| Kill la Kill | |
 International promotional artwork, featuringRyuko Matoi (foreground, wearingSenketsu) andSatsuki Kiryuin (background, wearing Junketsu) | |
| キルラキル (Kiru Ra Kiru) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Created by | |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Hiroyuki Imaishi |
| Written by | Kazuki Nakashima |
| Music by | Hiroyuki Sawano |
| Studio | Trigger |
| Licensed by | |
| Original network | MBS,TBS,CBC TV |
| English network | |
| Original run | October 4, 2013 – March 28, 2014 |
| Episodes | 24 + OVA(List of episodes) |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Ryō Akizuki [ja] |
| Published by | Kadokawa Shoten |
| English publisher | |
| Magazine | Young Ace |
| Original run | October 4, 2013 –March 4, 2015 |
| Volumes | 3 |
 Anime and manga portal | |
Kill la Kill (Japanese:キルラキル,Hepburn:Kiru Ra Kiru)[b] is a Japaneseanime television series created and produced byTrigger. The series follows vagrant schoolgirl Ryuko Matoi on her search for her father's killer, which brings her into violent conflict with Satsuki Kiryuin, the iron-willedstudent council president of Honnouji Academy, and her mother Ragyo Kiryuin's fashion empire. Ryuko, Satsuki, and others obtain martial artssuperpowers from their clothes, which appear to have a will of their own.
The series is Trigger's first original anime television project, directed byHiroyuki Imaishi and written byKazuki Nakashima, both of whom had previously worked together onGurren Lagann in 2007 and would go on to work onPromare in 2019.Kill la Kill was broadcast in Japan onMBS'Animeism programming block between October 2013 and March 2014. Anoriginal video animation (OVA) was released as a 25th episode in September 2014. A manga adaptation by Ryō Akizuki began serialization inKadokawa Shoten'sYoung Ace magazine from October 2013 to March 2015. A video game adaptation, titledKill la Kill the Game: IF, was released in July 2019, with slight deviations to the main storyline of the anime.
In North America,Aniplex of America licensed the anime for a simulcast with a home video release starting in July 2014. The series premiered in the United States onAdult Swim'sToonami block in February 2015.
Honnouji Academy (本能字学園,Honnōji Gakuen) is a fictional high school situated inTokyo Bay, Japan, on the island of Honnō City. The school is dominated by its fearsome student council led by their presidentSatsuki Kiryuin. The students wear Goku Uniforms (極制服,Gokuseifuku)[c] which give their wearers superhuman abilities because they are constructed with a special material known as Life Fibers (生命戦維,Seimei Sen'i; lit. "Life Battle-Fibers"). Honnouji Academy and Honnō City feature a stratifiedclass structure, in which higher-ranked students are allowed to obtain more powerful Goku Uniforms. This in turn affects thesocial status of the student's family.
Ryuko Matoi, a transfer student, arrives in Honnō City to find the murderer of her fatherIsshin Matoi. Her search leads her to Honnouji Academy, a militaristic high school ruled by Satsuki Kiryuin and the Elite Fourstudent council, who use school uniforms called Goku Uniforms powered by a fabric called Life Fibers.
Following a failed attempt to challenge Satsuki on her first day, Ryuko stumbles across a sentientsailor uniform beneath the ruins of her father's home, which is a pure Life Fiber clothing called a Kamui (神衣; lit. "Godrobe") that increases her abilities whiletransformed. She names the outfit "Senketsu", and becomes armed with ascissor-shaped longsword called a Scissor Blade that can cut Goku Uniforms. Satsuki responds by donning her family's Kamui Junketsu to challenge Ryuko's powers. Ryuko is joined by her hyperactive classmateMako Mankanshoku, a no-star student who lets Ryuko move in with her impoverished family, and her homeroom teacherAikuro Mikisugi, who is actually an undercover agent of the anti-Life Fiberparamilitary organization Nudist Beach (ヌーディスト・ビーチ,Nūdisuto Bīchi).
After battling numerous council members, including the Elite Four, Ryuko meetsNui Harime, a member of the global REVOCS Corporation (REVOCSコーポレーション,Ribokkusu Kōporēshon) run by the academy's director and Satsuki's mother,Ragyo Kiryuin. Harime reveals herself as Isshin's killer, who stole the other Scissor Blade.
