History Heartwarming / TengenToppaGurrenLagann

* Also, Kamina's spirit advisor scene in episode 26. The whole damn thing. Simon being trapped in a Lotus Eater Machine in which he witnesses a fake life where Kamina and Simon, instead of becoming freedom fighters, settle down as thieves. After some confusion, Simon realizes he isn't wearing his Core Drill anymore. Cue the real Kamina asking him if he has lost his drill, and a lot of encouraging, cumilating in Simon punching fake Kamina in the face and then the real Kamina and now-adult Simon standing side-by-side. Kamina's comment? "You have grown taller than me." Do also note that he does not just mean that in a literal sense.
** Also, he tells Simon "the truth of your universe is what's in here," pointing to Simon's heart. At the end of the conversation, when it's time for Simon to go, Kamina tells him "This time it's really goodbye." Simon corrects him, stating "It's never goodbye. You're always with me- in ''here.''" and gestures to his heart again.
** In the film version of this scene, Kittan also shows up. After the resulting "who are you again?" RunningGag, Kamina laughs, and basically remarks, "just kidding, [[TrueCompanions how could I possibly forget you?]]"

* 1st episode after the TimeSkip, when Nia accepts Simon's proposal. Simon, to Kamina's monument: "Yes! I did it, Bro!"

'''Gabal:''' NOT your Planet!\\

* Also Episode 27 - During the final battle Yoko, in one of her last lines before the end, surrounded by some of mankind's greatest heroes takes time to declare ''Kamina'' the greatest of them all. Above all else it speaks to the fact that he's irreplaceable in her heart. Needless to say, Team Dai-Gurren wholeheartedly shared that opinion.

* It's blink and you'll miss it, but during the final moments of the final battle in the movie, Nia's Anti-Spiral, cross-shaped pupils become normal, circular ones. Once all barriers are broken down, all illusions cast aside, on the edge of truth, her soul is that of a real human being.
** In the final scene of the series, Nia's ring is left on a cross atop her memorial. In the movie, Simon wears her ring on his neck, in the place where the Core Drill used to be.
*** One can't help but wonder if it's a sign that Nia may not be truly gone for good, considering that this is the one thing that didn't disappear with her... a hopeful thought indeed.
*** It's also very fitting that her grave is placed next to Kamina's. The two people that Simon ever loved the most.
* The series itself is kind of a meta one for anyone who has seen ''Anime/GunBuster''. For years the anime went unnoticed and untouched after it's descendant ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' got all the fame, leaving it lost and forgotten, known only by the eldest or most hardcore Gainax fans. Now, the anime finally has seen the light of day in the form of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.

* Kamina breaks Simon out of a slump with the words, "Don't believe in me, who believes in you. Believe in you, who believes in yourself!" That this is accompanied by a punch to the face and a [[spoiler:HeroicSacrifice]] [[spoiler:TearJerker]] drops it solidly into Crowning Moment Of Awesome territory as well.

** When Simon finally shows up to rescue her, Nia almost cries tears of happiness and jumps onto him with a big hug... even though he's hanging upside-down from the ceiling in Lagann. And after the awesome battle, it's shown that [[spoiler:Nia had placed her hands on top of Simon's the whole time, in part because he'd injured his digging out of imprisonment.]]
* Simon's "[[spoiler:My bro is dead]]" speech is the CMOH for the entire series:

* The uncut version of episode 6, which is practically [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments CMOF]] incarnate, does have a genuinely heartwarming moment in it. The boys and girls are separated by a giant wall while in the hot spring, and Kamina convinces Simon to peep on the girls who are presumably naked ([[spoiler:they aren't]]). Simon drills through the wall and manages to make a small hole through the other side, only to overhear what the girls think of him: a young, ineffectual boy who is too dependent of Kamina and has no real identity of his own. However, Yoko says she believes Simon has the potential to be a great man and always pulls through for his friends in the end. As a result, Simon respectfully covers the hole he made and makes no further attempts to peep on them. [[spoiler:Not that it stops him from seeing Yoko's boobs by mistake in the end...]]
* In episode 10, the fighting members of Team Dai-Gurren, most of whom considered Nia their enemy just a few minutes earlier, rush into battle to save her, inspired by her standing up for them [[spoiler:and enraged by Lordgenome's ParentalAbandonment]]. After the battle they give her a loud cheer, showing that they accepted her as one of them.

* The beginning of episode 14, when Simon and Yoko visit [[spoiler:Kamina's grave]]. Especially the moment when Yoko leaves, only to turn around one final time. The viewer doesn't get to hear what she says, but the look on her face and the fact that she says only a few words could give you an idea of what exactly she told him...

