Kill la Kill
Media Type:
Japanese Animation Television Show
Genre:
action
comedy
drama
"magical girl"
Directors:
Hiroyuki Imaishi
Akira Amemiya
Alex Von David
Writers:
Kazuki Nakashima
Alex Von David
Hiroshi Seko
Hiromi Wakabayashi
Music:
Hiroyuki Sawano
Studio:
Trigger
Years Running/Released:
First Season: October 2013 - March 2014
Taste Amount:
3 Episodes
S1Ep1: "If Only I Had Thorns Like A Thistle..."
S1Ep2: "So Sexy, I'm Going to Faint"
S1Ep3: "Junketsu"
~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~
Experience:
My experiences with anime have been few and far between. In the past year or so, I have made it a point to watch more in order to explore the world better. The explosion of interest in Japanese animation shows -- better known by their shorter moniker "anime" -- in Western culture hasn't gone unnoticed in my eye. And with more of my friends urging me to explore the newer anime shows that are coming out, I might as well try it.
I only had one problem: I didn't know where to start.
After looking around online, I was given the username and password for a shared Crunchyroll -- one of the premiere sites for streaming anime online -- account owned by a couple of my friends. Along with the login credentials, I was given a "short" list of animes to watch. I decided to work my way down the list, starting with the first show on the list: Trigger Studio's Kill la Kill.
Now, I had heard about the show previously on the convention floor from fans. Yet, I never got around to watching it. It has been received well by Western audiences for its well choreographed fight scenes, enthralling characters, and ridiculous humor. It seemed to have everything that I wanted and more. And with the sheer amount of fan it has collected, I naturally assumed it would be something right up my alley. Right?
Oh boy, I couldn't be more wrong.
To give you a general, spoiler-free overview: the main protagonist of the show is Ryuko Matoi, a teen girl who is 'tough as nails' with a really bad attitude problem. The show follows her adventures -- complete with overdramatic characters and ridiculous fight scenes -- through the prestigious Honnouji Academy as she journeys to find the truth about her father's death.
The narrative, I have to admit, isn't something to boast about. It harkens back to the traditional "Hero's Journey" storyline that I have seen in many television shows before. Yet, the writers of Kill la Kill have truly worked hard to make this journey as entertaining, personal, emotional, and action-packed as possible.
The series opens on a standard high school history lecture in the first episode "If Only I Had Thorns Like A Thistle...". It's quiet and, strangely, normal...at least for thirty seconds. The action then bursts in -- quite literally -- to the narrative. And it doesn't let up at all. Screaming, over-exaggerated expressions, and fast-paced fight scenes take up a majority of the episode. It felt as though I was watching a marathon of fight and action scenes from cheesy 90's action movies. I remember constantly asking myself "what the hell am I watching?" However, there is some appeal to the non-stop action. I admit I was never bored. There was always something to catch my eye and keep me entertained. And the fight scenes, albeit cliché and overdone, were well-choreographed and animated.
Speaking on the animation, it's without a doubt my favorite part of the show. Being an artist, I respect any animated show. I know the time and care it takes to craft every line of an expression; every small detail of the scenery. It's a laborious process, but this show doesn't disappoint. I adored the art style and how it worked for the narrative genre. It was gritty and dirty. The contrast between Honnouji Academy and the ghetto beneath was stark, but it worked. The old-school style titles in bold red font called back to a nostalgic era of martial arts films. It was a fantastic mix of old-school inspiration and modern art style.
To be honest, the whole show was interesting and captivating in some way. I was never bored while watching and the humor often stuck it's mark. Overall, there were many things about the show that I greatly enjoyed.
But, there is always a catch. These catches keep the balance of the show in check, making sure that there is some bad weaved into the plethora of good. Now, most of the time I'm able to forgive the bad. Just like every fan, I know none of my favorite shows are perfect, making it instinct to take the good with the bad. But the catches in Kill la Kill were too big for me to forgive.
Catch #1: That is NOT clothing!
