Part 63: A Life to Pierce the Heavens

GOONZ is pretty depressed about Kamina, none more than Simon.



They're moping around the hangar where the Dai-Gan-Zan is being renovated, and Leeron shoos them out of the way. They're all sad, but there's work to be done, and the world won't stop for them. Simon, however, is shut away in his room, and no one wants to go near. It's probably better to just let him grieve in peace - Kappei says that sometimes, all you can do is grieve. "But you can't do that forever. I'm sure Simon will figure that out eventually..."

Kappei is, like, twelve. What the hell has he been through? (That would be Zambot 3, by the way).

But for the rest of us, as Leeron said, there's a lot to do. Ryoma rallies everyone present to lend a hand with the ship.



Celestial Being is also grieving. "He's not the one who deserved to die," mutters Lockon darkly, and Shinn and Kira (who are hanging out with their fellow Gundams, I guess) ask if he means himself. "If anyone deserved to be punished for anything," he answers, "it's us, not him."

Suzaku, who is also chilling with terrorists, asks if that means Lockon regrets joining Celestial Being. Lockon absolutely doesn't, and hasn't since he joined, but even so, he's certain that when it's all over, they'll have to pay for what they've done. But not before.

"Just don't die before then, Lockon," says Kira. "If that's how you want to clear your conscience, we won't stop you. But don't forget that there are people who will be sad when you die."

The other Meisters feel the same way, that they're putting their lives and futures down for a good cause. It's a good enough answer for Suzaku,



and for Zero, who wonders when he'll have to accept his own judgment. Like Lockon, he refuses to let it happen before he gets what he wants...



Kamina's death has Feldt thinking about her parents, former Gundam Meisters killed in action, and she hopes it won't happen again. Lockon assures her that even if that ever happened, she'd survive.

She begs him not to die, so he tells her his real name: Neil Dylandy. It's a secret from even the other Meisters, and he's only telling her as something to promise on that he won't die until their job is complete.



In the belly of the Ptolemaios, Team D is reflecting on Kamina - how he makes you want to live the way he did. Johnny has something else on his mind. Kamina was taken from them, and any of them could be next. In fact, the nature of Dancouga is such that they're likely to all die together, if at all. Their lives are bound together, and that's a hard bond to break. Since they're such a hosed-up team, he would like them to share some thoughts, just between them, and break down the walls a little.

Okay, first question from Aoi: all that time ago, when each of them chose to fight on Dancouga Nova, why did Johnny? "I had several reasons, but possibly, the main one was I liked both the girls on my team." Goodness. He sticks to that one, too, and his next question is for Sakuya: why be a bum, and why a pilot?

Sakuya said he wanted to "feel like he was alive," which strikes the team as a weird reason to be homeless. He describes the simple life on the street, foraging for food and sleeping in his box, like a creature of the urban jungle - "It kinda makes you feel at one with the world."

And moving to Dancouga? Well, the bum's life was nice, but it somehow wasn't enough. And when he boarded Dancouga, he felt like he was being called. "Like the world said 'what, you think you can do it?' So I joined Dancouga to tell it, 'yeah, I'll do it.'"

That's pretty much how Aoi felt about it too. Modeling was neat, racing was fun, but piloting was the first thing that really made her feel... "Like it would light a fire in me, take me to new heights. Like I could put my life on it with no fear..."

Wow, Aoi. Anyway, that just leaves Kurara, who passes. No fair! She dares the team to live, all together, if they want her to tell them.



Sumeragi is glad to see them getting along. It'd be nice if the Meisters were even as good as they were, but they still have a very long way to go themselves. Ru from Dragon's Hive has observed that they're maintaining their walls, and while she's not going to make them break them down, they know why they should.

But for now, we have a party to get to. It's going to be really awkward in this state, but the host is the unknown commander of the Dragon's Hive. They can't pass up a chance to see him in person.



Finally, the reminder of their own mortality is a reminder for the Gekko crew to do whatever it is they're trying to do. "We're doing this, 350Z," says Talho. 350Z is a name Holland hasn't heard for a very long time, and not one he likes to be reminded of, but it is a reminder of who took away his name and his future, and what they'll do to take it back. "Get in touch with him. All we have to do is time this right."



