History Characters / TengenToppaGurrenLagannMainCharacters

* DecompositeCharacter: ''Gurren Lagann'''s [[invoked]]SpiritualSuccessor, ''Anime/KillLaKill'', has two characters, Mako Mankanshoku and Aikuro Mikisugi, who took some of Kamina's character traits. Mako took the role of the loudmouthed best friend and moral support of the protagonist, and Mikisugi took the role of the blue-haired [[TheMentor mentor]] who introduces the protagonist to the real meat of the story.

* DecompositeCharacter: In a SpiritualAntithesis sense, both Yoko and Viral embody traits of [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion Asuka Langley Soryu]]. Yoko is the FieryRedhead {{Tsundere}} forced to put up with trauma in her life, while Viral is the AcePilot StockShonenRival who provides a constant, abrasive presence and rivalry for the hero.

* DecompositeCharacter: In a SpiritualAntithesis sense, both Yoko and Viral embody traits of [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion Asuka Langley Soryu]]. Yoko is the FieryRedhead {{Tsundere}} forced to put up with trauma in her life, while Viral is the AcePilot StockShonenRival who provides a constant, abrasive presence and rivalry for the hero.

!!!'''Voiced by:''' Creator/TetsuyaKakihara (JP), Creator/YuriLowenthal (EN)[[labelnote: Foreign [=VAs=]]] Olivier Martret (French), Fabian Hollwitz (German), Creator/GabrielePatriarca [young], Alessandro Rigotti [adult] (Italian)[[/labelnote]]\\
'''Old Simon:''' Creator/TakayukiSugo (JP), Creator/TonyOliver (EN)[[labelnote: Foreign [=VAs=]]] Olivier Martret (French), Peter Reinhardt (German), Creator/FrancescoPrando (Italian)[[/labelnote]]

!!!'''Voiced by:''' Creator/KatsuyukiKonishi (JP), Creator/KyleHebert (EN)[[labelnote: Foreign [=VAs=]]] Cédric Dumond (French), Jaron Löwenberg (German), Creator/VittorioGuerrieri (Italian)[[/labelnote]]

->Voiced by: Creator/MarinaInoue (JP), Creator/MichelleRuff (EN)[[labelnote: Foreign [=VAs=]]] Geneviève Doang (French), Josephine Schmidt (German), Creator/ValentinaFavazza (Italian)[[/labelnote]]

->Voiced by: Creator/YukariFukui (JP), Creator/HyndenWalch (child), Creator/BridgetHoffman (adult) (EN)[[labelnote: Foreign [=VAs=]]] Creator/AdelineChetail (French), Creator/JuliaStoepel (German), Creator/LetiziaCiampa (Italian)[[/labelnote]]

* AlienPrincess: She is Lordgenome's daughter, but he disowned her when she was a child.

* FallenPrincess: For a princess who was thrown away by her own father, Nia adapts to her situation very well.

* FireForgedFriends: With Yoko, to which they see each other as sisters.

* LethalChef: Her cooking tastes anything ''but'' good... unless you're Simon or Boota.

* TeamChef: She becomes the Dai Gurren Brigade's cook in order to be more useful. Unfortunately, [[LethalChef her cooking is terrible]], but nobody wants to hurt her feelings so they don't complain at all. Bizarrely, [[OnlyOneWhoLikesSpam Simon and Boota genuinely enjoy her food.]]

->Voiced by: Creator/ShizukaIto (JP), Creator/JulieAnnTaylor (EN)[[labelnote: Foreign [=VAs=]]] Creator/FannyBloc (French), Hannes Maurer (German), Barbara Sacchelli (Italian)[[/labelnote]]

->Voiced by: Creator/NobuyukiHiyama (JP), Creator/SamRiegel (EN)[[labelnote: Foreign [=VAs=]]] William Coryn (French), Tobias Nath (German), Creator/DavideLepore (Italian)[[/labelnote]]

->Voiced by: Creator/MitsukiSaiga (JP), Creator/JohnnyYongBosch (EN), Creator/MichaelMcConnohie (EN, epilogue)[[labelnote: Foreign [=VAs=]]] Yoann Sover (French), Dirk Petrick (German), Creator/DavidePerino (Italian)[[/labelnote]]

%% ZCE * EvilChancellor: More of a WellIntentionedExtremist Chancellor.

