Kill la Kill Episode 16 Discussion

DarkCyclone said:
That was actually decent. I'm not gonna lie and say my hopes weren't low. I wasn't expecting an improvement

It took one episode of characters sitting down explaining key plot points to have a major improvement over the previous 3 eps. It's sad this is happening at episode 16 but at least it's happening

ollythirteen said:
So...

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1b0yx7_tv%E3%82%A2%E3%83%8B%E3%83%A1-%E3%82%AD%E3%83%AB%E3%83%A9%E3%82%AD%E3%83%AB-%E7%AC%AC17%E8%A9%B1%E4%BA%88%E5%91%8A-30%E7%A7%92ver-kill-la-kill-ep-17-30-sec-preview_shortfilms

The words Chichi (Father in Japanese) and Haha (mother in Japanese) are thrown around in this extended preview as well as the word Musume (daughter).

Senketsu was talking about Ryuuko and Satsuki. Looks like there might be something to the sister theory.

And I find that awesome.

Still, until it's translated and episode 17 airs things are still up in the air.

BRSxIgnition said:


One thing going around is that they must be planning more reveals for this episode, considering they use the same 7 frames over and over again.

Another theory is that this episode will have a spike in animation quality like the others that had framed previews, rather than animated previews.

Not sure which will happen, maybe both?

Pipoko said:


"It seems like creepy incest, but it's still actually really hot and I wouldn't mind it to be played as fanservice."

That's what your posts came across to me rereading them.
A scene like this really can't be played as both fanservice and squick considering what exactly it comes across as. It's either only (creepy) fanservice or only squick. If it turns out to be fanservice in the end, it proves that the series is otaku-pandering crap to me and I'll drop it. Just gonna steer clear from this discussion now.

BRSxIgnition said:
https://twitter.com/tuka_trg/status/430292838769627136

Based on the above, we should start watching out for weekly spoilers from Episode 17 onward:

"Episode 16 of KILL la KILL has revealed quite a lot of background of the story. Up until now, even if you read the spoilers without seeing the episode they didn't make any sense, so they didn't have much influence, however starting from ep17 the people who avoid the spoilers will be able to enjoy it the most. People from the areas who watch it earlier, please be considerate!" - Studio TRIGGER CEO, Matsuhiko Otsuka

Who else is excited by these words?

AnimageNeby said:


I just think it naïve to think that scene was made so sexy just to show the discomfort of Satsuki (which isn't all that clearly shown in that particular scene anyway, though one may deduce she doesn't like to be controlled by her mom in general). If all the discomfort and mental pain and what not was THAT obvious and clear, it should be clear if someone unware of the context saw it too. I don't think one would, however. So, this means, if we see that in there, it's due to our interpretation of it, aka; an rational assessment of the context. But many interpretations are left open, deliberately imho, by trigger. One part definitely was the goal of fanservice, or, at least, evoking arousal, if you find fan-service a too pejorative term. But your and other interpretations could be right too, and probably are, to a degree. It's just not an or-or situation, like you claim. Saying only your interpretation is possible and it's mutual exclusive with anything else just lessens the depth of that scene, it doesn't augment it.

ollythirteen said:


Dude, let me present a third pov: that scene creeped me out because Ragyo is creepy. It also made me hard because both characters are sexy. However, oddly enough I also felt a Mother/Daughter bond thing going on.

Satsuki's mum saw that she was in pain and gave her a massage. She was being a mother right there and then. It's like she'd have given Satsuki a massage even if they were fully clothed and not in the bath. Since it was a shared bath type deal and Satsuki showed pain, her mother simply gave her a massage.