Satsuki leads her school to the upcoming Tri-City Schools Raid, a blitzkrieg raid to annex the remaining independent schools inKansai, with the secret goal of destroying Nudist Beach's base inOsaka. After the raid, Ryuko learns that her father founded Nudist Beach and created Senketsu to fight the Life Fibers, which are actually parasitic aliens that prompted humanity's evolution to later feed on them.
Ryuko and Nudist Beach storm the Honnouji Academy festival held in Ragyo's honor before she awakens the Life Fibers. Satsuki betrays her mother, revealing her true goal to destroy the Life Fibers and avenge her father and younger sister, whom Ragyo ordered killed when Satsuki was young. Satsuki's plan backfires when Ragyo, revealed to be a human/Life Fiber hybrid, captures her while ordering the Life Fibers to consume every human. Ryuko discovers that she is Satsuki's presumed-dead younger sister and Ragyo's daughter; Ragyo's ex-husband, Sōichirō Kiryuin, faked his death and saved the infant Ryuko before taking the identity of Isshin as a disguise.
As Ragyo and the Life Fibers devastate Japan, the Elite Four and Nudist Beach rescue both Satsuki and Mako. Ryuko is brainwashed and bonded to Junketsu to pursue them, but Satsuki, Mako, and Senketsu manage to free Ryuko, who then regains the other Scissor Blade from Harime. Ryuko and Satsuki proceed to intercept Ragyo before she and the Primordial Life Fiber, the source of all Life Fibers, can reach Honnouji Academy to launch a command signal to a satellite for all Life Fibers to cover the planet and destroy it. However, Harime completes Shinra-Kōketsu, the ultimate Kamui, with Ragyo's secretaryRei Hououmaru offered as a sacrifice to activate it.
The heroes destroy the transmitter and extract Rei from Shinra-Kōketsu, only for Ragyo to restore its power by absorbing Harime and the Primordial Life Fiber. Ryuko pursues her mother into space after everyone offers their Goku Uniforms to power up Senketsu. She manages to have Senketsu absorb Shinra-Kōketsu to rescind the order. Defeated, Ragyo spitefully commits suicide while promising that the Life Fibers will one day attack Earth again. Despite being victorious, Senketsu begins breaking down from absorbing Shinra-Kōketsu and sacrifices himself to ensure Ryuko safely returns to Earth.
In the follow-upOVA episode, set two weeks after the battle with Ragyo, Rei Hououmaru uses leftover Life Fibers to create doppelgängers of Satsuki and the Elite Four in Junketsu and their original Goku Uniforms to disrupt Honnouji Academy's graduation ceremony and avenge Ragyo. The clones are defeated while Satsuki convinces Rei to abandon her struggle as Ryuko uses the Scissor Blades to finish off Honnouji Academy. Honnō City and the school sink into Tokyo Bay, as well as Ryuko's Scissor Blades. With their mission over, everyone can finally live a normal life free of the Life Fibers.
The anime television project, directed byHiroyuki Imaishi at his animation studio,Trigger, was first teased in the March 2013 issue ofKadokawa Shoten'sNewtype magazine released on February 7, 2013.[7]Kill la Kill was officially announced on May 8, 2013, with scripts written byKazuki Nakashima and character designs by Sushio.[8]
According to director Imaishi, much of the plot is based on his observation that the Japanese manner of pronouncing "fascism" (ファッショ,fassho) is nearly the same as the word "fashion" (ファッション,fasshon), his observation that the pronunciation of the Japanese words "school uniform" (制服,seifuku) and "conquest" (征服,seifuku) areidentical, and that the titularkiru may mean "kill" (キル), "to cut" (切る), or "to wear" (着る).[9]
Kill la Kill aired in Japan onMBS'Animeism programming block between October 4, 2013, and March 28, 2014.[10] It also aired onTBS,CBC andBS-TBS.
