This show is so bizarre I can't even begin to describe it. Its about 90% action that is edited so spastically its a wonder it ends up being so easy to follow. The characters and story are all over the place, but manage to be consistent and interesting. While this is definitely not a show for everyone, I would highly recommend it.
53 Reviews
A visual extravaganza
mir-tamoor8 February 2014
This show is not for the uninitiated. It is a show for people well versed in anime as a lot of the fun lies in understanding the moments of parody. The whole parodies conventions of anime especially fan service. The show only tries to do one thing and that is to create one epic fight scene after another and in this regard it is unmatched in any anime since maybe Dragonball Z only unlike DBZ the fight scenes take 10 minutes not 10 episodes to end. In spite of being a pretty light hearted show it manages to create some really well rounded characters with understandable motivations and an underlying symbolism related to female sexuality but none of that should distract you from the absolute joyride of an anime
Excessive and thus really fun
szechuane12 July 2014
Fair enough, it should be first noted that a series that takes absolute liberties with mocking stereotypes and clichés will go a little overboard; Transformation-scenes go to lengths to display more-than-almost nudity at times, half a lake worth of blood is collectively spilled in only 24 episodes and any object might just explode (Most of them do).
Then again, that's the whole point. More than being a simple parody however, KlK does sport a decent story line complete with plot twists, decent character development (albeit absurd, of course) and a well-matched soundtrack. You'll love KlK, if the absurdist nature is your thing and you're not quickly offended by over-the-top anime clichés.
Then again, that's the whole point. More than being a simple parody however, KlK does sport a decent story line complete with plot twists, decent character development (albeit absurd, of course) and a well-matched soundtrack. You'll love KlK, if the absurdist nature is your thing and you're not quickly offended by over-the-top anime clichés.
Adoringly Insane
Rnorris2226 January 2014
Straight off the bat, I'll admit that I'm not that much of an avid anime watcher. I adore Attack on Titan (and RWBY, but I'm not sure if that counts as "real" anime) but overall, I usually stay away from anime television shows. But Kill La Kill, my God, that sure caught my eye. Many believe that the story of Kill La Kill isn't the strongest, whereas I believe that it is one of its better areas. Looking back, I can't say I recollect any similar synopses compared to other shows. (IMDB states that 1985's 'Sukeban Deka' was an influence to the creators, but I have never heard of this series before, and it ended in 1982, leaving a void to fill) Kill La Kill has certainly filled this gap.
The first episodes very quickly set the precedent and foundations of the story, while remaining entertaining. Ryuko and her lovable though overly-obsessive friend Mako lead us on a very enjoyable ride through Honnouji Academy, where Ryuko aims to discover the identity of her father's killer.
Overall, a very absorbing, riveting story, combined with relatable and lovable characters and simple yet sharp animation creates a perfect mould for an extremely fascinating TV show. With the series looking to be running into late March/early April 2014, there is still plenty of time to start from the beginning to catch the end before the season draws to a close.
If you can look past the possible over-sexualisations and spontaneity, I thoroughly recommend this anime, even for those not necessarily of the anime persuasion.
The first episodes very quickly set the precedent and foundations of the story, while remaining entertaining. Ryuko and her lovable though overly-obsessive friend Mako lead us on a very enjoyable ride through Honnouji Academy, where Ryuko aims to discover the identity of her father's killer.
Overall, a very absorbing, riveting story, combined with relatable and lovable characters and simple yet sharp animation creates a perfect mould for an extremely fascinating TV show. With the series looking to be running into late March/early April 2014, there is still plenty of time to start from the beginning to catch the end before the season draws to a close.
If you can look past the possible over-sexualisations and spontaneity, I thoroughly recommend this anime, even for those not necessarily of the anime persuasion.
Pure fun!
MarkyMarkus8 May 2014
Being a fan of TTGL, this was a must watch for me. While it never quite reached the heights of TTGL, I can't hold it against Kill la Kill. It's a fan, action packed thrill ride that's a must see for any anime fan. It's pure unadulterated fun. The show is about a teenage girl who is looking for the murderer of her father and ends up at an academy run by a fascist student council. Students at the school, depending on their rank and club, have uniforms that grant them superhuman abilities. The the gist of it. The series has very likable characters and solid humor, though Mako can get slightly annoying at times. The animation is solid and the music is memorable. Overall the presentation is good. Some people are put off this series because of the fanservice, but trust me, it's not bad. I mean, it's not in your face, borderline erotica. It feels self aware and in on how skimpy everyone's (guys included) outfits can get. All in all, it's one of the best anime of 2013- 2014.
