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4[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gurren_lagann_6.png]]
5[[caption-width-right:350:'''[[CharacterCatchphrase WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK WE ARE?!]]''']]
6->''"Go beyond the impossible, and kick reason to the curb! That's how Team Gurren rolls!"''
7-->-- '''Kamina'''
8
9''Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann'' (天元突破グレンラガン, roughly ''Heaven-Piercing Crimson Face'', and officially released in the west as just ''Gurren Lagann'') is what happens when Creator/StudioGainax is asked to create a SaturdayMorningCartoon.
10
11Lonely orphan Simon[[note]]pronounced "SHI-mon" in Japanese and "SEE-moan" in the English dub[[/note]](Creator/TetsuyaKakihara) lives in an underground village, digging for ancient artifacts and eating pigmoles. His [[BigBrotherMentor self-appointed big brother]], Kamina (Creator/KatsuyukiKonishi), is a [[HotBlooded hot-headed]] badass who dreams of going to the "Surface" as his father did despite the village elder constantly saying the "Surface" doesn't exist. One fateful day, Simon discovers a strange drill-shaped key and, soon after, [[MiniMecha a pint-sized mecha]] which responds to the key. While taking an unapproved excursion to see it, Simon and Kamina are interrupted by the village elder... then by the roof of the village collapsing... ''then'' by [[HumongousMecha a massive, bestial, robotic head]]... and ''then'' by Yoko (Creator/MarinaInoue), a young woman [[SmallGirlBigGun with a very big gun]], [[{{Stripperiffic}} and very little clothing]], firing at said beast-mecha known as a "Gunmen".[[note]]''Ganmen'' in Japanese, meaning "face".[[/note]]
12
13Thus begins a roller coaster ride of {{Fanservice}}, over-the-top fight scenes between mecha, [[HotBlooded hot-bloodedness]], [[CoolShades epic sunglasses]], massive badassery, and mind-blowing heroism. The show seldom takes itself seriously; it could be described as the exact polar opposite of ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'', Gainax's other series about giant mecha.
14
15The series is also something of a [[{{Homage}} tribute]] to ''Manga/GetterRobo'' and Creator/KenIshikawa in general, being written by Ishikawa's editor and "number-one fan" Creator/KazukiNakashima half a year after the former's unexpected death, and incorporating enough of its lingering plot threads[[note]]Most notably, the late-series moral conflict over whether humanity pursuing "the power of evolution" will cause them to destroy the universe[[/note]] that it can be seen as a [[SpiritualSuccessor pseudo-sequel]] to the (then) [[DiedDuringProduction unfinished]] ''Manga/GetterRoboArc''. This extends to its appearances in ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'', where it's treated as [[SpiritualAdaptation an honorary Getter entry]] for the purpose of mechanics and roster (even being allowed to take Getter's place in the traditional ''Anime/{{Mazinger|Z}}[=/Getter/=]Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' "Holy Trinity").
16
17There are two {{Compilation Movie}}s with new scenes to help tie things together and provide movie-original climaxes: ''Gurren-hen'' (紅蓮篇, ''Crimson Lotus Chapter'', titled as ''Childhood's End'' outside of Japan) and ''Lagann-hen'' (螺巌篇, ''Spiral Stone Chapter'', similarly titled ''The Lights in the Sky are Stars''). There are also three manga: one is a slightly altered version of the anime, another is a HighSchoolAU, and the third is set in an AlternateUniverse focusing on Simon and Nia.
18
19''Gurren Lagann'' was originally licensed by Creator/ADVFilms, but was later lifted from their license list and given to Bandai, whose DVD release of the series went out of print when ''that'' company went down, and currently rests in the hands of Aniplex of America. The English dub first aired in America on [[Creator/{{Syfy}} Sci Fi Channel]], then later aired on Creator/VizMedia's Creator/NeonAlley streaming service and Creator/{{Toonami}}. The entire series can be found on both [[http://www.hulu.com/gurren-lagann Hulu]] and [[http://www.netflix.com Netflix.]]
20
21The sheer success of this anime led to the creation of Creator/StudioTrigger, a sort of spiritual successor to Studio Gainax, who eventually ended up acquiring the rights to the series in 2021 alongside fellow Creator/HiroyukiImaishi work ''Anime/PantyAndStockingWithGarterbelt''.
22
23See also ''Anime/GunBuster'', ''Anime/DieBuster'', and ''Anime/{{FLCL}}'' (previous Gainax productions); ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' (its Gainax SpiritualAntithesis) and ''Anime/KillLaKill'' and ''Anime/{{Promare}}'' (its TRIGGER {{Spiritual Successor}}s). Compare ''Anime/CodeGeass'', another popular yet DarkerAndEdgier anime with mecha that aired around the same time.
24
25[- '''Warning:''' Due to the series' massive popularity and JustForFun/TropeOverdosed nature, there are many unmarked spoilers below. If you have not watched it yet, you may wish to ArchiveBinge first.-]
26
27----
28!! These tropes are the tropes that shall pierce the Heavens!
29
30[[foldercontrol]]
31
32[[folder: A-H]]
33* TwoDVisualsThreeDEffects:
34** [[spoiler:The Anti-Spiral Mugann mecha look like refugees from ''Film/{{Tron}}''. And it works. The first time a Mugann shows up becomes a bonafide OhCrap moment because it's so entirely different from any other enemy seen in the series so far.]]
35** Pay close attention to episode 8 as Dai-Gurren is about to throw Gurren Lagann. Its arms are computer-generated, but they're cleverly blended into the scene in split-second animation.
36* AbortedArc: Simon's feelings for Yoko end up disappearing from the story, despite being built up for 8 episodes and [[spoiler: partially being the reason behind Kamina's death.]]
37* AccidentalMisnaming: Rossiu, known by Kamina as "Dekosuke": "Forehead Boy".
38* AceCustom: The Gurren, built out of the combined remains of the first three Gunmen our heroes fight on the surface.
39* ActionDressRip: In episode 21, when Naakim is stuck in a tree, Yoko does this in order to rescue him.
40* ActionHeroine: Yoko. She starts out being OvershadowedByAwesome, but things get better for her soon.
41* ActorAllusion:
42** [[Creator/JojiNakata Father Magin]] of Adai village has played a stoic false priest with questionable morality and surprisingly good combat skills [[VisualNovel/FateStayNight before]].
43** Creator/HyndenWalch plays a highly intelligent princess that is utterly unaware of basic facets of human society, that acts as TheHeart and The Chick to the team. [[WesternAnimation/TeenTitans Where we have seen that before?]]
44*** For that matter, Creator/BridgetHoffman, who takes over as that character, has [[Anime/DigimonTamers some experience]] as the cheery LoveInterest with DaddyIssues that falls under the thrall of an otherworldly threat.
45** [[Creator/JohnnyYongBosch Rossiu]] has had [[Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers experience]] [[Series/PowerRangersZeo piloting]] [[Series/PowerRangersTurbo giant robots]].
46* AdaptationDistillation:
47** 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.
48** The second movie crunches twelve episodes into two hours, and somehow makes it work.
49* AdaptationExpansion:
50** The manga adds in a few additional scenes not found in the anime:
51*** How Nia wound up in the box that Simon would later find.
52*** A conversation between Thymilph and Adiane that gives a little insight to their relationship.
53*** An additional bit before the final battle of the first half about [[spoiler:Nia's sister]].
54*** The inclusion of [[spoiler:Kiyal in the final battle with the Anti-Spirals. This also may have been a response to criticism, as fans were disappointed with the reduced role of the Black sisters in the second half of the series.]]
55** The second movie which focuses on the Anti-Spiral Arc. While it condenses and changes some things [[spoiler:like most of the Gurren Brigade surviving, only Kittan's sacrifice is still kept in]]. The last battle is expanded on with ''everyone'' gaining their own Tengen Toppa Gunmen, including Nia, and taking their turn getting their licks in on the Anti-Spiral King. The final blows between Simon and him also only come down to fisticuffs rather then [[spoiler: just throwing Lagann at him like they did in the series.]]
56* AdaptationalEarlyAppearance: The manga adaptation uses this:
57** Nia is shown right after Kamina, Yoko, Leeron, and Simon leave Littner Village. There's also some early-bird ShipTease for Dayakka[=/=]Kiyoh and Rossiu[=/=]Kinon.
58** In ''Gurren-Hen'', [[spoiler:Guinble]] makes an appearance just after [[spoiler:the destruction of the Doten-Kaizan. He looks (appropriately enough) younger than he did in the original series]].
59** In ''Lagann-hen'', [[spoiler:the Anti-Spiral's face briefly appears on the moon's surface just as Nia accepted Simon's marriage proposal]].
60* AdvantageBall: Prevalent since, thanks to Spiral Energy, confidence is combat ability. Except for wild cards like the Mugann, the Ball is in the court of whoever is delivering a BadassBoast at the moment.
61* AerithAndBob: There's Simon and Kamina. Simon's could be kind of a subversion though, as it's pronounced "See-mone" as opposed to "Si-mon". Both of them are pretty normal compared to names like Viral and Leeron, though.
62* AffectionateParody: Not only are the heroes {{Determinator}}s, as they would be in a bonafide SuperRobot show, ''but they can also win literally on pure determination''.
63* AfterTheEnd: The story takes place thousands of years after Lordgenome [[spoiler:wiped out his fellow Spiral Warriors]] and forced everyone else underground.
64* AllDeathsFinal: [[spoiler:In the final episode, after Nia dies, Simon is asked why he doesn't just bring her and everyone who died during the series back, since he has such massive Spiral Power. Yoko simply replies "Because he's not God." Simon adds 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.]]
65* AllMenArePerverts: 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]]).
66* AllYourPowersCombined: The Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann:
67** 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''. And looks like a comparatively '''GIANT-SIZED KAMINA MADE OF BLUE FLAMES, ''COMPLETE WITH CAPE AND EPIC SHADES''!!!''' By comparizon, Granzeboma is, prior to its own upgrade, no bigger than STTGL's big toe.]]
68* AlternativeCalendar: While an actual dating system is never mentioned, Word of God says that prior to Lordgenome's defeat, each village had developed its own calendar system due to not being able to measure time by the sun and moon. This explains why Yoko looks so much older than Simon, despite both of them being, by the reckoning of their respective cultures, 14, because Geehaw and Littner measure years differently.
69* AnimationBump:
70** Both the end of the first half of the series and Episode 15 look 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. Additionally, half of the episode is evening colored instead of the usual bright daytime.
71** [[TheMovie The movies]] have this, and to a larger extent than the TV show. The first film gets a massive animation bump beginning with [[spoiler: Simon climbing Cytomander's Gunmen using only his Core Drill, all in order to save Nia]], which lasts all the way to the film's credits. The second film contains an even better (and more beautiful) Animation Bump when the fight between [[spoiler: [[TitleDrop Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]] and the Granzeboma]] elevates into a fight between [[spoiler: ''Super'' Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann and the Super Granzeboma]].
72* AntagonistInMourning: Viral can't help but feel sad for [[spoiler:Kamina]]'s death. Or he's just upset that he's been losing to a little kid all this time; he cheers up when he begins to think of Simon as a WorthyOpponent post-timeskip.
73* AntiVillain: Lordgenome [[spoiler:and the Anti-Spirals]].
74* AnyoneCanDie: To a more limited degree than other series, though. [[spoiler:Kamina]] dies, and so do a bunch of other characters [[spoiler:while fighting the Anti-Spiral; Nia dies at the end]].
75* ApocalypseHow: Pre-timeskip Earth is a class 2. [[spoiler:The Anti-Spirals try to inflict a Class 6 on Earth (by using the moon for a ColonyDrop), to keep humanity from eventually ''causing'' a Class X-4, if the stuff about the Spiral Nemesis is true. The final fight against the Anti-Spiral causes a few class X-3s.]]
76* ApocalypseMaiden: [[spoiler:Nia is the messenger of the Anti-Spirals.]]
77* AppliedPhlebotinum: Spiral Power.
78* ArchaicWeaponForAnAdvancedAge: {{Justified|Trope}}. In the second half of the story, Gunmen were being decommissioned in favor of the Grapearls. When the Anti-Spirals attacked however, the Gunmen fared ''far'' better, because while the Grapearls were the more advanced machine, the Gunmen had been designed specifically to fight that particular enemy.
79* ArcSymbol: Spirals.
80* ArcWords:
81** "Yours is the drill that will pierce the Heavens!"
82** "Let's see you grit those teeth!"
83** "Who the hell do you think I am/we are?"
84* ArmorPiercingQuestion: [[spoiler:Anti-Spiral Nia]] insists that she is a virtual life form with no emotional ties to her past. Simon counters with: "If that's really true, why are you still ''wearing that ring''?" This brings about the conclusion of the IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight and [[spoiler:Nia]]'s transition from ManchurianAgent to DamselInDistress.
85* ArtShift:
86** The art style changes noticeably in episode 4 due to having a different director.
87** Nia's paper-cutout flashback in Episode 11.
88** The animation switches to a light, heavily sketchy style during times of extreme hot-bloodedness along with Lordgenome most of the time, whether the rest of the shot is sketchy or not, [[spoiler:probably because he has a truly preposterous amount of Spiral energy]].
89* ArtificialAnimalPeople: The Beastmen were engineered by Lordgenome to enforce his rule, combining a basic human shape with traits of various animals. For instance, Viral is part cat and part shark. In addition to giving them whatever extra abilities would be useful, they are all sterile, ensuring that they cannot possess Spiral Power.
90* ArtisticAge: Kamina is supposed to be about 17 or 18, which he does look, but Simon is supposed to be 14 and Yoko is supposed to be around the same age as Simon. This is {{lampshade|Hanging}}d in the [[AllThereInTheManual background material]] by claiming that, without the sun, most of the villages lost the ability to tell time, so no one really knows how old anyone is.
91* AscendedMeme:
92** In ''VideoGame/{{Super Robot Wars Z}}2'', you can get Kamina's shades as an equippable item. They give +20 to starting morale.
93** A lesser example: though "Beyond the Impossible" is quite a popular translation of Kamina's catchphrase, no official translation uses it. However, on the blurb for its compilation DVD release of the two movies, Creator/MadmanEntertainment wrote: "Go beyond the impossible with this Gurren Lagann movie bundle [...]", as a nod to the popularity of that alternate translation.
94* AssShove: The ''[[https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Kanch%C5%8D kancho]]'' "attack" used by Gimmy in the very NSFW fifth Parallels Works video. Which is based on a scene in the HotSpringsEpisode that didn't air on television, where Kamina and Simon try to see the girls on the other side of the wall and Gimmy is confused by their order to "find a hole".
95* AssimilationPlot: [[spoiler:The Anti-Spirals are all collected in one HiveMind. They did this so they would stop evolving and prevent the Spiral Nemesis.]]
96* AstralFinale: The entire third arc of the series is set in space.
97* AutobotsRockOut: Viral's {{Leitmotif}} is highly badass heavy metal.
98* AwesomeButImpractical: 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.
99* AwesomenessIsAForce: [[RuleOfCool Spiral Energy]] literally runs on this and allows the heroes' hot-bloodedness to manifest as anything from giant drills to [[spoiler:galaxy-sized robots]]. Essentially, pure awesomeness surpasses all known laws of physics.
100* AwesomenessIsVolatile: [[spoiler:This is why the Anti-Spirals are against the use of Spiral Energy. The entire point of Spiral Nemesis is that too much uncontrolled awesome will ''destroy the universe''.]]
101* BackToBackBadasses: Kidd and Iraak [[spoiler:during their HeroicSacrifice]].
102* BadBadActing: The group of women who lure Team Gurren into a trap in episode 11. Despite this, Team Gurren easily falls for it.
103* BadassAdorable: Simon is this as he looks up to Kamina.
104* BadassBoast:
105** The reputation of Team Gurren echoes far and wide across Giha village! When they talk about its badass leader, that paragon of indomitable spirit and masculinity... they're talkin' about THE MIGHTY KAMINA!!
106** Simon gives us this gem:
107--->"I'm Simon. Dai-Gurren Brigade'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!"
108** Done by ''the entire Team Dai-Gurren'', in the final episode:
109--->'''Simon:''' Don't underestimate us! We don't care about time, or space, or multi-dimensional whatevers... We don't give a ''damn'' about that! Force your way down a path ''you'' choose to take and do it all yourself. ''That's'' the way Team Dai-Gurren rolls!\
110''(Cue MetaMecha sequence...)''\
111'''Nia:''' Even when trapped by Karma's cycle...\
112'''Yoko:''' The dreams we left behind will open the door!\
113'''Leeron:''' Even if the universe stands in our way!\
114[[spoiler:'''Viral]]:''' Our seething blood will determine what will be!\
115'''Simon:''' We'll break through time and space...\
116'''Al:''' And defy all those who would stop us to grab hold of our path!\
117'''Simon:''' '''[[TitleDrop Tengen Toppa...]] ''[[TitleDrop Gurren Lagann!]]'''''\
118'''All:''' '''''JUST WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK WE ARE?!?'''''
119* BadassCape:
120** Kamina has one.
121** [[spoiler:The Super Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]] comes with one made of spiral power. [[spoiler:This is justified in that said mecha looks like a giant glowing blue Kamina.]]
122* BadassCreed: Just about all of Kamina's catchphrases could qualify:
123-->"Go beyond the impossible and kick reason to the curb!"\
124"Your drill is the drill that will pierce the heavens!"
125* BadassFamily: The Black siblings.
126* BadassLongcoat: [[spoiler:Prologue and post-Timeskip Simon.]]
127* BadassNormal: ''Kamina''. Supplemental material states that when it comes to comparing Spiral Energy levels across the series, Kamina's is one of the lowest of the cast, which is justified by the fact that most of his bravado is a facade that inspires others and is intentionally {{invoked|Trope}} to keep people from thinking of him as weak. Kamina, having barely any Spiral Power, yet acts brave and inspiring. That in turn raises Spiral Energy in his allies which then strengthens Kamina himself.
128* BadassTeacher: Yoko becomes one after the TimeSkip. Do ''not'' threaten her students. She'll show you that she hasn't lost her sniper skills. If you happen to be a student, watch out for flying chalk that can crack concrete.
129* BalloonBelly: Briefly happened to Kamina in Episode 6:
130--> '''Kamina:''' A man's stomach knows no limit! Keep 'em on coming!
131* BarbieDollAnatomy:
132** Subverted in episode 4, which introduces the Black siblings, as Kiyoh's nipples are quite noticeable through her top in Simon's POV shot.
133** Subverted with [[spoiler:the final scenes of the Super Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]]. It's either cold in space or Simon kicking every single bit of ass possible makes both Nia and Yoko very happy. You may not notice it due to all the awesome though.
134* BashBrothers:
135** Simon and Kamina. Later on, it's [[spoiler:Simon and Viral]].
136** Kidd and Iraak from Team Dai-Gurren count, even though we don't see them in action until near the end.
137** Jorgun and Balinbow, even though they basically share a personality.
138* BatmanCanBreatheInSpace: The characters are able to breathe in space without a problem.
139* BattleInterruptingShout: Nia does this twice.
140* BattleTrophy: Gurren Lagann gets its helmet by taking it from Viral's mech the first time they meet. There's no telling where it goes when they're not combined.
141* TheBattlestar: The Dai-Gunzan becomes Team Gurren's mobile fortress "Dai-Gurren" after it's seized from the Beastmen army. It gets an upgrade after the TimeSkip when [[spoiler: the moon is revealed to be an old Spiral Base, and is converted into the new "Super Galaxy Dai-Gurren"]]
142* BeachEpisode: Played straight and then subverted: Most of the girls get the usual treatment, except for Yoko and Nia; the former ends up wearing a swimsuit that's ''less'' revealing than her normal clothes, while the latter does even better with a full body swimsuit. However, it isn't a {{Filler}} episode as it features crucial CharacterDevelopment and [[spoiler:the death of a recurring villain]].
143* BeadyEyedLoser: Simon starts off as one.
144* BeamOWar: Twice. With drills. [[spoiler:It collapses a pocket universe the second time.]]
145* BeamSpam: There's a reason why Attenborough is known by fans as "Beam Spam [=McMuppet=]".
146* BehemothBattle: The anime starts off as a typical battle between HumongousMecha who over the series [[SerialEscalation escalates]] into galaxy sized ones.
147* BelligerentSexualTension: Kamina and Yoko. The bickering, the insults, the beating, the denial, the [[AccidentalPervert accidental perversion]] that leds to a beating; it's all there. It's also a rare example of this being PlayedForDrama due to certain plot developments.
