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KILL la KILL: The Clothes Make the [wo]Man!

Tristan Fisher
Apr 11, 2014
4 min read

Kill la Kill is the debut television series from relatively new Studio Trigger (Inferno Cop, Little Witch Academia). The company was founded by Hiroyuki Imaishi (Gurren Lagann, Panty & Stocking, Dead Leaves) and Masahiko Otsuka when they decided to leave the legendary animation studio Gainax (Neon Genesis Evangelion, FLCL, Gurren Lagann).

Kill la Kill is the story of Ryuko Matoi, a teenage girl who is on a quest to avenge her father's death. Her weapon of choice: one half of a giant pair of scissors. Her journey takes her to Honnouji Academy, ruled by the iron fist of the school's president Satsuki Kiryuin, in search of information about her father's killer. She charges head first into battle without a second thought and is summarily beaten by the president of the boxing club who so happens to be equipped with a uniform that gives him superhuman abilities. Ryuko soon stumbles upon her father's secret lab and reluctantly comes to play host to a school uniform capable of giving her abilities similar to those she encountered on her first trip to the school. Unlike those she encountered at the academy this one is sentient and comes to be known as Senketsu. Thus begins the over-the-top, frenetic action that is Kill la Kill's signature.

Kill la Kill is an epic that hits the ground running and refuses to stop for anything! It is relentless in the best ways possible! The shows ostentatious execution is meant to be a satire of similar shows that came before it. Its eccentric, often immature nature may be a difficult barrier to cross for some people but for those who choose to embrace the insanity they are in for one of the funnest rides in the past decade! Even though Kill la Kill makes use of so many common story tropes, the series works because it commits so fervently to its execution of these tropes. It does what it wants, either you're on board or you get left in its gleeful wake of destruction.

The music in this series does a fantastic job of building tension and adding to the fast-paced battle sequences that permeate the series. We have Hiroyuki Sawano to thank for this. He is a rapidly rising star in the world of anime music composition. His credits make up a rather small, but notable list featuring titles such as Blue Exorcist, Attack on Titan, Guilty Crown, and Sengoku Basara. He has quickly become one of my favorite composers and a selling point for any new show. As soon as the music kicks off my blood starts pumping and goosebumps appear on my skin, it makes me want to jump out of my chair and cheer on Ryuko as she fights tooth and nail to find the answers she so desperately seeks. Just thinking about the score makes me want to vent my frustrations by breaking things! In a good way!

As much as I love Kill la Kill it is not without its flaws, though they are few in number. The animation quality varies frequently but Trigger does a good job at managing their budget. The sequences that need more animation receive it while others are acted out via borderline stop-motion animation. The impressive design work and vibrant color palette help to keep the show a visual feast even when there is not much going on. The only other issue I had from time to time was difficulty in keeping up with the subtitles. It is not uncommon for the characters to speak so quickly and in such volume that I have to pause and/or rewind a bit so I can catch everything that is being said. Every character has a soap box and they all love to grandstand.

Like Ryuko's best friend, Mako, Kill la Kill is pure, obnoxious joy! It is unabashed in everything it does and seeks only to thoroughly entertain those that choose to watch it. Even the fanservice (Characters shown in a compromising position, typically in a state of undress) that appears throughout the entire show is so extreme that it ceases to be sexy and turns into a parody. It is this dedication to the extreme nature of the show that makes it something special.

Kill la Kill is destined to become a classic, gateway anime that is sure to inspire a new generation of fans. This show certainly won't appeal to everyone but everyone should give this show a chance. There is so much more I would love to talk about but then I would be entering into the territory of massive spoilers so hopefully what I have written will be enough to pique your interest! Should you choose to venture down this proverbial rabbit hole, be sure to have some tissues handy, manly tears are bound to be shed at numerous points in the story. Don't delay! Pull the Trigger!! Thank me later. ... Or don't! But still watch the show!