It's party time, you guys! Simon is still away, and the engineering crew is still hard at work. Frankly, GOONZ doesn't particularly want to be here either. Harry, though he's as sad as anyone else, admonishes them not to "drown in their grief," a turn of phrase he picked up from his lady Diana.

The S. M. S. crew wonder what the party is for. Luca says it's a release party for the Igor Group publisher's new thing. At least that's a clue to the Hive commander's identity: he must be associated with the company.

Alto is really not in the mood for this, and tries to leave when Sheryl and Ranka stop him. They're having a concert, and they wouldn't want him to miss it. "Nice to see you too," smirks Sheryl; Alto says he's not feeling well and leaves.

It's only after he's gone that the others tell Sheryl and Ranka about Kamina. Sheryl remembers Kamina from that one time he crashed her concert, and Ozma has to assure a panicking Ranka that he won't die too (since he's also Katsuyuki Konishi). He promises himself, too, that he'll always, always come back to Ranka. But the S. M. S. team also excuses themselves from the party. It really, really wasn't the time.



Sheryl and Ranka are joined by another musician named Eida Rossa, who Ranka recognizes from the commercial for that one fighting game. Sheryl quickly puts on her brave face, since the show must go on, and quickly tells Ranka to do the same.

Eida's been looking into them - both of them, to Ranka's surprise, since Eida is a massive name in music and shouldn't be interested in little old her. Eida gives Ranka her best sunny smile and hopes they can be friends. Sheryl sees right through her game, but no hard feelings. Anyway, Eida has to be off, since she's the first act.

Ranka has some high standards to perform to - she's against both Sheryl and Eida, and on top of that it's her first real concert. Plus, she wants her song to help Simon.



In her reverie, Ranka bumps into this handsome gentleman, who claims to be a fan of hers.



And he says his companion is a fan of them both. "Such music," he mutters. "Carrying between the dimensions, reaching the souls of all..."



These women are also Sheryl fans. They're all pretty excited for the concert.

A strong voice, and a kind voice... they'll sing beautifully.
...should we show ourselves to ZEUTH?
I used to sing songs of battle. I want to... I have to find the songs I really want to sing again.
I would also like to avoid it for now. I wish to forget my position and learn about this world from this perspective.
Let us go together. My fellow in this world will aid us.
Fog Sweeper... clearer of mists...
We will fight by his side to clear the dark fog settling over the universe.

In case you were wondering what these people were up to.



By the way, that guy turns out to be this guy! He's still going by just F. S. and he's invited Team D to speak with him personally. He claims that the other Dancouga is a VBM being deployed by their rivals, and they must defeat it for Nova to be a real Dancouga (tm).

Speaking of being a real Dancouga, what about Final? Toshiya and Marin did indicate that it was in cahoots with the Dragon's Hive. F. S. just says that it's another part of his plan. Oh yeah, the plan to prolong wars by equalizing the losing side? And what was this about the oncoming threat? F. S. says he can't explain just yet.

So what did he even bring them for? F. S. says they're not quite like any previous Dancouga team, and he's taken an interest in them. And he needs to inform them that Dancouga can be, and must be, infinitely powerful.

What's all this "Dancouga must be," anyway? And why are there two machines with the name of Dancouga? F. S. says that's an excellent question. "Dancouga was a warrior who has transcended both man and beast and gained the power of God," and his battle cry was "Let's go wild!" _{Heresy, whatever, but I've never, ever heard a good translation for this, and it's thematic, and for fuck's sake, the thing's characteristic power literally means "go wild."}

Anyway that's all F. S. had to say. He'll be watching them very closely, and with high expectations, for the battles to come, and the final battle with the great oncoming threat. He dismisses Team D.



Then he turns to WILL and says he has hopes for them to ascend to the level of a true Dancouga, enough to overcome "your little surprise, the R-Daigun." WILL returns that it's a bad habit of "you humans" to measure everything so. F. S. only muses that that's the only reason humanity has survived this long...



Setsuna's just run into Saji, Louise, and Relena. He cagily says he's here on "work" (investigating the commander of Dragon's Hive). Relena asks him if he's a classmate of Saji's, which tells him she's still keeping their encounter in Azadistan secret. But then Louise drags Saji away to talk to her parents, and Relena heads off to mingle, all three cheery.

