It’s not fair.
Amazing episode, amazing animation and amazing twist. I can’t believe we’ve just lost such a great personality. Gutted. I want to say more but there is no point, just watch this episode and you’ll understand this vast sense of emptyness. Where the hell does Gurren Lagann go now?!
In a way, I guess Kamina was perfect. There was no real challenge for Simon with him around, but now that he’s gone…
I just hope it won’t lapse into a frustrating angst-ridden story in which Simon spends the whole time struggling through the battles. Basically the next few episodes will define whether or not Gurren Lagann can really become a "classic". GAINAX are on absolute top form with this though, and to pull such a twist so early in the series is a great sign that they aren’t afraid to move in different directions!
Dan
I totally agree. With this move, it looks like they’re not settling for what they’ve already accomplished with the setup. I smell something of an epic in the making. We’ll have to see though if they push this thing forward, or if its all some horrible mistake.
*speechless*
I sure as hell didn’t see that coming. How they can follow this I don’t know, but the show really has reached a turning point in many ways. To see a run of okay-ish episodes, only to be blown away by ep #7’s action fest…now this. The next couple of episodes could really make or break the series I think – there must be something really unconventional lined up but there’s no way of knowing how it’ll pan out.
It was an utterly tragic episode but one way or another, this is where it gets really interesting.
I’m still slightly in shock here…
S.A.
Yeah, there just aren’t enough words to descirbe this episode. One of the best things I’ve seen in such a while. The emotion was incredible and the final action sequence just blew away anything else I’ve seen this year.
I don’t know how Gainax can possibly follow this up, but I don’t think we’ll have another episode as epic as this until much later in the series (late teens, early twenties). Hope I’m wrong though.
It had to happen sooner or later. Too early and it would have had no impact, too late and Simon wouldn’t have a good chance to come out of Kamina’s shadow. As others have said, it’s what the writers actually do with this turn of events that will let us know if they did it right. So far I’m optimistic. Kamina had a good run while it lasted. It’s the main character’s turn now.
Incidentally guys, go back and watch the first few minutes of episode one. It’s clearly Simon, and he’s clearly bad ass; the action is on a Gunbuster level of grandiosity too. I don’t think we have much to worry about. It looks like Simon grows up to be Kamina v2
Dan
Damn…. I totally forgot that was even in there! Thanks for the heads up.
Soldier Blue
I weep tears as I did in Death Note.
Manji
I cried.
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This is all very Nadesico to me. The death that occurred surprisingly early in that series didn’t derail the rest of the anime. Yes, alas! Things will just have to move on!