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Oct 20 2013

Categories: episodic review, kill la kill
Tagged: kill la kill

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Junketsu

Just when I thought that this series couldn’t get any more stylish and awesome… holy shit, everything in this show is dripping in over-the-top style. I love it. Just a nice refreshing style that really only the old Gainax new Trigger can pull off.

(The whole Ryuko now must defeat the student club leaders before she can beat Satsuki… how can you not see this coming? It’s literally being show in big, bold red kanji flying over the school. It’s the destiny of the series. It’s also Ryuko’s destiny to kick some major ass, bring down the corruption behind Satsuki, because, really, we don’t know who is pulling the strings just yet, and deliver an over-the-top ending. We all know this. Yet, it doesn’t diminish from the series. I want to see her club ridiculous club leaders. I want to see over-the-top fights that make Epyon vs. Wing seem like an episode of Call the Midwife. I want it all.)

“I’m going to take all those precious ambitions and aspirations of yours and crush every fucking last one of them! That outta loosen your lips a little.”

“How amusing.”

I love this show. Ryuko and Satsuki are a nice change of pace from typical anime heroes and villains. They both got bluster. They both are brimming with confidence. They both don’t take shit from anyone. The Anti-spiral felt like an anticlimactic hero for Gurren Lagann, and Trigger’s rectifies this with Satsuki, who is every bit on par with Ryuko. Then there’s the whole back history between the two. They are people with real reasons to hate and fight each other. If Satsuki or her family had anything to do with Ryuko’s dad’s death, then it feels a lot more real than fighting against nameless aliens or titans or some random high school basketball team just because they have a member from the Generation of Miracles.

“Clothing exists to be worn!”

Amen!

The highlight of the episode: the insane fight between Ryuko and Satsuki. If this is just an appetizer for what is coming, my body is not ready. I repeat: my body is not ready. Quite possibly the best anime fight scene that I’ve seen in years.

(The whole concept of Ryuko and Satsuki accepting their Kamui despite how their Kamui show so much skin… never felt that fanservice was so well-incorporated and explained as a necessary part of the show so well. It’s not like, “Hey, it’s a hot tub episode! Get your fap on!” It’s more of a, “Yeah, there’s a ton of underboob and crotch shots, but you won’t notice. You’ll be too busy processing what the heck just happened. But if you want to fap, go pre-order our BDs!” In other words, fanservice done right. Also, I can’t wait for the next con season for all the Kill la Kill cosplay.)

“I finally understand. I have to be nakkid.”

See, it makes perfect sense. Most fanservice is meant for boners for characters. Kill la Kill is about boners for the show not the characters. There is a very subtle distinction.

Did I mention how awesome this fight scene is? And that it went on for over five minutes? And it features two transformation sequences plus another transformation sequence for Ryuko’s scissor? It’s just a fast, fun, well-done action sequence, and that’s something rare in today’s anime.

Love how the flashbacks are done in 4:3 format. It’s a nice touch. I also enjoy how different Aikuro looks in the flashbacks, in class, and in his room. It’s like three different characters in one.

He seems like a good guy Akio. He wants to help Ryuko win against Honnouji Academy, but he also has a penis. I guess that’s normal. I wonder if he would have blown his cover to save Ryuko– I mean, it’s clear he didn’t– but would he have considered it? If Ryuko lost to Satsuki, what purpose would he have? There wouldn’t be anyone with a Kamui powerful enough to oppose Satsuki. But if he exposed himself, could he have saved Ryuko? I dunno. I kinda like to think that he tossed Mako out there since Mako always seems to appear whenever she is needed most. She’s the Batman of this show.

(The lectures about Hitler’s Germany… I’m not sure how I feel about it. On one hand, it’s basically feeding us what we know. If the whole arrangement of the school isn’t enough, then there’s numerous Animal Farm quotes. I think the lectures that he does about Germany just scream, “If you haven’t gotten it yet, this is a very fascist school!” I feel like if you, as the viewer, need to be told that and couldn’t infer from the other tips, maybe you shouldn’t be watching this show. On the other hand, I just like how he seems to teach nothing except for Hitler’s Germany… does a fascist Japanese high school really need a week long series about Hitler?)

Junketsu doesn’t look like an Evangelion at all. Not at all.

“That Ryuko, she’s got a great rack!”

Probably my second favorite part of the episode. Mako is the Sunohara to Ryuko’s Tomoya, except she makes sense. I like how she gives a huge speech about not being ashamed nakkid, Satsuki dismisses it as utter nonsense, but Ryuko embraces her friend’s suggestion and goes into full frontal ass kicking mode. I liked that. I also liked how Mako, who has melonpan of her own, defers to Ryuko’s. I hope Mako gets her own Kamui someday… hopefully one that covers everything up like a nun in a Catholic school. That would be interesting.

Mako’s family? Totally broken. Especially the pug. ESPECIALLY THE PUG.

Every time the sparkles go off in Kill la Kill, I keep thinking, “The Lights in the Sky Are Stars”. I’m also reminded that basically Gainax’s best days are behind them, and most of the talent that made them relevant as a studio has moved on. I am excited for Studio Trigger: both Kill la Kill and Little Witch Academia are great shows to launch a studio with, and they represent two quite different styles and genres but maintain high production values. I can’t wait to see what else this studio has lined up.

I like the small touches like how the normal filthy peasant students are being tossed up into the air just by the girls’ willpower.

Three MVPs…

1. Junketsu.

2. Senketsu.

3. Studio Trigger.