Gurren Lagannhas it all. The animation still looks amazing even when compared to some of the most popular current anime out there.My Hero Academia, for example, is afun Shonen anime, but the budget can be felt sometimes. It’s not the fault of the studio. They work with what they are given.
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The budget seemingly had no ceiling inGurren Lagann, however. Everything looks so crisp and fluid, from the mech battles to the character interactions. Some of the characters were fantastic too, not just in terms of their personality, but also in their design and story arcs.
8Rossiu
Rossiu begins the anime as a devoted follower of his village’s religion. However, he soon realizes that it’s all a bunch of lies, leading young Rossiu to venture off with Kamina and the crew. For the first half ofGurren Lagann, he is likethe comedy relief.
Bad things just keep happening to him, like getting wine spit in his face or getting stomach issues because of Nia’s cooking. He’s fun and tries his best, sort of like Simon. In the second half, he turns into a villain. He’s less likable, but it is easy to see where he is coming from. Plus he has a good turnaround by the end.
7Nia
Nia is another character that is great in the first part of the anime. Simon finds her shortly after Kamina dies. She’s like the new reason for him to keep on living. Plus she’s a love interest Simoncan pine overwithout feeling weird about Yoko and Kamina anymore.
Nia is sweet and innocent, making the whole crew fall in love with her instantly. Plus she has a good rivalry with Yoko in a few episodes. It’s then revealed that she’s part of an alien race trying to destroy humanity in part two. Like Rossiu, she gets redeemed by the end, but just barely.
6Kittan
It’s hard to pick just one Black sibling to highlight. The obvious choice has to be Kittan though, as he does have a bigger role than hisanime sisters: Kiyal, Kiyoh, and Kinon. That’s not to say that his sisters aren’t worthless though, as, like everyone else in the anime, they evolve as time progresses.
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Kittan is great because of how similar to Kamina he is. He wants to be a leader but he’s a bit of a goofball at the same time. Kittan learns his place fast and steps aside for Simon to rise. Also, he’s a good brother trying to do the right thing for his sisters.
5Leeron
The crew would not be anything without Leeron in the group. He’sa genius scientistwho can invent his way out of any situation. One example is when he finds a way for Dai-Gurren to cross a body of water by outfitting the body with a giant paddle.
Leeron is a good friend to Yoko too as he does offer a feminine viewpoint for her to latch onto. He also gets some great lines inGurren Lagann, like whenever Gimmy is around. He likes to torture the poor child even after the time skip. Gimmy knows it as well.
4Viral
Kamina has two rivals in the anime. There is Kittan on the human side and there is Viral on the Beastmen’s side. At first, it seems like Viral is going to be thetypical anime villainthat keeps coming back for more. However, his honor is above every soldier the crew fights. He knows when a situation is bad.
By the end, he’s right there with Simon aboard Gurren Lagann, fighting for a new tomorrow. He’s a great villain because of his willingness to adapt and survive. He also proves that not all Beastmen are inherently evil.
3Yoko
Every good anime needs a kickass female fighter and Yoko stands miles above everyother femme fataleinGurren Lagann. She’s more than a pretty face too and isn’t constantly around just to be rescued. Her skills with the sniper rifle are unmatched.
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There aren’t a lot of heroes in the anime that can take down a Gunman with just a gun. Of course, her rifle is not ordinary, but neither is she. Yoko may act tough, but she has a sweeter side as well regarding Kamina and her willingness to teach children in part two.
2Simon
Simon has the typicalhero arc in an anime. He begins as a weak kid who is scared to do almost anything. Thankfully, he had Kamina there to inspire him. He gets pushed to the brink, becomes a man in the process, and leads a revolution to save both humanity and the world.
Simon probably has the greatest turnaround among allGurren Laganncharacters. His tenacity is what kept the hearts of the crew afloat even when times were tough. When in doubt, he knew he had to drill.
1Kamina
Simon wouldn’t be half the man that he is at the end of the anime if it weren’t for Kamina. Likewise, Simon lit a spark in Kamina. The two are like two sides to the same coin. He may die quickly in the anime, but his heart goes on to inspire others around him. Simon does a decent job taking up the mantle where Kamina left off though.
What makes Kamina the best character inGurren Lagannby far are his memorable quotes which get rearranged throughout the anime. Two of the best include “Just who the hell do you think I am” and “Believe in the Kamina that believes in you.”