Over the top and crazy anime
Tweekums30 March 2014
Warning: Spoilers
This series follows protagonist Ryuko Matoi as she joins the Honnouji Academy; a school dominated by head of the student council Satsuki Kiryuin; she rules with the help of the 'Elite Four'. They maintain discipline with an iron fist and transgressors are severely punished or even executed! Their influence isn't limited to the school; where a family lives is dependent on their child's status in the school. The senior pupils are able to dominate the others because of the 'life fibres' woven into their clothing; these give the wearers amazing powers. Ryuko however has her own special uniform; it is sentient and made entirely of Life Fibres; using this she plans to take on the ruling elite and ultimately discover who is responsible for the death of her father.
This series is over the top crazy that is the whole point of it! The fighting takes up most of the run time; amazingly each fight seems to be bigger than the last until ultimately it is a battle to save all of humanity! These fights are largely played for laughs although it is clear that the characters could get hurt and sometimes do. As the series progresses the plot advances nicely and there are some nice twists along the way. The costumes are fairly skimpy but the animation style means it is mocking fan service rather than pandering to it. This style is quite different to most anime; backgrounds are imaginative but less detailed and the movement is more frenetic than most series; this gives the show a western feel similar to that used in 'Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt'. As this seems to be one of the most talked about series of the moment and plenty of people are raving about it I'd definitely recommend checking it out even though I found it a bit too much at times.
These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.
This series is over the top crazy that is the whole point of it! The fighting takes up most of the run time; amazingly each fight seems to be bigger than the last until ultimately it is a battle to save all of humanity! These fights are largely played for laughs although it is clear that the characters could get hurt and sometimes do. As the series progresses the plot advances nicely and there are some nice twists along the way. The costumes are fairly skimpy but the animation style means it is mocking fan service rather than pandering to it. This style is quite different to most anime; backgrounds are imaginative but less detailed and the movement is more frenetic than most series; this gives the show a western feel similar to that used in 'Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt'. As this seems to be one of the most talked about series of the moment and plenty of people are raving about it I'd definitely recommend checking it out even though I found it a bit too much at times.
These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.
Quite nice
stevecof6 November 2013
If you happen to like anime like Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagan or FLCL, this looks like another show for you. Quick pacing, weird(and nice) shonen parody humor and everything seems to be way over the top. Five episodes in, I am already enjoying the story, although you can clearly tell that the focus is not there.
The main selling point of this show is mostly it's animation, which, as usual with TV shows it gets a bit worse after the first episode. But it still very solid. You will find yourself pausing many times just to see clearly a chaotic shot up close. All in all, i recommend Kill La Kill, especially for fans of quick paced, weird anime like the ones i mentioned before.
The main selling point of this show is mostly it's animation, which, as usual with TV shows it gets a bit worse after the first episode. But it still very solid. You will find yourself pausing many times just to see clearly a chaotic shot up close. All in all, i recommend Kill La Kill, especially for fans of quick paced, weird anime like the ones i mentioned before.
Really stupid and really good
sweetcommando31 October 2013
This is that sort of anime that can be serious at times but shouldn't be taken seriously by the audience. Right from the first episode the show loads you with expedition and gets right into the action.
The animations is somewhat rough but impressive although some 3D models of backgrounds look bland but it shouldn't put off the viewer considering that fact that its not the reason they are watching this. The action sequences are the highlights though, they are super stylized and insane to watch.
Considering I only checked this anime out because its made by the same guys who made gurren lagann, i had really high hopes for it. But the thing is that this is not gurren lagann. its different. It doesn't take itself seriously and its more of a parody of every single anime in existence however it still manages to maintain an original story.
All in all, this type of anime is rare. Its silly and surprisingly good. Not to mention the generous amounts of fan service that the creators crammed into every scene.
Also the main character, Ryuko is totally bad ass although really cliché. But for an anime thats full of (good) clichés, its fun to watch.
The animations is somewhat rough but impressive although some 3D models of backgrounds look bland but it shouldn't put off the viewer considering that fact that its not the reason they are watching this. The action sequences are the highlights though, they are super stylized and insane to watch.