!!!'''Voiced by:''' Creator/TetsuyaKakihara (JP), Creator/YuriLowenthal (EN)\\
'''Old Simon:''' Creator/TakayukiSugo (JP), Creator/TonyOliver (EN)

!!!'''Voiced by:''' Creator/KatsuyukiKonishi (JP), Creator/KyleHebert (EN)

->Voiced by: Creator/MarinaInoue (JP), Creator/MichelleRuff (EN)

%%* {{BFG}}: [[spoiler:''Sniper'' {{BFG}}s.]]

%%* GunsAkimbo: Combined with FiringOneHanded with ''{{BFG}}s'', no less.

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: An interesting case. Yoko no doubt has a common Japanese name as her given name, meaning that typing it as "Youko" is how it's supposed to be despite it being only romanized in katakana; however, it's actually an extended-dash "o" vowel instead of an extra "u" vowel, though it's still an extended vowel that's often ignored regardless.

[[caption-width-right:240:[[labelnote:Click here to see her post-Time Skip.]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nia_teppelin_9.png[[/labelnote]]]]

->Voiced by: Creator/YukariFukui (JP), Creator/HyndenWalch (child), Creator/BridgetHoffman (adult) (EN)

->Voiced by: Creator/ShizukaIto (JP), Creator/JulieAnnTaylor (EN)

* CoolShades: Yes, the ''TeamPet'' has shades.
%%* {{Determinator}}
* EatTheDog: In episode 4. Simon and Kamina are starving from getting nothing to eat, so Boota does the most disturbing thing possible and [[spoiler: ''bites on his own tail and rips off his hindquarters!!!'']] Fortunately, he's healed by the next episode. [[spoiler: You can HandWave it due to his innate [[HealingFactor Spiral Power.]]]]

->Voiced by: Creator/NobuyukiHiyama (JP), Creator/SamRiegel (EN)

* ScarfOfAsskicking: Post-timeskip.

* SixthRanger: Eventually

%%* StepfordSmiler

->Voiced by: Creator/MitsukiSaiga (JP), Creator/JohnnyYongBosch (EN), Creator/MichaelMcConnohie (EN, epilogue)

->Voiced by: Creator/YukariFukui (JP), Creator/HyndenWalch (EN)
->Post-TimeSkip Nia: Creator/YukariFukui (JP), Creator/BridgetHoffman (EN)

* BattleCouple: With Simon. She co-pilots the Gurren Lagann to deliver the killing blow to the BigBad in the final battle.
** In the HighSchoolAU, she wastes no time becoming one with Simon once Viral appears, much to Simon's [[IJustWantToBeNormal confusion and hesitation.]]

* BigBadSlippage: [[spoiler: Slowly becomes a WellIntentionedExtremist and central antagonist over the course of the second season until the others snap him out of it.]]

* EasilyForgiven: Despite his WellIntentionedExtremist actions, everyone thinks that he did the smart thing and most of them, Simon especially, don't blame him and isn't mad at him, leaving himself as the one who hated him the most.
* EvilChancellor: More of a WellIntentionedExtremist Chancellor.
* {{Expy}}: The fact that he looks like [[VideoGame/{{Xenogears}} Fei Fong Wong]] did not go unnoticed.

* KarmaHoudini: He betrayed Simon and tried to have him executed. His reasons aside it was still a pretty dickish move and not only is he never punished for it, he's allowed to remain in power.
* KickTheDog: Bring up Kamina to Simon after he was arrested and basically saying his death was a good thing was ''really'' scummy.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: See HeroicBSOD.

* TookALevelInJerkass: Post timeskip. Rossiu has become cold-hearted and ruthless in the pursuit to keep humanity alive.

* WeUsedToBeFriends: He and Simon were once good friends, post-TimeSkip not so much. They do manage to patch up things up by the end.

