‘Gurren Lagann’ Director Shares Manly Anniversary Sketch

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann was a prolific mecha anime that changed the course of many anime fans’ tastes upon its release, and this new sketch made in celebration of that will bring all of those memories flowing back.

The makers of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann reunited for a single evening dubbed “Trigger Night 7” in celebration of its 10th Anniversary, and series director Hiroyuki Imaishi posted a new sketch on Twitter for the occasion:

The sketch features a grown up Simon holding his drill, with an enraging Super Galaxy Dai-Gurren right behind him. The way the sketch is presented with the same rough inking the series often shared will definitely pierce the nostalgic hearts of fans.

The “Trigger Night 7” event also featured the announcement of a new Nendoroid figure based on Kamina, and revealed several shirts and buttons featuring original art for fans in attendance.

The Super Galaxy Dai-Gurren didn’t show up until near the end of the original series — although it was teased during the series’ pilot episode — when the Dai-Gurren Brigade was fighting against the last of the Anti-Spiral threat. The ending of that series was full of such striking emotion, just seeing an image of the Dai-Gurren in its humanoid shape is sure to return fans to the first time they have seen it as its transformation is often considered one of the best transformations in anime overall.

For those unfamiliar with Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, it’s a mecha anime series produced by Gainax, Konami and Aniplex. The series takes place in a future where mankind has been forced underground thanks to the menace of the Beastmen and the Spiral King. One day, a digger named Simon and his friend Kamina find a mecha buried deep underground. Using this, the two break through to the surface and start fighting against the Beastmen and the other human rebels.

The series ran for 27 episodes on TV Tokyo from April to September 2007. Directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi and written by Kazuki Nakashima, the series was licensed for an English language release by ADV Films, Bandai Entertainment and Aniplex of America. Two feature-length films were produced that re-told the events of the original series and released in 2008 and 2009.

via Crunchyroll