11.07
Sorry this one is so late. I’ve had a very interesting week, and personal issues prevented me from working on it much until today. Part 6 should still be posted today or tomorrow, on schedule. Also, I no longer think mini-recaps of the episodes are necessary, so I’ll try to avoid them from now on. You should be watching them before reading my ramblings anyway!
Let me tell you two useful pieces of information. One: This episode is goddamn amazing. Two: The title of this blog is an unfunny reference to the name of the episode which is also the animation studio’s name and a word people use online to describe things that could potentially upset others. Internet humor!
This Last week’s installment of Kill la Kill is yet another fantastic departure from the status quo (though really, is there ever much of a status quo in an Imaishi anime?), opting more for world-building and character development than in your face over the top humor. It’s still funny, and action-packed, but I felt this episode actually had quite a bit of heart to go along with the usual antics. Ryuuko’s friendship with Mako is deepened, and the former starts to see Senketsu as a partner rather than an object; by the time the credits roll, he is no longer simply a means to an end or an “it.” I must admit, after episode 1, I never expected to like him as a character, but I think I do now. As expected, Mako delivers another crazy speech, but this one is not just humorous – it’s also a little saddening. It was always in the back of my mind that she probably never had any real friends before Ryuuko, but the way she actually comes out and says it here is pretty heavy and took me off-guard. Maybe I’m just a sentimental bastard, I don’t know.
Friendship often seems to be a major theme in anime these days – overblown buddy-buddy speeches empower the shounen hero to defeat villains, and you’ll probably get stuck in a murder-filled time loop if you can’t trust your pals – so it’s no surprise to see it used to this extent in Kill la Kill. As a whole, I consider this series similar to something like Hot Fuzz in concept (if not writing). It makes fun of other action anime, but it does so lovingly. It’s filled with scenes of parody, but also of homage. KLK never states or implies that the anime tropes it incorporates are bad, it just points out how silly they are, and then continues on to use them in more exciting ways than a standard boilerplate TV show would. This is comparable to how Hot Fuzz, despite being a comedy at heart, is also a better action and slasher film than the majority of its contemporaries.
Everyone else is using this picture, so I thought I would too.
A lot of people like to dog on Nakashima’s writing for not being particularly deep or layered, but I think he’s actually a very talented screenwriter when it comes down to it. Within a span of just five episodes, I’ve already grown to care about the central characters despite their archetypical ways and lack of backstory. They all speak with their own distinct voices, and many scenes feature little nods that constitute subtle character building. The dialogue never meanders for too long, exposition is delivered naturally, and the pacing (while perhaps too quick for some) is pitch perfect. Now, I’m not saying he’s up there with the best of the best, but Nakashima clearly knows his craft well. He has the intricacies down and deftly avoids fat. Because of this, I think his script composition is infinitely superior to that of many other anime writers, even if his stories aren’t that complex or meaningful.
I’m glad Trigger has humorously managed to sidestep the villain-of-the-week concept thus far. I mean, I have no problem with that kind of show, but I love how Kill la Kill continues to completely defy my expectations week after week. This installment sees the introduction of a new character, Tsumugu Kinagase, a guerrilla manly enough to have the same voice actor as Kamina. His fight with the gardening club at the beginning of the episode sports some top notch animation, and his theme tune(?) is appropriately badass. I must say I was a bit disappointed by how easily he was able to defeat Ryuuko, but their fight was fantastic and ended with some nice character/plot development, so I’ll let it slide. Plus, I’m sure if they ever do battle again, she’ll be able to take him down. We get some legitimate world-building this time around as well. Aikurou continues to be mysterious as hell, but this time we found out who he works for. And let me just say that “Nudist Beach” is by far the greatest name you could ever give a guerrilla organization.
Once again, the direction is extremely well-done. This episode’s presentation is a lot more subdued than usual, though of course “subdued” for KLK can probably be interpreted as “batshit insane” in reference to almost any other TV series. I loved the cool usage of color in the scenes with Aikurou and Tsumugu, and the big battle in the middle of the episode was a lot more artistic than I’d come to expect. This tonal shift from the previous installment is jarring in a good way, proving that Kill la Kill is capable of tackling multiple genres and styles without losing steam. The eclectic talent of Trigger’s staff has been showcased very well by this series so far, and I can’t wait to see where they take the story next. Apparently pre-orders in Japan are quite high, so I’m glad to see their effort is paying off.
Episode 6 is already out as of this posting, so I think it’s time I go watch it! See ya in a few.