First Impressions / Kill la Kill

「何故にお前は」 (Naze ni Omaeha)
“Tell Me Why”

I saw the twist coming, but that doesn’t mean it was bad. It needed to happen to keep the story interesting.

A Slow Start

I felt like this episode had a slow start, or perhaps that’s only in retrospect. Going back and scanning the first half, we had, what, Ryuuko and Senketsu learning that Tsumugu has a dead sister (yawn), that Senketsu was made specially for her (didn’t we already know that?), and some awesome Mako & Ryuuko friendship moments, which I will say nothing ill of because they were heart-warming and I awwww’d unrepentantly. Mako’s family also earns points for getting up in Gamagoori’s face, and then asking the right questions: 1) Are Mako and Ryuuko alive, and 2) Will there be food? Hah! Seriously though, it’s good to see they learned from that whole Fight Club incident and are asking those questions in the right order. They do care, just as Mako and Ryuuko care for them. They just siiiilly!

Crazy Cult

So this episode sees Ragyou and her life fiber worship go into full-on crazy cult mode, complete with a mass sacrifice. I’m not against crazy cults (in stories, obviously), but it felt wrong at first. It’s not that it made Ragyou two-dimensional – she’s always been two-dimensional, though she was so charismatic and stylish that I didn’t much care. In fact, sometimes a two-dimensional villain is good. Like with last season’s Outbreak Company, the two-dimensional villain provides someone who we can freely root against (and in this case, we can root for her death) while not taking time away from more interesting characters. I think of the recent Star Trek reboot (the first one, not that Into Darkness crap), where the villain wasn’t that interesting, but that was okay – the point was to introduce us to Kirk and the others. In the same way, Ragyou works.

The Fated Double-Cross

So what was it? It was the fact that Satsuki was going along with her plans. Satsuki and the Elite Four are interesting characters, so to see them go along with a crazy cult’s mass-sacrifice plan didn’t sit right. The funny thing is, it wasn’t that which made me think Satsuki was going to double-cross Ragyou (I only worked my way through those feelings after the fact). No, it was something more elemental – it wouldn’t be as much fun if she didn’t. Either Satsuki needed to become the Big Bad (trope!) or she needed to rebel against Ragyou and fight with Ryuuko, because a story where Satsuki ended as the Dragon (trope!) wouldn’t have made any sense. Then all that time they spent developing her would have been pointless.

It’s a curse sometimes, being able to read the story so well, but it honestly didn’t diminish my enjoyment of Satsuki’s betrayal. It was just so abrupt and brutal, which I have to respect, though I thought the christ imagery was a bit much. Besides, now that Ragyou looks like a loony clown-jester rather than a noble peacock thing, I’m okay if she dies. Your fashion sense jumped the shark, Ragyou.

Looking Ahead

The lines in the sand are drawn. Ragyou remains the Big Bad, while Harime Nui is her Dragon with Satsuki, the Elite Four, Ryuuko and the others on the opposing side. I have a soft spot for the old-adversary-team-up plot, so it’ll be interesting to see how they fight together. I can’t help but be worried about when Satsuki’s (lack of) compatibility with Junketsu will rear its ugly head, though.

Zephy will resume coverage as usual next week when he’s done with his big important test or whatever.

tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – Ragyou’s crazy cult tries to sacrifice the entire school, but Ryuuko is there to–erh, Satsuki!? That was your mother! #kill_la_kill 17

Random thoughts:

  • I did like the moment between Satsuki and Soroi though. They’re humanizing Satsuki more and more, which was another reason I didn’t think she’d stay in cult-land.
  • I was telling Zephy this the other day, but the OST in this show is so good that even I notice it! Seriously, that Ragyou music gets me excited every time.
  • I still don’t feel they’ve taken this as far or as crazy as Tengen Toppa Gurren Langann. Perhaps that’s due to expectations or my experience since then, but I’m never shocked, and the story seems to go oddly slow for something that always seems to be moving. Perhaps it’s because there’s a lot of motion, but not as much action. I’m not sure, will have to think about that more.

