ROW, ROW, FIGHT THE POWAH!!! Gurren Lagann complete simulwatch

Oh, the Beez release. Wow, what a carefully put together beautiful little thing. Still have the entire release with the outer box and ost cd back at my parents (patches and drill pendant, too). I totally didn't have the money to buy it, so it took me months to get all of it, but it was worth it.

I would take out the box every now then and just go through each DVD volume, looking at the art, and the ost, too. Simpler times.
 
@ayase:
You're part of Team Gurren now.

How do you take your welcome? As a fist bump? A handshake? Back slap?

😛

You know, I never have watched my blu-rays
For anyone watching Anime Limited's BD release for the first time, it's worth pointing out that there are some small video issues on discs 1 and 2, and audio deficiencies across all four discs of the series. Some details follow.

From Anime Limited's blog:

Some people have flagged that there are some video issues on episodes 5, 7 and 10 for Gurren Lagann. These issues were flagged in QC – at these points the images froze and the audio continued. We tracked down the reason for this – it was down to the masters we received having the audio but no video at these points.

If you’re curious about them and haven’t noticed them you’ll find them in these points only:

Episode 5: 20:47 – 20:56 (9 seconds)
Episode 7: 08:29 – 08:42 (13 seconds)
Episode 10: 17:27 (momentary)


At these points we made a call – we had to switch in the DVD footage as the best solution since no re-supply was possible in this case. Otherwise, you would have had 9 seconds, 13 seconds and a momentary image freeze with ongoing audio in its place.

Archived on:

Those are the video issues. The audio issues were covered in a post by AUKN member @Mangaranga:

21 of the 27 episodes have mono audio and/or an audio defect of sorts for the Japanese track. Considering I've never actually fully played back the retail discs, I went through each episode to confirm, and to break it down:

Episodes 1 - 10 and 23 - 27 have mono audio.
Episode 11 - 16 are... in the only way I can describe it, screwed... They may(?) be stereo but something has gone completely wrong with the audio mix.

Episodes 17 - 22 appear to have correct stereo audio.

Original post here:
 
I will, as usual, be watching my downloaded copies despite owning the regular AL GL release.

I wonder if I'll have those issues? possibly not if mine is sourced from the JPN BD versions.
 
Headbutt ayase, Neil! Seems appropriate.
"Let's see you grit those teeth, @ayase!!!"

I wonder if I'll have those issues? possibly not if mine is sourced from the JPN BD versions.
@NormanicGrav knows a thing or two about different versions of Gurren Lagann. Check out these posts here...
... and here if you're interested.
 
I got the AL blu ray delivered only in the last month or so, is that then likely to have the issues addressed with the Dvd master? I think I'm more bothered about not having the movies & parallel works not included in it than these smaller errors to be honest...

Feeling very jealous of everyone with the UE/CEs... Maybe if the AL DVD goes on sale in the April sale I'll get that (that would also mean I can keep up with the movie section of this simulwatch!! Here's hoping).
 
I got the AL blu ray delivered only in the last month or so, is that then likely to have the issues addressed with the Dvd master?
It will, unfortunately; there's no fix for it, so there's only that version.

The DVD is unaffected by the issue, of course, because that's only standard definition in the first place and so has no connection to the faulty HD master.

Maybe if the AL DVD goes on sale in the April sale I'll get that
I was thinking that myself. Fingers crossed for you. 🤞🤞
 
I'm probably only going to do the main series eps btw, 1-26, probably skipping 6 if it's the one I think it is.

The films were more recap, although 2nd film I think had some extra bits in, think I just saw the end of the 2nd film to catch the slightly different ending parts before.
 
Feeling very jealous of everyone with the UE/CEs... Maybe if the AL DVD goes on sale in the April sale I'll get that (that would also mean I can keep up with the movie section of this simulwatch!! Here's hoping).

If it's any consolation, and since they were still trying stuff out, the digipack is extremely flimsy, because it's got standard-size plastic disc holders in an oversized cardboard digipak, and there were some problems with the gluing. I did some gluing of my own on 3 out of the 4 disc holders IIRC.

