January 27th, 2014 
AstroNerdBoy キルラキル ep. 15 SPOILER Review
KILL la KILL episode 15
Synopsis:
Tsumugu comes into the damages Osaka as Kaneo rallies his people with money. Satsuki is revolted by this and sends the civilians fleeing with two attacks and a warning. Kaneo activates a mecha crab weapon called Doutonbori Robo. Uzu and Satsuki aren’t impressed, though Kaneo dispatches Uzu’s troops easily. Kaneo turns his attention on Uzu and Satsuki, who are shielded by Ima, now in his new 3-star Goku uniform. With him are Nonon and Houka, also in their new 3-star Goku uniforms. Uzu’s new uniform is air dropped to him, whereupon he defeats Kaneo. Satsuki has Kaneo at her mercy, saying he was never the target, and questioned where Kaneo got the power to go against the Goku uniforms.
Her interrogation is interrupted by Ryuuko on her bike, with Mako clinging on. Knowing that Ryuuko is after the last piece of Senketsu, she has Uzu take Kaneo away and orders the Elite Four to stay out of the fight. After an initial clash of blades, Satsuki activates Junketsu. Ryuuko holds her own, but is at a serious disadvantage. The fight is interrupted when Tsumugu launches a ranged attack, leading troops from Nudist Beach. Mikisugi takes out another group of Nudist Beach troops to take on Satsuki’s forces. However, Mikisugi learns that the whole objective of her battling other schools was to smoke out Nudist Beach and wipe them out, which is why Satsuki allowed him to teach at her school in the first place. The Elite Four transform and begin fighting the forces of Nudist Beach.
Ryuuko turns her attention back to Satsuki, telling Senketsu that since they are friends, the one minute her hand is used to substitute for the missing glove will be enough. Senketsu agrees, transforms onto Ryuuko, whereupon Ryuuko launches herself at a surprised and irritated Satsuki, achieving her objective of Senketsu’s glove. During the furious exchange of blade attacks, Satsuki reminds Ryuuko of her failures and weaknesses, which Ryuuko assures Satsuki that she won’t make the same mistakes. Satsuki lectures Ryuuko, and Ryuuko lectures Satsuki. Satsuki wants Ryuuko to back her words with actions, proceeding to disarm Ryuuko. Ryuuko has Senketsu form blades, but Junketsu is unharmed, forcing Ryuuko to flee by rocketing away in the air.
Mako retrieves Ryuuko’s blade as Nonon gives Satsuki a lift, catching Ryuuko in flight with a ranged attack from her sword. Ryuuko recovers, quickly racing to Satsuki and knocking her off Nonon. Satsuki does a Spider-man impersonation, swinging in and knocking Ryuuko out. Senketsu saves her as she falls, and Ryuuko revives. Ira stops Mako from delivering the scissor sword as Satsuki and Ryuuko square off again. Senketsu has a plan and asks Ryuuko to trust him. She does, and Senketsu forms a blade that Satsuki slices, but as it has blood in it, Satsuki gets splattered in the eyes, allowing Ryuuko to take her sword from her. Junketsu forms a blade as well, but Satsuki ends up giving into Ryuuko’s demands to leave Osaka after learning the Nudist Beach base is destroyed. Ryuuko gives Satsuki back her sword, Bakuzan, knowing Satsuki is honorable. After Satsuki leaves, Mikisugi says he’ll now tell Ryuuko everything.
Thoughts/Review:
I certainly could have done without the “I’m ramming my shinai up your oshiri” visual jokes. Then again, as I write this, I’m forced to recall how many times in my life I’ve heard folks threaten others with “I’m going to shove this up your <censored>!” Here, we literally got to see actions over words.
Ditto the “I <censored> on you!” jokes. ^_^;;;
I hadn’t expected Satsuki’s ultimate plan for this war to not involve conquering three schools, but to instead flush out Nudist Beach. I’m not surprised that Satsuki was well aware of Mikisugi being a plant at Honnouji. Her tactics and strategy thus far are quite good.
I found Satsuki’s disdain at the thought of using money to buy loyalty or other such stuff to be interesting, considering she’s an ojousama, and VERY wealthy. At the same time, Satsuki showed that she’s not really lost a step when she quickly defeated Kaneo’s defenders.
Speaking of Satsuki, I was surprised when she became genuinely angry with Ryuuko. I still believe they’ll be allies before this is all over, but I had to rewatch Satsuki’s and Ryuuko’s fight, which was quite good. I didn’t watch it for that goodness, but instead to hear their lectures to each other.
Satsuki has gotten where she is via discipline, careful planning, and choosing the right pieces to help her in her goals. Most importantly, Satsuki remains in control at all times, even when she’s angry. Ryuuko is her exact opposite in that she’s not disciplined, she’s reckless, she goes out of control at times, yet her powers are growing to such a degree that I can see them surpassing Satsuki. I think Satsuki sees that too, which is part of the reason why she’s so angry in the fight.
Ryuuko’s lecture was mostly about Satsuki’s ambitions leading to the destruction of Osaka. Satsuki wanted Ryuuko to back those words with action. Ryuuko did, but again, Ryuuko’s actions are wild and even irrational, but she gets the job done. Satsuki clearly hates that, which is why her having Junketsu fire part of itself out like a cable so she could do a Spider-man swing in, complete with foot-kick, was even more awesome. In a way, Satsuki was doing the very thing she hates most in Ryuuko — losing control.
