Posted by  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
「とおく群衆を離れて」 (Toku Gunshu o Hanare Te)
“Far from the Maddening Crowds”
Well, would you look at that. I mentioned it as a possibility last week—albeit an unlikely one—but it turns out my prediction was right on the mark. Satsuki does end up wearing Senketsu after all’s said and done, and it sets the stage for the fight we’ve been expecting for a while now. At the same time, this fight brings everything full circle—we’re back where we started—and there is no backdrop more fitting than Honnoji Academy to finish things off.
All things considered, it looks like we’re in for an action-packed finale equivalent to (or in excess of) what we’ve come to expect from this series. At the same time however, this confirmation comes with a bit of irony, as it also highlights the same developmental weaknesses I felt were present previously. While the episode ends up entertaining overall, it must be noted that Matoi was not a major reason why. Rather, Satsuki and Co. end up carrying a lot of this episode—something that seems to have become the norm as of late.
Indeed, the big thing for me this week is how much they hammered in Matoi’s inability to accept that she’s made of life fibers. On one hand, it’s entirely understandable—that’s a lot to digest in a short time—but at the same time, it’s something that nullifies the resolve she had only a few episodes ago. Considering how vital that was for her development then (and her ability to recover Senketsu’s pieces), it’s a bit hard to stomach that she can be so easily unhinged. Not only that, but the fact she reacts this way makes her comments and reassurances to Senketsu about him not being just a tool (also just a few episodes ago) especially disingenuous. The second the equation flips against her, she seems to just ignore the sentiment she felt previously, and all notion of calming down and listening to her “friends” too. Worst of all, she assumes they’ll look at her a certain way despite evidence to the contrary, and these are all things a main character should be doing at this stage—especially since much of her development has centered around those same friendships. Considering also that the pinnacle of unwavering resolve in Satsuki is ever present, the fact is, Matoi just doesn’t look as good when compared and contrasted.
Granted, the aforementioned doesn’t necessarily make much of a difference (the action respects are still quite good), but it was something I felt should be mentioned regardless. Even action-oriented series need to have a story to link things together, and it has to be said that some of the pieces here don’t fit that well in that context. At least though, we get a pretty cool revelation in regards to the The Naked Sun this week, and it was a nice touch to see Takarada making a triumphant come back too. Looking forward, what can I say? Fun times are ahead—even if getting here wasn’t as smooth as it could’ve been.
Full-length images: 06.
Great episode.
Remember a couple of episodes ago when Ryuko said Satsuki was alone??? lol. It was quite something to see her reunited with her crew. They were ecstatic to have her back.
Yup, that was also one of the things I talked about a few weeks back. Satsuki wasn’t exactly alone before and now especially, she’s far from it.
I think you guys misunderstood what Ryuuko said. She meant that she and Senketsu are more than just a girl and her clothes; they are friends, that look out for and care for each other. Meanwhile, Satsuki is just forcing her will on her Kamui to make it do what she wants, she treats it like any other ordinary piece of clothes.
This episode marks a lot of significance, because Satsuki actually talks to Senketsu to help her out, which is a departure from how she treated her own Kamui previously.
I totally understand what you’re saying about Ryuko, it seems like she’s more of a plot device than an actual character. While watching this I caught myself thinking “TTGL was WAAAY better than this” Now I know why, That show just felt so much better, so much more organized, and so much more ambitious than this show does. IT’s not even the extreme fanservice that bothers me (and I HATE fanservice shows) comparing this show to TTGL makes me realize that the series is lacking some way. . .granted its better and 98% of the crap out there this season, There’s still this nagging feeling that the show really is missing something. . .and I sometimes borderline don’t really care about Ryuko (and to some extension the story) when she is center stage.
What it missed was a proper build up. The best shounen plots are those where you have no idea how big the story will eventually get. At the beginning of TTGL, the plot revolved around getting out of the ground and trying to survive without having weird monsters attack you. There was no indication whatsoever that a galactic war would take place at the end of the show.
