Introduction
Gurren Lagann is a mecha anime television series animated by Gainax, known for its heavy usage of real-life scientific theory including quantum physics, this blog is made to update the cosmological structure (and a little explication about the characters) in detail backed up by databooks, interviews, and such as, in order to show solid proofs of the verse being High Complex Multiverse level.
The respective scans of the databooks and any related informations were obtained from STTGL/Galo de Lion, who is literally the most knowledgeable debater I've seen on Gainax/TRIGGER verse, even fictions with massive lore such as The Elder Scrolls. Without him like seriously, this blog would not exist, so thanks a fucking lot for him who also helped me a ton with discussions and acts as a volunteer supplier for scans!
And before I start, I will compositing all available sources, most of it will be taken from anime and databooks, but I will as well take some parts from the novelization, even the manga which is just for the visualization. Can we do this? Yes we can, because Gurren Lagann is a story of a multiverse and every version of Gurren Lagann that we believe is real (means any version can be canon). Although they differ in continuity, the cosmological structures should be worked the same anyway.
"Next. "When did Rossiu discover LordGenome?" Nakashima: Oh, that is written in a novel. I explained it in the DVD audio commentary, but that is a lie (laughs). Novels are sold by mail, so those who like logic is there, and those who like interesting are the DVD version. Because Gurren Lagann is a story of a multiverse, the Gurren Lagann you believe in is real!"
The Multiverse
Branching multiverse
Just as many people missed, Gurren Lagann has multiversal cosmology, it is shown when the Anti-Spiral demonstrated their ability called as the Extradimensional Labyrinth to trap the conciousnessess of people into the multiverse, and force them to perceive the endless-branching universes simultaneously. As shown visually, it branched out like a many-branched tree, and each universe split into respective possible universes instantaneously as long as perception is made. Keep in note that Extradimensional space is a mistranslation, the japanese dub says "多元宇宙" or "multiverse", means the correct translation of the Extradimensional Labyrinth is literally Multiverse Labyrinth.
There is an infinite number of universes in the multiverse, with each universe is always branching off and proceeding at the same time, said universes are created through the perception of possibilities from the observers, the possible futures that are being perceived or recognized are transformed into universes, in the play, say, there are 6 observed possibilities, and after one of them is realized, the rest possibilities don't vanish, they become realized elsewhere in their own universes. This is a direct reference to the Copenhagen interpretation, one of the oldest of numerous proposed interpretations of quantum mechanics, which considers the wavefunction collapse a special kind of event that occurs as a result of observation. Heck, even the databook mentioned the multiverse as an interpretation of quantum cosmology. That is the multiverse.
(Green text)
"The "multiverse" is a universe that becomes real at the moment of recognition. It is a logical trap that no intelligent creature can escape from the multiverse forever because the possibility of a possible future changes directly into a universe. In Simon's case, for example, he is trapped in the possibility that if Kamina were alive and did not fight the beastmen, he wouldn't have died. There is an infinite number of possibilities, and hell will follow. It is no longer possible to return to the real universe after being affected by a different kind of multiverse.
The strongest and worst trap for the people by an expanded interpretation of quantum cosmology. The Anti-Spiral has dropped numerous Spiral warriors up to this point and forced them to ruin."
(Green text)
"The universe is always branching off and proceeding at the same time where people cannot recognize it." The idea of parallel universes. In the play, it appears as a chain of universes that are created at the moment of recognition. The greatest trap set up by the Anti-Spiral, which means if you are trapped in the universe you recognized, you will never be able to return to your original universe, ever again."
The universe exists in a schrodinger state of quantum uncertainty, that only become objectively real when observed, again, a usage of Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics as multiple-universes. The databook explained that the quantum cosmology is what branched the current multiverse from nothing, by dealing with the microcosm immediately after the birth of the universe.
(Dark blue text)
"[Quantum cosmology] [Other] A theory of the universe explained by quantum mechanics. It analyzes the probabilistic interpretation of the universe from nothingness to entire Universe by dealing with the microcosm immediately after the birth of the universe."
The extra dimensions
Yes, Gurren Lagann Universe has additional dimensions beyond the typical observed four-dimensional spacetime, the universes of multiverse are 10 to 11-dimensional universes restricted to membranes (branes), so it does follows the string theory and the extra dimensions are not happened to be compactified at planck-length and do trivialized the lower dimensions since it has the usage of brane cosmology.
The scan above stated that the Anti-Spiral created an isolated universe between two membranes as an imaginary oscillating spacetime which would correspond with complex projective space or imaginary space, so it complements the 10th and 11th dimensions to form a complex manifold, a non-euclidean universal manifold of space and time consisting of 10 dimensions of space and 1 dimension of time. The existence of the 11 dimensions is already established and said universe has a different set of dimensional axes.
The manga illustrated the brane layers have the form of sheet of papers or membranes just like the theory, and the Anti-Spiral's universe which oscillated between them as an imaginary spacetime.
(Right bubble text)
"They've created an oscillating time-space between the membranes of the dimensional universes, the 10th and 11th dimensions."