Check out my blog about storytelling and the fantasy novel I’m writing at stiltsoutloud.com. The last four posts: Unexpected directions, The market has spoken, I can quit anytime, so I don’t have to, and Admiration & those who try. My current combo counter: 27 days long.

Full-length images: 11.

 

Preview

72 Comments

    1. Ahaha, there might have been a little exaggeration in that, it just doesn’t come across in text as well. I mean, come on, who says “It’s such a curse!” and is serious about it? XD

      Stilts
      Reply

    2. “Curse your sudden yet inevitable betrayal!”
      This has been in the air ever since Ragyuu enetered the series.
      Most predictable plot turn since rule of two was introduces to Sith.

      ewok40k
      Reply

      1. It’s not like it’s predictable because it’s badly written or anything .. they intentionally have been throwing dozens of hints all over that Satsuki isn’t on good terms with her mother and that she only truly cares about the academy and her four subordinates … you can see it in her face whenever her mother’s name comes up .. specially in her eyes … there is clear detest for her whenever the name comes up .. and in this episode the way they threw the plates after drinking is a very clear sign of their intention of rebellion .. the writers clearly wanted up to “see it coming” and they never intended it to be subtle .. the only surprise is how vicious and clear Satsuki was about her hatred to her mother to the point of running her through with her sword and flinging her stabbed body onto a cross with a pointy stake in it’s center .. ouch XD

        Satsuki’s mother plan is so crazy and twisted that it makes Satsuki seem like an angel despite her misdeeds .. that alone was enough for anyone to guess she won’t just stand and watch her mother kill and sacrifice everyone for the sake of her “clothes” alien gods .. Satsuki is better than that .. she is the antagonist to Ryouko but not a villain .. that’s her mother’s role XD

        HunterWulf
        Reply

  3. There is a theory floating around that I actually find interesting and plausible.

    Aikurou stated that the reason Ryuuko and Senketsu are able to talk to each other is because Senketsu was made with her DNA in mind. When he was first introduced, Tsumugu also briefly heard Senketsu’s voice at the end, so he may possibly be related to Ryuuko. They also have the same hair color as more blood relations.

    Another thing to note is that Isshin seems really old to be Ryuuko’s biological father.

    Now, Ryuuko stated that her mother died shortly after she was born. What if her mother was really Kinue Kinagase, and Isshin adopted her after the incident of her death. This would make Tsumugu her uncle.

    Who would be the father then? Who does Tsumugu trust like a brother-in-law, the answer is Aikuro Mikisugi.

    Ryuuko has been wanting to spend more time with her father, but she is really doing that now. The really name of Ryuuko Matoi is Ryuuko Mikisugi.

    MasterDragonKnight
    Reply

    3. At this point I’m fairly sure most of us agree that Ryuuko is related to someone in the main cast of characters, it’s been too well foreshadowed. Personally I’m guessing she has some form of blood relation to Satsuki as that would be the cherry on top of this (foreseen) plot twist.

      Pancakes
      Reply

      1. I have a feeling it’s going to be a double relation reveal. Ryuuko being the daughter of Ragyou, and Satsuki being the daughter of Kinue and there’s been a swap somewhere. Just judging from certain things, like the seriousness of Satsuki in comparison to Ragyou, or Ryuuko and Ragyou both having colour through their hair. If Ryuuko was a Kiryuin it’d also explain the high compatibility between her and Senketsu.

        MassiveTom
        Reply

    4. ^ I personally think you guys are thinking into it too much.

      I will be honest, but Kill La Kill kinda feels to me like a stepping stone of sorts. From previous works that members of the studio have done, it goes without say they could’ve done better in both visual quality and screenplay/writing.

      But doesn’t mean I’m enjoying this anime any less. What they are doing is quite enjoyable in my opinion and they certainly can make their titles stand out from the rest, disregarding their history.

