Trigger Magazine Production Reports

[Harls]

From the e-mail list:

KILL la KILL production report 001

Hello everyone! This is Higuchi again, reporting in this week's KILL la KILL production report. How did you like the first episode? I personally had a blast! It got me so excited; I had a hard time going to sleep!

KILL la KILL is a very distinct series, and I think we can agree that the talking sailor uniform got everyone's attention. To those who are familiar with very old anime series and I mean "really" old series might have caught on to the similarities with Dokonjo Gaeru. Yes, KILL la KILL is influenced heavily by anime from the Showa period. Other series such as Sakigake!! Otokojuku, Harisu no Kaze, and other major titles from the Showa period was brought to topic numerous time in the production meeting as well. However, just because the resource is from the Showa period, it does not mean that it will just be a reproduction. With modern techniques and talent worked in, it creates a whole new style of animation. So please stay tuned with KILL la KILL! You won't be disappointed!


Hello! This is Tatsuru from studio TRIGGER once again! How did everyone enjoy the first episode of KILL la KILL? I sure did, I'm even confident that I enjoyed it more than you guys! The action scenes were firm, the characters cute....
Especially the main character, Ryuko! She appears to be a rowdy tomboy-ish character, but....



Yes, she is blushing like no other when she is harrased by Senketsu! I just simply love these kind of gaps! (laughs)

Alright, a little bit more serious here. I don't want you guys to think I'm just a perv now. Since Higuchi was talking about the Showa period anime, I would like to introduce a frame with the "Harmony" process applied.



The screen capture posted above is an example of a "Harmony". Sadly, I wont go into details since it is out of my expertise, but it is a frame that is colored and completed by the background artist. It is a style of process that was popular in the older anime series. Some of you older folks might find these cut a bit nostaligic.



KILL la KILL production report 002

Hello everyone! Has everyone gotten used to the dazzling energy of KILL la KILL after the second episode?

In this week's episode we were introduced to Mako's family. I believe the word "crazy" best describes her family. No wonder she grew up to become such a unique individual. Whenever I watch KILL la KILL, it reminds me of this specific act from Mr. Nakashima's theatrical play "Hana no Kurenai Tengu". This act also happens to be Mr. Imaishi's favorite, and the title is "I will take the path I trust. Vigorously, even if there are no roads." I feel that this phrase is the intersection between Mr. Imaishi and Mr. Nakashima. Just as their creators are, every character in KILL la KILL share the same unfaltering courage to stay bold with their beliefs. The story is full with passion but so is the character! It may be interesting to see which character in KILL la KILL represents your belief the most as well. Stay tuned for next week's episode of KILL la KILL! Higuchi reporting out!

Hello fellow subscribers!
How did you like the 2nd episode of KILL la KILL?
I gotta say Tennis is a wonderful sports.
All of those nice low angle shots, and we gentlemen don't have to feel guilty about peeking in.
Jokes aside, Satsuki has finally made her move in this episode!
Their encounter will continue to heat up next episode so don't miss out on it!

:added before it's lost to the void:
http://www.excite.co.jp/News/reviewmov/20131017/E1381974322840.html?_p=2

Nakashima talks Kill la Kill.

-They went with a female protagonist because it felt better; and he wants to write protagonist Ryuuko as a strong but beautiful character that struggles.
-Why clothing? it actually started as a joke. Seifuku means both conquest and uniform, fashion and facism are written the same in Japanese. They took that and ran with it. The entire world-view of Kill la Kill comes back to clothing.
-Episode 7 will be Mako's big moment.
-Episode 3 will make people realize why the costume needed to be so skimpy; and the direction of the story will become perfectly clear.
-The story will become very surprising after episode 3 and they want the audience to always need the next episode as soon as possible.

[Dr.Soviet]

-Episode 7 will be Mako's big moment.

I can hardly wait

[Harls]

KILL la KILL production report 003

How did everyone like the third episode! I myself can't decide if I liked the intense battle scenes or Satsuki's transformation! Are we rushing the series a bit too much? Don't worry! We have plenty more of where that came from!

Some of you may already know, but KILL la KILL was originally planned to become the typical monster/villain of the week style of anime. The first time I attended the staff meeting was a year and a half before the airing of KILL la KILL started. And, that just happened to be the time when the staff decided to throw that style of composition out. With the static format gone, the weekly meeting became even more hectic, and it was almost impossible to keep up with the conversation if I were to take even one week off. It got a little long, but what I wanted to say is that KILL la KILL will really fire up after episode 3! Starting with episode 4, I bet it will sucker punch you with the out of the ordinary taste!
Higuchi Reporting out!