148* BeneathTheEarth: Most of humanity had been forced underground by forces unknown a long time ago. The first part of the series revolves around liberating the repressed humans.
149* TheBerserker: Almost the entire cast with the exception of Nia, [[spoiler:her awesome moment in ''Lagann-Hen'' notwithstanding]].
150* BerserkerTears: Simon in episode 11.
151* BeyondTheImpossible: The Dai Gurren Brigade has no respect for laws even if they're physical laws. There's a reason this series [[TropeNamer named the trope!]]
152* {{BFG}}: Yoko's rifle. It's clearly based on the Barrett M82 anti-materiel rifle, a cool rifle.
153* {{BFS}}: Kamina's nodachi. This is lampshaded in Kamina's on-foot battle with Viral; he spends a good ten seconds drawing the thing.
154* BicepPolishingGesture: Bruce Ironstaunch.
155* BigBrotherMentor: Kamina; although he's not Simon's real brother, he considers himself his soul brother.
156* BigDamnHeroes: Happens all the bloody time. [[spoiler:Kamina pulls one from ''beyond the grave'' when the others are trapped in a LotusEaterMachine.]]
157* BigNever: The Anti-Spiral Leader yells this during the final battle in the English dub.
158* BiggerIsBetter:
159** The Gurren Lagann just keeps getting bigger... and bigger... and bigger...
160** Then inverted in that [[spoiler:at the end it then gets smaller... and smaller..]].
161* BilingualBonus: The name of Viral's {{Leitmotif}}, "Nikopol"? Apparently, it derives from the Greek Nikepolis, which means "City of Victory."
162* BirdRun: The Spiral King's Lazengann does this (strangely, the man himself does not).
163* BishounenLine: As the Team Dai Gurren mechs get stronger, they begin to get more humanoid, yet monstrous. [[spoiler:Their final phase, Super Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, is a sudden transition from a multi-faced mech samurai to a large, blue tribute to the founder of their group.]] {{Justified|Trope}} because, as [[spoiler:Lordgenome]] explains, the human form is the one most conducive to generating Spiral Power.
164* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:The universe is saved through badassitude and a timely ThemeMusicPowerUp. But, in a universe where humans and all other Spirals can work together to make life exponentially better for everyone, heroes like Team Gurren are no longer needed. With the Anti-Spiral gone, Nia fades away soon after marrying Simon, who spends the rest of his days WalkingTheEarth with Boota. And Yoko, having lost both of the men she loved, swears off romance to teach the next generation.]]
165* BlackBox: Every Gunmen, specifically Gurren Lagann, has these, and mass-production versions of Gurren Lagann made without these are superior to Lordgenome's old clunky Gunmen, right? Hell No. Apparently, if you make a bunch of Gurren Laganns post-timeskip without the [[HyperspaceArsenal inexplicable ability to summon huge drills from nowhere]], that odd, presumably appendix-like engine that allows it to run on Spiral Power, and on top of that replace the Gunmen pilots with a bunch of people who weren't in the original (Dai-)Gurren Brigade, all you get is a RedshirtArmy. Go figure.
166%%* BladeBrake: The OVA.
167%%* TheBlank: [[spoiler:The Anti-Spiral robots. Only appropriate, as "Mugann" can be translated as "faceless".]]
168%%* BluntMetaphorsTrauma: Nia.
169%%* BoisterousBruiser: Kamina.
170* BondVillainStupidity: At the end, they realize that [[spoiler:the Anti-Spiral leader is ''[[ToThePain intentionally]]'' [[HoldingBackThePhlebotinum matching their abilities]], [[EvilGloating just to make it more depressing when they finally lose]]]].
171* BookEnds:
172** Well, sort of, the technique that was used to defeat the BigBad [[spoiler: wasn't the Giga Drill Break, it was the very first team attack that Kamina and Simon used to defeat two Gunmen, throwing Lagann at the enemy, impaling them]].
173*** ''Lagann-hen's'' final battle involves [[spoiler: [[CombatBreakdown Simon progressively losing mechs to The Anti-Spiral until he's down to the original Gurren Lagann, then losing that and Lagann in his charge on the Anti-Spiral homeworld until he ends the battle how he began]], just a human with a drill.]]
174** ''Lagann-hen'' starts with [[spoiler:the melee fight between Simon and Lordgenome ending with Lordgenome having a big hole in his chest. Guess how the Anti-Spiral ends up going down?]] To make it even better, [[spoiler: look at the dialogue in between the battles, you'll notice ''several'' parallels.]]
175** [[spoiler:The formation of the Super Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]] in the final battle of ''Lagann-hen'' features [[MeaningfulEcho the exact same dialogue exchange]] as back during the first formation of Gurren Lagann.
176** "All The Lights in the Sky..." [[labelnote: Explanation]]The series starts with a WhatIf BadFuture where Team Dai-Gurren wage war on the ''entire universe'', with what seems to be a Beastman version of Boota remarking "[[AbsoluteXenophobe So... All the lights in the heavens are our enemy now huh?]]" The true ending of the series instead has Simon encouraging a young boy's dream of going to space, remarking "Sure you will! Because the lights in the skies are stars... ... yeah they're stars, [[AllLovingHero stars where our Spiral cousins are waiting for us...]]"[[/labelnote]]
177*** ''Lagann-hen'' goes even further, as the ending music for said scene is the first track ever played in the original series.
178** The shot just before Simon discovers Lagann in the first episode is of Simon's tunnel spiraling down to a fine point and continuing even farther down straight vertically. The last shot of the series is of Gurren Lagann's flight trail spiraling up into a fine point and continuing farther up straight vertically.
179** Simon [[spoiler: starts as a simple digger expanding Jiha Village, and ends as a simple digger planting flowers and helping others]].
180** Parallel Works 8 begins with Lordgemone as a child, sitting on a spiral shaped playground structure and surrounded by cute little animals. It ends with him on his spiral throne as the Spiral King, attended to by his monstrous Beastmen creations.
181** In the dub, Kamina's [[spoiler:final words to Simon are "Later, buddy"]], used to indicate [[spoiler:that he's no longer there for Simon]]. Likewise, [[spoiler:Simon's parting words with Kamina in [[LotusEaterMachine the Interdimensional Labyrinth]] are "Let's go, buddy"]], showing that [[spoiler:Kamina will always be a part of him]].
182* BossSubtitles:
183** When some of the mightier Gunmen are introduced, along with [[FourIsDeath their pilots]].
184** Super Galaxy Gurren Lagann has them as well. And in TheMovie version of the Anti-Spiral arc, ''everyone'' gets one.
185* {{Bowdlerize}}: [[HotSpringsEpisode Episode 6]] received several edits, particularly Kamina abandoning the Gurren Lagann for the promise of seeing the captured girls' censored bodies on a monitor (turns out they were wearing {{Modesty Towel}}s). Yoko berates him for his stupidity (she's just angry about the hot springs being a trap in the edited version) and later tracks him down to [[DopeSlap pound his face in]]. When Kamina stands by his choice, she finally yells that [[DidISayThatOutLoud he only needs to ask to see her breasts]]. Also deleted were some scenes involving jiggling breasts, and Simon and Kamina overhearing and attempting to peek at the girls on the other side of the ''onsen'' wall (and Gimmy applying a bit of ''[[AssShove kancho]]'' due to misunderstanding what they mean by "find a hole"). Some DVD releases included a "director's cut" version of this episode, called "There are Some Things I Just Have to See!!"
186* BrainsEvilBrawnGood: Team Dai-Gurren is essentially made up of idiotic caveman, save for 2 or three exceptions, who need to have major things explained to them in very dumbed down terms. While characters like Lordgenome or the Anti-Spirals, who actually know what's going on, are the embodiment of evil in the universe.
187* BrawlerLock: Simon in Lagann vs Lordgenome... '''WITH HIS BARE HANDS!!!''' Also [[TitleDrop Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]] vs the Grandzeboma.
188* BreakingTheBonds: Done by Kamina in the first episode, as well as Lordgenome in the 15th.
189* BreakingTheFourthWall:
190** Done in the director's cut version of the HotSpringsEpisode in reference to the censoring blur on the female naked apes of Team Gurren. Kamina points it out, and is overall confused by it.
191** From the bowdlerized version of the same episode's ClipShow segment, when it gets to Viral's first appearance:
192---> '''Kamina:''' Wait. That guy was in the show?\
193'''Simon:''' Huh? You forgot him already?
194** Grandzeboma does this to end the Dai Gurren Dan's triumphant speech in Lagann Hen.
195** Yoko addresses the viewer in the second episode, [[AsideComment wondering aloud where Kamina 'gets his confidence']] just after the TitleDrop in which he announces his intentions to commandeer one of the Gunmen advancing on the pair. The FourthWall is never broken again in the series in this fashion.
196* BuildingSwing: Simon and Yoko do it ''by sticking the Gurren Lagann's drills on enemy aircraft!''.
197* BunnyEarsLawyer: Several. [[CampGay Leeron]] is the first to come to mind.
198* CallingYourAttacks:
199** Giga Drill Break is the most famous, but at one point it's parodied as well. "HANDS-OFF-MY-BELOVED-LITTLE-BROTHER PUUUUUUUUNCH!" "WHO-THE-HELL-DO-YOU-THINK-I-AM KICK!!!" Also, in the same episode... Finishing Move! PERFECT COMBUSTION OF MANLY SOULS CANNONBALL ATTAAAACK! "MAN ON FIIIIIRE! BLAZING CHARIOT! KIIIIIIIIIICK!!!" I-GOT-THE-BEST-WIFE-IN-THE-UNIVERSE-'''SWING'''!!!
200** [[spoiler:The Anti-Spiral plays it straight in the finale: "Infinity... Big Bang! STTTTOOOOORRRRRRMMMMMMM!" ]]
201** MAN'S WRATH...'''EXPLOSIVE SLASH!!!'''
202* CanonForeigner: The Manga introduces Princess Straea, an elderly abandoned Spiral Princess who runs the all-female village and wants Nia to succeed her post. And had a past with Old Coco.
203* CampGay: Leeron. Then we have Leeron's theme tune, "He is so XXX". The following message is spelled out in individual letters: "[[spoiler:Leeron is gay. He is so gay. Gay. He loves my asshole. Asshole]]."
204* CapeSwish: Everyone with clothes past their waist does this at least once. Same goes for any mecha with trailing parts.
205* TheCaptain: Dayakka, after the team takes command of Dai-Gurren.
206* CartwrightCurse:
207** [[spoiler:Any man Yoko starts to express anything resembling nonplatonic affection for dies very soon. She kisses Kamina and he gets his HeroicSacrifice clearing up Simon's HeroicBSOD. Seven years later she admits she admires Kittan's contributions, even compared to Kamina's... which concludes in a kiss right before ''his'' own RuleOfCool HeroicSacrifice. Given that death follows her lips, fans of Simon should be glad she never gave him the eye.]]
208*** [[spoiler: Of course, Kittan's death is due to him undertaking a SuicideMission to give the others a chance to survive. And he volunteered.]]
209*** [[spoiler: However, he interrupts Yoko just as she is about to announce that she is going on said suicide mission. So his [[MoreExpendableThanYou sacrifice]] was to protect the woman he came to love... whom he thought had multiple children over the past few years (total misunderstanding).]]
210** [[spoiler: Nia fades away right when she and Simon kiss and get married.]]
211* CastOfSnowflakes: Crowd scenes are impressively detailed, and include quite a few recurring extras. Including Bruce Ironstaunch, if you look hard enough.
212* CasualDangerDialogue: When Yoko makes her first appearance fighting the Gunman that falls in to Jiha Village, what's the first thing that Kamina does? He flirts with her.
213-->'''Kamina:''' "Hey, babe! Come here often?"
214* CatGirl:
215** [[spoiler:The Anti-Spiral traps the Gurren-dan in a fantasy world, in which Viral's wife has cat ears.]] She is also seen in some of the Parallel Works videos and "Viral's Sweet Dream" side story.
216** Chitori, from Episode 5.5.
217* CatchphraseInterruptus: WTHDYTIA, the last time it's used in the show.
218-->'''[[spoiler:Simon]]:''' I guess I'm nobody, huh?
219%%* {{Cephalothorax}}: The Gunmen.
220%%* CerebusSyndrome: An intentionally planned example.
221%%* TheChainsOfCommanding: Rossiu despairs of them once.
222%%* CharacterDevelopment: Simon and most of team Dai-Gurren.
223* CharacterCatchphrase: Kamina has several, all of which border on being ArcWords: "Who the hell do you think I am!?"
224* CharClone: Viral fits this trope, he even [[spoiler: does a very Char-esque HeelFaceTurn.]] The difference lies in their levels of [[HotBlooded sheer hot-bloodedness]].
225* ChastityCouple: In spite of all blatant {{Fanservice}}, Simon and Nia fit this trope perfectly. They just had one on-screen kiss [[spoiler:before her death]]. Although, off screen [[WordOfGod it has been confirmed]] that they got it on at least twice. Though the same Word of God also stated that they didn't at all. Supposedly, YMMV on that point.
226* ChekhovsBoomerang: [[spoiler:Nia's engagement ring, which coincides with her FaceHeelTurn into the Anti-Spiral messenger, becomes the subject of the ArmorPiercingQuestion above, then is later used to find her and the Anti Spiral homeworld, and is then used once again as a gateway to allow Simon and the Super Galaxy Gurren Lagann to get to the Anti Spiral King.]] This is [[FridgeBrilliance even more impressive]] when you note that [[spoiler:the engagement ring's gem]] is the same rock that Simon gave Nia in Episode 11.
227* ChekhovsGun: The Space Gunmen's [[MetaMecha cascade system]], which allows the original Gunman/Grapearl to eject from the larger mech's mouth. [[spoiler: The first time it is actually used is when Kittan has to eject the original King Kittan when his Space Gunman is crushed by the Death Spiral Machine. Had it not been for that, Kittan's HeroicSacrifice [[SenselessSacrifice would have been for naught,]] and the heroes would have been crushed to death.]]
228* ChekhovsSkill: Lagann's ability to combine with other Gunmen crops up several times after it first combines with Gurren. The first time it's used as part of Kamina's plan to hijack the Dai-Gunzan, after which it's mostly forgotten until after the timeskip, when Simon suddenly pulls it out again to [[spoiler: combine Gurren-Lagann with the Arc-Gurren and form the Arc-Gurren-Lagann.]]
229** It was used during the fight against Lordgenome, who detonated Lazengann's arm to prevent it.
230** It was also used against Cytomander's forces when Gurren Lagann grabbed onto a flying gunman, and spiral-fused it to its back, giving it flight and wings.
231** Also, in the manga, Yoko [[spoiler: fuses Lagann to the Dayakkaiser, creating Dayakaiser Lagann. She does this in the wake of Kamina's death.]]
232%%* ChekhovsVolcano
233%%* ChewingTheScenery
234%%* {{Chiaroscuro}}
235* CityInABottle: Jeeha, Simon and Kamina's village; Kamina always keeps getting in trouble because he firmly believes in the surface, and the elder doesn't start believing until Yoko and a Gunmen crash through the ceiling.
236* CitywideEvacuation: In ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'', in preparation for the [[ColonyDrop fall of the moon]], the residents of Kamina City are loaded into the appropriately-named [[TheArk Arc Gurren]] and sent into space. The rest of the world's population retreats into underground bunkers, but Rossiu, the orchestrator of the evacuation, secretly knows this won't be sufficient and is just giving them false hope while trying to save the city's population.
237* ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve: The Gunmen, especially Gurren Lagann, pretty much run on the sheer power of belief and [[HotBlooded hot blood]].
238* ClassicalElementsEnsemble: The Four Generals and their battleships thematically represent this idea.
239** Tympilph is fought in a field of volcanos and commands the Dai-Gunzan, "zan" meaning mountain. Despite being shrewd and calculating, can easily get into a HotBlooded rage.
240** Adiane is fought in the ocean and commands the Dai-Gunkai, "kai" meanng sea. She's the [[WaterIsWomanly sole female general]], has dark blue hair, big mood shifts, and can summon water to help her in battle. She also has a scorpion tail, reminiscent of the Scorpio sign in the WesternZodiac, a water sign.
241** Cytomander is fought in the sky and commands the Dai-Gunten, "ten" meaning sky. He has a peacock-like appearance given all of the feathers on his body and specializes in aerial combat.
242** Guame is fought on land (and can burrow underground) and commands the Dai-Gundo, "do" meaning earth. He specializes in ground combat and is the most animal-like of the group, which puts him closer to nature and the natural world than the other generals.
243* ClipShow:
244** Episode 16 (and most of 6, [[BetterOnDVD in the TV-version]]), which recap the entire story thus far.
245** The movies are arguably glorified clip shows until the endings.
246* CloseCallHaircut: Nia is being held hostage by an enemy mech, but Yoko destroys it by shooting through Nia's hair.
247* CloseOnTitle: [[spoiler:Episode 8, "Farewell, comrades," the LastWords of Kamina.]]
248* CloudCuckooLander: Nia; at first it seems to come from her sheltered up-bringing but it's quite clear she isn't all there in the head when even after 7 years in the outside world she still surprises everyone with her quirky misunderstandings. Simon even remarks he has a hard time understanding what she says.
249* ColonyDrop: After the time skip, [[spoiler:the moon is sent on a head-on collision with the Earth.]]
250* ColourCodedForYourConvenience: In Parallel Works 8, which shows [[spoiler:Lordgenome's StartOfDarkness as he gets shown the Spiral Nemesis and corrupted by the Anti-Spirals]], everything on the side of the Spirals is green, and everything on the side of the anti-Spirals is red, making it easy to show [[spoiler:Lordgenome's FaceHeelTurn by having him switch colors.]]
251* CombatBreakDown:
252** Simon vs. Lordgenome. Starts with Gurren Lagann vs. Lazengann. Both get trashed. [[spoiler:Continues with Lagann (just the head) vs. Lordgenome ''punching it barehanded''.]] [[spoiler:Lordgenome actually wins that one and pulls Simon out of the cockpit. Simon responds by ''stabbing Lordgenome with his fricking drill key''. The resulting explosion [[LoadBearingBoss pops the top off Teppelin.]]]]
253** [[spoiler: ''Lagann-hen''[='=]s finale. It happens really fast at the end. It starts with Super Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann versus Super Grandzeboma. They both smash their giant drills together. Super Tengen Toppa Giga Drill Break falls apart to Super Grandzeboma's drill. Then Zamboa's drill beats Tengen Toppa Giga Drill Break, then Super Galaxy Giga Drill Break, then Arc Giga Drill Break, before finally being beaten by the original Giga Drill Break, sending Gurren Lagann flying at Super Grandzeboma. It breaks down more from there. Super Grandzeboma sends some drill tendrils at Gurren Lagann. Gurren Lagann plows through after taking some hit. The Anti Spiral homeworld shoots some more tendrils at Gurren Lagann. Viral uses Gurren to throw Lagann at the Anti Spiral homeworld to get past the tendrils. Breaks down further to the Anti Spiral himself shooting tendrils at Lagann, breaking open the cockpit, causing Lagann to come alive and throw ''Simon'' at the Anti Spiral. From there on out it's down all the way from giant energy beings 500 million light-years tall to Simon and the Anti Spiral going at it with their bare fists.]]
254* CombatTentacles:
255** The Anti-Spiral and his personal mech. Naturally, they're drills.
256** Adiane's mech also displays this when she first shows up.
257* CombinedEnergyAttack: Signified when ''everyone on Earth'' sports a Determined Look.
258* CombiningMecha:
259** Parodied when Kamina tries to accomplish this by just sticking Simon's mecha on top of his own, only to have it work anyway. [[spoiler:Simon is able later to repeat this trick with a battleship, a winged mini-mech, an ''even bigger'' battleship, and ''the Moon''.]].
260** Further parodied in the manga adaptation, where Kamina gets it in his head that Lagann Gurren: Gurren on top, Lagann on the bottom. might work. It doesn't.
261** In the CompilationMovie, [[spoiler:the mecha of the Four Generals, with Viral taking Thymilph's place, combine into one massive robot rather than the generals fighting the Team Gurren individually]].
262** In addition to being a combination of every mecha/spaceship it has fused with to this point, the eponymous mecha also includes [[spoiler:several other Laganns that had been abandoned in previous failed attempts to defeat the Anti Spiral]], each piloted by a team member.
263** 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.]]
264* ComesGreatResponsibility: The last part of the show seems to carry this message to a great extent.
