Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Difference between revisions

Thus begins a rollercoaster ride of [[Fan Service]], over-the-top fight scenes between mecha, [[Hot-Blooded|hot-bloodedness]], [[Cool Shades|epic sunglasses]], massive [[Badass|Badassery]], and mind-blowing heroism. The show is loads of fun and doesn't take itself seriously at all.<ref>Except at [[The Ending Changes Everything|the very end.]]</ref> Don't try reading any science into the show; common theory (and near [[Word of God]]) says its Universe is governed by [[Rule of Cool]] and [[Rule of Funny]]. On [[Mohs Scale of Science Fiction Hardness]], ''Gurren Lagann'' ranks as one of the softest.

 

 

''Gurren Lagann'' was originally licensed by [[ADV Films]], but was later lifted from their license list and given to Bandai. The English dub -- under the title ''[[Gurren Lagann]]'' -- began showing in America on [[Syfy]] [[Mood Whiplash|right before]] ''[[Now and Then Here and There]]'' and ''[[MD Geist]]''.

* [[Abusing the Kardashev Scale For Fun and Profit]]: And boy, does it get abused. Thanks to Spiral Power, Humanity starts out as pretty much Type -1, then goes to Type 0 in 7 years. They then go from Type 0 to Type 4+ in a ''few days''! Finally, they "settle down" to Type 1 after the final fight, using more power as necessary but mostly limiting it {{spoiler|to prevent excess Spiral power causing Spiral Nemesis}}.

* [[Action Dress Rip]]: Yoko, when she needed to rescue a little kid stuck in a tree

* [[Adaptation Distillation]]: By shoehorning the battles with the Four Generals into the last half hour of the first movie and giving different parts to different characters, the story is more streamlined and the film ends with an epic battle.

** The second movie crunches twelve episodes into two hours, and somehow makes it work.

* [[Adaptation Expansion]]: The manga adds in a few additional scenes not found in the anime. Such as how Nia wound up in the box that Simon would later find. And a converstation between Thymilph and Adiane thats gives a little insight to their relationship.

** There's even an additional bit before the final battle of the first half about {{spoiler|Nia's sister}}.

* [[Aerith and Bob]]: For example, there's Simon, and then there's Kamina.

* [[Affectionate Parody]]: Not only are the heroes [[Determinator|Determinators]], as they would be in a bona fide [[Super Robot]] show, ''but they can also win literally on pure determination''.

* [[All Deaths Final]]: Spoilers, of course {{spoiler|In the final episode, after Nia dies, Simon is asked why he doesn't just bring her back, and bring back everyone who died during the series, since he has such massive Spiral Power. Yoko simply replies "Because he's not God." Simon finishes saying that if he were to bring back the dead, they would get in the way of the new generation, and that there are people better suited to follow the tunnels he digs.}}

* [[All Men Are Perverts]]: Played with. Kamina believes voyeurism to be 'the height of the male soul' (and Simon at least goes along {{spoiler|until he's complimented on his real manliness by Yoko}}).

** In the movie, {{spoiler|it splits up into its base parts--Simon in Tengen Toppa Lagann, Nia's Tengen Toppa Solvernia, Viral's Tengen Toppa Enkidurga, Yoko's Tengen Toppa Yoko W Tank, the twins' Tengen Toppa Twin Boukun, Kidd's Tengen Toppa Kidd Knuckle, Iraak's Tengen Toppa Ainzaurus, Zorthy's Tengen Toppa Sozorthyn, Makken's Tengen Toppa Moshogun, and Darry and Gimmy's Tengen Toppa Grapearl, with the rest of the crew in the Tengen Toppa Dai-Gurren. And then they re-combine to create '''SUPER TENGEN TOPPA GURREN LAGANN''', which is ''even bigger''.}}

* [[Animation Bump]]: Episode 15 (the end of the first half) looks like a movie version compared to everything we had seen before, especially Gurren Lagann's flight-to and fight with Teppelin's hand and the battle with Lordgenome. Add it half the episode is evening colored instead of the usual bright daytime.