But we are not done yet, the multiverse as per the databooks is multi-layered, and the interpretation of multiverse in context means higher-dimensional space since in an interview with Nakashima, the writer of Gurren Lagann series, he said that "multiverse" for him is 11-dimensional, which means the brane layers is applied even also to the multiversal structure. This is make sense, because the universes are 10 to 11-dimensional confined in the branes, means the multiverse of Gurren Lagann is in fact, a brane multiverse. He as well stated the multiverse of Gurren Lagann is inspired from real scientific interpretation.
"Ninja Batman" is a so-called "time thing" in which Batman is transported to the Warring States period. In Japanese anime, there's a restriction that if you change the past, the present will change, and I think people tend to be very cautious when it comes to time-altered anime. You don't worry about that kind of thing, and you go out on a limb.
Nakashima: That's because it's American comics. The world setting of the multiverse, or a universe full of universes, permeates the readership of American comics. And now, the time-modifying stuff is going to be the multiverse stuff, right? There's a whole universe of all kinds of possibilities, so no matter what you do, you're like, "Oh, that universe!" (laughs). The interpretation of the multiverse has advanced so rapidly in the last few decades that when we were children, it was only 4 dimensional, but now it is said to be 11 dimensional. Our job is to tell lies, so we take those theories and twist them into something interesting.
Come to think of it, in "Gurren Lagann", there was a story about "quantum cosmology that exists by being observed".
Nakashima: When I looked up cosmology at that time, I hadn't read it for a while, so I found that it was very advanced. I was given the theory that the universe can be confirmed only if it is observed, and I set up the idea that there is a universe that can be created if we recognize it."
(Red text)
"Arc Gurren Lagann descending on Kamina City. (The Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is a virtual quantum body created by the multi-layered multiverse due to the activation of the Super Spiral force. It disappeared when the battle ended and returned to the normal state) the people welcoming the returning members of the Team Dai-Gurren. They are holding Dayakka with Anne in his arms."
To justify the Anti-Spiral's universe being 11-dimensional, as per Gurren Lagann official website, the universe sits on the edge of the multiverse, which in context is the 11 dimensions.
"The final battle between the Spirals and the Anti-Spirals, begins at the edge of the multiverse!"
The island universes, which likely refer to brane universes, are coexisting in gravitational equilibrium, this should support the idea of the brane multiverse, since universes in said theory are interacting with each other because they are attracted by gravity.
"Simon knows that. However, even though he knew it, it was like a ripple in his mind. It was just a small ripple, but the Anti-Spiral's words continued like the wind on the wave. "That's what you do. You Spirals will always move forward, eating what you hold dear, with its destructive impulses as an instinct, not a care in the world. The cluster of galaxies spread out in front of us, a calm space where many island universes coexist in gravitational equilibrium. The Spiral force is the force that connects the Universe to life. A single life can draw on the power of the infinite Universe. But that force cannot be controlled by life. That's the truth of this Universe," they said, filling in the green glow here and there in the cluster of galaxies. That same green glow erupted from Simon's body, which disrupted the equilibrium of the galaxy cluster. Simon knew that it was the truth of the Spiral. That it was a Spiral force run amok. The Anti-Spiral's words continue. "The Spiral force goes out of control, and the energy emanating from the body becomes a galaxy. When the Spiral force begins to run goes out of control, in an instant, as many galaxies as there are lives in the universe are born. The excess galaxies will devour each other to become black holes and the Universe will return to nothingness. That is Spiral Nemesis. A runaway called evolution."
Furthermore, the Manga visualized the brane spaces (again) and particles being observed nicely.
Spiral Power
Description
Spiral Power is a power source (or energy) that symbolizes everything, it is the force that defines evolution itself and binds all objects that take a spiral shape with the Universe, from the strands of DNA to the entire galaxies, they are amplified to infinite levels by Spiral Power as the underpinning of the Universe. A power source that gives the user both infinite potential and applications, including many abilities that defy logic, such as to create energy from nowhere, resurrection, and even deciding one's existence by controlling life and death.
One Spiral lifeform is capable of drawing forth the power of the infinite cosmos.
Willpower, hope, and dream are related to the Spiral Power, because they are presents as double helix (spiral shape), therefore, Spiral Power is accelerated through them and will cease to evolve if Spiral lifeforms loses their fighting spirit and fall into despair (scene).
Leeron:
All right, let's get down to business. This is the result of collating all data thus far. The Earth Spiral race flagship currently in lunar orbit, the Cathedral Terra. It was stolen by the Anti-Spiral and disguised as our Moon. Gurren Lagann. Arc-Gurren. Cathedral Terra. The thing that brings out the potential of each is Spiral Power. That refers to the power of evolution present in us lifeforms that possess a double-helix genetic structure.
...To put it in simple terms, it's fighting spirit.
Beastmen, who reproduce through cloning, do not have Spiral Power, as genetic diversity and evolution is key to the generation of Spiral Power (scene).
Leeron:
They don't have Spiral Power, so they can't have children. It's the genetic diversity resulting from gamogenesis that is the key to evolution. It's in this that the upwardly-mobile Power of the Spiral resides.
In other words, it means that love changes the Universe!
