Kill La Kill - General Discussion

[Meredith Quill]

A place to discuss particular episodes, arcs and moments from the show's run. Please remember this isn't a complete catch-all topic -- check out the forum for character topics and other places for show-related talk.

[Meredith Quill]

Your Characters Topic!

[Lantern7]

I'm in. I can't tell you the names of any of the characters beyond the dog (Guts!), but  the show is unique enough to merit deep thought.

 

In the latest episode, Maitou (??) and her ditzy friend (I'm so not good with names) spend a quality car ride with the disciplinary chair. The guy's first name is "Ira," I can remember that much. This happens after the Academy's queen bee declares a battle royale posing as a school election, and Ira (I know, he's better known for his last name) becomes a target for a merged afterschool club (automotive and aircraft). He dispatches them easily enough with his Goku uniform. In the next episode, he's set to face off against Maitou, who's currently 1-1 against the Big Four of the Academy. Also, we get a flashback of Maitou seeing her slain father for the last time, with the scissor blade stuck in him, and it's heavily implied that the queen bee did the deed . . . which probably means someone else killed him.

 

ETA: The 1-1 record comes off the same guy. To give you a taste of how hardcore this anime is, he's a dude that formerly used his superior eyesight to gain the upper hand against his opponents. After getting his Goku uniform shredded, motherfucker has his damn eyes sewn shut. Now, he's basically Daredevil with cool sunglasses.

[Lantern7]

I'm hitting the character thread on the official site. I want to attach names to the faces.

 

Ryuko Matoi: punk girl. Not the perfect daughter, but wants to avenge her father's death. Wields a giant scissor blade that was used to impale her dad. Wears a sentient schoolgirl outfit that amplifies her abilities.

 

Senketsu:The aforementioned uniform. The exact term for it  is “kamui." Gets powered up by Ryuko's blood, revealing more of her skin in the process. Has a bit of a temper. Likes being ironed. Probably not the most insane thing about this anime.

 

Mako Mankanshoku: Ryuko's self-appointed best friend. Bit of a ditz. Comes from a family (parents/older brother/dog) that operates a back alley clinic in the slums outside the Academy. Usually good for one friendship speech per episode. Was the president of the Fight Club that Ryuko set up, but bailed out because power corrupted her.

 

Satsuki Kiryuin: Scary, scary, scary girl. She rules over Honnouji Academy with an iron hand. She also controls the Big Four that controls the school . . . and that was before trying on a kamui. Suspect Number One in the death of Ryuko's father. Usually good for one "people are pigs in disguise" speech per episode. Did I mention she's scary?

 

Aikuro Mikisugi: Ryuko's homeroom teacher. Comes across as a perv, at least to me. Might be a nudist, though I'm not sure. Probably knows more about what's what than he lets on. Has shiny nipples.

 

Uzu Sanageyama: Member of the Big Four. Had a special technique related to his eyes that gave him an edge in battles . . . then Ryuko covered up his eyesight in battle and shredded his Three Star Goku Uniform. In order to get back in Satsuki's graces, he got the president of the Sewing Club (I shit you not) to seal his eyes shut. Doing so has unlocked freaky new abilities, which he used to defeat Ryuko.

 

Ira Gamagoori: Big Four. He's allllllllll about the discipline. Big dude. His Goku Uniform allows him to bulk up while being attacked. No clue as to whether he gets aroused in battle, but that wouldn't surprise me. Also: what kind of Japanese name is "Ira"? It's like "Chad" in Bleach.

 

Houka Inumuta: Big Four. Tech guy. Has a uniform with a collar that snaps shut every time he stops talking. Probably has techno mojo for his Goku Uniform.

 

Nonon Jakuzure: Big Four. Only female member. Runs the non-athletic clubs. Dresses like Hell's majorette.

 

Is there anybody else that needs to be spotlighted?

[lathspel]

Nice rundown!

Did I detect a little positive characterization of Gamagouri in this weeks' episode? In between him being older (20) and sounding like a S&M practitioner.

[lathspel]

Matoi and her peeping tom family are one of my favorite running gags. I was disappointed that they didn't make this episode.

