Forum - View topicPersuade me that Gurren Lagann is worth watching.
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nobahn
 Subscriber Posts: 5120 |
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This thread's title is inspired by Willag's post here. Willag's post reveals a passion for Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.
Please note the following: I am directing this question solely to anyone who is as passionate about the show as willag obviously is. |
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Dorcas_Aurelia
 Posts: 5344 Location: Philly |
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Throw away logic and kick reason to the curb! But seriously, if you don't easily buy into Kamina's attitude, with all the hot-bloodedness and reckless heroism/stupidity, the other elements don't provide enough weight to carry the show. Also, you may want to watch your tone. Calling a massively popular show tripe and utter garbage, as well as implying it has no positive values and throwing out the non-question of "Why?" is pretty heavy trolling. I assume you're not trying to troll us, and just didn't think of how this post would appear because you were caught up in your passionately dislike the show (in the same way many fans are caught up in the passionate love of it). |
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vastoceans
 Posts: 107 |
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If you found the premise that awful - why bother? I don't see much constructive conversation coming from such a holier-than-thou-seems-meant-to-incite opening post. It's a shounen-romp so our mileage will vary based on our tastes. I found it pretty thoughtful for a shounen series, especially the way it touched on evolution and the human condition. The spiral as symbolism was a pretty cool concept. If you didn't like it when they flew toward the heavens for the first time (surfaced), the show probably just isn't for you. I enjoyed it with the exception of some parts in the middle and one character in particular. Also, if you're truly wanting to be convinced - why don't you touch on your own question and say WHY you didn't like it instead of just calling it tripe/utter garbage? I'll leave this here if you're just looking for opinions on the show: TTGL Last edited by vastoceans on Sun Dec 19, 2010 2:07 am; edited 1 time in total |
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ailblentyn
 Posts: 1688 Location: body in Ohio, heart in Sydney |
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I think the idea for this thread is a fair one.
My response would be to offer that the show has its tongue in its cheek, and also that a lot of the enjoyment derives from the escalating ridiculousness of the action and excitement. And to get a sense of the tone and also of the show's style of development, you may need to give it more than 15 minutes, or even one episode! |
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naninanino
 Posts: 680 |
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In other words, this is a typical "Does it get better"-thread, sparked by misplaced expections. I don't know about the viewing habits of other people, but I'd give it more than one episode, unless they really loathe the SR genre. The enjoyment that is found in this show, lies purely on whether you let yourself sucked into the ridiculousness of it all or not.
Personally, I was left scratching my head after watching the few initial episodes, but afterwards I marathoned it. It is the perfect SR show, I kept asking it for more and more and it delivered. If someone is looking for anything like a deep, intricate plot they have sold themselves out. TTGL is about expression and emotion. The things that make shounen, and especially SR anime what they are at the core. And no, you don't need to be a Kamina fan to enjoy this show. |
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Crisha
Moderator
 Posts: 4290 |
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I won't lie, I've rated this series as a 10. It struck a chord in me, and carried me along on an amazing, fun-filled ride the entire time (well, maybe not so much episode 4, but I rarely ever hear someone praise episode 4). But it's definitely not for everyone, and I know many people have not liked the series. And I have disliked many popular series as well (i.e. Death Note, Code Geass). So it's just differences in taste.
But my enthusiastic post is nothing more than enthusiastic posts other fans give their series. I am not unique in that manner. Fans have fervently arguing over Neon Genesis Evangelion long before this series was even a twinkle in the creator's eyes, and series before that were gabbered over, and series to come will be gossiped and over-analyzed. That's just the way fandom roles. So why is my post longer than the rest? Because I felt Simon deserved it and I wanted to put that much effort into it. As seen from Key's post, such length will not be allowed, so I'll have a make a separate nominations post and let that just be further justification. But it makes a strong case and leaves an impression, which is what I was going for. Simon is often overlooked in comparison with Kamina, and while Kamina was cool, I still think Simon is way more awesome. In a game where fandom is SERIOUS BUSINESS I now feel satisfied that I supported my character with enough passion. It had been eating at me this whole week, and I finally got the opportunity to type it up this weekend. |
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v1cious
 Posts: 6202 Location: Houston, TX |
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It's a polarizing show, really. Whether you like it depends on if you enjoy Watching robots literally throwing galaxies each other, getting punched out of time/space, and karate kicking airships... if not, then this probably isn't the show for you
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Ohoni
Posts: 3421 |
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Seeing as how the only one missing out if you don't watch it is you, and seeing as how I don't care about you, I don't see any reason why I should persuade you to watch one of the best shows of the past five years. Watch it or not.
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notrogersmith
 Posts: 192 |
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As others have said, Gurren Lagann is very much a "your mileage may vary" sort of show. Now, personally, I liked the show more that I expected to, and I was pretty much sold when in the first episode that Kamina called out an ordinary kicking attack in his giant mecha as a "'WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK I AM' KIIIIICCCCKKK!!." There could hardly be a bigger clue that the show wasn't taking itself too seriously. However, it is unapologetically loud and over-the-top, and you either roll with it and enjoy the intentional cheesiness of the show or you don't.
There is plenty of anime that isn't bad but isn't to my taste, and the same goes for you. If you don't like Gurren Lagann, don't stress over it. |
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Kruszer
 Posts: 7983 Location: Minnesota, USA |
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If you couldn't stand the first episode don't watch it, because it gets progressively more over the top as it goes on.