Life resonates with the galaxy due to the force of the transcendental double helix, or Spiral Power. To extrapolate on this, Spiral Power is drawn from Spiral galaxies, and converted into energy and emitted by Spiral lifeforms from their nervous centres, with one lifeform being able to release as much energy as an entire Universe, this will apply to galaxies as well for obvious reasons.
"In Arc Gurren Lagann, Gurren Lagann is turning drills as well. Simon is releasing Spiral Power in the cockpit of Lagann. Spiral Power is the force by which the spiral factors that make up spiral lifeforms are synchronized with spiral galaxies, and the potentials inside the galaxies are converted into energy and emitted. Theoretically, a life can release as much energy as a Universe. Synchronizing the galaxy and life requires a complex and enormous electric signal emitted from the nervous centre of Spiral life, that is, the power of the will. Life resonates with the galaxy due to the force of the transcendental double helix."
With an infinite power binding life and the Universe together, Spiral Power allows the Spiral lifeforms to control even the time and space.
"Spiral lifeforms, including human beings, once built a super-scientific civilization on a galactic level. The source was the Spiral Power. With the infinite power that connects the Universe and life, the time and space were under their control."
The human form is the one where the power of the Spiral is most strongly manifested, by turning Super Galaxy Dai-Gurren into humanoid mode, it will amplify its strength tens of times and rival the micro cosmos.
Spiral Nemesis
Although the Spiral Power is what govern of the Universe, it also capable of ending it. The Spiral Power binds lifeforms and the Universe together, and the growth of galaxies is proportional to the growth of life. Lifeforms evolve to find a form in which they can gain more Spiral Power. However, in the end they would lose control of their Spiral Power, and life would become its own galaxy, and then these living mega-galaxies would devour each other, forming a black hole that would consume all of existence. That is the Spiral Nemesis, a cosmic cataclysm in which the whole Universe is destroyed by an over excess of Spiral Power. See the Anti-Spiral's explanation below (scene).
The Anti-Spiral:
"Then watch. Watch where this Universe is headed. See the Universe destroyed by the power of the Spiral, which thinks only of evolving.
Spiral Power is the force which binds together lifeforms and the Universe. The growth of galaxies is proportional to the growth of life. Life developed in search of forms that would help it acquire...even more power of the Spiral. This is evolution. But the end result would be a loss of control over their Spiral Power, and all life becoming its own galaxy. These mega galaxies would then devour each other, forming a black hole, and then this Universe would return to nothingness.
This is the Spiral Nemesis."
To avoid misunderstanding, the universe in this context means more than one universe, the Anti-Spiral says "この宇宙" or "this Universe" so they cannot refer to Simon's main universe because they are still at war within their hidden universe, nor do they refer to theirs because they do not have any Spiral lifeform to trigger the Spiral Nemesis. So contextually speaking, the universe means the entire universe or the multiverse. Further evidence can be seen when the Anti-Spiral's obliges Simon to protect the Universe just after their universe is destroyed.
The novelization goes a step further in its explanation, refers to many island universes separated by gravity, and that the Spiral Nemesis will collapse all of space and time to nothingness.
"Simon knows that. However, even though he knew it, it was like a ripple in his mind. It was just a small ripple, but the Anti-Spiral's words continued like the wind on the wave. "That's what you do. You Spirals will always move forward, eating what you hold dear, with its destructive impulses as an instinct, not a care in the world. The cluster of galaxies spread out in front of us, a calm space where many island universes coexist in gravitational equilibrium. The Spiral force is the force that connects the Universe to life. A single life can draw on the power of the infinite Universe. But that force cannot be controlled by life. That's the truth of this Universe," they said, filling in the green glow here and there in the cluster of galaxies. That same green glow erupted from Simon's body, which disrupted the equilibrium of the galaxy cluster. Simon knew that it was the truth of the Spiral. That it was a Spiral force run amok. The Anti-Spiral's words continue. "The Spiral force goes out of control, and the energy emanating from the body becomes a galaxy. When the Spiral force begins to run goes out of control, in an instant, as many galaxies as there are lives in the universe are born. The excess galaxies will devour each other to become black holes and the Universe will return to nothingness. That is Spiral Nemesis. A runaway called evolution."
In short, Spiral Power is fundamental and universal, it is the essence of the Universe that symbolizes everything, it enhances everything with a spiral shape. There are many ideas that are defined and driven, such as evolution, the connection of life and the Universe, spirit, and love. It also determines the life and death of the Universe.
The Anti-Spiral
The Anti Spiral battles Simon the Digger in their pocket universe
"The universe itself"
The Anti-Spiral created their own universe with extra dimensions within it, an 11-dimensional universe (see the extra dimensions) and able to control it completely at will according on their own. Means, they are 11-dimensional beings and proven to have an extradimensional power. In addition, they have omnipresence within their universe and being described as "the universe" itself.
They control everything within it, even manipulating probability and physics so their enemy has zero percent chance of winning within the universe.
Including the flow of time of said universe, is under their control completely.
"The universe was a closed universe. How many years were reassembled there? Of course, it doesn't make sense to count the time that has passed by in this space. Until known, there will be enemies who have been frozen. Time began to flow again with that information. The isolated universe, which was created solely for the purpose of eradicating the Spirals, are a major element that make up the universe."
