History Fridge / TengenToppaGurrenLagann

* The part of the ending where [[spoiler:Simon gave up the Gurren Lagann and became a wanderer]] is even more fitting after watching it again and noticing a specific line: "[[spoiler:I'm just Simon the Digger. I shouldn't be the one to traverse those tunnels that I make]]". It's pretty much telling us that [[spoiler:his role was to ''lead'' the way to a new life of freedom to all races, but leading the people ''after'' freeing them isn't something he's suited for or would even enjoy]]. Additionally, [[spoiler:by this point he was creating so much spiral power that he would have a hard time using only a comparatively little, and since the only threat that would require so much Spiral Power was gone him remaining a pilot would be more of a liability than an asset. ''That's'' why he gave the Core Drill and Gurren Lagann to Gimmy]]. Thus he can [[spoiler:instead live a humble life with his closest friend (Boota), which is pretty much all he ever really wanted.]] This also brings new meaning to Simon's adjustment of the ArcWords in the finale that "My drill is the drill that '''creates''' the heavens!"--[[spoiler:He didn't say anything about ''commanding'' them, now did he?]]

* What made the heroes unique, compared to every other team of Spiral Warriors? Something that showed up [[spoiler: in the infinite labyrinth]]: Kamina. All the other groups had their own Simon as seen by all the Laganns, they probably had their own Kittan and Yoko and everyone else, but they didn't have someone to properly inspire them. Just consider Parallel Works 8 and Lordgenome's attempt at defeating the Anti-Spirals. It's rather telling that Lordgenome's is able to so easily slaughter the rest of humanity once he betrays them. It seemed as if everything rested on Lordgenome as their leader--whereas in Team Dai-Gurren, everyone was inspired by Kamina. When Lordgenome betrayed humanity, everything went to hell, because they didn't know what to do without their leader. But Team Dai-Gurren was able to move past [[spoiler: Kamina's death and fight and stand on their own two feet because of his memory.]]
* [[spoiler:If Simon had resurrected Nia, then it would have opened up a whole can of worms as people would have demanded the use of Spiral Power to resurrect ''their'' loved ones too. Such a world, where no-one would ever die and leave the world to the next generation, is exactly ''against'' the ideals of "moving forward" and "evolution" that the series portrays]].

* Something rather touching that comes after [[spoiler: Kittan dies]]: The star-shaped sunglasses Simon has seem like just a random bit of coolness they stuck on. Then it hit me: [[spoiler: approximately what shape was the King Kittan? A star.]] It's not just ''there''[[spoiler: , it's a ''tribute'' to another fallen hero]]. At the end of the final battle, [[spoiler: when delivering the final blow, the star-shaped shades break. This symbolizes him fulfilling his promises to Kamina and Kittan and carrying on their fight, to make their deaths worthwhile. The shades are like that to remind him of the people who gave everything to get him that far, and when they shatter, it means he's won.]] But also consider, what were the shades originally? That's right, his digging goggles. So, [[spoiler: also taking into account his statement that somebody else is meant to go down the tunnels he dug, the phrase "my drill is the drill that creates the heavens," and the fact that the Anti-Spiral gets a big ol' drill through him, it basically means that Simon has dug his last hole. Not only do the shades break because he's justified his friends' deaths, but it's also his goggles breaking because he has fulfilled his destiny and ''doesn't need them anymore.'']] Pretty deep for something that took less than a second of screentime...
* [[spoiler:Kamina would have had IMPOSSIBLY large shoes to fill in the later parts of the series if he had survived. It could be said, by dying, he was more instrumental by being a memory of greatness, rather than ever having disappointed the people. His spiral power actually seemed to be pretty minimal, especially when he tried to steal the Gurren, until his death. He basically needed to set an example for everyone of how to do the job he couldn't do himself, especially Simon, with his massive potential.]]

** On its face, it sounds like, "Don't worry, kid, when your confidence is shot, I'll keep cheering you on", and it's easy enough to just take it as such... but pare down that sentence and you get "Believe in me." Simon was looked down on and/or ignored in his village, and no one "believed in" him aside from Kamina... but consider that Kamina was in much the same kind of position, being called "the liar's son", having his gang composed of insincere hangers-on who betrayed him at the first opportunity, and being subjected to constant beatings, jailings and general attempts to shut him up. The only person who truly stood by him was Simon. Additionally, [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments we see in]] [[TearJerker Episode 11]] that [[spoiler: Kamina was afraid and panicking when the tunnel collapsed, and Simon's quiet determination was directly responsible for Kamina's refusal to give up]]. In short, when the phrase is examined closely, Kamina was actually asking Simon, the person he admired more than anyone else, to have faith in ''him'' -- "Please have faith in me, because you're the person I respect and trust the most, and I act confident and self-assured because I know you're watching me". Furthermore, when [[spoiler:Kamina was dying]], he told Simon, "Don't believe in me, who believes in you... don't believe in you, who believes in me... believe in you, who believes in yourself" because he finally recognized that that was what he should have been telling Simon all along.