Anyone who has searched the word "anime" online will be bombarded with images of scantily clad girls with unnaturally large bosoms. And if you haven't had the pleasure of doing this search, trust me when I say that it's better that I spoiled it for you.
Scanty outfits on female characters is a writing norm of anime that has been around for a good chunk of the genre's history. It has been the scantily clad butt of any joke about anime and the center of any critique on the subject. However, Kill la Kill has taken this trope to a whole new level. It even has the characters crying out in protest. And if you think I'm joking, there is a whole section of the second episode where Ryuko complains about the outfit choice. Then again, if I had to wear this to fight my battles in:
I would be complaining, too. Now, as I said, I haven't watched that much anime. My experience with anime includes a list of only seven animes - excluding Kill la Kill. And out of those seven, I've only completed two of them. In the grand scope of the culture and media, that's a microscopic amount. But, I don't need to be a hardcore fan to know that outfit...isn't much of an outfit. Even by anime's standards.
Fans of the show will clamber to defend the aesthetic choices of the characters' outfits. And, to be fair, their reasoning fits for the logic of the narrative. But, for me, that doesn't cut the mustard. I may not have much experience with anime, but I know enough for this to not sit right with me.
The fact is that this "outfit" exists solely to sexualize the character of Ryuko. Despite the fabric being 'magical' in it's properties, the outfit's basic construction offers no battle function. If you were to take away the magic in the fabric, Ryuko wouldn't stand a chance against any of the enemies that she battles against.
It also plays to the fantasy of the "Naughty Schoolgirl." This is the fetishized idea of school-aged girls in uniforms acting promiscuous and submissive. Along with the "Battle Form" of the outfit having hints of the typical sailor-style school uniform common in Japan, the "Street Form" version plays on the fetish quite a bit.
With the short skirt, crop top, and suspenders, let's just say that this outfit wouldn't pass inspection in any private institution. If that doesn't add to the ick factor, I don't know what will.
To top it off, the hyper-sexual look of the outfit is often joked about between the characters. I do admit I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized that the design wasn't taken too seriously by the creators. However, just because there are jokes about it, doesn't make it alright to simply write off.
Many people and fans of the show will say that I'm being overly sensitive and that I'm reading too much into the design. Maybe I am. Yet, from the small experience that I've had with anime, I have been able to forgive many things. I was able to forgive Sailor Moon's blundering, stereotypical, sexualized protagonist Usagi Tsukino. I was able to forgive the buxom, scantily clad pirate ladies of Eiichiro Oda's One Piece. Even so, I cannot forgive Kill la Kill.
If this were the only catch of Kill la Kill, I'm sure I could move past it. But, this catch is only the bottom of the totem pole.
Catch #2: Equal Opportunity Objectification is STILL Objectification
Gender equality and I are buddies. I have grown up breaking down gender barriers and questioning gender norms. In my mind and heart, everyone should be equal. That being said, my egalitarianism doesn't mean that I think it's okay to objectify anyone. Male. Female. Or anyone in between. No one deserves to be objectified for any reason.
So, you can imagine that the sheer amount of blatant objectification of the characters in Kill la Kill did not sit well with me. And the fact that it was written off as a humorous situation a majority of the time didn't help either.
This is another catch that will have fans running up to me saying that I'm being too sensitive. That it's not just girls being objectified, but guys, too. That I should take it as the farcical over-exaggeration that it's written to be.
Overly exaggerated or not, it still doesn't make it okay. In fact, it makes it worse. It's saying that objectifying anyone in any way is okay as long as it's a joke or meant to be funny. The show's narrative may not be saying that directly, but sometimes subtext can be just as dangerous as literal text.
Catch #3: Uncomfortable Levels Reaching Maximum, Captain
Let me just state this right now: this was the catch that did me in. This one right here.
During each episode, I could feel my comfort level slowly disintegrate. By the end of the third episode, I found myself huddled in a ball because I just didn't feel comfortable with what I was watching.
And, just to let you know, it wasn't the violence.