[Ryokos Stepdad]

It got a little long, but what I wanted to say is that KILL la KILL will really fire up after episode 3! Starting with episode 4, I bet it will sucker punch you with the out of the ordinary taste!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfslY_AvhLw

[Harls]

KILL la KILL production report 004

Has everyone noticed? Maybe some of our keener audience might have caught on already. It may be a surprise but all of the KILL la KILL episode titles come from popular Showa Japanese songs! Mr. Nakashima carefully picked out the most fitting song title for each episode, taking in the artist and the lyrics itself into account. The main staff would gather early to a meeting and listen to these songs to further discuss about the episode the individual songs were bound to. Believe it or not, these song titles were taken into account from a very early stage of production. To those who are familiar, the song title will feel nostalgic. To those who aren't, the title should definitely leave a strong impression. For example「とても不幸な朝が来た」(Totemo Fuko na asa ga kita; Dawn of a Miserable Morning) the episode title for the fourth episode is a great example. I'm sure for those who saw the fourth episode can agree with me! If you have never listened to these songs before, it's definitely worth your time! Many of these titles are catchy and unique, and pack a punch that contemporary songs do not have.
That will be it for this week, Higuchi reporting out!



This week's service cut! I believe green or blue shima-pan is the popular color of choice, but Ryuko wears red! And, she's got just the right amount of meat on her waist as well.

[Harls]

KILL la KILL production report 005

Hello fellow subscribers! How did everyone enjoy the 5th episode? Pretty hardboiled compared to the previous episode, right? A lot of people probably noticed the difference in the script. To reveal the secret, the scripts for episode four and five is actually not done by Mr. Nakashima. Episode four is done by the creative officer Hiromi Wakabayashi, and episode five is done by Hiroshi Seko! It's quite the surprise how the script can affect the tone of the work so much! Each and every staff has their own taste, for example Mr. Wakabayashi always manages to come up with the most playful ideas and Mr. Seko favors a hardboiled stories. To top it all off, Mr. Nakashima somehow manages to get more pumped up in the script meeting than the actual characters in KILL la KILL! It's really interesting to see how their taste reflects so much to the different episodes. Although all of the scripts will be done by Mr. Nakashima from episode 6, it may be interesting to re-watch the previous episodes with the individual script writers in mind.
This was brought to you by Higuchi once again.



One of the bigger surprise to us is the unexpected support we are receiving from oversea. KILL la KILL has little sprinkles of taste from the showa period, and we were worried if it would even appeal to the audience here in Japan at first. Regardless of the reason, it really feels nice to know that we have a supporting fan base even oversea. This week I would like to share an artwork done by an oversea resident illustrator Belindraw! She did a really amazing job on picking up the appeal points for the character. My personal favorite is the scissor blade. A lot of people can make cute chibi characters, but it takes some talent to make a weapon look cute (laughs).



Last week, I received a request from one of our subscribers to post a couple of genga or Kinagase, so here it is! To be honest, my only impression with this character at the development phase was "what's up with his Mohawk." But, after watching the fifth episode, he turned out to be a pretty cool character. Although I personally dislike him regardless due to the fact that he picks on Ryuko (laughs).



"Up until now, the only friends I had were in my head." I have to say this phrase is pretty powerful and it left me quite speechless. Every episode Mako gets abused pretty badly, but never did I feel bad for her. But this phrase on the other hand really got me. I really felt bad for her.



She finally got some action! Nonon will probably be a quick favorite to many of the KILL la KILL fans out there. Here stuffy voice really grows on you the more you listen to her. Please look forward for her in the future episode!

[Dr.Soviet]

KILL la KILL production report 005
One of the bigger surprise to us is the unexpected support we are receiving from oversea

Murica does it again.

[Harls]

Murica does it again.

Chargin' in to save the day!

KILL la KILL production report 006

Hello, this is Higuchi again!

I'm sure episode 6 was a treat to our Sanageyama fans. His determination to sew his eyes shut is truly unbelievable! I cannot believe he is still a high school student. I guess being an Elite Four in Honnouji Academy is not an easy task. Putting that aside, this episode was our first chance to get in touch with the Elite Four's past. Not only does this episode function as a turning point for Sanageyama, it is also a vital episode for the other Elites Four as well. According to Mr. Nakashima, the scene where Sanageyama encounters Satsuki and the other three at North Kanto wasteland was the key factor to determine the individual characters personality. I guess if you observe carefully, you can get an idea of who met Satsuki first, and what kind of relation they have. It's amazing how a single short scene is sufficient enough to provide the characters with their depths!

Episode 6 was quite the ride. Sanageyama is too much of a man. You see yakuza's cutting their pinky to set matters straight, but blinding yourself is pretty steep. Especially when sight was Sanageyama's most prized ability. I'm sure a lot of viewers out there became Sanageyama's fan with this episode.

