キルラキル ep. 13 SPOILER Review
KILL la KILL episode 13

Synopsis:

Satsuki takes a briefing from her Elite Four as they reveal Honnouji Academy’s war preparations. Satsuki tells them that their defeats at the hands of Ryuuko and Nui is nothing to be ashamed off as it only makes them better battlefield commanders. New Goku uniforms are being prepared form them for the forthcoming battle field trip. Meanwhile, Mako laments not being chosen to go on a free trip to Kyoto even though she doesn’t want to fight. Former newspaper club leader NAGITA Shinjirou sneaks onto the school grounds to have Mako take him to Ryuuko. Ryuuko has been depressed ever since she lost control and won’t wear Senketsu. Mako’s mother tries to help Ryuuko, but Ryuuko doesn’t really respond. When Shinjirou tries to get her to return to stop Satsuki, Ryuuko has him thrown out and returns to her futon, though Shinjirou says he won’t stop.

Revocs CEO (and Satsuki’s mother) KIRYUUIN Ragyo holds a meeting at her HQ to discuss how the original sin lead to clothing. Satsuki arrives wearing Junketsu, which her mother approves of. Satsuki asks why Nui was sent to Honnouji. Ragyo says that she cannot stop an artist at work. Satsuki warns that anyone getting in the way of her plans will be dealt with. Her mother agrees, providing Satsuki continue to advance the interest of COVERS, which would allow Revocs to control 100% of the global clothing market. Satsuki briefs Ragyo on her battle plans, which meets with Ragyo’s approval since Honnouji conquering other schools will put Revocs uniforms into said schools.

As Satsuki leaves in her Chinook, Nui tells Ragyo she’s going to go out and do her thing. Ragyo cautions her about angering Satsuki, but Nui knows that they both want to see Satsuki go all out. Meanwhile, Mikisugi-sensei briefs Tsumugu on the Honnouji military buildup, then investigates Shinjirou, who is apparently telling the truth. Shinjirou gets Mako to help him distribute newspapers before the discipline committee run him off. Ira forces Mako to load trucks as punishment for helping a subversive. Meanwhile, Senketsu and Ryuuko have a talk, where Ryuuko reveals her fear of herself losing control again and the pain she caused Senketsu. Senketsu trusts her and feels he was created just for Ryuuko.

Their chat is interrupted when the Discipline Committee members catch Shinjirou as he arrives to plead for Ryuuko’s help. After causing a lot of damage to Mako’s family’s home, they drag him away. Ryuuko becomes resolved and puts Senketsu on again. She arrives to save Shinjirou from the beating he takes, but when she defeats his attackers, they are revealed to be nothing but mannequins. Shinjirou is suddenly no longer bloody and bruised, and his eye has Nui’s symbol patch. Nui drops her disguise and fights Ryuuko, who’s holding back. Nui destroys Senketsu and is about to kill Ryuuko when Satsuki arrives to stop Nui. Nui leaves and Satsuki is displeased with Ryuuko’s disgrace. She takes all of Senketsu’s pieces, save for what Ryuuko holds, and orders they be used in uniform production. Mikisugi-sensei arrives to find Ryuuko where Satsuki left her, only now she’s covered with a blanket.

Thoughts/Review:

Oh!ho! Well, Trigger, you got me on this episode. Well played, even if there was no foreshadowing on Nui’s abilities.

Ryuuko’s depression and loss of confidence in the aftermath of what happened in the previous episode is pretty standard fare for a story like this. That said, I really didn’t mind it as it felt real to me. It wasn’t just “oh woe is me,” but it was deeper as Ryuuko considered how she’d harmed Senketsu. I liked how Mako’s mother tried to help cheer Ryuuko up.

Satsuki continues to be the most interesting character in the KILL la KILL series. I liked how she assured the Elite Four that their losses were no disgrace, and that said losses were indeed opportunities for growth so that they become even more powerful.

Satsuki’s confrontation with her mother was very interesting. I still think that Satsuki’s ultimate plan is to take down her mother. I think her mother is pretty keen and likely suspects this, but allows Satsuki to continue, not only for this COVERS project, but I think Ragyo believes that in the end, her daughter will be the one forged to be the successor of Revco.

To this end, I believe the real reason Ragyo had Nui come to Honnouji initially was to see if Satsuki revealed anything. Further, I think that Ragyo allowing Nui to go after Ryuuko again was to again test Satsuki. In both cases, Satsuki saves Ryuuko, but does so in a way that she still has cover and cannot be accuses of betraying Ragyo.

I do find it interesting that Satsuki holds Ryuuko on such a high standard. True, Ryuuko has Senketsu, but there’s something more in Satsuki’s displeasure over Ryuuko being defeated so easily by Nui. Still, it appears that not only did Satsuki cover Ryuuko with a blanket, I suspect she left Ryuuko with the “heart” of Senketsu, thereby allowing Ryuuko to create a new uniform. The other pieces of Senketsu being reused for battle uniforms and the like I think is just for show.

As to Ragyo, I did find it interesting how she uses the Adam and Eve’s sin and the subsequent fall of man to justify her own clothing empire ambitions.

Finally, there is Nui. She was already revealed to be a wild card anomaly in that she didn’t even get a scratch during her first appearance despite the berserk Ryuuko-Senketsu combo as well as Tsumugu’s attacks on her. Even walking into one of Tsumugu’s deadly traps didn’t touch her. In video game terms, she’s playing in “god mode” — no one can do anything to her.

Now, we see that she is a master of disguise. In order to get Ryuuko into Senketsu, Nui became Shijirou. In doing this, Trigger has now set up the possibility that anyone could theoretically be Nui in disguise. Remember how Mako saved Ryuuko last episode? What if everyone assumes Mako is coming in for another save, only it is Nui in disguise, coming in for the kill? It is a neat little trick the writers have done here by adding the shape shifter element. We’ll see what they do with it.

I’m glad KILL la KILL is back on again. I’m really looking forward to seeing where things go from here.