The slipcase itself also seemed badly glued (mine, at least), and a bit at the bottom of it kinda got separated from the rest, so I had to glue that too.

Replacement programs were in place for a lot or all of those elements of the UE, but living outside the UK, I didn't even bother.
 
Episode 1. Rewatcher.

First of all a question, has anyone here not seen GL before? I'd wager most of us have seen this one before.

Work colleague of mine recommended GL to me a few years ago, I tried it, but I think I was initially put off by the fanservice elements and I hadn't seen any anime really in years so I told him I didn't like it and went off to watch other things. I think GL is fantastic but I also don't think it's a good introductory anime, it's not the type of thing I'd personally recommend to a newcomer off the bat.

I watched it again within the last year or so and my whole frame of mind with it had changed. To me it doesn't place quite as well as KLK, and I mainly went back to GL after having seen and enjoyed KLK.

Whilst I think KLK has the better overall OST, OP1 for GL is a banger and I think it really builds the hype up at the start of the episodes, never skip! 🙂

I don't remember the section in space they showed at the start at all from my previous watch, but I think back then it didn't mean anything to me really having not seen how the show evolved.

I kind of wanted them to show more of the digging underground stuff for the initial village, I don't know why seeing Simon drilling tunnels makes me want to play Steamworld Dig again.

The fast pace of this show is fantastic though, never a dull moment, they clear the village and get outside all in one episode and really kick off the momentum of the journey without delay.
 
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It's my first time watching the show. Obviously it's only the first episode, so I can't write it off yet - but I'm not sure if this is going to be for me.

It reminds me a lot Kill La Kill, which I didn't like (I gave up after four episodes). It's got a similar visual style, which is just really unappealing to me (GR doesn't look as as gross as KLK though).

Simon and Yoko seem OK as main characters, but Kamina is really really irritating. I assume he's going to be a big part of the story, but I wouldn't mind if he got killed off soon (preferably offscreen before episode 2).

I think it went a bit too heavy with some of the fanservice .

I'll give it a couple more episodes and see how I feel about it then. I'm sorry to be negative already! 😅
 
I agree with @João Gomes your tastes might just be different, I group KLK and GL together thematically, if you like one I think you'd like the other, although I also think the opposite is true.

I made a comment that GL was recommended to me as someone who hadn't watched anime in like a decade or more, and I don't think it's a good intro recommendation.

You have to watch GL with a high octane & high fan service frame of mind.

I was surprised we managed to find someone who hadn't seen it yet though! I didn't think we would.
 
I get there being stuff people can't stand in anime, I'm the same. One example would be fake kawaii (high-pitch voiced, unrealistically innocent characters annoy me deeply), with a positive example being the way Yuasa depicts kids, which is legitimately adorable because it communicates seemingly true innocence. I can do without male-targeted fanservice but at the same time I think Prison School is brilliant in its comedy, so I don't know if that makes me a hypocrite or something of the sort.

Anyway, coming back to Lagann, there is fanservice and a bit of it, but it mostly feels played for comedy. But I think what I love the most, outside of the hype aspect is that the emotional moments are beautifully depicted and they feel earned and convincing. They are the true high points of the series and most of what makes it such an unforgettable anime.

Anyone who's watched knows what I'm talking about. The ending is burned into my memory permanently, I dare say. I remember it vividly and I haven't watched this in years.

And I actually think the director never hit the same highs as here. I liked KLK in spite of the fanservice and think Satsuki is a legitimately good character. I was deeply disappointed in Promare because there wasn't enough time for me to build affection for the characters. So that's my point of view.
 
Figured I would give it a go as well, although I'm not great at watching one episode a day (so well see how I manage).
So I've cracked out my ultimate edition and going to watch in Dub format, and a rewatch for me.

