Shirt and Shoes not Required: Kill la Kill

It was with a sense of befuddlement with a spritz of apprehension that I heeded my friend’s excited reaction of “I can’t wait, cause it’s gonna be good” to the announcement of “Kill la Kill.”  Frequent parallels towards the series were drawn to “Gurren Lagann,” “FLCL,” and “Panty and Stocking,” all series known for distinct angular drawings, over-the-top action, sharp dialogue, and potent characters.  These series are also known for being especially engaging to the viewer, managing to keep him or her not only entertained, but committed to finishing up what was started, as the storytelling always manages to throw in multiple elements of surprise and shows multiple layers of creativity.  The biggest question is:  Does “Kill la Kill” deserve to be mentioned the same realm and held in the same high regard?

Now, in terms of appearance, “Kill la Kill” bears the closest resemblance to the main scenes of FLCL in terms of colors.  In action-light scenes, there is a preference towards using more subdued light blues and beiges for things such as backgrounds, which contrasts with the frequent shades of red seen in multiple characters’ costumes.  However, this contrast is fairly mild, with mostly matte shades used rather than saturation-heavy colors.  Instead, the visual flair is saved for action-heavy scenes and comes more from the usage of light and shadow versus color.  Using overpowering light, with multiple shades of white and off-white, plus dark purples and blues to accentuate darkness leads to a grand sense of layering and dimension.  The fact that the surrounding objects’ colors are subsequently and convincingly affected by the ambient light gives a sense that the artists had applied the proper amount of saturation and luminescence to the scenery.  Drawings are straight, sharp, and angular, and even the curves have a sense of jaggedness to them.  Character designs display plenty of detail to show a sense of extravagance, not only with the characters’ numerous casual outfits, but also with their multiple battle outfits and accompanying weapons.  There’s a sense of ridiculousness to these outfits and weapons, but in a quantity that it enhances the creative value of the designs, with Elite Four member Nonon Jakuzure’s weapon being the best case in point.  Easily the most gaudy character design and outfit would be the character Ragyo Kiryuuin, whose personality also matches her multi-color hairstyle which appears to also come with its own light source.  In regards to “Kill la Kill’s” animation, the sharp and angular philosophy for the drawings also carries over here, most prevalent when characters speak or during the numerous action scenes.  This philosophy oftentimes results in over-the-top scenes in terms of explicitness or humor, and the true value is the fact that each one of these scenes imparts a feeling of ingenuity and creativity rather than just relying on each scene trying to outdo its predecessor in terms of action.  Instead, the philosophy of “More is better” is applied when the show tries to exaggerate populations and physical size, such as having huge numbers of people emphasize population affected by an action or emphasizing the size and range of an attack.  In fact, the academy itself where “Kill la Kill” takes place may be called a high school, but the number of people in there would make it about as big as a Big 10 University.  In terms of an emphasis on physical size, look no further than Elite Four member Gamagoori Ira.

An example of the creativity used in character and weapon design- a giant ship using the tune “Can-Can” as a weapon and notes as lighted projectiles

In fact, it’s not too difficult to look further than Gamagoori, considering he is everyone’s first taste of what “Kill la Kill” will be like due to his prevalence in the first episode.  Most of the other main characters are introduced not soon afterwards, with the happy-go-lucky Mako Mankanshoku being an excellent accompaniment to the hot-tempered and moody Ryuuko Matoi.  Contrasting both of these main characters is the strong-willed and serious Satsuki Kiryuuin, whose well-developed rivalry with Ryuuko is a major story element.  These two characters oftentimes fight for dominance not only in terms of individual personality and strength, but also screen presence.  However, in terms of the story, despite “Kill la Kill” mostly being told from Ryuuko’s point-of-view, Satsuki is a much more likable, respectable, and well-developed character.  Other high points include the distinct personalities possessed by each of the aforementioned Elite Four members, a very finely and crafted partnership between Ryuuko and her weapon Senketsu, and the hateful sugariness that is Harime Nui.  Each character is able to hold his or her own weight and portray a very distinct personality.  When these characters are all combined together, the result is not perfect chemistry, but more like mismatched pieces of metal being forcefully hammered together.  However, while it can feel slightly haphazard in nature, one can still pick out each individual character and say how he or she contributes to the value of the series, and the omission of any one character would feel like the series is compromised.