* [[Authority Equals Asskicking]]: Thymilph, Lordgenome and the {{spoiler|Anti-Spirals}} all succeed in doing major damage to Team Dai-Gurren.

** Lordgenome {{spoiler|beats the f*** out of a mecha with HIS BARE HANDS.}} 'nuff said.

* [[Awesome but Impractical]]: Filled to the brim with this, but it's later played with: Due to the way that Spiral Energy works, the more awesome something is, the more practical it is.

* [[Awesomeness Is Volatile]]: And of course, {{spoiler|the entire point of Spiral Nemesis is that too much uncontrolled awesome will ''destroy the universe''.}}

* [[Back-to-Back Badasses]]: Kidd and Iraak, {{spoiler|during their [[Heroic Sacrifice]]}}.

* [[Badass]]: Just about the ''entire stinkin' cast!'' Kamina takes it to [[Refuge in Audacity]] levels.

** Simon gives us this gem:

{{quote|"I'm Simon. Dai-Gurren Birgade's Leader, Simon the Digger. If you become a wall that stands in our way, I'll tear open a hole and break through every time! That is...my drill!"}}

'''All''': '''''[[Catch Phrase|WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK WE ARE!?]]''''' }}

* [[Badass Cape]]: Kamina, of course.

*** Doubly justified as [[Word of God]] has revealed {{spoiler|Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is the resurrected Kamina}}.

* [[Badass Creed]]: Just about all of Kamina's catch phrases could qualify.

* [[The Berserker]]: The entire cast! Exception: Nia, {{spoiler|her CMOA in ''Lagann-Hen'' notwithstanding.}}

* [[Berserker Tears]]: Simon in episode 11.

* [[BFG]]: Yoko's rifle. It's clearly based on the Barrett M82 anti-materiel rifle, a [[Cool Guns|Cool Rifle]].

* [[BFS]]: Kamina's katana. Possibly [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshaded]] in Kamina's on-foot battle with Viral; he spends a good ten seconds drawing the thing.

** In Lagann-Hen {{spoiler|the Tengen Toppa Gunmen that step in after Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is destroyed, including Tengen Toppa Lagann, turn into raw spiral power and combine to form Super Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. This trope can also be extended to the other Gurren Laganns, all of which are inside of Super Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann's head.}}

* [[Comes Great Responsibility]]: The last part of the show seems to carry this message to a great extent.

* [[Commedia Dell Arte Troupe]]: The entire cast fits just fine in the [[High School AU]]. Or in a [[Buddy Cop Show]]. [[Double K|Observe]].

* [[Conspicuous CG]]:

* [[Cool but Stupid]]: Kamina is filled with this. In the very first episode he attempts to take on a giant robot, and he only gets cooler and stupider from there. Somehow, though, [[Word of God]] confirms that Kamina would have won the battle without Yoko or Lagann.

* [[Cool Helmet]]: Gurren Lagann's, stolen from Viral's Gunman, Enki.

* [[Cool Shades]]: Kamina's are the champion example -- but even the robots and '''Boota''' have them.

* [[Cool Ship]]: The Dai-Gunzan/Dai-Gurren, followed by the Arc-Gurren and finally the Cathedral Terra/SuperGalaxy Dai-Gurren.

* [[Cute Shotaro Boy]]: Simon, pre-[[Time Skip]], as well as Gimmy both pre and post-[[Time Skip]].

* [[Dangerously Genre Savvy]]: {{spoiler|The Anti-Spiral}}, who not only knows how spiral power works but fights the heroes by using scenarios designed to break their will and determination. Except at the end, which is just an excuse for an AWESOME giant robot fight.