265* ComingOfAgeStory
266* CompanyCrossReferences:
267** Simon is noticeably based on [[Anime/GunBuster Noriko]], and his mentor relationship with Kamina echoes her own with Kazumi; a younger, nervous, unconfident protege (Simon/Noriko) is taken under the wing of an older, more confident, and more naturally-talented mentor figure (Kamina/Kazumi), eventually growing to surpass them. Other ''[=GunBuster=]'' references include Gurren nailing an Inazuma Kick in episode 7, [[spoiler:Simon's rebirth speech in epsiode 11]] being heralded by him striking the ''[=GunBuster=]'' [[BadassArmfold pose]] in a direct homage to Noriko, and the first appearance of [[spoiler:Super Galaxy Gurren Lagann]] homaging the Gunbuster mecha's first appearance, rising from below with its arms folded. Its color scheme and silhouette, primarily with the huge shoulders, also closely resembles Gunbuster's.
268** Yoko rides a [[Anime/{{FLCL}} yellow hover-moped]] during her stint as Yomako.
269** The HotSpringsEpisode contains a few cameos from previous Gainax girls in bunny girl outfits; most prominent are [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion Asuka, Rei]], [[Manga/{{Mahoromatic}} Mahoro]], [[Anime/DieBuster Lal'c and Nono]]. [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion Misato]] and [[Anime/GunBuster Jung Freud]] can also be seen in a few crowd shots.
270** Enki and Lazengann take some ''[[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion Evangelion]]'' design cues. Enki resembles an angel, and Lazengann looks an awful lot like a more-robotic EVA Unit.
271* ContrivedCoincidence: Needed for the DiabolusExMachina moment and lampshaded with little more than the affected character shouting '''[[WesternAnimation/RobotChicken WHAT A TWEEEEEST!]]'''. This actually supposed to be part of the thematic development in the show. [[spoiler:Not only was Nia captured by the same fate as her father, it was actually supposed to tie in with her overall development as someone that wasn't born to be a human. It was also more beneficial to the heroes than to the villains, if Nia hadn't been the Messenger, Earth would be doomed and they would never find the Anti-Spiral homeworld. It's basically the same deal as Simon finding the Lagann.]]
272* ConvenientlyCellmates: Simon is conveniently put in the same cell as Viral.
273* CoolBigSis: Yoko to everyone.
274* CoolButStupid: 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, WordOfGod confirms that Kamina would have won the battle without Yoko or Lagann.
275* CoolHelmet: Gurren Lagann's, stolen from Viral's Gunman, Enki.
276* CoolPeopleRebelAgainstAuthority: At least until some of those cool people ''become'' the Authority after the timeskip, by then its decidely uncool. After that it depends on whether or not you think the Anti-Spiral was a larger authority.
277* CoolShades: Kamina's are the champion example -- but even the robots and '''Boota''' have them.
278* CoolShip: The Dai-Gunzan/Dai-Gurren, followed by the Arc-Gurren and finally the Cathedral Terra/[=SuperGalaxy=] Dai-Gurren.
279* ConservationOfNinjutsu: The Gunmen in season 1 seem to adhere to this, especially with regard to Yoko's rifle: whenever there's one Gunman, her shots barely faze it. When there's an army of them: like in the battle to capture Dai-Gunzan, they're dropping like flies.
280* CorporalPunishment: Adiane beats up on an already injured Viral for his failure against the heroes. It's rather painful to watch.
281* CorruptChurch:
282** Partially subverted; the religion of Rossiu's village is faked, but only to ShootTheDog when it's honestly necessary.
283** Though after the TimeSkip, Rossiu seems to be reverting somewhat to the patterns of this phony faith, as Simon points out.
284* CosmicHorrorReveal: The first half is spent defeating the [[TheEmperor Spiral King]] [[spoiler:only to reveal in the second part he was protecting humanity from being wiped out by the eldritch-like Anti-Spirals]] and in the epilogue the earthlings are shown heading out to face the even more eldritch-like Spiral Nemesis.
285* CrazyEnoughToWork: If smashing a small robot into a big robot's head, almost impaling the pilot of the big robot (who, by the way, was the one who thought of this) in the process is not Crazy Enough to Work, then nothing is. Oh, and they also run a walking, nonflying battleship up a mountain and jump through the air for a good half a mile just to get a chance to ''kick'' an AirborneAircraftCarrier. This universe runs on RuleOfCool, so it was destined to succeed.
286** And when the flying kick only scratches the side of the AirborneAircraftCarrier? They at once make the captain fling the wheel over in the most exaggerated way possible, turning the flying kick into a flying ''roundhouse'' kick that of course succeeds.
287* CreatureHunterOrganization: The Spirals' Gunmen Pilots, who [[spoiler:repurposed Gunmen to combat the Anti-Spirals and their Ashtanga]]. The Beastmen are these {{Inverted|Trope}}, since they were seen by the humans as mere beasts who attack people on the surface with their Mecha [[ForTheEvulz just because]].
288* CuteBruiser: While she never actually gets to fight hand-to-hand, Nia is ''freakishly'' strong, especially given her small size pre-timeskip.
289** LamarckWasRight: She's the daughter of a man who took on a MiniMecha with his bare hands [[spoiler: ''and won''.]]
290* CuteLittleFangs: Kiyal.
291* DareToBeBadass: Kamina's whole character is pretty much based around providing this sort of motivation to the other characters. Hell, this could be considered basically the entire message of the series, seeing as all the incredibly awesome stuff they accomplish is caused simply by daring to a badass.
292* DarkerAndEdgier: The second movie, ''Lagann-hen'', had a run-in with this trope. [[spoiler:Even though the other Dai-Gurren members survived the initial Anti-Spiral attack, [[HeroicSacrifice 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 [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion 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 and Yoko got [[MsFanservice at least a whole thirty seconds of screentime dedicated to]] [[HotterAndSexier showing off their nude bodies]] which includes [[NippleAndDimed seeing their nipples]]]].
293** Slightly less extreme as above, but the series proper post-{{Timeskip}} definitely counts. Just look at the Anti-Spiral's and Rossiou's decisions!
294* ADayInTheLimelight: The compilation movies put a lot more emphasis on the minor Gunmen pilots in the group, especially the second one, which gives each of them their own Tengen Toppa mech and a fight scene versus the Anti-Spiral.
295* DeadlyDeferredConversation: [[spoiler:Before a major battle with the beast men, Kamina and Yoko kiss, and Kamina says when he comes back "he'll return that 10 times more". He tragically dies from a fatal wound in the subsequent battle.]]
296* DeathIsASadThing:
297** Many of the characters express regret at the death of [[spoiler: Kamina]].
298** The entire Dai Gurren team in Lagann Hen fights with unmatched fury after the death of [[spoiler: Kittan]].
299* DeathIsDramatic: Played as straight as possible.
300* DeconReconSwitch: Tropes like DisappearedDad, TelescopingRobot, and HeroicWillpower, are examined in close detail -- Kamina has a HeroicBSOD when faced with his father's mortality, Gurren Lagann's ability to produce weapons and armaments from nothing is repeatedly pushed to its limits, and it turns out that [[spoiler:constantly using willpower to break every known law of physics would eventually cause the destruction of the universe]]. The show then turns around, slaps those consequences aside, and reminds us these tropes are ''awesome''. Besides, this is a show where RuleOfCool is a literal force of nature, and can be used to overcome any problem if you believe hard enough and refuse to give up.
301* DecoyProtagonist: Kamina definitely takes up most of the spotlight during the first act, but [[spoiler: his death]] kind of disqualifies him of protagonistship.
302** [[spoiler:'The man who has yet to realize his destiny' isn't Kamina.]]
303* DefeatMeansRespect: Viral, who starts off as utterly contemptuous of our heroes, respects his opponents more and more with each consecutive defeat.
304* DefiantStoneThrow: As Rossiu is surrounded by armed guards telling a crowd [[spoiler:Simon is to be executed]], someone throws a rock at him. While we never see who truly threw it.
305* DelayedExplosion: Happens a lot. Often done to give the heroes time to strike a pose after a kill.
306* DeliberatelyMonochrome: The surface world gets this treatment in episode 9, due to the tremendous amount of rain, just to show how bleak the world's gotten (at least from the point-of-view of team Dai-Gurren) after [[spoiler:Kamina's death]]. The only things that ''aren't'' monochrome in the environment in the first half of the episode are the green of Simon's drills (and Spiral energy vomit), and the technicolor explosions of the Gunmen that Kittan and Simon leave in ruin in the first few minutes.
307** Also, [[spoiler:Simon's world in the Anti-Spiral's LotusEaterMachine]] is noticeably bleak and unsaturated, [[spoiler:at least until the real Kamina shows up.]]
308* DespairGambit: The Anti-Spirals' and Lordgenome's MO. Ultimately backfires.
309* DestructiveSaviour: the alternate Team Gurren in ''Parallel Works 6''.
310** Simon, when the Muganns appear for the first time.
311* {{Determinator}}: The whole cast.
312--> '''Kamina:''' A true man never dies, even when he's killed!
313** Special mention must be made of [[spoiler: Lordgenome]], who manages to walk around delivering his dying words '''''without the benefit of lungs, a heart, or a spinal cord''''', as they have been removed via drill.
314* DeterminedExpression: These happen, of course, throughout the series, but the crowner comes in the grand finale, when a stunning TheReasonYouSuckSpeech from the BigBad is countered by [[DeterminedExpression Determined Looks]] from people across the globe, as they send a CombinedEnergyAttack to the titular mech and simultaneously kick off a LastEpisodeThemeReprise.
315* DeusAngstMachina: Played for laughs in the HighSchoolAU with Simon's past
316* DiabolusExMachina: See ContrivedCoincidence.
317* DiagonalCut: Although ThisIsADrill, Giga Drill Break stylistically resembles one.
318** Gurren Boomerang is a more straightforward example.
319* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: Literally, during the final battle of ''Lagann-hen''. Topped off with transforming your own hand into a drill before delivering the final blow. Said drill was also made out of said person's blood.
320* DiscOneFinalBoss: The Spiral King.
321* DistantFinale: The epilogue takes place many years after the climatic battle, and shows how the survivors have settled into their new lives.
322* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: 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.
323* DoomMagnet: As mentioned above, [[spoiler:anyone Yoko shows the slightest romantic affection toward is destined for a BadEnd]].
324* DontThinkFeel: How to pilot a Gunmen: do whatever feels natural.
325* TheDragon: Both Viral and Guame can be considered Dragons.
326* DramaticTVShutOff: Played with. When Yoko is trapped in the Anti-Spirals LotusEaterMachine, she breaks herself out by reframing the amazing life she supposedly leads as just a television programme she is watching, then shutting off the TV.
327* DualWielding: [[spoiler:Most notably, the Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann dual-wielding ''two Giga Drills in the finale''.]]
328* TheDulcineaEffect: Simon and Nia's first meeting.
329* DyingMomentOfAwesome:
330** [[spoiler:Kamina's death in Episode 8. He suffers a blow that [[NoOneCouldSurviveThat nobody could possibly survive, and is]] LeftForDead, (It's implied he actually ''is'' dead.) and Simon enters the DespairEventHorizon, the Dai-Gunzan goes berserk, all hope seems lost... and then Kamina turns out to be NotQuiteDead, [[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan throws his own mech's arm at Simon in the most epic face punch ever]] ([[SerialEscalation indeed, it was the second one in that episode]]), combines with Lagann, destroys some {{Mooks}}, and invents the finishing move Giga Drill Break, utterly obliterating Thymilph, then dying again. You know someone's badass if they die twice in a series in such an epically awesome fashion.]]
331** [[spoiler: Also, Kittan's HeroicSacrifice.]]
332* DynamicEntry: ''Inter alia'', see below under GetAHoldOfYourselfMan.
333* EarnYourHappyEnding: For everyone not named [[spoiler:Simon]], who does the most out of the entire cast yet still ends up getting handed a sack of crap.
334* EasilyForgiven: Simon doesn't have any problem forgiving [[spoiler: Rossiu, after he overthrew Simon and tried to sentence him to death.]]
335* EatTheDog: Boota serves ''his own tail'' to Simon and Kamina when they're too hungry to pilot their Gunmen with HOT BLOOD. It turns out, despite Simon's reluctance, it's actually delicious -- though it might be that he's just a [[spoiler:massive source of Spiral energy]].
336* {{Ecchi}}: Mostly confined to Yoko's outfit of choice. [[spoiler: Until the second movie that is.]]
337* {{Elseworld}}: Some of the Parallel Works videos.
338* EldritchAbomination: The Anti-Spirals.
339* ElementalPowers: Each of Lordgenome's Four Generals has power over one of the classical elements. This is most readily seen when they teleport out of his throne room.
340* EliteMook: Gurren starts out as one of these, piloted by a Beastman who is at least one level of command above his randomly-marauding peers in the region.
341* EliteFour: The Spiral King had four elite generals who led his army. Each of them were based on TheFourGods and DNA and each of them oversaw the oppression of the Human race until their demise.
342* EmeraldPower: Spiral Energy glows green, and whenever someone uses a vast amount of spiral energy, their eyes turn green too. [[spoiler: Special mention to Kittan whose entire body take a green tint during his HeroicSacrifice.]]
343* EmpathicWeapon: The Gunmen -- and especially Simon's Lagann -- are powered by the fighting spirit of their pilots.
344** Near the end of ''Lagann-hen'', [[spoiler: it's implied Lagann is not only fueled by emotion, but is actually sentient.]]
345* EmpathicEnvironment: The weather is rainy and gloomy during the first two-thirds of the Episode 9. After Simon finds Nia, beams of light appear, the rain stops and colour returns to the sky.
346* EmperorScientist: Lordgenome.
347* TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt: [[spoiler: Spiral Nemesis; the annihilation of the universe through an overdose of Spiral Power]]. Happens in the first episode (an AlternateContinuity) and [[spoiler: in ''Lagann-hen'', in an alternate universe (not the same thing)]].
348* EnergyBeing: Not an actual creature, but it arguably describes the [[spoiler:''title mecha'' itself, which is a construct made out of all of the heroes' Spiral energy]]. Possibly the same case regarding [[spoiler:its anti-thesis, the Granzeboma]].
349** Definitely describes the [[spoiler:SUPER Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]].
350** [[spoiler:Boota, being a living creature of so dense spiral power even the Anti Spiral had not seen anything like him before. Note that the Anti Spiral supposedly saw thousands if not millions of spiral rebellions through, and he even took extra cautious measures to try and figure out what is so irregular about Simon and company's rebellion, just because of Boota's hidden power. The best example of Boota being this is him ''instantly evolving into humanoid form'' using his massive spiral energy pool when the whole crew became endangered.]]
351** [[spoiler: The Anti-Spiral is a being composed of the collective will of the Anti-Spiral race.]]
352%% EmotionsVersusStoicism
353* EstablishingCharacterMoment: The show literally starts out with StuffBlowingUp.
354* [[EverythingTryingToKillYou Everything Trying To Kill Humanity]]
355* EvilCounterpart: [[spoiler: Lordgenome]] to Simon of all people! In the films, you learn of his backstory and find that in many ways they were eerily similar to Simon's. After the [[spoiler: Anti-Spirals first invaded the earth ages ago, Genome, as a child of about Simon's age, decided to raise an army and fight back.]] He even had a [[NonHumanSidekick cute animal for a sidekick]] and a mini-Gunmen.
356* EvilChancellor: Post-TimeSkip Rossiu is actually a subversion. He's a WellIntentionedExtremist who [[spoiler: tries to kill himself]] once [[HeelRealization he realizes what he's done]]. Luckily, Simon gives him a fist sized dose of GetAHoldOfYourselfMan.
357* EvilIsSterile: The Anti-Spiral opposes the growth of Spiral Energy, which is caused by biological evolution. To that end, [[spoiler: it has deliberately halted the evolution of its own species]] and actively tries to suppress the spread of life throughout the universe. It never creates independent lifeforms, instead spawning countless identical automata that can do nothing but mindlessly attack. This lack is also reflected in its tactics--aside from certain automatic defense systems, like [[spoiler: the Death Spiral Field and the Alternate Space Labyrinth]], it never uses any strategy more complex than "use a weapon just like the protagonists', but slightly more powerful".
358** Lordgenome, as [[spoiler: an agent of the Anti-Spiral, kills his own offspring when they become self-aware and]] polices his reign with the Beastmen, who are literally sterile as a way to prevent them generating Spiral Power.
359* EvilKnockoff: [[spoiler:The Anti-Spiral's Granzeboma in the final battle.]]
360* EvolvingCredits: Each arc has a different animation for the opening credits, reflecting changes in the cast and the goals. But they don't stop there- the pre-timeskip openers feature the first verse of ''Sorairo Days,'' while the post-timeskip openers use the second verse.
361* ExplosiveLeash: During Rossiu's coup against Simon, he has to rely on him to fight a Mugann that is attacking the Earth. He allows Simon to use the Gurren-Lagann, only with some conditions: 1. Kinon has to be his co-pilot, and 2. she has the Gurren-Lagann armed with explosives to make sure Simon won't try to escape.
362* ExpressiveMask: The faces on the Gunmen speak at the same time as their pilots.
363** 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).
364*** Gurren Lagann does a Jaw drop (with the top head) and blush (both heads) when the towel covering Yoko's chest flies away. That mecha is expressive as hell.
365** Taken to a ridiculous extent with Sayrune, which resembles a female figure but has [[EyesDoNotBelongThere eyes for breasts]] and a VaginaDentata that mimic Adiane's speech and expressions.
366* ExpressiveShirt: 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.
367* {{Expy}}:
368** Kamina acts very much like a successor to Sanson from ''Anime/NadiaTheSecretOfBlueWater''.
369*** And there's a great similarity between how his actions and those of [[Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico Gai Daigoji.]]
370** It wouldn't be a Gainax series without a ShoutOut to Creator/CordwainerSmith. The Beastmen are all too similar to Smith's animal derived Underpeople, and Teppelin shares a structurual design similar to Smith's Earthport.
371** Thymilph is a fat, old one of 777 from ''Anime/DeadLeaves''.
372** Look at the Gurren-Lagann, without the sunglasses. Now look at the Gundam Virsago from ''Anime/AfterWarGundamX''. Notice how similar they are?
373*** 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.
374*** Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann itself is very similar with Persoenlichkeit from ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration''.
375* ExtremeSpeculativeStratification: The Beastmen live in the high-tech city of Teppelin under the rule of the Spiral King, while humans are forced to eke out an existence BeneathTheEarth. The Spiral King maintains this to appease his masters, the Anti-Spiral, [[spoiler: who want to keep humans from advancing because they are a Spiral race, and the awakening of Spiral Power could destroy the universe]].
376* EyeColorChange: Humans who channel enormous Spiral Power have spirals appear in their eyes. This is seen mostly in Lordgenome, but also briefly in Kittan [[spoiler:right before his death]]. Simon's eye also changes during [[spoiler:the Giga Drill Break war with the Anti-Spiral after Lordgenome's sacrifice]], as well as during [[spoiler:the DistantFinale]].
377* FaceFault: This being anime, it happens a few times. What's notable is how Leeron manages to make the ''aircraft-carrier-sized [[HumongousMecha Dai-Gurren]]'' facefault.
378* FaceHeelTurn: [[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.]]
379* FallenHero: [[spoiler:Lordgenome and Guame]]
380* FallingIntoHisArms: Nia falls into Simon's arms after [[spoiler: he arrives to save her from the Anti-Spiral]].
381* FallingIntoTheCockpit: Let's face it, almost ''anyone'' who is even slightly a {{Determinator}} or HotBlooded can and WILL pilot a Gunmen at some point.
382** Simon literally does this in episode 11, before his Heroic Rebirth and Prestige-Classing into Badass. He literally falls hundreds of meters from hanging onto a gunmen, and is caught by Lagann's seat.
383* FanDisservice: In the sixth episode, Gimmy spends almost the entire episode naked with his penis exposed. By extension, Parallel Works 5 doesn't even need an explanation when you find out that the opening shot is Gimmy's penis flopping to and fro.
384* FangsAreEvil: Until [[spoiler:Viral's HeelFaceTurn]], when Gurren itself sports them.
385** Also, whenever Gurren-Lagann performs a Giga Drill Break, its teeth in Gurren's mouth are replaced by drills, as if trying to play this trope straight.
386* {{Fanservice}}:
387** Yoko wears a flame-patterned bikini, short shorts, stockings and a scarf. At all times. [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] when they visit another village and tell her to cover herself up. (She ends up looking like [[Franchise/FinalFantasy White Mage]].)
