My favourite bit of visual storytelling in the scene is that the window is broken before the door even hits it. That alone says "this kind of thing is a regular occurence around here."
Interesting that people thought Kill la Kill had limited animation. To me I thought it looked gorgeous. I also thought the way the anime is made is just a style. Since the show is both comedic and action-packed, I thought the animation of the show made a whole lot of sense.
I know this comment is 4 years old but the thing is its likely KLK did have limited animation which is part of why its so great. These scenes are the result of conveying things with the limits you have been set
It's videos like this that remind me why I'm not very good at critiquing visual media. None of this would ever occur to me watching this scene, even if I were to try and break it down like you did.
Don't worry. As a literary critic myself, I can assure you: 1. You have to be trained (or train yourself by self-study) in these things to notice all these details and make such a comprehensive and cohesive comment. And 2. You can only do that after several viewings/readings. However, I must also agree with Mechanical Orchards. You notice the mass of it subconsciously and the thrill/satisfaction you feel at watching good works of art is the result of this perception, even if you're unable to voice it. It's like listening to/watching a Wagner opera. All the leitmotifs and their meaning and intertwining really require, as Stravinsky pointed out (stupidly, by the way), a guidebook to follow. But that's only if you want to comment on them critically. If you just want to enjoy them, your mind will absorb the music and process the emotions caused by the interrelations of themes without any need for labeling/describing/analyzing them, which was precisely the way Wagner intended and the way he thought about them. He never named a single of his leitmotifs (which he called "melodic moments of feeling", far more to the point) and I don't believe he thought of them in this analytical way. After all, all he did was improvise endless at the piano and create these extremely complex relationships by a long trial-and-error process. Much like the director and the rest of the creative team did with Kill la Kill, I suspect. All hail Satsuki-sama!
Kill la kill's animation is one of the few unique styles in recent anime. Nowadays anime is usually just glossy bland character designs with equally glossy bland backgrounds. Kill la kill's animation provides style and an actual feeling of motion while anime such as Fate Stay Night provide us with animation which may look impressive but is overall bland in the execution of movement in the scene. Kill la kill is definitely one of my top 5 favourite anime so maybe I'm just being biased, don't take this comment as a declaration of war against anyone who disagrees with me though.
I actually stopped watching fate/zero because the animation (and story) was kinda boring. Kill la kill uses the possibilities it were given, being an animation series to it's maximum by changing the size of persons just to show dominance what a normal Series could never do in this way. The snimations in Killa la Kill felt always somehow realistic
Krähe I thought it was boring to at first probably because the one hour first episode but I gave it a second chance when I was actually wanting to try again not a half enthusiastic "well I'll try again" I was ready. And when I actually paid attention the set up was beautifully done the fights were weighty and releastic and I didn't really truly hate any characters because they all had fascinating backgrounds and motives. It also just got epic if I want to speak of fights alone and they were intelligent. Berserker and Gilgamesh of course broke that realism because they're so overpowered but that jet fights was just cool kinda funny otherwise it was intelligent fights.
It's the rule of 3 episodes please watch more than the 3. The ending and the fight scene are very satisfying. I finished it and worth it. btw Ufotable animate this.
saeideh rad IKR, it's so sad alot of idiots are way too dense and concered about how different this looks towards your average cardboard anime to appreciate the amount of detail and effort they put in litterally every shot
Limited animation?? Jeez, this show has some of the best action animated scenes I've ever seen in an anime series. The fact they use limited animation in some places just helps enhance the comedy through contrast. Like the Mako scene in the beggining. Amazing break down! I'd like to see a break down of the artistic and graphic style used in kill la killalso, not only cinematic. But this has been super informative =) Good job.
People who criticize KlK for its visuals are most likely those who think only clean visuals like those from KyoAni are good. Nothing against KyoAni, I love their work, but it hasn't got a fraction of the visual impact in either KlK or its predecessor Gurren Lagan. All hail Satsuki-sama!
I think stylisticly KLK is one of the best lookingshows I have watched. When I think back over shows I enjoyed KLK always stands out and is one of the first I recomend to people as an example of 'good' anime. The show works on so many levels and they combine without anything outdoing any other part.
One thing I never got is the dislike of people for the second half of the series. Many say having Ragyou as the antagonist is cliche and boring. However, first, turning Satsuki into the deuteroantagonist is a clever and very interesting and exciting move. Even though I think she's just as much a protagonist as Ryuko, if not more, I think speaking of ONE protagonist to this series - as if Kill la Kill was all about Ryuko - is silly. Also, in the second half we see a VERY important development of Satsuki's personality (yes, she's my favorite character, obviously), that had already been shown before, but perhaps in less obvious ways: she's extremely caring and protective of those she loves (her butler, the student council four, and then her sister). Also, near the end, when she bows to Ryuko to ask for her help, that shows she can be ruthlessly humble (that's a paradox, isn't it? XP) when need calls for it. I know this sort of character development doesn't tie in with your comments, but just adding my two Satsuki-adoring two cents.
