Anyway, episode five didn't have much worth making fun of...

but I really like their dig at religion over there! :) As someone who likes empiricism over blind faith (and has dealt with raving religious fanatics a bit), I like Kamina's argument with the priest. Plus, the worshiping of the ganmen by the villagers and their adherence to strange rules really does remind me of people who, instead of questioning and wanting to find out about the unknown, just accept it as something beyond them and put their faith in it.

That, I think, is cowardice. Sure, it must be comforting to hand your fate and decisions over to things beyond you. Power and responsibility isn't a fun thing to have. But to be human is to be always questioning and finding out new things. Not just going "oh...look at this! I don't get it! it must be magic!"

The fact that the priest guy does have his justification of keeping the village to a "fifty people" limit and not telling them anything (for their own benefit, he promises!), just reminds me of that koen(?) puzzle... If someone is going to die in their sleep from a fire, would you wake them up to tell them? I wonder how many other authority figures keep the truth hidden from people for their own good. *insert x-files theme here*

I definitely have heard arguments before that true peace can only be achieved with a repressive authoritative government, so that the civilians don't squabble amongst themselves. ....Anyway you argue it- if people should have power/knowledge, or if there should be something akin to a plutocracy to govern people... Let's put it this way: if YOU are the government, you'll want to have more power. If YOU are a citizen, you'll want to have more power. It's "me me me," or "us v. them," and I don't see that changing until the singularity comes.

Oh, oh, and the illerate priest and priest-in-training is just gold too. It really shows that religion is sometimes only a veneer (and its tools are props) for a hidden purpose.

Also note the depressing color scheme of the village (grey, black, white, very neutral tones), versus the happy outside colors! Symbolism for ignorance versus enlightenment, y/y?

Ah, and if you are wondering: no, I don't dislike religion at all. When it brings guidance and comfort to people, I am happy. When it helps in the repression and manipulation of others, I am wary. I see it as nothing more than an extension of human will.

Does anyone else absolutely adore the transformation sequence thingy that Kamina and Simon do? I wonder what would happen if Kamina's head wasn't in the right place and the drill goes into his skull instead. Would he die? Or just be part of the robot? But gosh, the flaming background after Gurren Lagann is done transforming is evocative of Power Rangers, when the megazord deals the finishing blow to the villain. I loved seeing that bit when I was little, it was so ritualistic and reassuring.