Kill la Kill went too big too early. It was still unpredictable, but you had an idea of the kind of scope it had in mind. Which lessened the impact of what came by later on.
Satsuki-sama escaping reminds me of Metal Gear Solid 2.
ahh, that expected uniform switch. this definitely gets a lat more interesting.
just a thought. what if ragyo actually just wants her daughters to kill her all along?
also, before i forget, that reference to Blue Noah/Thundersub with the Naked Sol was just plain hilarious 🙂
Oh wow…if that “21 I die” foreshadowing come true next episode, some serious shit is gonna go down.
I’m impressed by how Mako and Takarada are still wearing clothes even after what has happened. It seems like they don’t care about their resistance to COVERS.
I would think Takarada used his funds to make himself clothing without life fibers at least. Mako just seems like she’d be resistant to whatever random fiber might’ve been in her clothes. Or it can be surmised she was too poor to even attain clothing with life fibers in it.
I’m going to give Ryuuko some slack here, since the poor girl just found out that:
a) not human
b) is exactly the same as the enemies she’s been fighting
c) her long lost family members were everything that she’s fighting against
d) her father kept an extremely large and life changing secret from her that she found out from having her heart pulled out.
Yes, what’s she’s doing now is pretty contradictory to her own beliefs, but I feel that it’s understandable when you look back and think about things from her perspective.
Also, I’d like to point out that predictability doesn’t necessary represents weakness in a show. Sure, a predictable show can be boring as hell, but some shows are enjoyable because they are predictable!
Anyways, it was an awesome episode, as always. Can’t wait to see the fight next episode. Don’t know about you guys, but to me this show just keeps getting better and better.
that moment when ryuko was merging with junketsu where she see a vision of herself having a normal, happy family life from birth to adulthood was so painful to watch. and she willingly succumbs to it after that.
yep, am guessing that satsuki will call her out as “stupid little sister” at some point.
Again, it makes sense that she does what she does, but at the same time it just feels like there are some aspects that prevent me from buying into the whole thing. Overall, the big thing isn’t even so much this, but just how Satsuki and Co. seem to have been developed better and more consistently, which is ironic given Matoi’s stature as the supposed “main character.” That and, you have to feel for Senketsu quite a bit, because Matoi’s actions here make some of her previous actions toward him quite disingenuous.
That said, I agree that predictability doesn’t necessarily represent weakness, and it’s something I mentioned myself previously as well. I feel it’s important to at least discuss some of the elements that were predicted and the sequences that led to it or come from it though, which is why it was mentioned.
Although not a major weakness, Ryuuko’s rage does contradict her earlier promise when Senketsu consumed her of not letting her rage similarly take control of her. Does seem a little strange that she would lose complete control in a split second in the face of a personal promise. Also jarring is how Ryuuko quickly abandons her “friendship” with Senketsu when she did no such thing after finding out about his purpose for existence.
The reason it might seem weird is because Ryuuko has never really been built up fully as a character. We only have the barest of outlines of her back story that have only been acquired late into the show, so naturally the viewer is going to look to what her beliefs are and how she acts to try and draw some sort of larger persona missing from the narrative. However, that sort of character development doesn’t really jive with the action focus of KLK, so it might just be one of those things that needs to be overlooked so you don’t annoy yourself with over analyzing something meant to be taken at face value.
Ah, but as to the father comment. Remember when, as he was dying he said “wait I have more important things to tell you” It was probably all of this. Although, the mansion did blow up… she should’ve grabbed him and helped him out or something get him some first aid, lol
It seems you don’t watch the simulcast version since that version actually has a next episode preview unlike the TV broadcast version. Oh well.
With the appearance of the Dai-Gurren, they will have to end the battle with that!
That?
What else?! GATTAI DA!!!
i wouldnt put it past the creators to do something like that.
Oh Satsuki escaping from prison with nothing but a sharpened metal toe nail whilst being completely naked and fighting against suits composed of life fibers. Did I also say she was completely naked? No? Well I said it now.