...
Your acquaintances from your recon mission in Area 11?
Relena Dorian is here as well.
...she and I are from different worlds. We'll probably never meet again.
Really.
...
...were you not afraid when you used your self destruct?
...
You've become afraid of dying with your mission unfulfilled.
...



The party continues. Johnny's mind is filled with questions about F. S. and Dancouga, but Eida really wants to talk to him, too. They crossed paths about a year ago when she was trying out for a commercial that his company ultimately landed instead, and she's been e-stalking him ever since. "You think this is a real internet romance?" Johnny... avoids answering that. "What, you'll take my project but you won't take me?"



Luckily for Johnny, Allelujah runs in shouting for everyone to get out, because we have Gundams incoming! It appears to be the Trinities (Eida reacts to the name), and they open fire on the building...



The blissfully unaware Gurren Gang is counting up all the new jacked Ganmen and hopeful warriors that have come to them, inspired by Kamina's example, and the Great Gurren (a name Yoko insisted on for the reborn Dai-Gan-Zan, but wouldn't tell anyone why) is almost done too. The only thing left is Simon, and as Leeron says, he won't be so easy to patch up. Yoko gripes that she's trying to move on so Kamina's sacrifice didn't go to waste, but...



Rossiu runs in to interrupt! Apparently, both Simon and the Lagann are unaccounted for, and right in the middle of beastman territory...



Waaaaargh!



That all you got, beastmen? I'm just getting started!
I'll... I'll fight you in my bro's place!



What's the matter with you, Lagann? Wake up! Move!
Why won't you move?!



With nothing for it, Simon gets out of Lagann to investigate a box dropped by the beastmen. It's unlocked, so he opens the lid...

Good evening.
I-it is?
What might your name be, sir?
S-sir? I'm not really a...
Oh, this must be Outside!
The cool, the movement, the noise... how wonderful!
Uh, your feet...
But why do you look like me?
Uh...
You have no tail, no fangs, no scales. In fact, your skin is soft.
Well, yeah. I'm a person.
A... person?
You know, a human being.
What is a hu-man being?
Come on, a human. Shaped like us, face like this...
Are there more of you?
Huh? Um... yeah, there are.
Truly? Are they all like you? Do they all have the same faces?
Not exactly the same. That would be weird.
It would?
Uh, yeah...
But why am I outside?
I... I don't... look, we have to get away from here.
My name is Nia. What is yours?
Me? I'm Simon...
Simon. What a lovely name.
Uh. Um, thanks.
Excuse me, Simon?
Yeah?
What are those?



Shit! Simon dives for Lagann, but it still won't go, and Simon curses himself and Lagann for not being able to avenge his bro. Simon yells at Nia to run away as fast as she can while he handles the Ganmen.

I don't want to see anyone die again!
If any more people have to die, I should...
Do you wish to die?
Wha...
If you're afraid, you may run. But you must not die.
I'm not a-afra--
And you must not tell a lie.
Ah...



That said, the rescue party is here!



But so are more Ganmen, and that's when Nia does something dumb:

In the name of Nia, first daughter of the Spiral King Lordgenome, I order you to retreat!

The beastmen dutifully obey, but that just raises more questions...



Laguna Halevy had some strong words for the Trinities for all the direct damage to the party venue, but screw it. They did some damage to his rivals and to GOONZ, as well. Besides, Nena's the one who actually flipped out and fired on them (she says they were just bugging her, being all happy and stuff). He's not mad about something stupid like doing collateral damage to civilians, is he?

According to Johann, he's mainly mad because the R-Daigun's pilot was in that building. Her day job makes things a huge pain for them, and Nena figures the Trinities don't need her anyway. But Johann hears she made it out with minimal damage, and if that's the case, Nena wishes she'd taken a few more walls down.

The Trinities have their next mission, another Overflag extermination, and they're going to head out before the Daigun can recover, join them, and spoil their fun.