      That scene where Ragyo pops up as a hologram(?) I just rofl’ed at that to be honest. They really overplayed that part but I kind of liked it. Testament to how ridiculously enjoyable Kill La Kill can be.

      And then we had the fated backstabbing which Satsuki brought home the literal definition of it. I did like how gloriously violent that was and despite the fact I (and we) all saw it coming, the delivery on it was kind of it was pleasantly shocking (surprising type shocking). Although Stilts is right with the whole crucifixion symbolism which I feel was kind of unnecessary but cool nonetheless.

      Looking ahead, I don’t think Matoi is just going to accept Satsuki like that. I mean, the way she looked at Satsuki after she backstabbed Ragyo, looked like contempt to me.

      Goodwill Wright
      Reply

      1. A stepping stone is a good way to put it. I feel like they could do better – not that Kill la Kill is necessarily bad, they just have the ability to do something truly great – but they are still stretching their legs now that they’re on their own.

        Stilts
        Reply

    6. I thought they made the hints about a family tie between Ryuuku, Tsumugu and Kinue Kinagase pretty obvious. The scene pretty much did everything but tell us directly Kinue was Ryuuku’s mother.

      schwegburt
      Reply

    7. I definitely agree that Kinue is likely Ryuko’s mother and Tsumugu is subsequently Ryuko’s uncle. It would certainly explain why Tsumugu’s hair color(s) and eye color match Ryuko’s.

      I don’t agree, however, that Aikuro is Ryuko’s father. I think Kinue’s death more persuasively explains why Dr. Matoi shipped Ryuko off to boarding school while he focused all of his time and attention on developing ways to defeat life fibers. I also don’t think he would have expended quite as much energy creating Senketsu for Ryuko if she wasn’t his biological daughter (with Kinue).

      randomly
      Reply

      1. Nevermind: it just occurred to me that Ryuko’s father is likely Satsuki’s father—explains his premature death and Satsuki’s anger towards her mother (mom probably killed dad for cheating/betraying her).

        randomly
        Reply

    8. I agree that she’s related to one of the main cast but my theory is probably a bit more out there. I think that Kinue is both Saksuki and Ruyko’s mother… how… b.c I think Ragyou is actually Saksuki’s father after an encounter with life fibers. If kinue was saksuki’s mother it would explain why she wanted Dr Matoi dead as revenge. Ruyko’s father I’m torn between life fibers and Ragyou… either would be good, tho if it was Ragyou it would explain why Dr Matoi wanted to make Senketsu to protect Ruyko. Would be an awesome plot twist!

      fern459
      Reply

  5. I was hoping badly for this, thank you based Trigger for vindicating my theoreticizing.
    With this major reveal (finally) I think it’s safe to say the plot now is going to involve Ryuuko and Satsuki working together to crush Ragyou (enemy of my enemy is my friend) before finally having to work though their differences. Remains unclear yet if both are going to have one final fight, or if they may come to some sort of agreement. After all Satsuki never killed Ryuuko’s father, but Harume Nui did. Likely to see something happen to her before the dust settles on this wild ride.

    One thing which remains unclear at the moment is Satsuki’s goal. Does she want to simply inherit her mother’s throne or get rid of it completely? Does she wish to continue to make use of (serve) the Life Fibers or do away with them? I think she said she doesn’t want to serve the Life Fibers there at one point, but that still doesn’t answer what she really wants out of this. Either way the number of remaining episodes gives a good amount of time to now tie up all the loose ends and leave us with one heck of a finale.

    Also does anyone think Ragyou at the end seriously looks like Piedmon from Digimon? The jester resemblance is uncanny, and ironically could be considered a play on how utterly two-dimension she is as a villain (in effect a troll on the audience).

    Pancakes
    Reply

  7. My prediction we’re looking at what seems to be a future 3 sided war.

    Ragyo wanted to make life fiber the rulers of the world.