* BloodBrothers: Imposes this kind of relationship on himself and Simon. It sticks. Even after Kamina's out of the picture, Simon still refers to Kamina as his bro.

* FakeUltimateHero: Played straight and subverted. Whilst he ''is'' a passionate hero who wants to liberate humanity, he's never able to accomplish anything without help from Simon and in the end he died way before the final fight. He's good enough to hang a lampshade on it, as he constantly sings Simon's praises and at the same time, it was thanks to his courage and belief that the heroes prevailed at the end and he was courageous and inspirational to his dying breath.

* LocationThemeNaming: Most of the main characters are subject to ThemeNaming based on words for relative location--for Simon, ''shimo'' means "below", the ''kami'' in Kamina's name means "above", "Yoko" means "side" and Nia's name comes from "near".

[[folder:Simon The Digger]]

The main character of the series. Simon starts out as a humble miner, digging out tunnels to expand his underground village. Among the many treasures he digs up along the way, he discovers a small mecha (later dubbed the "Lagann"), setting into motion a chain of events that would catapult Simon into the role as the savior of the universe. No kidding.

* DeconstructedCharacterArchetype: Kamina is a {{deconstruction}} of the StockShonenHero. His bravado is just an act that he uses to inspire his TrueCompanions to greatness, as well as a coping mechanism to deal with his own fear during life-threatening situations. Also, his dumber moments have serious consequences - every time he pulls a HotBlooded stunt, someone (usually Simon or Yoko) tells him that he's risking his life and tries to talk him out of it. All of this leads to him dying in one of the series' most heart-wrenching moments. [[{{Reconstruction}} However,]] the positive effect he has on everyone around him is hard to overstate, since everything that happens in the series can be traced back to his goal of inspiring humanity to overthrow Lordgenome's oppression.

* {{Expy}}: Of ''Manga/GetterRobo'''s Ryoma Nagare, his bravado is always resolute, even in the face of overwhelming odds, and his relationship with his father is a complicated one.
* ExtremeOmnivore: He can apparently stand Nia's cooking in the HighschoolAU.

* ForegoneConclusion: In the ActionPrologue, the person leading has the same voice actor as Simon, so clearly Kamina wasn't going to be TheHero forever. He bites the dust at episode 8.

* HandsomeLech: In the first episode he cannot stop hitting on Yoko...until he realizes she's a ''pit chick.'' Then he starts up again the moment Yoko covers up her gorgeous features... and ''then'' decides that he wants to gaze at her [[DoubleEntendre twin peaks]] in episode six.

** It's to the point that Kamina comes back to help Simon and the Dai-Gurren Brigade escape the [[LotusEaterMachine Anti-Spiral Labyrinth]]. Yes, Kamina's so goddamn loyal to Simon that he doesn't abandon him **even when he's dead**. His body may be gone, BUT HIS LOYALTY IS NOT.

* UndyingLoyalty: There is no word to describe just how much [[BigBrotherInstinct Kamina loves his little brother Simon]]. Kamina loves Simon more than Simon loves himself. From the very first time they're on screen in the series, Kamina does absolutely nothing but praise, encourage and support Simon, constantly talking to everyone about Simon's bravery and infinite potential. More than his badassery, more than his [[HotBlood hot-bloodedness]], more than his [[IdiotHero his lack of foresight]], more than [[TheParagon his inspirational ability]], Kamina's love for Simon is his defining trait. Practically everyone in the series thinks Kamina's crazy to put so much fate in Simon, [[TheCloudcuckoolanderWasRight but time proves that Kamina was ABSOLUTELY RIGHT]].

* HeroesWantRedheads: The only girl he was really interested in was the FieryRedhead Yoko.

* RedheadsAreRavishing: Yoko is a redhead with a big bosom and prefers to go around in [[{{Stripperiffic}} little clothing]] for mobility in combat. Many men, such as Simon, Kamina and Kittan, have expressed strong attraction to her.

* BelligerentSexualTension: With Yoko.

* PluckyGirl: Not as plucky as Nia, but still counts.

