Over at Derailed by Darry (or Anime on my Mind), Jason has been running a March Madness tournament with anime shows. Well it’s down to the final face-off and it’s a big one.
I had hoped both of these shows would make it to the finals and they did. I know who I’m voting for but for anyone that comes across this blog before voting I’d like to help your decision.
Fanservice and Moé Modes
For Haruhi we had the walking fanservice machine known as Mikuru who gave us combat-waitress from the future mode, meido mode, cowing mode, among many others.
For Gurren Lagann we had Yoko and Nia (both pre and post time skip) to look forward to. Whereas Mikuru had about as much backbone as a wet noodle both Yoko and Nia could be counted on in times of crisis.
Advantage Gurren Lagann.
Story and ActionI won’t dismiss Haruhi’s story as some might. Haruh’s search for uniqueness is something that many people won’t even allow themselves to think about. I commend Haruhi for going to the depths she does to try to find the unique be it aliens, ESPers, or time travelers. Action-wise there’s a bit – Yuki’s fight in particular.
Gurren Lagann also gets hit in the story department with people saying it’s shallow – okay it’s not Kino’s Journey-contemplating about life depth – but it’s story about drilling through expectations, what it means to have
virtus which is where
virtue comes from , and having optimism in the face of adversity is something I feel everyone needs to watch. Throw in the death of one of the greatest anime characters ever which not only is heart-breaking but also is necessary to Simon reaching as far as he did and battles that involve giant mechs that can fling whole galaxies by the end (which doesn’t feel absurd when you see it).
Advantage Gurren Lagann.
Cultural Phenomenon
Haruhi was everywhere and still is for the most part. A recent development in fandom has been called the Genderbending of Haruhi which might just be one of the most interesting concepts I’ve come across in anime. The thing is I think if everyone’s gender in Haruhi where switched then we could end up with a better show. It’s also spawned memes and been used in protests and it’s OP/ED has been parodied to death.
Gurren Lagann hasn’t seen this level, maybe because the fansubs where sometimes hard to come by, but it did bring us a very catchy insert song that mixed rap and opera and it’s trademark saying about piercing the heavens with a drill. And even though it’s ending is appropriate, it doesn’t stop up from wishing for an alternative ending.
Advantage Haruhi.
So I’ll vote for Gurren Lagann, for another take on this check out
Jason’s analysis. And I’ll leave you with two election banners I created earlier (check my earlier post for more) which fit perfectly.
i vote for haruhi, she is cuter
I’d have to vote for Gurren Lagann.
haruhi for me!
Gurren Lagann, allll the way!
Hard to say i both watch this anime.
I mean they have a different genre hard to compare for me.. Indeed both of them leave a big mark in anime which is commonly use in parody (example would be lucky star lol:)
thats why hard to say..
I must say its kind of weird that kamina and haruhi has a big similarity “baka”..
But i term in moe gurren lagann is way behind
Yuki, Haruhi, Miruku vs Nia
“sorry for yoko i dont consider her a moe char i mean she’s to bold in her younger days.. (no offense) ”
but in coolness gurren laggan is shining with it with a full blast of giga drill lol.
gurren lagann definetly, nothing beats piercing the heavens with your drill
Gurren Lagann; hands down.
Gurren Lagann. No contest. It’s like my blood, but with more epic.
HARUHI!!!
gurren lagann!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
GURREN LAGANN!!!! of course!!!!!! The soul that burst like a volcano! The drill that will break through the heaven!!!! GURREN LAGANN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Its such a coincidence XD I just found this site and my two favourite anime’s fight! Its impossible to decide :*)IM VOTING FOR BOTH!
GURREN LAGANN ALL THE WAY! That show is the best! nothing can beat it. WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK I AM!?
As a Yoko Cosplayer, of course Gurren Legann!
I vote Gurren Lagenn just because it is so epic and I loved all of the characters in Gurren Lagenn. Hands down, one of my favorite animes of all time!.. and when I bought it, I thought it was going to be terrible but it totally wasn’t ^__^
Gurren Lagenn by default
HARUHI FOR SURE!!!!!!!
Kamina is god! XD
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann Of course ;D!!!!
GURREN LAGANN > YOU
ON OUR BACKS, AND IN OUR HEARTS, GURREN LAGANN
I vote for Gurren lagann!!!! it’s way awesome!!
I died for your sins, vote kamina!
GURREN LAGANN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT IS THE BEST, THE INFINITE PERFECT ANIME FOREVER AFTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i watch gurren laggen and hayate the combat butler
GUREN LAGANN!!!…..DRILL TO THE SKY AND INTO THE STARS!
Belive in me! Belive in me for beliving in you!
Hmm, both are full of themselves, both appeal to lowest common animetard, and both have faggets who can’t close their damned mouths (Kamina Haruhi) But Kamina isn’t school douche, so GURREN LAGANN.
GURREN LAGANN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!WOHOOO
SIMON YOUR SO HOT!!!!!
damn Guren LagAnn is Best man…..XD:
Hi there. This is a very informative post. Can you point me in the direction on where I can get a super high resolution wallpaper/graphic of that image you placed before the “Story and Action” part? Or, if you would be kind enough, can you send it to my email address? Many thanks!
* SPOILER *
TTGL really started off bad for me. As I watched it, the story grew on me, and on the episode where Yoko and Kamina kissed, and the resulting aftermath of that episode, really got me hooked.
The ending really just nailed it in for me. One of the best ever Anime’s I’ve ever watched.
Id vote for Guren laggen but kamina died so i guess id have 2 vote 4 haruhi both r really good animes so i like both!!!!!!!!!
GURREN LAGEN ROCKS!!!!!!!! so does Haruhi but i like guren better yahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
TTGL is in ONE WORD “EPIC ” ,KAMINAAAAAAAA is god