Simon's dragged Nia back to the Great Gurren base, and none of them have any idea of what to make of her, nor the reports that GOONZ was attacked at the party. There are several wounded, but no casualties, and Kitan tactlessly says they wouldn't have been able to handle losing more people. Simon storms out, sulking.

So he's still in that state, and Lagann's shut down too. Leeron theorizes that it has nothing to give to a creature without the will to survive in the first place.



Simon finds himself in the ship's mess, where Nia's been filled in on what her dad's been up to. But she doesn't think her dad would do that without a good reason. Simon snaps that he's just a bastard. Nia asks if he hates her father. Well, no duh. Then does he also hate her? If not, what is he fighting for? Simon says he used to fight because his bro was leading him. Perfectly innocently, Nia asks who is Bro.

Yoko stomps in and lets her know, and Nia understands why the crew would hate her. Simon, though glum, insists we don't hate her. Kamina certainly wouldn't - no matter what happened, he'd always have that grin on his face. Yoko calls him an idiot for it, but asks Simon to tell them both a story of Kamina.

A long time ago, way before Yoko, Kamina was still on his plans to escape from underground. But this time, he and Simon were trapped by an earthquake. Simon thought he was going to be buried alive and die, just like his parents. But Kamina put on his stupid smile and told him to just keep moving forward. And when he did, Simon's drill arm stopped shaking and he could hear the stone as he drilled, telling him where to dig, where the earth was soft.

Simon would have died if he'd given up. He owes Kamina his life. That's how it was until then and how it was ever since - Kamina is what gave him the strength to do anything, and without him, Simon can't do anything. "And that's why I have to be Bro in his place."

"That is incorrect," pipes up Nia. "You were alone when you saved me, were you not? You are perfectly adequate yourself. Why concern yourself with this Bro?"

Simon splutters. "Y-you don't know anything about him..."

"I could not possibly. He isn't here," says Nia brightly. "As he is not here, you cannot depend on him."

Yoko tries the "you didn't know him line," but Nia counters that she knows Simon reasonably well, and Simon is a strong person who is wasting his talent on a dead man. "You know who killed Kamina!" Yoko explodes. "So who do you think you are lecturing us?"

Nia apologizes, but Yoko has to admit she's right. They can't spend their lives grieving, but if only it was that easy to forget...



Oh, but look, the beastmen are attacking! (I think Rossiu's entire job is to burst through the door with bad news.) GOONZ is on their way, but the Great Gurren can't move, so they have no choice but to dig in.

I gotta go out there... fight in Bro's place...



Chapter 33: A Life to Pierce the Heavens



With the wounded from the attack, this is all GOONZ can afford to field. Simon still has Kamina on the brain. Team D, however, is totally pumped to kick some ass.



The beastmen arrive, and there are quite a few of them.

This is for Bro... for Bro...
Don't break down on us now, Simon! Kamina wouldn't--
Shut up!



I gotta be Bro!



Eureka is sad to see Simon's sorry state, and as if in response, the Imáge warp in. ZEUTH recognizes them from their universe, or an alternate version of them. But given their Eureka's relationship to the Coralians, their version of the Imáge, what does that mean for this Eureka? Holland interrupts - the Imáge are going to attack, and we have to defend ourselves from both fronts. Roger agrees - we can worry about them later! Eureka murmurs that the Imáge want to know how sorrow feels, but Holland says they won't give their key to them!

The beastmen guess that the Imáge are going after us alone. Very convenient for them, no?



Wow, Simon, not looking too good over here. His base Will is 50, so he's in no condition to fight even Aced, his Spirits are drained, and they're all doubled in price too in case you wanted to do something cute with pigmole steak. Still, the kid insists on fighting...

I gotta... be Bro!
Come on, Lagann! This is the only way I can pay for letting him die!







Wow, Simon really is in no shape to fight.

...
(Something's up with Eureka. Is it the Imáge?)
(There were Imáge when I found her again, too...)
(Eureka and the Imáge. Does this have anything to do with why she's a military secret?)




(You've done a lot for us, GOONZ. I really wanted to work with you as much as I could...)
(But it's time for me to go. This is for our survival...)





Wow okay I did not upgrade Holland.



Anyway, despite Renton and Holland taking up space, the beastmen are weak and the Imáge are weaker, so...



