On September 25th, the final episode of Gurren Lagann aired. For several days afterward, the internet buzzed with heated discussions:
"The last few episodes of Gurren Lagann were so fiery and exhilarating—they could be called the pinnacle of hype-driven anime!"
"Absolutely. And this anime's hype is different from that of typical battle shonen; it has this indescribable quality."
"Personally, I think this is another masterpiece. From Death Note to Lelouch to Gurren Lagann, he's made three anime in a row, and all of them are masterpieces. Lord Hayashi truly lives up to his name—so powerful."
"Speaking of which, many people initially dismissed Gurren Lagann as boring and claimed Lord Hayashi had fallen from grace. Where are they now? Come out! Let's see if he's truly fallen."
"The first seven episodes were indeed a bit dull. It only got exciting after Kamina's death in episode eight, and it became legendary from episode sixteen onward."
"While Death Note and Lelouch were great, their philosophical depth doesn't quite match Gurren Lagann. I initially thought this would be Lord Hayashi's Waterloo, but now it seems that, ignoring commercial success, this anime might actually represent his breakthrough—or even his ascent."
"And the commercial success wasn't bad at all! From now on, I'm a lifelong fan of Lord Hayashi. I'll watch every anime he makes!"
"Burning, passion, god-tier—fans of Gurren Lagann raved about it, nearly blowing the animation out of the water with their praise."
The hype didn't stop there. After the animation concluded, media outlets specializing in animation rushed to publish various feature articles:
"The Ultimate Passion Project, Lin Zhiyan's Breakthrough Masterpiece—Gurren Lagann!"
"Gurren Lagann: The Struggle Between Spiral and Anti-Spiral, Breaking Through Heaven and Dimensions—A Spirited Journey of Struggle That Can Change Your Outlook!"
"The Pinnacle of Hot-Blooded Mecha—An Animation Worthy of Godhood."
"Exploring the Worldview of Gurren Lagann."
"Analyzing Gurren Lagann's Visual Techniques—Why Does This Animation Evoke Such Intense Passion?"
As one of the standouts of the April season and a wildly popular anime, it was hailed as a masterpiece by many after its conclusion. Combined with Lin Zhiyan's natural star power, it naturally caught the attention of numerous animation-related media outlets, prompting them to run special features.
This wasn't just hype from the media and a select few viewers; it was a genuine hit, not a critical darling that failed to sell.
Beyond its impressive ratings, the DVD sales were particularly strong. Thanks to the animation production team avoiding any off-putting choices early on and Lin Zhiyan's personal fame, average sales significantly surpassed those of the original version in another timeline. Several volumes released more than a month after the initial launch each sold nearly or even exceeded 30,000 units.
The initial release volumes easily achieved average sales between 30,000 and 33,000. When considering the later re-releases, the average sales per volume surpassed 37,000, making it certain to break through the future "masterpiece wall" that would later emerge.
The merchandise was also a huge success, with Gurren Lagann model kits and figures of Nia and Yuko, as well as the Lagann's Core Drill, all selling exceptionally well, allowing L.S to make a substantial profit.
While awards were not yet known, Gurren Lagann received excellent reviews on major rating sites.
Moreover, the animation's style differed greatly from Death Note and Lelouch, attracting a large new fanbase for Lin Zhiyan and proving his versatility beyond those two styles.
This success assured fans that he could handle various genres, and future projects would likely generate even greater anticipation.
In short, Gurren Lagann was a massive success across the board.
Of course, there were also complaints:
"The final episodes against the Anti-Spiral were too brutal, with so many deaths. And the heroine died right after getting married! I felt the deep malice from Old Thief Lin, damn him!"
"Old Thief Lin is something else! He kept saying he wouldn't kill the Male Lead, but then he immediately pulled the 'kill the Female Lead' trope. And Big Bro Kamina, as Simon's mentor and practically a co-Male Lead, dies in the eighth episode. This is just toxic!"
"In Death Note, Light and L died together, and the Female Lead committed suicide. I thought that made sense. After all, the Male Lead was a super-intelligent villain who even dared to scheme against the Shinigami, and the Female Lead was hopelessly devoted to him. In Lelouch, the deaths of Euphemia and Shirley felt like plot necessities, and Lelouch's death was supposed to be poignant. I never expected the third season to kill off so many people."
"The ending left me depressed. Nia's disappearance was a soul-crushing blow."
"After killing so many people, they finally saved the Female Lead, went through countless hardships, and were about to get married. But then she dies right after they kiss, and the Male Lead doesn't even revive her. The bastard!"
"Old Thief Lin, watch your step next time you go out. Don't you dare run into me, or you'll know what happens then."
For the sake of the plot, killing off a few characters was generally understandable to most viewers, as long as the quality of the animation remained high.
However, there would always be a minority who couldn't stand such "heartbreaking" anime.
Moreover, Lin Zhiyan had now subjected three consecutive anime to this treatment, all of them wildly popular or even phenomenal. With so many people watching, it was hard not to suspect a deep-seated malice behind it.
After each anime concluded, Lin Zhiyan naturally checked online reviews and discussions.
He hadn't initially planned his next project, but after reading the complaints, he gained a general idea of what to do next.
Since so many people felt hurt, he decided his fourth anime would be a healing one, designed to mend their wounded hearts.
That said, there were many healing anime to choose from, and he also had to consider factors like time, sales, awards, and whether to create an original work.
Additionally, he was unsure if Gurren Lagann would win the Grand Prize or Excellence Prize at the Japan Media Arts Festival. If it didn't, he'd need to consider other TV anime that might earn him an Excellence Prize.
The awards were announced at the end of the year, and September and October were still far away.
After much deliberation, Lin Zhiyan decided to develop two healing anime concepts first. He'd choose which one to pursue based on whether Gurren Lagann won an award.
As for his animation production team, he'd let them continue working with Imaishi Hiroyuki on Kill la Kill for now. When his new anime entered full production, he'd transfer some staff back.
Please Support me by becoming my patreon member and get 15+ chapters.
[email protected]/Ajal69
change @ with a
Thank You to Those who joined my Patreon