    Satsuki wants to use life fiber as a weapon and believe humans a suppose to rule over it.

    Ryuko feels that humans and life fiber can live in peace together.

    Dark
    Reply

  8. I bet Ragyo is responsible for her husband’s death after becoming betraying him for the life fibers. thats why satsuki blatantly resents her mother and shows sentiment for her father’s picture. Ragyo will make her daughter go berserk and say something like “blah blah you cant defeat me, your as weak as your father, and youll die just like him blagh blah”

    oddorocket
    Reply

  9. Senketsu is literally MADE for you, Ryuko. Cherish him dearly. Can i just say how HEART-WARMING the friendships Ryuko made are. Mako let her bunk in her household out of sheer kindness and they adore each other, kid around, and just enjoy each other’s company. And Senketsu looks out for Ryuko like a dad or big brother!

    …. I couldn’t take Ragyo seriously in that outfit. 😀 I’m kinda glad she was crucified.

    starss
    Reply

  11. Satsuki had already mentioned in a flashback with Gamagoori that she wasn’t just using her parent’s power, but rather always aiming to take the top for herself. From that point, I was already expecting this outcome, and from discussions elsewhere, this was the general consensus too.

    I think you’re taking the entirely wrong approach to writing by mentioning how a particular event is needed to keep things interesting. You’re looking at this from a standpoint that Studio Trigger needs to pull off shocking twists in order to maintain its viewership. I personally don’t think that the writers seek to cater for its viewers to such an extent.

    All your writing seems to me is just an extension of Harime Nui’s character, especially when you mention that particular outcomes needed to happen solely because it would seem more fun that way. I don’t think anyone has qualms about Ragyo being a so called “two-dimensional” character as the Anti-Spirals in Gurren Lagann were literally two dimensional in appearance and in nature, but everyone clearly felt their presence as the final antagonists, without the need for embellishment.

    All in all I think you’re going too meta with your writing by attempting to push outcomes that had no chance of happening to begin with, and relying too much on trope terms to describe plot devices that are currently not in use. A good example of analysis is looking at the gaps in writing and seeing how things could have occured, but Satsuki always stood firmly on the side of human effort and hard work, so following orders from her mother like an obedient child was never going to happen to begin with, therefore I think you’re just wasting your breath in highlighting this point so heavily.

    I came here expecting that you’d discuss how Ryuuko was laughing at the strange outcome that that her brawls have ended up as being a representation of breaking the fourth wall.
    “It’s like, something that was just a brawl turned into some grand battle full of crazy crap I don’t understand like fate of humanity and the extinction of the species or whatever.” Guess that part wasn’t interesting to you.

    Giorno Giovanna
    Reply

    1. I’m here for the ridiculous fun since that over-the-top fight against the boxing club president. Everything else is just an extra. But yeah, some viewers want more than that.

      And no problem with two-dimensional villains. Ragyo is there to be hated, and to have fun at being hated. One complex villain (Satsuki) is enough.

      Mistic
      Reply

    2. You misunderstand; I don’t think Trigger is doing anything specifically to maintain viewership. I don’t feel they’re as shallow as that. I do think they want to do what is most interesting though, and given a choice between options that are more interesting or one that is less interesting, they’ll choose the former. That’s what I was talking about, not some shallow cash grab. I believe they’re doing well enough with the pre-orders that they don’t have to worry too much over that.

      Stilts
      Reply

  13. Now I know everyone saw Satsuki backstabbing her mother from a mile away…. but i didnt expect that she’d do it literally

    PS: Ragyou lost what little beauty she had when she decided to wear that piece of wardrobe malfunction

    Ginobi47
    Reply

  14. I’m going to go out on the limb here, and say Ryuko and Satsuki are not going to be working together, just because someone has a common enemy doesn’t mean they can put aside they’re absolute detest for each other. In this case, I’m feeling like this has a possibility of becoming a three way brawl, because philosophically speaking there are three sides to this.