Talho and Renton decide it's time and order Renton back to the Gekko.



Renton complies, but demands to know what the hell's going on. Eureka sadly says it's all her fault. She's not human, you see. Even back at Warsaw, Renton was the only one in the world who treated her like one. She is a artificial humanoid sent by the Imáge to gather data on humanity, and now they've come to extract her because she tried to understand Simon's sorrow. All she really wanted was to be an ordinary girl with Renton...

Right, where does the Gekko come into this? Holland knew what Eureka was all along, and that's why he rescued her - or, Renton corrects himself, stole her from the army. But why? Holland has a question for Renton before he answers that: "How old do you think I am?"

He's seventeen. Everyone on the Gekko is seventeen years old. They're all "children of Neverland."

Who remembers the Agony of Doha? The fictional Z2 one, not the soccer match. The experiment it describes was an attempt to cause a dimensional quake using the Imáge, specifically another Imáge artificial robo-human just like Eureka. They were on that ship, eight years ago, and the only grown-ups with them were a young soldier and a girl with pink hair, embracing each other as if it were their last moment on Earth. Then the entire sky went rainbow, and the next thing they knew, they were being pulled out of the wreckage of the craft. They knew the grown-ups used them because no one would ever miss a bunch of orphans. But they saw hope at the end of the rainbow tunnel, an entire world beyond - a shining blue world where a sign was carved into the moon. From that day, they swore they'd make it back to that world, and they have Renton's parents to thank for it. Those two were part of the study at the Warsaw Laboratory, and their guiding principle was an old riddle called the Legend of Ageha, which lies at the heart of this whole plot.

But the military took them in after the accident, and the two grown-ups were nowhere to be seen. After that, it was ascertained that their bodies were aging three times faster than normal. And that's what the whole survival thing is about - Holland believes that they will age and die unless they can make it back to that other world, and he wants to safeguard Talho's future!

And where does Eureka come into this, again? Holland says the theory is that the Legend of Ageha comes from the Imáge. They have the power to alter reality locked within them, but they don't know how to activate it, so they seeded the Legend to have a human activate it for them somehow. The Neverland kids put it all together and come up with the answer: they're going to use their artificial Imáge-human, Eureka, to kickstart a dimensional quake, and rewrite the universe into one that will let them live!

Renton thinks that's insane, and abusing Eureka to do it makes it even worse - in fact, just like the grown-ups that abused the Neverland children in the first place! Holland smacks Renton across the floor, but Renton still refuses to let them use Eureka. But that's where he has it wrong. Holland's plan doesn't need Eureka - it needs both of them! Eureka cries to Renton to escape. Renton won't leave her, so Eureka orders the Nirvash to get Renton out of there.



As it flies away, Eureka sadly tells Renton everything was her fault, but she's glad she got to see him again before the end. Now she can go with no regrets. She doesn't want to fulfil her real function, and if she goes with Neverland, she won't have to...

Renton protests, but Holland orders the Gekko to fly off without him for now. We've lost the Gekko and Holland, the jerks. Renton commands the Nirvash to go after the Gekko, but it refuses, and Jeffrey takes it in himself for debriefing.

GOONZ is confused, but now something else is approaching at high speed...



Son of a bitch.

The Trinities aren't with it, and it wasn't with them at the party, so it's clear they've separated. All four members of Team D are ready to beat its face in and become a real Dancouga!

Heh. So you've learned a sliver of the truth of our battle.
But I will not fail. The R-Daigun will be the one to save the world!



And now we have an SR point to take her out within two turns from now.



Since we have a second turn to bring all of GOONZ on her, though, and she's all the way over here, I'm going to let her come to us.




Also, Spirit watch: Cathy gets Analyze. Reika gets Attune. Both useful.



We're almost out of beastmen at this point.



The Imáge, though, while fragile, are taking their sweet time to engage.






So this is how touch the Daigun is.



Time to go on the counter!






"The truth of our battle," huh? What do you know?
I fight for the fate of the world. Defeating you is one step!
You're still talking in riddles! How does defeating Dancouga Nova help you save the world?
There's no need to tell you that... because your battle ends right here!