Satsuki is great and all, but Ragyo is so bad and boring in my eyes, that it completely takes away from the potential enjoyment of the show. I actually "blame" Nui for this, as her impact on the show was clearly seen throughout all the episodes she was in and executed with perfection(as opposed to simple mentions and sneak-peeks of Ragyo). Combining her personality, scary powers and very smart use of visual comedy and shot composition makes her so much more real and entertaining than Ragyo, it's sad.
Yo. I'm glad you're still around! I was afraid you were dead and I was gonna have to make a video about it. Anyway, I'm always really glad when I see people point out the importance of cinematography and composition. It's an extremely important aspect of what makes a show work. Imaishi has a lot of skill and style to have pulled this show off in terms of looks. I feel like we have all (most anime reviewers) been too heavily influenced by certain other reviewers focusing too heavily on quality rather than the thought process behind the work (including myself). That's a mistake. People never do that with live action film. I think as soon as you add an element of artistic skill to a work, people focus on certain technical aspects and overlook more important features and effects--the thought that went behind it. Thanks for the kick in the pants Digi!
GoatJesus If you liked that kick, you'll love the next one. It's aimed directly at reviewers and it might hurt lol. (But it's okay, I have been one forever and I have done everything that I decry.)
GoatJesus Glad to hear it's a deliberate move. Wasn't sure if you'd left them behind totally, but I certainly want to see more analysis from you. (Not that your reviews were bad, they were definitely above-average!)
***** Well, thank you! That means a lot. But I gotta' say, it's disheartening partially. I put a lot of hours into them and I regret not being better. I would love to redo them someday but I also don't see a point. I have so many opinions that change over time and things I regret saying and there's just not enough time to alter stuff. There's so much I could add and take out. I'm not sure if you can really make a spectacular review though... Reviews are hard to nail. Quality is mainly based on how diplomatic/convincing you can be while keeping your own opinions in tact. Plus having a unique style is nearly impossible. I found making reviews dull. Like going through the motions. So I dropped them. My focus is on making films these days and I would rather reflect that aspect of me in my videos rather than being some guy who has different opinions from people.
To me, what makes film an art in its own right is not the fact that it is made up of several different art forms (music, animation, drawing, voice acting, sound). The art of film is taking each art form and combining them to create an effective experience. Digi, this is an incredible breakdown of the opening scenes in Kill la Kill, but you neglect the other arts. For example, when Satsuki enters a scene (not in the opening but on many other occasions), what is the first thing you see? Her sword or shoe. The visual alone declares her authority over the following scenes. When you see the sword/shoe appear, what do you hear? A single clack. So, not only does she take control visually, but she completely takes over the audio. The next thing you hear are two things. First, you hear Satsuki talk down to the other characters. Secondly, you hear Satsuki's theme playing in the back ground. Her authority is declared by the trumpets blaring her melody. When she is on scene, she dominates it both in the visuals and the audio. In the opening scene that you describe consider the theme songs and musical transitions. When Gamagori is dominating the scene, it is his theme that is playing. When Satsuki dominates the scene, it is her song that is playing.
Jasper Synth Yes, but this video was only meant to be about visuals. I could go on all day about everything good in Kill la Kill, but I wanted to specifically address the criticisms that the visuals have received among critics.
Somebody show this to Gigguk and HoldenReviews! They hate this show and think it has sucky animation but I always thought they misjudged Kill la Kill and this video proves it.
Sofia Kitsios As an actual animator working towards a degree in the field as animation goes it is still awful. It may have good artistic direction but that is subjective. The animation though fails at most points at even being consistent let along fluid. Don't let my opinion of this show effect yours though, that is not my goal nor intention. If everyone thought like me I would have no point in sharing my opinion in the first place and that doesn't sound like a very interesting world to me.
Kill la kill is my favorite anime so I am really glad to see people do analysis whether it be revolving around the underlying themes or the animation quality. I personally way to lazy and don't have the time to do anything like that so kudos!
also of note, people need to understand that sometimes things that are normally bad may be done intentionally for effect. like shaky camera footage in blair witch - it's the way it is for a reason. know what the rules are so that you can know how to break them. the 'bad' animation in KLK is stylistically perfect, and therefore good.
I don't think the show tried to portray really deep and complex themes as some people say, but I have to agree with absolutely everything you said in this video. I think Kill la Kill was extremely well directed. And the transition from comedic low animation shots to its intense dynamic action scenes just flowed so well, that it actually made the show more enjoyable.
Happy you got your channel back. CZcams is absolutely ridiculous, the amount of stupid BS i've seen happen to channels ive subbed too over the years is ridiculous.
You mentioned in another video that KLK's videos make a strong use of opposites, and one of the things I have always liked is the way that Ryuko's face and hair are built to look up and Satsuki's are built to look down, nonverbally framing precisely who they are
I made a review of Kill La Kill where I tried to touch on the same sort of thing you did, since I also feel it is one of the best-looking and well-directed animes I've ever seen. But your video goes into way more detail than I ever thought possible. I think it's amazing that you can spend 15 minutes analyzing what is only the first 3 or so minutes of the show, and yet the show keeps up this kind of genius for its entire 24-episode duration.
This anime is my favorite anime of all time and after watching some of your Kill la Kill videos, Kill la Kill could actually be one of the best anime ever created. Kill la Kill is so freaking good.
