Alright. I’m not sure this is the episode to do this, and actually hoping it’s that episode probably borders on masochism all by itself. I’m fairly confident this is the show to do this. Fraying anyway, might as well commit, right? “Kill la Kill might be the show that finally drives me crazy!” Haha funny laffs. Yeah. Okay. Let’s see if we can just maybe hold it together.

Tonight’s Commentary Will Be Provided By Your Co-Hosts, Timmy and Lewis

Timmy: Fucking love this show. Pretty much everything that was fun about classic Gainax, blended and fried and dialed to 11. Wasn’t that last episode great? Goddamn I’m excited.

Lewis: Yeah, it’s an impressive show in a lot of ways. Great visual aesthetic, fun soundtrack, really dynamic direction. It can be hard to look past its…

Timmy: Don’t say it.

Lewis: What? “Problematic?”

Timmy: Goddamnit Lewis every fucking episode’s gotta be a sermon with you.

Lewis: Look, I talk about the show in front of me. If the show tries to redefine exploitation as empowerment, I’m going to…

Timmy: Oh my god I am having so much fun with this incredibly interesting conversation. Let’s just roll the fucking episode.

Lewis: You know, it must feel pretty good to be privileged and self-absorbed enough not to even consider this a conversation worth having. I can’t even…

Timmy: Yes yes yes. Far be it from me to keep you from Making the World a Better Place through your brave moral stance against sexy action cartoons.

Lewis: It’s not a… GAH. Look, if it comes up, it comes up. You can have fun with your convenient little worldview…

Timmy: And you can have fun with the stick up your ass. ROLL TAPE.

Episode 5: The One That Breaks Me

0:06 – Lewis: Love this show’s backgrounds

Timmy: I know, right? Kinda Road Warriorish, and so far it’s looked like the entire fuckin’ show’s been taking place on some crazy island. It’s like the whole show is a physical mountain to climb

Lewis: Yeah. Great distillation of the shounen battle ethos. This show distills and hardens a whole lot of that stuff

Timmy: And then you poke at it for offending you by doing what these shows have always done

Lewis: Yes

0:21 – Lewis: Even though we’ve seen that building profile a hundred times, these slow pans and contrasts still make it powerful. Budget-saving at its finest

0:34 – Timmy: Oh jeez haven’t seen that sniper shot before. Trigger and their callouts…

0:50 – Timmy: Oh my god it’s the gardening club yes. This show is so beautiful

1:06 – Lewis: More of that “relying on Life Fibers” business. Satsuki sneered at this initially, but has since bent her uniform to her will. Seems to be less about using clothing at all, and more whether you let it define or dominate you as opposed to owning it yourself

Timmy: Nice counterargument to your own complaints there

Lewis: The theme can be solid even if the methods used to illustrate it are questionable. I’m not saying this is a stupid show

Timmy: Well I am saying you’re a stupid person for overthinking a show about smutty uniforms and pie-in-face jokes

Lewis: Even Evangelion had a penis size joke. This isn’t exactly unfamiliar territory

1:14 – Timmy: THE WORST OFFENSE!

1:43 – Timmy: Oh my god his hands are watering cans yes

2:08 – Lewis: Goddamn just look at that shot. I know the word “epic” has been dead and buried for years, but this show…

2:29 – Lewis: Laying down a little more fiber intrigue.

Timmy: This show makes plot its bitch

4:12 – Timmy: Ryuuko’s been keeping busy

4:44 – Lewis: Yep. Nice that they’re just implying this has been shounening its way along in the background for however long

5:07 – Timmy: Theirs is a beautiful relationship. Any comment, Lewis?

Lewis: Not even touching that one

5:34 – Timmy: He’s like a gruff but caring parent who she… wears as clothing. Any co-

Lewis: NO FUCKING COMMENT

5:46 – Timmy and Lewis: …no comment

6:10 – Timmy: This show. Explain why that’s awesome, jackass

Lewis: Gladly, cretin. Fantastic color palette, striking visual composition, and that great mixed-media-esque effect they get from the simulated paintbrush strokes and paint splatters. They even fade out the actual character palettes to pastels to keep the eye drawn along that great shadow

Timmy: Knew you were good for something!

6:24 – Timmy: Well that’s just awful considerate of him

6:48 – Lewis: Rape allusion count: 1

Timmy: Are you going to do that all episode?

Lewis: Are you seriously already conceding it’s something prevalent enough for that to be a problem?

7:01 – Lewis: Maybe not, but the camera sure is. Playing directly off her vulnerability here

Timmy: Oh my god will you complain about everything

Lewis: That was actually a compliment. The show is hopefully trying to create tension by trapping you in…

Timmy: So you admit that was super-hot?

Lewis: No, I…

Timmy: Cause seriously, that was-

Lewis: Please. Please stop talking

7:34 – Timmy: They’re playing it as ridiculous. You’re seriously taking this seriously?