This catch did me in because it was the combination of the two previous catches. All of the objectification, humorous write-offs, and blatant hyper-sexualization cumulated into a wave of discomfort that I couldn't shake.
Every thinly veiled rape scenario. Every voyeurism reference. Every joke used to write-off a situation. It just simply built up until I felt unsafe being by myself in my own apartment.
After watching three episodes of Kill la Kill, I hastily shut it off. I made myself some tea and reflected on what I just watched. All the while, I wracked my head for the reason why I didn't like it. The art style was beautiful. The narrative was captivating. The characters were well fleshed out - no pun intended. So, why didn't I like it?
The best answer I can come up with is that it rubbed me the wrong way. There's just something about Kill la Kill that I can't get past, a wall blocking my way of enjoying it.
My experiences with anime have been few and far between. In the past year or so, I have made it a point to watch more in order to explore the world better. The explosion of interest in Japanese animation shows -- better known by their shorter moniker "anime" -- in Western culture hasn't gone unnoticed in my eye. And with more of my friends urging me to explore the newer anime shows that are coming out, I might as well try it.
I only had one problem: I didn't know where to start.
After looking around online, I was given the username and password for a shared Crunchyroll -- one of the premiere sites for streaming anime online -- account owned by a couple of my friends. Along with the login credentials, I was given a "short" list of animes to watch. I decided to work my way down the list, starting with the first show on the list: Trigger Studio's Kill la Kill.
Now, I had heard about the show previously on the convention floor from fans. Yet, I never got around to watching it. It has been received well by Western audiences for its well choreographed fight scenes, enthralling characters, and ridiculous humor. It seemed to have everything that I wanted and more. And with the sheer amount of fan it has collected, I naturally assumed it would be something right up my alley. Right?
Oh boy, I couldn't be more wrong.
To give you a general, spoiler-free overview: the main protagonist of the show is Ryuko Matoi, a teen girl who is 'tough as nails' with a really bad attitude problem. The show follows her adventures -- complete with overdramatic characters and ridiculous fight scenes -- through the prestigious Honnouji Academy as she journeys to find the truth about her father's death.
The narrative, I have to admit, isn't something to boast about. It harkens back to the traditional "Hero's Journey" storyline that I have seen in many television shows before. Yet, the writers of Kill la Kill have truly worked hard to make this journey as entertaining, personal, emotional, and action-packed as possible.
The series opens on a standard high school history lecture in the first episode "If Only I Had Thorns Like A Thistle...". It's quiet and, strangely, normal...at least for thirty seconds. The action then bursts in -- quite literally -- to the narrative. And it doesn't let up at all. Screaming, over-exaggerated expressions, and fast-paced fight scenes take up a majority of the episode. It felt as though I was watching a marathon of fight and action scenes from cheesy 90's action movies. I remember constantly asking myself "what the hell am I watching?" However, there is some appeal to the non-stop action. I admit I was never bored. There was always something to catch my eye and keep me entertained. And the fight scenes, albeit cliché and overdone, were well-choreographed and animated.
Speaking on the animation, it's without a doubt my favorite part of the show. Being an artist, I respect any animated show. I know the time and care it takes to craft every line of an expression; every small detail of the scenery. It's a laborious process, but this show doesn't disappoint. I adored the art style and how it worked for the narrative genre. It was gritty and dirty. The contrast between Honnouji Academy and the ghetto beneath was stark, but it worked. The old-school style titles in bold red font called back to a nostalgic era of martial arts films. It was a fantastic mix of old-school inspiration and modern art style.
To be honest, the whole show was interesting and captivating in some way. I was never bored while watching and the humor often stuck it's mark. Overall, there were many things about the show that I greatly enjoyed.
But, there is always a catch. These catches keep the balance of the show in check, making sure that there is some bad weaved into the plethora of good. Now, most of the time I'm able to forgive the bad. Just like every fan, I know none of my favorite shows are perfect, making it instinct to take the good with the bad. But the catches in Kill la Kill were too big for me to forgive.
Catch #1: That is NOT clothing!