* [[Darker and Edgier]]: The second movie, ''Lagann-hen'', had a run-in with this trope. {{spoiler|Even though Jorgin and Balinbou survived the initial Anti-Spiral attack, [[Heroic Sacrifice|Kittan still died]], and the scenes in the film were more brutal and graphic this time around than in the TV anime. Such instances of brutality included Simon coughing up blood from exerting too much Spiral Power, the Tengen Toppa mechs all bleeding (which seems to be a bit of a loving jab towards [[Neon Genesis Evangelion|another work from Gainax]]) from the Anti-Spiral's no-holds-barred beatdown, Simon coughing up even ''more'' blood from said beatdown, and the more subtle, less-epic manner in which the film handled Rossiu's attempted suicide. Also Nia got [[Ms. Fanservice|at least a whole thirty seconds of screentime dedicated to]] [[Gag Boobs|showing off her (albeit beautiful) toplessness]]}}

* [[Death Is a Sad Thing]]: Many of the characters express regret at the death of {{spoiler|Kamina}}.

* [[Does This Remind You of Anything?]]: Within five minutes of the first episode's beginning, some girls wonder if Simon's going to drill them. It only gets worse from there.

** Don't believe it? Attempting to list even a half of the show's examples of this trope would be ''longer than the rest of the page.''

** Really though, would you expect any less from [[Studio Gainax|the group]] that made ''[[FLCL]]''?

* [[Doom Magnet]]: As mentioned above, {{spoiler|anyone Yoko shows the slightest romantic affection toward is destined for a [[Bad End]]}}.

* [[Everything's Better with Spinning]]: In the form of "Spiral Power", this is a codified law of the universe.

* [[Everything Trying to Kill You|Everything Trying To Kill Humanity]]

* [[Evil Chancellor]]: Post-[[Time Skip]] Rossiu is actually a subversion. He's a [[Well-Intentioned Extremist]] who {{spoiler|tries to kill himself}} once [[Heel Realization|he realizes what he's done]]. Luckily, Simon gives him a fist sized dose of [[Get a Hold of Yourself, Man!]].

** Simon ''invents teleportation'' to give him a [[Get a Hold of Yourself, Man!]].

* [[Expressive Mask]]: The faces on the Gunmen speak at the same time as their pilots.

** To go even further, the Gunmen can even mimic facial expressions to some degree. Thought it happens with the majority of the main ones, it's best featured on Enki (particularly in Parallel Works 2, though it happens at various points in the canon).

* [[Expressive Shirt]]: Yoko's skull hairpin sometimes reflects her emotions. Most notably when she realizes the men desperately need a bath. Her pin was giving an ">_<" look while Yoko held her breath and pretty much made the same expression.

* [[Expy]]: Kamina acts very much like a successor to Sanson from ''[[Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water]]''.

** Look at the Gurren-Lagann, without the sunglasses. Now look at the Gundam Virsago from ''[[After War Gundam X]]''. Notice how similar they are?

*** Similarly, the Chouginga Gurren-Lagann's transformation sequence looks quite similar to that of the Gundam Ashtaron/Hermit Crab from the same show as above.

* [[Face Fault]]: This being anime, it happens a few times. What's notable is how Leeron manages to make the ''aircraft-carrier-sized [[Humongous Mecha|Dai-Gurren]]'' facefault.

* [[Face Heel Turn]]: {{spoiler|Lordgenome prior to the beginning of the series and Nia in the series (and the movies, though those are essentially just glorified clip shows); as well as Lordgenome in the parallel works. And they turn HARD.}}

** Not to mention, of course, both Nia and Yoko in the second movie. During the [[Rousing Speech]], the camera pans quite slowly over their inexplicably naked bodies.

** Kamina also has his fair amount of [[Shirtless Scene]], a whole episode of full nudity. and is a good example of [[Mr. Fanservice]]. {{spoiler|Which re-occured with Simon and Viral during the shower fight scene.}}

** For all of two battles. After that, they tend to go with Giga Drill Breaks as [[Finishing Move|Finishing Moves]].

** {{spoiler|Viral}} repeats this in the battle against the {{spoiler|Anti-Spiral}}, though it stands to reason that he probably learned from watching Kamina. And then Lagann does it too.

