The first episode of "Kill la Kill" should do a pretty effective job of determining whether you are going to love the show or hate it, and there are precious few people in between. Over-dramatic music; hammy voice acting; giant scissor swords; ludicrous amounts of fan service. Either you love Kill la Kill as the campy, zany thrill ride that it is, or you walk away in a scandalized huff. This show is not going to be for everybody, but those find it up their alley will almost certainly give this one multiple viewings.
Story: 8
Escalation, escalation, escalation is the name of the game with Kill la Kill. As the show progresses, the scope gets bigger, the stakes get higher, and the action and hijinks get zanier. The plot itself isn't Shakespeare, but it gets the job done, and leaves plenty of room for action, and some unexpected moments of heart.
Art: 8
Red kanji. Red kanji everywhere. The art style for the buildings and landscapes is often quite striking, and the animation for the fight scenes, of which there are many, is fluid and kinetic. Each of the characters has a distinctive silhouette, and the multiple uniforms of the leads are each unique yet true to the character's concept.
Sound: 9
The sound is fine in Kill la Kill, but of especial note is Satsuki's heel-click, which is about as memetic as a sound can be. The music is gorgeous, and each character even has their own theme: the blaring brass of Satsuki's theme, the triumphant chorus of "Before My Body Is Dry" for Ryuko, the eerie synths and German vocals of "Blumenkranz" for Ragyo... pretty much everybody in the show get's their own theme that fit's their personality.
Character: 10
Nuance is not in Kill la Kill's repertoire. All of the major characters have a big and memorable personalities, so even if you can't remember the names, you can at least remember their personality and role in the story. Remember, this show runs on camp, so if you are expecting, nuanced, realistic characters, you're watching the wrong show. And I fully expect to see Ragyo Kiryuin on more than one "Top X Anime Villains of the 2010s" lists when the time comes.
Enjoyment: 10
I watched the first 8 or so episodes in a single sitting with a friend. I proceeded to spend the entire following day marathoning the rest of it. I later rewatched the show again in a single sitting with friends. Watching a show is always more fun when it is with others, but there's a special enjoyment that comes from watching somebody's first reaction to the insanity of Kill la Kill.
Overall: 9
Kill la Kill is a polarizing show that only a handful will be lukewarm towards: you will either love it or hate it. But precious few shows have so captured my attention and brought me such enjoyment that I watch them multiple times, and leave me willing to watch it yet again. And that is enough grounds in my book to recommend Kill la Kill.