Looks like my birthday came early, I'm glad you got your channel back. Every time I watch one of your videos I feel like my I.Q. goes up and my analytical appreciation towards anime grows
I would love to see you do a break down of Kill la Kill like you did with the Asterisk War, talking about how a series does everything right and why it works so well. Your critiques of anime, talking about everything from the little details to the fundamentals, are interesting, fun, and massively helpful for anyone who wants to make a good story. I love how dynamic Kill la Kill is, but I'd never even considered most of the things you mentioned in this video. It's incredible how much the little details really do matter. Thanks!!
I think this narrow and focused study, to talk about an important concept is one of the videoes you have made, that i enjoy the most. I hope you make more case studies, grounded in important concepts.
This, along with some of your other videos covering Kill-La-KIll, convinced me to finally watch the show, and I'm really glad I did! It's interesting though, because the main thing that initially turned me off from watching it for so long was because of Ryuko's transformation outfit. I basically dismissed it as fan-servicey, and that this show must be just stupid fan service. But after finally watching it and being extremely impressed with the animation, I kept watching the series and noticed how they put a "shade on the lamp" in regards to the skimpy outfit. Also, once Satsuki dawns her outfit and explains that she must show everything about herself to the world without fear in order to fully access the Kamui's power, I kind of "got it". Like, I get the dichotomy and relationship that the skimpy suits add for the characters, and the story. Definitely a very well-done element of meta-fan-service that was integrated very well into the story.
And then you find out that's an actual plot point, with an explaination as to why the Kamui are so revealing. This series has a lot to say about clothes.
Although Satsuki has... _very unfortunate_ past experience with baring her body to others without trying to hide. I'd hate to imagine what Ragyou would do if she thought daughter dearest was upset about their mother-daughter time.
I have never said thank you digi for introducing me to klk, so i do now. For me its 10/10 show i can watch forever, audio visual comedy action brilliance! Thank you and good to see that youtbe didnt screw you up!
Although I've never had any kind of film studies training or education, Kill La Kill's use of perspective and scale to depict the intangible power and presence of its actors was something that stood out to me from the opening sequence. It's a great example of how a visual medium can be creatively used to convey what is traditionally non-visual. It's also extremely engaging and exciting, which makes it a more useful kind of symbolism than the kind you can only discern after the initial viewing.
There's also that point where the three stars on the big guys jacket shimmer for an instant. We saw the three stars earlier when he entered the room, but their importance wasn't necessarily clear. Even their origin could be missed as the shot went by quickly. But then when the kid puts on the one star uniform we get repeated emphasis of the "one star" uniform powering him up... followed immediately by a total beat down and the shimmer of the three stars, making it clear to us what those stars signify- the power level of the fighter.
I loved the opening for this series, but I didn't know exactly why, I just thought it looked really good. All this talk about framing and focus was really interesting and shed some light on why this scene caught my attention so well. Awesome video Digi, good to have you back!
Woah, I mean I loved Kill la Kill and its unique art style but Ive never seen anyone think and talk about it deeply lmao. Its not a bad thing but just..woah dude.
This is really informative and interesting. I love Kill la Kill for so many things, it was so over the top and it doesn't take much to love the characters. Thanks for this tidbit! I'll remember it in my artwork.
What a wonderful detail analysis of this intro, I was a bit skeptical from what I seen and heard about this show but you convinced me to take a look into this series. Thanks for the insight. : )
This video is amazing! Thank you so much, it was really interesting! I'm not so good with expressing myself in English, so it's difficult for me to describe how much I liked this video and how much I found it enriching. Anyway, I love your videos and I'm a really huge fan of your analytic breakdowns.
Also in a scene where Gamagori kicks the door, in a moment when this door is about to hit a window - there's a blink and you've missed it detail. The window is already somewhat broken. So it works both as the shortcut for animators, since there's no need to draw a window twice, but also as a joke that this is an everyday thing in this world and that this door probably not once was bashed in that window.
The shot of Gamagoori flying outside the windows as the kid runs away is one of my favorites for some reason. I think it reminds me of an old video game, though I have no idea which.
The entire first episode is great, it doesn't use all the good stuff, ruining the rest of the show, and it perfectly explains everything we need to know at first, and gets us hyped for every preceding episode. Just like how every first episode should be.
It's good to see the channel back! Still love this video. I'd love to see more like it, just analysis of individual parts of animes and what makes them good/bad. All that subtle stuff the average viewer isn't going to see.
Great video! One of my favorite little details is that 90% of the shots with Gamagoori are from a low angle... until Satsuki shows up. After that he's suddenly shown from a high angle, seen at 12:20, which ties into what you were saying about Satsuki immediately taking dominance of the scene and demonstrating Gamagoori's subservience to her.
