キルラキル ep. 25 SPOILER Review (OAD)
KILL la KILL episode 25 OAD Episode

SPOILER Synopsis:

With the events dealing with Ragyou completed, in the ruins of Honnouji Academy, Uzu challenges Satsuki to a kendo match as the rest of the Elite Four, Mako, and Ryuuko watch. Satsuki defeats Uzu, after which, he says he couldn’t see her because she no longer has ambition. Ryuuko asks Satsuki if something is wrong. She says there isn’t and asks her Elite Four to carry out the plan to close the school after graduation. As such, preparations are underway for everyone to move and Mako learns she and Ryuuko are attending school at Rinne-Do High. Mikisugi returns in his teacher’s guise, showing he still has concern for Ryuuko after the loss of Senketsu.

Mikisugi reveals that Uzu, Ira & Nonon will be going to work in their family businesses while Houka will be going to college to study IT. Shirou will also go to college to continue research on Seimeisen threads. He’s not sure what Satsuki will do, so Ryuuko says that she’s looking for a sheath for her blade. Meanwhile, as Satsuki has tea and sends Iori to serve tea to the graduating students, another Satsuki shows up. When Ira announces Satsuki’s speech, he and the others are shocked to hear the old Satsuki speak. Houka and Shirou notice that this Satsuki is wearing Junketsu. Further, copies of the Elite Four join this Satsuki, wearing their old Goku uniforms, which they transform into dark forms and attack.

Dark Satsuki activates Dark Junketsu to fight Ryuuko. Tsumugu arrives with weapons for Ryuuko and Nudist Beach gear for the true Elite Four. Mikisugi drops his teacher’s guise for his Nudist Beach gear as the Elite Four reluctantly use the DTR gear given them. Meanwhile, the imprisoned Satsuki faces the foe behind this attack, Rei, whom Satsuki had spared. Rei recalls how Ragyou had saved her in Africa as a child and given her the Japanese name, Rei. Rei also reveals she’s captured Mako and activates the final weapon that was to be used in the fight against Ragyou. The Elite Four abandon their DTRs to allow Houka to control the units remotely.

Rei reveals herself and her intentions, stating she was able to create clones based on the remaining Seimeisen in the world as well as the memories of the students during Satsuki’s “reign of terror.” Despite being captured, Mako’s enthusiasm in saying how the current Satsuki and Elite Four are better than their old selves gets transmitted to the people below.  With this, the Elite Four counterattack and defeat their dark selves as Ryuuko defeats Dark Satsuki. Rei causes the giant mecha weapon to knock Ryuuko into an abyss, where she gets a gift of the giant scissors from the spirit of Senketsu. She transforms them into Goodbye and Thank You mode to defeat the mecha.

Satsuki is able to sheath her blade by saving Rei, stating her true objective for the world by protecting the weak. The Elite Four help evacuate the island when Satsuki shows up with Rei, telling them Rei is with her now. Mako joins them and her family arrives, all packed up. Ryuuko says goodbye to Satsuki before getting on the truck with Mako and her family. On the evacuation boat with Nonon, Rei, and Soroi (piloting), Nonon ask Satsuki if it is OK for the sisters to be going their separate ways. Satsuki says they can see each other whenever they want. As a final act of renewal and farewell to their old school, Satsuki takes a knife and cuts off her long hair.

Thoughts/Review:

Hmmmm…I didn’t mean to write such a long synopsis, but oh well — it is done now.

While I’m like most fans in that I appreciate going to the well of a favorite series one more time, too often, these special episodes are just by the numbers experiences. Sadly, that’s the case here, but that doesn’t mean the episode wasn’t enjoyable for what it was.

Trigger found a way to have everyone return, save Nui, who’s only mentioned by name. By creating the dark clones of Satsuki, Uzu, Ira, Nonon, and Houka, Trigger is able to get back the villainous aspects of those characters as well while retaining the true forms of those characters, as they became revealed in the original anime run.

It was kind of amusing having the Elite Four fight their former selves, especially with Nonon, who complained about her dark clone’s mannerisms and whiny voice.

Basically, Trigger tried to cram every aspect from the KILL la KILL series into this episode, and they shocking manage to pull it off for the most part, right down to the different jokes that played out during the original series’ run. Mako’s visually expressive speeches don’t work as well with melodramatic music though.

I did like the flashback moment whereby Ragyou is able to return and be seen rescuing Rei. It explains why Rei was so faithful to her and willing to allow herself to be used by Ragyou so devoutly. And Rei gets her redemption as well, so all’s well that ends well.

I also liked how Trigger remembered that in their aftermath scenes during the end credits for episode 24, they showed Satsuki with short hair. It was fitting for her to be seen cutting her hair, as that’s long been a Japanese symbol of renewal.

The only thing missing here was a moment between Mako and Ira, which I found to be disappointing. Ira did praise something she said while she was captive, but that was it.

So for what it was, the episode was pretty enjoyable, and a nice farewell to the surprisingly memorable KILL la KILL series.