The homeworld of the Anti-Spiral has been separated from the rest of the space-time continuum, with an independent flow of time, and is made of non-euclidean matter. In addition, Nia is capable to regenerate.
(Left page)
"Nia's scream is the only sound that echoed in the empty room. The Anti-spiral's homeworld. The space between the tenth and eleventh dimensions. An empty space-time on this planet, separated from both time and space. Nia, trapped there, is now about to be completely analyzed by the Anti-Spiral's original form. "No matter how much you examine my body, you will never be able to defeat them now. He will come, you can be sure of that." Nia said, desperately trying to regenerate. She brings back memories of the past and spins her body with them. "It's useless, irregular." But the Anti-Spiral instantly read the truth of the information."
"It is a strange room. It is not even a room. It is a place separated from continuous time and space. It is surrounded by walls, but I couldn't tell if it is matter, or if it is fixed time, or if it is something else entirely. It doesn't radiate anything. It doesn't reflect anything. It is not interfered with by any time in the universe. It is an independent time flowing only in this room."
The universe is implied to be infinite in size.
This is not a flowery word, the novelization (in the part where Simon merged with the multiverse) asserts that the Anti-Spiral's universe which is known as "closed universe" is infinite.
""Yeah!" The members of the Gurren Lagann behind me nodded vigorously when I said that. Thank you, brother. I believe in you who believes in me. I believe in my friends who believes in myself. Simon held up his core drill to the heaven and a flash of light flashed across the sky. Innumerable appearances of Simon appeared in the sky, and they were the past, the present, and the future, every place, every time, and the innumerable selves that live in a world of infinite possibilities. There is no escaping wherever you go. In a closed infinite universe, various lives are repeated. In that universe of possibilities, Simon twisted the innumerable selves he had drilled into one, twisting them together into a giant drill, and before he realized that it was a huge drill, Simon wasn't there but Gurren Lagann. There stood Gurren Lagann, holding up the giga drill, "Let's go, buddy!""
Extradimensional Labyrinth
The Anti-Spiral is once again stated to be their own universe. Furthermore, their power are not limited to one universe, they are capable of transcending the time and space casually which allows them to influence and manipulate the multiverse.
And remember, the possible observed outcomes in Gurren Lagann can create parallel universes via quantum mechanics, which doesn't apply to the Anti-Spiral since there is only one isolated universe from them in the multiverse, means also that they've freed themselves from the quantum cosmology of the multiverse and have no past and future.
(Blue text)
"Simon's greatest enemy is this universe itself. The greatest, strongest, and most fearsome enemy that attempts to eradicate all creatures with Spiral power. Even before Simon and his comrades, numerous Spiral warriors have challenged the Anti-Spiral and been buried. Its form has no discernible substance, has capability to lightly transcend time and space, affects the multiple-dimensions. It is truly an entity that can be called "the universe" itself."
Worth to note again that dimension in Gurren Lagann in some case is interchangeable with universe, for examples, Nia and Viral referred the Anti-Spiral's universe as "separate dimension" or "remote dimension". So multiple-dimensions can also be referred to as multiple-universes or the multiverse.
Which in the context also, is the Anti-Spiral capable to maintain the Extradimensional Labyrinth, a trap to confine victim's consciousness into infinite possibilities by materializing the multiverse, generated by the divergence of the time axis at the moment of perception instant to instant and replacing it with infinite universes, a trap developed by the Anti-Spiral solely to prevent the Spiral Power from being used by the Spirals. This is an impressive feat since the multiverse is 11-dimensional with brane mechanics, proved again that the Anti-Spiral have higher-dimensional manipulation.
(Red text)
"Trapped in the Multiverse. Last resort developed by the Anti-Spiral. It was a "multiverse" that traps people in infinite possibilities. I might be there, the future I wanted to be like this. People will stand up before the possibility of spreading anywhere. That is exactly the Anti-Spiral trap that takes away "will to live" from a person. The crew of the Super Galaxy Gurren Lagann are trapped in the multiverse. Stolen from their consciousness, they are simply drifting through the ocean of infinite possibilities ......"
(Green text)
"The "multiverse" is a universe that becomes real at the moment of recognition. It is a logical trap that no intelligent creature can escape from the multiverse forever because the possibility of a possible future changes directly into a universe. In Simon's case, for example, he is trapped in the possibility that if Kamina were alive and did not fight the beastmen, he wouldn't have died. There is an infinite number of possibilities, and hell will follow. It is no longer possible to return to the real universe after being affected by a different kind of multiverse.
The strongest and worst trap for the people by an expanded interpretation of quantum cosmology. The Anti-Spiral has dropped numerous Spiral warriors up to this point and forced them to ruin."
Nakashima gave an example of students were given a variety of color choices, it was increasingly difficult for them to choose more colors. With infinite possibilities, they would instantly freeze. With infinite possibilities being perceived, an infinite number of universes are created, with each universe branching off into infinitely more universes and so on in order to keep freezing their consciousness.