I still always see a certain scene in the first epsiode as irresponsible drilling during the prison escape, I would think alot more people would be a bit more concerned when some one poke a drill that close to a certain area or any area

But yes there is a fair bit of fan service as João Gomes mentioned and I would agree it is a bit more for comdey values and maybe at least in the starting episodes trying to add character/ show some peronalites (even if those personalities are Kamina like fan service)
 
Watched Episode 1, sub on the AL Blu-Ray.

Personal highlights:
Yoko performing the Akira bikeslide move during her entrance; Simon busting Kamina out of prison in a rather symbolic, phallic way; Kamina's advince on rejecting common sense to make in the impossible possible (a lot of people in this world complain about others who have "no common sense". Kamina knew that this was cobblers.)

Regarding where I first watched it: it was at back when I was a student at Teesside University. I had just started attending the local comic book/animation society, having only just starting to get into anime and manga fully. One of the first anime they showed was Gurren Lagann, playing one episode to us a week (the series was relatively new, and to this day I'm unsure as to how legal the uni's copy was). I had never seen anything like it before or since.

Regarding the fan service, I know that it can put some people off. To me, Gurren Lagann has just the right amount of fan service to be Carry On-esque bawdy, without it being too lewd as to be dominated by nothing else (Personally, there are bits about Leeron I find more dodgy, but that is for the future). Also, while Yoko's appearance may be considered objectionable, the fact that Kamina is mostly topless throughout helps balance it out a bit. There is plenty of male flesh on display as well as female.

I'm going to have to listen to the soundtrack again.
 
I'm probably only going to do the main series eps btw, 1-26, probably skipping 6 if it's the one I think it is.

The films were more recap, although 2nd film I think had some extra bits in, think I just saw the end of the 2nd film to catch the slightly different ending parts before.
I thought the same but apparently they're not your usual substandard compilations and actually elevate the story (which is why I'm feeling hard done by heh) though I'm sure others will be able to explain better.
If it's any consolation, and since they were still trying stuff out, the digipack is extremely flimsy
That's a shame but I'm sure you cherish yours regardless! I love the artwork on the Zaavi CE in particular - that would be my dream edition if I could nab one. By the way, if you any of you have that, would you be kind enough to share some photos please? Oooh and also of your UE @João Gomes if you don't mind. Sorry one more request - I think there is an artbook with the UE, any chance you could post any relevant photos if present, per episode @Birdie Num Num style from the LotL simulwatch? Thank you!!


To me it doesn't place quite as well as KLK, and I mainly went back to GL after having seen and enjoyed KLK.
This is interesting as I'm of the opposite opinion. I thought KLK started very strong and absolutely hilarious but felt got weaker, for me, in terms of narrative as it went on with the humour dialed down (a criticism I level at the general comedy movie formula followed in the West). On the other hand I thought GL only got better & better and bigger & bigger at a truly ridiculous scale, totally in keeping with the spirit of the series. That is absolutely not to say KLK isn't fantastic by the way heh.
I think I was initially put off by the fanservice elements
Obviously it's only the first episode, so I can't write it off yet - but I'm not sure if this is going to be for me.
I would highly recommend sticking with it for the first 8 episodes if possible. I have to confess that on first watch, I too was not blown away and didn't carry on after the first episode, until I later revisited. The fan service probably didn't help for me also at the time (I have since been immunised to fan service through watching countless animes heh), nor did watching it dubbed (probably though I thought the dub wasn't bad at all). But more so I think my very cynical self also found the endless spirit and positivity hard to take seriously and it was too much an antithesis of Evangelion for me back then. I have since remedied my neural units and actually love all those aspects now but also in retrospect. Similarly this was also why I couldn't like Fate UBW as much on first watch given Shiro's ridiculous idealism, but again that's another series I now love. Who knows, maybe I've since been infected by the Japanese fighting spirit! Fight on!
But I think what I love the most, outside of the hype aspect is that the emotional moments are beautifully depicted and they feel earned and convincing. They are the true high points of the series and most of what makes it such an unforgettable anime.
Exactly that, I think there is definitely more to it than meets the eye on first impressions.
 
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