388*** And again with the BeachEpisode: The men are VERY excited that Yoko agrees to put on a bathing suit, but are disappointed when it covers more than her normal outfit (though, really, how much more revealing can you get than her normal outfit?).
389*** Yoko actually has two other outfits she wears in the series: one as a [[spoiler: teacher during a flashback after the timejump]] which isn't really revealing, if it wasn't for the fact that there is a significantly long shot that shows her... assets... are not impeded by it. [[spoiler: She ditches it for her old costume as soon as her schoolchildren are in trouble]]. Finally, in the last few episodes where Team Dai-Gurren are going off to fight the [[spoiler: Anti-Spirals]], she changes into a costume that has some strategically-placed stars... and is arguably showing more of her skin than before.
390** Kittan's three sisters also show alot of this, especially Kiyoh, the eldest with the biggest assets.
391** Both Nia and Yoko in the second movie. During the RousingSpeech, the camera pans quite slowly over their inexplicably naked bodies.
392** Kamina also has his fair amount of ShirtlessScene, a whole episode of full nudity. and is a good example of MrFanservice. [[spoiler: Which recurred with Simon and Viral during the shower fight scene.]]
393* FastballSpecial:
394** Kamina chucks Lagann at two Gunmen (against Simon's will the first time), and it soon becomes a staple of their combat tactics.
395** The Dai-Gunzan "launches" its subordinate Gunmen by throwing them into the air.
396** [[spoiler: Viral]] repeats this in the battle against the [[spoiler: Anti-Spiral]], though it stands to reason that he probably learned from watching Kamina. [[TheMovie And then Lagann does it too.]]
397* FatherToHisMen:
398** Kamina is close to this, though he's more of a terrifying older brother.
399** Lordgenome is a literal father to his men! In that he built them, anyway.
400** Thymilph is another example, but you have to really pay attention to his dialog.
401* FemmeFatalons: Adiane, of course. Her entire character is feminine to the point that she has the most titular Gunmen of the series; sporting ample breasts and speaking out of its crotch.
402* FightingFromTheInside: [[spoiler: Nia, after her consumption by the Anti-Spirals.]]
403* FillItWithFlowers: In the movie, after the TimeSkip, Nia states that she wants to plant flowers across the world. In the DistantFinale, Simon is shown digging a well for a small village and, when offered thanks, demands that the chief cover the hillside with flowers.
404* FinalExchange: In the finale, the dying Anti-Spiral begs Simon to protect the universe, which has been his WellIntentionedExtremist goal from the beginning. Simon returns that they will do so, and to believe in the human race.
405* TheFinalTemptation
406* FinalSpeech: Lordgenome [[spoiler:and the Anti-Spiral leader]].
407* FinishingMove! [[PunctuatedForEmphasis GIGA!!! DRILL!!!! BUREIIIIIIIIIKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!]]
408* FirstTimeInTheSun: The first episode.
409* FiveStagesOfGrief: Simon's reaction to [[spoiler: Kamina's death]]. He only goes through four of them, however: Denial (saying [[spoiler: Kamina]]'s name over and over again), anger (killing beastmen by the dozen with no regard for his own safety), depression (Lagann refuses to work), and acceptance (his NoMoreHoldingBackSpeech).
410* FlairBartending: In the side story "Viral's Sweet Dream," Simon the bartender uses his '''GIGA DRIIIIIILL BREEEEEEEAKAAAA!''' …as a martini shaker.
411* FlirtingUnderFire: This actually happens during [[OfficialCouple Kamina and Yoko's]] first meeting. She comes down through the roof, firing at the enemy gunman, and he's instantly attracted to her. When he starts flirting, Yoko's baffled that he isn't running for his life instead.
412-->'''Yoko:''' I only knocked it backwards. It could still get up and get us!\
413'''Kamina:''' Hey, babe! Come here often?\
414'''Yoko:''' ''What?''
415* {{Foreshadowing}}:
416** In the first 2 minutes of the series, we get a look at the initial battle fought with the [[spoiler: Anti-Spirals]], and the ship which was used in it. It goes even further to show that [[spoiler: Lagann (by way of the core drill) will play a huge part, and even displaying a character looking almost identical to evolved!Boota]]. The series is in love with history repeating itself (with everything from personalities, fighting techniques, and deaths), and just repeating itself in general by way of having an episode and two movies dedicated to clips; but they have moved to show us that the same thing has been in the course of happening for over [[spoiler: 1,000 years]].
417** [[spoiler: Viral's character and sense of honor being what it is, his discussion with Lordgenome is obvious but real foreshadowing for his HeelFaceTurn after the time skip.]]
418*** [[spoiler:Similarly, during Gurren Lagann's first appearance, it fights against Viral's mecha, and steals its helmet. Viral's mecha's helmet becoming a part of Gurren Lagann foreshadows that Viral would become one of the mecha's pilots, and by extension become a "part" of Gurren Lagann himself.]]
419** Rossiu's society as a child fuels his future decisions to the point where he does exactly what he'd been so horrified to learn of in the past. In Episode 7, Rossiu even warns Simon that "Good intentions can sometimes tempt good people to travel down the wrong path, just as it did in my village," which becomes ironic considering [[WellIntentionedExtremist what Rossiu ends up becoming]].
420*** And while on the topic of Rossiu, [[spoiler: his temporarily taking control of the Gurren in episode 6. Following Kamina's death, Rossiu becomes his replacement.]]
421** About the whole relationship between Rossiu and Simon is made of these, really. Starting after Kamina's death, when Rossiu takes over the piloting of Gurren, Rossiu acts similar to Simon's old self and constantly tries to save Simon who gets nearly suicidal and reckless "like" Kamina. As the story develops Rossiu is the one that needs encouragement like Simon did, and Simon is the brave, inspiring big bro like Kamina was. The whole resemblance goes on to the GetAHoldOfYourselfMan punch from Simon to Rossiu exactly copying what Kamina did to Simon, and ultimately Simon entrusts the leadership ''and everything'' to Rossiu, just like Kamina chose Simon to lead the Dai-Gurren Team.
422** Kamina often wants to keep fighting but is talked down by Simon, many characters talk about how his reckless nature will get him killed, and he outright says "[Simon's] level head is the only thing that keeps him alive." [[spoiler:The first major battle they experience where Simon isn't there to back Kamina up, he gets himself overwhelmed and fatally wounded.]]
423** Kamina stealing Viral's helmet and lecturing him on how he'll never know what combining is. [[spoiler:Guess who replaces Kamina as Gurren's pilot (and gets his helmet back)?]]
424** Kamina is well known for his line, "Don't believe in yourself, believe in me who believes in you" but what is perhaps a more significant line, as well as one that foreshadows his fate, is the exact opposite: "Don't believe in me who believes in you, believe in you who believes in yourself." He is essentially foreshadowing that he will no longer be there to be Simon's moral support so Simon has to learn to stand on his own, which he eventually does, signified by his own famous lines, "I am not bro! I'm Me! Simon the Digger!"
425** The ArcWords "Yours is the drill that will pierce the heavens!" foreshadow [[spoiler: the titular ''Tengen Toppa'' (Heaven-Piercing) Gurren Lagann.]]
426** Kinon picking up a reading "identical to Gurren Lagann" inside Tepplin's throne room.
427** When Lazengann is first revealed sitting underneath Lordgenome's throne, it appears as if it's sitting on a throne of its own. But [[http://i.imgur.com/yMRwf99.jpg closer inspection]] reveals that it's actually a cockpit very similar to Lagann's. Specifically, what appear to be armrests are actually handles. It was piloting Dekabustsu (Tepplin), just as Gurren Lagann would later pilot Arc Gurren Lagann.
428* ForgettableCharacter:
429** Happens to Viral at the end of episode 6. Kamina actually asks "Wait... Who is he again?", though Kamina does this for various people and facts. He actually does this a lot more than one would think for a character [[spoiler: who's only alive in 8 episodes]].
430** Subverted in the most awesome way in ''Lagann-hen''. [[spoiler: Kamina appears to Simon in the Lotus Eater Machine of the Anti-Spirals, helping him to get out of it. Then, Kittan shows up and Kamina says "Who was this guy again?". Kittan gets angry, but the subversion comes when Kamina grabs Kittan around the shoulders and says "You dolt! How could I forget?!"]]
431* FourIsDeath: The Four Generals of the Spiral King, who are inspired by and named after TheFourGods of Chinese mythology. [[spoiler: And they all die]].
432* FourPhilosophyEnsemble: (Early episodes): Simon as Cynic, Kamina as Optimist, Yoko as Realist, Leeron as Apathetic.
433** Later it becomes: Simon as Cynic, Nia as Optimist, Yoko as Realist, Leeron as Apathetic.
434** At the beginning of season 2 is was: Rossiu as Cynic, Kittan was Optimist, Simon was Realist and Viral is Apathetic, then it turned into Gimmy as Cynic, Simon/Kittan as Optimist, Leeron/Yoko as Realist and Lordgenome as Apathetic. Maybe. Hard to say since everyone is pretty single-mindedly optimistic through sheer force of will at that point.
435* FromBadToWorse: [[spoiler: The first main antagonist is the Spiral King, and seven years later the cast faces the eldritch Anti-Spirals.]]
436* FromZeroToHero: Simon starts out as a digger in an underground village, when he gets a hold of a mecha. Continuously getting inspired by big bro and mentor Kamina, this leads to his journey above ground, where he begins to fight Ganmen on his way to Lordgenome. The levels of greatness keep piling up until [[spoiler: Simon and his allies are fighting in galaxy-sized mechas.]]
437* FullCircleRevolution: 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}}es are still as (un)reliable and (trying to be) helpful as usual, an ObstructiveBureaucracy 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.
438* FullFrontalAssault: Practically the entire cast in the Bath House episode, but extra points for Simon and Kamina, who use a drill and Boota as a SceneryCensor, respectively.
439** Happens directly to Leeron's face, much to his pleasure.
440* FunbagAirbag: 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. Except [[spoiler: poor Simon never gets to come anywhere near Yoko. Which is probably a good thing: [[CartwrightCurse He might've died otherwise]].]]
441** Happens again in episode 6, when Simon leaps over Leeron, but his crotch doesn't quite clear him and Leeron gets smacked in the face by Simon's junk. He responds simply by going "So warm.~"
442* FutureBadass: Gimmy, Darry, and Viral.
443** In the DistantFinale, it's just those 3. But don't forget, this show does have a 7-year timeskip, where pretty much everybody counts as a FutureBadass. If they started badass, then they got ''more'' badass. FutureLoser? In ''Gurren Lagann''? What the hell do you think this is?!
444* GagPenis: In ''two episodes of what is supposed to be a SaturdayMorningCartoon'', no less! Episode 6 has Kamina's... er, manhood, covered by Boota, who inexplicably grows to the size of a watermelon by the end of the episode. Episode 7 has Kamina using Boota again, but, in a few brief shots, Simon's drill dangles just over his junk in what is perhaps the sneakiest reference to ''Anime/DeadLeaves'' possible.
445** The extremely-NSFW fifth Parallel Works video opens with an extreme close-up on what turns out to be the nude Gimmy's penis swinging back and forth as he walks.
446* [[GainaxEnding Gainax Opening]]: Apparently, it was ''supposed'' to foreshadow the ending but, as the writers would later admit, that story thread got lost somewhere along the way. Fans have taken it as an alternate reality where that foreshadowing references a ''bad'' ending. The WordOfGod ended up being [[AscendedFanon going along with it]].
447** The TV series ending does have several elements that come out of nowhere. However, ''Lagann-hen'' tailors the story with foreshadowing. Gainax... learning from its mistakes?
448* GenerationXerox: [[spoiler: Played with, since the villains make it quite clear that everything the hero has done so far has been done before, with ''no success''; the heroes only manage to succeed due to ThePowerOfLove.]]
449* GenreShift: Starts off as a DesertPunk for the first half, then changes in a full blown epic space arc in the second half.
450* GenkiGuy: Attenborough. Just try to find a scene not involving this guy missing the target or a certain shocking twist in which he is calm.
451* GetAHoldOfYourselfMan: Summarized [[spoiler:(and done at least ''thrice'' in the anime)]] in just one sentence: '''''[[spoiler:[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXVtWR_fZlI "Let's see you GRIT THOSE TEETH!"]]]]'''''
452** In ''Lagann-hen'' though, it was [[spoiler:Kinon]] who delivered the last one - a traditional [[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan/{{Gundam}} Bright Slap]] - to a still-suicidal Rossiu, [[spoiler:while onboard the Cathedral Lazengann]].
453%%* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.
454* GiganticMoon: Justified. In the three-week period when the moon is about to crash into the Earth, the moon is filling more and more of the sky.
455%%* GirlsLoveStuffedAnimals
456%%* GloryDays: Subverted/inverted.
457%%* GodivaHair: Yoko, briefly, in TheMovie.
458%%** Nia in the second movie.
459* GogglesDoNothing: {{Averted}}. Entirely. Simon's goggles are used as light sources, and later [[spoiler: turn into Kamina-style glasses.]] Even the Gurren Lagann has sunglasses [[spoiler: that double as a boomerang.]]
460* GonnaNeedMoreX: You mean we're gonna need to use an even bigger drill?
461* GondorCallsForAid: At least partially subverted when a motley crew of bit players from previous episodes show up to join the heroes' cause without being asked by anyone, least of all the heroes themselves.
462%%* GoodAllAlong: [[spoiler: Lordgenome, and the Beastmen]].
463%%* GossipyHens: In the first episode.
464%%* GratuitousEnglish: The attack's names.
465** Kamina occasionally shouts in English for emphasis.
466** And [[ZigZaggingTrope zig-zags in the music: while most lines make grammatical sense, one wonders what a "microphone phenotype" is...]]
467* GratuitousGerman: Nia Teppelin's family name is most likely a garbled version of the German word "[[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/zeppelin?s=t Zeppelin]]".
468* GratuitousJapanese: The names of the mechs tend to be untranslated from Japanese (Mugann is better translated as Faceless, Chouginga as Super-Galaxy/Galactic, Tengen Toppa as Heaven Piercing, Lazengann as Spiral Face, etc.).
469* GrievousHarmWithABody: Kamina smacks some sense into Simon with the arm of his own mech. Gurren Lagann has a habit of fastballing its own head at enemies.
470* GrinOfAudacity: A hallmark of the series. Delivered with panache, like everything else.
471* GroinAttack:
472** During their battle with Adiane, the ''Dai-Gurren'' ends up getting its main underside cannon destroyed, resulting in '''''EVERY MALE''''' except Leeron to grab their crotch in pain.
473*** Somewhat realistic, as the hole started to flood the ship, suddenly increasing cabin pressure. This sudden pressure leads to some *ahem* mild discomfort on the men's part.
474** Later in the same battle, Simon pushes the ''Dai-Gurren'' out of the water by ramming his drill into the hole left by the destroyed cannon. Instead of a repeat performance by the men, [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything we see Leeron]] [[ModestOrgasm gasp and suddenly hop upwards.]]
475* GutPunch: [[spoiler: Kamina's death]] is a mild example - while the series did get notably darker afterwards, it still stayed pretty light.
476* HalfHumanHybrids: The Beastmen.
477* HamToHamCombat: There may have been one or two brief scenes of thi-- OK, can't do that with a straight face. Happens every two minutes, like clockwork.
478* HandyCuffs: The entire Gurren Brigade got once handcuffed with good ol' wooden boards, but that didn't deter Simon from digging with his Core Drill until recovering his Lagann.
479* HateSink: Guinble, one of Rossiu's foremost advisors after the [[spoiler:TimeSkip]]. He's only around for the first half of the Anti-Spiral arc and in that time is a YesMan and toady to Rossiu, reassuring him that every decision he's making is the correct one and he's the only one who can ''really'' save humanity. And when he talks to someone else, usually one of Rossiu's former teammates who objects to his behavior, Guinble acts cold and condescending as he tells them that Rossiu is doing the right thing and they just can't understand that. His only purpose seems to be to act like an even more arrogant and stoic version of Rossiu for the purposes of making Rossiu look better.
480* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler:Viral and Lordgenome after the TimeSkip. Lordgenome's is notable in that when he does it, he is ''literally'' just a face.]]
481* HellYesMoment: Nia has this reaction when she realizes her ring has started glowing.
482* HeroicBSOD:
483** [[spoiler:More a villainous blue screen of death: Viral's realization that he's been fighting "women and a children" instead of Kamina, ever since Kamina's death.]]
484** Simon also gets a brief one after [[spoiler:Kamina's death]] before realising that Kamina always believed in him and quickly snaps out of it.
485** [[spoiler: It can also be said that Lordgenome was never evil, just suffering from a chronic case of this.]]
486* HeroicSacrifice: Several -- all the others' completely eclipsed by [[spoiler:Kittan, and [[spoiler:Lordgenome, who tanks a Big Bang's worth of power.]].
487* HeroicSecondWind: Completely justified and part of the theme of the series--[[spoiler:their fighting spirit kick in strongest when they're about to lose, and this in turn causes a rise in their Spiral Power output that lets them make a comeback. As Nia says in the final arc under the control of the Anti-Spiral, the survival instinct in Spiral Races is incredibly powerful for this reason.]]
488* HesBack: Simon... One of the most awesome examples ever seen on television. '''''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l__YXXkdpi8 EVERRRR!]]'''''
489* HiddenDepths: Kamina is actually a much more complex character than he seems.
490* HighSpeedMissileDodge
491* HisQuirkLivesOn: [[spoiler:Later in the series, we have Simon adopting the cockiness, quirks and fashion sense of his BigBrotherMentor, Kamina.]]
492* HiveMind: [[spoiler:The Anti-Spiral is the collective conscious of their entire race.]]
493* {{Homage}}:
494** Nia's awakening scene was a homage to ''Anime/OutlawStar'''s scene when Melfina was found.
495** ''TabletopGame/YuGiOh'' made a card who must be a tribute/homage to ''Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann'', the [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Drill_Warrior Drill Warrior]].
496** In ''VideoGame/KidIcarusUprising'', there's a weapon called the Drill Arm. It looks exactly like an arm-sized Core Drill.
497* HomageShot: The scene where Chouginga Gurren Lagann rises out of the space ocean is an almost exact replica of ''Anime/{{Gunbuster}}'''s first appearance.
498* HonorBeforeReason: [[spoiler:Viral]] in episode 13 (he needs a little push, though)
499** [[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.]]
500* HopeSpot:
501** In episode 8, [[spoiler: Kamina gets impaled by Thymilph and lies on the ground bleeding making it seem like he died. A few moments later, though, he's suddenly able to move again and combines with Simon and both manage to defeat Thymilph and Viral together in an awesome finishing move. However, once the battle ends, Kamina utters his last words and dies for real.]]
502** Invoked repeatedly, by the Anti-Spirals, in order to turn them [[DarkestHour on their heads]] with the intention that this will sap the will of the humans to fight. At best, it works only momentarily.
503*** The most touching of these is Viral: [[spoiler: he gets a beastman wife and young daughter on an elysian meadow, enjoying peace, tranquility and belonging for the first time in his whole life.]] What's even worse is, he knows when it's about to end that it was AllJustADream.
504* HotBlooded: Um... '''WHERE THE HELL DO WE EVEN START'''?!.
505** We start at the Village Chief, if only because this happens within 40 seconds of the initial title screen, and the first 3 minutes of the entire series.
506** Even [[spoiler: the Anti-Spiral]] becomes this during the final fight after [[spoiler: spending the entire show trying to suppress the same thing.]]
507** In the same fight, [[spoiler: ''Viral'' of all characters]], [[LampshadeHanging wholeheartedly admits it]] while talking with the others in a BadassBoast.
508* HotSpringsEpisode: Featuring {{Lawyer Friendly Cameo}}s from other famous Gainax characters in PlayboyBunny costumes, including [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion Rei]], [[Anime/{{FLCL}} Haruko]], and [[Anime/DieBuster Lal'c Mellk Mal and Nono]].
509* HowDoIShotWeb: Played straight in the first episode.
510* HowWeGotHere: The series begins in space with a battle between unknown forces with Simon ready to unleash an attack that will finish them off. [[spoiler:Even though that scenario never occurred in the main story, it's theorized that it takes place in an alternate setting.]]
511* HumansAreSpecial: Played straight at first, with humans able to generate Spiral Power while beastmen cannot. Subverted later when [[spoiler: the Anti-Spiral informs them they are not the only spiral lifeforms in the galaxy and not even the only ones to oppose him, showing off images of the failed spiral attacks against him. And then double subverted when the humans succeed where everyone else had failed and bring the Anti-Spiral down after all.]]