"Nakashima: Indeed. We are opposed to each other because we are in the same position. Also, I was impressed by a story I heard from my university psychology teacher around that time. He said, "I feel sorry for male students today." He said that if you take out 6 crayons and ask them to choose their favorite color, they can choose, but if you take out 120 colors, they can't choose. In other words, today's boys have so many choices that they can't choose. Girls, on the other hand, unfortunately, still have only about six colors to choose from, so they are able to choose cheerfully. When I heard that, I thought, "That's exactly what I'm talking about!". The reason for the youth's sense of boredom I was feeling fell into my own hands. And then, with a snap, I was blown away by "Gurren".
It is. When "presented with infinite possibilities," a person can't do anything but stand still and become stuck. But in the end, the only choice one can make is one's own will. That's what I wanted to convey to the young people, to show them that kind of straightforwardness as entertainment. That's the fourth part of the story."
Infinity Big Bang Storm
The Anti-Spiral is capable of releasing a focused energy projection is called as the Infinity Big Bang Storm, this shouldn't be misunderstood as a mere Big Bang attack, the following reasons are:
- The continuous intense inflation of the universe will last forever, means the Big Bang is infinite.
- The Big Bang re-created their own universe as an offensive purposes and said universe is infinite, means the Big Bang is also infinite.
- The Anti-Spiral's universe is 11-dimensional, means the Big Bang they created is also 11-dimensional.
- it creates the galaxies instantaneously within the expansion (much faster in the movie).
- It is fueled by the Anti-Spiral's full power.
Immeasurably superior than the Big Bang theory, which took hundreds of millions of years for galaxies to form and had the most intense inflation for only 10-35 to 10-33 of a second. The blast is also destroy opponents at the quantum level and annihilate them down to their very last scrap of DNA.
As said, Granzeboma's capabilities far surpassed TTGL, and the Infinity Big Bang Storm was an ultimate move far on a greater level than the previous attacks.
"Granzeboma is the final weapon of the Anti-Spiral. It mimics the appearance of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, but its ability is far superior. Its special move is the "Infinity Big Bang Storm"!!"
Further feats
Apart from being able to transcend the time and space easily, they also aren't bound nor by time, nor by gravity, means that the Anti-Spiral even resistant to any kind of spacetime manipulation and gravity manipulation since it ignores the gravitational time dilation. Remember that the universes are coexisting in gravitational equilibrium? That again means the Anti-Spiral is sort of unbound by the multiverse, very consistent since they are able to separate their homeworld (or even their universe) from the rest of the space-time continuum (see "The universe itself").
(Yellow text)
"When the Super Galaxy Gurren Lagann throws, the Ashtanga-class fleet is destroyed. And, in front of the giant Nia, something like a small, black, irregular-shaped humanoid body floats. It's a stop unbounded by time and gravity."
The Anti-Spiral is invisible to humans as they are the thought body of their race, an abstract non-corporeal entity.
(Green text)
"(Anti-Spiral) [Character/Episode 24] The thought body of the Anti-Spiral race. In order to prevent the "Spiral Nemesis", a cosmic collapse brought about by the Spiral Power, they plan to eradicate the Spiral race. To this end, they have set up an automatic annihilating system on the planet where the Spiral race lives, killing any Spiral race member who has reached a certain population level. Their power is like the universe itself. They have no physical form and cannot be seen by humans. It uses sophisticated tactics to trap the Spirals in the multiverse and deprive their fighting spirit. In the distant past, when the Earth mimics led by Lordgenome fought a battle, Lordgenome pursued the Anti-Spiral, but was unable to find its home base and was exhausted. As a result, Lordgenome was forced to flee back to its home planet of Earth. The Anti-Spiral themselves were once Spirals, but when they became aware of the horrors of Spiral Nemesis, they sealed off their home planet and locked their powers away forever. Until they decided on a name, they were commonly known as "Spaceman" (the original name was invented by Mr. Nakashima). It means the universe itself. Imaishi was in charge of the design."
Simon the Digger
Simon and the spirit of Kamina
After breaks free from the Extradimensional Labyrinth, Simon views all possible universes of all possible doppelgangers of himself in the multiverse as pillars of light, then intergrates with them. With infinite possibilities, infinite universes were being intergrated by Simon in the multiverse.
Do note that the pillars of light (which represent all Simon appearances in alternate universes) which Simon integrated in the Extradimensional Labyrinth, were the same pillar-formed possible universes that the Anti-Spiral used to trap Simon's consciousness in infinite possibilities beforehand.
Simon unites with the multiverse as per databooks.
(Red text)
"When Simon awakens without hesitation, he intergrates with the multiverse and rescues the members of the Team Dai-Gurren from the endless chain of possibilities. Finally getting Nia back from the Anti-Spiral. As Gurren Lagann emitted a new light, the final evolution of Gurren Lagann began."
(Green text)
"Kamina: Yeah. (Nodding)
The other members of the Team Dai-Gurren who were behind him nodded. Simon turns his back. Simon's appearances spread out across the entire space. It's Simon's appearances spread out in a multiverse of possibilities for each possible appearance. But the core drill shines in Simon's chest. and his left arm becomes Gurren Lagann's. A drill appears from there. That drill spins rapidly. The drill engulfs Simons in the multiverse, turning him into a vortex of light. Simon "Let's go, buddy." In that glow, Simon transforms into Gurren Lagann's form and flies off into the void."
