Viral

Species: Shark/Cat Beastmen Occupation: Vice Commander/Warrior/Team DaiGurren Member Relationships: Kamina rival Simon rival/ally Thymilph superior officer Adiane superior officer Cytomander superior officer Lord Genome king Gunmen: Enki Enkidu DaiGunkai temporarily Enkidudu Gurren Tengen Toppa GurrenLagann Enkidududu drama cd Enkidudududu drama cd DaiGunzankai drama cd Tengen Toppa Enki Dulga Lagannhen Viral is a recurring enemy and later an important ally to Team DaiGurren in the japanese anime Tengen Toppa GurrenLagann. He is a sharktype Beastman with feline genetics. His appearance is more humanoid than most other Beastmen except for his catlike eyes sharklike teeth and large clawed paws in place of hands. He is skilled in piloting Gunmen as well as in unarmed combat. While hunting for food he attacks Kamina when he found running into his Gunmen Enki after Yoko intervene in a ensuing fight between the two. He manages to overcome Simon and Kaminas attacks but leaves before the fight ends. The next day Viral returns to execute his mission as member of the Human Execution Squad facing Kamina and Simon again this time however Viral is defeated by the newly formed GurrenLagann barraging it missiles in order to conceal his escape swearing revenge on Kamina for his humiliation when he took Enkis helmet in the fight. Viral later returns alongside Supreme General Thymilph and the DaiGunzan to crush Team Gurren with the upgraded Enkidu but is severely injured in the battle which resulted in the DaiGurrens capture and the death of his superior. He tries to obtain another chance to fight by trying to join Supreme General Adianes side in spite of her treating him like garbage as she blames him for Thymilphs demise. Still Viral saved Adiane from harm during a fight with Team DaiGurren by stopping the DaiGurrens foot from crushing her. After Adianes death by the DaiGurrens attack and being the only survivor of the DaiGunkai Viral curses the GurrenLagann and swears to bring pain and punishment to those who killed his two superiors and robbing him of a honor. Under Supreme General Cytomanders command Viral took part on the aerial attack on the DaiGurren. His battle with the GurrenLagann piloted by Simon and Yoko extended to the control room of Cytomanders aerial fortress the DaiGunten. There he learned of Kaminas death and discovered that he not only lost to a human but to a child as well challenging Simon to a oneonone duel in their mecha. But the battle was interrupted by Cytomander who took Yoko hostage and ordered Viral to destroy the defenseless GurrenLagann. However Viral disobeyed as he knew this outcome would not make him regain his lost pride and honor. For this action Cytomander asked the Spiral Kings permission to execute him for treason but Virals last request was hearing from the King himself of what is the true nature of human race. Thus Lord Genome dispenses Cytomander and conducts Viral to a room where he reveals the truth behind the Beastmens existance before making him immortal. Virals last effort against the GurrenLagann was in the Spiral Kings throne room where he believed he could finally obtain his vengeance after becoming immortal but was soundly defeated. Lord Genome revealed that the reason he gave Viral immortality was not to fight against Simon as none without Spiral Energy could stand against his power but to make of him as an eternal witness of his triumph against Team DaiGurren. Virals name comes directly from the word viral tying in with the Beastmens genetics theme but there are other theories about his names origin. One is the fact that it can also be an anagram for rival referring to his constant rivalry with Kamina which transfered to Simon throughout the series until near the end. Another possible theory comes from the Nikopol Trilogy of comic books written by Enki Bilal as Enki is the name of Virals first Gunmen and Bilal pronounced in Japanese sounds like Viral. Supporting this theory is Virals theme song which is titled Nikopol on the animes soundtrack. The name of Virals Gunmen may be tied to the Sumerian diety Enki though it is much more likely that there is a deliberate connection between his second Gunmen Enkidu and the character of Enkidu from the Epic of Gilgamesh. The myth consists of Enkidu Enkis creation a man of the wild who seeks to challenge King Gilgamesh a mighty warrior but who later befriends him and assists him in in his travels.