512* HumongousMecha: The Gunmen and Grapearls, which range from MiniMecha to extremely huge. At the end of the show, the [[spoiler:[[TitleDrop title mecha, the Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]] can be measured in ''light-years'']]. See [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/gurennlagann/images/f/f8/TTGL.jpeg/revision/latest?cb=20180225111454 here]] and [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ttgl.jpg here]] for just how big the damn thing is. The second movie features the 52.8 billion light-years tall [[spoiler:Super Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (according to the official guide book from GAINAX (仕事魂) and after transforming into a drill its length is multiplied 10 times)]], which can be seen [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/gurennlagann/images/6/65/717133bd761b03bdc837de8f50b8e50952256ff3_hq.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20191125164119 here]]. That red thing inside its head? That's [[spoiler:Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]]. [[spoiler:The small smidges are galaxies. And yes, the mecha DOES look like a huge Kamina. [[IncendiaryExponent Made of fire]]]]. [[spoiler: [[http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j76/Zeldamaniac/SuperTengenToppaGurrenLagann.png THIS]] picture gives a size comparison with the Granzeboma, which is smaller than the STTGL's foot!]] At this point, the only larger known mecha are VisualNovel/{{Demonbane}}, and ''possibly'' [[Manga/GetterRobo the Getter Emperor]], both of which are ''ridiculous''.
513[[/folder]]
514
515[[folder: I-P]]
516* IAmLegion: [[spoiler: The Anti-Spiral King.]]
517* IconOfRebellion: The Team Dai-Gurren symbol and flag.
518* IdealistVsPragmatist: The second half of the series presents [[spoiler:Rossiu]] as one who is willing to ShootTheDog in order to make any progress with the limited resources under his command. Simon refuses to sacrifice anyone. [[spoiler:The latter ends up more successful.]]
519* IFeelAngry: Nia.
520* IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming: 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.
521* IdiotHero: At first glance, Kamina ''screams'' this trope. However, he is actually a good planner and CombatPragmatist when the time is right.
522* IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight: Simon gives a particularly good one to [[spoiler: an Anti-Spiral-possessed Nia.]]
523* ILikeThoseOdds: The very first scene.
524* ImaginationBasedSuperpower: Spiral Energy is essentially this. It's the force of willpower manifested into reality, allowing one to "do the impossible." While first seen to apply (temporary) repairs to Gurren Lagann's leg early on, it also allows one to create matter, break physics and just overpower anything through sheer will. By the end of the series, Simon is able to harness it to do practically anything. Though namely in the [[GonnaNeedMoreX making of]] [[ThisIsADrill larger drills]] while powering the insanely huge mechs. Perhaps as a nod to its spiritual predecessor, Getter Robo, it usually manifests itself as green (with the exception of Lord Genome; who's is a rather sinister red, [[spoiler: though this is due to the fact he is using spiral energy against itself, working for suppressive and repressive means, since his was green back when he was a young man.]]
525* {{Immortality}}:
526** TheAgeless: Lordgenome has this, as do his Four Generals. It's possible that all Beastmen have the same trait.
527*** Leeron seems to have it too, since he looks almost ''exactly the same'' in the DistantFinale as he did in the series itself. However, WordOfGod attributes this to extensive plastic surgery.
528** HealingFactor: Viral is explicitly given an immortal body, but it's not clarified what this means; however, he demonstrates a Healing Factor at one point, and is the only character in the DistantFinale (apart from Leeron) who still looks the same.
529* ImmortalityImmorality: Played straight with Lordgenome. [[spoiler: Thankfully subverted. Lordgenome performed his HeroicSacrifice 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]]
530* ImportantHaircut: Nia in ep. 13. The show being what it is, she gets hers from a sniper rifle; see the trope page for details.
531* ImpossiblyCoolClothes: Just about everyone.
532* ImprobableWeaponUser: Using [[spoiler:''galaxies'']] as weapons, of course.
533* IncendiaryExponent: If something is about to get badass, it lights on fire. End of story.
534* IndyPloy: Every single fight with just ''one'' exception[[ColonCancer :]] [[spoiler:the one fight that is actually planned is the one wherein Kamina dies]].
535* InnocentInnuendo. Sorta. When Guame kidnaps Nia, he's explaining why her father's ordered her death, but then comments that she may be "far too lovely" to kill--and in the rest of the scene [[{{Squick}} looks like he's coming on to her]]!
536* IntentionallyAwkwardTitle: Do '''not''' mispronounce Kamina's name around Hokkien-speakers, especially not if you're saying it enthusiastically or loudly.
537* InTheFutureWeStillHaveRoombas: Leeron uses them.
538* InTheNameOfTheMoon: Simon and his current co-pilot do this at dramatically or thematically appropriate moments.
539** Which, ironically, includes the time they went to attack [[ThatsNoMoon the moon]].
540* InventingTheWheel: Averted - The new high technology used after the timeskip is all influenced by Gunmen designs, so all civilian vehicles move on legs or have hoverpads attached with nary a wheel in sight. Basing everything on Gunmen also results in ''skyscrapers'' with faces...
541** Even mundane appliances like clothes irons, TV sets, and ''doors'' have faces!
542* {{Irony}}: When Rossiu leaves his village, he tells Father Magin that once they make the surface peaceful and safe for humans, there will be no need for painful laws like the village's population limits. [[spoiler:Seven years later when humans live on the surface in large numbers, not only is there that exact same problem with the Anti-Spirals beginning their attack once human population reaches a million, but it's Rossiu who's trying to keep it in check to prevent them from reaching that limit. Simon calls him out on this.]]
543* JourneyToTheSky: The series begins in a society of people forced to live underground. Kamina's dream is to reach the surface and see the sky, with the help of Simon, whose ArcWords are "The drill that will pierce the heavens". Over the course of the show, they not only reach the surface and see the sky but eventually reach space, using {{Humongous Mecha}}s.
544* JugglingLoadedGuns: When Kamina is first given a gun he pretends to know how to use it, even though he doesn't know what it actually is. At first he uses it as a hammer, and after narrowly missing shooting himself in the gonads he proceeds to hold it upside down. Well, he already held it upside down when using it as a hammer; but of course, it was pointing towards him then.
545* KangarooCourt: [[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.]]
546* KidHeroAllGrownUp: The second arc features grown-up versions of Simon, Nia, Rossiu, and the Black siblings, as well as teenage versions of Gimmy and Darry. [[spoiler:The GrandFinale also shows what becomes of the surviving cast 20 years down the line.]]
547* KillAllHumans: The basic goal of [[spoiler:The Anti-Spirals]].
548* KilledOffForReal: Not only straight-up, but arguably subverted, ''with the same character'': try seeing how well most people survive [[spoiler:''having their torsos be completely vaporized''.]]
549* LargeHam: Kamina, to ridiculous levels. In fact, most of the cast are somewhat ham-like at one point or another, but Kamina really takes the cake. The cake made '''entirely''' of ham. And badass. In fact, in the same way the series is supposed to be the RuleOfCool personified, Kamina is Large Ham personified.
550** The [[spoiler: Anti-Spiral King]] brings forth truly preposterous amounts of ham when [[spoiler: they]] are fighting in the final battle.
551---> [[spoiler: "BURN IN THE EVERLASTING HELLFIRE OF CREATION! BE UTTERLY ANNIHILATED! DOWN TO THE VERY LAST SCRAP! OF D! N! A!"]]
552* KillerYoyo: Not in the main series, but in ''Parallel Works: Kittan Zero'', Kiyoh uses one of these. Not surprisingly, the tricks she pulls with it are powered by RuleOfCool.
553* LastEpisodeThemeReprise: [[spoiler:Happens when Lordgenome absorbs the Infinity Big Bang Storm]] and is one of the most iconic examples in all of anime, and arguably [[TropeCodifier the show that made the trope even more popular in anime throughout the late 2000s and 2010s.]]
554* LawyerFriendlyCameo:
555** Squidward from ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'' very briefly appears in a background shot.
556** Gunmen resembling the [[Franchise/{{Transformers}} Autobot and Decepticon symbols]] make brief appearances. The eyecatches have even more, with Gunmen resembling ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' and ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' characters.
557** Pikachu himself appears in the last Parallel Works video as one of Lordgenome's toy animals.
558** There's a parody of ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'' in Yoko's music video.
559* LaymansTerms: Leeron's long explanations require this to make sense.
560** On the other hand, [[spoiler: Lordgenome's layman's terms ''still'' make no sense.]]
561** Before the final fight Dayakka snaps at Lordgenome 'demanding' them.
562* LeaderFormsTheHead: Played with in various ways throughout the series; see the trope page for details.
563* LeeroyJenkins: Damn near everyone. Kamina and Attenborough are especially good examples.
564* LensmanArmsRace: It goes from the compact car-sized Lagann, to the tens-of-meters Gurren Lagann, to the aircraft-carrier-sized Dai-Gurren, to the multi-kilometric Arc-Gurren Lagann, to the [[spoiler: ''thousands-of-kilometers'' Super Galaxy Gurren Lagann, to what WordOfGod has stated '''''10-million-light-year tall''''' [[TitleDrop Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]]]]..
565** Also, the [[spoiler: Super Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann from the movie. Supposedly, it is 3 BILLION light years in height.]]
566*** Not to mention, [[spoiler: any and all visible movement, even the slightest twitch, would require breaking the lightspeed barrier.]].
567* LethalChef: Nia, although Simon and Boota sincerely like her cooking. Anyone else who eats it gets knocked out, though.
568* LimitedAnimation: The infamous fourth episode, to the point that it looks completely out of place with the rest of the series, and even drew negative criticism from staff members at Creator/{{Pixar}}. Yes, ''that'' Creator/{{Pixar}}.
569* LiteralMinded: Nia. Watch the first post-TimeSkip episode in case of doubt.
570* LivingForeverIsAwesome: If the girls on his throne are any indication, Lordgenome enjoyed eternal life. [[spoiler: In the DistantFinale, Viral was making the most of it too.]]
571* LoadBearingBoss: With Lordgenome's defeat, not only does the capital city ([[RuleOfCool itself a giant robot]]) start to break apart and explode, but [[KeystoneArmy his army's mecha all simultaneously lose power]], thus assuring victory for our heroes.[[note]]Possible justification: As beastmen are later reveled to be non-spiral lifeforms, it's quite likely that Lordgenome's immense reserves are powering the entire army.[[/note]]
572* LockAndLoad: {{Parodied}} during [[Recap/TengenToppaGurrenLagannS1E03WhoDoYouThinkYouAreHavingTwoFaces "Who Do You Think You Are, Having Two Faces!?"]]. Yoko tosses Kamina a pistol and asks if he knows how to use it. He [[DramaticGunCock cocks it]] and acts like he does. Then he uses it as a bludgeon, acting surprised when it fires...at him because he was holding it backwards.
573* LongingLook
574* LongSongShortScene: 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.
575* LosingTheTeamSpirit: Most of team Dai-Gurren went through this after [[spoiler:Kamina's death.]]
576* LostTechnology: The Gunmen; also, Yoko's gun comes from the cache of ancient weapons her village was built around.
577* LotteryOfDoom: Father Magin has set a cap on the population of Adai village due to limited resources. When the protagonists first arrive the population is at 49 and things are pretty austere, but they've got enough reserves to give Simon, Kamina and Yoko a meager meal as a one-off deal. Then triplets are born, and it's time to start drawing straws. It's very, very strongly implied that Magin routinely cheats to ensure the selection causes as little lasting harm to the village as possible (he definitely does in the one case we see).
578* MachiavelliWasWrong: After the TimeSkip, Rossiu starts [[ShootTheDog Shooting The Dog]] over and over as things deteriorate. [[spoiler:It all just makes things worse. Only when Simon returns do things get better.]]
579** Rossiu does manage to [[spoiler: quell the riots, get almost everyone into underground shelters, and get a large population of humans into space. His plans might have worked...if the enemies were sane or understandable. Simon and Team Gurren provide the Spiral Power needed to win.]]
580* MacrossMissileMassacre:
581** Attenborough loves to do this. It generally [[TheWorfBarrage accomplishes very little]].
582** A massive one is delivered in the CompilationMovie. It does precisely ''[[EpicFail jack]]'' to Team Dai-Gurren...who then return the favor.
583*** For future reference, [[spoiler:"Done right" refers to a missile-laced [[FinishingMove Giga Drill Breaker]] landing in the enemy hanger, working its way through the giant CombiningMecha's body (taking out [[DoomedByCanon two]] of the [[PlotArmor three]] pilots en route), culminating in a giant rainbow explosion that every human on earth can see. Done right? How about done ''awesome''?]]
584** That's nothing. How about when the Chouginga Gurren Lagann fires missiles to attack ''every point in space ten seconds into the past and eight seconds into the future?'' Honestly, it was pretty close to being [[MoreDakka enough Dakka.]]
585* MadeOfIron: Pretty much ''everyone'' and ''everything'' in the series. That's right, even the animals. One managed to survive ''two arrows two the heart and back''.
586* MadeOfExplodium: In accordance with the RuleOfCool, there are lots and lots of explosions, particularly in the second part.
587** Quite literally in the case of [[spoiler: the Mugann.]]
588* MagicalEye: Inverted. Characters with large Spiral power signify this with spirals in their eyes. Strangely, Simon, the one who produces the vast majority of said power, doesn't get this until the DistantFinale, and then only on one side.
589* MagicByAnyOtherName: The Spiral Energy is biological evolution forces in theory and ImaginationBasedSuperpower in practice, humans can spontaneously create new weapons or upgrade their mechs by just HeroicWillpower.
590* MagicFeather: Contrary to how it might initially seem, possessing the core drill is not what allows Simon to pilot Lagann. Indeed, it might be more true to say that his inherent Spiral power is what allowed him to find the core drill. Kamina understands this intuitively, and insists that Simon alone pilot it.
591* MagicSkirt: Nia. Especially in episode 15.
592* MagneticHero: The lead and secondary cast joined Kamina just after a little talk. The rest of them joined just because they were told about his awesomeness.
593* MaleFrontalNudity: Gimmy in the director's cut of the HotSpringsEpisode and the ''Parallel Works #5'' music video. (Japan regards toddler nudity as non-sexualized.)
594* MaleGaze: Ubiquitous throughout.
595** The camera explicitly tracks Kamina's gaze as he tries to chat up Yoko -- from the gun, to the boots, along the thighs, to the breasts.
596* TheManBehindTheMan: [[spoiler:The Anti Spirals.]]
597* TheManBehindTheMonsters: Lordgenome.
598* ManchurianAgent: [[spoiler: Nia after the population hits one million.]]
599* ManlyTears: Several times during the series. Often mirrored by THE VIEWER THEMSELVES.
600** Notably Simon at episode 11, after a hell of a RousingSpeech.
601* MarkedChange: [[spoiler: Post-TimeSkip Nia after she becomes an Anti-Spiral]].
602* MarriedInTheFuture: The [[BigBad Anti-Spiral]] traps Team Dai-Gurren in a LotusEaterMachine called the "Alternate Space Labyrinth," in which they live out their hearts' inner desires (for example, Simon's fantasy is getting to tag along with with [[spoiler:the already-KilledOffForReal Kamina much like they did in the beginning of the series]], whereas Viral gets to realize his dream of having a family, which is impossible due to him being effectively immortal and Beastmen can't reproduce). One of these what-if scenarios (shown on a TV screen in this case) depicts Yoko and Kittan on their wedding day. What makes this so poignant is that, by that time in the series, Kittan had just died one episode ago after giving a LastKiss to Yoko. The implication is that, had Kittan not knowingly sacrificed himself to help the group escape from the Sea of Despair and things turned out differently in the battle against the Anti-Spiral, they might have become a couple for real. And then, in KungFuJesus MessianicArchetype fashion, the spirit of Kamina shows up to help all of the heroes break free. In Yoko's case she's seen turning off the TV display of her and Kittan, which is held by Kamina.
603* MarshmallowHell: Simon has just the perfect height for this. Kiyoh even ''[[LampshadeHanging says so]]'' when she smothers him.
604** Simon follows up his entry to the surface by falling into Yoko's cleavage. He looks up in horror to see her smiling face, only to see the smile change to a horrified expression- not because of his position, but because of the [[OhCrap two gunmen behind him.]]
605* MauveShirt: Gimmy and Darry usually end up as the last survivors of the RedshirtArmy.
606* MechaEnablingPhlebotinum: The humanoid form is ideal for channeling spiral energy.
607* AMechByAnyOtherName: Sort of: there are Gunmen and Grapearl, but the (''very'' infrequently-used) generic term is "mech". On a single occasion, "Gunmen" is also used as if it were the generic term.
608* MediumAwareness: In the director's cut version of the HotSpringsEpisode, Darry and Gimmi are notably surprised when they notice Kamina and Simon's split screens appearing above them, and actually begin looking around for where it's coming from.
609* MeaninglessMeaningfulWords: Kamina's words to Simon.
610* MeaningfulName:
611** Simon's name apparently comes from a Japanese word relating to digging and we all know how much Simon loves to dig.
612** Naakim, the kid in Yoko's "during the time skip" episode, climbs a ridiculously tall tree to retrieve a satchel that bullies had hung from the top branches. This impressed the bullies so much that they told him they couldn't just call him Naakim anymore. Naakim is an anagram of Kamina.
613** Both Gurren and Lagann. "Guren" means "Crimson" (or "Crimson Lotus") and "Ragan" (Lagann's romanized form) means "Rock Face". Furthermore, the English word "Lagan" means "wreckage or goods at the bottom of the sea" (compare flotsam, jetsam), which, if "bottom of the sea" is replaced by "under ground", is where Lagann was actually discovered by Simon. This could also be how Kamina came up with the name in the first place...
614* MeetCute: How Simon and Nia meet. After [[spoiler:Kamina's death]], Simon is hit harder by it than anyone else, not helped that any attempts to help him feel better prove ineffective. However, upon freeing Nia from a box that contained her, his angst and self-pity is immediately forgotten and goes back to being rather dorky in how he speaks to his beautiful girl who seems to have no grasp what a human is and is automatically friendly to him.
615* MeetTheNewBoss: Rossiu's village chief, then Lordgenome, then [[spoiler:the Anti-Spirals]] all repress a group for their own good, likely a deliberate tie-in with the "Spiral" theme of recurring escalation.
616** Viral accuses Simon of replacing Lordgenome as a tyrant over the Beastmen and villagers by imprisoning the former and forcibly relocating the latter. Though there seem to be good reasons for these decisions, Simon's fear that he is [[MirrorCharacter too similar to]] Lordgenome causes him to accept Rossiu's plans, even when that means his own execution.
617* MegatonPunch: In possiby the ultimate example of this, Simon uses Arc Gurren Lagann to punch an enemy so hard it rips a freaking hole in the fabric of space and time.
618** He punched that ship so hard it hit NOTHING, and broke through it!
619* TheMentor: 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}}.
620* MetaMecha: More or less the signature power of the Lagann, taken to [[SerialEscalation ridiculous]] levels when in the finale you have [[spoiler: a mech the size of a human co-piloting a mech the size of a building, who in turn pilots a mech the size of a city, who then pilots a mech the size of the moon, who them combines with about a dozen other human-sized mechs and pilots a mech the size of a ''galaxy'', and that's all without figuring in the giant flaming Kamina in the Movie known as ''Super'' Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann...]]
621* MilkingTheGiantCow: Frequent and ''intense''.
622* MindRape: [[spoiler:The Anti-Spirals showing the Spiral Nemesis to the future Lordgenome in Parallel Works 8.]]
623* MiniMecha: Lagann
624* MirroringFactions: Simon discovers that after taking Teppelin, team Daigurren have been forcing humans to live above ground whether they want to or not...which really isn't too different from the oppression Lordgenome imposed on humanity by forcing them to live under the surface.
625* MirrorMatch:
626** [[spoiler:This is the Anti-Spirals' preferred method of inducing ultimate despair.]]
627** Lordgenome's Spiral Power readouts and drills also turn in the opposite direction of Gurren Lagann's, as well as having straighter grooves.
628*** As does [[spoiler:The Anti Spiral's Grandzeboma in the final battle.]]
629* MisanthropeSupreme: The Beastmen continuously rant about humans and how their deaths are beneath them.
630* MixAndMatchCritters: Grapopotamus is a key example; though this trope fits for every animal and most of the Beastmen in the series.
