Gurren Lagann
A shy digger, a fearless big brother and one small drill take on the whole universe.
Last updated: 10 November 2026
Gurren Lagann is a 27-episode mecha anime by Gainax, directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi and first aired in 2007. Underground digger Simon and his sworn brother Kamina steal a small robot, reach the surface and join the fight against the Beastmen, in a story that keeps growing in scale from a single village to a war for the galaxy. Two films retell the series with new footage.
About Gurren Lagann
Simon digs tunnels for a living in an underground village and has never seen the sky. His friend Kamina, loud, fearless and obsessed with the surface, talks him into stealing a small robot called Lagann and breaking through the ceiling. Above ground they meet the sniper Yoko and join Team Dai-Gurren, humans fighting the Beastmen who keep humanity buried. Combining their robots into Gurren Lagann, Simon and Kamina start a rebellion whose stakes grow far beyond anything either of them imagined.
Gurren Lagann is a TV anime from 2007, first released in Spring 2007. It belongs to the Action and Adventure and Sci-Fi genres and is listed as a completed series. The summary above is written by the AnimeYug team in our own words.
Official Trailer
Story & Plot
Humanity lives in underground villages, told that the surface is a myth and that earthquakes punish anyone who digs too far. Simon, a young digger who keeps his head down, finds a tiny drill and a small robot face buried in the earth. His friend Kamina, the village troublemaker, sees proof of everything he has been saying: the sky is real, and they are going up. When a giant Beastman robot crashes through their ceiling, Simon, Kamina and the surface sniper Yoko fight it off together, and the boys see the open sky for the first time.
On the surface, Kamina hijacks an enemy Gunmen robot and names it Gurren. Simon's Lagann can combine with it, forming Gurren Lagann, and the pair gather a crew of resistance fighters into Team Dai-Gurren. Their target is Teppelin, the capital of Lordgenome, the Spiral King who keeps humans underground. Kamina's speeches push everyone forward, but the war has a real cost, and after a devastating loss Simon has to find his own reason to keep the drill turning.
The fall of Teppelin frees humanity, and the story jumps seven years ahead. Simon is now commander of a surface civilisation, Kamina City thrives, and the moon itself turns out to be part of a much older defence system. Humanity's growth awakens the Anti-Spiral, an enemy that crushed spiral life across the universe long ago and sees Simon's people as a threat to existence itself.
The final stretch leaves Earth behind entirely. Team Dai-Gurren takes its fight across the galaxy in ships and robots of absurd, joyful scale, powered by Spiral energy, the force of evolution and sheer refusal to give up. Few series escalate this confidently, and the ending lands because the story never forgets the scared digger at its centre.
Story Arcs & Episode Guide
The Gurren Lagann anime is split into story sagas. Here is every saga in order, with its episodes and years.
| Arc | Episodes | Years | About |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breaking to the Surface | Episodes 1-8 | 2007 | Simon and Kamina reach the surface, form Team Dai-Gurren and steal their first Gunmen, until the fight against the Beastman generals turns deadly serious. |
| The Fall of Teppelin | Episodes 9-15 | 2007 | Nia joins the crew, Simon finds his resolve, and Team Dai-Gurren storms Teppelin to face Lordgenome, the Spiral King. |
| Seven Years Later | Episodes 17-22 | 2007 | After a time skip, Simon leads a surface government, the moon reveals its secret, and the Anti-Spiral makes its first move. |
| The Anti-Spiral War | Episodes 23-27 | 2007 | Team Dai-Gurren takes the fight into space in a final battle fought at galactic scale. Episode 16 is a recap episode between the two halves. |
Why Watch Gurren Lagann
- Only 27 episodes, and the scale grows from one village to the whole galaxy without losing pace.
- Director Hiroyuki Imaishi's explosive, hand-drawn style in nearly every action scene.
- Kamina's speeches are famous for a reason, and Simon's growth gives them real weight.
- Taku Iwasaki's score mixes rap, opera and rock, including the cult favourite 'Libera Me from Hell'.
- Two films retell the story with new animation and a reworked final battle.
Who Is It For?
Rated TV-14 in the US. Expect big robot battles, character deaths, mild fan service in Yoko's outfit and some intense scenes late in the story. It suits teens and adults; younger viewers can follow the action but the loss and sacrifice themes land hardest with older audiences.
Main Characters
View all characters →Voice Actors
The Japanese voices behind the main characters of Gurren Lagann.
