***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Akame ga Kill. Reader discretion is advised.***
Series Synopsis
For those living in the country, the Capital seems like the place to make a name and some money. That’s what Tatsumi (voiced by Soma Saito) thought. A young swordsman with big dreams, Tatsumi has a bright future ahead of him. The only thing bigger than his aspirations is his naivety.
Upon arriving in the Capital, Tatsumi learns how deep corruption has taken root. Villany and tyranny lurk everywhere. The people live in fear. If starvation doesn’t kill you, the government might. The just and grand Empire told to Tatsumi died out a long time ago.
Yet in the shadow, the flames of revolution are growing. But the power of the Empire threatens to crush liberation at every turn. Hope is in short supply these days. But the tides are shifting.
The fledgling rebels have an ace up their sleeve. A small, but deadly group of assassins know as Night Raid. Their combined strength and skill have spread fear into hearts of the Capital’s leadership. But none is more infamous than team's most deadly. A powerful swordswoman named Akame (voiced by Sora Amamiya).
Akame and Night Raid’s mission resonates with Tatsumi. Though inexperienced, he soon makes a name for himself. It seems there is nothing that can stop them.
Unfortunately, when pushed against a wall, absolute power will push back. Blood and death will cover the road to victory. At any moment, a loved one may die. Only those ready to kill can hope to survive.Series Positives
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| Tatsumi |
I’ve put this off for far too long. Considering the shows I’ve seen up to this point, I should’ve gotten to this one much earlier. This was another case where I feared a series wouldn’t live up to my expectations. And for some reason, I built up high expectations for Akame ga Kill.
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| Akame |
Not sure why that happened. Had you asked what I expected beforehand, I don’t know what I would've said. All I had was a girl with a sword. But word of mouth is a hell of a force. Hoping for the best, but bracing for something underwhelming, I at last sat down.
And my fear was, surprise, unfounded. Akame ga Kill was great. It was fantastic. Sure, I didn’t know what to expect. But in the end, I got something I could never have predicted.
Animation and Music
When these two elements work in sync, there are few things which can beat them.
The animation in Akame ga Kill did much of the storytelling in the later episodes. I must say, exposition filled the beginning. Considering the lore to this show, the wordy explanations were much appreciated. They helped set up the world. And once the job was over, the visuals went into overdrive.
Speed, power, emotion, a wide mix were in every frame. And that was when the characters were just talking to each other. When something heavy was occurring, and there were a lot, you had better strap yourself in.
This series was both exhilarating and gut-wrenching. From holding your sides to clenching your heart, this was a roller-coaster. No need for dialogue when you could see it all for yourself.
Adding to the visuals was the music. You could watch this show on mute and you’ll do fine. The music, though, added memorability. There are many scenes which are now stuck in my mind and it’s thanks to the music.
I see a nice home for the Akame ga Kill soundtrack sitting next to Kill la Kill’s.
The Fights
Since I’ve already named dropped it, let’s use Kill la Kill as a comparison. As for pure adrenaline and excitement, few hold a candle to Kill la Kill. It’s in a league of its own. That said, Akame ga Kill didn't mess around.
This also went over the top. The climax of this series, in particular, had me at the edge of my seat. The lead up to it was nothing but escalation. Things only got bigger and more dangerous. There wasn’t a lack of imagination and creativity, I can promise you that.
Yet, it still can’t compare to the spectacle that was Kill la Kill. But keep this in mind. Akame ga Kill is not Kill la Kill. What this show lacked in excitement, which wasn’t much, it more than made up for in pure rawness.
Kill la Kill thrived in cartoon logic. It went huge and its characters took massive hits only to get up for more. Akame ga Kill didn’t work that way. Yes, it was cast of humans who could perform superhuman feats. But in the end, they were still human.
A person doesn’t just stand back up after getting their heart ripped out. In Akame ga Kill, a battle was often decided based on who could endure the most. Each time there was a fight, there was a high chance that someone wouldn’t be coming back.
This is the kind of enhancement violence can add to a series. If you’re squeamish, warning, there’s blood to this one. A lot of it. Yet, it wasn’t done just for the sake of having it. It made each punch feel painful. Make no mistake, the world of Akame ga Kill was a dangerous one. Death’s inevitability was at the forefront.
