30 Days of Anime – #19 the Most Epic Scene, Ever

#19 What Do I Think Is the Most Epic Scene, Ever?

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Our Heroes Break Free of the Extra-Dimensional Labyrinth & Gurren Lagann’s Final Transformation

Alright, alright, so this isn’t really a single scene! I mean, this particular moment in Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann spans two seperate episodes, for one thing… But, like Team Dai Gurren, I’m going to do this my way, because if we’re talking epic-ness, no other scene in anime has this one beat!

Why’s that? Well, within just six minutes, the show manages to cram in all of the following:

• Reminders of who we’ve lost along the way. Kamina, the one who lives on inside of Simon’s heart, is brought back for one final scene to remind Simon of the importance of shaping your own destiny and of not letting fear stand in your way. We are also shown images of other characters we’ve lost, including Kittan, who heroically sacrificed himself just an episode prior.
• A reminder of the time that has passed and of how much Simon has matured in that time. Kamina: “Whoa, when the hell did you get taller than me?”
• A final goodbye to Kamina, whose importance to the show and its characters cannot be overstated.
• “Libera Me From Hell”, the most awesome piece of background music in existence (yes, even more so than “You Say Run”). This kicks in just in time to let you know that shit is about to get real!
• Our heroes break free of the extra-dimensional labyrinth. Whilst this is a triumphant moment, it is also extremely bittersweet, as we are shown what could have been. For instance, Yoko could have gotten married and Viral could have had a family. Instead, Yoko has lost the love of her life, twice, no less, and Viral, a beastman, is unable to father children.
• Simon gets the girl. It’s impossible not to cheer when he rescues Nia, who has been bravely clinging on out of sheer defiance, at the last possible moment. It’s a victory for true love.
• Some of the best quotes in all of anime, including: “We don’t care about time or space or extra-dimensional whatevers. […] Force your way down a path YOU choose to take and do it YOUR way.” And a final, triumphant, “Who the hell do you think we are!?” The battle cry that first brought our heroes together.
• The biggest robot in existence. You ever watch a size comparison video on YouTube? According to one of these videos, which I’m convinced are totally accurate and scientific, the Gurren Lagann, post-final transformation, is bigger than the sun. That’s pretty fooking big.

The phrase “action-packed” doesn’t really do this scene justice, does it? I also want to throw “adrenaline-filled”, “bittersweet”, “moving”, “pulse-pounding”, and “uplifting” into the mix! No other scene in anime has ever prompted such a physical and emotional response from me. It has me fighting back tears (and cheers), leaping up out of my seat, and pumping my fist into the air in triumph. It even gave me the shakes the first time I watched it, so filled with adrenaline was I. It’s the single most powerful example that I can conjure up of the power of anime to touch your heart, so, naturally, even though it bends the rules somewhat, it was the only choice for the purpose of this post!