<P> In North America, although initially announced to be licensed by ADV Films in 2007, the license was transferred to Bandai Entertainment in 2008 and then transferred to Aniplex of America in 2013 . In the United Kingdom, it was licensed by Manga Entertainment in 2007, then transferred to Beez Entertainment in 2008, and then transferred to Anime Limited in 2013 . The Sci Fi Channel acquired the broadcasting rights of Gurren Lagann and began airing the anime on July 28, 2008, as part of Sci Fi's Ani - Monday anime block . The anime won several awards at the Tokyo International Anime Fair and the Animation Kobe and Japan Media Arts Festivals . </P> <P> A manga adaptation was published by ASCII Media Works between 2007 and 2013 . Bandai Entertainment licensed the manga and released it in English in North America . A series of four light novels was published by Shogakukan between 2007 and 2008 . A Nintendo DS video game was released in October 2007, bundled with a special episode of the anime series . Two animated film versions were produced; the first premiered in Japanese theaters on September 6, 2008, and the second premiered on April 25, 2009 . </P> <P> Gurren Lagann takes place in a future where Earth is ruled by the Spiral King, Lordgenome, who forces mankind to live in isolated subterranean villages . These villages have no contact with the surface world or other villages and are under constant threat of earthquakes . Selected villagers called diggers are conscripted to expand their homes deeper underground . Simon, a meek young digger ostracized by his peers, finds solace in his best friend and older brother figure, an eccentric delinquent named Kamina . Kamina encourages Simon to join his gang, Team Gurren, to help him achieve his dream of visiting the surface world . One day, Simon unearths a drill - shaped key called a Core Drill, followed by a small mecha resembling a face called a Gunmen . Shortly thereafter, a huge Gunmen crashes through the ceiling and begins attacking the village, followed by a girl named Yoko, who attempts to repel the Gunmen . Simon uses his Core Drill to activate the smaller Gunmen (which Kamina names Lagann), and it is used to destroy the larger Gunmen and break through to the surface world . </P> <P> Simon and Kamina learn from Yoko that humans on the surface are attacked each day by Gunmen piloted by beastmen, humanoid creatures who serve as Lordgenome's army . Kamina hijacks a Gunmen and names him Gurren, combining him with Lagann to form the mecha Gurren Lagann . Their actions inspire other humans to steal their own Gunmen and join Team Gurren, which makes Kamina rename it Team Dai - Gurren . Eventually Team Dai - Gurren captures an enemy Gunmen fortress to use as their base of operations, though Kamina is killed in the preceding battle by one of Lordgenome's four generals . Rossiu, a boy from another village, takes over the job of piloting Gurren, but Kamina's death causes Simon to sink into depression until he meets Nia, Lordgenome's daughter . Team Dai - Gurren is initially distrustful of her but allows her to join when it becomes apparent that she was abandoned by her father, like many who came before her . Nia helps Simon come to terms with Kamina's death, and the rest of Team Dai - Gurren prompt him to take up the role as the team's leader, leading them and other humans, who captured other Gunmen and Gunmen fortresses, to Lordgenome's palace . As the palace itself turns out to be a gigantic Gunmen called the Lazengann and launches armies of other Gunmen, the human forces hold them off while Simon, Nia, and Rossiu pilot Gurren Lagann against Lordgenome, who fights them in a similar Gunmen . When both Gunmen are damaged, he himself fights Simon in Lagann with his bare hands . Lordgenome emerges victorious, until Simon uses his Core Drill to defeat him once and for all . </P>

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