And the most hilarious aspect of this entire thing was the reactions of the elite four to finding Satsuki nude. Gamagoori is not standing this insolence of seeing his beloved boss naked and chained, so he does what any loyal minion does cover up her parts with his overly large hands. Jakuzure is just plainly disgusted by this, Inumuta doesn’t care, and Sanageyama is mostly confused then shares some of Gamagoori angers of this situation.
But on to the most sensitive subject in this little episode, Ryuko. Ryuko is for all intents and purposes a teenage girl, I think we need to remind ourselves of this. I have 3 sisters, all of which one time or another have been teenagers. And what Ryuko is experiencing right now, fits what I experienced from my sisters. When they feel the rug has been pulled out of them, they react with anger and rage cause mistakes that hurt them and the people around them. And for peat sakes, the girl found that she was a human abomination the very thing she was fighting against from the very beginning, that her mother wasn’t dead but was really Ragyo Kiryuin the mother of her arch rival Satsuki. I think Ryuko needs to be cut some slack in this situation, if you were in her position would you be able to think clearly? I know I definitely wouldn’t be able too.
Now while that was all said and done, we can thank ryuko for her anger by seeing Nui in terrible pain… no wait, she’s another human abomination nevermind. Here I thought when I saw Nui getting stabbed by Ryuko was it for that witch, but no she’s got plot armor thicker than a Tiger II.
Rapping things up, Crazy Ryuko who I like alot, versus Straight and narrow Satsuki wearing Senketsu. It’s going to be epic and it’s going probably going to end with both of them near dead, but lets hope Satsuki can work her magic and reverse the brainwashed Ryuko!
Plot armour of a Tiger II? Pft nothing an ISU-152 cannot deal with, or my Rhoomba with a few gold rounds. Nawh she’s got the armour of an IS-7, no one knows where to shoot it even though it’s riddled with weak spots 😛
On topic it does make me wonder when she is actually going to die. Probably going to be one of those situations where the main antagonist (Ryuuko’s mother) gets killed then Nui tries to beg forgiveness (sarcastically) before being put to the (scissor)sword. A little anticlimatic, but it suits her personality: going out with a whimper when she wanted to leave with a bang.
Hey man, not everyone is a World of Tanks fan, so I had to use something that had a some basis that people could understand. Also IS-7 are nice treats for my Bat-Chat.
Back on topic, I personally think that the Elite Four are going to kill that witch, that or someone re-assembles the Sword Scissors and promptly cuts her threads of fate. The day that happens will be a happy day.
No worries, not often you can make a WoT comment in anime so I jumped at the chance 😛
Personally I think it would be a little disappointing to have the Elite Four kill Nui, it would be a nice serving of catharsis to have Ryuuko tie off that loose end plaguing her past. Regarding the scissors too that’s actually probably how Ryuuko will be beaten in her current state. Not clear how she can be beaten by a Senketsu-wearing Satsuki right now since (like Nui) she cannot die.
Everyone seems to forget that Ryuko’s a 17-year-old girl….
It’s not that one can’t sympathize with her to a certain degree, but after a while it just gets hard to take her seriously when, more often than not, it feels like she’s more of a plot device rather than an actual main character.
And not to sound condescending, but Ryuko’s role is fairly predictable at this point. In fact, I’d argue she’s followed more or less the same route since the very beginning, which can be summed up as thus:
– By way of battle or story revelation, Ryuko gets torn down physically and/or mentally.
– Ryuko seemingly grows up just in time to make a comeback and save the day.
– New development pops up. Ryuko loses it and starts blowing everything up.
– Mankanshoku and/or Satsuki shows up to smack some sense into Ryuko.
Wash. Rinse. Repeat.
And, really, I wouldn’t mind all of that so much if they’d just fix the one problem I can’t get over; in that Ryuko just doesn’t seem to have a friggin’ clue as to who she is or what she wants. Seventeen-years old or not, the girl’s mental fortitude is about as tenuous as you would expect from a hormonally stressed teenager; which is fine if you’re a regular kid going to high school, but not so much for a main character.
