in them as well. I feel like this series does exactly that, and so I wanted to give back a bit of my own personal experience in return.

I love Gurren Lagann not only for the compelling story that it is in its own right, but also for what it's given to me on a very personal level, and I wanted to try to bring that across.

 

[Geriatric hedgehog]

I think that the best artistic works will always be those that reveal something about their creator but also allow the audience to see a part of their own self in them as well. I feel like this series does exactly that, and so I wanted to give back a bit of my own personal experience in return.

Right there with you dude and I second @João Gomes' comments (and sorry in a way to prolong this, as I too wanted that post of yours to be a fitting sign off for the thread). I feel the same way about Evangelion as you do about Gurren Lagann. The best creative works are indeed those that show the creators' honesty whilst being relatable and inspiring.

 

[Neil.T]

I feel the same way about Evangelion as you do about Gurren Lagann.

That sounds like a story in its own right, dude. Another interesting aspect of what we're talking about here, I think, is the passage of time. I talked in my post about being "a Shinji", but that image was based on a combination of Neon Genesis Evangelion and Rebuild only up to and including 3.0. I continue to avoid learning anything about 3.0+1.0, but quite possibly the definition of what "being a Shinji" is could change drastically for me once I've seen it.

Hideaki Anno has doubtless grown and learned since the mid-1990s, so I'm sure that the final message that he wants to leave viewers with will have changed drastically too.

 

[Geriatric hedgehog]

That sounds like a story in its own right, dude. Another interesting aspect of what we're talking about here, I think, is the passage of time. I talked in my post about being "a Shinji", but that image was based on a combination of Neon Genesis Evangelion and Rebuild only up to and including 3.0. I continue to avoid learning anything about 3.0+1.0, but quite possibly the definition of what "being a Shinji" is could change drastically for me once I've seen it.

Hideaki Anno has doubtless grown and learned since the mid-1990s, so I'm sure that the final message that he wants to leave viewers with will have changed drastically too.

Oh no Eva creeping into the GL watch thread, noooo! Sorry... But yeah, I'll come back to my thoughts on Eva, perhaps after the final rebuild and very much concur with you there. As I've bored all senseless with my love of EoE, it was very much a snapshot of Anno's reactionary state of mind at the time, which in that context really elevated it for me (recently having read the more standard take on the story in Sadamoto's manga confirmed that). Ever since first hearing of the rebuilds, I have hoped we would get a tonally very different end, based off of a less disaffected mindset, from that epic artwork.

Having first fully seen Lagann only more recently, I was a lot more in the camp of @Girls wIth Guns initially, when I actually dropped the series after the first episode or two. It was just too silly, jovial and full of bluster when I was wanting something much darker. However, on the second concerted attempt (I knew I was missing something given how lauded GL is), having seen the pathos past the bravado as the series went on, I was hooked. Probably why I sympathize with those put off watching GL but will always recommend they try to stick with for a bit at least, lest they have a change of heart like I did. Purely on my personal impressions, I've actually found little difference between Simon and Shinji when breaking the characters down to their core. Ultimately, they both have significant traumas to deal with, they both address their inner turmoil and ultimately both come out fighting for what they believe in, though of course the framing of their stories is diametrically opposed emotively. On that latter point, from my pessimistic viewpoint (though I call it realistic), Simon's way will always be the idealistic approach and Shinji's the more realistic real-world take on dealing with trauma, but of course that is all very subjective.

 

[ayase]

The simulwatch may have already officially ended but, as promised, I'd like to offer anyone who's still reading this thread one last contribution that @ayase flatteringly called my "closing remarks". This is my own quite personal take on Gurren Lagann.

Very late to the party, but you didn't disappoint. Your obvious love for the show has shone through at every turn Neil, don’t you reject that title now, you are Team Gurren’s leader for a reason.

There’s perhaps a pertinent callback in here somewhere to the whole discussion about fiction’s impact on reality. It’s quite stirring to think you were so affected by Simon’s story, I think any time people are inspired by anyone (real or fictional) to improve their own lives and live them more in the way they want to, that’s usually a good thing. As for me, it’s probably not such a good idea, I think if I tried to be more like Char Aznable or Lupin III (or even Revy, my heroes don’t have to be guys) I’d probably find myself in front of a court in pretty short order charged with any number of things, but I’m glad it worked for you.

The Adiane-like character is introduced by her on-screen caption as Kodiane. (ko is a Japanese prefix meaning "little" or "young".) Given that her eyepatch is over her right eye, as opposed to Adiane's left... Little sister, perhaps?

Huh. Missed that. Given the way Adiane's name is pronounced (more fun with romanisations, seriously who decided an "ee" sound should be written "ia"...) and her tendency for inflicting pain, perhaps this mirror version's name could also be somewhat ironic?

 

[Neil.T]

you didn't disappoint. Your obvious love for the show has shone through at every turn Neil, don’t you reject that title now, you are Team Gurren’s leader for a reason.

Damn, man, that's...

I felt proud reading that. Thanks, buddy. It was honestly a pleasure.

Given the way Adiane's name is pronounced (more fun with romanisations, seriously who decided an "ee" sound should be written "ia"...) and her tendency for inflicting pain, perhaps this mirror version's name could also be somewhat ironic?

You know, that did actually occur to me as well.

It's often hard to tell where the line is between creator's intent and viewer's overanalysis, but there's surely the possibility that her name's a bit of wordplay on the word codeine — perhaps especially given the part where Kittan's animal rival, Maikō, chows down on some pills, Akira-style.

The pronunciation, at least in Japanese, would be a bit different from the medication, though. Just as Adiane is pronounced Ah-DEE-ne, Kodiane would surely be Ko-DEE-ne, with the emphasis on the second syllable.