631* MonstrosityEqualsWeakness: Averted. The most powerful gunmen tended to be really bizarre and monstrous, and the more animalistic beastmen, while minor characters for the most part, weren't portrayed as any less powerful than humanoids. For a series that flat out states that the human form has more spiral power than any other, that's a pretty surprising aversion.
632* MoodWhiplash: As a direct consequence of [[KilledOffForReal several character deaths]].
633** Also, the above-mentioned [[Creator/{{Syfy}} Sci Fi Channel]] scheduling.
634** Frequently switched between humour, drama, and action. "You're Gonna Do It!!", for example, starts with dramatic closeup shots as Kamina and [[spoiler: Viral]] snipe at each other while Simon, Yoko, and the Black sisters look on. Then the camera switched to a wider angle, and, reminds the audience that, oh, right, our heroes are still pretty much naked from the last episode.
635* MotivationalKiss: Both Kamina and Kittan [[spoiler: choose to kiss Yoko shortly before dying heroically in battle.]]
636* MsFanservice: Yoko. See {{Fanservice}} above.
637** And the Black sisters too.
638* MultiArmedAndDangerous: [[spoiler: The Granzeboma has an additional pair of gigantic arms, big enough to pick up galaxies easily the size of the rest of the mech's body]]
639** The idea behind Viral's mech at the Enkidudu stage. Doesn't work; Simon pretty much pwns him without really paying attention, and eventually it gets shot up by Grapearls. [[spoiler:It gets a bit more impressive with ''sixteen'' arms circa ''Lagann-Hen''.]]
640* MultipleHeadCase: Because every individual Gunmen resembles a face and has an individual pilot, any of the CombiningMecha forms (such as the iterations of the titular Gurren Lagann) end up as this, with each pilot controlling an individual component (and face) and having to coordinate between each other in battle.
641* MundaneMadeAwesome:
642** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNrtK78tlJA Parallel Works 2]] -- a pachinko mecha. Seriously.
643** Libera Me From Hell wasted on nature shots. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdfXUQspWNI And it's an official Parallel Works video]].
644** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iY2JzfLU8Ds HACKING!]]
645*** It has been scientifically proven that if you listen to many of the show's theme songs during menial tasks, said menial task will multiply in awesome.
646* MyNameIsInigoMontoya: "I'm Simon The Digger!!!"
647* Mystical108: In episode 24, Gimmy says something to the effect of "108th unit destroyed!" after blowing up a few anti-spiral mooks. Then, that's when everything goes bad. Given the obviously Buddhism inspired ships, this was wholly intentional.
648* NakedFreakOut: This happens to Yoko in the HotSpringsEpisode episode where she has at the end a wardrobe malfunction. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54JYD7Z8QWw Seen here.]]
649* NarratorAllAlong: [[spoiler: Simon]].
650* NeverTellMeTheOdds: 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."]]
651* NeverTrustATrailer: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXhU3H8KPZk Subverted]], and how!
652* NiceJobFixingItVillain:
653** Guame's televising his fight with Lagann and broadcasting it to humans everywhere. [[spoiler: He ends up getting his butt whupped by Simon, for all humans on Earth to see, who are thus inspired into Badassery and Hotbloodedness and turn up as TheCavalry in the penultimate battle for Teppelin]].
654** When Team Dai-Gurren first finds Nia, and after it comes out that she is the daughter of the Spiral King, they are distrustful of her. Then Adiane shows up and tries to break Nia's spirit before killing her by publicly announcing that Lordgenome thought of Nia as a doll and has cast her out and discarded her, ordering Adiane to kill her along with the rest of the humans. But when Team Dai-Gurren hears this, this causes them to trust Nia as Nia is now firmly on their side, and they're enraged at Nia being abandoned, to boot.
655** 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''.
656** Along those same lines, [[spoiler:Simon probably would have just waited for the moon to land and kill him thinking most of humanity was safe if Nia hadn't told him that the impact would kill everyone underground. Though ostensibly she did it to cause him despair, it only goaded him into action.]]
657* NiceJobBreakingItHero: [[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...]]
658** More directly, Lordgenome says that the moon shall become the "messenger of hell" when there are 1 million humans on the surface. So what does Rossiu do? He forces everyone onto the surface to conduct a census. As it turns out, at that time there were 999,999 of them. And then Kiyoh has her baby. Whoops.
659*** In the CompilationMovie, to simplify the plot Lordgenome simply says the trigger will be humanity reaching the moon. So Rossiu sends a rocket to the moon. Brilliant.
660* NoahsStoryArc: The Arc-Gurren is used to house the population of Kamina City in space when the moon is on a collision course with earth.
661* NobleDemon: Viral.
662* NoConservationOfEnergy: It's a major plot point that [[MetaphysicalFuel Spiral Energy]] can make energy and mass where there was none, [[spoiler:which is why it may destroy the entire universe]].
663* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: Post time-skip Rossiu makes a series of decisions that could be politely called "morally questionable", including [[spoiler: using his friend and the saviour of the world as a sacrificial lamb to placate the will of the public, secretly conducting research that has "bad, bad, dangerous idea" written all over it, using a woman who is clearly romantically interested in him as a hostage to ensure Simon's cooperation, and forcibly relocating people from their homes without telling anybody.]] Bizarrely, the choice that seems to cause him the most regret and which eventually [[spoiler: [[DrivenToSuicide drives him to nearly kill himself]]]] is his decision to [[spoiler: abandon Kamina City with a half-full ship]] which, while not exactly heroic, was nonetheless [[ShootTheDog a practical choice]] and pretty much the only defensible decision he'd made to that point.
664* NoHoldsBarredBeatdown: The battle against Lordgenome, who beats the ever-loving crap out of Lagann ''bare-handed''.
665* NonHumanSidekick: Boota, later [[spoiler: kinda human sidekick.]].
666* NoNameGiven: The music used when [[spoiler:Kamina is impaled]] and when Simon is fighting Lordgenome, has never been released in the official soundtrack and its name is unknown.
667* NoOntologicalInertia: [[spoiler:Teppelin falls apart after Lordgenome is killed, and Nia dies after the defeat of the Anti-Spirals.]]
668* NormallyIWouldBeDeadNow: [[spoiler:Kamina, after being epically blasted and impaled, seeming dead to everyone and making Simon have a HeroicBSOD,]] comes back and [[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan punches]] him out of it, then leads the Dai-Gurren Brigade to victory. [[spoiler:[[MoodWhiplash And then dies]].]]
669** Apparently, Word of God said [[spoiler:Kamina did in fact die, but came back to life to whoop Thymilph's ass. So the guy, got killed, got up, and avenged himself]]. Truly a man of legends.
670* NoSell:
671** Kamina deflects Thymilph's Condemn Glaize effortlessly with ease by simply ''grabbing it''.
672** Lordgenome effortlessly managing to block a Giga Drill Break.
673* NoSenseOfPersonalSpace: [[CampGay 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.
674* NoSympathy: After [[spoiler: Kamina's death]], everyone's morale has taken a toll, but none more so than Simon. However, most seem to be intent on putting a stiff upper-lip and trying to move on while doing somewhat half-assed attempts at helping him. Gets a bit worse throughout as after Lagann stops working, they kinda abandon him to his own devices. The only one shown to be consistently worried about him was Rossiu. While Nia was also worried, she also had genuine faith in Simon which was the main reason he broke through his funk (not that Rossiu didn't believe in Simon, he was openly concerned).
675* NotBrainwashed: [[spoiler: Nia]], according to herself after she learns she's TheMole. [[spoiler:Simon [[IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight disagrees]]]].
676* NotSoStoic: [[spoiler:The Anti-Spiral goes HotBlooded during the final battle]].
677* NotTooDeadToSaveTheDay: [[spoiler:Kamina]], ''twice.'' [[spoiler:Once in the episode where he died, and again when everyone is trapped in the LotusEaterMachine.]]
678* ObiWanMoment: [[spoiler:Kamina avenges his own death before dying.]]
679* OminousLatinChanting: See OneWomanWail. Interspersed with a rap song, [[GenreMashup and is just as awesome as it sounds]].
680* OnceMoreWithClarity: In episode 10, Simon tells a story to Nia and Yoko about a misadventure he and Kamina had where Kamina's boundless optimism was the only thing that kept him digging and saved both their lives. The point, Simon feels, is that he needs to be more like Kamina to be successful. In episode 11, Yoko recounts Kamina's version of the story. According to him, Simon was the one who saved them by continuing to dig in spite of the seemingly impossible odds and Kamina's confidence, both then and later, came from his refusal to be surpassed so easily by Simon.
681* OneWomanWail: "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT6LFOIofRE Libera Me From Hell]]", the track played during [[spoiler: Kittan's HeroicSacrifice, Kamina pulling everyone out of the LotusEaterMachine, and the creation of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]].
682* OnlySaneMan: Rossiu in episode 6 and Kittan in episode 20.
683* OrcusOnHisThrone: Lordgenome.
684* OtherworldlyTechnicolourHair: Nia Teppelin is [[spoiler:an artificial being made by the Anti spirals]], and has multicoloured, cloud-like pale blue/shiny blonde hair. She is the only non-human amongst the main cast. While ''Anime/GurrenLagann'' is a case of WorldOfTechnicolorHair, the human characters are restricted to a single hair colour, such as Simon's blue and Yoko's red.
685* OutOfTheInferno: [[spoiler:Pulled by Kittan flying King Kittan through the explosion of his Space Gunmen.]]
686** Earlier pulled by ''every one'' of the three battleships involved in episode 14.
687* TheOutsideWorld: The show starts off with Humanity living in isolated villages below the earth. The idea of a surface world is a legend, as well as a major taboo to go searching for it. When the plot kicks in though, Simon and Kamina find themselves on the surface at the end of the first episode. While the initial reaction to them surveying their surroundings is nothing too special, both are constantly surprised by the wonders that exist there.
688* ThePatriarch: Father Magin. He's the head of an entire clan, and is also pretty competent. As Kamina notes he had enough fighting spirit to get an ancient gunman working and used it to defeat the MonsterOfTheWeek (though he still manages to be TheStoic). Also, he got the hang of it pretty well, so he's either an InstantExpert, or he's piloted them before. The dub at least implies InstantExpert, as he said that he just did what felt natural.
689* ParentalAbandonment: The parents of everyone that wasn't born during the course of the series are all dead [[spoiler: Except for Rossiu, though his mother was essentially sentenced to death by his father]]. Except for one case, Nia; where it simply was a literal parental abandonment - though her father dies anyway. [[spoiler: Twice.]]
690** Lordgenome had Nia and her sisters before her [[spoiler: placed in boxes and dumped over a mountain when they began showing signs of intelligence. This was to prevent their growth in spiral power and TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt]]. Even DaddyHadAGoodReasonForAbandoningYou is cranked up.
691* ParrotPetPosition: Boota is often seen on Simon's shoulder, pre-TimeSkip.
692* PassionIsEvil: Inverted. Good is personified by passion in this series, as opposed to the depressing stoicism and cold logic of the bad guys.
693* PassingTheTorch: There is a chain of these, mixed with TakeUpMySword. Notably [[spoiler:Kamina to Simon]], and [[spoiler:Simon to Gimmy]]. Not including [[GenerationXerox other predecessors]]. The [[spoiler: villains are those who [[FallenHero refused to step aside]]]].
694** Throughout the series, [[spoiler: Simon gradually becomes more and more like Kamina. This becomes most pronounced post- TimeSkip. Just compare the appearances of the two at the end of episode 26 when shown together.]]
695* PeopleJars: [[spoiler: Lordgenome's head is revived as a "biological computer", who later becomes useful for spouting out TechnoBabble on the reality-altering attacks the Anti-Spirals use. The Beastmen also come from people jars, which are briefly seen when Lordgenome makes Viral immortal, and again in Parallel Works 8]].
696* PersonalHorror: Happens to the Spiral King in the prologue/parallel works.
697* PetTheDog: [[AntagonistInMourning Viral in mourning]]. Then comes a DoubleSubversion later in the same episode, where [[spoiler:Yoko, Simon's current co-pilot, was held hostage by Cytomander, and the latter orders Viral to finish Simon off (defenseless because of Yoko's situation). Viral was about to comply, until Simon calls him out on this, causing Viral to disobey the order given to him]].
698** Viral also has a second PetTheDog moment after the TimeSkip. [[spoiler:Prior to his HeelFaceTurn]], Viral is shown protecting a migrating group of humans.
699* PhysicalGod: The only category that [[spoiler: '''the Super Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann qualifies for!''']]
700** And the Anti-Spiral King.
701* {{Pixellation}}: Subverted for laughs in the uncut "director's cut" version of episode 6. 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.
702* PlanetSpaceship: The final battle has the two sides fighting with ships that are on the same scale as galaxies!
703* PleasePutSomeClothesOn: 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.
704** The Adai villagers also give Yoko a robe to wear over her bikini top and daisy dukes.
705* PoesLaw: Started out as a parody of the HotBlooded SuperRobot shows that inspired it, but after [[WhamEpisode Episode 8]], it gradually became more and more the DeconReconSwitch we all know and love.
706* PoorCommunicationKills: Lordgenome reveals that having more than 1,000,000 humans would have severe consequences. Unfortunately, he fails to specify that this applies to the number of humans on the surface(hence why he forced the humans to live underground). Rossiu, assuming that having more than 1,000,000 humans ''total'' would trigger this, forces the humans to come to the surface to easily be counted, [[NiceJobBreakingItHero thereby causing the disaster that he was trying to prevent]].
707* PopulationControl: Applies both to Adai Village's population limit of 50 (enforced by randomly-selected exile to the surface) and the "1,000,000 apes" prophecy.
708** Of course, the latter was supposed to cut the population down to 0, were it not for Team Dai-Gurren being incredibly badass.
709* PostVictoryCollapse: [[spoiler: Kamina]] gets [[spoiler:lethally]] hurt, but not without opening a huge can of whoopass on Thymilph's Dai-Gunzan and commandeering it as the Dai-Gurren. [[spoiler: Then he dies.]].
710* PowerGivesYouWings: Power gives you CoolShades and [[ThisIsADrill drills]].
711* ThePowerOfLove: One of the main themes of the show; on a more literal level, without [[spoiler: Simon and Nia's love]], humanity and the beastmen would've been annihilated.
712* PowerIncontinence: Simon gets the rare inversion of this trope following [[spoiler: Kamina's death]] - whenever he tries to use Lagann in the immediate aftermath, it starts vomiting out energy and refuses to work. Turns out the thing runs on [[spoiler: spiral energy--determination and willpower,]] so Simon's defeatist attitude was basically pouring diesel in the gas tank.
713* PrecociousCrush:
714** Simon had one on Yoko as revealed in episode 8. [[spoiler: Seeing Kamina and Yoko kiss breaks his heart and causes him to lose focus which leads to a chain of events that causes Kamina's death.]]
715** After she becomes a teacher, Yoko's student Naakim develops a crush on her.
716* PressureSensitiveInterface: The kind of psycho {{Gonk}} called Attenborough who appears to be in charge of using the giant mechs' cannons. He [[BeamSpam never does any aiming or anything]], mind you. And he often acts so rashly that he puts the whole team in danger. Presumably, he's only in this position because [[TriggerHappy he pushes those buttons very enthusiastically]], and ''really damn hard''.
717* ProductPlacement: In a few closeups you can see the Gurren Lagann's joints look suspiciously like those of the [[MerchandiseDriven Revoltech toys]].
718* PsychoactivePowers: Spiral Power. Fear and despair kill it, hope and optimism increase it, and [[HotBlooded Hot Blood]] blasts it sky-high.
719* PunBasedTitle: The Japanese titles of the movies use kanji that read ''Guren'' and ''Ragan'' (i.e. "Gurren" and "Lagann"). The English titles eschew this in favor of the IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming, and go with quotes just like the series episode titles.
720* PunctuatedForEmphasis: '''GIGA!!! DRILL!!! ''BREAAKEEEERRR!!!!!'''''.
721* PunkPunk: The entire first season and a little on is in the style of DesertPunk to the letter. Plus giant robots.
722* PyrrhicVictory: The Anti-Spirals are defeated, leading to the peace and freedom of all Spiral races, but with such victory came at a personal heavy price for Simon and the remaining; more than half of the Gurren Brigade are dead, including Kittan, and Nia dies soon after returning to earth, because her life force was tied to the Anti-Spiral. On her wedding day of all days.
723[[/folder]]
724
725[[folder: Q-Z]]
726* RankScalesWithAsskicking: Thymilph, Lordgenome and the [[spoiler:Anti-Spirals]] all succeed in doing major damage to Team Dai-Gurren.
727* RatedMForManly: This show is all about drills. And fighting. Breasts feature prominently in the background. And the manliness is so awesome ''it warps reality''. Manliness warping reality is ''actually the driving force of the plot''.
728** Even the ''girls'' are manly enough to warp reality.
729** Heck even the pet piglet is manly enough to warp reality.
730*** Even the ''super-femme CampGay mechanic'' is manly enough to warp reality!
731** Manliest of all is Kamina. So much so just wearing his CoolShades at least triples your manliness. [[CharacterCatchphrase WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK HE IS?!]]
732** It's a show all about doing the impossible, seeing the invisible, breaking the unbreakable. Fighting the POWAH.
733** Lordgenome might top them all. He's a giant muscular man with an impressive spiky beard and spiral-shaped chest hair who goes around shirtless despite essentially ruling the world. He is so manly HE DESTROYS GIANT ROBOTS WITH HIS OWN BARE HANDS. [[IAmNotLeftHanded HE CONSIDERS USING HIS GIANT ROBOT IN A BATTLE AS "HOLDING BACK".]] He ''ate'' a Big Bang. As in for breakfast. ''Without milk.'' Devoured the damn thing whole and then [[VoluntaryShapeshifting turned into a gigantic-ass drill]]. Said drill [[spoiler:was directly responsible for the defeat of the BigBad]].
734** Simon [[TeleportersAndTransporters invented time-space teleportation]] just to [[MundaneUtility punch Rossiu in the face]].
735** By the end of the series, Simon becomes so manly that a nice outfit and ridiculous-looking pair of sunglasses spontaneously generates on his body, right in time for the final battle.
736** As described to an anime club once: "Gurren Lagann is about brotherhood, giant robots, and killing furries with phallic symbols."
737* ReadingsAreOffTheScale: ''Literally''. As in, when [[spoiler:the Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann absorbs the energy from a BeamOWar twice the power of the Big Bang]], the readings ''go off the scale and float in midair''.
738** The Scale also only uses White and Green normally. When the Reading literally go off the scale, they also turn into a ''rainbow''.
739* RealityBreakingParadox: [[spoiler:The Spiral Nemesis. The Anti-Spirals fear that transmuting too much mass will cause the universe to collapse into a black hole. Probably performed in ''Lagann-hen'' when the [[BeamOWar power struggle]] of two drills causes the pocket universe they're in to collapse into an infinity sign.]]
740* RealityWarper: What starts to happen when you have enough Spiral Energy.
741* RealRobot: Although the show as a whole falls squarely into SuperRobot territory, Grapearls represent the RealRobot 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.
742** Debatably, the Beastman-controlled Gunmen can be considered a type of RealRobot; they are mass-produced (though there are many types), they use mundane weaponry like clubs and greatswords, and they run on solar power.
743** Arguably, every mecha in the show are actually real robots with the exception the "Lagann" type mecha. Though, anything the Laganns "hack" into turns into a SuperRobot, including the moon. It is also the sole reason why the "improved" Grapearls were never able to surpass the original.
744*** May be the reason why they couldn't mass produce the Lagann types along with the Grapearls.
745* RecapEpisode: ''Gurren Lagann'' rates two of these. The HotSpringsEpisode had enough risqué material that before broadcast, about half of its running time was replaced with lengthy flashbacks to earlier episodes. Episode 16 was another recap episode, summing up the first arc of the series [[spoiler:before the time skip]].
746** The episode 16 recap is unusual in that it brings the series's episode total to 27. Weekly syndicated shows usually have episode counts that are multiples of 13, since that divides evenly into a 52-week year. It seems likely that the recap was added late in production, perhaps prompted by concern that viewers might be confused by the second arc if they couldn't remember important details about the first one.
747* RecklessGunUsage: See JugglingLoadedGuns.
748* {{Reconstruction}}: Many of the tropes that were dissected in ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' were then put back together here, like being HotBlooded.
749* RedemptionPromotion: Viral.
750* RedheadsAreRavishing: Kamina, Simon and Kittan all end up falling for Yoko.