Digi I think your comments about Visual Flow, Tension, Shot Composition and overall art direction as a "its not how fancy it is, its how you use it" Hits the nail on the head perfectly, and is applicable to more mediums than just TV animation, video games are facing the exact same problem, just on the opposite end of the spectrum. Instead of having to use visual direction and artistic know how to make your work extremely visually interesting and appealing despite maybe a smaller budget or simple designs, video game budgets are so over inflated that extremely costly models, texture, etc. are perceived as necessary to have a visually appealing product, despite the fact that countless smaller budget productions have created far more visually engaging products with smaller, more humble budgets. (Journey is the first that comes to mind but there are countless more)
The thing I never got about the complaints made about Kill la Kill's animation is that feels deliberate and not the result of a lacking budget. The lack of fluidity lends to the show's comedy and gives it a cartoony, over-the-top feel; it's stylized animation. I read a One of the first shows that comes to mind that also gets flak for stylized animation is Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad. The simplicity of the visuals lends to the visceral feel of the show, and although it could be argued that a lot of their budget was probably allocated for the concert scenes, it never felt like the animators were cutting corners. Personally, I'd rather watch an anime with a deliberate animation style than one that is technically good-looking (which is subjective, anyway) and directionless. Anyway, I love this review! The opening scene of Kill la Kill is the perfect setup for the show and you did a really great breaking it down. I just discovered your channel, but I'm already loving your videos. Keep up the good work!
The otaku's complain that kill la kill has limited animation? when the fuckin anime is almost distant/medios shots while the character moves only the mouth?...ok
I won't say its THE greatest visals of any TV series but you can't deny it IS amazing and dripping with style and character. Trigger specializes in absolutely insane balls-to-wall action where it's needed and everything else is a fucking cavalcade of obsurdity with animation quality all over the fucking map. That's GOOD. The visual juxtaposition of dirt cheap animation techniques or complete lack of animation altogether is HILARIOUS and makes me appreciate that a show about a living bondage suit doesn't take itself too seriously. PLUS it's an EFFICIENT production value. If you can save money on the mundane BS then you can have more resources to dedicate to insane aciton. It's SMART.
Honestly, my absolute favorite part of this scene is the fact that Gamagoori was falling down the outside of the windows instead of following after the kid not just to get the jump on him at the door, but because *running isn't allowed in the halls* and Gamagoori is the last motherfucker to break the rules
this demonstration has helped me understand a little more about scene building and might help me make more engaging and not just 'to the extreme' scenes in later works(writing, obviously it isn't all going to translate over from visual smoothly), if I choose to do any.
so, the fact that mako is always front-and-center and usually dominates the scene, even if she's just sitting on the sidelines and the scene contains both satsuki and ryuko, that speaks volumes to the degree of importance mako holds and to her willpower, i would assume?
I feel like I'd like this show better on a second time through. I'll probably watch it in English so I'm not distracted by the often fast dialogue and can focus more on the animation.
"How big is Gamagori?"
Best answer: "Bigger than you"
8 foot 9 inches give or take
Canonically he’s 8”8 without the visual effects.
EIGHT
FEET
TALL
@@alexhackett1312 THE HELL!
Gamagoori is actually 8ft 10in
@@lolrabbit0328 again THE HELL!!??
My favourite bit of visual storytelling in the scene is that the window is broken before the door even hits it. That alone says "this kind of thing is a regular occurence around here."
04whim "Doors? You mean kicking practice?"
That bit was actually an error. They fixed it when they released the blu-ray.
Interesting that people thought Kill la Kill had limited animation. To me I thought it looked gorgeous. I also thought the way the anime is made is just a style. Since the show is both comedic and action-packed, I thought the animation of the show made a whole lot of sense.
I agree, triggers animation style is awesome and *NO ONE* can convince me otherwise
I know this comment is 4 years old but the thing is its likely KLK did have limited animation which is part of why its so great. These scenes are the result of conveying things with the limits you have been set
Kill la Kill proves one thing. In a visual medium, showing is worth ALOT more than telling.
Laughs in Monagatari
I dig the little detail at the end that Ryuko takes the now open seat of the rebel next to Mako in the opening scene.
yes
It's videos like this that remind me why I'm not very good at critiquing visual media. None of this would ever occur to me watching this scene, even if I were to try and break it down like you did.
"None of this would ever occur to me watching this scene,"
But it occurred to your brain
Don't worry. As a literary critic myself, I can assure you: 1. You have to be trained (or train yourself by self-study) in these things to notice all these details and make such a comprehensive and cohesive comment. And 2. You can only do that after several viewings/readings. However, I must also agree with Mechanical Orchards. You notice the mass of it subconsciously and the thrill/satisfaction you feel at watching good works of art is the result of this perception, even if you're unable to voice it. It's like listening to/watching a Wagner opera. All the leitmotifs and their meaning and intertwining really require, as Stravinsky pointed out (stupidly, by the way), a guidebook to follow. But that's only if you want to comment on them critically. If you just want to enjoy them, your mind will absorb the music and process the emotions caused by the interrelations of themes without any need for labeling/describing/analyzing them, which was precisely the way Wagner intended and the way he thought about them. He never named a single of his leitmotifs (which he called "melodic moments of feeling", far more to the point) and I don't believe he thought of them in this analytical way. After all, all he did was improvise endless at the piano and create these extremely complex relationships by a long trial-and-error process. Much like the director and the rest of the creative team did with Kill la Kill, I suspect. All hail Satsuki-sama!