Aoi loots a Spinal Connector. It's the control unit for Dancouga's VBMs, apparently the Daigun as well, and it greatly amps up Accuracy for the equipped unit.




But apparently, the Daigun isn't down for the count yet. And her blow destabilizes Dancouga's reactor, sending it into meltdown. Sumeragi urges Dancouga to split, and Aoi refuses. At last, they're completely synchronized, and they'd rather risk it all than split and let the Daigun take them down.



Then show me what you're made of!
Final Dancouga!
Show you what?
How you fight! How you live! The power of life itself!
Why we live... for who, to do what...
Here we are, and I haven't found jack. I can't die yet!
This isn't why I'm alive. I can't die yet! I refuse!
Let me put you out of your misery, Dancouga Nova.
Woooooaaaaaaaaaaahh!



Dancouga goes fucking wild. Daigun flees.

Huff... huff...
Wha... what was that? It's like I'm burning up...
My body... and my soul are on fire...
Power filling me from my core...
This is... what we've been looking for...
See, you can do it after all. That's the power of life... wild energy.
Wild...
It means you've broken down a wall. Use that God Beast Mode well.

Incidentally, Team D getting in touch with their wild sides somehow means they can push the Nova's generator to maximum output safely. From now on, Aoi will always deploy with her full team as Dancouga Nova and there will be no overheating time limit. Finally.

Shinobu also heads off to give the good news to F. S., leaving GOONZ wondering what his deal is. Why is he standing referee over the battle between Nova and Daigun, and why is he an Accursed Wanderer?



As always, no time to wonder - we've got more Imáge to deal with! Were they drawn by Team D's burst of energy?

Simon, we've knocked our wall down!
...
How about you? You gonna keep breaking your head against that wall?
I can't be Bro... not ever...



But that's quite all right.
Nia?
You are Simon. No one else, certainly not Bro. You are Simon, the man who saved me.
I'm not Bro, I'm me?
You didn't figure that out?
Simon, you're you!
Kamina was amazing, it's true.
He was strong, imposing, and passionate.
But you're still you!
You can't chase a shadow forever!
All you have to do is what you think is right!
We can all make up for Kamina together!
You don't have to do it by yourself!
We'll all follow Kamina's path as a team!
And take it further than he ever could!
You can still take things slow, your way, but pick it up a little!
My way...



Kamina used to say you were always there for him. That you're the one who never gave up.
And you never did give up! You've always been fighting from the beginning!
Yoko... Rossiu...
Simon, remember the last thing Kamina said to you!
Believe in you... not your believing in me, or me believing in you...
Believe in you... believing in yourself!



Lagann...
You believe in me too!
Simon, you believed in Bro. Now I believe in you!
Yeah!
Simon!
We're combining, Rossiu!
Roger!



Bro's dead! He's not here...
But he's still supporting me! He's still inside me! I'll keep on going with him!
If I'm digging, I'll dig through the cieling! If I get buried, I'll dig my way out!
If I can get out, I win!
Who do you think I am? I'm Simon!
I'm not Kamina, my bro! I'm Simon! Simon, the Digger!



We've got Gurren-Lagann back, the Great Gurren on our side with Dayakka at the helm, and Yoko in the Dayakkaiser, now the Yoko M Tank!


The Great Gurren (Dayakka, Leeron)
Skills
Spiral Power L2
Guard
Offensive Support L2
Prevail L4
Spirits
(Dayakka)
Vigor
Invincible
Strike
(Leeron)
Scan
Accel
Alert
Weapons
Sub Gun (12 ammo)
Main Gun (8 ammo)
Ram (20 EN, 110 Will)
Great Gurren Gang Rush (50 EN, 130 Will)
Ace Bonus: At 130 Will, casts Assail at the beginning of each phase.

Oh look, a new boat! It's a piece of crap against flying units (its last attack straight up does not work STA), but it has some mobile range and it can at least support with its cannons. Also, Dayakka has no Command or anything and it's slow.

It'll probably come into its own, eventually, though.

Power stable! All systems green!
All hands in position!
Enemies dead ahead! We're good to go!
The Great Gurren is our home, and one Kamina gave his life to provide!
All units, keep Kamina's spirit burning in your hearts! Great Gurren Gang, charge!




