What They Say:
The Tri-City Schools Raid Trip has commenced! The three-pronged attack on the Kansai region is off to an interesting start, with some unusual defenses to overcome. But what part will Ryuko be able to play, with Senketsu in the hands of the enemy?
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
Okay, so this episode of Kill la Kill is pretty insane. And yes, I know that that can be said for nearly every episode, and in many ways this one doesn’t touch them. But it’s not insane in jaw-dropping plot developments or anything like that; it’s a simple enough story with the presentation ramped up to such a level of constant absurdity that there are few frames you could take from it and say there was any logical thought being applied.
That’s not to say any of that is a bad thing, of course, because that’s always been one of the appeals of Kill la Kill, and Imaishi’s work in general. This one feels perhaps a bit more like Panty & Stocking than Gurren Lagann for the most part, and for those who have seen the end of the former, Ryuko’s mission for this episode may feel like an amusing callback.
Speaking of references of different sorts, though, I have to point out the explicit Pokémon reference that arises when Mako enters the picture. I’ve joked about the Elite Four matching the Pokémon group of the same name, and indeed they have the same name in Japanese as well, but it’s a very common Japanese term that could be translated any number of other ways. This time, though, I can’t imagine the reference would be relevant to anything else. And that’s hardly the extent of Mako’s contribution to the episode. The absurdity is fun, sure, but it gets old after seeing essentially the same (not entirely original) plot unfold throughout four different scenes, following each member of the Elite Four, and even including the same developments that take it into later acts of the episode. Mako is the one shining bit of unexpectedness in all of this, and it’s a beautiful thing. The music that’s always used for her scenes is a bit strange, but it works for her, and the music in other parts of the episode, whether those scenes may be repetitive or not, more than makes up for any gripes I might have in that regard. Actually, if I had to pick out something I particularly liked about all the nonsense Elite Four battles, it would be Nonon’s continued use of classical music as a weapon. She’s an annoying character for the most part, but that aspect is really enjoyable to watch play out.
Of course, there’s a plot-based reason for all of this, and Ryuko’s mission is definitely a climactic part of each miniature squabble. I’m torn between wondering if the episode accomplishes too little or rushes it too much; none of feels particularly weighty in the end. Ryuko’s entrances are epic, sure, and it sets up a potential rematch between what was the main pair of enemies at least for the first half of the series, but for this episode in particular, it really feels like an in-between to connect more interesting ideas. This isn’t exactly what I wanted to see, but it definitely has its style down, so I can’t hate it.
In Summary:
There’s plenty of Imaishi absurdity to behold here, so if that’s what you signed up for, you’re in luck. I felt a little underwhelmed in terms of just about anything else, but I can’t deny that the presentation had a lot of merit, and the show definitely sticks to its guns and offers an experience unlike anything else you’ll be watching these days.
Grade: B
Streamed By: Crunchyroll
Review Equipment:
Toshiba Satellite L655-S5191 PSK2CU-1C301U Notebook PC.