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mglittlerobin
 Posts: 1071 |
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Gurren Lagann is mindless over the top fun, and that's why a lot of people, including me, like it. It's just good mindless fun with an entertaining story and quirky, memorable characters. It's one you can turn your mind off for and just enjoy it for fun.
If you don't like science fiction or giant robots or over the top animes this is not your anime. |
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ArsenicSteel
 Posts: 2370 |
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There is not much to say to someone that is utterly repulsed 1st one-half of the 1st episode. Every reason I could provide for why I like it would most likely be the reasons you don't. The first episode does nothing but present questions about what kind of literary world and rules do these characters follow. If you were not interested enough to have those questions answered by watching those characters journey then don't watch TTGL. |
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swienke
 Posts: 245 |
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@nbahn
I actually kind of understand where you're coming from. I too disliked the first episode (though not as vehemently as you): I thought it was kind of obnoxiously loud and I really didn't feel any connection to the characters. I was ready to drop it right then and there, but I kept on hearing people talking about how amazing it was, how much hidden depth it had, etc. So, a couple weeks after watching the first episode I decided to give the series another shot. It got a little better and better with each episode, but I still wasn't terribly impressed until episode 7. I won't spoil it for you, but that was the episode where those "hidden depths" stopped being hidden and where the entire dynamic of the series was transformed. From there on out I could not stop watching: it went from being silly and formulaic to being pure EPICNESS. Yes, it was still ridiculously over-the-top, but there was such heart and passion there, such great character development and such rousing emotion, that it became something truly amazing and memorable. To sum it up, watch until episode 7. If that doesn't change your mind about the series, then nothing will and you should feel free to drop the show, but give it a chance until then. You might find yourself as pleasantly surprised as I did. |
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Servant of the Path
 Posts: 90 Location: United States |
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I see interestingly atypical and multi-faceted characters, good character development and a story about the human condition that's got an awful lot of heart. One of the things I like most about this show is its integrity. Like so many of its main characters the show remains true to itself from beginning to end, never trying to be anything other than what it truly is. Like Neon Genesis Evangelion, the way in which Gurren Lagann is constructed and delivered is true to the shows message. Of course, I watched more than the first 15 minutes of it so it's not exactly shocking that you didn't "get" any of that.
This would be easier to answer if you had elaborated on what, precisely, you find so detestable about the first episode. It clearly and very effectively establishes the shows premise and introduces the main characters. Generally speaking first episodes don't do much more than that. Personally, I think the world we're presented with, one in which human beings have been subjugated into subsisting beneath the surface of the earth but only long enough to be crushed by an earthquake-inspired cave-in, human beings who have resigned themselves to living in so much fear of the outside world that they refuse to believe that it even exists, is an interesting world that begs a lot of questions. While reasonable people can disagree about that and, for example, the effectiveness of Simon and Kamina's rousing emergence there certainly isn't anything whatsoever about it that could be characterized as "tripe" or "garbage." If you are reacting to Kamina's personality then you may not have been paying attention. If you hadn't noticed, other characters in the first episode clearly dismiss Kamina as a fool; the show does not require you to take him seriously at this point. On the surface, Kamina is initially presented as a loud-mouthed blowhard and a paper-thin fool but for all of his cornball declarations, bombastic machismo and self-aggrandizing posturing he is, in fact, the real deal. That said, I would disagree with others here who think that the show doesn't have much to stand on if you aren't going to "buy into" Kamina. I would also disagree that this is a show that should be watching without thinking about it. Simon and Kamina's struggle can be seen as a coming-of-age-story, it can be seen as humanity's struggle, as the struggle between life and death, between good and evil and between chaos and order. If you are reacting to the art or animation style it really isn't something that should be phasing you as it isn't something you are unfamiliar with. The animation is a product of Gainax and they certainly don't pull any punches in this series so you can expect their elastic histrionics to surpass what you'd find in something like FLCL. I myself found the animation to be bit difficult to accept in the beginning although, again, I wouldn't call it "tripe." Gurren Lagann is outrageous, raunchy and in-your-face and it's one of the purest and most effective examples of shonen anime that I've seen. If you detest shonen series then I would strongly advise you against watching it. But your intolerance does nothing to qualify your characterizations of the show.
I would say that you have no idea what you are talking about as I don't believe anyone is in any position to be judging any series on the basis of the first 15 minutes. I think any suggestion to the contrary, especially by an anime fan, is silly. On your anime list page wherein you provide review commentary you go out of your way to insist that you tried to give this show a chance but your post strongly indicates the opposite and thus I would also say that you should be aware that your comments say more about you and your attitude than they do about the show itself. |
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nobahn
Subscriber Posts: 5120 |
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First of all, I want to thank everyone for your replies -- those of you, especially, who wrote with such eloquent passion. Unfortunately, I'm so exhausted right now that I'm unable to respond in a manner that renders the justice necessary that those postings so very obviously deserve.
So I'm afraid that the vast majority of you will have to wait for a response from me that will -- in turns both appropriately hopeful and appropriately measured --- be just as passionate and eloquent. There is, however, one thing that I wish to communicate right now before I turn in for the evening.....
I was tired when I typed out that posting (which is why I'm waiting until I'm better-rested before responding). To the extent that I did offend people, I apologize. |
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