I was struck by the symbolism at the end of the episode when Satsuki basically surrendered her sword to Ryuuko (who’d taken it from Satsuki in the first place). It was Satsuki’s way of acknowledging Ryuuko’s growth, but then Ryuuko did something pretty devastating to Satsuki — she gave the sword back. Not only did that show that Ryuuko understood Satsuki to be an honorable woman in a samurai warrior sense, but in that moment, Ryuuko was more honorable than Satsuki was. I think that’s why Satsuki was so angry at the end. This out of control girl not only managed to hang with Satsuki in a serious fight, but then has the gall to hand back a surrendered sword AND reveal her insight into Satsuki’s Bushido practices. While I still think Ryuuko and Satsuki will be allies, Satsuki now knows that Ryuuko will never be a powerful weapon in her army like the Elite Four are.
I was totally wrong about my theory that after Ryuuko regained the glove from Satsuki, that she’d need to have her uniform re-sewn. I guess Senketsu can just repair himself. ^_^;
Finally, I’m going to call it now — Mako-chan hooks up romantically with Gamagoori-senpai. *nods* *lol* She stands up to him and he worries about her, as evidenced when Mako got up in Satsuki’s and Ryuuko’s fight for a bit. Works for me.
For me, I liked this episode. While the action frosting was all good, the cake underneath was good as well.
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Oh my gods?! “GaMako”?! “MakIra”?! Make up your ridiculous couple names! LOOOOOL
Didn’t even think about that, nice insight. More than once (during the car lift and during the Elite 4 tournament) Ira complimented Mako’s personality traits. I can see something going on between the 2 of them.
I hadn’t really paid any attention to it until this episode. Then, I started thinking back to other Mako x Ira moments. The first thing that popped into my head was after his defeat at the hands of Ryuuko, he went and sat with Mako in the stands. *lol*
There’s a few things in this episode you didn’t cover, but I liked for some reason:
1) Nudist Beach. They really are nudists, the only thing they’re wearing are weapon harnesses.
2) I am now convinced that Ira Gamagoori has the ability to change his size. Nonon was standing on his shoulder, after all.
3) The new Three-star uniforms are awesome. Just saying.
4) The rose when shinai was shoved Kaneo’s bottom.
5) Ryuko’s reactions to Nudist Beach.
6) The fact that Mako considered the safest place to be being beside Ryuuko.
7) The talk Satsuki and Nonon had. Satsuki ask if it’s okay, as Nonon can’t rise above her like this, while calling her by given name, unlike all the other times she’s addressed the Elite 4, and Nonon having no problem with it. Makes me thinks Satsuki’s more relaxed and intimate(not that way perverts) with Nonon while in private and/or off-duty.
8) There was a bit of a smile on Satsuki’s face after Ryuko explained why she gave back the sword.
After hearing Satsuki’s mother speak about clothing, I figured they probably were actual nudist.
I’m trying to remember if he changed size when he wasn’t in uniform. But yeah, I too now think that his Goku uniform gives him size-changing ability of some kind.
*lol* Yeah, that was pretty funny. ^_^
It does close the loop on their friendship. We’ve seen Nonon refer to Satsuki as “Satsuki-chan”, but often she calls her “Satsuki-sama”, as in this episode. It was nice seeing Satsuki be more informal with Nonon. ^_^
I missed that. I saw her anger and such, but I didn’t see a smile. I’ll have to go back and look.
It’s faint, but her lips turn upwards at the corners.
Also, your comment reminded me of something: when Satsuki was talking to her mother about the Raid Trip, the real goal was actually stated, if obscurely.
I’ll need to rewatch that too. I still think Satsuki will oppose her mother at some point. Unfortunately, we don’t have a whole lot of background information about this Earth that has lead to the creation of Nudist Beach or anything else.
Heh I don’t think it has anything to do with his uniform. Remember his fight against Satsuki when they were both in Middle School?
Oh yeah. At the end, he looked like a giant in the crater and when he used Satsuki’s sword to not kneel before her. OK, so much for the uniform theory. But if he can change size, did Satsuki bring that out of him (since he seemed rather feckless as an actual high school student)?
Very possible, maybe he took a page out of her book after she turned into a giant on the rooftop of the school during Ira’s first flashback. She did become so big that he and that tiny student moved Off the building just to see her
As for Nui… that’s a problematic question. Nui did withdraw when Satsuki threatened her with violence but that is probably connected to her loyalty to Ragyo/Kiryuuin family rather than being afraid of Satsuki. Then again if we use Ryuuko is a measuring stick then Nui is probably stronger. Ryuuko can more or less fight equally against Satsuki while Nui pretty much dominates any fight against Ryuuko she is in.
It’s just my guess but perhaps Satsuki is… afraid or perhaps traumatized by Nui? Satsuki strives to be the strongest at all times, she even risked her life by putting Junketsu on. Maybe when she was a child Nui really scared her and now she tries to build herself into a person who wouldn’t yield to anyone, especially Nui.
Yeah, that has been my line of thinking too. Nui only obeys “Satsuki-sama” because of the family connection.
Nui pretty much dominates any fight she’s in. *lol* It was just the lucky strike by Ryuuko’s father that caused her to lose an eye. Otherwise, she walks through an entire battlefield, including into explosive traps, and doesn’t get so much as scratched.
Hmmmm. I hadn’t thought of that. Based on the flashback of Satsuki and Nonon in elementary school, my impression was that something happened with Satsuki that put her on her current path, but I assumed it to be things her parents were doing.
Regarding Satsuki’s anger… I think it’s at least partially the “Worthy Opponent” kind of thing. Satsuki always gets angry when Ryuuko fails to live up to her expectations because she is afraid of losing her equal. The bit where she accuses Ryuuko of using a “sneak attack” may be interpreted as her desire to fight Ryuuko from equal standing, no tricks, no playing around, just a pure skill vs. skill battle.
I hadn’t considered that, but that is how it could be interpreted. Ryuuko is the only one at the school who’s capable of being Satsuki’s equal.
I’m still not sure how Satsuki would stand up to Nui though.