    Ragyo and nui are juxtaposed to satsuki and her four devas like a prophet to dictator. Ragyo is subservient to Life Fibers, while satsuki wants lord over the life fibers. Ragyo almost wants to become a god, while satsuki merely wants to rule her way. It’s almost seems to me a very subtle analogy (though I could be reading too much into it) about the differences between the Authoritarian governments, would you rather have a crazy theocracy or a strict totalitarian society.

    It’s an interesting question, that becomes more interesting when you throw ryuko and nudist beach into the mix. This is because they symbolize something much more, they represent freedom and freedom from the rule of man and clothing. Ryuko has challenged the institution throughout the series, by her fights with satsuki and her friendship with Senkutsu. Nudist beach has done this by stripping.

    Jokes aside, I think that when you get these three different groups together it’s easy to try to group them against the greater evil, but in this situation I’d say the differences of philosophy and personal history to overcome the possibility to work together. That said, I could be wrong, maybe I’m reading too much into it like English teachers do with books all the time.

    Echo
    Reply

    1. Agreed. I still think there will be an alliance of sorts in the future, but probably not so soon. After all, Satsuki has done many questionable things through the series and Ryuko doesn’t trust her. Not should she, depending on Satsuki’s true motives (replacing an alien overlord for a human overlord is not a good outcome).

      But there will be an alliance. Sooner or later. My guess is that there will be a time when Satsuki will have no master plan, no resources, no secret weapon to throw at her mother, and she will have to compromise.

      Mistic
      Reply

    2. True, in the end Ryuuko and Satsuki may very well – nay, probably will – fight each other. I think it’s more in the near-term that they’ll team up against Ragyou, or at least both fight Ragyou without actively attacking each other for the moment. Satsuki still isn’t “good” per say, and that will have to be solved in the end…which is probably where her incompatibility with Junketsu will arise again.

      Stilts
      Reply

  15. Here thinking that that was not Christ symbolism – it was Evangelion symbolism. This show is basically Evangelion meets Revolutionary Girl Utena meets Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt after all. Not only the crucifixion, the blood sprays were totally Evangelion material too imho.

    Gan_HOPE326
    Reply

  17. I can tell Satsuki is more to her daddy’s side. Damn, that moment with Soroi and her past…Satsuki <3 and i just love the scene where she "stabbed" her mom and lift her. That was just totally badass~!!! Good thing Ragyo didnt die from the kill, cuz that would be meh if u ask me…

    anyway Satsuki ftw~~~

    onion warrior
    Reply

  19. About Satsuki Willpower to wear the Godrobe and keep her Mind in Control.

    Well, i see this imagine, her Willpower is a Bubble around her Body, Like a soap Bubble

    Wenn She Activate the Godrobe, she is slowly beginning to walk from a Beach into the Water. Keeping her Bubble working, with her Willpower.

    But as you know, if you continue to walk into the Water, you gets Deeper. Let’s say, the Water are the Dark Side of the Godrobe. She still continue to walk into the Deeps, with the Soap Bubble of Willpower. The Water above her put the Bubble on pressure.

    If the Bubble burst, the Water will sallow her, where she has no change of Escaping to the Beach in time..

    That is my Imagine Picture in my Head, of Willpower bend Dark Powers to her Will or for the Good. Hope it help someone out

    Ryuuko can freely Swim in these Waters, and She will be the one, that grab her, and bring her back to the Beach.. Even with some CPR, if you want…

    I can see it…

    Germanguy
    Reply

  23. I particularly loved the visual puns in Mako’s speech this episode.

    I just had to rewatch the “subete” part over and over again.

    Too bad the “koto” visual pun is lost on non-Japanese-speaking audiences.

    CarVac
    Reply

  25. Thats why i watch shows like this blazed out to high hell…i wasent even thinking about what might happen when IT DID, then i was like ooohhhhhhh mouth blood gurgle!!!!NICE!!!!