Kill la kill's animation is one of the few unique styles in recent anime. Nowadays anime is usually just glossy bland character designs with equally glossy bland backgrounds. Kill la kill's animation provides style and an actual feeling of motion while anime such as Fate Stay Night provide us with animation which may look impressive but is overall bland in the execution of movement in the scene. Kill la kill is definitely one of my top 5 favourite anime so maybe I'm just being biased, don't take this comment as a declaration of war against anyone who disagrees with me though.
I actually stopped watching fate/zero because the animation (and story) was kinda boring. Kill la kill uses the possibilities it were given, being an animation series to it's maximum by changing the size of persons just to show dominance what a normal Series could never do in this way. The snimations in Killa la Kill felt always somehow realistic
Krähe I thought it was boring to at first probably because the one hour first episode but I gave it a second chance when I was actually wanting to try again not a half enthusiastic "well I'll try again" I was ready. And when I actually paid attention the set up was beautifully done the fights were weighty and releastic and I didn't really truly hate any characters because they all had fascinating backgrounds and motives. It also just got epic if I want to speak of fights alone and they were intelligent. Berserker and Gilgamesh of course broke that realism because they're so overpowered but that jet fights was just cool kinda funny otherwise it was intelligent fights.
It's the rule of 3 episodes please watch more than the 3. The ending and the fight scene are very satisfying. I finished it and worth it. btw Ufotable animate this.
PandaHatMan In recent years? Sure.
But that sort of style has been around since the 70s/80s.
Recommending the 3 episode rule on Digi's channel? Ironic.
very educational
blows my mind how genius the animators were
saeideh rad IKR, it's so sad alot of idiots are way too dense and concered about how different this looks towards your average cardboard anime to appreciate the amount of detail and effort they put in litterally every shot
it's good direction too not just animation. Who do you think decides how a scene should be put together in the first place?
Limited animation?? Jeez, this show has some of the best action animated scenes I've ever seen in an anime series. The fact they use limited animation in some places just helps enhance the comedy through contrast. Like the Mako scene in the beggining.
Amazing break down! I'd like to see a break down of the artistic and graphic style used in kill la killalso, not only cinematic. But this has been super informative =)
Good job.
B Costa The animation is still limited.
BRO.
dont call it a comeback....he's been here for years
JaxBlade yo jax, do a tough like the toons gamagori edition lol
People who criticize KlK for its visuals are most likely those who think only clean visuals like those from KyoAni are good. Nothing against KyoAni, I love their work, but it hasn't got a fraction of the visual impact in either KlK or its predecessor Gurren Lagan. All hail Satsuki-sama!
True true.
Also yes, all hail our lord and savior, the great Satsuki sama
Love both styles
The director has said that he wanted to use old techniques from the Showa era.
did trigger save anime or did they save me
I think stylisticly KLK is one of the best lookingshows I have watched. When I think back over shows I enjoyed KLK always stands out and is one of the first I recomend to people as an example of 'good' anime.
The show works on so many levels and they combine without anything outdoing any other part.
One thing I never got is the dislike of people for the second half of the series. Many say having Ragyou as the antagonist is cliche and boring. However, first, turning Satsuki into the deuteroantagonist is a clever and very interesting and exciting move. Even though I think she's just as much a protagonist as Ryuko, if not more, I think speaking of ONE protagonist to this series - as if Kill la Kill was all about Ryuko - is silly. Also, in the second half we see a VERY important development of Satsuki's personality (yes, she's my favorite character, obviously), that had already been shown before, but perhaps in less obvious ways: she's extremely caring and protective of those she loves (her butler, the student council four, and then her sister). Also, near the end, when she bows to Ryuko to ask for her help, that shows she can be ruthlessly humble (that's a paradox, isn't it? XP) when need calls for it. I know this sort of character development doesn't tie in with your comments, but just adding my two Satsuki-adoring two cents.
Satsuki is great and all, but Ragyo is so bad and boring in my eyes, that it completely takes away from the potential enjoyment of the show. I actually "blame" Nui for this, as her impact on the show was clearly seen throughout all the episodes she was in and executed with perfection(as opposed to simple mentions and sneak-peeks of Ragyo). Combining her personality, scary powers and very smart use of visual comedy and shot composition makes her so much more real and entertaining than Ragyo, it's sad.
I'm always happy to know that there are other people who like this show as much as I do.
Goddamnit. Fine, I'll go watch Kill La Kill.
Yo. I'm glad you're still around! I was afraid you were dead and I was gonna have to make a video about it.
Anyway, I'm always really glad when I see people point out the importance of cinematography and composition. It's an extremely important aspect of what makes a show work.
Imaishi has a lot of skill and style to have pulled this show off in terms of looks. I feel like we have all (most anime reviewers) been too heavily influenced by certain other reviewers focusing too heavily on quality rather than the thought process behind the work (including myself).
That's a mistake.
People never do that with live action film. I think as soon as you add an element of artistic skill to a work, people focus on certain technical aspects and overlook more important features and effects--the thought that went behind it.
Thanks for the kick in the pants Digi!
GoatJesus If you liked that kick, you'll love the next one. It's aimed directly at reviewers and it might hurt lol. (But it's okay, I have been one forever and I have done everything that I decry.)