Considering I only checked this anime out because its made by the same guys who made gurren lagann, i had really high hopes for it. But the thing is that this is not gurren lagann. its different. It doesn't take itself seriously and its more of a parody of every single anime in existence however it still manages to maintain an original story.
All in all, this type of anime is rare. Its silly and surprisingly good. Not to mention the generous amounts of fan service that the creators crammed into every scene.
Also the main character, Ryuko is totally bad ass although really cliché. But for an anime thats full of (good) clichés, its fun to watch.
One of the most creative and delightfully insane anime I've ever seen
EarlGenesis26 April 2020
This anime is what got me into Trigger. I have never seen another animation studio take such full utilization of a limited budget and provide people with an experience that you can truly call unique. From beginning to end, nonstop, this anime is loud, wacky, wild, eccentric, and just downright insane, laced top to bottom with over-the-top fanservice, genuinely creative animation, and a ridiculous premise... yet that is what I love so much about this anime. This is purely unhinged entertainment at its finest.
Funny, fast paced, tons of action. Perfect mindless anime.
Kdosda_Hegen30 May 2020
I loved it. The first two episodes were quite boring, but with each episode it revealed it's true colours. The humor is great, though it has way too much perverted jokes. The plot is becomes way more complex as it goes on. The characters are memorable. There are a lot of action and overall the whole series were very fast paced. If you want something heartwarming and mindless fun to pass time, this is definitely to watch.
Kill la Kill vs Fan Service
paz090514 July 2020
Kill la Kill, turns it up to 12
matthew-reed-bailey24 January 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann turned it up to 11; Kill la Kill takes things "one louder" (to quote Nigel Tufnel).
It is everything one could expect from the team who brought us Gurren Lagann. It presents a show about the bonds of friendship, and pursuing one's goals to the very end, against any and all odds.
Ryuko Matoi brings us a synthesis of Kamina and Simon, with Mako Mankanshoku as her companion (not quite Simon, but with many of his characteristics as a youth), as Ryuko faces off against Kiriyuin Satsuke and her assembled team of Super High School Student Council Members.
And there are very complex character interactions, as is common for Imaishi and Nakashima. The interplay between Ima Gamagoori and Mako Mankanshoku is an endearing and compelling interplay between the two.
The action is even faster and more chaotic than in Gurren Laggan, with some darker themes as well.
And, like Gurren Laggan, there are common jokes that run throughout the series, such as Mako's frenetic exposition during times of moral outrage at the wrongs of the world and people's behavior.
Invest the time in this show. Watch it more than once. The things you pick up on the second viewing will be worth it.
It is everything one could expect from the team who brought us Gurren Lagann. It presents a show about the bonds of friendship, and pursuing one's goals to the very end, against any and all odds.
Ryuko Matoi brings us a synthesis of Kamina and Simon, with Mako Mankanshoku as her companion (not quite Simon, but with many of his characteristics as a youth), as Ryuko faces off against Kiriyuin Satsuke and her assembled team of Super High School Student Council Members.
And there are very complex character interactions, as is common for Imaishi and Nakashima. The interplay between Ima Gamagoori and Mako Mankanshoku is an endearing and compelling interplay between the two.
The action is even faster and more chaotic than in Gurren Laggan, with some darker themes as well.
And, like Gurren Laggan, there are common jokes that run throughout the series, such as Mako's frenetic exposition during times of moral outrage at the wrongs of the world and people's behavior.
Invest the time in this show. Watch it more than once. The things you pick up on the second viewing will be worth it.
Kill La Kill is what you used to think Anime was.
EddyTheMartian0075 July 2019
I'm not going to go into any specifics because everything you need to know about it should be here.
This is what I thought anime would be before I got into it. It oozes with style and smooth clean animation. It's very violent, gory, grotesque, disgusting, weird, while still remaining stylish and clean. It has a lot of lewd elements, with the very revealing clothing of characters. It's full of energy, with its pompous characters, which frankly I found to be more annoying than anything.
This is just the most over the top Anime I've yet to watch, and to be honestly, I'm not a massive fan of it. I appreciate what it is, and it's somewhat enjoyable. I can praise its style, and while I usually like these fresh and stylish types of show, it just isn't my cup of tea.
