At school, students were buzzing about the Gurren Lagann PV:
"I saw the promo PV, and it was so cool and hype! I'm really looking forward to April."
"Yeah, and the budget seems insane. I heard they're budgeting 30 million yen per episode."
"30 million yen per episode? That's almost three times what a typical anime costs! Won't they lose money?"
"If they can sell over 10,000 DVDs, they'll definitely break even. But that's a long shot. Besides the LSP crowd, I doubt many companies would have that kind of confidence."
"Whether I buy the DVD or not is one thing, but after seeing that awesome PV, I'm definitely going to watch it when it comes out."
"A Knightmare Frame series, and this kind of pure, hot-blooded mecha action? I wouldn't miss it for the world."
Outside the school and across the internet, discussions about the new animation were rampant. Many people vowed to watch it, citing the reason: "It's Lord Hayashi's new animation, and he's said it will be different from [ Death Note ] and [ Lelouch ]. That means the male lead won't die in the final episode this time, so you can watch it without worry."
Animation-related publications quickly published special features on the topic:
"Super Popular Animation Director Lin Zhiyan Attempts Self-Breakthrough with New Work—A Must-Watch."
"Pure Knightmare Frames and Fiery Action—The Most Anticipated Animation of April."
"Lin Zhiyan: 'The Male Lead Won't Die in My New Animation—Watch Without Worry.'"
"The Most Lavishly Funded Animation of April—Don't Miss the Grand Spectacle!"
"Lin Zhiyan Fully Involved! This Original Animation Premiering in April Is a Surefire Hit."
Amidst overwhelming media hype, fervent praise from fans of Death Note and Lelouch, and widespread anticipation, April finally arrived.
On Saturday, April 3rd, at 11:30 PM, the animation Gurren Lagann finally premiered.
It began with an opening theme titled "Sky-Colored Time," with lyrics and composition by Lin Zhiyan, performed by a popular female singer.
The singer's voice was instantly recognizable, the song's rhythm was upbeat, and the melody was incredibly catchy. Its style perfectly matched the anime's hot-blooded Knightmare Frame theme.
The opening sequence's visuals were equally stunning.
Everything was a perfect fit!
Having already been highly anticipating the series after watching the promotional PV, the audience's excitement only intensified after the opening theme finished.
After the OP, there was a brief GG sequence, and then the main episode began.
It immediately launched into several spectacular explosion scenes, followed by the appearance of a flag.
"Shielding field, Level 8. Mirror armor peeling off. Third wave of lock-on attacks in progress. Sector Six hit." A voice rang out, clearly a status report.
Meanwhile, the Male Lead, clad in a dashing cape, made a dramatic entrance and declared with overwhelming confidence: "Don't panic! Instead, let's use this opportunity to show them who's really in charge here!"
"The enemy fleet is massive," another voice reported.
"Are all those lights in the sky enemies?" someone asked, gazing up at the starry sky with a hint of worry.
The Male Lead, however, remained unfazed. He toyed with a drill-like object in his hand and said, "Can't complain about the enemy—they're the perfect targets! Watch me teach them a lesson!"
With that, he charged forward, struck a heroic pose, and roared, "Gurren Lagann, activate! Do you know who I am?!"
The camera pulled back, widening the shot until the head of a colossal Knightmare Frame was revealed.
Its eyes blazed with twin beams of light that flickered before the screen cut to black. Then, the title appeared in fiery red letters against a pure black background, like flames in the darkness:
[ Gurren Lagann ]
Next came the first episode's title:
[ Break Through the Sky with a Drill! ]
The dazzling visuals, fiery dialogue, and even the title and episode name exuded an overwhelming sense of power, further emphasizing the anime's hot-blooded style.
Viewers who had been uncertain whether the anime would truly deliver on its promise of a hot-blooded Knightmare Frame genre were now reassured.
It was indeed a hot-blooded Knightmare Frame show.
Realizing this, many immediately called or emailed friends, urging them to watch Gurren Lagann.
However, the initial segment was clearly a flashback.
After the title of the first episode was revealed, the real story began, and the Male Lead transformed from his adult form to that of a child.
The episode opened with a descriptive monologue: "Day after day, my job was to keep digging holes. The bigger the hole, the bigger the village grew, and the Village Chief would happily reward me with Mole Pig pork cutlets. So, was I digging for the sake of the cutlets? Not quite."
To accompany this monologue, the screen showed the Male Lead relentlessly drilling through the earth with his drill.
As he dug, he suddenly unearthed something that glimmered with light—the same object he was holding in the flashback, the drill model-like thing.
Though he didn't know what it was, its shimmering glow left no doubt that it was a treasure.
Unlike other animations, the village in this one was located underground.
When the Male Lead returned, the Village Chief was scolding several lazy boys for not digging diligently enough, using him as an example.
However, the girls in the village looked down on him, whispering about him right in front of him:
"Ugh, Simon, the one who only knows how to dig."
"What's so great about being covered in dirt every day?"
"And what's with that weird thing he's carrying? It gives me the creeps."
"He even smells bad."
"Ah, he's looking this way! Let's go! If we're not careful, he might try to dig us up!"
After hearing such comments, the joy of finding the treasure vanished, replaced by disappointment. He walked with his head bowed.
But after only a few steps, he bumped into someone.
"Walk with your head up, Simon," the person said.
Simon looked up. "Ah, Kamina."
The camera followed his gaze upward, revealing the face of Kamina, the second male lead.
He pushed his sunglasses up his nose and said, "What 'Kamina'? Call me Big Brother."
"But I don't have any brothers or sisters," the Male Lead said quietly, his head bowed.
Kamina slapped him hard on the shoulder. "Not that kind of brother, you fool! I'm talking about a soul brother, a spirit sibling! Whether she's a beauty or an ugly duckling, don't sweat the small stuff. This thing's perfect for you—the drill is your soul! Come on, follow me."
He helped the Male Lead hang the drill-shaped pendant, strung on a cord, around his neck, then led him to gather the other village youths. "Everyone ready?"
The Male Lead panicked. "W-what are we going to do?"
"Listen up, Simon! That drill isn't the Village Chief's—it's yours! Your drill can drill all the way to the heavens!" Kamina declared, raising his index finger toward the sky.
He then addressed the group with a fiery declaration: "We are the invincible Crimson Lotus Gang! No one can stop us! We're sick of being stuck in this tiny village! If you're young, you should charge out! Young people should charge into the world above!"
First mission acquired: Leave the village and charge into the world above.
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