Yoko M Tank (Yoko)
Skills
Spiral Power L2
Offensive Support L3
Chain Attack
Hit & Away
Spirits
Vigor
Snipe
Strike
Invincible
Weapons
Strike (10 EN)
Rail Rifle (13 ammo, size)
Cannon (8 ammo)
Ace Bonus: Rail Rifle: +1000 damage, +1 range, +30 accuracy, +3 ammo.

tl;dr screw the robot, use the rifle. Yoko is probably the best support sniper in the game out of the box, skill wise, even though the M Tank is not quite as good as, say, Dynames, or Emperanza.

How does it feel, Yoko? Are you comfortable in the Dayakkaiser? It's been tuned just for you.
Not bad! I think I like it!
Its name is the Yoko M Tank!
Well, I like the rest of it!
This is my Ganmen, and I'll fight as hard as Kamina would have! No, ten times as hard!



Yeah, this rifle.

More to the point...


Gurren-Lagann (Simon, Rossiu)
Skills
(Simon)
Spiral Power L4
Prevail L6+3
Break Will Limit
EN Save
Chain Actions
(Rossiu)
Spiral Power L1
Prevail L4
Defensive Support L3
Spirit Block
Spirits
(Simon)
Gain
Guts
Strike
Spirit
(Rossiu)
Vigor
Trust
Weapons
Toroidal Burst (56 EN, 140 Will, size, MAP)
Kick (8 EN)
Gurren Boomerang (12 EN)
Glassun Cutter (16 EN)
Skull Break (24 EN, 110 Will)
Full Drillize (40 EN, 120 Will, barrier)
Giga Drill Break (60 EN, 130 Will, barrier)
Ace Bonus (Simon): Deploys at +30 Will.
Ace Bonus (Rossiu): At 130 Will, casts Invincible at the beginning of each phase.

At level 15, Rossiu is already a tank powerhouse, immune to pilot conditions and willing to cover anybody. He'll gain experience quickly by being in Gurren's seat even if he doesn't pilot, but there's one good reason to put him in the pilot's seat: if you want Gurren-Lagann to never take damage again. Once he's at 70 kills, that free damage soak will go off each turn forever even if Simon's at the wheel (once he gets enough Will, anyway). Other than that? SP bank.

Simon, meanwhile, has been holding back all game. Where before he was a statistical subpilot with a cheaty Will advantage, now all of his stats and SP pool have been boosted up to main character levels and he's unlocked his last two Spirit slots. He's not actually as good as Kamina, but he's playing with a full deck - and if you expect him to be Kamina, you just missed the point.

By the way, you can't split Gurren-Lagann anymore. The machine is also slightly faster, with a hair more mobility and an extra square of movement.

Come on, Rossiu! Gurren-Lagann runs on our power!
Okay, Simon!
We're going beyond the impossible, kicking reason to the curb! We'll will ridiculousness into reality!
You ready, Gurren-Lagann? That's how we do it!



Haven't recorded that one yet.



One turn later, pretty much nothing has happened except Imáge dying.

(My body is hot... as if every fiber of me is crying out that it's alive...)
(This is wild energy... life energy...)
Awesome! Let's go wild for as long as we have the energy to!







More Spirits: Dayakka gets Faith, which is really nice. Rossiu, climbing the levels rapidly, gets Alert.






In another turn, these are all the Imáge left.




Aoi learns Assail, and all the others learn Spirit.





That's all of...




Fucker!






Damn it, Kitan.





Jerk.

Simon thanks GOONZ for opening his eyes, but we owe Kamina a lot. The very least we could do is help out his little bro, right? Besides, we didn't do all that much, did we?

Yeah...
Thanks, Nia.
I know I can't be Bro, but I can do things my own way.
Indeed.
That's how it goes in the Great Gurren Gang! Right, chief?
Who, me?
Hey, Kamina picked you, didn't he?
You need to work on your introduction, though.
H-hey! Come on!
I wish you success, Simon.
Okay!
Can't hear you!
Okay!
(Bro, I'll figure it out... my own way.)
(I'll drill upwards, bit by bit, towards the cieling...)
(Just watch from wherever you are above the stars.)