The novelization explanation goes even further, Simon did not only absorbed the variations of himself in parallel, but every place, every time including the past and future where the innumerable selves of Simon lives in the multiverse of infinite possibilities.
""Yeah!" The members of the Gurren Lagann behind me nodded vigorously when I said that. Thank you, brother. I believe in you who believes in me. I believe in my friends who believes in myself. Simon held up his core drill to the heaven and a flash of light flashed across the sky. Innumerable appearances of Simon appeared in the sky, and they were the past, the present, and the future, every place, every time, and the innumerable selves that live in a world of infinite possibilities. There is no escaping wherever you go. In a closed infinite universe, various lives are repeated. In that universe of possibilities, Simon twisted the innumerable selves he had drilled into one, twisting them together into a giant drill, and before he realized that it was a huge drill, Simon wasn't there but Gurren Lagann. There stood Gurren Lagann, holding up the giga drill, "Let's go, buddy!""
Simon as Gurren Lagann which he has just created, flies across the multiverse with mere speed by breaking through the walls of the universes to save his friends.
(Red text)
"The drill broke through the walls of the multiverse. Leeron, Dayakka, Gimmy, Darry... The green-shining drill was crushes one after another the cognitive universe where the crew of the Super Galaxy Gurren Lagann were trapped."
To counter misconception and downplay, Simon is not a glass canon superhuman who depends on mechas in battles. In contrary according this interview, Simon is Gurren Lagann himself with his own power, due the fact that the Spiral Power comes from Simon, not the robot itself which is just an amplifier, and an armor.
"When you see the climax, you can see that Simon himself is Gurren Lagann, isn't he?
Imaishi: That's right. You don't need a mecha, you don't need to combine, you just need one body.
Imaishi: I can't help but feel that way. Because Simon himself has the power. The Spiral Power doesn't come from the robot, but from Simon, and that's the only way to drop it. The robot itself is just an amplifier. It's like an armor."
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
The Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann battles the Granzeboma at the edge of the multiverse
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (TTGL) is the materialization of all possible Gurren Lagann in the multiverse, being a virtual quantum body created by the multi-layered multiverse due to the activation of the Super Spiral force. That is the ultimate evolution of Gurren Lagann.
(Red text)
"The core drill shines as it spins on in response to Simon's shout. The same glow at the same time in every part of Gurren Lagann is emitted and from various parts of his body, a number of faces with Lagann-like expressions appeared. Yoko, Dayakka, Leeron, Viral, Tetsukan, Attenborough, Leite, and Gimme-Darry each ride in a Lagann-like cockpit. Lordgenome also somehow has a body and is in the cockpit. Nia is in the same cockpit as Simon as well Boota popped out from Simon's chest.
The possibilities of Gurren Lagann's existence in the multiverse has been materialized and merged with Simon's Gurren Lagann. The ultimate evolution of Gurren Lagann has been activated."
(Red text)
"Arc Gurren Lagann descending on Kamina City. (The Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is a virtual quantum body created by the multi-layered multiverse due to the activation of the Super Spiral force. It disappeared when the battle ended and returned to the normal state) the people welcoming the returning members of the Team Dai-Gurren. They are holding Dayakka with Anne in his arms."
TTGL's essence is the materialization of Spiral Energy, that also applies to the Tengen Toppa Gunmens as well their respective pilots (Lordgenome is a good example).
Not only a mega galaxy-sized mech with multiversal power, TTGL is also a walking universe, with a whole spacetime continuum compressed within itself called as the Super Spiral Universe (or the Super Spiral Space, kanji: 超螺旋宇宙) which formed as an abstract thought (or emotion, to be precise), as explained in an interview and databooks. This is important because "feeling" is the subset of Spiral Power and is as well transcendental to time and space.
(Green text)
"Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is the final form of Gurren Lagann and is emerged with Super Spiral Universe embodying by thought. It is also the most powerful Spiral weapon that can directly output the passengers abilities."
In the Super Spiral Universe (or TTGL), anything can be manifested by thoughts (correlated with TTGL possessing an infinite number of possibilities).
The databook stated that TTGL is a materialized thought without a measurable height, can't exist in physical space unless the Super Spiral Universe is created within itself, means that the TTGL is an abstract robot and incorporeal.
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"The second half of "Gurren Lagann" overwhelms viewers with an intense driving feeling but the scale of the Gurren Lagann series has been on a many viewer's minds. If the size of "Lagann" is approximately 1 meter and and "Gurren Lagann" is about 5 meters then it follows that the figures below are rough estimates. However, because Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is a materialized thought, it's size is impossible to calculate (It doesn't exactly exist in the physical world.). Use this as only a guide so you can grasp the magnitude of these sizes. When comparing the first Gurren Lagann and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is about 10²⁵ times larger or 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 times larger (In the "Gurren Lagann" style it's multiplied by 10.). It could be said that this size is truly unimaginable."
Again, the novelization goes even deeper into depth on TTGL's creation; all of the emotions of the Super Galaxy Brigade in the multiverse manifest into drills, which combine together into a being that transcends fate and causality, a power greater than stars and galaxies, and even the dimension and time themselves, correlated to Spiral Power being fundamental and "feelings" do transcends time and space.