Anyone who has searched the word "anime" online will be bombarded with images of scantily clad girls with unnaturally large bosoms. And if you haven't had the pleasure of doing this search, trust me when I say that it's better that I spoiled it for you.
Scanty outfits on female characters is a writing norm of anime that has been around for a good chunk of the genre's history. It has been the scantily clad butt of any joke about anime and the center of any critique on the subject. However, Kill la Kill has taken this trope to a whole new level. It even has the characters crying out in protest. And if you think I'm joking, there is a whole section of the second episode where Ryuko complains about the outfit choice. Then again, if I had to wear this to fight my battles in:
 |
| Img. Source |
I would be complaining, too. Now, as I said, I haven't watched that much anime. My experience with anime includes a list of only seven animes - excluding Kill la Kill. And out of those seven, I've only completed two of them. In the grand scope of the culture and media, that's a microscopic amount. But, I don't need to be a hardcore fan to know that outfit...isn't much of an outfit. Even by anime's standards.
Fans of the show will clamber to defend the aesthetic choices of the characters' outfits. And, to be fair, their reasoning fits for the logic of the narrative. But, for me, that doesn't cut the mustard. I may not have much experience with anime, but I know enough for this to not sit right with me.
The fact is that this "outfit" exists solely to sexualize the character of Ryuko. Despite the fabric being 'magical' in it's properties, the outfit's basic construction offers no battle function. If you were to take away the magic in the fabric, Ryuko wouldn't stand a chance against any of the enemies that she battles against.
It also plays to the fantasy of the "Naughty Schoolgirl." This is the fetishized idea of school-aged girls in uniforms acting promiscuous and submissive. Along with the "Battle Form" of the outfit having hints of the typical sailor-style school uniform common in Japan, the "Street Form" version plays on the fetish quite a bit.
 |
| Img. Source |
With the short skirt, crop top, and suspenders, let's just say that this outfit wouldn't pass inspection in any private institution. If that doesn't add to the ick factor, I don't know what will.
To top it off, the hyper-sexual look of the outfit is often joked about between the characters. I do admit I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized that the design wasn't taken too seriously by the creators. However, just because there are jokes about it, doesn't make it alright to simply write off.
Many people and fans of the show will say that I'm being overly sensitive and that I'm reading too much into the design. Maybe I am. Yet, from the small experience that I've had with anime, I have been able to forgive many things. I was able to forgive Sailor Moon's blundering, stereotypical, sexualized protagonist Usagi Tsukino. I was able to forgive the buxom, scantily clad pirate ladies of Eiichiro Oda's One Piece. Even so, I cannot forgive Kill la Kill.
If this were the only catch of Kill la Kill, I'm sure I could move past it. But, this catch is only the bottom of the totem pole.
Catch #2: Equal Opportunity Objectification is STILL Objectification
Gender equality and I are buddies. I have grown up breaking down gender barriers and questioning gender norms. In my mind and heart, everyone should be equal. That being said, my egalitarianism doesn't mean that I think it's okay to objectify anyone. Male. Female. Or anyone in between. No one deserves to be objectified for any reason.
So, you can imagine that the sheer amount of blatant objectification of the characters in Kill la Kill did not sit well with me. And the fact that it was written off as a humorous situation a majority of the time didn't help either.
This is another catch that will have fans running up to me saying that I'm being too sensitive. That it's not just girls being objectified, but guys, too. That I should take it as the farcical over-exaggeration that it's written to be.
Overly exaggerated or not, it still doesn't make it okay. In fact, it makes it worse. It's saying that objectifying anyone in any way is okay as long as it's a joke or meant to be funny. The show's narrative may not be saying that directly, but sometimes subtext can be just as dangerous as literal text.
Catch #3: Uncomfortable Levels Reaching Maximum, Captain
Let me just state this right now: this was the catch that did me in. This one right here.
During each episode, I could feel my comfort level slowly disintegrate. By the end of the third episode, I found myself huddled in a ball because I just didn't feel comfortable with what I was watching.
And, just to let you know, it wasn't the violence.
