The Gurren Lagann manga was created in October 2007 by Kotaro Mori. Ten volumes were released. The story of the manga follows the same plotline as the anime, however, there are several changes to the layout of events, and the addition of backstories that essentially fills in gaps from the anime.
Differences between the manga and anime:
- In the manga, it first shows Yoko fighting the three Gunmen up on the surface which one of them later crashes down into Giha village.
- In the manga, the Giha chief's Pig moles are shown in Jiha village as if the Chief has a wall cage for them.
- In the manga, the village chief doesn't talk back to Kamina from him mentioning that there is a surface after all and that the Gunman that fell from the surface.
- In the manga, Kamina catches Yoko in his hands around right after discovering Lagann.
- In the manga, Kamina is shown asking the girls that bothered Simon earlier to come to the surface with him while riding Pig moles, in the past somewhere before the events of Episode 1. Possibly referring that he's already tried using Pig moles to escaped to the surface but has failed before doing so.
- In the manga, The Black Siblings appear earlier than in the anime; showing up even before Team Gurren encounters Viral and his gunman Enki.
- In the manga, the uncensored version of Episode 6 was the basis of the hot springs scene, albeit the fact that it was shortened and altered slightly.