The age of the character doesn’t necessarily reflect their mentality in anime though.
The big thing is they emphasized her mental fortitude and resolve as her strong points and reasons for getting this far, then when push comes to shove just a few episodes later, it’s as if that resolve (and the friendships she built) did nothing.
It’s not so much the age as it is just how the story’s been written.
Whatever everyone else is arguing over (nudity is so overdone that it’s normal), I have to applaud at Trigger for continuously updating their OP for (most of) the cast of the clothes they have wore so far.
…there is a lot of clothes, btw.
Well yeah, it’s because Satsuki is the main character, not Ryuuko. She’s the true inheritor of her fathers will. This also sets her up to get the indigo scissor blade.
At this point, she’s definitely become the MC. And yup, quite expecting she’ll get the other scissors blade at some point.
well, you must credit her. from so young age to have this force. Dont go and tell me, it was all the sword..
well, she beats all their 4 elite bodyguards in first place, and young age. Nobody cares about this? perhaps satsuki has more in her “pandoras box” then we known.. or the writer make her to strong for a normal human girl
you have to give it to the animators to make the unveiling of the ss naked sun where the upper part splits and becomes the main deck looks real epic.
All while Mr. Nudist Beach strips his underwear and makes a solar eclipse with the steering wheel + light combo? Yeah. That was pretty epic. Lol.
Still, I’m kinda disappointed Mikisugi doesn’t have a more prominent role in the story. Even Tsumugu did something this episode, while Mikisugi still relies on his mechas(even though Tsumugu jumped in one this episode), and its not like the ss naked sun was created by him either; that’s all thanks to Takarada.
It kinda reminded me of Thundersub – Space Carrier Blue Noah (“Uchu Kubo Blue Noah”)
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa288/reversethieves/show%20images/SpaceCarrierBlueNoah.jpg
A ton of people have problems with Ryuko this week, and as of late. Mainly how a characters a strongly effective in defeating enemies as her cannot have the capability to recognize what the show appeared to try to get across- friendship is everything. Why devote so much time to Ryuko finally having a life with new friends, if these last episodes completely zigzag around it?
Except this show was never about friendship. It was about family.
Ryuuko’s drive and purpose is deeply tied to the loss of her family and her desire to be in a family, and that’s exactly the weak point Ragyou uses to have Junketsu overpower her mind in this episode.
Satsuki is at an advantage in this regard because she understands the blood of the covenant (The Elite 4) is thicker than the water of the womb. And this is also why Ryuuko’s adoptive family (the Mankanshoku) hasn’t given up on her.
Am I the only one that hears Nui’s voice as a scary befriending Nanoha?
Because Nui’s seiyuu is Yukari Tamura, the one behind Nanoha.
Feels like these last two or now three episodes they’ve been trying to stretch out to 20. One final episode to clean up the mess they’ve made. Not enough time? We’ll see. #pleasedontletmedown
What am I talking about? There are 4 episodes to go! [Not including an unaired one]
I thought Ryuko was set to become “Musashi” of this show, being her blade has potential to be dual wielded.
Kojiro Satsuki gets the dual wield. Well. 😀
I loved how everyone was business-like and cold about Ryuko getting alone out for revenge – save of course her True Friends: Senketsu, and Mako who understood his feeling without the need for understanding words!
… That is until the 4 Devas found out Satsuki is alive, and immediately set out to free her. Such loyalty exceeds mere underlings. They are True Friends, too.
