Gurren Lagann is one of the most popular and acclaimed anime series of all time. It is a mecha action-adventure comedy that follows the journey of Simon, a timid young boy who lives in an underground village, and Kamina, his charismatic and rebellious older brother figure, as they join forces with other humans and a mysterious race of humanoid beasts called Beastmen to fight against the oppressive Spiral King and his army of Gunmen, giant robots powered by spiral energy.
The anime was produced by Gainax and aired from April to September 2007, with a total of 27 episodes. It received critical praise for its animation, music, characters, humor, and epic story, as well as its themes of courage, friendship, freedom, and destiny. It also won several awards, including the Animation Kobe Award, the Tokyo Anime Award, and the Japan Media Arts Festival Award.
Gurren Lagann has a loyal fan base that has been eagerly waiting for a second season ever since the first one ended. However, it has been more than 16 years since the anime concluded, and there has been no official announcement or confirmation regarding a possible sequel. So, will there ever be a Gurren Lagann season 2? What are the chances of it happening? What would the plot and characters be like? And what are some of the most frequently asked questions about the anime? In this article, we will try to answer these questions and more, based on the available information and sources.
Gurren Lagann Season 2 Release Date: When Will It Premiere?
Unfortunately, the answer to this question is most likely no. There are several reasons why Gurren Lagann season 2 is very unlikely to happen, and here are some of them:
- The original anime was based on an original story, not on a manga or a light novel. This means that there is no source material to adapt for a second season, and the creators would have to come up with a completely new story that would fit the existing canon and satisfy the fans’ expectations.
- The original anime had a conclusive and satisfying ending, with a clear resolution for the main characters and the main conflict. It also had a post-credits scene that showed the epilogue of the story, 20 years after the final battle, where Simon is an old man who wanders the world as a hermit, while the other characters have moved on with their lives. There is not much room for a continuation, unless the creators decide to retcon or ignore the ending, which would risk alienating the fans and ruining the legacy of the anime.
- The original anime was produced by Gainax, a legendary studio that is known for its innovative and influential works, such as Neon Genesis Evangelion, FLCL, and Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt. However, Gainax has been in a decline since the late 2000s, due to financial troubles, legal issues, and the departure of many of its key staff members. Some of the former Gainax employees, including the director and writer of Gurren Lagann, Hiroyuki Imaishi and Kazuki Nakashima, formed a new studio called Trigger in 2011, and have been working on their own projects, such as Kill la Kill, Little Witch Academia, and Promare. It is unlikely that they would return to work on Gurren Lagann season 2, especially since they have stated that they have no plans to do so in several interviews.
- The original anime was released in 2007, which means that it has been more than a decade since it aired. The anime industry is very competitive and fast-paced, and there are hundreds of new anime titles released every year. It is rare for an anime to get a second season after such a long gap, unless it is based on a very popular and ongoing source material, or it has a very strong and consistent fan demand. Gurren Lagann, while still beloved by many fans, is not as relevant or popular as it used to be, and it faces a lot of competition from newer and more popular anime titles. It is doubtful that the producers would invest in a second season that might not be profitable or successful.
Therefore, based on these reasons, we can safely assume that Gurren Lagann season 2 will never happen, unless there is a miracle or a major change in the circumstances. However, this does not mean that there is no hope for the fans who want to see more of the Gurren Lagann universe. There are other ways to enjoy the anime, such as:
- The two recap movies, Gurren Lagann the Movie: Childhood’s End and Gurren Lagann the Movie: The Lights in the Sky are Stars, that were released in 2008 and 2009, respectively. These movies summarize the events of the anime, with some changes and additions, such as new scenes, new animation, and new music. They also have a different ending, where Simon and Nia get married and live happily ever after, instead of Nia disappearing and Simon becoming a wanderer.
- The parallel works, a series of short animated films that were released in 2008 and 2009, along with the recap movies. These films explore various alternative scenarios and stories that are related to the Gurren Lagann universe, such as a medieval fantasy setting, a high school comedy setting, and a noir detective setting. They are mostly non-canon and experimental, but they offer a different perspective and a lot of fun for the fans.
- The manga adaptation, which was serialized from 2007 to 2013, and has 10 volumes. The manga follows the same story as the anime, but with some differences and deviations, such as more details, more characters, more battles, and more fanservice. The manga also has a different ending, where Simon and Nia have a daughter named Anne, who inherits Simon’s Core Drill and becomes the leader of Team Dai-Gurren.
- The video games, such as Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, which was released for the Nintendo DS in 2007, and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Guren no Yumiya, which was released for the PlayStation Portable in 2009. These games are based on the anime, and allow the players to control the characters and the mechas, and relive the events and the battles of the anime. They also have original stories and scenarios, such as a crossover with Neon Genesis Evangelion, and a what-if scenario where Simon and Kamina switch roles.
