Day 11 - Favorite Mech Series: Gurren Lagann

I think the animes/mangas with Mechas/Robots/Gunmen are called Mechs in English and Mechas in Japanese because they need an extra letter.

They are not this:


Oh, creepy robot mouth, you scare the bejeezus out of me. Please do not sing me to sleep. At least with anime viewers don't face an uncanny valley sort of robot issue. Most mechs in anime are pretty cartooney, and most are pretty meh...I think Voltron is pretty cool, I watched it when I was little too. And I really love the farcical Titan Maximum on adult swim. But most, nearly all, mechs bore the poo out of me. It's all fight, fight, fight. Look at me sweating in my robot suit. Look at me yelling stuff.

There is one exception though, and it isn't Gundam. I love Gurren Lagann. In fact, I love it so much that I am constantly surprised by my love for it. I have talked about it plenty before, and already picked the finale of the series as "Most Epic Scene." So, I'll keep it brief and just say, SEE IT! (Also, Ms. Shakespeare if you are going to see one mech, see this one, please? That way we can talk about how awesome it is.)

Here's the trailer:


JUST WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK I AM?!!! I love Gurren Lagann! But I'm not alone.

This review by Anime News Network rated Gurren Lagann as an A rated series that shows "the manly side of mushiness, the kind of content which speaks about people who truly throw everything they have – all of their passion, their hopes, their determination, and even their souls and very lives – into the crucible to challenge the heavens, to force a path to their own destinies and those that they hold dear. "

This is some band of brothers stuff, very St. Crispin's Day speech! I cannot help but be swept up in the struggle.

So I'll leave you with some Shakespeare, which is an odd thing to be reminded of when one is discussing giant robot gunmen, but it seems entirely appropriate.

Since I mentioned it here is the St. Crispian's Day speech from Henry V:

This day is call'd the feast of Crispian.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian.'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say 'These wounds I had on Crispian's day.'
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words-
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester-
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.


Or, as Simone the digger would say:
"Aniki is dead. He's not here anymore! But on my back, and in my heart, he lives on in me! My drill is the one that pierces the heavens! Even if that hole becomes my grave, as long as I break through, I shall be victorious! Who the hell do you think I am?! I'm Simone! I'm not my brother Kamina! I am myself! Simone the digger!"

I'm all amped up now! YEAH! "This is my soul, and I'll make you regret this!" SQUEEEE! So much asskickery!