If you like what you see, then definitely give it a shot, but if this isn't your type of show, then I can't recommend it.
This is what I thought anime would be before I got into it. It oozes with style and smooth clean animation. It's very violent, gory, grotesque, disgusting, weird, while still remaining stylish and clean. It has a lot of lewd elements, with the very revealing clothing of characters. It's full of energy, with its pompous characters, which frankly I found to be more annoying than anything.
This is just the most over the top Anime I've yet to watch, and to be honestly, I'm not a massive fan of it. I appreciate what it is, and it's somewhat enjoyable. I can praise its style, and while I usually like these fresh and stylish types of show, it just isn't my cup of tea.
If you like what you see, then definitely give it a shot, but if this isn't your type of show, then I can't recommend it.
oddly entertaining
zshah201026 October 2014
upon the suggestion of a good friend, I decided this might be a good anime to watch, and he wasn't wrong. The immense creativity in this anime far surpasses what I usually expect from an animated product. its a story about a girl named Ryuko Matoi who is on a journey to find her fathers killer, armed with only half of his scissorblade. unfortunately, at the school she decides t loom in, the entire student body wears immensely powering clothes called goku uniforms. After being defeated easily, she stumbles upon a very reveling but empowering living unifrom named senketsu, and with its help and the support of an odd girl named mako, she must find out the truth about her fathers murder. just the synopsis is so ridiculous that only japan could try their hand on it.
this anime is so over-the-top, quickly paced, and well animated that it owns a place in my heart.
this anime is so over-the-top, quickly paced, and well animated that it owns a place in my heart.
Best anime I have seen.
josealderat29 April 2015
I'm new to anime and this show happened to be the first I've watched but damnnnnnnnnnnnnn I fell in love with this anime, I was sooooo hooked with the show and allllll characters. I would watch one episode and before I knew it I've watched ten lol. Since then I've watched other popular anime but it was not as good as kill la kill, I was no where as hooked as I was with kill la kill and would recommend this anime to everyone. There where times when i'm watching show and thinking if this person dies or something im gonna cry xD. At times the show can get pretty serious but the show has so much comic relief I forget I'm watching this huge battle . The subtle things each did and said pretty much had me rolling on the floor laughing.
One of the best shows I've seen.
thomasmeta9814 June 2015
How on earth can I describe how absolutely amazing this show was? I watched it with the intention of passing time, knowing only that it was short and expecting not to care for it. Hec, I didn't even want to like it. But one episode in and I was laughing my head off (and that doesn't happen often) and by the second or third I was in love.And I never wanted it to end. For a idea that makes little to no sense most of the time it somehow manages to create a reasonable story that works perfectly. And the story wasn't overly predictable (Although I could call some of the plot points in advance, the shear amount of unexpected things that happened outnumber them spectacularly) and most importantly, the action was spectacular. There was not one thing about this show that frustrated me (aside from it's short length, but 25 amazing episodes is better than 200 meh ones).
Simply... I loved it!
Simply... I loved it!
Very Mixed Bag
zwjonas27 June 2021
I start with saying that this series is held back by its frequent fan service and borderline nudity at almost every pre-battle scene. Also the show has a high amount of excessive dramatization (as do many anime). Beyond these two weaknesses the show is really great. The lore and world-building the show does is fantastic. The characters are amazing minus Mancanchoke (she is too much). The animation is takes a cool classic approach and turns out fine. The storyline, plot, twists, and villians are just great. The nude beach team or whatever could play a smaller role and i'd be happy. Please stop constantly showing middle school girls in miniscule clothing and this could be one of the greatest one season animes ever (though some already consider it one).
Gleefully over-the-top and absolutely enjoyable!
joey_corner2 December 2018
Kill-La-Kill might be my favorite anime! It's over-the-top, hilarious, action-packed and has amazing animation. The characters are memorable and lovable. Ryuko and Mako's friendship is absolutely adorable and I love seeing them together!
Definitely a must-watch for anyone who loves something extremely over-the-top.
Mindless and sometimes fun
Nonomemes23 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The series is made of 2 part: in the first one Ryuko enter in the accademy aiming to revenge his father samurai style, in the second the war starts, violence level is greatly increased but the story get also more interesting.
What is good? For sure the animation: Thanks Trigger.