I noticed that the Gamagouri flashback was letter boxed - nice touch to make it look "old". Were the other flashbacks also done that way? I can't remember what it looked like for Monkey Boy / Blind Kendo Guy (who is super hardcore, I agree).

The first scooter scene was a straight callback to FLCL, I thought, but maybe it's just me.

The auto / air squad was shown as "airsoft" and it was driving me crazy what "airsoft" was.

[Sandman87]

Airsoft is a type of paintball-like gun (without the paint) for people who want to have less messy wargames. They originated in Japan. I had some friends who were Airsoft enthusiasts.

The dog's name is Guts! Every time I hear the name, I expect him to transform into a one-eyed bruiser whose sword has a blade the size of a coffee table.

 

I've got to hand it to this show; it's definitely an Equal Opportunity Fanservice anime. Everyone ends up approximately naked about twice per episode.

Edited March 31, 2015 by Sandman87

[Sandman87]

(double post)

Edited March 31, 2015 by Sandman87

[weyrbunny]

What episode is Toonami on now? I might be interested in rewatching the second arc. With the volume turned way down.

[weyrbunny]

Has shiny nipples.

I think of them as "JJ Abrams-ed".

 

It just dawned on me where I'd heard "kamui" before: the CLAMP anime X. Hell, every fifth word in X was "KAMUI!!" How'd I forget that? The word's meaning - god, divine, spirit - seems relevant here, now that I think about it.

[Lantern7]

According to [as], the next episode slated to air is "A Once in a Lifetime Chance."

[Lantern7]

Good episode last night. Ryuko and bondage enthusiast Gamagoori had their fight. How eager is he about discipline? He spent most of the battle wearing a ball gag. How does he talk? I'm guessing from the heart, like Roronoa Zoro on One Piece when he put a sword between his teeth. Anyway, Gamagoori has the upper hand for most of the battle, until he sucks Ryuko into his Goku uniform. Senketsu transforms, and Gamagoori gets shredded from within, winding up buck-ass nekid and crying to Satsuki, since he failed as her shield. Up next . . . (checking character thread). . . Houka Inumuta takes his shot at Ryuko.

[Sandman87]

His uniform is going to "beat him until he reaches a climax"? I'm fairly sure that I didn't need quite that much information.

[lathspel]

I'm ok that we're done with S&M guy. I really want to know what marching band girl's thing is.

So Satsuki put together the Elites by promising something that each of them wanted, is that it?

[Lantern7]

Before I forget . . . here are the first credits in full.

[Lantern7]

One episode, two fights, two flashbacks. Anybody else think Widdle Satuki was cute in the second flashback? She was hardcore even as a kid. In the main plot, Ryuko manages to get a forfeiture from Inumuta, then she get smacked around by the majorette and her Goku Uniform. Oh, and Gamagoori and Mako spend quality time on the sidelines. Amazingly, he doesn't try to throttle her.

[Sandman87]

Why do I get the feeling that Mako and Gamagoori are going to end up dating?

I liked Ryuko's solution to Inumuta's version of thermoptic camoflage; a really big flyswatter.

[lathspel]

A nice couple nods to the past in the fight with the majorette - her shoulder skull with sunglasses reminds me of Yoko Littner, while Senketsu's anchors blast out from under Ryuko's skirt a la Big O.

[lathspel]

"Mako Mankancho - Underachiever"

Mako is quickly becoming one of the best parts of each episode, at least during the election arc.

And then, the girl who killed Ryuko's dad showed up. I did not expect that plot twist there.

[Lantern7]

Why do I feel that a lot has been dropped in our laps? Some new character comes in, slices up Sanageyama's uniform, then tells Ryuko that she killed her father  Holy crap.

[Sandman87]

I had a vague notion that Satsuki wasn't the one who killed Ryuko's father, but I wasn't expecting it to be revealed this soon.

[Terrafamilia]

This think this last episode had more cussin' than all the previous put together. I know that Gamagoori is a big ol' perv but he's got the whole honor thing going.

[Sandman87]

Almost forgot to mention: For anyone who doesn't know the conversion rate, the coin operated TV that the poor folks were watching the fight on costs about $1 per 10 minutes.

[Lantern7]

Thanks, Sandman87. Apparently, Mako's family really is poor. Probably for the best, but damn, you'd think the father would get into a better line of work than "back alley doctor."