And Satsuki did look like she felt better afterwards. And Satsuki's mum seemed proud of her daughter. Proud enough to tell her the secret of the life fibres anyway...

ollythirteen said:
The show really could use some new environments too. Going back to Hounouji Gakuen now will only serve to remind me how utterly small this show is even with alien invasions and super-powered sailor uniforms.

ollythirteen said:
A show is only as good as its characters in my opinion so more of episode 16 before the inevitable clash of wills would be awesome as F.

ollythirteen said:
Even being stuck in the Future Gadget Lab for most of "Steins;Gate" didn't feel this cramped due to the many different personalities, character-dynamics and events that went down.

Four episodes spent on a fucking podium-thing watching some bondage guy whip a seventeen year old girl's ass among other not things...

DarkCyclone said:
Even if KLK had a great plot and fantastic animation

So far interaction between the support cast is scarce. They should be fleshing out relationships between characters, they've laid the foundation for a lot of potential interaction but they just go into very little depth in favour of whatever else they are doing.

With all this in mind I'd say this episode eclipses all the others pretty easily, well, it would if not for ALIENS. lol

Kokopelli said:
A plot's difficult to judge before the theme/"story question" is answered; that can put the plot in an entirely different context for the viewer, and I will say that I'm not disappointed with it thus far. It simply feels incomplete, which makes sense since it's. . . not complete. The animation complements the show's style, too.

Really? I see that as one of KlK's biggest strong points.

What's wrong with the aliens? :l

BloodRequiem said:
Was it rape?

Aylaine said:

That's the great part of these kinds of shows. The presentation is way over the top, but once you start to pay attention you notice things that you did not see before. Usually they're small bits of symbolism or character development/quirks, but it keeps me personally on my toes as I watch.

A good example is Satsuki's surprise when Ragyou mentions the Culture & Sports Festival. That hinted towards a certain possibility that's been discussed lately: that Satsuki may have made Honnouji Academy to oppose her mother in some way.

Kokopelli said:

Kill la Kill doesn't have those?


The King of the Hill Final Battle basically only lasted two-and-a-half episodes, and in that time we got flashbacks to other settings developing the Elite 4 and comical asides with Mako and the fallen Elite 4 members.

ollythirteen said:
Besides the main female leads, Kill la Kill has like one other interesting character: Ragyo.

Which is ironic because this character hasn't done a single thing besides smirk, appear extremely menacing despite maintaining a calm demeanor and more recently massage her daughter in a suggestive manner.

As for the other characters, starting from Mako and family, down to the Elite Four and the two stars Ryuuko went through in the beginning episodes, Nudist beach dudes and Nui and Hououmaru, they're simply minor characters who haven't done anything to move the plot forward. (Well, Mikisugi did get Ryuuko to Senketsu, there's that I guess).

In my opinion, anyway.

The reason I feel this way is because even the character interactions that have been a joy to watch i.e. Mako hanging with the elite four, have been kind of inconsequential where the story is concerned. The only thing we've gotten out of that is Gamagoori's interest in Mako.

Not trying to write the story here, but in the hands of another writer, despite the emphasis on comedy and action, interacting with a no-star would have at least had some kind of an effect on each of the four stars, especially one as special as Mako (she's special because her friend kicked their collective asses).

In the hands of another writer the whole Ryuuko losing Senketsu thing would have made us CARE.

Things just happen in this show. So many things happened. Yet it didn't feel like the show was going anywhere (until episode 16 anyway).

Yes, I feel the Battle Field Trip and King of the Hill Battles where a big nothing.
No one died. No one got majorly hurt. No one changed (again until this episode where we see who Satsuki really is outside the public eye).

Mako is still Mako. Gamagoori, Nonon, Inumuta, Aikuro, Tsumgu, etc etc are all the same despite being in a war, witnessing a girl in a sailor uniform go berserk etc

Yes, not even Ryuuko changed all that much and what little change she underwent was forced with people covering it up by saying "Kill la Kill handles things with break-neck speed".

Kokopelli said:

First of all, one of the things you mentioned was different personalities, which KlK certainly doesn't lack.

And yeah, that is ironic. I don't know what would make you think that, especially if you think that's all she's done.