I went through the trouble to combine the multiple keyframe of the characters into one image. For a moment I debated if I wanted to share the raw keyframe with Senketsu not blocking the view. But, I think our poor Sanageyama needs a break. The man lost his battle and most importantly his pride. I mean look at Mako's hand for a moment. That's just cruel. (laughs)



We're finally having a good line up of male characters in KILL la KILL as well, but let's be honest. Girls are a lot more fun to look at. So, I've decided to ask our good friend Mataro to share his secret Polaroid stash. I love it when it's the perfect angle to see the very tip of the goods. (laughs)





Gluteus Maximus! Oh, the perfect curves. I just love how the wind gently lifts up the skirt right here.



Satsuki's mother also makes a quick show in this episode. Can't reveal too much yet, but she will for sure to be an important character to the story!

[Ryokos Stepdad]

Calling it, Satsuki isn't the final boss of the internet. Her mother will be.

[Harls]

Triggerman Masahiko Otsuka speaks: http://mantan-web.jp/2013/11/16/20131115dog00m200056000c.html

Q: Please tell me the highlight of the future.

A: The core of Kill la Kill is in its second half; during our scenario meetings, we were constantly laughing and had fun while coming up with the first half of the story, but as we approached the end our expressions became more and more serious and our faces paler and paler (laughs). We worked with all our heart on this story so please watch until the end!

There is the saying "it's exciting like a rollercoaster" but with Kill la Kill I would actually add a warning to it: it's a rollercoaster that is so extreme it may be bad for your heart.

[Harls]

KILL la KILL production report 007

Each episode of KILL la KILL is rich in content, no doubt about that. But how many of you actually watch the preview for the next episode? It may be a surprise, but the preview is just as rich as the actual episode! Catchy visuals, the assertive captions, and who can forget Senketsu's narration!

Every week Mr. Toshihiko wraps up the recording session with his narration for the preview. Mr. Toshihiko is precise to the second with his script and does not fail to impress Mr. Imaishi and Mr. Nakashima. A round of applause from the director's booth is not a rare sight when it comes to KILL la KILL's recording session. Did I mention that the preview covers more than just an advance showing of the next episode? The extended 30 second preview (available to view online) contains exclusive information from time to time as well! So if you have access to them, it's definitely worth the watch! Higuchi reporting out!

How did everyone enjoy episode 7 of KILL la KILL? I'm guessing it was a treat for our Mako fans out there. I personally am a Ryuko supporter so it was rather painful for me to see my favorite character treated so poorly (laughs). Putting that aside, who else felt that Satsuki looked a bit cuter this week? Maybe it was because she was overly happy in this episode. It almost makes me want to fiddle with her eyebrows to see how she would react.



The happiest Satsuki I have yet to see! She's shouting with a grand smile, a little too excited if you ask me. Since we got the chance to see Satsuki overly happy this episode, I really want to check out Satsuki to be troubled and blush like Ryuko as well. I can almost guarantee that she would look cute (laughs). But, this would probably never happen... A guy can only dream.



Since episode 7 did revolve around the Mankanshoku family, I feel obligated to share a good amount of keyframes of Mako. Who would have thought that Mako would actually fight, and look actually pretty damn awesome as well? Too bad her Goku uniform got destroyed at the end.





The golden statue of Barazo is one of my favorite scenes in this episode. If you pay close attention, you can gear the glimmering sound effect the whole time the statue is in view.

[Harls]

KILL la KILL production report 008

Episode 8 just ended with things were starting to get good! With Naturals Election started, and the arena for the battle set, I simply cannot wait for the next episode! The idea of Naturals Election originated in one of the scenario meetings when Mr. Nakashima decided to throw out the original idea of 党首頂上決戦 and decided to play with words and went with 塔首頂上決戦. (The two kanji 党 and 塔 is pronounced the same with a different meaning. 塔 resembles tower or a pillar while 党 resembles a political faction or a party.) Mr. Imaishi quickly replied by drawing a sketch of an arena placed on top of a large tower. The teamwork between the two is simply amazing! Mr. Imaishi manages to pick up all of Mr. Nakashima's idea! Watching the two create such an amazing piece of work out of almost nothing but paper and pencil is truly a magnificent sight to observe. While the meetings for KILL la KILL is definitely interesting, I can promise you that the actual episode will be more interesting! Please don't miss out on this week's episode of KILL la KILL! Higuchi reporting out!




How was last week's episode of KILL la KILL? Gama is finally in action! My most favorite male character of the series is definitely him! We got a lot of crazy character on our line up, but I believe Gama takes the trophy on this one. He's a loyal and bold character, but also a crazy masochist at the same time. I definitely love that gap he shows, and I hope the Gamagoori fan will grow significantly with this episode.



This episode's best angle.
I almost overlooked this cut, thinking that this episode has no service scene. This specific scene was done as a harmony which was the reason why I almost missed it.  Nothing to complain about this frame, covers almost everything in one angle.