This catch did me in because it was the combination of the two previous catches. All of the objectification, humorous write-offs, and blatant hyper-sexualization cumulated into a wave of discomfort that I couldn't shake.
Every thinly veiled rape scenario. Every voyeurism reference. Every joke used to write-off a situation. It just simply built up until I felt unsafe being by myself in my own apartment.
After watching three episodes of Kill la Kill, I hastily shut it off. I made myself some tea and reflected on what I just watched. All the while, I wracked my head for the reason why I didn't like it. The art style was beautiful. The narrative was captivating. The characters were well fleshed out - no pun intended. So, why didn't I like it?
The best answer I can come up with is that it rubbed me the wrong way. There's just something about Kill la Kill that I can't get past, a wall blocking my way of enjoying it.
~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~
Rating:
3.5 out of 5
Additional Notes:
Normally, this type of experience wouldn't end with me returning to the show. I would be done with it the minute that I was done with the third episode. However, the show has only one season out. And I have been plagued by my friends -- who are fans of the show -- saying that the show's experience is stunted by only watching a few episodes. I would have to agree. The show has peaked my interest in a way that I can only describe as masochistically.
Final Words:
I will be finishing the first season of Kill la Kill and coming back to analyze it in a critical analysis.
Hi Undercover -
ReplyDeleteI can definitely appreciate the work you put into this post. Your research and insights are not going unnoticed. I would say that you're definitely speaking to a niche audience and getting readers to stay engaged with your content could be a challenge. I myself know next to nothing about anime, so it was a little difficult to complete reading the whole article.
Also - I'd suggest before you post to go through and make sure the styling matches up throughout the post. The paragraphs breaks are different from beginning to end.
Looking forward to learning more!
~Twin B
This was a nice long post, Undercover. You presented a lot of information as well. I like that you began conversationally saying that you didn't know much about anime before. This got me on your side right off the bat because I know nothing about this. So everything I'm going to learn about it is going to come from you.
ReplyDeleteIn this piece you go into detail about the anime. I would have cut out a few grafs of your intro and gotten right to your main point-- that these anime characters are objectifying women. I like your use of visuals in here because it gives us an example exactly what you're talking about. I would just say, Undercover, tighten up those grafs and perhaps condense your ideas-- a few at a time and your posts will be more digestible for your readers.
Cheers!
MadMom
Hi Undercover,
ReplyDeleteOverall, your essay is well thought out – you go into depth on multiple aspects of the show, dissecting the many issues you had with it. Your language is friendly, and your writing flows fairly smoothly. However, I think it would help your critical thinking if you were to expand upon the opposing views. Rather than stating that your detractors may claim you're being sensitive, be more in depth about why that is – and then make points as to why you are not being oversensitive. Otherwise, it's a little too easy to dismiss your opinions.
As for the writing, I find that for the most part it flows well. That said, there are a few cliches and mixed metaphors that call for some cleaning up in there. Also, as MadMom points out, the first few paragraphs are almost unnecessary to the rest of your piece, and start out your essay in a place that drags a bit. Finally, I found it a bit curious that you would use the totem pole imagery in an essay where you discussed objectification, even if it was physical objectification, not cultural. Indigenous people might find this misplaced or even a tiny bit offensive.
Best,
A
“After looking around online, I was given the username and password for a shared Crunchyroll -- one of the premiere sites for streaming anime online -- account owned by a couple of my friends.”
ReplyDeleteEm dash sentences like this can easily be made less complicated. First, make two sentences by pulling the second sentence from the middle of the first.
“After looking around online, I was given the username and password for a shared Crunchyroll account owned by a couple of my friends. Crunchyroll is one of the premiere sites for streaming anime online.”
Then clean up both sentences.
“Friends gave me the username and password for an account they shared on Crunchyroll. Crunchyroll is one of the premiere sites for streaming anime online.”
Now you can recombine them.
“Friends gave me the username and password for an account they shared on Crunchyroll, one of the premiere sites for streaming anime.”
It says the same thing more clearly in half the words.