* Given his insistence that he wouldn't die on the surface like [[spoiler:his father did]], one might only attribute the fact that [[spoiler:Kamina didn't struggle or get angry when faced with death, and in fact died smiling]] to his genuine (and well-placed, of course, as it turns out) faith in Simon's strength. But that isn't all -- [[spoiler:Kamina's acceptance of death]] ''also'' points to the series's eventual message that death ''needs'' to be accepted and the past placed in the past in order for life to continue forward, and that peaceful smile ''also'' a tribute to the ability to let go and move on that he knew Simon had. Notice a line earlier on: Kamina's father says to him "Come to the surface and join me when you're ready." Later on, when [[spoiler:Kamina dies]], this acts as him joining his father, [[spoiler:who had also died]].
* The earlier scene where we find out Simon's actions during the cave-in originally seem like just a touching moment about two friends, but in truth, they point to this important fact about his personality: When faced with a seemingly impossible task, he presses straight forward, always taking what seems like the hardest route, but making it work through pure determination. Consider, for instance, the scene where Gimmy and Darry are attempting to find some way to defeat the Anti-Spiral without its pieces destroying the city: another show might try to lure the enemy outside the city or enclose it (think Anime/GaoGaiGar), but Simon just takes the direct approach [[spoiler: by grabbing a gun and shooting every piece before it hits ground.]] Watch the series again with this in mind: you'll notice that every time someone seems to try and come up with some roundabout strategem or some complex plan (for example: captured by the Beastmen), Simon solves it using the direct approach that no one considered because it was (thought to be) impossible.

** Pay close attention to Yoko's fantasy scene. [[spoiler:Yoko turns off the screen showing her AU future at the exact moment before she kisses Kittan. When it is revealed that Kamina's spirit is the one holding the screen, it becomes clear that she chose that particular moment in order to show both herself and Kamina that he was still the man she really loved, even though she cared for Kittan]].
** Viral's scene. [[spoiler: He has a wife and a child. Which, okay, in his heart he might want a family. But this isn't just "what he would like." Unlike Yoko and Simon, though, it's not because what they desire is gone. As much as anyone else's dream, it's impossible, since as a Beastman he can't have children. He will never be able to have a child like a spiral race creature could.]]
* Through implication, during the last arc, the members of Team Dai-Gurren basically state themselves that, by the last episode, they have [[spoiler:surpassed the Gods to fight the universe and WIN]]. They don't call Simon a {{determinator}} for nothing!

* In Lagann-hen, many of the audience wondered why [[spoiler:the Cathedral Lazengann]] moved so slowly as it was trying to [[spoiler:crush Arc-Gurren Lagann in its hand, then to punch out the Earth]] when it moved so much more quickly later [[spoiler:as the Super Galaxy Gurren Lagann]]. But [[spoiler:the Cathedral Lazengann]] was not running off of Spiral Power (the fighting spirit) that would have allowed it to have moved as quickly as [[spoiler:the Super Galaxy Gurren Lagann]] would later in the very same movie. It also explains why the moon moved so slowly aside from the psychological factor. The Anti Spirals were simply using their reality warping powers to basically brute force the [[spoiler:Cathedral Terra]] into moving. And that the Anti spirals are weaker outside their own universe.
* When I heard the [[spoiler: Anti Spiral say that they were using Spiral Power to satisfy their own desires and growing drunk on it]], I at first thought it was just a stupid HannibalLecture, but then, I realized this, [[spoiler: it wasn't just a lecture, he was ''calling them out on unnecessary upgrades'' that usually just made the mechs and themselves look cooler, such as the Garrific glasses that Simon had, and other things, the flight was necessary, but it didn't excuse the other unneccasary upgrades]], he wasn't just giving them a lecture about [[spoiler: overusing Spiral Power, he was calling them out on the upgrades that weren't even needed!]]
* [[spoiler:The Anti-Spiral had a humanoid body, when that's something only Spiral races have.]] Then it turned out that [[spoiler:it was made of the collected minds of a Spiral race]].

* Boota wasn't just giving Simon and Kamina his tail to eat for nourishment, [[spoiler:he was giving back some of the spiral energy that he had absorbed from them]] like he does in the final battle. Simon is the method to Kamina's madness, but Boota is Simon's backup.