* [[Four Philosophy Ensemble]]: (Early episodes): Simon as Cynic, Kamina as Optimist, Yoko as Realist, Leeron as Apathetic.

** Later it becomes: Simon as Cynic, Nia as Optimist, Yoko as Realist, Leeron as Apathetic.

* [[Full-Circle Revolution]]: Once Lordgenome has been defeated and it's time to rebuild, it turns out the protagonists aren't very good statesmen: while the [[Idiot Hero|Idiot Heroes]] are still as (un)reliable and (trying to be) helpful as usual, an [[Obstructive Bureaucracy]] is created in the shadow of Lordgenome's tyranny, and the only competent official in the bunch (Rossiu) is slowly growing into Spiral King 2.0.

* [[Funbag Airbag]]: The male-on-male version happens in the very first episode between Simon and Kamina; later, you see a straight version between Simon and Yoko, who reacts with a smile. Almost a [[Looks Like She Is Enjoying It]], except {{spoiler|poor Simon never gets to come anywhere near Yoko. Which is probably a good thing: [[Kiss of Death|He might've died otherwise]].}}

* [[Gratuitous English]]: The attack's names.

** And [[Zig-Zagging Trope|zig-zags in the music: while most lines make grammatical sense, one wonders what a "microphone phenotype" is...]]

* [[Green Lantern Ring]]: Spiral energy is one of the ultimate examples of this.

* [[Grievous Harm with a Body]]: Kamina smacks some sense into Simon with the arm of his own mech. Gurren Lagann has a habit of fastballing it's own head at enemies.

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* [[High-Speed Missile Dodge]]

* [[Hive Mind]]: {{spoiler|The Anti-Spirals.}}

* [[Homage Shot]]: The scene where Chouginga Gurren Lagann rises out of the space ocean is an almost exact replica of [[Gunbuster]]'s first appearance.

** {{spoiler|This is rather typical of Viral, actually, as he is repeatedly shown as holding a sense of honor and responsibility above all else. Better explained in the manga, but it shows in the anime as well; such as when he waits patiently for everyone to get dressed and into their Gunmen because there would be no honor in fighting otherwise.}}

* [[Hope Spot]]: Invoked repeatedly, by the Anti-Spirals, in order to turn them [[Darkest Hour|on their heads]] with the intention that this will sap the will of the humans to fight. At best, it works only momentarily.

== I-P ==

* [[I Am Legion]]: {{spoiler|The Anti-Spiral King.}}

* [[I Feel Angry]]: Nia.

* [[Idiosyncratic Episode Naming]]: Each arc uses a line from one character -- first Kamina, then Nia, then Rossiu, and finally Simon -- as the title for each episode. Also, to follow suit, the title cards for each arc have their own typeset.

* [["I Know You're in There Somewhere" Fight]]: Simon gives a particularly good one to {{spoiler|an Anti-Spiral-possessed Nia.}}

* [[I Like Those Odds]]: The very first scene.

* [[Immortality Immorality]]: Played straight with Lordgenome. {{spoiler|Thankfully subverted. Lordgenome performed his [[Heroic Sacrifice]] and admitted that he had always dreamed to die for humankind, Viral became the most furious protector of humankind, compared to cynical Rossiu and Simon who was unaware of Rossiu's deeds}}

* [[Important Haircut]]: Nia in ep. 13. The show being what it is, she gets hers from a sniper rifle. (See the trope page for more details)

** Even mundane appliances like clothes irons, TV sets, and ''doors'' have faces!

* [[It Is Pronounced "Tro-PAY"]]: Simon is pronounced "Sea-moan" rather that "Sigh-mun", and Viral's name is pronounced "veer-al".