"Nia entered the cockpit of the Lagann, along with Simon. Each Lagann merged into Gurren Lagann. It was anger. It was sadness. It was compassion. It was every emotion one could think of. The feelings that each of us had in our respective universes appeared in the form of a drill, breaking through the wall. It was appearing in the form of two shapes and sizes, and they became one. If you have no choice but to fight, do not hesitate. We are not afraid to ask for power. If there's a wall, we'll hit and break it, if there's no way, we'll make it with our own hands! No, more. Breaks through cause, effect and fate, the cry of life resounds in the galaxy yet, more. Engrave the feelings of a friend in this body, and turn infinite darkness into light! -That's it. A power greater than the stars, greater than the galaxies. A power greater than dimension and time."
Its Spiral Power is infinite, with such power, ones are able to draw forth the power of the Universe itself and put the entire time and space under control (see Spiral Power), to put it in simple, TTGL has the power of the multiverse itself.
"The infinite power that overflows from this body. Give it form. It takes the form of a person. Thoughts overflow. Words break through the heart. Nia speaks. "Even when trapped in the cycle of cause and effect!" Yoko prays. "The feelings left behind will open the door!" Leeron tells us. "Even if the infinite universe stands in our way," Viral cries. "This bloodletting will decide our fate!" Simon shouts. "Break through the heaven and the dimension!" They all wears. "To grab hold of our own path!" The universe trembles. "Who the hell do you think we are!?"."
Not only created by swallowing all of the emotions of the pilots across the multiverse, but also their past and future, means all members of the Team Dai-Gurren are acausal and in fact are as strong as Simon himself.
"There, a giant that crossed the galaxy was born. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. The ultimate evolution of Gurren Lagann, created by swallowing all of our thoughts, wishes, regrets, hopes, past, and future. That giant, engulfed in green flames, was the greatest power that humanity, or rather the Spiral race, had ever gained. The face is on the chest, abdomen, arms, thighs, legs, and key points of the deformed body. It corresponded to Lagann on which each Team Dai-Gurren was riding. Now each of them had the same power as Simon. However, the voice of the Anti-Spiral sounded there..."
Due to the nature of the TTGL as an extradimensional mecha, moreover as an abstract entity, it can't be seen by humans. However, thanks to the interview's explanation, via spatio-temporal rip, they are able to see the battle through projected images (or holograms).
"The fact that everyone on the ground was watching a galactic battle on a galactic scale gave a sense of scale that was very much like a GAINAX work.
Imaishi: Oh, is that so? I got a good laugh at the scenario meeting (laughs). When I said, "I want you to be able to see it in real time," Nakashima said, "That's not possible! He told me. So in the play, the space-time is twisted and the image is projected, but I wanted it to be seen live, in real time. They're fighting in that galaxy over there! like that. Yeah, it's too big to see (laughs).
Imaishi: Yes, that's right. What do you think about being able to see it because it's so big? When I asked him about it, he said no. What's more, you're talking about where the galaxy is.
Otsuka: It would take tens of thousands of years to see them.
Imaishi: Well, I think that's true. But by that time, I'm sure Nakashima-san will have found another reason for it! (laughs) because I was expecting it. I didn't say anything, thinking, "Maybe if I say something like this, Mr. Nakashima will come up with something good that doesn't change the picture."
Super Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
The Super Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann with the rest of Tengen Toppa Brigade Gunmens
Finally, the Super Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (STTGL), literally the Super version of TTGL, which the TTGL is also resides inside its head. it is formed by combining the Infinity Big Bang Storm with the other Tengen Toppa Gunmens, creating a mecha that is said to be so large that it competes and even surpasses the universe in size, according to Nakashima and databooks.
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"■ Super Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (99)
Nakashima: At this point, I'm not even sure if it's a robot anime or not. The last is the Evil Demon of the Great Goin (laughs). However, there is a feeling that it is bigger than the universe. It is said to be extremely huge.
Imaishi: The only contrast is the galaxy. The galaxy is drawn very small.
Nakashima: And there's even a dove flying around...... What kind of dove is this?
Imaishi: This is a pigeon that is historically necessary for anime (laughs)."
STTGL is so huge, Nakashima and Yoh Yoshinari design talk mentioned a universe is floating behind STTGL.
"I have ideas for "translucent" and "all the Tengen Toppa Gunmen combined," but I just can't come up with a definitive design. The design for Super Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann was a difficult one. In the end, without being able to decide on a design, director Imaishi went into storyboarding. After completing the storyboards, he entrusted the mechanical design and drawing of Gurren Lagann to Yoh Yoshinari. A dynamic design of a mass of effects was established, with a swirling vortex of mediums and the universe floating behind the translucent body. Director Imaishi said, "Only Mr. Yoshinari can draw this design.""
Its body as whole is swelled by Spiral Energy, its size is said to be a large universe class far surpassing the galaxies and globular clusters. The Giga Drills clash between STTGL and Super Granzeboma goes beyond time and space and collapses the Anti-Spiral's universe into singularity (Big Crunch), furthermore causes an infinity sign to appear in meaning they had finally reached the true potential of the Spiral Power, before remaking them in instant with a short Big Bang.