Main character Satsuki Kiryuuin (black hair), with the Elite Four Houka Inumuta (blue hair), Nonon Jakuzure (pink hair), Ira Gamagoori (blonde hair), and Uzu Sanageyama (green hair)

Plotwise, “Kill la Kill” is difficult to describe, considering that it’s not linear at all.  Instead, it’s more of an obstacle course of winding roads, combining a story of Ryuuko wanting answers regarding her father’s death with episodic rivalries from her classmates.  The thing “Kill la Kill” does extremely well is hold one’s interest, each episode either showing more of and making use of an old element or introducing a new one.  Plot twists and turns are added with a sense of conviction, and the thrill one receives from the single-episode stories is more than enough to hold one’s interest until the plot kicks in again.  When the plot does kick in, it’s fast, and characters are fleshed out very well, but it’s not what one would consider a “deep” anime, even with Ryuuko and Satsuki having their respective contemplative moments.  Instead, plot elements are shown to give a quick explanation, and then the plot continues, but thankfully, one is able to easily keep up with everything occurring.  See one of Mako’s fast-paced explanations for more details, such as when she tells Gamagoori how wearing pajamas to school is appropriate.  On the subject of clothing, one should realize by now that clothing is a central aspect of “Kill la Kill,” if not so it would be made apparent that opponents who lose their battles are “Stripped” of the will to fight.  Nonetheless, despite the extremely revealing outfits sported by many of the characters, it is used as an element which enhances the series rather than an element placed in just to satisfy or expand the fanbase.  The revealing outfits are put in there out of necessity as a central plot element rather than because the series has played its “more is better” card again in the inverse sense.  In fact, Ryuuko at first expressed her distaste over having Senketsu be so revealing, a dislike not shared by most other characters when they are placed in skimpier attire.  Thus, while the characters’ revealing outfits can be described as “fanservice” in the elemental and definitive sense, it can’t be fully described as “fanservice” in the derogatory or connotative sense.

So while wearing pajamas to school may be fine, is there anything which is not fine regarding “Kill la Kill?”  There are a few, though they are not nearly enough to detract from all of the positive aspects present in this series.  Due to the fast pace at which “Kill la Kill” progresses, some of the more detailed aspects of the second half of the series in terms of the antagonists’ mechanicals could have been explained better.  Though the series tries its best to lay everything out, the barrage of information being thrown at the viewer is a bit too much to handle, and the plot could have been slowed down a little here.  There’s also the aforementioned side effect of the series moving quickly and therefore having less depth than one would expect, but this is an inherent effect of the series’ pacing.

How “Kill la Kill” uses the “more is better” philosophy- Mako (left) and Ryuuko (right) go to school

Nonetheless, the pros from “Kill la Kill” easily outweigh the small cons, and don’t really provide a distraction from the enjoyment of the show.  Is this a show universally to be enjoyed by all?  Hard to say, but it’s difficult to attack it and find flaws and detriments when looking at it from a technical perspective, and there are substantial elements of both humor and substance present here.  One can’t deny the huge levels of creativity and technical expertise which were put in for the character designs and plot elements.  The fanservice inserted in this series serves as something more than eye candy or something to pull fans in to compensate for shortcomings elsewhere.  Pacing is fast, but consistent, and the series is extremely successful at getting viewers to stay loyal and finish what has been started.  The series would make a great addition to a US broadcast and skeptics at this point would best be served to watch a few episodes on Crunchyroll.  There’s a very high chance you won’t be disappointed.

Related posts:

The Wakening of the Trailblazer becomes the Swan Song of Another Era Blassreiter – A Short, Sweet, Violent and Underrated Anime Series Whatever will I do? I’ve forgotten what I was like before I met you… Miyazaki Flight Zero, Clear for Takeoff, Runway Nine Right