* [[Kangaroo Court]]: {{spoiler|Simon gets put through one of these when Rossiu needs a scapegoat. Kittan angrily protests at the verdict, pointing out, among other things, that they gave Simon the stupidest member of the government for a defense attorney. Rossiu is pretty up-front about it, too.}}

* [[Keigo]]: Nia speaks like this. It leads to her version of Kamina's phrase: "ARE YOU AWARE OF WHO EXACTLY I AM!?".

* [[Lethal Chef]]: Nia, although Simon and Boota sincerely like her cooking. Anyone else who eats it gets knocked out, though.

** Well of course, [[Incredibly Lame Pun|he digs in]].

* [[Load-Bearing Boss]]: With Lordgenome's defeat, not only does the capital city ([[Rule of Cool|itself a giant robot]]) start to break apart and explode, but [[Keystone Army|his army's mecha all simultaneously lose power]], thus assuring victory for our heroes.

** [[Epileptic Trees|Possible]] [[Fridge Brilliance|justification]]: {{spoiler|As beastmen are later reveled to be non-spiral lifeforms, it's quite likely that Lordgenome's immense reserves are powering the entire army.}}

*** As does {{spoiler|The Anti Spiral's Grand Zamboa in the final battle.}}

* [[Mix-and-Match Critters]]: Grapopotamus is a key example; though this trope fits for every animal and most of the Beastmen in the series.

* [[Mood Whiplash]]: as a direct consequence of [[Killed Off for Real|several character deaths]].

** Also, the above-mentioned [[Syfy]] scheduling.

* [[Multicolored Hair]]: Nia and Kittan.

* [[Ms. Fanservice]]: Yoko.

* [[My Name Is Inigo Montoya]]: "I'm Simon The Digger!!!"

* [[My Name Is Not Durwood]]: Rossiu, known by Kamina as "Dekosuke": "Forehead Guy".

* [[Never Tell Me the Odds]]: Played straight when {{spoiler|Lordgenome is about to tell Leeron the chances of survival in the Sea of Despair, and Leeron simply doesn't want to hear it. Best thing about that? Lordgenome later tells him the chances of survival were ZERO. "The odds of success were zero, but probability doesn't seem to matter with you guys."}}

* [[Nice Job Fixing It, Villain]]:

** Later on, {{spoiler|Simon points out to Nia that all of the Anti-Spiral's attempts to kill off humanity have simply made them stronger.}} He goes on to realise that she subconsciously did this on ''purpose''.

* [[Nice Job Breaking It, Hero]]: {{spoiler|Wait, Lordgenome's iron-fisted rule was the only thing keeping all of humanity from a brutal genocide at the hands of the Anti-Spirals? Whoopsie..}}.

* [[No Sell]]: Lordgenome effortlessly managing to block a Giga Drill Break.

* [[No Sense of Personal Space]]: [[Camp Gay|Leeron]] gets a ''little'' too close to Simon and Kamina for their comfort when he first appears; and then repeatedly with various others through the rest of the series.

* [[Not So Stoic]]: {{spoiler|The Anti-Spiral goes [[Hot-Blooded]] during the final battle}}.

* [[The Obi-Wan]]: Kamina and Yoko fill this role together: Kamina takes it upon himself to guide Simon on his path to being a man, and Yoko acts as their guide on the surface, as well as fulfilling the role of The [[Herald]].

* [[Obi-Wan Moment]]: {{spoiler|Kamina before dying}}.

* [[Off-Model]]: Episode 4 had a guest director, and is considered to be a visual low-point in the series.

* [[Ominous Latin Chanting]]: See [[One-Woman Wail]]. Interspersed with a rap song, and is just as awesome as it sounds.

** Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann has 27 episodes. 27 times [[Four Is Death|four]] is 108.

* [[One-Woman Wail]]: "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT6LFOIofRE Libera Me From Hell]", the track played during {{spoiler|Kittan's [[Heroic Sacrifice]], Kamina pulling everyone out of the [[Lotus Eater Machine]], and the creation of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann}}.