"The ultimate absolute form of transcendence reached by Simon and the others in a Super Spiral Universe where thought is materialized. It was created by combining the Infinity Big Bang Storm, an attack with energy on par with the birth of the universe released by the Granzeboma driven by the Anti-Spiral as a Spiral drill and combining it with the Tengen Toppa Gunmen of the Dai-Gurrren Brigade. Wearing a giant flag like a cape, maintaining a humanoid shape by swelling Spiral energy throughout the body.
Its size is a large universe class that far surpasses galaxies and globular clusters. Underneath the sunglasses, the silhouette of Gurren Lagann could be seen in small size. Against the Super Granzeboma, Simon unleashes its "Super Tengen Toppa Giga Drill Break". The whole body is strengthened into a drill and collides with the "Anti-Spiral Giga Drill Break" of the Super Granzeboma. The friction between the Spiral that calls for evolution and the Anti-Spiral that shuts off evolution shakes the Universe and transcends time and space."
We see countless galaxies (with universal-sized, comparable to STTGL) getting sucked into the Giga Drill collisions in the second movie, but are they really galaxies? Maybe not, as per Japanese Wikipedia, Nakashima has said that the galaxies are universes (secondary source, take it as grain of salt).
天元突破グレンラガンの登場兵器 "A galaxy-like celestial body is placed as a comparison, but according to the "Work Soul", this itself is a representation of a single universe. According to Kazuki Nakashima, the scriptwriter, the surrounding celestial bodies are the universes, and the Super Tengen Toppa is much bigger than the universe. In the discussion video, it is estimated to be about 150 billion light years."
Again, according to the Japanese Wikipedia, the Giga Drill collisions causes the "Multiversal Big Crunch", destroying a massive quantity of universes like a grain of sand, as soon as the world becomes a void, they were recreated through instantaneous inflation or the Big Bang.
天元突破グレンラガンの登場兵器 "Gurren Lagann unleashes the Giga Drill Break. The power of the burning Spiral itself transforms into a gigantic Giga Drill and appears. It boasts a power that destroys a large number of universes like a grain of dirt, but because its power is evenly matched by the Anti-Spiral's "Anti-Spiral Giga Drill Break", the aftermath of the collision causes a Big Crunch that destroys not only the Super Spiral Universe, but also all universes created by Anti-Spiral. Immediately after becoming a world of nothingness, the reaction of the destructive energy and the friction between the Spirals and the Anti-Spirals caused the instantaneous creation of the Universe (Big Bang) again (Inflation), and yet the energy never ran out. What appears at the end of the collision of the two superb drills..."
For anyone doubting it, yes they turned the Anti-Spiral's dimension into nothingness, the following reasons are:
- It's supposed to be an inverse of a Big Bang, a Big Bang in Gurren Lagann does create a universe from nothingness to its entirety (see the branching multiverse).
- It's supposed to be a miniature Spiral Nemesis, an event that returns everything to the void.
- It's stated directly to affected time and space.
- Visually, everything becomes invisible before instant inflation (Big Bang) happened.
Extra info
The Super Galaxy Dai-Gurren is capable to scans every point of time-space and dimensions that are already recognized.
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"Spiral Wave Detection Monitor [Mecha/Machine - Episode 23] Popular name, spiral radar. It is connected to the Super Galaxy Dai-Gurren's Spiral space transcendence machine and hyper spiral computer, and explores all dimensions and space-time. It is possible to track what has been recognized once and detect its location. It traced the ring of Nia and discovered an isolated universe between the 10 dimensional universe and 11 dimensional universe where the Anti-Spiral is hidden."
As Super Galaxy Gurren Lagann (SGGL), it can fires on every points of space-time and dimensions, near to past and near to future, against immeasurable number of targets.
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"[Possible space-time simultaneous firing][Special Move / Episode 26] A Super Galaxy Gurren Lagann's "Mega-Vortex Cannon" and "Maelstrom Cannon" is an all-gun attack that fires probability fluctuation bullets. Artor an immeasurable number of enemies in every space-time and dimensions from the near past to the near future."
Gurren Lagann mechas (like many other mecha series by Gainax and TRIGGER) are not just machines, but sapient and self-aware.
studio TRIGGER here! We're back with Hiromi Wakabayashi's answer from the previous AMA!
"androidnoobbaby: In Evangelion, Diebuster and Gurren-Lagann, the mecha have their own consciousness. Would you say that this inspired you to take it even further with the DarliFra, which blurs the line between character and robot with the Pistils and the Franxx being extensions of each other?
Hiromi Wakabayashi324: I'm surprised that you've caught on to that. You've definitely studied the concept for GAINAX mech series. Darling in the Franxx definitely follows this trend. I cannot disclose any information, but I hope you enjoy the rest of Darling in the Franxx!"
Conclusion
This blog explains everything that is needed to know to understand the cosmological structure of Gurren Lagann, and proves that the tier of the verse is not limited to Universe level+, and all of these are confirmed from the canon sources. If any new information is obtained regarding the current topic, this blog will be updated.