Kill la Kill has received a brand new Blu-Ray re-release that came just in time for the Christmas/New Year holiday courtesy of Aniplex of America. In this anime original project Ryuko Matoi is searching for the person who killed her father; a former scientist known for creating powerful clothing fibers. Her research leads her to the famous school Honnouji Academy where its student council president Satsuki Kiryuin may have information on the mysterious events surrounding her father’s death. 

Kill la Kill is a 2013 ecchi, seinen anime series. It is produced by Studio Trigger and licensed by Aniplex of America. It is currently available in it’s entirety on Blu-Ray and DVD in English and Japanese audio.

Editor’s Note: This review contains near complete to complete spoilers for Kill la Kill. 

In the world of anime and manga an anime adaptation with a source from the latter to back its story is usually how the two industries operate. However, in recent years a somewhat new line of “anime original” projects containing their own self-contained stories have begun to rise in prominence. Once such series from this genre was Kill la Kill, an entirely anime exclusive production (which would later be adapted into a manga) by beloved studio Trigger. If we agree that Cowboy Bebop kicked off the anime originals genre, then I don’t think it’s very far off to say that Kill la Kill is one of the series that helped make these projects popular enough to rival adapted anime. The series was remembered for its cooky characters, LGBT themes, action sequences, and of course the ecchi.

THE GOOD: In Kill la Kill transfer student Ryuko Matoi is searching for the person or people responsible for her father’s murder. This leads her to Honnouji Academy where she befriends Mako Mankanshoko and learns that student council president Satsuki Kiryuin has some sort of connection to Ryuko’s father. Thinking she may have been involved with his death Ryuko challenges Satsuki to a fight which is accepted, but by her subordinate Takaharu Fukuroda who uses a boxing-like Goku Uniform (magical transforming clothing). Ryuko pulls out a unique scissor shaped blade as her battle with Takaharu begins. She’s easily defeated and retreats to her hometown where she finds an advanced Goku Uniform known as a Kamui modeled after a female sailor’s uniform left behind by her father that forces itself on her and is able to communicate with her which she later names Senketsu. She re-challenges Takaharu to a fight and is able to easily overcome him, destroying his Goku Uniform in the process. After questioning Satsuki over the owner of the second half of her scissor blade she flees, fatigued from her earlier battle and holds up at the Mankanshoko family home. Ryuko continues to battle against Satsuki’s allies while increasing her own strength and Senketsu’s intelligence & strength. She learns that her former homeroom teacher Aikuro Mikisugi is a member of a group of resistance fighters known as Nudist Beach who plan to go to war with the Kiryuin family. Aikuro aides Ryuko with helpful information and some upgrades to Senketsu to defeat Satsuki’s forces as she works her way to the top of the chain. Meanwhile, a frustrated Satsuki takes a forbidden Kamui her family locked away long ago known as Junketsu and uses it to face Ryuko whom she overpowers nearly immediately.

A series of events that strengthens Mako and Ryuko’s friendship, while simultaneously increasing Satsuki’s frustration with the latter culminates with Mako and Ryuko fighting after Mako is rewarded a Two Star Goku Uniform to persuade her into stopping Ryuko after the two created a fight club for better uniforms which quickly gained popularity aiding the Mankanshoko family financially after previously living in poverty. Mako eventually comes to her senses and Ryuko defeats Satsuki’s Elite Four one by one while unlocking powerful forms for Senketsu known as Senjin, Shippu, Senjin Shippu (a combination of the previous), Mubyoshi, and finally Kisaragi. It turns out Life Fibers are alien life forms that created the Kamui & Goku Uniforms and had an influence on human evolution and the instinct to wear clothing. Ragyo, Satsuki’s mother has some sort of control over life fibers and plans to use them for world domination. A humanoid being known as Nui Harime introduces herself and is revealed to not only be the owner of the other half of Ryuko’s scissor blade, but also the murderer of her father who had previously faked his death to keep Ryuko from her mother. This turns out to be Ragyo, making Ryuko and Satsuki birth sisters. Ragyo had been using life fiber experiments on the duo as children and after the experiments seemingly failed on Ryuko, Ragyo got rid of her. After being defeated by Nui earlier, Ryuko struggles to come to terms with wearing Senketsu again once he’s revived but the gravity of the situation, including Satsuki betraying Ragyo (which was Honnouji Academy’s reason for existing) she reclaims him and joins the fight. Ragyo takes Junketsu from Satsuki and forces it on Ryuko who has her memories rewritten and joins Ragyo & Nui. After fighting Satsuki who wears Senketsu she breaks free from Junketsu with help from Mako and the others.

Ryuko fights Nui again and cuts off her arms. After battling Ragyo and learning of her regenerative abilities regroup. Ragyo puts on her own Kamui and faces Ryuko & Satsuki in the final battle in space as Mako, the Elite Four, Naked Beach and Honnouji Academy students fight Ragyo’s forces on Earth. Realizing that Senketsu is immune to Ragyo’s Kamui’s unique powers Ryuko & Satsuki are able to defeat her, however Nui combines with the Primordial Life Fiber & Ragyo giving the latter a huge power boost and allowing her to launch a satellite which begins to cover the Earth in a life fibers like cocoon. Ryuko combines Senketsu with the other life fibers on Earth and transforms which allows her to defeat & kill Ragyo as well as destroy the life fibers. Senketsu uses the last of his strength to return Ryuko to Earth and she lives happily with Satsuki, Mako, and their friends. Two weeks after the battle with Ragyo, her former assistant Rei attempts to get revenge and she battles Ryuko (who has a transformed scissor blade) and the Elite Four after capturing Mako and Satsuki. Ryuko eventually convinces Rei to let go and she concedes as their battle causes Honnouji Academy to sink into the sea. Kill la Kill is full of character development, action, great music, and a fun story that like most Trigger products borders on the ridiculous, but never gets too crazy that you can’t follow everything going on. Yes there’s a ton of ecchi and fan service, but it never takes away from anything else that makes the series an enjoyable ride from start to finish.

THE BAD: The ecchi is very strong in this one, if you’re not a fan it might turn you off everything else…no pun intended.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: Kill la Kill is one of Trigger’s many original animation projects and may easily be it’s best. Funny, charming, and bloated with non-stop joy there’s not many reasons to start watching at some point down the line if you haven’t already. Otaku Dome gives Kill la Kill an 85 out of 100.