- SimonYoung digger whose Lagann starts the rebellionJapanese voiceTetsuya Kakihara
- KaminaFearless leader of Team Dai-Gurren and Simon's sworn brotherJapanese voiceKatsuyuki Konishi
- Yoko LittnerSniper from Littner Village fighting on the surfaceJapanese voiceMarina Inoue
- Nia TeppelinLordgenome's gentle daughter who joins Team Dai-GurrenJapanese voiceYukari Fukui
- ViralBeastman commander and proud rival of Simon and KaminaJapanese voiceNobuyuki Hiyama
Staff & Production
- Studio
- Gainax
- Director
- Hiroyuki Imaishi
- Series Composition
- Kazuki Nakashima
- Music
- Taku Iwasaki
- Original Work
- Gainax (original anime, produced with Aniplex and Konami)
Manga & Source Material
Gurren Lagann is an original anime, created at Gainax rather than adapted from a manga or novel, which is why its story was planned as one complete 27-episode run from the start.
- The series aired on TV Tokyo from 1 April to 30 September 2007, with 27 episodes (episode 16 is a recap).
- Director Hiroyuki Imaishi later co-founded Studio Trigger in 2011, and the Gurren Lagann rights are now held by Trigger.
- A manga adaptation drawn by Kotaro Mori ran from 2007, but it follows the anime rather than the other way round.
- The two films, Childhood's End (2008) and The Lights in the Sky Are Stars (2009), retell the TV story with new footage.
- The 15th anniversary project in 2023 brought the films back to Japanese cinemas in 4K remasters.
Music
Shoko Nakagawa sings the opening and one of the endings, while Taku Iwasaki's score jumps between rap, opera and hard rock, often inside a single track.
Opening Themes
- “Sorairo Days”by Shoko NakagawaUsed for all 27 episodes; from episode 17 the second verse and new animation accompany it.
Ending Themes
- “Underground”by High VoltageFirst ending theme, used for episodes 1-15.
- “Happily Ever After”by Shoko NakagawaUsed for episode 16, the recap episode.
- “Minna no Peace”by AfromaniaFinal ending theme, used for episodes 17-27.
Series Timeline
- 2007
The 27-episode TV series airs on TV Tokyo from April to September, directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi at Gainax.
- 2008
The first film, Gurren Lagann the Movie: Childhood's End, retells roughly the first 15 episodes with new footage.
- 2009
The second film, The Lights in the Sky Are Stars, retells the second half with a reworked, larger final battle.
- 2017
A 10th anniversary Blu-ray box set is released in Japan, collecting the series and films.
- 2023
The 15th anniversary project brings 4K remasters of both films to cinemas and keeps the series in the spotlight.
Release Schedule
- Original run
- 1 April 2007 to 30 September 2007 on TV Tokyo
- Episodes
- 27 (episode 16 is a recap)
- Films
- Childhood's End (2008) and The Lights in the Sky Are Stars (2009)
- Status
- Completed; the story is fully told in the TV series
Details as of 10 November 2026.
Quick Answers
Is Gurren Lagann finished?
Yes. Gurren Lagann has finished airing, so you can watch the complete story from start to end without waiting for new episodes.
What genre is Gurren Lagann?
Gurren Lagann is a Action and Adventure and Sci-Fi anime. You can browse more titles like it on our Action anime page.
When did Gurren Lagann release?
Gurren Lagann first released in Spring 2007. It is a TV series.
How many episodes is Gurren Lagann?
The TV series has 27 episodes, aired in 2007. Episode 16 is a recap of the first half, so the main story takes 26 episodes. Two films also retell the story.
Is Gurren Lagann finished?
Yes. The 27-episode series tells a complete story with a full ending. The two films are retellings with new footage, not sequels, so nothing is left hanging.
Do I need to watch the Gurren Lagann movies?
They are optional. Childhood's End (2008) retells about the first 15 episodes and The Lights in the Sky Are Stars (2009) retells the rest with a bigger final battle. Watch the series first, then the films if you want the upgraded finale.
Where can I watch Gurren Lagann?
In the US it streams on Crunchyroll, Netflix and Hulu as of November 2026. Availability varies by country, so check your local catalogue.
Is Gurren Lagann based on a manga?
No. It is an original anime created at Gainax, written by Kazuki Nakashima. A manga adaptation came afterwards, following the anime's story.
Watch Order
Here is the release order for Gurren Lagann and the series connected to it. Start at step 1 and work your way down.
- 1Gurren Lagann (TV, episodes 1-27)The complete original story from 2007. Watch this first; episode 16 is a recap you can skip on a rewatch.
- 2Gurren Lagann the Movie: Childhood's End (2008)A retelling of roughly episodes 1-15 with new scenes and a restructured middle. Optional after the series.
- 3Gurren Lagann the Movie: The Lights in the Sky Are Stars (2009)A retelling of the second half with an expanded, reworked final battle that many fans treat as the definitive finale.
Where to Watch
Gurren Lagann is officially available to stream on these platforms:
Streaming availability changes often and differs by country. Please check the platform in your region.