Review: 'Gurren Lagann' 10th Anniversary Blu-ray Box Set

At ten years old, Gurren Lagann is still one of the best mecha franchises out there. The series built upon the robust action of series like Mobile Suit Gundam and injected its characters with an invigorating dose of optimism that's difficult to find in even the lightest rom-coms. If you have yet to check out the series, then you can now if you have some cash you're willing to blow.

Earlier this fall, Aniplex USA announced its plans to honor the tenth anniversary of Gurren Lagann with a collector's must-have. The distributor released an anniversary box set of the series which contains all 27 episodes of Gurren Lagann as well as its OVAs and feature films. With nearly 1,000 minutes of content, the box set is a complete crash course to Gurren Lagann's charm, but it does come at a cost. The compact set currently sells for $150 and is suggested to retail at nearly $200.

However, the price is worth the purchase if you are a fan of mecha and want a new take on the ever-growing genre.

The anniversary box set may set you back $150, but its collected offerings are a bargain for what Aniplex would sell them each. Gurren Lagann is collected on five Blu-rays which each retail for $50 while its collected films will cost you $60. To get the series and films individually, fans would spend upwards $300, which makes this box set a steal for fans wanting a copy of the acclaimed series.

The anniversary box set does lack the special features that Aniplex housed in its previous Ultimate Blu-ray box set of Gurren Lagann, but it does have the necessities. The package includes both English and Japanese audio with all the appropriate subtitles. The picture and sound quality leaves no room for complaints, and it does have the broadcast version of episode six. Aside from that, there is very little fluff left to adorn the box set, but this re-release costs a fraction of what the the Ultimate edition did. At nearly $500, the fancier box set would be a Mercedes to this release that acts more like a reliable Honda.

Some fans may blanche at Gurren Lagann's price tag, but it is an affordable way to collect the whole series in one go. If you are looking for a comprehensive way to binge the modern-day mecha, then Aniplex's new box set is likely the thing you've been looking for.