***** Don't directly insult me and I'll be fine. I've moved away from reviews for a reason.
GoatJesus Glad to hear it's a deliberate move. Wasn't sure if you'd left them behind totally, but I certainly want to see more analysis from you. (Not that your reviews were bad, they were definitely above-average!)
***** Well, thank you! That means a lot. But I gotta' say, it's disheartening partially. I put a lot of hours into them and I regret not being better. I would love to redo them someday but I also don't see a point. I have so many opinions that change over time and things I regret saying and there's just not enough time to alter stuff. There's so much I could add and take out. I'm not sure if you can really make a spectacular review though... Reviews are hard to nail. Quality is mainly based on how diplomatic/convincing you can be while keeping your own opinions in tact. Plus having a unique style is nearly impossible.
I found making reviews dull. Like going through the motions. So I dropped them.
My focus is on making films these days and I would rather reflect that aspect of me in my videos rather than being some guy who has different opinions from people.
I swiped down the screen to fast and you looked like the villager from animal crossing.
To me, what makes film an art in its own right is not the fact that it is made up of several different art forms (music, animation, drawing, voice acting, sound). The art of film is taking each art form and combining them to create an effective experience.
Digi, this is an incredible breakdown of the opening scenes in Kill la Kill, but you neglect the other arts.
For example, when Satsuki enters a scene (not in the opening but on many other occasions), what is the first thing you see? Her sword or shoe. The visual alone declares her authority over the following scenes.
When you see the sword/shoe appear, what do you hear? A single clack. So, not only does she take control visually, but she completely takes over the audio.
The next thing you hear are two things. First, you hear Satsuki talk down to the other characters. Secondly, you hear Satsuki's theme playing in the back ground. Her authority is declared by the trumpets blaring her melody.
When she is on scene, she dominates it both in the visuals and the audio.
In the opening scene that you describe consider the theme songs and musical transitions. When Gamagori is dominating the scene, it is his theme that is playing. When Satsuki dominates the scene, it is her song that is playing.
Jasper Synth Yes, but this video was only meant to be about visuals. I could go on all day about everything good in Kill la Kill, but I wanted to specifically address the criticisms that the visuals have received among critics.
Somebody show this to Gigguk and HoldenReviews! They hate this show and think it has sucky animation but I always thought they misjudged Kill la Kill and this video proves it.
Even if it does have good moments, I doubt that would change their opinion on the entirety of the show.
I don't know about that... they really enjoyed the series but they don't respect it. We should just leave it at that.
2insanekiller From the bits and pieces I've seen of it, I don't bear much particular respect for it either.
Sofia Kitsios As an actual animator working towards a degree in the field as animation goes it is still awful. It may have good artistic direction but that is subjective. The animation though fails at most points at even being consistent let along fluid. Don't let my opinion of this show effect yours though, that is not my goal nor intention. If everyone thought like me I would have no point in sharing my opinion in the first place and that doesn't sound like a very interesting world to me.
Really? I know Holden hates it, but I thought Gigguk was just indifferent to it.
Kill la kill is my favorite anime so I am really glad to see people do analysis whether it be revolving around the underlying themes or the animation quality. I personally way to lazy and don't have the time to do anything like that so kudos!
also of note, people need to understand that sometimes things that are normally bad may be done intentionally for effect. like shaky camera footage in blair witch - it's the way it is for a reason. know what the rules are so that you can know how to break them.
the 'bad' animation in KLK is stylistically perfect, and therefore good.
Nichijou , Blend S, and Kill a Kill are one of my favorite anime animation/drawing style
Eh, replace the 1st 2 with MHA and Jojo and I'm the same
I don't think the show tried to portray really deep and complex themes as some people say, but I have to agree with absolutely everything you said in this video. I think Kill la Kill was extremely well directed. And the transition from comedic low animation shots to its intense dynamic action scenes just flowed so well, that it actually made the show more enjoyable.
Happy you got your channel back. CZcams is absolutely ridiculous, the amount of stupid BS i've seen happen to channels ive subbed too over the years is ridiculous.
Back in business! Woot!-Woot! and an extra dash of Booyah!
ridiculously ridiculous and i'm ridiculously happy hes back. Ridiculous. (I like that word)
I love it when you do videos like these where you go really in depth about stuff that would probably go un-noticed to most of us.
You mentioned in another video that KLK's videos make a strong use of opposites, and one of the things I have always liked is the way that Ryuko's face and hair are built to look up and Satsuki's are built to look down, nonverbally framing precisely who they are
I made a review of Kill La Kill where I tried to touch on the same sort of thing you did, since I also feel it is one of the best-looking and well-directed animes I've ever seen. But your video goes into way more detail than I ever thought possible. I think it's amazing that you can spend 15 minutes analyzing what is only the first 3 or so minutes of the show, and yet the show keeps up this kind of genius for its entire 24-episode duration.
This anime is my favorite anime of all time and after watching some of your Kill la Kill videos, Kill la Kill could actually be one of the best anime ever created. Kill la Kill is so freaking good.
I must admit I was unsure of Kill La Kill but I watch it and love it. I lol, art is epic and the story is wow.