751* RedOniBlueOni:
752* " Reversed: uber-HotBlooded Simon and Kamina wear blue, while the level-headed Yoko is a redhead.
753** Played around with in regards to Jorgun and Balinbow (each twin wears red and blue shades, respectively, but have the same basic HotBlooded personality).
754* RedshirtArmy: The motley crew at the battle against Teppelin, then the post-TimeSkip Grapearl army.
755** Said motley crew? [[InvokedTrope Entirely identical and all bright red.]]
756* ReflectionlessUselessEyes: Several characters get spiral-shaped eyes at various points when they're utilizing massive amounts of Spiral Power.
757* ReleasedToElsewhere: Adai village practices strict population control. Every time the population exceeds 50, they cast lots to see who gets sent to the surface. The people are told that the surface is paradise, but in reality, it's a desolate wasteland crawling with genocidal beastmen. It's doubtful that the exiles even outlast their rations.
758* ResurrectionRevenge: [[spoiler:Kamina willed himself back to life after being killed by Thymilph. He proceeded to invent Gurren Lagann's finishing move and Team Gurren to victory. Only to promptly die again as soon as the battle was over.]]
759* RetiredBadass: [[spoiler: Kiyoh and Kiyal, post-TimeSkip Yoko before the Anti-Spirals' attack; Simon in the DistantFinale.]]
760** [[spoiler: The Priest of Adai village.]]
761* RetroUpgrade: In the second half of the anime, the Gunmen are dropped in favor of the new Grapearls. It turns out that the Gunmen are still more useful against anti-spirals because they were designed specifically to fight them.
762* RidiculouslyCuteCritter: Boota!
763* RightForTheWrongReasons: During Simon and Kamina's first mecha fight with Viral, Gurren grabs Lagann and rams it, drill-first, on top of its own body. ''"You see that!? Now we got two faces too!"'' Little did Kamina know, that's exactly how Lagann transforms with other Gunmen.
764* RocketPunch: Subverted -- the one and only example is less "rocket" than it is "pull off my arm and throw it at you," and it is less "punch" than "the most epic BrightSlap in human history."
765* RousseauWasRight: [[spoiler:EVERY major antagonist turns out to be trying to do what they thought was best for the world. [[{{Pun}} Including Rossiu]].]]
766* RuleOfCool: The show pretty much relies on this for everything it does. [[spoiler:Even ordinary goggles can randomly transform into [[CoolShades sunglasses]] if the situation is dramatic enough.]]
767** Kamina lives strictly by the RuleOfCool to the point of rejecting anything useful, plausible, practical, survivable, etc, if it isn't cool enough.
768** WebVideo/ObscurusLupa sums up the series as ''incredibly'' stupid when you analyze it, as there's a ton of plot holes, a Deux ex Machina nearly every episode, and nothing about it makes any real sense. But the show is just so much ''fun'' to watch, the heroes are so awesome, and there was obviously so much passion, intensity and love that went into the production, that you really don't care and just enjoy the ride.
769* RuleOfSymbolism: As elaborated in Simon's NoMoreHoldingBackSpeech, the concept of spirals detailing the struggles of the humans up to that point.
770* RunningJoke: The Old Man.
771** Yoko having kids.
772** A meta-example: Any time any question is asked about anything in this series, the first answer is always "[[AWizardDidIt spiral energy]]." Even when--no, ''especially'' when there's a better answer.
773* SatelliteCharacter: Kinon after the time-skip.
774* ScarfOfAsskicking: Yoko's.
775** Also [[spoiler:Viral Post-Timeskip, in his hobo/freedom fighter outfit,]] although this is possibly a subversion, as his scarf defies all laws of gravity and refuses to blow in the wind.
776* ScavengerWorld
777* SceneryPorn: When Simon first broke through to the surface with Yoko and Kamina, he shot up so high he saw the earth pretty much split in two between night and day, with the moon and sun on opposite sides of the sky going over a vast expanse of earth. Photographers would kill to get that kind of shot in real life but because this show runs on RuleOfCool, that's more than likely impossible.
778** Even more breathtaking after the TimeSkip when Yoko and a student see the same view (inexplicably from a treetop this time) over the fucking ocean.
779* SchmuckBanquet: Lampshaded heavily with the Japanese inn, banquet, and hot springs all being called into question
780* {{Schoolmarm}}: [[spoiler: Post-TimeSkip Yoko]].
781* ScifiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale:
782** [[spoiler: The last episode shows Super Galaxy Gurren Lagann, which is the size of the moon, being only slightly smaller than Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, which is larger than galaxies]].
783** Also, [[spoiler: the Gurren Laganns ejecting each other in turn to get to the Anti-Spiral at the end of the final battle. If we are to trust the WordOfGod about the Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann being 10 million light-years tall, the two mechas' heads should be thousands of light-years away from each other, yet Simon manages to reach the Granzeboma in just a few seconds.]]
784** Also, if we are to presume that the planet on the [[spoiler: helmet of the Anti-Spiral mech]] is taken from "real space", and noting that when the fabricated universe rips and the Earth appears, it is just the right size [[spoiler: for the Anti-Spiral mech to grab it with one hand]], the final mechs are probably "only" around the size of the Earth-Moon system when translated into real space - a reasonable level of growth stepping up from [[spoiler: the Moon-sized Super Galaxy Gurren Lagann]], and just small enough to avoid breaking the light-speed barrier provided they don't move too fast (although still large enough to break most other laws of physics).
785* ScreamingWarrior: Every time someone is HotBlooded; read: ''all the time!''.
786* ScrewDestiny: The entire point of "We go BeyondTheImpossible". Just listen to their {{Rousing Speech}}es during the last part of the series. [[note]] Alternatively, Screw Physics.[[/note]] 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.
787* SelfMadeMan: Played with for Kamina, who built himself up to team leader from nothing and yet relies on Simon for everything.
788* SenselessSacrifice: [[spoiler:Kittan flies out to perform a HeroicSacrifice--only for his mecha to blow up moments too soon. [[SubvertedTrope Wait, no--that was his mecha's mecha.]] Kittan lasts a few more seconds to say something.]]
789* SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan: Simon and Kamina.
790* SerialEscalation: Taken to an artform. At the start of the story, Gurren Lagann is a car sized head shaped robot without much capability piloted by 2 guys who have never touched anything more advanced than a hand crank drill in their lives. [[spoiler:At the end of the story, it is a veritable matryoshka doll of robots of increasing size culminating in the "top" level robot that is big enough to throw entire ''galaxies'' like shurikens without issue.]] And over the course of the story we see every single step inbetween the two states.
791** The fact that Gainax [[Creator/{{Satelight}} more]] [[Creator/NakamuraProductions or]] [[Creator/{{Ufotable}} less]] [[Creator/{{AIC}} compiled]] [[Creator/TMSEntertainment nearly]] [[Creator/MookDLE every]] [[Creator/StudioDEEN well]][[Creator/BeeTrain -]][[Creator/StudioGhibli known]] [[Creator/BrainsBase Japanese]] [[Creator/TamaProductions studio]] [[Creator/ProductionReed for]] [[{{Creator/GONZO}} this]] [[Creator/DRMovie series]] as support possibly counts too.
792* SatelliteLoveInterest: Kiyoh for Dayakka, Kinon for Rossiu. Still, this is CharacterDevelopment for them since before they had little characterization.
793** Kiyoh and Dayakka's relationship is given a little more attention in the manga.
794* SelfHealingPhlebotinum: Gunmen regenerate when infused with fighting spirit. Usually they return to their damaged state after the battle is over.
795* SharePhrase: Every main character gets a turn in hot-bloodingly shouting some variation on "WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK I AM?!" Even Nia.
796* ShareTheMalePain: In a particularly memorable scene, the Dai-Gurren takes a shot to the crotch. Every man (save for [[CampGay Leeron]]) immediately winces.
797* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend: Taken a step further when Kiyoh assumes that Gimmy and Darry are two kids that [[BelligerentSexualTension Kamina and Yoko]] had together.
798--> '''Kiyoh:''' Yoko! When did you have children? Don't tell me you and Kamina-?!\
799'''Yoko:''' As if that'd happen!
800* ShooOutTheClowns: [[spoiler:Kamina's death]] signified the shifting AffectionateParody to {{Reconstruction}}, and the show became more serious in tone.
801* ShootTheDog: Rossiu is forced to do this a lot, and suffers for it.
802* ShootTheHostage: Brought up by Adiane to Yoko when she takes Nia hostage, [[spoiler:but subverted: Yoko was actually aiming [[CloseCallHaircut 2 millimeters to the right of Nia's head]], allowing her to hit a weak spot on Adiane's mech.]]
803* ShoutOut: [[ShoutOut/TengenToppaGurrenLagann Has its own page]].
804* ShouldersOfDoom: Most of the Gunmen, epitomised by Super Galaxy Gurren Lagann's.
805* ShowyInvincibleHero: 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 Sacrifice}}s]].
806* SidewaysSmile: Kamine and Simon smile like this when they enter their own mechas for the first time.
807* TheSiege: Combined with '''DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu'''.
808* SignatureTeamTransport: The Dai-Gurren becomes this for the Gurren Brigade.
809* SingleMindedTwins: Jougan and Barinbou.
810* SingleStrokeBattle: While not a ''literal'' case of this, '''GIGA DRILL ''BUREEEEEIKAAAAAAHHHHHHHH''''' is genuinely shown as such, complete with landing in a crouch before the enemy mech explodes.
811* SissyVillain: Cytomander
812* SixthRanger: [[spoiler: Viral after his HeelFaceTurn]].
813* SlidingScaleOfContinuity: Level 5 (Full Lockout), especially as it goes on (though the Parallel Works are level 0).
814* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism: ''Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann'' is surprisingly right in the middle of the scale with a slight leaning toward idealism. While on the surface it seems like a normal Good Vs. Evil story, the main villains are very much like the heroes [[spoiler: one of who being a FallenHero and the other being a WellIntentionedExtremist with very understandable reasons]] and are never treated as being whole wrong. Likewise, the heroes are full of flaws and are never treated as being fully right [[spoiler: especially as they were on a path to causing an ApocalypseWow for the whole universe.]] The only time the heroes are treated as being fully right is when they take the phiosophy of the BigBad into themselves, changing their views into a combination of their's and the enemy's. While the series does promote a ScrewDestiny message, the ending shows that just because they can screw destiny doesn't mean they should. And while the heroes are able to create a path for a bright future for all, it comes at the cost of many lives, implied that it will be a very hard path to transverse and [[spoiler: the main character gives up on being a big famous hero and simply walks the earth, old and forgotten.]] In short, while things may have turned out for the best of all people, the heroes had to make a lot of sacrifices and changes to get things this way.
815* SlipknotPonytail: [[spoiler:Rossiu after Simon jumps through ''space and time'' to smack some sense into him.]]
816* SlouchOfVillainy: Lordgenome's preferred method of sitting. Naturally.
817* SmallGirlBigGun: Yoko and her sniper rifle.
818* SmallSecludedWorld : The village where Simon and Kamina live is secluded from the rest of the world and is only big enough for the inhabitants. Each of the underground villages where humans are hidden are one of these.
819* SnotBubble
820* SoftWater: During the BeachEpisode, it's OK to use the hundreds of feet tall Dai-Gunmen as a springboard.
821* SortingAlgorithmOfEvil: Viral, then the [[FourIsDeath Four]] Divine Generals, then Lordgenome, [[spoiler:then the Anti-Spiral System, then an entire ''reality'' controlled by Anti-Spirals, and finally an enemy mecha that throws galaxies like Frisbees]].
822* SpaceIsAnOcean: There really is an ocean in space, and a watery one at that. [[spoiler: It turns out to be a NegativeSpaceWedgie]]. There's also the movie's [[spoiler:Tengen Toppa Dai-Gurren; whereas the original Dai-Gurren simply resembled a ship, this one shows up on a wave, flies a flag, has a water-going vessel's steering wheel, and even one of those bells]].
823* SpaceOpera: The final act of the series. Of course, fitting the series, this is a Space Opera wherein the ships are piloted by the ''sheer manliness and willpower of the protagonists.''
824* SparedByTheAdaptation: In the second film, [[spoiler:Kittan is the only character to be killed in the final battle, everyone else who died in the original anime lives, with various scenes edited or added to include them.]]
825** [[spoiler:Kamina survives in the HighSchoolAU.]]
826** [[spoiler:Nia survives in VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsX.]]
827* SpectacularSpinning: In the form of "Spiral Power", this is a codified law of the universe.
828* SpectralWeaponCopy: The climax has Simon [[spoiler: impale the Anti-Spiral]] with a drill made of pure energy (and his blood). This is foreshadowed in the second expanded movie, where Simon, while imprisoned, creates a spectral copy of his Core Drill, but doesn't use it as he's unsure of the right course of action.
829* SpellMyNameWithAnS:
830** Official Japanese Gulaparl vs. {{Fanon}} Grapal; which one is used depends on the fansub group, and ''neither'' is the official English name, "Grapearl;" Gunmen/Gammen/Ganmen/Gunman, Rossiu/Roshiu, Giga Drill Break(er); Giha/Jiiha; pronouncing Simon SHE-Moan or SEE-Moan (or as the usual Anglo "Simon"); Lord Genome/Lordgenome.
831** Also, the Anti-Spiral's Tengen Toppa-class mecha, the Grandzeboma, is usually seen written as "Grand Zamboa".
832** To add a theoretical dimension to this, Matt Greenfield of Creator/ADVFilms once said that they would've dubbed Simon's name as the typical English Sai-mon.
833** "Ritona" was pretty rampant as Yoko's last/clan name, being the direct Romanization. Bandai standardized this to "Littner".
834** And then there's the series title itself. It has been alternatively spelled as Teng'''a''' Toppa Gurren Lagann. It's an EXTREMELY widespread usage.
835* SphereOfPower
836* SplitScreen: Taken to splintered screens wrestling with each other's borders during arguments and HamToHamCombat.
837* SpiritualSuccessor: To ''Anime/{{Gunbuster}}'', ''Anime/{{FLCL}}'', and ''Anime/{{Diebuster}}''. Gains one of its own [[Anime/KillLaKill six years later]], even being made by [[Creator/StudioTrigger the same people]].
838* SpoilerOpening: The third intro is notorious for this: [[spoiler:Nia having "another self", the Gurren Lagann shown to have more (and larger) forms, the Cathedral Terra (although it's only shown in shadow)]], among others...
839** The opening for Episode 5.5, "My Gurren is Shining!" gives away a number of the best scenes in the episode. This is especially sad given that the episode is only ten minutes long, so doesn't have that many scenes to begin with.
840* SpringCoil: The Lagann has them.
841* StartOfDarkness: Parallel Works #8 for Lordgenome.
842* StatingTheSimpleSolution: [[spoiler:Lordgenome asks the Anti-Spiral Leader why he didn't just destroy Team Dai-Gurren with his near-infinite power. The ASL says there was an unusual source of spiral energy that [[ForScience they needed data on]], lest it "ruin everything". Turns out it's [[ChekhovsGunman Boota]].]]
843* StealthPun: At least in English, the song title "Rap is a Man's Soul" works as this, given that rap, R&B, and, yes, ''soul'' are closely related musical genres.
844* SteppingStonesInTheSky: The last chapter features [[spoiler:''Stepping Galaxies In Outer Space!'']]
845* StockFootage: The Giga Drill Break-animation. Which gets kinda jarring in episode 15 and TheMovie, as the Gurren Lagann's wings just spontaneously disappear for one shot as the attack is carried out.
846* StormingTheCastle
847* StressVomit: Simon's robot, the Lagann, starts vomiting Spiral Energy during the more stressful moments Simon goes through after [[spoiler: Kamina's death]].
848* {{Stripperiffic}}: Yoko, especially her outfit for the final arc. Not to mention ''Simon's'' waist cincher and posture collar. And Kamina never wore very much either.
849* StrongFamilyResemblance: As [[https://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]].
850** In the DistantFinale, Rossiu now has a striking resemblance to his own father.
851* StuffBlowingUp: Has an explosions-per-minute quotient that would put any Creator/MichaelBay movie to shame.
852* StupidSexyFlanders: If the short "Viral's Sweet Dream" is anything to go by, even his sworn enemies can't help but have ''thoughts'' about Kamina.
853-->'''Viral:''' Why was I dreaming of ''Kamina!?'' Well, I guess I'm allowed to have sweet dr-NO, NO! NOT SWEET! NOT SWEET!
854* SupernaturalAid
855* SuperPrototype: The Grapearl mecha are mass-produced versions of the Gurren Lagann. Of course, being {{Real Robot}}s based on a SuperRobot, they're inferior. Gimmy {{lampshade|Hanging}}s this in one episode. Also, the Custom Gunmen of Lordgenome's Four Generals.
856* SuperRobot: Hell yeah.
857* SupportingLeader: Kamina of course; though Kittan assumes the role [[spoiler: after Kamina dies]], even getting two [[ADayInTheLimelight days in the limelight]] in the second arc.
858* SupportingProtagonist: [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] with Simon. [[spoiler: In the first arc, it very much looks this way, but then Kamina dies. In reality, Kamina's entire role was contributing to Simon's CharacterDevelopment.]]
859* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome : Even in a series as soft on science as this one, some examples pop up.
860** In Episode 8, Kamina meets his end because he charged into the middle of the enemy base and let his guard down to ''jump from his Gunman'' and belt Simon in the face. He didn't pick up on the sudden GenreShift and probably his PlotArmor to protect him from the obvious consequences.
861** In Episode 9, Simon is outright exhausted because [[spoiler:Kamina's death has driven him to become almost AxCrazy, constantly in battle and pushing himself extremely hard, while in a HeroicSafeMode outside of it, all in an attempt to pick up the slack that Kamina left behind]]. It's also implied during this time that Simon isn't even eating or sleeping. As a result, Simon ends up hitting a HeroicRROD as a result of the physical and mental hell that he's putting his body through.
862** Naturally since the heroes were the ones who liberated mankind from the Spiral King, they are put in charge of the new civilization that is built. This is a bad idea -- a bunch of hot-headed freedom fighters really have no idea how to run a government, and they're all either incompetent or disinterested in their jobs save for the level-headed one among them, who is forced to shoulder a lot of the burdens of leadership himself and grows distant and cynical from the others.
863* SwissArmySuperpower: Drills can do ''absolutely anything''. You'll find drills used as bullets, shields, lances, whips, means of propulsion, machine assimilation adapters, and shockingly enough, even actual digging tools.
864* TalkingIsAFreeAction:
865** Played straight most of the time, except in episode 25.
866---> '''Kittan:''' Damnit, let me finish talking!
867** Several heroic or boastful speeches during combat are [[LampshadeHanging met with derision and bewilderment]] by other characters, including [[spoiler: Simon]]'s HesBack moment in episode 11.
868---> [[spoiler: '''Simon:''']] Once I've dug my way through, that means I've won!
869---> '''Guame:''' What? What are you talking about?
870--->''A few beats later as [[spoiler: Simon's]] speech continues...''
871--->'''Guame:''' Spare me your childish ranting!
872* TeamMom: Yoko.
873* TeamPet: Boota.
874** The eighth Parallel Works video suggests that [[spoiler: Guame used to be this to Lordgenome.]] This is hinted at in the canon, as [[spoiler: Guame]] justifies taking more liberties [[spoiler: against Lordgenome]] than the others by stating that they were old friends.
875* TechnicolorEyes: Nia, who has blue eyes with pink-shaped symbols over them. Notably, her eyes became [[MindControlEyes flat and monochrome]] when she goes under the control of the Anti-Spiral. Kamina's red eyes also count.
876* TelescopingRobot: Taken to the extreme: making weapons ''larger than the rest of the mech''. Handwaved with Spiral Power, [[spoiler: and deconstructed: overuse will destroy the entire universe.]]
877* TestosteronePoisoning: Kamina, especially in episode 6.
878* ThatCloudLooksLike: Done in episode 4 by Simon, Kamina and Kittan with the usual food variety.
879* ThatsNoMoon: [[spoiler: The Moon itself is a disguised HumongousMecha]].
880** Which is thereafter corrected by [[spoiler: using said mecha to pull the ''real'' moon ''out of another dimension'']]
881* ThemeMusicPowerUp: Repeatedly. Culminating in [[spoiler: the [[LastEpisodeThemeReprise final episode]], when the Anti-Spirals unleash the power of a ''Big Bang'' in a last-ditch effort to win... [[AutobotsRockOut then the theme music kicks in]]]].