Naked Sun was just another over the top display of writers ingenuity. Satsuki being Naked Badass was just an afterthought. Harime Nui showed the source of her irritating plot armor, after the writers tantalised me with her fake death. Then Junketsu posessed Ryuko – nice touch with false memories of happy childhood with Ragyo as Loving Mom. Yet another Matrix reference…
… and finally we see the two sisters in surprising role reversal – who could have foreseen in the first episodes that Ryuko would end as servant of evil and Satsuki as liberator? Complete with uniform exchange!
looks like they forgotten a bit about the Plot, and wanted to build in more action. looks like their Main dish (the anime) is about to be a bit “unbalanced” to salty 🙂
I honestly hate it when people feel the need to make excuses for shallow writing. Everyone keeps saying “Well she’s a teenager cut her some slack” but alone doesn’t excuse Ryuko’s actions. Yeah she found out she was a life fiber monster but please tell me at WHAT POINT in the series has Ryuko been shaken so easily by the twists and turns thrown at her? She completely disregards Mako trying to reach out to her and Senketsu even though the two were nearly the perfect team not to long ago. Her anger is not understandable in the least to me. It would be one thing if she just didn’t want everyone else to get hurt and wanted to take Ragyou by herself but no of course that would actually make her have some (gulp) depth…….
With that logic you could literally get away with making a character who has been friends with (insert whoever) for years and fought many a bloody battles but in a split second because they are told something shocking like their friend is the son/daughter of a guy who killed their father and it would be perfectly reasonable for them to suddenly want to kill them. Sorry but I can’t buy into that kind of story telling. It’s unrealistic, unrelatable and annoying to watch.
Instead of making some sort of plan she just angrily takes on Nui and Ragyou (because fighting like that has totally worked out for her so far!) and gets assimilated. Honestly Ryuko’s character has been so poorly developed that I find it funny they are trying to make her a more compelling character so late in the game. The show runs on unexpected surprises and hot blooded fights but sadly they sacrifice giving meaningful development to their characters and just have them on a string that they can pull at anytime so they can conveniently use them when the plot requires it.
I might sound like i’m blatantly hating here but i sort of get annoyed when people give something more credit than it deserves. I enjoy Kill la Kill as it’s great entertainment and can be extremely funny at times but when it comes to it’s story (which they fail to properly explain a lot of the time) and characters when you look at it objectively there isn’t much going on for the most part.
But Ryuuko was very clearly being shaken by everything.
She could keep herself up when the stuff happening to her wasn’t as heavy, but not only shit kept piling up, every twist was worse than the previous one; culminating in the total destruction of what Ryuuko thought was her world and her life. That’s why she can be overcome by Junketsu – because this is the point where she’s most vulnerable.
Her anger is bad writing, perhaps – but it’s believable writing. Ryuuko is only human, regardless of the plot twist saying otherwise. She’s been through too much and had a breakdown.
So Nui getting stabbed is actually no big deal unless it’s in the eyes?
Her eyes might have already healed. The eye patch is just for show 😛
Satsuki looks real good in Senketsu.
I just wonder, if Satsuki can bring Senketsu to glow in Neon colors, like he done with Perfect Sync with Ryuko
Perhaps her trained willpower with Jenketsu will be here the key piece. She will will the “not Ryuko” gap with willpower and force it into Sync or more. We will see
There is not that many surprises in a battle. because somehow one of them will lose and for the plot device..
and if someone wonder, why Ryuko accepted this false memories so easy. she had no trained defense powers with senketsu, like Satsuki with Jenketsu
+ the mothers Mind writing life fiber, and her unfair attack on the crouch to week her defense.. well she is a woman after all, knowing all weak spots, too
Satsuki pulling a Raiden and escaping, I was loving it <3.
Yuri power couldn't bring Ryuko back, but maybe Kuudere Siscon power can ;p.
I think Ryuko’s reaction is also normal in the sense she has every right to be angry. Who wouldn’t if you found out your mom was Ragyo and that you weren’t human and not normal? I don’t think Ryuko’s angry or scared about not being accepted as a human because she’s made from life fibers, I think it’s just more the mere fact.
