Artenborough Cortich, also sometimes spelled Attenborough Cortitch, is a supporting character from the anime series Gurren Lagann. His background is notably unconventional, as he has no grand origin story tied to a specific village or dramatic family legacy. In a manner befitting his chaotic personality, Cortich simply appeared at the headquarters of Team Dai-Gurren one day. It was later revealed that he had managed to join the team by sneaking into someone's luggage, an act that highlights his brazen and opportunistic nature from the very beginning.

Cortich is defined by his hyperactive, impulsive, and trigger-happy personality. He is a short man with distinctive physical features, including floppy brown hair, oddly round lips, and a small red nose, which gives him a somewhat clownish appearance that matches his animated demeanor. His entire being seems to be ruled by an almost compulsive need to take action, especially when it involves firing weapons. In the early part of the story, he serves as the gunner of the battleship Dai-Gurren, a role he throws himself into with reckless abandon. He is known for enthusiastically hitting buttons and launching explosive ordnance at enemies, often without waiting for a direct command or any strategic consideration. This habit sometimes causes problems for the crew, but it also proves effective in the heat of battle, cementing his role as the warship's unpredictable and trigger-happy gunner.

As the series progresses through a major time skip, Cortich's role evolves somewhat. He transitions from being solely a gunner to joining Leeron's science team. However, this change does little to temper his hyperactive nature. While working in a more technical capacity, he is still prone to acting on impulse, such as causing Leeron's chair to spin wildly after misinterpreting a simple instruction. Despite his new position, when Team Dai-Gurren acquires the massive Super Galaxy Dai-Gurren, Cortich naturally returns to his most comfortable and effective role at the weapons control station. His character development is less about a fundamental change in personality and more about the expansion of his influence. His defining trait of mindlessly unleashing a barrage of firepower becomes so iconic that it is manifested in the final battle as one of the many arms of the colossal Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, symbolizing his spirit as a member of the team. He pilots a part of this reality-warping giant mech, proving that even the most seemingly undisciplined member is an invaluable part of the whole.

Cortich's key relationships are primarily with the other functional members of the crew. He works directly under the command of Leeron, the team's chief engineer and strategist, whose cool and calculating nature is a direct contrast to Cortich's chaos. He also serves alongside other bridge crew members like Dayakka and Gimmy, although his interactions are primarily defined by his job rather than deep personal friendships. His most significant relationship is with the weapons themselves, as his entire identity is tied to causing as much explosive destruction as possible. His role in the story is to provide comic relief and to serve as a blunt instrument of firepower. He is not a leader or a strategist but an executor of force. In the final arc, he is caught in the Anti-Spiral's elaborate illusion along with the rest of the crew, confronting a false reality before being freed by Simon's willpower. His journey culminates at the end of the war, where he is present as a celebrant at Simon and Nia's wedding, a quiet moment for a character who is usually anything but quiet.