There are some shows in every anime season that fall into the “oooh so flashy, so it’s a must watch” or the “it’s so bad it’s hilarious, so it’s a must watch” category. While I consider Valvrave to be in the latter category, I somehow gave up on it near episode eighteen. I intend to finish it…soon…or maybe later. But there was one more show this season which falls into the former category, and I think you already know which one I’m referring to… yes, I’m looking at you, Kill la Kill.
When I first heard about this series, it somehow put me off. The summary or description came off as nonsense, the art style wasn’t my cup of tea, and I already picked quite a few shows I would start watching. But when those other shows started to disappoint me, I gave Kill la Kill another chance. And I’m glad I did.
It was surprising that the series appeared to be about…threads. That’s correct, fibers. To be exact, there are some special fibers (called Life Fibers, because you have to name them in some imposing way) that are used to create school uniforms that grant superpowers to whoever wears them. Seems like an idea that must’ve been used thousands of times already, so Kill la Kill has to step up it’s game…and it does with astonishing (over-the-top but clever) fight scenes and a whodunnit? story. As I see it, this series is more about the interaction between its characters than the actual superpowers, and that’s relieving.
The motif of threads is everywhere.
The whole execution – over-the-top madness, the art style, the storytelling – instantly reminded me of Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann, which is one of the very few mecha anime I liked. At the end of the first episode I was hooked; and the fact that four episodes already had aired when I started watching it turned out to be a good thing. It became one of the those series I have been awaiting every week (along with Golden Time and a few others).
There are quite a few differences from Gurren Lagann. I don’t feel the same epicness; Kill la Kill’s world and story seems less complicated, less grandiose. The episode where everyone had to get up early and a contest (is that even the right term?) was held where any latecomers to school would be expelled felt like a filler episode. I kinda liked it, but it felt half-baked; whereas I don’t remember any filler episodes from Gurren Lagann. Continuity between episodes suffered as well – at the start of the next episode it was as if Kill la Kill’s world had been reset. There are fewer characters in the cast, which is a double-edged sword: too many characters and you have a hard time remembering them and differentiating them from one another, too few characters and they can easily become overused and boring. I think Kill la Kill is walking a tightrope here; it remains to be seen which way it goes.
I also like that the creators are constantly making fun of transformation sequences found in other anime (think about magical girl type of anime or mecha anime). Having an outfit that covers less of its wearer’s body when in super-power mode is a first, I reckon.
Gaudy outfits galore. Yes, that’s an EYE near the shoulder.
Not to mention that the self-aware and talking suit forced itself on Ryuuko’s tender body and hasn’t relinquished control since (well, in the first few episodes that is). There is a lot of almost nudity (thankfully the anime censors itself), which in my opinion is poking fun at people obsessed with 2D girls and that Blu-ray/DVD releases often don’t have the steam fogs and other visual devices (I even saw a swaying elephant trunk in one series) the anime studios are forced to put in front of stuff to be able to air the series on TV. The seemingly immortal side characters also contribute to the over-the-top vibe I’m getting from Kill la Kill. Has anyone counted how many explosions the students of Honnouji Academy have survived without a scratch?
Contrary to Gingitsune, whose first episode I’ve been unconsciously forgetting to watch for quite some time, and when I did I didn’t like it at all, Kill la Kill has been a pleasant surprise. Although there are some things I don’t like that much (mostly the art style), it still turned out to be an entertaining series, one I’ll be keeping an eye on week after week.
Plus Ryuuko is just way too cute with that red lock of hair.