* {{Stripperific}}: Her justification for this is that she doesn't want her clothing to impede her mobility in combat. Notably, when she isn't in a combat situation, she dresses fairly modestly.

* CatchPhrase: For starters we have:

* DisappearsIntoLight: [[spoiler:Nia's body fades away just after completing the marriage ceremony.]]

* GirlyGirlWithATomboyStreak: In the HighSchoolAU manga, where despite being girly, her favorite magazine in the same manly brand that Kamina loves as well.

* PluckyGirl: She may not be able to fight, but in terms of sheer [[HotBlooded hot-blooded determination]], she can hold her own against any of the men. Are you either pointing a gun at her, have her in your mecha's claws, or are about to dematerialize her? That's not gonna break her down.

* PrincessClassic: Pretty, innocent, caring; she hits almost all the points of a fairy tale princess except [[PluckyGirl shy]]. [[spoiler:Sadly, she didn't get her HappilyEverAfter with her "prince" as she ends up dying right at their wedding.]]

* ActionGirl: Becomes one of the LadyOfWar variety eventually.
* AllLovingHeroine: So kind, so helpful, and so inspiring for the Dai Gurren Brigade. They were ready to fall apart before she arrived.

* BattleCouple: With Simon. In the HighSchoolAU, she wastes no time becoming one with Simon once Viral appears, much to Simon's [[IJustWantToBeNormal confusion and hesitation.]]

* {{Deuteragonist}}: [[spoiler:After Kamina's death]] she is the character who fulfills this role in most of the episodes.
* DisappearsIntoLight: [[spoiler:Nia fades away like this just after completing the marriage ceremony.]]

* EvilCostumeSwitch: When acting as the Anti-Spiral Messenger. Subverted in the HighschoolAU manga.

* ExoticEyeDesigns: Cross-shaped pupils, at that, providing the trope image. Further proof that she's an alien, if you even needed more.
* FaceHeelTurn: Against her will.

* GoOutWithASmile: [[spoiler: WordOfGod says that Nia could have actually held on longer but would have lost parts of her body gradually. Instead she chose to die at once, smiling happily]].

* LastKiss: [[spoiler:Shares her one and only onscreen kiss with Simon at their wedding before her body dissolves into random data bits.]]

* PrincessClassic: Pretty, innocent, caring; she hits almost all the points of a fairy tale princess except [[PluckyGirl shy]] [[spoiler:[[GainaxEnding and the happy ending]]]].
* PrettyPrincessPowerhouse: Although she becomes a LadyOfWar after she isn't a princess anymore, she demonstrated tremendous strength of will before then and joins Simon in Gurren Lagan. Her personal mech is also the most elegant and graceful of the bunch.

* RescueRomance: She and Simon first meet when he saves her from dying abandoned inside a box. Later, Simon is able to help her when she learns her father tossed her out and gave her a new reason for being.

* SailorFuku: Averted in the HighSchoolAU, where her uniform doesn't match up to the other ones the girls wear.
%%%% How so?
%%%%* ScrewDestiny: Made absolutely explicit in the movie.

* StarCrossedLovers: With Simon given that [[spoiler: she's secretly an anti-spiral messenger programed to exterminate his species.]]

* VirtuousCharacterCopy: To [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion Rei Ayanami]]. Both are blue-haired {{Mysterious Waif}}s who become one of the protagonist's {{Love Interest}}s, while also being seen as a rival by the redhead. They also have some sort of familial relationship with a major antagonist, [[spoiler:and [[ArtificialHuman are not actual humans]]]]. As a result, Nia seems like a stereotypical ReiAyanamiExpy, except that she is [[PluckyGirl extremely outgoing]] and [[LivingEmotionalCrutch helps Simon come out of his shell]], as opposed to Rei, who [[DefrostingIceQueen starts off emotionless but grows attached to Shinji]]. Additionally, [[spoiler:Nia is left helpless at the hands of her creator in the second half, while Rei learns to oppose hers in the end, and while Rei causes [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt the th]][[AssimilationPlot ird Impact]] because Shinji wanted her to, Nia lets herself die because she wants Simon to save everyone else.]].