* [[Petting Zoo People]]: The more humanoid Beastmen.

* [[Physical God]]: The only category that {{spoiler|'''the Super Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann qualifies for!'''}}

* [[Pixellation]]: Subverted for laughs in episode 6 (uncut). When the villain kidnaps the women and children and displays them on a monitor, pixels covering the necessary areas. She offers to remove them if Kamina exits Gurren. The girls were wearing towels underneath; only Gimmy needed to be censored.

* [[Please Put Some Clothes On]]: After the heroes end up naked after being ambushed at the hot springs, Viral shows up looking for a fight. He is outraged at their lack of attire and gives them time to get dressed before he fights them.

* [[Rated "M" for Manly]]

* [[Readings Are Off the Scale]]: ''Literally''. As in, when {{spoiler|the Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann absorbs the energy from a [[Beam-O-War]] twice the power of the Big Bang}}, the readings ''go off the scale and float in midair''.

* [[Real Robot]]: Although the show as a whole falls squarely into [[Super Robot]] territory, Grapearls represent the [[Real Robot]] genre: They are produced in large quantities (mostly identical in appearance) for the use of military personnel, they use more mundane guns and swords as opposed to the Gunmen's (especially Gurren Lagann's) more physics-breaking weapons, and most notably, in contrast to Gunmen, they ''don't'' run on the pilot's fighting spirit, which is one of the key differences between the two genres.

** Debatably, the Beastman-controlled Ganmen can be considered a type of [[Real Robot]]; they are mass-produced (though there are many types), they use mundane weaponry like clubs and greatswords, and they run on solar power.

** Alternatively, Screw Physics.

** This could be taken literally: the dominant motifs are drills, spirals and other screw-shaped implements with which they dig right through their confines and break them to pieces.

* [[Senseless Sacrifice]]: {{spoiler|Kittan flies out to perform a [[Heroic Sacrifice]] - only for his mecha to blow up moments too soon. [[Subverted Trope|Wait, no- that was his mecha's mecha.]] Kittan lasts a few more seconds and manages to deliver his defining Crowning Moment before eating it.}}

* [[Sensitive Guy and Manly Man]]: Simon and Kamina.

* [[Shoot the Dog]]: Rossiu is forced to do this a lot, and suffers for it.

* [[Shoot the Hostage]]: Brought up by Adiane to Yoko when she takes Nia hostage, {{spoiler|but subverted: Yoko was actually aiming [[Close-Call Haircut|2 millimeters to the right of Nia's head]], allowing her to hit a weak spot on Adiane's mech.}}

* [[Shoulders of Doom]]: Most of the Gunmen, epitomised by Super Galaxy Gurren Lagann's.

* [[Showy Invincible Hero]]: Basically every main character, but subverted {{spoiler|in that most of their death cheating catches up with them at the very end, albeit by choice, in a series of [[Heroic Sacrifices]]}}

* [[Stock Footage]]: The Giga Drill Break-animation. Which gets kinda jarring in episode 15 and [[The Movie]], as the Gurren Lagann's wings just spontaneously disappear for one shot as the attack is carried out.

* [[Storming the Castle]]

* [[Strong Family Resemblance]]: As [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOBG3CCew7Q the 8th Parallel Works video] shows {{spoiler|super-huge Lordgenome used to basically be a male version of Nia}}.

** In the [[Distant Finale]], Rossiu now has a striking resemblance to his own father.

** Which is thereafter corrected by {{spoiler|using said mecha to pull the ''real'' moon ''out of another dimension''}}

* [[Theme Music Power-Up]]: Repeatedly. Culminating in {{spoiler|the [[Last Episode Theme Reprise|final episode]], which contains a theme music-powered beatdown to the entire full length version of the opening theme.}}.