** If you think about Lordgenome's [[ParentalAbandonment abandonment]] of Nia and his previous daughters from the protagonists' points of view, you would only think of Guame's explanation that he [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness got bored of them]] once they began thinking intelligently (Nia was abandoned after asking about the reason she was born). It would seem as one huge crossing of the MoralEventHorizon by the BigBad; also it would looks OutOfCharacter when seeing Lordgenome [[spoiler: [[HeelFaceTurn with the good guys]]]] and actually [[spoiler: apologizing to Nia before his HeroicSacrifice]]. But if you remember that Lordgenome was [[spoiler: actually a WellIntentionedExtremist who felt like he needed to hinder spiral power to prevent TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt]], then [[ItMakesSenseInContext it would actually make sense why he dumped all his daughters like trash]]: [[spoiler: Nia and her sisters thinking intelligently is the first sign of the growth of spiral power]].

** Lordgenome knew that his massive badassery would be passed on to his daughters. If they grew up too much, they would call him out on his tyranny and overthrow him. He couldn't trust his daughter with being queen of the world; she would [[spoiler:probably inadvertently have the population reach one million and doom the world to a ColonyDrop]]. Oh, and since [[spoiler:the Anti-Spiral genetic code was inscribed in his daughters, humanity would lose their queen at ''the worst possible moment'']].

* The [[spoiler:Anti-Spirals]] used a slightly different/altered form of spiral energy to fight Simon. Spiral Energy comes from the will to move forward, or will power in general. The [[spoiler:Anti-Spiral]] comments on how much resolve, will, and fortitude it took to [[spoiler:halt their own evolution]]. While Spiral power comes from the will to move forward, [[spoiler: Anti-Spiral]] power might come from the will to stop moving. 2 sides of the same coin, like the Force.
** Which means, while Spiral Energy represents a Drill, [[spoiler:Anti Spiral Energy]] is a ''Screw'' which uses it's spiral shape to hold in and refuse to move.

** Something that Lordgenome said concerning the Anti-Spiral. He said that it always sought to fight Spiral warriors on a level field, so as to cause despair, but that might not be the only reason. The Anti-Spiral itself said that its race had stopped its evolution...in other words, they couldn't grow. It mimicked humanoid bodies, copied moves and designs, and even [[spoiler: copied the Giga Drill Breaker in Lagann-Hen]]. No wonder it was always mimicking its opponents' designs and tactics. ''It couldn't think of new ideas on its own.''

* What did Team Dai-Gurren do right before Simon said his "double helix" speech? [[spoiler:They absorbed the Anti-Spiral's massive attack and used its energy to launch a counterattack. In other words, they combined Spiral and Anti-Spiral power, as they realize that the two philosophies can be combined, with each one preventing the other from going out of control]]. How did they were able to do that? Thanks to the other guy who changed his philosophies regarding Spiral Power during the series: [[spoiler:Lordgenome]].
* As awesome as the final battle in ''Lagann-hen'' was, [[spoiler: Simon's fistfight against the Anti-Spiral]] was a bit confusing, due to the fact that the latter was bleeding just as much as the former. Why would [[spoiler: the collective HiveMind of an entire alien race]] would be able to shed blood? The Anti-Spiral was still trying to fight Simon on even ground as part of his DespairGambit. In other words, he just tried to give himself the same limitations as his opponent.
* The shield that Gurren Lagann used to defend Arc-Gurren was almost exactly the same as the one Viral used to block Littner village's missiles... which essentially means [[spoiler:Viral was protecting humans with a technique he'd learned during his time as a villain, indicating his journey to the path of light was complete]]. That wasn't the only time, [[spoiler: he also was using the shield to protect a human settlement that didn't want to leave the underground, another possible indication to his path to the light.]]
* You know that attack the [[spoiler:Anti-Spirals]] use in the final battle? The one where it turns into a spear-like form and crashes Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann through several galaxies? That attack mirrors [[spoiler: the one that killed Kamina.]]

* During the FinalBattle of [[TheMovie Lagann-hen]], when [[spoiler: Simon makes a drill and goes in for the finishing stroke]], the Anti-Spiral [[spoiler: charged at him as well, with a grin on his face]]. The Anti-Spiral[[spoiler:, having seen enough of Simon's determination, decided to entrust the future to him, and was basically saying, "Strike me down and show me you are ready to protect the universe in a better way than I did!"]]