    BROOKLYN otaku
    Reply

  26. Given the name of the academy and the historical connotations it has with betrayal in Japanese history it was quite obvious someone was going to be stabbed in the back. It was just up in the air whether it was Satsuki or Ragyou. Nice to see it was Ragyou getting the Oda Nobonaga treatment.

    Honestly, I think relation-wise Tsumugu is Ryuko’s Uncle and Aikurou is Satsuki’s father. I mean he does have some resemblance, and the only time we have seen Satsuki’s father in the show so far his face was in shadow. This is either because he isn’t important to the plot, or because they are waiting to drop that on us.

    Also, I have to agree with /a/ in this instance that the Ragyou that was stabbed and crucified is probably one of Nui’s dolls.

    GoukaRyuu
    Reply

  27. My boyfriend and I have known this was coming since before the Naturals Election. I mean, Satsuki never really struck me as evil, but rather, ambitious. Whenever they would end a scene with her talking with/about her mother, or leaving to do some of her dirty work, I felt like they would just leave the camera on her for a second too long, and she would say nothing. We never saw a personal affirmation of why she does what she does. Instead, we later got Nonon’s flashback, which is probably the biggest hint that she’s wanted to rebel all season.

    Inamura
    Reply

      1. I actually feel like they may be, think of it this way, Kiryuin is a vain, selfish sort of woman, and to top it off the Kiryuin family were the owners of a world leading company. It wouldn’t be unheard of that he took her last name, then, when everything broke down and he decided to fight Ragyo, he would have left her, and being how dangerous she is, changing his identity would be extremely likely.

        Given these facts, any (male) member of the current cast could be Ryuko’s real father, till his death is shown and confirmed on screen.

        DSSeraph
        Reply

    1. and i say, that Senkentsu Godrobe “mind” is someone ex-Human… Like Evangelion Mechas Human sacrifice….

      Perhaps the Voice she hear, is not the Real “Gender”…

      *p.s. this is all Speculation, not spoiling

      Germanguy
      Reply

  34. I loved Satsuki in this episode for her pure badassery (even if it involved back-stabbing her mother XD) .. and also becasue she is a great example of the difference between and “antagonist” and a “villain” .. to Ryouko Satsuki is an antagonist, they have an big difference in life-views and values and they clash over it .. over and over .. but Satsuki never struck me as the villain .. she does show empathy and has her wits about her, her action seem to have reasons and logic that isn’t entirely demented and the care she showed for her subordinates and how they recruited them made it really hard to hate her .. yeah her and Ryouko will never see each other’s point’s of view (and the rift between them is more than just a matter of “rivals”) but Satsuki isn’t really a “villain” at all.

    Her mother on the other hand, hmmmm .. extremists and fanatics always make for perfect “villains” with their narrow views and singular unflinching believe in a single idea .. to achieve her goals of serving her clothes alien gods (or whatever the life fibers are) she was willing to indiscriminately kill the entire population of the city/academy .. now that’s “villainy” at it’s best .. complete disregard for human life and an ambition so twisted and messed up as her fashion sense (why do most villains have a terrible fashion sense .. is that included in the C.V for applying to the villain roles or something XD)

    Also .. many people commented on the cross scene .. well .. crucifixion existed before Christianity and was considered a standard punishment in the Roman empire .. but i noticed something else .. stakes .. this cross has a stake in it’s center that Satsuki used to skewer the body of her mother after stabbing her right through the heart .. focus .. cross, skewered with a stake right through the heart, clothes that “suck” life out of people .. yeah son .. you got it, it’s more of a vampire analogy than a Christ one (not that a Christ analogy wouldn’t make sense) .. Satsuki treated her mother as if she is a vampire .. i mean look at her clothes and fashion here .. she does look like a the female neon version of Dracula or a vampire countess out of Bram Stoker’s Dracula that took a detour to Charlie’s chocolate factory or candy land XD

    HunterWulf
    Reply

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