While I wouldn’t quite call myself a huge fan of shonen, I’ve seen a few and know people who watch and read a ton of the genre. Therefore, even if unintentional, the anime helps to perpetuate toxic masculinity. But by leaving these parts of Kamina’s personality unchallenged throughout the run of the show, making Kamina seem like a flawless role model. Maybe there wasn’t enough time to explore it all, or the writers just weren’t interested. Instead, this vision ends up provoking Simon into trying to resist even farther, having the opposite of the intended effect. What’s always surprised me with this segment is that it is the villains of the series who show Simon this alternate version of Kamina and therefore, again, this would be a perfect time to challenge Simon’s assumption of Kamina’s righteousness. It’s the moment where Simon realizes what he’s fighting for, and why it’s so important resistance, willpower, and the desire for change. By contrast, the Kamina that we’ve grown used to seems like the greatest person in the world. This is shown as a complete defeat, as a failure, and it’s legitimately one of the most emotional moments in the series. At one point, we see an alternate version of Kamina who’s been beaten down and who submits when put under any pressure. Not only does the series not question Kamina, it actually valorizes him, in a way. But that core aspect of Kamina that Simon bases himself upon stays constant throughout pretty much the entire series, and Simon continues to style himself to look like Kamina as well. The path that the anime does eventually go down allows Simon to define himself separately from Kamina, as he grows and is influenced by others around him besides Kamina. Maybe, in the face of that pain, Simon would have to define who he wishes to be outside of Kamina’s influence. He would have to reconcile the man whom Simon has always trusted with someone who can and has made mistakes and who has hurt those around him. By interrogating Kamina’s character, it stands to reason that Simon would be shaken to his core. While TTGL is my favourite anime, I think this is one of its major flaws. This is because it’s Simon’s narrative, and Kamina doesn’t really need to develop or grow in order for that narrative to stay intact. Simon doesn’t really see Kamina’s flaws because of how he idolizes the older boy, and the narrative of TTGL is designed in a way that these flaws never need to be challenged. The drill is a major symbol within the show, as it’s Lagann’s main weapon, and it’s also used as a symbol for Simon’s growth he will succeed, he will reach for the surface with his drill, and he will bust through it, no matter what stands in his way. He also tells Simon that Simon’s drill will pierce the heavens. He’s the first person to see Simon’s true potential, as for the first chunk of the series nobody else really believes in Simon besides Kamina himself. He knows that Simon will surpass him, as a person, as a leader, and as a hero. He dreams of going to the surface, to see his dad who left him when he was young. He doesn’t listen to authority, he’s misogynistic, and he’s egotistical. Kamina is, quite honestly, not a great person. Simon has one of the most menial jobs in this society he’s a digger, digging tunnels to locate resources and expand the small settlement where he and Kamina live. The series takes place in a world where most human settlements have moved underground, to the point where most people don’t even believe a surface exists. But a particular aspect of the series that I want to focus on is how it treats the relationship between its male leads, Simon and Kamina, one that forms the backbone of the series’ narrative. It’s a series about willpower, about growing from loss, and about rap-opera fusion. It may be relatively short, at one season of 27 episodes, but it has a story that’s constantly moving and delving into new ideas and themes. Gurren Lagann (aka Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann or TTGL) is an anime series from 2007 about a boy named Simon, his friend Kamina, and their mechs respectively named Lagann and Gurren.
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