Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is a Japanese anime television series animated by Gainax and co-produced by Aniplex and Konami. It has been scheduled for twenty-seven episodes and premiered on April 1, 2007 on Japan's TV Tokyo network. It is directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi, written by veteran playwright Kazuki Nakashima and has been in development since the participation of the famed animator in the Abenobashi mecha themed episodes by the same studio. Konami has announced that they will make a video game to accompany the series, for the DS.Licensing for a North American release of Gurren Lagann was announced by ADV Films at AnimeExpo 2007 on June 30, 2007. It was also announced for a UK release by ADV Films at AmeCon.