ANIME TUESDAY: Kill la Kill – “DAWN OF A MISERABLE MORNING” Review


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Previously on Kill la Kill:

Satsuki gains her own Kamui, Junketsu, and challenges Ryuko to a fight at school. After a vicious fight in which Ryuko unlocks Senketsu’s true power, the battle ends in a draw with Satsuki putting a bounty on Ryuko’s head for all the school clubs and telling her if she survives she will face her in a rematch. Spoilers Ahead!

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Ryuko has the misfortune of taking part in “No-Late Day” an annual school event in which all “no-star” students have to traverse hellish obstacle course on the way to school before it starts or face expulsion. Along with Mako and an injured classmate named Maiko Ogure, Ryuko is determined to make it to school on time, dodging spikes, illusions, and bullets all without the help of Senketsu!

No real battles this episode, but the overall product basically comes down to a tom & jerry episode on crack.

Maiko

Maiko

Ryuko is awakened by a dream of Senketsu being destroyed which essentially sets the entire tone for the rest of her day. Mako tells her of “No-Late Day” and Ryuko is forced to go school in her pajamas since Senketsu is being washed by Mako’s mother. Hilarity ensues right off as the two girls and the rest of the “no-stars” are confronted by Gamagoori who gives them the low down on the event (he even scolds Ryuko for wearing her pajamas but is soon chastised by Mako) telling them they have four hours to make it from the slums to the school on time or face expulsion (“No-Late Day” begins at 4am).

The obstacle course is certainly a sight to behold as it is filled with traps, loop-de-loops, and even pits of lava. Along the way Ryuko & Mako come across their classmate Maiko Ogure, whose arm is broken, and she tags along with them. Eventually Maiko is revealed to be the member of the student council who constructed the curse for “No-Late Day” and her true goal was to steal Senketsu from Ryuko and become queen of the school (because of course she was) but she is dealt with and Ryuko & Mako make it on time.

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The real strength of this episode is in its comedy, there isn’t a single moment here that won’t cause you to roll on the floor at it’s sheer absurdity. Whether its Senketsu whining about being washed; Mako’s father, brother, & dog trying to bring Ryuko Senketsu and being continually thwarted by her panty shots; the infamous armored bus ride through the second star condos; the fight with Maiko; or even the end shot, everything in this episode is just high energy and a helluva lot of fun. The music is used well during these scenes as we get to hear classics like “The Flight of the Valkyries” and “The Blue Danube Waltz”.

While not having any epic fight scenes like last week, “DAWN OF A MISERABLE MORNING” shows just how well done and how fun a “cool down” episode can be. The energy is kept high without being overwhelming and the comedy hits in all the right spots. The crisp animation is also a plus.

4.5/5

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