* Spiral power is literally dividing by zero. [[spoiler: It actually solves the mathematical problem with division by zero - it can divide something into zero parts by violating the law of conservation of mass.]] If 1/0=X, then X*0=1; X is "a number which when multiplied by zero is greater than zero", which could mean a number that becomes greater than itself in the process of it existing. I'm no mathematician, but I think numbers don't usually ''have'' processes - they are themselves, as static facts, even imaginary and irregular numbers and what have you. 1/0 is a number that ''grows''; it's an abstract equation without physical substance that results in gaining mass; it's something from nothing. It's a mathematical expression of the concept of forward motion implicit in itself. Division by zero ''is'' impossible - we can't do it. So of course it's how Team Gurren rolls, taking mathematics beyond mathematics.

* Notice that when Kamina takes off his TriangleShades, he doesn't look as awesome as he does with them on. Later, we find out that his sheer awesomeness and Badassitude [[spoiler: was all a mask; he was every bit as scared as everyone else. He puts on his Badass Facade (Note to self: make that a trope) to encourage everybody to not give up hope.]] So when he puts on his shades, he is literally and figuratively putting on a mask of awesomeness to inspire everybody into giving their all. This is two fold: Kamina was never meant to be the greatest hero in the series but [[spoiler: the inspiration to forge the Team Gurren and Simon. If Simon is the digger who would pierce the heaven, Kamina ''is the drill'' which would pierce it]] and to show how humanity ''should'' be: Broken, imperfect and sometimes stupid, but always striving to be better and never giving up, no matter what.

* The Lazengann Overload ability may seem like a convenient AssPull... until you realize that it's just Lordgenome's version of the Gurren Lagann's energy-absorption ability. [[spoiler:The Infinity Big Bang Storm was just too strong for Lordgenome to shoot it back without any harm being done to him.]]

* Any Kittan fan who watched Lagann-hen [[spoiler:may be disappointed by how the changes from the original series have ''apparently'' affected his significance. Instead of being the last casualty in the Gunmen-riding gang and being the only one among said casualties who have experienced the Spiral Energy, in this version he's the ''only'' casualty in that group, and as a consequence is the only one who does not get the chance to have his own Tengen Toppa Gunman. However, the movie has made some additional LampshadeHanging on his role as the one who pushes them all forward while Simon is the one who pulls them. And with this, one can see an added significance in his sacrifice in the movie version. His summoning the Giga-drill on his own is his one last and greatest push to the group; he has shown them that they can bring out their own Spiral Energy, thus making them able to bring out their own Tengen Toppa Gunmen.]] Whichever version is better, of course, is up to the viewer.
* So, [[spoiler:Kamina gets to put in one last appearance and shake everybody out of their trans-dimensional funk.]] Awesome enough on its own, but he also [[spoiler:DID finally pay Yoko back for that kiss]].

* A bit of a meta example, but during climactic scenes the main characters (most noticeably Simon), [[ArtShift look a little different.]] Why is this? ''Because they are channeling so much Spiral Energy.'' Lordgenome is constantly in that [[ArtShift Art Shifted]] state and looks like that all the time because he is constantly channeling incredible amounts of Spiral Power (what he's using it for isn't explained, but [[spoiler: before his [[DisneyDeath "death"]]]] its implied he was powering all the Beastmen's Gunmen personally, [[spoiler: and once he's just a head he's being pumped full of it just to be animate at all]]). Kittan gets it too right before [[spoiler: his death]] along with the Spiral Eyes that people who abuse Spiral Power seem to get(Lordgenome for example).

** Gurren Lagann can be considered the incarnation of the lighter aspects of Eva Unit 01 from... ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' with it being piloted by a young boy inside it's head, being mentally connected with the pilot and being a common connection with a person from their respective pilot's past that heavily influence them. Likewise, Lordgenome's mech Lazgennan [[spoiler: Another Lagann type mech]] represents it's darker aspects and being very similar to the weapon that the heroes use.

* Consider Parallel Works #8, which explains [[spoiler: how Lordgenome lose the war against the Anti-Spirals]]. The civilization on Earth reached an advanced tech level which could support billions. When it was imposed that Earth couldn't have more than one million humans, [[spoiler: Lordgenome probably executed a genocide to keep their numbers in check.]]

* Kamina has a pretty BadassCape. I mean come on, it's red and even has orange flames dyed on to it. Except it doesn't. [[spoiler:The previous owner of said cape was Kamina's father. When we last see his father, the cape was ''completely orange''. Then, his father is killed. That's right, Kamina's cape has flames created by '''THE ABSENCE OF HIS FATHER'S BLOODSTAINS.''']]

* Rossiu's actions after the TimeSkip are pretty jarring considering who he hangs out with, until you realize that he's WrongGenreSavvy; He's the only cynic in a team of optimistic heroes, believing that heinous actions are necessary to protect as many people as possible. Also keep in mind that both main villains of the series are ''also'' [[NotSoDifferent cynics who share this exact mindset.]]