Looks like my birthday came early, I'm glad you got your channel back. Every time I watch one of your videos I feel like my I.Q. goes up and my analytical appreciation towards anime grows
These videos are friggin amazing, keep them up! As a future film student, this sort of analysis is really helpful.
I would love to see you do a break down of Kill la Kill like you did with the Asterisk War, talking about how a series does everything right and why it works so well. Your critiques of anime, talking about everything from the little details to the fundamentals, are interesting, fun, and massively helpful for anyone who wants to make a good story. I love how dynamic Kill la Kill is, but I'd never even considered most of the things you mentioned in this video. It's incredible how much the little details really do matter. Thanks!!
I think this narrow and focused study, to talk about an important concept is one of the videoes you have made, that i enjoy the most. I hope you make more case studies, grounded in important concepts.
I don'y know how or why, but everytime I watch one of your videoes, it feels like an hour goes by, even on the 15 minute ones. I love it!
This, along with some of your other videos covering Kill-La-KIll, convinced me to finally watch the show, and I'm really glad I did!
It's interesting though, because the main thing that initially turned me off from watching it for so long was because of Ryuko's transformation outfit. I basically dismissed it as fan-servicey, and that this show must be just stupid fan service. But after finally watching it and being extremely impressed with the animation, I kept watching the series and noticed how they put a "shade on the lamp" in regards to the skimpy outfit. Also, once Satsuki dawns her outfit and explains that she must show everything about herself to the world without fear in order to fully access the Kamui's power, I kind of "got it". Like, I get the dichotomy and relationship that the skimpy suits add for the characters, and the story. Definitely a very well-done element of meta-fan-service that was integrated very well into the story.
And then you find out that's an actual plot point, with an explaination as to why the Kamui are so revealing.
This series has a lot to say about clothes.
Although Satsuki has... _very unfortunate_ past experience with baring her body to others without trying to hide.
I'd hate to imagine what Ragyou would do if she thought daughter dearest was upset about their mother-daughter time.
Man that was captivating.
I have never said thank you digi for introducing me to klk, so i do now. For me its 10/10 show i can watch forever, audio visual comedy action brilliance! Thank you and good to see that youtbe didnt screw you up!
Although I've never had any kind of film studies training or education, Kill La Kill's use of perspective and scale to depict the intangible power and presence of its actors was something that stood out to me from the opening sequence. It's a great example of how a visual medium can be creatively used to convey what is traditionally non-visual. It's also extremely engaging and exciting, which makes it a more useful kind of symbolism than the kind you can only discern after the initial viewing.
This is one of the most fascinating, if not THE most fascinating Kill la Kill video I have ever seen. I am blown away, to be frank.
There's also that point where the three stars on the big guys jacket shimmer for an instant. We saw the three stars earlier when he entered the room, but their importance wasn't necessarily clear. Even their origin could be missed as the shot went by quickly. But then when the kid puts on the one star uniform we get repeated emphasis of the "one star" uniform powering him up... followed immediately by a total beat down and the shimmer of the three stars, making it clear to us what those stars signify- the power level of the fighter.
So glad you got your channel back. Keep up the good work!
I loved the opening for this series, but I didn't know exactly why, I just thought it looked really good.
All this talk about framing and focus was really interesting and shed some light on why this scene caught my attention so well.
Awesome video Digi, good to have you back!
Congrats man love your videos and I had a goddamn heartattack at the thought of you leavin us. Keep it up bro, can't wait to see more.
Woah, I mean I loved Kill la Kill and its unique art style but Ive never seen anyone think and talk about it deeply lmao. Its not a bad thing but just..woah dude.
Man great to see your channel back up!!
This is really informative and interesting. I love Kill la Kill for so many things, it was so over the top and it doesn't take much to love the characters. Thanks for this tidbit! I'll remember it in my artwork.
Digibro, this video was awesome! watching kill la kill all over again now but it's so much better, thanks!
I began watching Kill la Kill just the other day, and I really could not believe how amazing the animation was.
So much love to this channel. I missed it so!
What a wonderful detail analysis of this intro, I was a bit skeptical from what I seen and heard about this show but you convinced me to take a look into this series. Thanks for the insight. : )
i love when you breakdown like this. makes you think more about the art of things
This video is amazing! Thank you so much, it was really interesting! I'm not so good with expressing myself in English, so it's difficult for me to describe how much I liked this video and how much I found it enriching. Anyway, I love your videos and I'm a really huge fan of your analytic breakdowns.
Amazing video and analysis man. Love your stuff. :)
These types of videos are so good!
Thank you for making this video. This is my favorite opening.
Glad to see you back
Thank god you're back!
I loved this and would greatly enjoy a breakdown like this applied to more classic anime.
Ahh, you got your channel back. That's good. Most glad.
This was absolutely amazing. Thank you.
Never doubted that you would return for a second.
Digibro, you're back!!! Thank goodness :D
Glad you were able to get the main channel back up :)
Also in a scene where Gamagori kicks the door, in a moment when this door is about to hit a window - there's a blink and you've missed it detail. The window is already somewhat broken. So it works both as the shortcut for animators, since there's no need to draw a window twice, but also as a joke that this is an everyday thing in this world and that this door probably not once was bashed in that window.