* [[spoiler:After Rossiu sentenced Simon to death, he kept Simon's drill around his neck. He didn't destroy or study it; he kept it next to his heart.]]

** In the final scene of the series, [[spoiler:Nia's ring is left on a cross atop her memorial.]] In the movie, [[spoiler:Simon wears her ring on his neck, in the place where the Core Drill used to be.]]

* In the first episode: Before any of the real action begins, there's an earthquake in Giha Village that freaks Simon out. He begs Kamina to find shelter until the point of tears and screams "I don't want you to die!" It makes Kamina remember that Simon lost his parents in an earthquake and allows him realize that he's all that Simon has. While still in handcuffs, Kamina puts his arms around Simon in a hug to comfort him as the earthquake ceases. It's an Establishing Character Moment for them both as well as a perfect introduction for the dynamic of their relationship. Also qualifies as a Tear Jerker considering what happens in later episodes.

-->'''Yoko:''' [...]We Humans used to have someone much greater than any of us! For his sake alone, we'll keep moving forward!

* Some fridge heartwarming: In episode 26, as the entire team is escaping the mental labyrinth we see a shot of Lordgenome's dream world. He's standing in a classroom with other parents, dressed to the nines in a fancy suit. It's obvious he's attending a Parents Day. That's right, Lordgenome's dream is to be an attentive father.

** After she hears him say that, the Anti-Spiral Messenger Nia finally breaks and the old Nia returns, complete with the voice and facial expression that are so very much ''Nia'' and can't be described as anything else but ''completely adorable''. The weird thing is that this counts as a [[Tearjerker/TengenToppaGurrenLagann TearJerker]] as the same time, because of how desperately she asks Simon if he will save her. ''Gurren Lagann'' really puts you through a rollercoaster of emotions...

** After she hears him say that, the Anti-Spiral Messenger Nia finally breaks and the old Nia returns, complete with the voice and facial expression that are so very much ''Nia'' and can't be described as anything else but ''completely adorable''. The weird thing is that this counts as a [[Tearjerker/TengenToppaGurrenLagann Tearjerker]] as the same time, because of how desperately she asks Simon if he will save her. ''Gurren Lagann'' really puts you through a rollercoaster of emotions...

* Simon is talking with Anti-Spiral Nia about the chances of her coming back to normal, she replies that the chance is infinitely close to zero, Simon replies with; Well to me, that's as good as 100%.

-->'''Simon:'''[[ArmorPiercingQuestion Why are you still wearing that ring]]?

-->'''Niyoh:''' [[InsultOfEndearment Idiot!]]

* In ''Gurren-hen'', the Four Generals attempted to destroy the Dai-Gurren brigade. Simon not only blocks the shot, but then tells his friends not to falter. Followed up by Kittan with something resembling this: "Of course not! How can I with all these friends?"

* ''Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann'' also gets big credit for the relatively happy ending. After carving a hole through the Anti-Spiral boss and killing him once and for all, every single Anti-Spiral in the universe dies or vanishes due to No Ontological Inertia; Nia, however, hangs on by pure defiant willpower and her love for Simon, and they finally get married. Then, after sharing their first on-screen kiss, she vanishes into the air, smiling at him, and Simon puts on his cape and spends the rest of his days Walking The Earth. Not exactly a cheerful ending, considering that Gainax loves... well... {{Gainax Ending}}s for a reason, but still a great way to end the continuous series of [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome Crowning Moments of Awesome]].

* Simon and Kinon use the {{Power Of Love}} and the {{Power Of Friendship}} to open a wormhole so that Gurren Lagann can go through, and they can stop Rossiu from committing suicide to atone for his betrayal of Simon. Simon than gives him a {{Get A Hold Of Yourself Man}} punch, and stops him from making another mistake, as Kinon embraces him. Simon than leaves Rossiu and his men in charge of the civilians, and city so the soldiers can go off to war, proving that friendships can survive betrayal.

* During Simon's "He's back" speech, everyone of the Dai-Gurren Brigade is looking on in shock... except for Leeron, who's just nodding his head in an "about time you got out of that slump" sort of way.
* Speaking of episode 11: " Rossiu! Let's combine!"
** Rossiu's reaction sells it- not just the look on his face, but the fact that hearing Simon's voice gives him the strength of will to flip Guame on his back. In the movie, it lets him hold off Viral until the combination.
* When Simon performs his own [[CallingYourAttack Giga]] [[ThisIsADrill Drill]] [[FinishingMove Breaker]], does the screen get blurry for anyone else?

* "''[[ArmorPiercingQuestion Why are you still wearing that ring]]?''"

** Even more heartwarming is that His wife Kiyoh (along with the rest of the earth) witnesses it after the Anti-Spiral opened the dimensional bypass to Earth.