Gurren Lagann ep. 21 - "You Are Someone Who Ought to Survive" Review - Fresh Takes #20

Welcome back to another installment of Fresh Takes with Organoid Zero and The Captain! Yes, Brock and Mike are back to dive deep into episode 21 of Gurren Lagann, focusing on none other than Neoplasmic’s favorite badass, Yoko. We’re in the final stretch of episodes, everybody. Let’s get the analysis started!

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“So this is your politics, huh? What a stupid joke!”

That line. I’m all about that line. Yoko is such my favorite character in this entire series! Not only is she portrayed wonderfully by Michelle Ruff in the english dub, but her character design is gorgeous and she’s incredibly competent and cool under fire, and I just love her! It’s so great to see her get a chance to shine in this episode, especially since I feel that she was kind of brushed aside in order for the writers to put over Nia and Simon’s relationship. Which is totally fine; it’s their story, after all. But I always felt that Yoko needed a showcase. Sure, she’s been the prototypical fanservice character, but I also knew that she had depth, and this episode proves it!

Speaking of, let’s talk plot. The majority of this ep takes place in flashbacks, one year prior to Simon’s capture and the coup d’ etat by Rossiu. Yoko has left Kamina City and now lives on an island where she becomes a teacher at the school there. She makes it her life’s work to watch over the first generation of children to be born on the surface in years, if not decades. Life seems idyllic and peaceful, and Yoko takes on the persona of Yomako, an unassuming, bespectacled schoolteacher. However, she soon learns what happened in Kamina City, of Rossiu’s coup, and of Nia’s horrifying message on behalf of the Anti-Spiral forces. Then, on top of everything else, the school is attacked by a rogue human criminal and a beastman, and Yoko’s life of solitude is shattered. Though she does save the children, they must still be evacuated, and Yoko heads off to rescue Simon (and Viral, but that’s mostly by accident).

I love the fact that Yoko seems to have found some measure of solace in her life on her own, especially after losing Kamiya and taking part in so many battles. I honestly wish we’d gotten the chance to see them become an actual couple and some of the wacky misadventures they’d have had together, but it was not meant to be. Still, this episode filled in for those sorts of stories nicely, and it also told us a lot about Yoko as a character, but in a very subtle way. We know she’s not one for political games, and that she’s comfortable living a quiet life now after all is said and done and the war is finished. What a great episode for us Yoko fans!

Alright, I’ve gushed about this episode enough. Seriously, though, it’s one of my favorites! Can’t wait to see what’s going to happen in the next one, as well! Should be crazy, as Simon and Viral co-pilot the Gurren Lagann together and head into orbit to save Rossiu and the Ark-Gurren! Great stuff as we head into the final episodes of the series <sob>! We’ll see you for the next installment of Fresh Takes! Be safe, Renegades!

-Neoplasmic