The series is licensed in North America byAniplex of America, who simulcasted the series onDaisuki,[11] and streamed it onCrunchyroll andHulu.[12][13] The series aired on Adult Swim's Toonami block in the United States from February 8 to August 2, 2015.[14][15][16][d] and premiered onViceland UK on October 16, 2017.[18]
In Italy, the streaming rights of the series were acquired byDynit, which announced the acquisition, with reservation, at its conference atLucca Comics 2017.[19] The acquisition became successful on December 22 of the same year[20] and Dynit published the series onVVVVID on February 6, 2018.[21] Subsequently, the Italian dub of the series was added toNetflix on September 1, 2018.[22]
The video release on Blu-ray Disc and DVD began on January 8, 2014.[23] Soundtrack CDs are included with the first and fifth volumes, making-of documentary DVDs are included with the third, seventh, and ninth volumes, and drama CDs are included with the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth volumes. Anoriginal video animation episode was released as part of the ninth volume on September 3, 2014.[24]
| Volume | Episodes | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| Volume 1 | 1–2 | January 8, 2014 |
| Volume 2 | 3–5 | February 5, 2014 |
| Volume 3 | 6–8 | March 5, 2014 |
| Volume 4 | 9–11 | April 2, 2014 |
| Volume 5 | 12–14 | May 7, 2014 |
| Volume 6 | 15–17 | June 4, 2014 |
| Volume 7 | 18–20 | July 2, 2014 |
| Volume 8 | 21–23 | August 6, 2014 |
| Volume 9 | 24 + OVA (25) | September 3, 2014 |
The series was released in five BD/DVD volumes in North America. The first volume was released on July 15, 2014, in limited edition BD/DVD combo packs including soundtrack CDs, as well as standard Blu-ray Disc and DVD releases.[25] AtAnime Expo 2014 held in Los Angeles, Aniplex premiered the first English dub episode, and hosted a performance by theme song singerEir Aoi, and a panel with script writerKazuki Nakashima, director Sushio, producer Yosuke Toba, and voice actressesAmi Koshimizu andRyoka Yuzuki.[26]
| Volume | Episodes | Release date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volume 1 | 1–4 | July 15, 2014 | |
| Volume 2 | 5–9 | October 21, 2014 | |
| Volume 3 | 10–14 | December 23, 2014 | |
| Volume 4 | 15–19 | February 24, 2015 | |
| Volume 5 | 20–24 + OVA (25) | April 28, 2015 | |
The series is licensed in the United Kingdom and France byAnime Limited, and was simulcast on Wakanim, later receiving a digital release onNetflix.[27] The series was released on Blu-ray and DVD in three Collector's Edition sets. The first set was originally slated for a release date on December 8, 2014,[28] but was later moved to November 17, 2014.[29] Subsequently, the release was pushed forward a further two weeks, with the first release being available in the UK on November 3, 2014,[30] while the Blu-ray version was pushed back to December 1, 2014.[31]
| Volume | Episodes | Release date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volume 1 | 1–9 | November 3, 2014 (DVD) December 1, 2014 (Blu-ray) | |
| Volume 2 | 10–19 | March 23, 2015 | |
| Volume 3 | 20-24 + OVA (25) | July 11, 2016 | |
In Australia and New Zealand, the series is licensed byMadman Entertainment, who simulcasted the series on Madman Screening Room, and later released the series digitally on AnimeLab.[32][33] The series was released on Blu-ray and DVD, and mirrored the release pattern of the North American releases. The first volume was released on October 15, 2014.[34]
| Volume | Episodes | Release date | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volume 1 | 1–4 | October 15, 2014 | [34] | |
| Volume 2 | 5–9 | December 10, 2014 | [35] | |
| Volume 3 | 10–14 | March 11, 2014 | [36] | |
| Volume 4 | 15–19 | April 15, 2015 | [37] | |
| Volume 5 | 20–24 + OVA (25) | June 10, 2015 | [38] | |
| Kill la Kill Original Sound Track | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | |
| Released | December 25, 2013 (2013-12-25) |
| Studio |
|
| Genre | Soundtrack |
| Length | 1:17:22 |
| Language |
|
| Label | Aniplex |
| Producer | Hiroyuki Sawano |
Music for the series is composed byHiroyuki Sawano.[39] For the first fifteen episodes, the opening theme is "Sirius" (シリウス,Shiriusu) byEir Aoi, while the ending theme isGomen ne, Iiko ja Irarenai (ごめんね、いいコじゃいられない。; "Sorry, I'm Done Being a Good Kid") byMiku Sawai.[40] From episode 16 onwards, the opening theme is "ambiguous" byGarnidelia, a duo consisting of vocalistMaria and composerToku,[41] and the ending theme is "Shin Sekai Kōkyōgaku" (新世界交響楽; "New World Symphony") by Sayonara Ponytail,[42] though an extended version of the original ending theme returns for the last portion of episode 24. Aoi's song "Sanbika" was used as animage song to accompany climactic events in episodes 3, 7, 11 and 23.
