If you were trapped between a wall of dirt, a wall of dirt, a wall of dirt, another wall of dirt, and a domed dirt ceiling for your entire life knowing that someday there would be an earthquake that would make the ceiling fall in and kill you and everyone you knew, how would you feel?  Welcome to the world that Kamina (Kah-mee-nah) and Simon (See-mone), where there is only the village they live in and the dirt Simon drills through to expand the village alongside his fellow villagers.  Kamina doesn’t believe in being trapped in a place like the village, and he remembers a time when his father showed him a place with no walls or ceilings… the surface, a place said not to exist.  Kamina is determined to escape to the surface, taking his bro (Simon) with him.  The only problem is the village chief (who is more than a bit spiteful) and the giant ceiling said to be all there was about their heads.
The anime Gurren Lagann (27 episodes), based on the manga series (written by Kazuki Nakashima, illustrated by Kotaro Mori) and the light novel series (written by Kurasumi Sunayama, illustrated by Hiroki Shinagawa), is not only action packed, but emotional and inspiring.  Personally, I think that the graphics are amazing, far better than most animes from 2008, and realistically colored (which is saying something based on the fact that the anime is anything but realistic).  It satisfied every part of me as : the romantic, thrill-seeker, and the story seeker.
Gurren Lagann starts by following the lives of two “brothers,” Simon and Kamina, as they strengthen their bond.  When a strange woman and giant, violent creature fall through the ceiling, something that Kamina has always wanted to break through, and the only thing that Simon had ever known, the story officially starts.  As Simon becomes something incredible and breaks through his scared exterior, Kamina lives his dream of being on the surface and leading a team of unbeatable friends.  The experiences of these two brothers and the relationships they build become the basis of of the anime (and the series it is based on).

Personally, my favorite part is the inspirational message the anime carries (not that I didn’t enjoy the action in it, which is why I chose to watch it).  To understand it, viewers would have to understand the character Simon.  Simon is small, weak, and scared, but he seems to have a great power that nobody understands, but Kamina seems to see something in it.  Kamina encourages Simon and Simon’s power grows.  In the anime, this power is called “spiral power,” more commonly known as fighting spirit.  Someone so small, so seemingly powerless, has great power, something anyone could have, but something he had in overwhelming amounts because of who he was and who was supporting him.  The friendship and the message of the anime are inspirational, and that is my favorite part about it.

I enjoyed the show a lot more than I thought I would.  The storyline is deeper than I had originally thought, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with it.  The characters are inspiring, touching, and relatable, too!  I would highly recommend this anime to anyone from action seekers to romantics, although, as most animes do, I must warn prospective viewers that there is some strong language and focuses on inappropriate attitudes and dress (mostly on female cast).  It truly was a great anime though, and the flaws are minor compared to how good the anime actually is.  I highly recommend it, even as a dub (which for me, is a rare thing)!  If you are looking to watch Gurren Lagann, you can find full episodes on YouTube and Netflix.  If you are looking to buy the anime series, Amazon carries it (although it is more expensive than most and depends on which version you purchase) or could be bought online (also dependent on which version is bought.  Again, I thoroughly enjoyed the anime and highly recommend it for anyone looking for something to watch, anime fan or not!