What saddens me is how Ryuko quickly abandons everyone instead of going to them for help and marches off alone. Especially when the whole series seemed about building trust and relationships between her, Nudist Beach and the Mankanshoku family. Or at least her comrades could’ve made more effort in calming her down and make Ryuko focus and not fly off on a rampage. It kinda makes all the previous episodes just filler which in hindsight was since the plot has been moving since the School Raid Trip. I think the focus is now on Senketsu and Ryuko and I’d be a bit sad if the show doesn’t show her development with the other characters, otherwise it’d be all a waste.
And while I’m not as critical of Mako’s character as others, I thought she could’ve been written to be a bit more serious and caring here about her friend when she found out about everything. I feel like all Ryuko needs is a nice warm hug from someone who cares.
Well, Ryuko is still human. Her actions proof it, and she was a human baby that just was forced to life with the life fibers. and so long she not abused this power for her own, no she used this power for helping her friends. so there is no “dark” side
well, ryuko was confused, and she was to powerful. even if she avoid to hurt or kill someone in her state, she is still dangerous.
remember the kenshiro “i crush building with one hit” demonstration? 🙂 that was “stay away from me, or you get hurt” hint of her
even matoi could not reach her this time. she locked herself
my bet?
in the fight satsuki will yell some reason into ryuko’s thick head, and some nice sisters from satsuki slaps will bring ryuko’s “save from mind-control” protection back into game again.. the red hairpin… but then, ryuko has no protection against kamui upgraded jenksetsu… here must setsuki help her to strip it off.. that will be a important scene. perhaps the mother will try to interfere, and the elite 4 will join the battle
oh, forget the elite 4 join battle point. they dont have their armors and weapons. and only the naked beach weapons, is not enough
this time, when she cut her mothers head from the shoulders, she should kick a homerun with her head, so the life fiber can not make a connection…
i remember a hulk comic, where he thrown away the limbs of a enemy that regenerates them (they come back to their host), so far away, that he died, because the limbs dont reached him in time…
oh, btw…
is this some sort of men phallus demonstration?
https://randomc.net/image/Kill%20la%20Kill/Kill%20la%20Kill%20-%2020%20-%20Large%2020.jpg
So Ryuuko responds to stimulus, threat, revelation or otherwise, with anger and rage. What’s new? I think this scene from previous episodes established that already:
http://i.imgur.com/I64XjLF.jpg
It would’ve made less sense if she was level-headed. From the start, her tale is a story of frustration and withheld answers. She’s a walking ball of unresolved tension and pent up anger. Given how each turn/twist is worse than the previous one, all her previous “feats of resolve” as you’ve noted, can be seen more as band-aids, or moments of respite, than as actual accomplishments.
“Tell me, who killed my Dad? Wait what? I have to go through these guys first?”
“You killed my dad, but I can’t take it out on you because I’d turn into bloody rage monster that will destroy everything I love.”
“I actually tried to get over myself, but guess what? Now, my ‘friend’ is cut to pieces.”
“I just rebuilt my ‘friend’ from scratch, and won a fight against this bitch, but she STILL won’t explain anything to me. And she flies away on her helicopter all victorious and shit.”
“Okay, finally answers. Wait what? My friend is a weapon?”
“I’m YOUR daughter? Shut the fuck up. Wait, what? I’M THE WEAPON? I’m not even human?!?!?!?”
“FUCK THIS FUCK ALL OF YOU FUCK EVERYONE. I ASK DIRECTLY AND NOBODY TELLS ME ANYTHING. If I’m a monster anyway no matter how hard I try, I might as well run off on a big purple bike and take out the people I hate.”
A lot of important things in this episode were unsaid. When Ryuuko told off Senketsu and Mako you could see conflict in her face and how her angry responses were unsure, even a bit guilty. Based on Mako and Senketsu’s reaction the next scene, you know they themselves could tell.
Given how the past episodes went, something’s got to give, and Ryuuko just has to go out and take her anger out on something. Too bad her mother knew this, and Ryuuko’s nature was used against her.
https://randomc.net/image/Kill%20la%20Kill/Kill%20la%20Kill%20-%2020%20-%20Large%2019.jpg
THE DOSH KING HAS RETURNED!