882* ThemeNaming: The Beastmen, their leaders, and a good chunk of the core group of Team Gurren.
883** 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 TheFourGods, Suzaku, Seiryuu, Byakkou, and Genbu.
884** 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."
885** "Simon" contains ''"shimo"'', "below"; "Kamina" has ''"kami"'', "above"; "Yoko" is ''"yoko"'', "beside", and her alter-ego Yomako is from ''"mayoko"'', "directly beside"; Nia has "near" (of course); Kittan is from ''"tanki"'', "quick-tempered"; Leeron is from ''"riron"'', "theory"; Gimmy and Darry are from ''"migi"'' and ''"hidari"'', "right" and "left"; Kiyoh is from ''"youki"'', "cheerful", and her infant daughter Anne is from ''"annei"'', "public peace"; Kinon is from ''"nonki"'', "easygoing"; Kiyal is from ''"yaruki"'', "eager"; Dayakka is from ''"odayaka"'', "gentle"; Kidd and Ailak are from ''"kidoairaku"'', "human emotions"; Zorthy is from ''"souzoushii"'', "noisy, boisterous"; Jorgun and Balinbow are from ''"ganjou"'', "solid" and ''"abarenbou"'', "rowdy"; Makken is from ''"kenma"'', "grinding, polishing, studying"; Leite is from ''"teire"'', "maintenance"; Attenborough is from ''"awatenbou"'', "hasty". Jeeha Village is from ''"haji"'', "end"; Littner is from ''"tonari"'', "next door"; Korehana (the school Yomako taught at) is from ''"hanare kojima"'', "small island of isolation"; Bachika is from ''"chikaba"'', "nearby place"; Adai is from ''"aida"'', "distance; Koiiga (no official romanisation, the village Kidd and Iraak are from) is from ''"gaikoku", "foreign country"; Nakai (from whence Zorthy hails) is from ''"inaka"'', "countryside"; Bakusa (Jorgun and Balinbow's home village) is from ''"sabaku"'', "desert"; Jouken (Leite and Makken's home village) is from ''"kenjou"'', "neighbourhood"; Koachichi (Attenborough's home village) is from ''"acchikocchi"'', "somewhere". Memusu (Viral's daughter) is from ''"musume"'', "daughter". Phew.
886* ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill: Most battles, including the very first, are completed by utterly anhilating the enemy. "GIGA!!! DRILL!!! BRRRRREAKER!!!!!"
887** The Giga Drill Break in Episode 8 Almost takes an entire chapter in the manga... or at least 11 PAGES FOR A 30 SECOND LONG ATTACK SEQUENCE!
888* TheyShouldHaveSentAPoet: At the end of the first episode. The three main characters launch themselves through the earth's surface and high into the air, getting an overview of everything.
889** This is repeated with Yoko and [[spoiler: one of her students]] post-time skip.
890** It's actually repeated earlier than that with Simon and Nia.
891* ThisCannotBe: Actually exclaimed by heroes and villains alike whenever physics go out the window in favor of what's coolest.
892** The final battle is basically one long contest of this, with the Anti-Spirals losing HORRIBLY. Needless to say physics was found brutally murdered in a dark alley.
893* ThisIsADrill: [[TropeCodifier 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.
894* ThreeMonthOldNewborn: In a manner of speaking--the daughter of Dayakka and Kiyoh is born with a full head of hair and generally looks many months old from the first.
895* ThrowTheDogABone: An odd (and hilarious) example in the HotSpringsEpisode--Kamina (and, to a lesser extent, Simon) spend virtually the entire episode trying to catch a glimpse of their female cohorts in the buff. Numerous opportunities just barely slip away from them (causing no small shortage of rage for Kamina) and the Beastmen even use the promise of nude pics to try and convince Kamina to surrender. But, at the end of it all, there's no such luck for the pair and they fight off the beastmen attackers... at which point Yoko's cheering and jumping suddenly causes her bikini to pop off right in front of them.
896-->'''Kamina:''' Good morning, sunshine...
897* TimeAbyss: While receiving reports on the evacuation, Rossiu glances at a display showing a world map. The shapes of the continents are just recognizable enough to deduce that tens of millions of years' worth of continental drift has occurred.
898** Or [[spoiler: the Anti-Spirals' attack on Earth (as shown in Parallel Works #8) severely screwed up the landmasses.]]
899* TimeSkip: [[spoiler: After Simon defeats the Spiral King.]]
900* TimTaylorTechnology: How else do you explain the Gurren's spontaneous fix up after combining with Lagann?
901* TitleDrop: The biggest mecha in the series is called "Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann"; chapters are also named after a dramatic line said by one of the characters.
902** As the title in America is simply ''Gurren Lagann'', this was lost when the finale was aired. There's also confusion after episodes having to be renamed as the lines they're named after are slightly different.
903** It should be noted that, translated, the biggest Mecha of the series literally reads ''Heaven Shattering Gurren Lagann''. Guess what it does.
904* TooDumbToLive: The reinforcements in episode 14. Your commander dies because he charged straight into a tornado of energy? [[SarcasmMode Go ahead and try it en masse. You'll break through it in no time.]]
905** The problem he had was that all the robots are powered by [[{{Determinator}} determination]], and it's hard to tell between that and SuicidalOverconfidence.
906* TookALevelInBadass: Simon. Only in the universe of Gurren Lagann can something like ''[[https://pm1.narvii.com/5748/691aeb09a6d681f899d210befe855767224b8c15_hq.jpg this]]'' happen. A human being turning [[Anime/DragonBallZ Super Saiyan]]? Because that's what it looks like to me. (Either that or [[Manga/MyHeroAcademia Deku going 100% against Overhaul]]) That's right, being in ''Gurren Lagann'' makes you so badass that it turns you into a Saiyan. (Or gives you One for All without having to eat someone's hair) Seven years, some good CharacterDevelopment, and [[spoiler: the ingestion of a Big Bang-level attack]] will do that to you.
907** Nia, after she stops being a PrincessClassic and slowly becomes a HotBlooded freedom fighter as she hangs out with the Team Gurren.
908* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Yoko and Nia.
909* TragicBromance: [[spoiler:Simon and Kamina]].
910* TransformationSequence: ''[[InvokedTrope Invoked]]'' by Kamina in the fourth episode. He just ''would not'' combine with Simon until he did it.
911* TronLines: These appear on many things related to [[spoiler:the Anti-Spirals, including most of the Mugann, Nia as the Anti-Spiral messenger, and even their home planet]].
912** They're also on [[spoiler:everyone's outfits in the DistantFinale]].
913* JustForFun/TropeOverdosed: Because lots of tropers watch this show, and it's just that awesome.
914* {{Troperiffic}}
915* TrueCompanions: Team Dai-Gurren.
916* {{Tsundere}}: Yoko shows some characteristics of this when it comes to Kamina.
917* TunnelKing: Simon the Digger.
918* {{Ubermensch}}: Kamina is one of the straightest heroic examples in fiction. He defies the existing morality (which is similar to the "sheep" morality described and despised by Nietsche) and makes his own code, and inspires others to follow him.
919** All of Team Gurren is this to some degree, and most of the leaders who oppose them (Lordgenome, [[spoiler: post-timeskip Rossiu, the Anti Spiral]]) are [[InvertedTrope Last Men]].
920* UngratefulBastard:
921** After [[spoiler: Kamina's death]], most of the members of Team Dai-Gurren quickly lose patience with Simon, who is very clearly experiencing severe depression and grief. Their annoyance is somewhat understandable, as Lagann depends on Simon's fighting spirit and without it Simon has half-crippled the team, but their treatment of him only makes matters worse. It's no surprise that it's Nia's support and kindness, coupled with his own {{Determinator}} nature, that manages to help get Simon out of his hole.
922** Adiane and Cytomander both react to Viral saving their lives this way; Adiane beats Viral to a bloody pulp and Cytomander drags him before Lordgenome and demands he be executed, blaming Viral for his own strategic failures.
923** The human population; after the first encounter with the Mugann causes damage to Kamina City, they immediately start rioting and want Simon dead despite everything he did for humanity. This is foreshadowed by the complaints Team Dai-Gurren have constantly been shown fielding since the time jump; it shows that, with the possible exception of [[WellIntentionedExtremist Rossiu]], [[TheSmartGuy Leeron]], and possibly [[TeamDad Dayakka]], Team Dai-Gurren are much more capable as warriors than politicians, and that humanity has gotten used to a comfortable life quite quickly and very easily forgotten how hard Team Dai-Gurren fought to free them from Lordgenome's oppression.
924* UniversalAdaptorCast: The entire cast fits just fine in the HighSchoolAU. Or in a BuddyCopShow (observe ''Webcomic/DoubleK'').
925* UnratedEdition: Some DVD releases included an uncut "director's cut" of #6, the HotSpringsEpisode, entitled "There Are Some Things I Just Have to See!".
926* UnsoundEffect: The manga gives us some truly unique ones, like "Ten-Megaton Punch" and "Kiyaloon <3!"
927* UnstoppableRage: Simon gets these a lot, especially after episode 8. Of course, special mention must be made for Kamina's unstoppable rage in episode 6. "MAN'S WRATH ERUPTION SLASH!"
928* UnusualEuphemism: When Yoko expresses her feelings for Kamina by kissing him, he reciprocates with a kiss of his own and then remarks that he'll "pay her back ten times over" after they return from their upcoming battle.
929--> '''Kamina:''' When we return, I'll pay you back ten times over. Remember that.\
930'''Yoko:''' *laughs*\
931'''Kamina:''' Wh-What?\
932'''Yoko:''' Couldn't you have put that a little more romantically?
933* TheUsualAdversaries: For the first half, Beastmen. Later on becomes Anti-Spirals.
934* VaginaDentata: Adiane's mecha has its mouth in its crotch, with fangs.
935* VagueAge: Virtually everyone's age is uncertain due to the whole "living underground with no sun or moon" issue, but Leeron is especially notable: [[spoiler:in the DistantFinale, which takes place 27 years after his first appearance, ''he hasn't aged at all''.]] One can start to wonder if he's actually human…
936** Sources are split whether pre TimeSkip Yoko is 16 or 14. The latter would make her around Simon's age, even though her features appear far more mature.
937** In the HighSchoolAU pretty much everyone's age is up for grabs since most of the main characters seem to be in the ''exact same grade'' despite some characters clearly being established to be older than others regardless of what their age in the anime is mentioned to be. Some gems include:
938*** Rossiu being the only one who takes his TimeSkip appearance and is thus older than the rest of the cast.
939*** The dynamics between Kittan's siblings are also messed up. Kinon is Rossiu's assistant and also takes her TimeSkip appearance, despite being established to be the middle child of the Black Sisters. Speaking of which, then there is Kiyoh who is still married to Dayakka and humorously claims to not mention this fact to anyone since it would land them in trouble. And then there's Kittan who is established to be the oldest Black sibling being in Simon's grade with his two sisters.
940*** Finally, there's Leeron who in the anime proper is more or less one of the adults being a student as well.
941* VaporWear: It's obvious that Nia in the HighSchoolAU goes commando.
942* VillainousBreakdown: [[spoiler:Both Lordgenome and the Anti-Spiral King. Notable in that Lordgenome isn't having a FreakOut 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 [[UnusualEuphemism stretch and tear at the seams]]. In the movie, however, he mirrors Lordgenome, especially when he releases the Super Grandzeboma - he freaking smiles with confidence! In general, this can be said for most of the villains, who go from confident to OhCrap regularly.]]
943* VillainOpeningScene: In the Movie.
944* VillainPedigree: From Beastmen to Anti-Spirals.
945* VisualInnuendo:
946** The Dai-Gurren--for God's sake [[GagPenis just look at it]]!
947*** This is actually [[LampshadeHanging pointed out at one point]]. When something smashed through the observation deck, all of the male crew members, minus Leeron, grabbed their crotches and cringed.
948*** Shortly thereafter, an equally Freudian weapon nails the Dai-Gurren from below...causing Leeron to hop out of his seat with a startled "iya~n."
949** [[spoiler:Anti-Spiral Nia]]'s black LatexSpaceSuit has red TronLines going about it. The concentric circles on her breasts [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything easily remind you of]] [[NippleAndDimed something]].
950* WalkingShirtlessScene: The most obvious example is Kamina. Lordgenome could also count, depending on whether or not his (very manly) torso can be seen as Fanservice.
951* WalkingTheEarth: [[spoiler: Viral, because of Lordgenome (post-timeskip) and Simon, because of Nia (in the epilogue)]].
952* TheWarToEndAllWars: One of these is a major part of the backstory; it ended with humankind forced to live underground in a misguided attempt to save it from the Anti-Spiral. [[spoiler:A more literal example takes place during the course of the series, in which humanity fights back against the Anti-Spiral and defeats it, and the newly-liberated civilizations of the universe join with humanity in peace.]]
953* WaveMotionGun: Powered by [[spoiler:a Big Bang]].
954* WeaponTombstone: [[spoiler: Kamina's katana. His BadassCape is tied around the hilt for added [[RuleOfCool coolness]]. And it somehow stays completely undisturbed through the whole show!]]
955* WeddingFinale: The finale has Simon and Nia's wedding day... [[spoiler:which takes a sad turn when it's revealed as a result of the death of Anti-Spiral, Nia, formerly their messenger, must die with them. It takes all of her willpower to keep her body alive for her and Simon's special day before disappearing into light after they speak their vows.]]
956* WeirdMoon: [[spoiler:A creepy-faced moon on a collision course with the earth? [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Now, where have we seen this before...?]]]]
957* WellDoneSonGuy:
958** Kamina; much of his personality is arguably because of [[MyGreatestFailure his regret that he didn't accompany his father to the surface]] when he was a child.
959** Simon, towards Kamina himself; most of his motivation in the first eight episodes is making his bro happy.
960* WellIntentionedExtremist: Lordgenome, post-TimeSkip Rossiu and [[spoiler:the Anti-Spirals]]
961** KnightTemplar: The [[spoiler:Anti-Spiral]] is too far down the [[JumpedOffTheSlipperySlope Slippery Slope]] to be a regular WellIntentionedExtremist.
962* WhamEpisode:
963** Episode 8: [[spoiler:Kamina, set up as the show's {{Deuteragonist}}, and perhaps even the main focus of the first arc, is killed in battle.]]
964** Episode 17-18: [[spoiler:After a seven-year TimeSkip, the Anti-Spirals reveal themselves as the show's [[BigBad main antagonists]], and Nia is shown to be under their control.]]
965** Episode 24-25: [[spoiler:Most of team Dai-Gurren's members, including Kittan, sacrifice themselves to give the heroes a fighting chance against the Anti-Spiral.]]
966* WhamLine: At the end of Episode 18, Simon sees Rossiu leading a squad of soldiers, and Rossiu reveals how he intends to deal with the looming crisis.
967-->'''Rossiu''': Supreme Commander Simon, [[spoiler:I place you under arrest]].
968* WhatTheHellHero: The justification for [[spoiler: Simon's imprisonment.]]
969** Rossiu is repeatedly called out for this post-Timeskip. And rightfully so. He [[spoiler:makes Simon a scapegoat (after the latter had just finished defending the city from TWO Mugens), puts Simon in a KangarooCourt (appointing himself as the judge and stocking the prosecution and probably the jury with people who were more loyal to him), uses the aforementioned Kangaroo Court to sentence Simon to death for the sole sake of calming the public. He then orders Gurren Lagann and the other Gunmen scrapped, evacuates everyone outside of Kamina City to underground shelters to survive the ColonyDrop, and continues doing this even after he learns that they have no chance of surviving. He then leaves half of Kamina City behind, though not without the guilt weighing heavily upon him.]]
970*** This is made all the sweeter when [[spoiler:the total extinction of mankind is only prevented by the very Gunmen he ordered scrapped in the first place, and a bunch of former members of Team Dai-Guren deciding "ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight". He spent two weeks making a mess it took Simon less than two hours to fix]].
971* [[WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer When All You Have Is A Drill]]:
972--> '''[[spoiler:Viral]]:''' It's no good! Our drill can't penetrate it! [paraphrase]\
973'''Simon:''' So we need a bigger drill!? [paraphrase]
974** Relatedly, [[WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer When All You Have Is Your Car Keys]] -- [[spoiler:The end of the battle between Simon and Lordgenome. This is somehow ''more'' epic than when they were in giant mechas.]]
975* WhiteAndGreyMorality: All of the major antagonists had [[WellIntentionedExtremist justifiable reasons for their less than savory actions]]. Lordgenome [[spoiler:tried to prevent the Anti-Spiral from finding about the existence of the human race]], Rossiu [[spoiler:tried to follow what he learned from his village]], and [[spoiler:the Anti-Spiral]] [[spoiler:tried to prevent an ApocalypseHow]].
976* WhoAreYou: Inverted or...something. The hot-blooded heroes were rarely actually asked, but often answered their opponents preemptively [[LargeHam and at great length]], always ending with the series' CharacterCatchphrase / ArcWords, "JUST WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK WE ARE!?"
977* AWizardDidIt: Spiral Energy can do pretty much [[RuleOfCool whatever the hell's coolest]].
978* TheWorfBarrage:
979** Poor Viral seems to fall victim to this a lot, especially any time he draws his swords. Apparently drills > Katanas. [[spoiler: Then he [[HeelFaceTurn gets]] [[RedemptionPromotion redeemed]].]]
980*** In ''Lagann-Hen'', [[spoiler: he does the same barrage of blades in the anime, but with Tengen Toppa Enkidulga, and when the swords inevitably break, he kicks a shard of the sword into the Anti-Spiral homeworld, which Yoko shoots in her Tengen Toppa Yoko W Tank, the only time in the series where his swords were ''useful''.]]
981** Not to mention Attenborough's ButtonMashing all the HumongousMecha-du-jour's guns on every enemy, usually to little effect. This is [[LampshadeHanging pointed out to him]] at one point.
982*** Despite this, he actually does kill Adiane with it, and mooks now and then.
983** And it's not just Attenborough. Before that there was Yoko's {{BFG}}.
984* TheWorfEffect: 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, GeniusBruiser tendencies and some InstantExpert skills thrown in one.
985** 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.
986** 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.]]
987*** Deliberately invoked by the Anti-Spirals, as this is the only way to induce total despair, which in turn will destroy any trace of spiral power.
988%%* WorldOfBadass
989* WorldOfHam: Does anybody notice that it can be said the Spiral Power is actually powered by [[LargeHam hams]]?
990* WorldOfTechnicolorHair: It's rife with examples of AnimeHair (including unusual hair colours), since it's an over-the-top, hot-blooded middle finger to science. Heroes Simon and Kamina both have blue hair (though Simon's looks kinda black), Yoko has brick red hair (as does Gimmy), Leeron's is aqua, Darry's is cotton-candy pink, Kittan's is blond and black. Dayakka has green hair, Kiyal has purple hair and Makken has very short light-blue hair-stubs.
991%%* WrenchWench:
992%%** Leyte.
993%%** Does [[CampGay Leeron]] count?
994* WrongGenreSavvy: Rossiu is a cynical, pragmatic, and intellectual. If he was in ''Gundam'' or ''Evangelion'' he'd be completely right with all his choices.
995** Whoever designed the Do-Ten-Kai-Zan certainly was. In a RealRobotGenre show it certainly would be an intimidating opponent, being four carriers combined into a flying fortress that the enemy would have to traverse in order to destroy. Unfortunately for it, it's in a SuperRobotGenre series and the ''Giga Drill Break: Team Dai-Gurren Special'' just ''punches through it''.
996%%%%* YaoiFangirl: Kinon in the AU manga.
997%%** For that matter, note Yoko's reaction to "they're going to combine".
998%%* YouAreAlreadyDead: Simon does this with [[spoiler:Lordgenome]].
999* WrenchWench: Leyte in is the chief mechanic for team Dai-Gurren and is responsible for the majority of the upgrades to the mechs and the battleship.
1000* YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre: Kamina's [[spoiler:LastWords]] were this to Simon. Even when everyone wrote Simon off as a hopeless cause, Nia didn't and helped him come to understand what Kamina was saying is this. Kamina and Nia saw something in him no one else did until his HesBack moment.
1001* YouKilledMyFather: In the second episode, Simon realising that tremors caused by the Beastmen-piloted Gunmen led to his parents' deaths motivates him to fight.
1002* YoungerThanTheyLook: This is ZigZagged. Yoko starts the series at 14 in-universe years old. Rumors say WordOfGod states that in actual years, she's about 18.
1003[[/folder]]
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