Does gurren Lagann have symbolism?
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Does gurren Lagann have symbolism?
I don't know if this is just in recent Gainax works or it is just me but does Gurren Lagann have symbolism beneath the pretty explosions and even prettier girls?
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If we take 'symbol' as a broader thing as opposed to just visual motifs (as per semiotic theory).... then, yes, Gurren Lagann has symbolism beyond just "lol drills mean evolution (and the penis)"
A large chunk of GL's essence is machismo, for lack of a better term. You could argue it's a self-parody, but it's not the kind of mocking self-parody.
In an interview with who I think was the scriptwriter, he stated that he wanted to "make anime macho again", like the anime he grew up with (most likely the oldschool super robot era of Mazinger, Getter Robo, Brave Raideen, etc.).
GL's macho attitude acts counter to the current paradigm in anime, which has traditionally lent itself more towards androgyny and sexual ambiguity, Gurren Lagann thumps its chest and loudly proclaims: "WE ARE MEN!" . Kamina, for example, is tattooed and barechested, wields an absurdly long katana (I used to throw a fit about people going: "dur hur hur swords are phallic" but now I just go: "Yeah, and that's why they're awesome"), and never backs down from a battle. Simon, while a wimp at the begining, is inspired by Kamina's masculine example, and over the course of the first half of the series, becomes a leader of an entire resistance movement, founding a new society after defeating the oppressive status quo, and going on to destroy yet another enemy to makind, who seeks to repress the masculine spirit of exploration and victory (Spiral Power)
I could probably go on for pages here, I'll stop.
tl;dr - Gurren Lagann is an attempt to run counter to anime that's filled with prettyboys. WE ARE MENNNNNNNNNN.... damn, where's that AMV when you need it...
If we take 'symbol' as a broader thing as opposed to just visual motifs (as per semiotic theory).... then, yes, Gurren Lagann has symbolism beyond just "lol drills mean evolution (and the penis)"
A large chunk of GL's essence is machismo, for lack of a better term. You could argue it's a self-parody, but it's not the kind of mocking self-parody.
In an interview with who I think was the scriptwriter, he stated that he wanted to "make anime macho again", like the anime he grew up with (most likely the oldschool super robot era of Mazinger, Getter Robo, Brave Raideen, etc.).
GL's macho attitude acts counter to the current paradigm in anime, which has traditionally lent itself more towards androgyny and sexual ambiguity, Gurren Lagann thumps its chest and loudly proclaims: "WE ARE MEN!" . Kamina, for example, is tattooed and barechested, wields an absurdly long katana (I used to throw a fit about people going: "dur hur hur swords are phallic" but now I just go: "Yeah, and that's why they're awesome"), and never backs down from a battle. Simon, while a wimp at the begining, is inspired by Kamina's masculine example, and over the course of the first half of the series, becomes a leader of an entire resistance movement, founding a new society after defeating the oppressive status quo, and going on to destroy yet another enemy to makind, who seeks to repress the masculine spirit of exploration and victory (Spiral Power)
I could probably go on for pages here, I'll stop.
tl;dr - Gurren Lagann is an attempt to run counter to anime that's filled with prettyboys. WE ARE MENNNNNNNNNN.... damn, where's that AMV when you need it...
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I didn't read any symbolism in the show. The most I could get was "My drill is bigger than yours" or "Oh hey, our final bad guy is God. Take this!"...though that last one is most likely my misreading things.
The show doesn't really say anything that profound or have any symbolism in my eyes.
It's just a big loud fun action blockbuster. It's like looking for an intelligent message in the new Star Trek film. It doesn't really question anything about what it means to be human or have any deep observations (and no ST2009-Star Trek 2009- does not have any message outside of creating shallow character archs "I'm a half breed Vulcan...wait, humans are good") but it's a DAMN FUN TIME.
The show doesn't really say anything that profound or have any symbolism in my eyes.
It's just a big loud fun action blockbuster. It's like looking for an intelligent message in the new Star Trek film. It doesn't really question anything about what it means to be human or have any deep observations (and no ST2009-Star Trek 2009- does not have any message outside of creating shallow character archs "I'm a half breed Vulcan...wait, humans are good") but it's a DAMN FUN TIME.
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It could be argues that Gurren Lagann is deeper than Evangelion, as it's a world of action and results. There's not an absence of soul searching in it, it's just that the characters find what they, in their souls are searching for and act on it, instead of Eva, where they don't find what they're looking for, and are rendered incapable of action.
It's like Eva's good twin.
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I left that out for the same reason i leave The Beatles out of my list of favorite bands. it's just assumed.
Evangelion, FLCL and Gurren Lagann are all out male puberty and coming of age and penises to a huge extent. Evangelion is the mopey boy who can't get laid, FLCL is the hyperactive nymphomaniac, and Gurren Lagann is the emotionally well-adjusted if a bit overconfident boy. I did a paper about Gainax Robot Shows and Nietzsche and psycho-sexual imagery for my 2nd year Philosophy final and got a 95 on it. I wish I could show it off, but my ex spilled tea all over my laptop at the time and I lost a massive number of files and it made me sad because a big part of my philosophy major was inspired by my desire to talk about Gainax robot shows and tits and dick, because I love robots and tits, and if i didn't have a dick I suspect my enthusiasm for tits would be substantially diminished because I would have a dick, and therefore no capacity for a good old fashioned tit fuck like the gigantic symbolic tit-fuck that is the entirety of FLCL.
I wish Rei would tit-fuck my soul. She is my waifu. She is the perfect woman, because she won't ever give you no lip unless you try to se her as a tool to bring about the end of the world, which I would never do, even though I grew a beard based off Gendo's. If you're nailing Rei why would you want to stop living? it's sheer madness! Madness I tell you!
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