Lewis: The show makes it tough. Yeah, lines like this are obviously winking and self-consciously ridiculous. But lampshading the stuff isn’t actually…

Timmy: Alright sorry I asked roll tape!

7:44 – Lewis: Lovely background

Timmy: So much personality in these places!

7:52 – Timmy: Equal-opportunity sexiness!

Lewis: Well, outside of the rape jokes

Timmy: …I’ll give you that one

8:22 – Timmy: Oh my god this is the greatest thing. Hey, asshole. Is this not the greatest thing?

Lewis: I must concede this is possibly the greatest thing

8:49 – Timmy: Holy shit get a load of all this mansplaining

Lewis: Your death will not be peaceful

9:10 – Timmy and Lewis: The plot thickens!

Timmy: Wait, no, I get to do the “plot thickens” bit! I’m the one with a sense of humor!

Lewis: I’m the one who’s cynical about narrative structure! That’s totally my bit!

Timmy: Yeah, but you take all the character trope stuff. I should get the canned one-liners!

Lewis: Fine. But I get the meta criticism gags then

Timmy: Jeez, take ‘em. Those aren’t even funny

9:52 – Timmy: The obvious solution

10:06 – Timmy: Daily reminder of what you’re getting all huffed up about

Lewis: Daily reminder that making stupid jokes does not exempt the rest of your text from criticism

Timmy: Daily reminder that you’re stupid

Lewis: Daily reminder that you smell

10:15 – Lewis: All these nice backgrounds

10:22 – Lewis: That’s a nice shot

Timmy: Also a nice butt

Lewis: Granted

13:18 – Timmy: Man, these fights!

Lewis: Yep. Love how active the camera is – it really keeps the energy high. Even from the first episode, this show was ostentatious in how it didn’t care how obvious the 2D-frame nature of the canvas was – at this point, it’s turned that into a legitimate directing style

14:39 – Timmy: These villains just can’t help themselves

15:45 – Lewis: This whole sequence is great stuff

Timmy: Eh, not sure the energy’s working. But don’t mind me, keep lauding anything for being ostentatious

16:44 – Lewis: Another great shot. This show knows its shadows

Timmy: They’re making that whole clothing theme pretty ridiculous, huh?

Lewis: Yeah. Kinda seems like they’re retreating into the ridiculous, frankly.

Timmy: Well, at least that means you won’t be conflicted anymore!

Lewis: I’d object, but it’s honestly easier to say “yes, this show has serious problems, but I also like many things about it” than actually unpack its philosophy

Timmy: Join us, Lewis. Jooooin us

Lewis: Oh, no risk of that. You’re still a pretty gross person

Timmy: Your fuckin’ bullshit. You think it makes you cool? You think it’s awesome to rationalize everything you like? That doesn’t make you different

Lewis: Oh, pardon me, Mr. Pure id. Is it so fucking difficult to comprehend the difference between a gut reaction and an intellectual response? Hell, that’s how you see the sex stuff, isn’t it – whatever you respond to is obviously not wrong, obviously not problematic, obviously the correct viewpoint. Because your gut position is obviously-

Timmy: Whoa, hey, calm dow-

Lewis: I am not going to calm down. I am not going to be appeasing. I am SICK of how whatever terrified instincts underwrite your worldview make me feel in the SLIGHTEST inclined to appease misogynistic bullshit the tolerance and even embracing of which implies a worldview so backwards, self-absorbed, ignorant, and twisted that even acknowledging it as a potential stance makes me feel FUCKING unclean. I AM NOT GOING TO CALM DOWN.

.

.

.

Timmy: You okay, guy?

Lewis: Yes… no. Maybe.

Timmy: You wanna finish the episode?

Lewis: …let’s finish the episode.

17:50 – Timmy: Does Mako make you feel better?

Lewis: …yes. Mako is the best.

18:55 – Lewis: This is one of the weirdest emotional moments

19:27 – Timmy: Fuck yes

19:36 – Lewis: It really is a beautiful kind of incredibly weird

20:20 – Timmy: Love this guy’s catchphrase. You?

Lewis: Yep. One more piece of this show’s campy, lovable flavor

21:43 – Timmy: A simple bonding story of a girl and her uniform. What could be more heartwarming

And Done

Timmy: Last words?

Lewis: Man, I’m tired.

Timmy: You’re always tired.

Lewis: That might be true.

Timmy: Well, I had fun. You think that was that a good episode?

Lewis: Yeah. It was funny and full of energy and its marquee character did great work. It indicates the show can get away with “standard” episodes perfectly well. Solid action sequences, and Ryuuko and Senketsu actually had some weirdly adorable moments together.

Timmy: Well, that’s what we’re here for then, right?

Lewis: …that’s what we’re here for.