This particular cut isn't a fan service scene. But, who here realized that there has been no low angle shot of Satsuki. We've got a peek of Ryuko's underwear a couple of time, but not a single glance of Satsuki. This cut was so close in getting a little peak of what Satsuki is wearing, but her trusty blade Bakuzan just had to be in the way.



Finally a glance at loli-Ryuko! We had the chance to look at Satsuki a few weeks ago, but being a Ryuko fan, this shot will win my vote.



Here we have a bird's eye view of the representing loli character of KILL la KILL. Compared to Satsuki and Ryuko, it may be a little.... not saying that size matters. Don't mistake me, I definitely like Nonon, she's got the stuffy voice, who can hate that? Also a very nice hipline, if you know what I'm talking about.

[Harls]

KILL la KILL production report 009

Ryuko is finally on a full blown battle with the Elite Four! We're finally getting a glance of what the Goku uniform of the Elite Four has to give, and I must say they are quite distinct! While the characters of KILL la KILL are distinct, the production of the series is also very distinct. For many animation series, the personality and the orientation of the characters are determined in the plot/script meeting. The designs of the individual characters are then determined in the visual design meeting. It's normal to think that the characters are developed along with the plot. Surprisingly, there has been few occasions where that was not the case in KILL la KILL. Mr. Nakashima will at times like the character design so much, he would go through the trouble to rewrite the already made script to accommodate for the character. Even in the recording session, Mr. Nakashima has changed the character's line in order to better match the actor's voice. This flexibility in production is truly distinct for animation production, and I believe it is one of the many reasons that makes KILL la KILL such a wonderful series. Higuchi reporting out!



How did everyone enjoy episode 9 of KILL la KILL? I bet I'm saying something similar every week, but this episode was one of my favorite. Ryuko and Gamagoori are my two favorite characters of the series, and they both get a lot of spotlight in this episode. We also can't forget the plentiful amount of fan service provided in this episode as well.





So I was just scolded last week by my boss about the newsletter being too over the top. I sure don't learn my lessons because I'm back here posting more lewd spankings of Ryuko (laughs). I mean I can't help it, there is absolutely no way I am not sharing these awesome keyframes!
To those who are trying to enjoy this series seriously, I'm really sorry.
I like what I like.



Yes, I won't just let it go with just Ryuko's rear. If I showed the back, I'll show the front too. Mako can agree with me that Ryuko's under-bust packs a nose bleeding punch.



I'm not sure how this works, and I bet it's really painful as well. But, I really love this view. Putting that aside, seeing Ryuko so helpless makes me want to pull few pranks on her. I'd love to see her expression if someone would have tickled her with a feather or something. I better cut it out here or my boss will have a few words with me again (laughs).

[Harls]

KILL la KILL production report 010

Hello everyone, this is Higuchi again! How is everyone enjoying Naturals Election so far? The unpredictable plot and the crazy battle scene are probably keeping everyone on their toes. Yep, sounds like the usual KILL la KILL, but whom here has given a thought to the other "important" factor to what makes this series so interesting and full of energy? Yes, the music! I bet many of you are already hooked to the KILL la KILL tunes already, but the BGM to our series is really powerful! Many of the characters like Satsuki would just sound like a lunatic if we were to listen to them without the BGM. What makes Satsuki's tyrannical speech sound convincing is definitely due to the help of Mr. Sawano's BGM. Once the sound track is released it may be interesting to review the previous episodes again. You just might find a surprise hidden!
Higuchi reporting out!



How did everyone enjoy episode 10 of KILL la KILL? Talk about hightailing it right? I was expecting Inumuta to give Ryuko a bit of a struggle just as Gamagoori and Sanageyama did. Boy was I wrong, this episode managed to pull of 3 key events in just mere 20 minutes! Inumuta forfeits his match, Nonon enters the arena, and Senketsu obtains a new transformation again!



My goal here is to present atleast 1 keyframe of Ryuko every week. Sadly none of Ryuko's scene met my standards. But don't worry our school idol Nonon Jakuzure will be more than enough to substitute for Ryuko this week. Look at that confident wink!



I always thought Nonon was quite flat. How wrong of me (laughs). I mean she's not as curvy as Ryuko and Satsuki, but it's just the right amount. Not too much, nor too little, but the perfect amount (laughs).



What's the age of Kindergarten students? Nonon knows how to deal with the boys at the age of 4 to 5 years old? She's got potential for sure. But then, who can refuse such a cute girl.



Loli-Satsuki once again! And Nonon crying next to her is just adorable! I hope loli-Ryuko will have her part soon.

[Ryokos Stepdad]

WHO IS THE REAL BAD GUY WHO I ASK YOU?