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AX09: Gurren Lagann Movie Sub Premiere Liveblog

Liveblogging the first Gurren Lagann movie. SPOILER ALERT!

Sorry if this starts a little bit late-- I'm having trouble getting the computer connected. Of course.

SO. MANY. LOGOS. Konami is accidentally "Konam" and the screen is set at 4:3...that should be interesting.

Okay...the movie!

 
 


SPOILER ALERT!


The film's intro is definitely different from the TV series', probably due to the eventual changes in the series. It looks very different now. It also uses Ro Ro Fight the Power, which is awesome. It looks to me like it's refering to all the past humans who have gone nearly (but not quite) as far as Simon and company. Hmm...

And yeah, that's the Spiral King talking to humanity now, placing mechs on the planet to subjugate humans. Very cool.

Anyway, it's badass and it looks absolutely amazing. Gives away some of the Gurren Lagann mechs' evolutions, but man, how cool.

And now we're back to footage we've seen before; Simon digging and finding the face of the Lagann.

I think Yoko might have gotten more yells at her entrance than Kamina got at his. Heehee, boob-squishy. They really did cut things to go a lot faster though.

And here we go with the Lagann. Kinda funny how he said it's Simon's mech, but he named it himself. Oh, Kamina!

"Don't believe in yourself. Believe in me, who believes in you!" "...What's that supposed to mean?" Ahh, the glory days! (Also, yay Boota.)

Once again I find myself wondering, as I did when I watched the original episode-- do the Japanese turn their car keys left or right? Simon turns his drill left at this point to power the Lagann.

And we're off to the surface! It's so pretty. The night sky they animate is just gorgeous.

Leeron appears as they stargaze! Heehee.

Aaand Simon defeats a mech and goes through puberty in one day flat. Lucky him! Everyone goes aww at Simon and Kamina snoozing, and "what?" at a sudden eyecatch. Kamina gets ready to take his own Gunmen...

"Hands off my beloved brother PUNCH!" "Canonball attack!" "This is so messed up!" Man, that's so awesome.

Another eyecatch at scene end. Looks like new ones as far as I can tell, too.

Yoko tries to get some alone time with Kamina and gets shut down. Someone behind me yells "COCK BLOCK!"

Aaaand we now meet...Viral! Woot! Mmmmm, Viral.

Hard to imagine that little team being a "rebel faction." Maybe Viral is one of those kinds of guys who thinks everything is more dramatic than it actually is.

Yoko hasn't picked up on the incessant theme of "faith" in the series yet. Of course Kamina has faith in Simon! That's the whole point!

Viral is kicking Kamina's ass while Simon gets all whiney before going GAR. He's the most bipolar male lead, I swear.

Gattai da! GATTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAI! Everyone's screaming right now. Heehee.

And now the furious foursome moves on. Really awesome eyecatch, and a bit of a Ro Ro AMV of them all traveling. There're the Black Siblings. But it's being treated like sort of a series of vignettes to express what happened-- now we're in Rossiu's village. Everyone boo'd at Rossiu's entrance, awww! Kuro is singing along to Ro Ro Fight the Power (I told him to shut up so I can hear the original.)

Let's seee, more random vignettes, including topless Yoko, and now the bath episode.  Aaaaand now more battles with mechs. Lots of 'em.

Okay, now we're out of the recap and into the four generals talking and letting Viral handle the group, so I'm sure we'll get another Viral battle now...yes, there it is. And the first general, Thymilph. Heehee.

They're getting pounded by Thymilph, and the Gunmen-owners from Littner join the force, along with the Black Siblings. But they're still getting pounded. Until Simon has an idea! <3<3<3

Simon licking his lips before the beastmen all die is, I confess, a little bit creepy.

"We all caught your stupidity," say the newcomers to Kamina. No eyecatch for that particular scene change though. But we all know what's coming soon...first, Kamina and Yoko's starlit scene. Or...maybe not. Now Kamina is giving a speech to the Dai Gurren-dan.

VOLCANO!

And then The Kiss! (Everyone yellls: "she's cursed!") Awwww. And everyone goes EXTRA awwww at super-sad Simon. (Guy in front of me: "Simon's lucky!") They're throwing rocks at the beastmen's Gunmen now, and it's not doing too bad for 'em, until they start catapulting Gunmen up to the Gurren-dan. Eep.

Everyone applauds for Kamina punching Simon in the face. Does it count as child abuse if it makes him a better person?

Everyone tries to get in touch with Kamina, who wonders why a guy can't get any sleep around here. He then yells at emo Simon, who sparks back to life and takes control of the giant mech, newly dubbed the Dai-Gurren.  And then he combines with Kamina again to finish the job.

And then-- and then...farewell, sweet prince.

Post-Kamina-death Simon is so creepy with his drilling the air @_@ Yoko crying in the shower is hotter than it should be.

Puking mechs are weeeeeird.

And the audience's reaction to Nia iiiiiis...woots and yowzas. She IS showing a lot of leg, I guess. She's so high, by the way.

"Hito tte...ittai nan desu ka?" I've seen so many smutty doujinshi with different takes on this phrase. (It means "People are...what exactly?" more or less. So like, say, "Sex tte ittai nan desu ka? Well, I'm sure you get the idea.)

And we get our first glance at Yoko being jealous of Nia. But first, everyone wants to feed Nia. Good thing she WASN'T a spy.

Well, in the most obvious sense anyway.

Kamina-statue-making Simon is creepy still. Especially with his goggles on.

 
 


Man, Adiane was always my fave of the generals. <3 Cytomander is so flamboyant. He shoulda gotten together with Leeron. Not to do anything, but just to hang out and be faaabulous.

Kuro claims this part is new footage. I'm not so sure. Anyway, it's cool; Simon sort of manages to wirelessly access the Lagann. (My response: "Bluetooth!")

Okay, Yoko hand-to-hand fighting Adiane is definitely new, and Adiane, the turtle dude, and Viral doing a gattai too. So maybe that bluetooth Lagann wasn't new-- but I coulda sworn that happened in the original too. Hmm.

The end! Super crazy awesome. But like RedRoses says in the comments, if you've already watched the TV show, especially recently, you might wanna skip towards the end.

Stay tuned! I'ma liveblog the focus panel next, if I have battery enough for it!
lanaswifton July 2, 2009 at 8:02 p.m.
I wanna see this movie so bad.
giaon July 2, 2009 at 8:05 p.m.
@lanaswift: It's pretty cool, but so far I'd say it's almost more like a "best of" collection in chronological order than anything, since there's not much new footage...so far, anyway, though I've heard there isn't much in the rest, either. We'll see!
RedRoseson July 2, 2009 at 8:54 p.m.
The new (noticeable) footage is near the end of the movie. Frankly, I'd skip the first half or three-quarters of the movie since it's rehashed with barely any new scenes. The last battle in the movie is epic though.
lanaswifton July 2, 2009 at 9:04 p.m.
@RedRoses: Doubt they'll do that at a con though.
RedRoseson July 2, 2009 at 9:07 p.m.
@lanaswift: Well of course they won't. I was just saying for personal viewing purposes. :)
giaon July 2, 2009 at 9:21 p.m.
@RedRoses: Yeah, I'm with you.

But man, I wonder if they even have time for Lord Genome. Also, I missed the Yoko/Nia bonding. :(
Zeouterlimitson July 3, 2009 at 5:16 a.m.
I quite enjoyed it.
  I'm glad I saw the series first, it's not as "good" per say.

The Yoko/Adiane fight scene was fantastic though. Awww yeah.

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