 

The new girl has something over one of her eyes. Is it kanji? If so, what does it mean?

[Lantern7]

Well, now I know why that girl had something over her eye. "Patch" didn't occur to me.

 

Some episode . .. a lost eye, wanton destruction, Lady Satuski breaks out her Kamui, Ryuko loses control . .. and the biggest takeaway for me is that Mako is a stealth badass.

[Sandman87]

This episode was very shrill. I have a headache.

Crazy whacked-out Ryuko looks like something from The Maxx.

I like the way that Mako casually revealed that her father is a mass murderer without even realizing it.

[lathspel]

Yeah, only Gamagouri picked up on it, it seemed.

[Terrafamilia]

Do You Know What You Just Said!?!

This show gives new meaning to 'over the top'.

[lathspel]

Between Lady Kiryuin's Gendo Ikari-style office, and the whole spiel about what clothing really means, it seems this show took an Evangelion turn.

Presumably we're going to be on the raid trip for a few episodes, except maybe Ryuko?

[Lantern7]

Anybody else spot Jonny Yung Bosch's voice? I had to check the credits, and his name was at the bottom. Nice to have Ichigo Kursaki back for a night.

 

In other news: Nui is nuts. No wonder the CEO keeps her on a long leash. Without Senketsu getting overwhelmed, it really wasn't much of a fight.

[Sandman87]

I heard JYB's voice in every new Toonami episode last night except for One Piece. I'm only now starting to get to the point where I don't automatically think "Ichigo!" whenever I hear him. Just like I always automatically think "Major!" whenever I hear Mary Elizabeth McGlynn.

 

That "clothing is sin" speech was lame.

[Terrafamilia]

I had a good laugh at the appearance of Ichigo's VA playing off against a character who looks like a stand-in for Rukia!

[lathspel]

Did we know that creepy teacher dude was actually on a mission against life fibers? His "Nudist" thing now weirdly aligns with the head girl's deal where clothes equal original sin.

Escher Topology Attack - I love it!

[Lantern7]

Well, that was . . . Japanese. Even with the American football squad, that was some far out fun from the Far East. And nice to see Mako getting in some sightseeing. Now . .. should I forget to calculate how long it would actually take Ryuko to attack each raid?

[Sandman87]

I like the "money" guy, fighting off an invasion by literally throwing, and shooting, money at it. And it probably would be cheaper to make armor out of solid gold than that Kobe beef they're using.

[lathspel]

So: broad stereotypes of Japanese regions, or overly broad?

[Sandman87]

Who knows? They hit some of the Kansai stuff that I know of, but it loses a lot in translation.

[Terrafamilia]

It looks like it's official, Gamagoori is sweet on Mako.

[Lantern7]

I'll have to watch the episode again. I didn't notice any real sparks between Gamagoori and Mako. Also . . . am I weird for wanting a spinoff featuring the Osaka guy? I'm betting liberties were taken in translation, but it was still fun.

 

In case you haven't heard . . . there's going to be a marathon of KLK episodes next Saturday. All reruns, but it's good to catch up.

[Sandman87]

Yeah, I mentioned a while ago that I figure Makagoori (or Gamako) will be a thing. They're hitting all the right anime notes for a "tough guy/nice girl" couple. The line "I'll show no mercy, not even if it's you" was a dead giveaway that he likes her.

 

 

Also . . . am I weird for wanting a spinoff featuring the Osaka guy? I'm betting liberties were taken in translation, but it was still fun.

No bet. There's no way that all that Western slang was in the original dialog. The general gist of it was probably the same though.

[weyrbunny]

Caught up on Kill la Kill’s second arc this week—eps 13-15, that is. I can’t say it improves on rewatch, really.

 

This episode was very shrill. I have a headache.

Agreed. For almost every episode. I wouldn’t find the show nearly so off-putting it wasn’t such an earache and headache, I suspect.

 

What does interest me is how Kill la Kill compares to Ouran Host Club, and why I love one and not the other. To explain: a few weeks after I marathoned Kill la Kill last Spring, I watched an episode of Ouran; to my surprise, I noticed many similarities. Both shows are totally frantic and frenetic, both are ridiculous and filled with ridiculous characters, both are meta, both thrive on over-the-top overreactions…the list goes. But Ouran is so much funnier, cleverer, more emotionally complex—it’s just better.