Another pro are Ryuko and Satsuki transformation (and yes sorry for proctors but there is a reason why they have to dress like that, it is clearly explained in the second part): however this send my memory back to 70's style mecha series where the best part was the super-mecha transformation scene, so.... maybe not a really a masterpiece... .
But this is the only justified fan service, with regards to rest I think the target audience is not correct as the story is pretty straightforward / for young while many other parts like violence, level of some discussions, etc.. are not.
The best character is Mako, unfortunately she is also the most affected by one of the negative sides of the series, the speech speed: Fine if you have dubbed but if you have to read subtitles it is annoying, especially for her who is the fastest speaker.
Another negative is Aikuro: he act like a perv in the first part while in the second part whatever he says is obscured by his own fan service, he is the reason why I would not reccomend this series for minors (see first bad discussions with Ryuko).
What is good? For sure the animation: Thanks Trigger.
Another pro are Ryuko and Satsuki transformation (and yes sorry for proctors but there is a reason why they have to dress like that, it is clearly explained in the second part): however this send my memory back to 70's style mecha series where the best part was the super-mecha transformation scene, so.... maybe not a really a masterpiece... .
But this is the only justified fan service, with regards to rest I think the target audience is not correct as the story is pretty straightforward / for young while many other parts like violence, level of some discussions, etc.. are not.
The best character is Mako, unfortunately she is also the most affected by one of the negative sides of the series, the speech speed: Fine if you have dubbed but if you have to read subtitles it is annoying, especially for her who is the fastest speaker.
Another negative is Aikuro: he act like a perv in the first part while in the second part whatever he says is obscured by his own fan service, he is the reason why I would not reccomend this series for minors (see first bad discussions with Ryuko).
Extremely entertaining (WATCH IT)
calebglenlyons10 April 2019
Super over the top which sounds like a bad thing but trust me it's not. It was very entertaining and fun to watch. It was funny, raunchy, weird, sad, badass and just about every other descriptive word with "very" before it.
With all the blinding raunchiness and action it could be easy to miss some things. For example, the character building (which I thought was excellent for a show Like this).
Another big plus is the unique art style awesome sound track.
Another big plus is the unique art style awesome sound track.
A visual delight. That's all there is to it.
abhijeetjeetubest19 March 2021
The writing and plot is really bad. It's stupid, Non sensical, inconsistent, yet at the same time it could be so fun to watch. I wouldn't recommend this anime to younger audience. If you have nothing better to do, yes go for it. It's a nice show to run in background while you do other stuff.
"Hello. My name is Ryuko Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."
tamsin-parker-262-53892519 January 2020
'Kill la Kill' is a riveting revenge story with plenty of plot twists, action scenes, drama scenes and everything else to keep the viewer interested. Ryuko is a compelling character (hence the 'Princess Bride' reference in the review title), the visuals are stunning, although I have a problem with a particular sort of "lampshading" (commenting on sexualization of women and girls while also perpetuating it). Still, Japan is trying to fix that. Hopefully.
Really silly and over the top but seriously awesome
williambendavis-933-2189584 January 2015
From the minds who brought you the absolute absurdity of Gurren Lagann comes Kill La Kill, a show where an extremely attractive, essentially naked teenager beats the crap out of people with half of a giant scissor with the help of a talking sailor uniform. Sounds freaking amazing! Is it? For the most part, yeah. I'd actually say this is much better than Gurren Lagann, as this show is more consistent in terms of quality. Not saying Gurren Lagann was bad, but it took me a while to get into. From episode one to episode twenty four of Kill La Kill (except episode 7), I found it awesome. The story is very unoriginal and kind of follows Gurren Lagann's plot structure now that I think about it, but that isn't the point of this show. It wants to slam you over the head with beautifully animated, epic fight scenes while doling out plenty of fan service. And it does that perfectly. I like all these characters. Ryuko Matoi, Satsuki Kiryuin, and the Elite Four are entertaining thanks to their awesomeness in battle,and Mako Mankanshoku and her family bring some truly hilarious comic relief to the table. It isn't without problems though. Episode seven is bad. I won't spoil it, but trust me, it's no good. That, and I didn't like one thing about the ending. Again, won't spoil it, but you'll know it when you see it. Those two very minor things are nowhere close enough for me to advise against watching this, however, so go watch it! You will not be disappointed.
See also
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