So, while each battle had its badass moment, it was often accompanied by tragedy. Flawless victories were few and far between. The amount of weight and attachment this added goes beyond words.
The Characters
Akame ga Kill was a fun show, but boy was it hard to sit through at points. I mean that in the best way possible.
Now, I’ve seen my fair share of animated blood baths. So many people have died “tragic” death in many series. Most of these moments don’t leave anything behind. They come and go, and that’s all there is. The ones that linger, though, are the ones where you care about the people involved.
This is the strength of Akame ga Kill. It’s cast. The members of Night Raid grow on you quick. From damn near the moment you meet them, you want to learn more about them. They were funny, interesting, and fun to be around. If there was a series with only them and none of the revolution, I’d be all for it. The amount of personality in this cast was enough to fill several series.
You didn’t want these guys to get hurt.
And that’s what made it so much more painful when they did. Every time one of Night Raid got injured, you felt worried. Every time one of them was suffering, you felt their grief. And when one of them would leave, their presence was always missed.
It wasn’t just Night Raid. Their advisories, the Jaegers, received equal development. It was a shame to see these two groups fight each other because it wasn’t always one-sided. Sure, a few of the Jaegers were pricks and weren’t missed. But, that wasn’t always the case.
Sitting down and thinking about it, this show didn’t waste time with its characters. You got a good idea of who they were rather quick. From the get-go, you felt attached to everyone. Thus, the more time you spent with them, the harder it became to see them fight. Going back to the rawness of the show, death was never instant. It was never easy to watch one of these characters die.
One more thing. Akame ga Kill went down a route I need to give it huge props for. There was a romantic plot line with Tatsumi. AND IT DIDN'T INVOLVE AKAME! This show is solid proof that two leads of opposite sex don’t have to be romantically involved. They could be comrades in arms, and that’s it. While I’ll admit it kind of started out of nowhere, I was on board in an instant.
Series Negatives
Akame ga Kill is an example of a show that can rely on its strengths to mask its flaws. A series doesn’t have to be perfect. Mistakes can exist. Sometimes they must exist when in the face of time constraints. Some of my favorite anime have glaring problems. While I'll point these problems out, they don’t distract from the pure enjoyment a series can give me.
At times, Akame ga Kill did feel a bit rushed. Character’s powers weren’t always clear. Sometimes it was hard to follow what people were doing or were going to do next. And a few deaths were cheap and unnecessary.
In fact, that was a sizable problem. Akame ga Kill operated in a similar fashion to Basilisk. It was always eye-for-an-eye. Though death could happen at any time, it seemed to happen all the time. The lead up to a character’s death became formulaic. While I’ll admit, this made it more powerful on occasion, it came with two downsides. One, you could prepare yourself for when it did end up happening. It took a little of the bite out of it. Two, it was relentless. You’ll be exhausted by the end.
These blemishes exist. I acknowledge their existence. But where Akame ga Kill needed to focus its efforts, it went full throttle. This makes it easy to ignore these small problems.
However, it’s always hard to ignore the big ones.
Light and Heavy Transition
Akame ga Kill knew how to be funny and light-hearted. It was why you got so attached to the characters. This series also knew how to be dark and heavy. Christ, did it know how to do that.
There was also a great balance between the two. They were effective. But Akame ga Kill fell into the old familiar trap. It struggled with the transition. When it needed to switch gears, it was jarring. It would take you out of the moment.
Now going from joking to seriousness, that’s easier to do. The suddenness can be an advantage. Returning, though, that’s a different story. And here was where Akame ga Kill, like so many before it, struggled.
It got better as the series went on. It got a lot better. But in the beginning, damn was it distracting.
Final Thoughts
Akame ga Kill was great. It was also rough. You’re not going to feel that cheery at end of this one. And I mean that in a good way.
It took way too long for me to watch this one. But I couldn’t be more satisfied.
The animation and music were fantastic. The fights were exciting and powerful. And the characters took all that to the next level. While it was sloppy with its emotional transitions, this show remained a powerhouse. I got pumped and a little teary eyed.
This one is a must watch. Akame ga Kill gets a giant recommendation.
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