** The four generals are named after a sort-of-portmanteau of the DNA base pairs and pagan elemental spirits. Guame = guanine+ Gnome, spirit of earth; Adiane = adenine+ Undine, spirit of water; Cytomander = cytosine+ Salamander, spirit of fire and Thymilph = thymine+ Sylph, spirit of air. Their Gunmen are also named after [[The Four Gods]], Suzaku, Seiryuu, Byakkou, and Genbu.

** The four Beastman flagships are all named "Gun(something about the ship)". There's the ground-based Gundo: ''"do"'' means "earth", air-based Gunten: ''"ten"'' is "heaven", sea-based Gunkai: ''"kai"'' is "ocean", and for the Gunzan: ''"zan"'' is a phonetic variant of ''"san"'', meaning "mountain."

** It's actually repeated earlier than that with Simon and Nia.

* [[This Cannot Be!]]: Actually exclaimed by heroes and villains alike whenever physics go out the window in favor of what's coolest.

* '''[[This Is a Drill]]''': [[Trope Codifier|The Animated Series]]. They come in many shapes and sizes and are the weapons of choice for many characters. They also represent the series' theme of continuously moving forward.

* [[This Is Sparta]]: '''GIGA!!! DRILL!!! ''BREAAKEEEERRR!!!!!'''''.

* [[Troperiffic]]

* [[Troper Critical Mass]]: Read the above entry.

* [[True Companions]]: Team Dai-Gurren.

* [[Tsundere]]: Yoko shows some characteristics of this when it comes to Kamina.

* [[Vapor Wear]]: It's obvious that Nia in the [[High School AU]] goes commando.

* [[Villainous Breakdown]]: {{spoiler|Both Lordgenome and the Anti-Spiral King. Notable in that Lordgenome isn't having a [[Freak-Out]] so much as he's enjoying himself for the first time in one thousand years. In the anime, the Anti-Spiral King - being the collective conscious of an entire planet - has a few moments where he begins to [[Unusual Euphemism|stretch and tear at the seams]]. In the movie, however, he mirrors Lordgenome, especially when he releases the Super Grand Zemboa - he freaking smiles with confidence! In general, this can be said for most of the villains, who go from confident to [[Oh Crap]] regularly.}}

* [[Villain Pedigree]]: From Beastmen to Anti-Spirals.

* [[Visual Innuendo]]: The Dai-Gurren - for God's sake [[Gag Penis|just look at it]]!

** Not to mention Attenborough's [[Button Mashing]] all the [[Humongous Mecha]]-du-jour's guns on every enemy, usually to little effect: see his [[Fan Nickname]]. This is [[Lampshade Hanging|pointed out to him]] at one point.

*** Despite this, he actually does kill Adiane with it, and mooks now and then.

* [[The Worf Effect]]: If you pay attention, you'll notice that Kamina almost ''never'' won a fight without Simon. The funny thing is, Kamina is fully aware of that trend. It's just that no one - especially Simon - believes him. And this is about a guy with insane stamina, [[Genius Bruiser]] tendencies and some [[Instant Expert]] skills thrown in one.

** This is mostly due to the fact that the super robot Lagann IS THEIR ENTIRE FIGHTING FORCE and without it, the real robot Gurren is just one big ass target. The Lagann is also the only mecha powered by Spiral Energy (aka manliness) and only Simon can pilot it.

** Also, the final battle. {{spoiler|After escaping from the Alternate Space Labyrinth, the Dai-Gurren Brigade assemble a galaxy-sized mecha with an entire universe's worth of Spiral power. The Anti-Spiral proceeds to summon up his own galaxy-sized mecha and beat the crap out of it, even tearing it to shreds in the movie.}}

* [[Wasted Song]]: While ''Dai-Gurren's Theme'' and the like are used often throughout the series, ''Kamina's Theme'' is used maybe once for all of five seconds.

* [[World of Badass]]