How to Watch Gurren Lagann in Release & Chronological Order

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All you need to know to experience the Gurren Lagann franchise

Co-authored by Glenn Carreau

Last Updated: February 24, 2026 Fact Checked

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Release Order

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Chronological Order

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Seasons & Movies Explained

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Where to Watch

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Can you watch the movies instead of the anime?

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Video

If you’re ready to give the classic mecha anime series Gurren Lagann a try, we’ve got all the info you need to get started. Gurren Lagann’s core anime is a 27-episode series, with additional movies, shorts, and OVAs created later to further explore Gurren Lagann’s characters (or, in the movies’ case, recap the original series). In this comprehensive guide, we’ll show you the best order in which to watch Gurren Lagann, plus how to experience the series chronologically, if that’s your preference!

Best Gurren Lagann Watch Order

Gurren Lagann (2007) - Anime series, 27 episodes
Gurren Lagann: My Gurren is Shiny!! (2007) - OVA
Gurren Lagann: There are Some Things I Just Have to See!! (2008) - Special
Gurren Lagann The Movie: Childhood’s End (2008) - Movie
Gurren Lagann: Viral’s Sweet Dream (2009) - OVA
Gurren Lagann The Movie: The Lights in the Sky are Stars (2009) - Movie

Section 1 of 5:

How to Watch Gurren Lagann in Release Order

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Release order is the best for first-time Gurren Lagann watchers. Generally, fans agree that the best place to start is the Gurren Lagann anime series, which consists of only 27 episodes in total—so it’s pretty easy to get through. Everything else, including the movies and OVAs (original video animations), is really just an homage to the anime’s fans. Plus, Gurren Lagann’s movies are essentially just a condensed retelling of the series. So, here’s how to watch Gurren Lagann in the “proper” release order:
- Gurren Lagann (2007) - Anime series, 27 episodes
- Gurren Lagann: My Gurren is Shiny!! (2007) - OVA
- Gurren Lagann: There are Some Things I Just Have to See!! (2008) - Special
- Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Parallel Works (2008) - Animated shorts (non-canon)
- Gurren Lagann The Movie: Childhood’s End (2008) - Movie
- Gurren Lagann: Viral’s Sweet Dream (2009) - OVA
- Gurren Lagann The Movie: The Lights in the Sky are Stars (2009) - Movie
- Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Kirameki★Yoko Box (2009) - Music video
- Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Parallel Works 2 (2010) - Animated shorts (non-canon)

Section 2 of 5:

How to Watch Gurren Lagann in Chronological Order

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Chronological order is a fun way to rewatch the series. Release order is described as “proper” (in quotations) because, although it’s the fan-recommended watch order, you don’t have to adhere to it. You can also try watching the series in chronological order, which isn’t really too different—it just reorders the OVAs to fit the anime’s timeline. The movies also aren’t included (since they’re recaps), nor are the Parallel Works shorts or the music video, since they’re not canon (and the music video isn’t part of the series’ chronology at all).
- Gurren Lagann (2007) - Anime, episodes 1 - 6
- Gurren Lagann: There are Some Things I Just Have to See!! (2008) - Special
- Gurren Lagann (2007) - Anime, episodes 7 - 27
- Gurren Lagann: My Gurren is Shiny!! (2007) - OVA
- Gurren Lagann: Viral’s Sweet Dream (2009) - OVA

Section 3 of 5:

All Gurren Lagann Content, Explained

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Gurren Lagann (2007)The original Gurren Lagann—called Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann in Japanese—is a 27-episode series taking place in a fictional, dystopian future where humanity is forced to live underground, ruled by a figure called the “Spiral King.” Two teenagers, Simon and Kamina, discover a powerful mecha called “Lagann,” and use it to reach the surface before battling the Spiral King’s forces—only to discover, years later, that a greater enemy threatens the entire Earth.
- Release date: April 1, 2007 - September 30, 2007
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Gurren Lagann: My Gurren is Sparkling!! (2007)My Gurren is Sparkling!! (or, alternatively, My Gurren is Shiny!!) is a 10-minute OVA that was originally released in a bundle with the Nintendo DS game based on the series, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. It’s also sometimes called “Episode 5.5.” In the OVA, Team Gurren is introduced to a beastgirl named Tetori, who attempts to steal the gang’s mecha with her partner in crime, Ziggitalis.
- Release date: October 25, 2007
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Gurren Lagann: There are Some Things I Just Have to See!! (2008)“There are Some Things I Just Have to See!!” is the title of episode 6 in the Gurren Lagann anime. However, there’s an uncut version of that episode (using the same title), which is why we’ve mentioned it separately as a special. Thus, if you’re going to watch Gurren Lagann chronologically, you should watch this special right after the original episode 6!^{[1]
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- Release date: August 11, 2008
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Gurren Lagann: Viral’s Sweet Dream (2009)Viral’s Sweet Dream is a short OVA starring Viral, a shark-type beastman. The OVA is a dream-like episode, taking a deeper look at Viral’s inner desires (and providing a lighter break from the more intense main Gurren Lagann storyline).
- Release date: January 31, 2009
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Gurren Lagann The Movie: Childhood’s End (2008)Childhood’s End is the first of two movies that retell the events of the Gurren Lagann anime, with some content added in from Parallel Works as well. This movie covers the first half of the anime series (episodes 1 - 11, with elements of episodes 12 - 14). ^{[2]
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- Release date: September 6, 2008
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Gurren Lagann The Movie: The Lights in the Sky are Stars (2009)The Lights in the Sky are Stars is the second of the two Gurren Lagann recap movies, this one retelling the second half of the series (episodes 15 through 27). It covers the fall of the Spiral King, followed by the war against the Anti-Spiral aliens—as well as the story’s epilogue.^{[3]
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- Release date: April 25, 2009
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Gurren Lagann: Parallel Works (2008 - 2010)Parallel Works is a series of animated music video vignettes featuring various Gurren Lagann characters in different worlds. There’s also a second series, Parallel Works 2, released in 2010 (with more of the same short music videos). Parallel Works isn’t considered canon to the rest of the Gurren Lagann series, but it’s a fun way to see more of the characters.^{[4]
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- Release date: June 15, 2008 - September 14, 2008 (Parallel Works); May 26, 2010 (Parallel Works 2)
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Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Kirameki★Yoko Box (2009)Finally, there’s the Kirameki Yoko Box music video—which, like Parallel Works, is really just fun bonus content rather than a must-watch installment of the Gurren Lagann series. It’s a music video for the song “S.t.a.r.S,” with voice actress Marina Inoue (Yoko’s original actress in Gurren Lagann) once again playing Yoko; the video originally came in a boxed set with a DVD, CD, and artbook.^{[5]
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- Release date: May 7, 2009

Section 4 of 5:

Where to Watch Gurren Lagann

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Gurren Lagann is available on Crunchyroll, Hulu/Disney+, and Netflix. You can stream all 27 episodes of Gurren Lagann on Crunchyroll’s streaming platform (with a paid subscription). The anime is also available on both Hulu and Disney+, as well as Netflix (all requiring a subscription as well). Additionally, Hulu offers both the subbed (English subtitles) and dubbed (English voiceover) versions of the show.
- Unfortunately, Gurren Lagann’s other content is much more difficult to watch.
- Both movies—Childhood’s End and The Lights in the Sky are Stars—aren’t available to stream anywhere, nor are DVD or Blu-ray copies easy to find.
- Similarly, the OVAs, specials, and animated shorts aren’t streaming on any platforms.
- If you have a Crunchyroll subscription, you can also watch Gurren Lagann through Amazon Prime.

Section 5 of 5:

Can you watch Gurren Lagann’s movies instead of the anime?

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Yes, the movies can be watched instead of the anime. As we’ve mentioned before, the movies are recaps of the anime, with a little bit of new content thrown in here and there. However, considering how difficult the movies are to find, it’s probably best to just watch the anime—especially if you have the time to anyway, since the only real advantage to watching the movies is the shorter viewing time.
- By comparison, it’s much easier to find the Gurren Lagann anime, whether you’re trying to stream it or buy the DVDs.