The first soundtrack album was published on December 25, 2013.[43] Aniplex USA also released the CD on January 17, 2014.[44] It features 18 tracks, including six vocal songs performed in English and German. The background music tracks feature titles that are typographical variants of "Kill la Kill".
The second soundtrack album was released in Japan as part of the fifth DVD/Blu-ray disc set on May 7, 2014.[45] It also features "Kara-OK" (空OK,karaoke) versions of the vocal tracks from the first album, among other background music.
All music is composed byHiroyuki Sawano.
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Performer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Before my body is dry" |
|
| 4:07 |
| 2. | "goriLLA-Ja-L" (goriLLA蛇LGori Ra Jaru) | 4:16 | ||
| 3. | "InuKA3L" (犬Kあ3LInu Ka Saru) | 4:34 | ||
| 4. | "Blumenkranz" | Rie | Cyua | 4:19 |
| 5. | "Ad la Lib" (AdラLibAdo Ra Ribu) | 3:24 | ||
| 6. | "Kiryu ga KiLL" (鬼龍G@キLLKiryū ga Kiru) | 4:38 | ||
| 7. | "KILL 7la Kill" (KILL7la切ルKiru Nara Kiru) | 4:46 | ||
| 8. | "Suck your blood" | mpi |
| 3:40 |
| 9. | "Kik9=KELL" (Kiっ9=KELLKikku wa Keru) | 4:51 | ||
| 10. | "k1ll wa iLL" (k1ll◎iLLKiru Wa Iru) | 3:08 | ||
| 11. | "Light your heart up" | cAnON. | Aimee Blackschleger | 3:56 |
| 12. | "Hiru ra lilL♪" (昼裸lilL♪Hiru Ra Riru) | 2:02 | ||
| 13. | "KiLL La KiLL" (斬LLLア生LLKiru Ra Kiru) | 4:25 | ||
| 14. | "Kiryu ha KiLL" (キ龍ha着LLKiryū Ha Kiru) | 4:15 | ||
| 15. | "I want to know" |
| Benjamin Anderson | 4:07 |
| 16. | "NeLL na Ki9" (寝LLna聴9Neru Na Kiku) | 7:08 | ||
| 17. | "Kill a KiLL" (Kiる厭KiLLKiru A Kiru) | 5:06 | ||
| 18. | "Till I Die" | cAnON. | CASG (Caramel Apple Sound Gadget) | 4:41 |
| Total length: | 1:17:22 | |||
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Gekiban Tokka-gata Hitotsuboshi Gokuseifuku" (劇伴特化型1☆極★服) | 3:24 |
| 2. | "Rhythm Kyōka-gata Futatsuboshi Gokuseifuku" (リズム強化型2☆極★服) | 4:12 |
| 3. | "Nichijō Gekijō-gata Mittsuboshi Gokuseifuku" (日常劇場型3☆極★服) | 3:35 |
| 4. | "Fuku o Kita Buta-gata Yottsuboshi Gokuseifuku" (服着豚型4☆極★服) | 4:13 |
| 5. | "Naming Sense 0-gata Itsutsuboshi Gokuseifuku" (名付扇子0型5☆極★服) | 5:10 |
| 6. | "Tsuika Hatchū-gata Muttsuboshi Gokuseifuku" (追加発注型6☆極★服) | 4:14 |
| 7. | "Haikei Keigu-gata Nanatsuboshi Gokuseifuku" (背景敬具型7☆極★服) | 4:21 |
| 8. | "MT Hensō-gata Yattsuboshi Gokuseifuku" (MT変装型8☆極★服) | 4:51 |
| 9. | "Tabun LASTBOSS-gata Kokonotsuboshi Gokuseifuku" (多分裸SBOSS-型9☆極★服) | 3:30 |
| 10. | "Zenhan Saishūroku-gata Tōnohoshi Gokuseifuku" (前半再収録型10☆極★服) | 4:45 |
| 11. | "Tsuika Saishūroku-gata Tōtohitotsuboshi Gokuseifuku" (追加再収録型11☆極★服) | 2:54 |
| 12. | "Jūyoubutsu Hakkō Kyōchō-gata Tōtofutatsuboshi Gokuseifuku" (重要物発行強調型12☆極★服) | 4:09 |
| 13. | "Before my body is dry <Kara-OK>" (Before my body is dry <空OK>) | 4:06 |
| 14. | "Suck your blood <Kara-OK>" (Suck your blood <空OK>) | 3:41 |
| 15. | "Blumenkranz <Kara-OK>" (Blumenkranz <空OK>) | 4:18 |
| 16. | "Light your heart up <Kara-OK>" (Light your heart up <空OK>) | 3:55 |
| 17. | "I want to know <Kara-OK>" (I want to know <空OK>) | 4:06 |
| 18. | "Till I Die <Kara-OK>" (Till I Die <空OK>) | 4:41 |
| Total length: | 1:14:05 | |
Amanga adaptation byRyō Akizuki [ja] started inKadokawa Shoten'sseinen manga magazineYoung Ace on October 4, 2013,[46][47] and concluded with 17 chapters on February 4, 2015.[48] Its chapters were collected in threetankōbon volumes, released from December 4, 2013, to March 4, 2015.[49][50]