The shot of Gamagoori flying outside the windows as the kid runs away is one of my favorites for some reason. I think it reminds me of an old video game, though I have no idea which.
Wow! This is like film making 101. Thank you for this awesome breakdown!
Very well done, you've earned a subscriber.
The entire first episode is great, it doesn't use all the good stuff, ruining the rest of the show, and it perfectly explains everything we need to know at first, and gets us hyped for every preceding episode.
Just like how every first episode should be.
It's good to see the channel back!
Still love this video. I'd love to see more like it, just analysis of individual parts of animes and what makes them good/bad. All that subtle stuff the average viewer isn't going to see.
Kill la kill is my life
That was an amazing shot breakdown. I'll be applying that in my next story-boarding class.
Guess who's back? Back again. Digi's back. Tell a friend!
Grats on getting your channel back, Digi! /)
Great video! One of my favorite little details is that 90% of the shots with Gamagoori are from a low angle... until Satsuki shows up. After that he's suddenly shown from a high angle, seen at 12:20, which ties into what you were saying about Satsuki immediately taking dominance of the scene and demonstrating Gamagoori's subservience to her.
Digi I think your comments about Visual Flow, Tension, Shot Composition and overall art direction as a "its not how fancy it is, its how you use it" Hits the nail on the head perfectly, and is applicable to more mediums than just TV animation, video games are facing the exact same problem, just on the opposite end of the spectrum. Instead of having to use visual direction and artistic know how to make your work extremely visually interesting and appealing despite maybe a smaller budget or simple designs, video game budgets are so over inflated that extremely costly models, texture, etc. are perceived as necessary to have a visually appealing product, despite the fact that countless smaller budget productions have created far more visually engaging products with smaller, more humble budgets. (Journey is the first that comes to mind but there are countless more)
Dominance hierarchy... dominance hierarchy... DOMINANCE HIERARCHY!!! Can't escape the dominance hierarchy!
The thing I never got about the complaints made about Kill la Kill's animation is that feels deliberate and not the result of a lacking budget. The lack of fluidity lends to the show's comedy and gives it a cartoony, over-the-top feel; it's stylized animation. I read a One of the first shows that comes to mind that also gets flak for stylized animation is Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad. The simplicity of the visuals lends to the visceral feel of the show, and although it could be argued that a lot of their budget was probably allocated for the concert scenes, it never felt like the animators were cutting corners. Personally, I'd rather watch an anime with a deliberate animation style than one that is technically good-looking (which is subjective, anyway) and directionless.
Anyway, I love this review! The opening scene of Kill la Kill is the perfect setup for the show and you did a really great breaking it down. I just discovered your channel, but I'm already loving your videos. Keep up the good work!
Such an underrated anime.
This intro scene alone puts it above many.
This seriously has to be one of your best videos yet. Hopefully more Kill la Kill videos in the future?
Yeah!!! welcome back Digi!
The otaku's complain that kill la kill has limited animation? when the fuckin anime is almost distant/medios shots while the character moves only the mouth?...ok
Excellent review!
I won't say its THE greatest visals of any TV series but you can't deny it IS amazing and dripping with style and character. Trigger specializes in absolutely insane balls-to-wall action where it's needed and everything else is a fucking cavalcade of obsurdity with animation quality all over the fucking map. That's GOOD. The visual juxtaposition of dirt cheap animation techniques or complete lack of animation altogether is HILARIOUS and makes me appreciate that a show about a living bondage suit doesn't take itself too seriously. PLUS it's an EFFICIENT production value. If you can save money on the mundane BS then you can have more resources to dedicate to insane aciton. It's SMART.
KillLaKill is a really great show. They did a great job with the action and the comedy
YOU'RE BAAAAACK!
*dances around in joy*
This was a very impressive video. And I agree KLK is simply stunning visually
Honestly, my absolute favorite part of this scene is the fact that Gamagoori was falling down the outside of the windows instead of following after the kid not just to get the jump on him at the door, but because *running isn't allowed in the halls* and Gamagoori is the last motherfucker to break the rules
Beautiful analysis :)
Guess who's back? Back again. Digi's back. Tell a friend!
this demonstration has helped me understand a little more about scene building and might help me make more engaging and not just 'to the extreme' scenes in later works(writing, obviously it isn't all going to translate over from visual smoothly), if I choose to do any.
interesting analysis and well made
so, the fact that mako is always front-and-center and usually dominates the scene, even if she's just sitting on the sidelines and the scene contains both satsuki and ryuko, that speaks volumes to the degree of importance mako holds and to her willpower, i would assume?
That was very informative!
Welcome back digi
Your videos are always so brilliant and I love it when you do Kill la Kill/Gurren Lagann video.
glad to have you back in your main account good sir
damn now i got to watch kill la kill again it was so good the first time
I feel like I'd like this show better on a second time through. I'll probably watch it in English so I'm not distracted by the often fast dialogue and can focus more on the animation.
The triumphant return!
I love Every Frame a Painting! It satisfies the Media Studies student inside me. :3