A character can be interesting without having much influence on the plot. They can be amusing and unique, serve to complement another character and build on the theme of the story (which, I feel the need to stress, is liberation and subjugation). KlK's characters have all of that. With that said, however, those characters will probably have a more vital role in the second half.


I fail to see how talking to a no-star would affect them, considering that they've probably talked to lots of no-stars and Ryuuko is technically one. I don't see how that makes Mako special, either.


The point of that was to show how Ryuuko's bond with Senketsu strengthens her - physically, mentally and emotionally - instead of weakening her.


Every step of Satsuki's plan has served has served to develop/expand on characters and reveal secrets - pretty much every episode, really. Ryuuko's had pretty good development, the best example being Episodes 12-15, and I don't find it forced nor do I "excuse" it with "break-neck speed".

I had so much written in reply going over each of your points and disagreeing with every one of them.

sentience said:
Oh my that 1-2 minute speed recap was so awesome on so many levels.

ollythirteen said:
Lol I guess so, yeah. Struggling to talk about a show that has very little going for it content-wise with someone who it does have enough going for it content is pretty hard you know (without things dissolving into insult trading territory very quickly).

That said, popcorn entertainment has its place. What I don't agree with is when people try to make it seem like it's more than it actually is, hence my disagreeing with everything you brought up.

No characters who don't move the plot forward can't be anything other than mildly entertaining and forgettable. Example Tsumugu who literally just came, wrecked shit and that had no reprucussions despite the fact that combat data was gathered on him (they didn't do a god damn thing with that). Same with Mikisugi sensei who is pretty much an exposition character who's one saving grace is he strips thereby giving defensive fans a defense against people who claim "Kill la Kill" is sexist.

No Ragyo hasn't done anything else (unless you count holding a speech and letting Nui run wild, something we don't explicitly see). So far she's walked around with an invisible sign around her neck with the words "Final Boss" scrawled on it.

Yes Mako's interaction with the newly demoted three stars would serve as a reminder of their own humanity in a more capable writer's hands. It would be especially true for Nonon, given that she is used to being above others.

Also no the three stars don't talk to no-stars they talk AT them (see Gamagoori in ep 1 and 4 and Sanageyama beating 1-sta Takarada with a stick when he failed to get the scissor from Ryuuko in episode 1) and yes Mako would technically be special because if Ryuuko was in Satsuki's system she'd technically be a 10 star (100% life fibers) and therefore higher than the three stars in rank and by association with a 10 star rank Mako would be technically special.

And no I don't think the writer had a point when he made Ryuuko go from sad to determined in the space of one or two episodes. He simply robbed the event of its emotional weight by having Ryuuko ride a bike, slash at a couple of one-stars at random and get pieces of Senketsu back, only for Senketsu to start healing himself (wtf?). Rushed, rushed, rushed, first-draft writing IN MY OPINION.

Finally, Satsuki's "plan" is still irritatingly shrouded in mystery. You'd think 16 episodes was enough to reveal something but since this show is shallow, doesn't focus on character relationships all that much but on action and doesn't seem to know where it's going, it's pretty hard to sympathize with any characters affected by it when how said characters are affected by it lacks impact.

Satsuki wrecked a few cities: What's the consequence of that?
She destroyed the nudist beach base: Oh wait, it's still okay.
She made her four stars fight Ryuuko thereby improving their uniforms: Whoops we don't get to see said uniforms in action during the battle field trip. Blatant disregard of the "Actions Have Consequences"/"Cause and Effect" rule of writing.

GarLogan78 said:
I don't know how I feel about this show. I still feel like nothing has happened. There was the Battlefield Trip, the Naturals Election, etc, but those didn't really DO anything except make Ryuuko stronger or further expand the influence of the Kiryuuin conglomerate. The only thing we have learned is who killed Ryuuko's father and what the life fibers are. I am not saying it is bad, it's just I thought we would be somewhere a lot further down the line by this point.