- The spin-off manga, such as Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Yoko’s Belly Button Version, which was serialized from 2007 to 2008, and has one volume. This manga focuses on the adventures of Yoko, the female sniper and the love interest of Kamina and Kittan, and her interactions with the other characters. It is a comedy and fanservice-oriented manga, that shows a lighter and sillier side of the Gurren Lagann universe.
- The light novels, such as Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Guren Gakuen-hen, which was published in 2008, and has one volume. This light novel is a spin-off that depicts the characters of Gurren Lagann as high school students, who are members of a club called Gurren Brigade, and who fight against the student council, led by the Spiral King. It is a parody and a homage to the anime, and it also features some references and cameos from other anime and manga series.
Gurren Lagann Season 2 Plot: What Could It Be About?
If, by some chance, Gurren Lagann season 2 ever happens, what could the plot be about? This is a difficult question to answer, since the original anime had a very complete and conclusive story, that left little room for a continuation. However, there are some possible ways to create a new story, such as:
- A prequel, that shows the origins and the backstory of the characters and the world of Gurren Lagann, such as how the Spiral King came to power, how he created the Beastmen and the Gunmen, how he oppressed the humans and forced them to live underground, how the Anti-Spiral race discovered the spiral nemesis and waged war against the spiral races, how Lordgenome betrayed the spiral warriors and became the Spiral King, how the first generation of Team Dai-Gurren was formed and fought against the Spiral King, and how Simon and Kamina met and became brothers.
- A sequel, that shows the aftermath and the consequences of the events of the original anime, such as how the humans and the Beastmen coexist and rebuild the world after the defeat of the Anti-Spiral, how the new generation of Team Dai-Gurren deals with the challenges and the threats of the new era, how the spiral races interact and cooperate with each other, how the spiral nemesis is prevented or resolved, and how Simon and Nia are reunited or reincarnated.
- A reboot, that reimagines and retells the story of the original anime, with some changes and variations, such as new characters, new mechas, new enemies, new twists, and new endings. This could be a way to update and modernize the anime, and to appeal to a new audience, while also keeping the essence and the spirit of the original anime.
Who will be Cast in Gurren Lagann Season 2:
In future if we are ever going to get a season 2 for Gurren Lagann, then audience can see most of cast members from previous season. The story can be unique but main cast will be as follows:
Simon: Simon is the main character in the Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann anime and manga series. He starts out as a little, humble, and lonely young child, but he matures into a powerful and well-liked adult. He was hailed as a legendary hero who surmounted insurmountable personal and universal difficulties and now stands eternally as a light for the benefit of all mankind and Spiral kind.
Simon has grown noticeably taller and has a very strong and tanned figure following the 20-year time jump in the epilogue. Due to not using his enormous ability for decades, his hair has grown shorter and is comparable to Kamina’s hairstyle, and his right eye has formed into a spiral.
Kamina: Kamina was the creator and initial leader of Team Gurren, a young man from Jeeha Village. Kamina’s father managed to reach the surface as a youngster, and while he wanted his son to accompany him, Kamina was too afraid of the unfamiliar world that awaited him, so his father let him stay behind, telling him that they’d meet again someday.
This is most likely what fueled Kamina’s will to succeed. Kamina thought he was old enough and began aiming for the surface years later.
Yoko Littner: The primary protagonist in the series is Yoko Littner. She is a fourteen-year-old girl from Littner, Jeeha’s adjacent hamlet, who was following the gunmen who crashed into Jeeha Village. She uses a variety of weapons, the most common of which being a long-range sniper rifle styled after the Barrett M82.
Unlike Simon and Kamina, Yoko Ono’s past is never fully exposed. What is known is that Yoko was among those who were forced to run to the surface when Littner Village was flooded with gas.
Nia Teppelin: Nia Teppelin is Lordgenome’s orphaned daughter. Antispiral created her as well, and she acts as the main messenger in the third act. She is Simon’s major love interest and marries him in the end. Nia had a happy childhood with her father prior to her introduction.
When Nia got too self-aware and questioned her father about her existence, he lured her into a pod and threw her into a canyon filled with the caskets of his previous children and mistresses, where she would be discovered by Simon.
Will Gurren Lagann Season 2 happen?
No news about Gurren Lagann season 2 is coming out yet from the studio. Even though nothing is happening for season 2, things can change in future given the popularity of Gurren Lagann anime series.
A reboot type of anime can be introduced to audience with a new title for Gurren Lagann season 2. But that’s just a prediction of how we imagine should happen for the future of anime.