* {{Bishonen}}: In spite of having shark teeth and cat paws, he still manages to have the appearance of a handsome, slender young man.

* {{Bishonen}}: Post timeskip, Rossiu becomes a PrettyBoy.

* {{Expy}}: Of all three original members of the [[Manga/GetterRobo Getter Team]].
** From aspects shared between the three of them, Kamina is the definition of HotBlooded to the point of [[DareToBeBadass borderline-insanity]].
** Much like Ryoma Nagare, his bravado is always resolute, even in the face of overwhelming odds, and his relationship with his father is a complicated one.
** Similarly to Hayato Jin, who ran a terrorist group before even reaching adulthood, Kamina was the leader of Team Dai-Gurren.
** Just like Musashi Tomoe, Kamina's glory-seeking death is the crux of many of the dramatic moments that drive the series from that point forward.

* [[LargeHam Large Spiral Sliced Ham]]: ''Try'' not to crack up laughing at his singing in "Break Through The Dream".
* TheLeader: A type IV; he's so charismatic he builds a personality cult with minimum effort.

* NotTooDeadToSaveTheDay: He ''avenges his own death''.

* PeekABangs: One of his eyes is generally covered by his hair.

* RatedMForManly:
** A tall, muscular and shirtless man who wields a sword in a revolution. ''And'' a full-throttle badass who faces off against gigantic Gunmen without batting an eyelash! ''And'' with the most extreme HotBlooded attitude to boot! Kamina is a true example for all manly men.
** In the HighSchoolAU manga, Kamina gets all his ideas for him and Simon from Soul Of A Man magazine which features a ripped sailor on its cover. Humorously, Nia turns out to be a huge fan of this magazine as well.

* {{Keigo}}: She is polite and formal, even when telling someone to F off.

* SpiritualAntithesis: Of [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion Asuka Langley Soryu]], on various counts:
** Both are the MsFanservice FieryRedhead of their respective {{Power Trio}}s and have {{Tsundere}} tendencies toward a member of the group, and wear easily-identifiable hair decorations.
** Both characters are also most prominent in episodes (Asuka's debut episode in her case) where the MonsterOfTheWeek is a SeaMonster with MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily.
** Both of them are also devastated at the loss of [[spoiler:their crush]], but Yoko manages to get herself together and move on, while Asuka crosses the DespairEventHorizon (though she was already suffering one hell of a TraumaCongaLine) as a result.
** Asuka's entire identity is tied to her superior skill and pride in piloting her personal Eva Unit-02. Yoko's most notable skill is her ability to fight Gunmen ''without'' using one herself (and piloting Gurren proves harmful to her when she [[AwesomeButImpractical tries to fire shots from its mouth]]), and only gets a personal Gunmen towards the end of the series.
** What's interesting about this is that Yoko was voiced by Creator/TiffanyGrant, Asuka's English VA, in [[https://youtu.be/-_rkqk7rwbE?t=1m38s the original ADV dub]], and a few official materials exist depicting [[http://myfigurecollection.net/item/20344 Asuka in]] [[http://xpearse.tumblr.com/post/116850713259/neon-genesis-evangelion-ayanami-raising-project Yoko's outfit]].

* SpiritualAntithesis: To [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion Rei Ayanami]]. Both are blue-haired {{Mysterious Waif}}s who become one of the protagonist's {{Love Interest}}s, while also being seen as a rival by the redhead. They also have some sort of familial relationship with a major antagonist, [[spoiler:and [[ArtificialHuman are not actual humans]]]]. As a result, Nia seems like a stereotypical ReiAyanamiExpy, except that she is [[PluckyGirl extremely outgoing]] and [[LivingEmotionalCrutch helps Simon come out of his shell]], as opposed to Rei, who [[DefrostingIceQueen starts off emotionless but grows attached to Shinji]]. Additionally, [[spoiler:Nia is left helpless at the hands of her creator in the second half, while Rei learns to oppose hers in the end, and while Rei causes [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt the th]][[AssimilationPlot ird Impact]] because Shinji wanted her to, Nia lets herself die because she wants Simon to save everyone else.]].