* Notice that when Kamina takes off his TriangleShades, he doesn't look as awesome as he does with them on. Later, we find out that his {{Crazy Awesome}}ness and Badassitude [[spoiler: was all a mask; he was every bit as scared as everyone else. He puts on his Badass Facade (Note to self: make that a trope) to encourage everybody to not give up hope.]] So when he puts on his shades, he is literally and figuratively putting on a mask of awesomeness to inspire everybody into giving their all. This is two fold: Kamina was never meant to be the greatest hero in the series but [[spoiler: the inspiration to forge the Team Gurren and Simon. If Simon is the digger who would pierce the heaven, Kamina ''is the drill'' which would pierce it]] and to show how humanity ''should'' be: Broken, imperfect and sometimes stupid, but always striving to be better and never giving up, no matter what.

** If you think about Lordgenome's [[ParentalAbandonment abandonment]] of Nia and his previous daughters from the protagonists' points of view, you would only think of Guame's explanation that he [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness got bored of them]] once they began thinking intelligently (Nia was abandoned after asking about the reason she was born). It would seem as one huge crossing of the MoralEventHorizon by the BigBad; also it would look like serious CharacterDerailment when seeing Lordgenome [[spoiler: [[HeelFaceTurn with the good guys]]]] and actually [[spoiler: apologizing to Nia before his HeroicSacrifice]]. But if you remember that Lordgenome was [[spoiler: actually a WellIntentionedExtremist who felt like he needed to hinder spiral power to prevent TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt]], then [[ItMakesSenseInContext it would actually make sense why he dumped all his daughters like trash]]: [[spoiler: Nia and her sisters thinking intelligently is the first sign of the growth of spiral power]].

** His actions also make sense when you realize that he's the only cynic in a team of optimistic heroes, believing that heinous actions are necessary to protect as many people as possible. Also keep in mind that both main villains of the series are ''also'' [[NotSoDifferent cynics who share this exact mindset.]]

* The Spiral Nemesis isn't just a plot device; it's a meta-commentary on the RuleOfCool. Just as constant abuse of Spiral Energy will eventually lead to the break-down of the universe, a series that constantly abuses an audiences' WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief via the RuleOfCool will eventually destroy that suspension of disbelief. Why bother getting invested in any conflict when the heroes can just AssPull a solution whenever they want?

** On its face, it sounds like, "Don't worry, kid, when your confidence is shot, I'll keep cheering you on", and it's easy enough to just take it as such... but pare down that sentence and you get "Believe in me." Simon was looked down on and/or ignored in his village, and no one "believed in" him aside from Kamina... but consider that Kamina was in much the same kind of position, being called "the liar's son", having his gang composed of insincere hangers-on who betrayed him at the first opportunity, and being subjected to constant beatings, jailings and general attempts to shut him up. The only person who truly stood by him was Simon. Additionally, [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming we see in]] [[TearJerker Episode 11]] that [[spoiler: Kamina was afraid and panicking when the tunnel collapsed, and Simon's quiet determination was directly responsible for Kamina's refusal to give up]]. In short, when the phrase is examined closely, Kamina was actually asking Simon, the person he admired more than anyone else, to have faith in ''him'' -- "Please have faith in me, because you're the person I respect and trust the most, and I act confident and self-assured because I know you're watching me". Furthermore, when [[spoiler:Kamina was dying]], he told Simon, "Don't believe in me, who believes in you... don't believe in you, who believes in me... believe in you, who believes in yourself" because he finally recognized that that was what he should have been telling Simon all along.

* A bit of Fridge [[CrowningMomentOfFunny Funny]]. Both Kamina and Simon are considered two of the manliest men in mecha anime, if not all of fiction. This is hilarious to anyone who has seen ''Anime/GunBuster'' because they know that these two testosterone-filled men of manly spirit...are based off of girls. [[NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer No jokes.]]

* ''[[CrowningMusicOfAwesome Libera Me From Hell]]'' is used twice, in specific circumstances: when the team is trapped in a hell-like place (the Death Spiral Field and the Dimensional Labyrinth) and needs to escape. That's what the song is really about, and why the two different melodies are juxtaposed- there is the woman lamenting their entrapped state, and the rap lyrics exclaiming the will to break out. Notice which melody overtakes the other at the end. The song plays in the prologue to ''Gurren-hen'', which is essentially a remixed Parallel Works 8 with sound effects. It lacks the rap portion of the song. [[TheBadGuyWins Guess why.]]