 

I almost always prefer sci-fi/action anime over teen romantic comedies, but definitely not in this case.

[Lantern7]

So. Clothes are actually alien parasitic entities that accelerated mankind's evolution. Okay, then. And Mama Kiryuin is as big a nutjob as they come. Par for the course for anime. Oh, and the new end credits are Mako-licious.

[Sandman87]

Naked Guy and Mohawk Moron do exposition. "Life fibers are evil...evolution...aliens...something about Dethklok" Apparently life fibers will cause the Metalocalypse or something. Also, Ryuko is not down with Nudist Beach's agenda.

[lathspel]

I loved Senketsu's two minute recap. I was groaning at the recap episode and he totally got me.

I'm sensing the inevitable hero / villain team up for Ryuko and Satsuki.

I liked the new opening credits too, nice wrap up of everyone's various costumes, including Mako's family.

[Lantern7]

Dunno where else to put this . . . another take of KLK. For a parody, it does manage to get Ryuko and Mako down pat. No spoilers, BTW.

[Lantern7]

Did . . . Satsuki just shiv her own mother? DAMN. Did not see that coming . . . though I'm guessing massive blood loss isn't going to be an issue for Mama Kiriyuin.

[Sandman87]

The star creature that Mako is goofing around with in the end credits gives me Narutaru flashbacks.

[PrincessEnnui]

Did . . . Satsuki just shiv her own mother? DAMN. Did not see that coming . . . though I'm guessing massive blood loss isn't going to be an issue for Mama Kiriyuin.

 

Not only did she shiv her, Satsuki impaled her on some sort of platform with a shower of blood. Ragyo seemed more irritated than angry. Satsuki, living most anime characters' fantasy since whenever Kill La Kill was made.

 

Also, Mataro's pretty slick. And whenever I hear "Mankanshou(sp?)" all I can hear is Kachome. Yeah, that little duckling faced mamado from Zatch Bell.

[weyrbunny]

Catching up…

 

Ep 16 – The Girl Can’t Help It

 

OK, so, I like the ideas behind the life fibers. They took the clichés “that dress is wearing you” and “slave to fashion” and made them literal. Which is kinda fun. And I never thought Kill la Kill could come up with an actual point for all the high-school-goku-blah-blah in the first arc, so I was pleasantly surprised that there was one. I do wish the story was more original than mostly substituting life fibers for the obelisk in 2001: A Space Odyssey, though.

 

I also enjoyed the montage of historical, cartoonish fashion. Odd they stopped with 80’s Michael Jackson. Unless the school uniform is supposed to represent the next evolution of clothing? Or Kill la Kill is just stuck in the 80s.

 

BTW, is the episode title referencing the Little Richard song from the 1970s or the Journey song from 1986? And, what does the show have against Reeboks?

 

The recap in the prologue was also entertaining. I cynically realized afterwards though that it was a mini info-dumb priming the audience to be more receptive to the endless exposition that followed.

------------------

Ep 17 – Tell Me Why

 

Huh. Macbeth quote. (“Fair is foul, and foul is fair.”) I suppose that was foreshadowing that Satsuki wasn’t as she appeared. After the gross fanservice/groping/bathing/chakra-alignment scene in ep. 16, I fully support Satsuki stabbing her mother.

 

Kill la Kill is an extended argument against school uniforms, isn’t it? They’re a fascist suppression of individualism and suck the life from students, literally. (Formal wear is the adult uniform, I suppose.)

 

Ep. 17 went kind’ve arena rock at the end. When they stood around in matching outfits, Satsuki’s team looked like Liberace’s backup band or something. Not taking them seriously, ever.

 

I’d forgotten that Mohawk Guy’s gun looks like a sewing machine. Heh.

 

I still don’t get the DTR joke. Cultural reference?

[Sandman87]

And, what does the show have against Reeboks?

Revocs, not Reebok. It's the name of the Kiryuins' fabric company. It's also "covers" spelled backward, except for the "s" on the end.

Edited June 8, 2015 by Sandman87