In North America, the manga was licensed for English release byUdon Entertainment.[51]
| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | English release date | English ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | December 4, 2013[49] | 978-4-04-120908-0 | October 15, 2015[52] | 978-1-9279254-92 |
| 2 | March 10, 2014[53] | 978-4-04-121048-2 | April 20, 2016[54] | 978-1-927925-54-6 |
| 3 | March 4, 2015[50] | 978-4-04-102107-1 | September 20, 2016[55] | 978-1-927925-84-3 |
A video game adaptation titledKill la Kill the Game: IF (キルラキル ザ・ゲーム -異布-,Kiru ra Kiru za Gēmu: Ifu)[e] was announced at theAnime Expo between July 5–8, 2018. The game was published byArc System Works and developed by A+ Games, who developedLittle Witch Academia: Chamber of Time, also based onanother anime by Trigger.[56] It was released onPlayStation 4,Nintendo Switch, and PC in Japan on July 25, 2019, and in North America and Europe the next day. In Europe, the game was published by PQube.Kill la Kill the Game: IF also received an English dub.[57][58] The game's storyline takes place during the events of episode 3, depicting Satsuki being placed by Junketsu in artificial reality that follows the anime storyline with slight deviations.
Kill la Kill was met with mostly positive reviews. Eliot Gay ofJapanator called the "uniquely fun, even gripping" series "a reminder of how fun and creative anime can be at its best."[59] Kat Bailey ofIGN, describing the series as "magical girl anime on speed", noted that its over-the-top absurdity was part of its charm.[2] Joseph Luster ofOtaku USA described the series's concept as "mostly straightforward setup for revenge andshonen-style 'stronger! STRONGER!' battle progression", but praised its execution.[60] Richard Eisenbeis ofKotaku appreciated the series for "perfectly mixing comedy and action", its pacing, internal consistency and over-the-top straightforward adaptation of standard action anime tropes.[61]
The animation of fight scenes and character movements, as well as the "keen selection of music", were particularly praised by Robert Frazer ofUK Anime Network,[62] The site selected it as the 2013 UK Anime Network Awards winner in the "Best streaming anime" category.[63] Carl Kimlinger ofAnime News Network also appreciated the inventive and funny animation and the series's "retro shonen action pushed to ... loony, hyperactive extremes".[64] Michael Logarta ofGMA News Online likewise noted the "superb pacing", to-the-point storytelling and well-realized characters in the series's "whirlwind of gorgeous visuals, story, and unfettered insanity".[65]
Kill la Kill won multiple prizes during the 4thNewtype Anime Awards, including Best Character Design (Sushio), Best Script (Kazuki Nakashima), Best Sound, and Best Picture (TV Broadcast). It placed second for Best Theme Song ("Sirius"), Best Director (Hiroyuki Imaishi) and Best Studio (Trigger). In the Best Mascot category, Senketsu placed third and Guts placed ninth. In Best Character (female), Ryuko placed second, and Mako placed third.[66] The anime was part of the Jury Selections of the 18thJapan Media Arts Festival in the Animation category.[67]
In 2025, in reference toTexas Senate Bill 20, Nick Valdez ofComicBook said that the legislation could lead to censorship of the anime (and manga) within Texas, withKill la Kill being one of the anime mentioned that could be affected.[68]
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