Gainax

The end of the world somewhere in the galaxy! The ominous figure of Rei broods over a new world, and the majestic Gurren Lagann stands above this joyous chaos.

A power capable of piercing the skies and beyond! Yes, it's shonen, but this is served by a debauchery of visual fireworks, a virtuosity of animation, and a sense of graphics that outshone all its competitors. They made Evangelion, Gurren Lagann or FLCL in a completely different tone. Those at the head of this animation studio already gave themselves the title of Otakings at the very beginning of their adventure, as if to announce their excessive ambition to revolutionize the Japanese animation industry. And this is exactly what they did over the following years. The recipe was nowhere groundbreaking: action, mechas, fan service and a heart overflowing with courage, all of that condensed in a sparkling package sprinkled with teenage existential crises. But the emotion is effective, because each drawing, each animated scene is filled with the overflowing passion of its creators.

The excesses of style have made the studio famous. The irreverent transformation scenes, the screen-popping action with Gurren Lagann's Giga Drill Breaker attack, the display of firepower when the Nautilus rams Neo Atlantis' spaceships or when Unit 01 reduces a titanic enemy to shreds with its bare hands. It's fun, but it's also educational! Gainax was also the best at combining the entertainment of the animated series with often relevant questions about one's place in the world, the resolution of traumas, the vanity of certain goals and the meaning to be given to one's action. What kind of relationship is destructive, which ones are fulfilling? Gainax was surely one of the first to challenge me on the contemporary questions of our world... Those experiences are entertaining, but they also elevate the consciousness of the public. Hats off to the artists.

Looking at the gigantism of iconic Gainax figures. The Nautilus, a titanic Rei or the universe-sized Gurren Lagann. Excessiveness is the trademark of the Gainax spirit. The scales grew exponentially. Starting from the small village of the first episodes, you could quickly climb the steps to reach the confines of the cosmos. This assumed movement made you dizzy and did not leave you indifferent.