Uploaded December 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
While I don't think Kill la Kill is a magical girl series, why the association was made is just as interesting. So, where is the link between Kill la Kill and magical girl series? That question and more are answered as I approach the topic.
If you don’t read the Representations Thesis, I’d still highly recommend at least the Children of Sailor Moon article, which I also reference here several times. Even if you just read sections of the Representations paper relevant to your interests based on what is listed as a source: it's neat stuff!
Sources:
Children of Sailor Moon: The Evolution of Magical Girls in Japanese Anime: nippon.com/en/in-depth/a03904
Representations of Girls in Japanese Magical Girl TV Animation Programmes from 1966 to 2003 and Japanese Female Audiences' Understanding of Them: core.ac.uk/download/pdf/9562075.pdf
Road to Promare Trigger Staff Interviews: crunchyroll.com/anime-feature/2019/06/03-1/the-road-to-promare-trigger-staff-discuss-the-anime-studios-history
crunchyroll.com/anime-feature/2019/06/17/trigger-staff-shares-secret-stories-about-kill-la-
kill-and-more
More on Pink Violence Exploitation Films: brooklynrail.org/2006/04/film/dvd-culture-how-pink-got-so-violent-a-guide-to-japanese-female-exploitation-films-of-the-70-rsquo-s-on-dvd-by-david-wilentz
FRAU 2017 Takeuchi Naoko Interview (Pages): paper.wildmushroomland.com/frau-december-2017
FRAU 2017 Takeuchi Naoko Interview (Rough translation): sailormoonforum.com/index.php?threads/new-naoko-interview-in-frau.30648
History of Harenchi Gakuen: web.archive.org/web/20080417054609/http://mdn.mainichi.jp/culture/waiwai/archive/news/2007/03/20070330p2g00m0dm024000c.html
Toei Fushigi Comedy Series: youtu.be/PecckVgJvSE
Descriptive vs Perscriptive: merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/descriptive-vs-prescriptive-defining-lexicography
Special thanks to lime phoenix for helping me find sources, discussion, and interviews.
Used Music:
Kiっ9=KELL – Kill la Kill OST
寝LLna聴9 – Kill la Kill OST
昼裸lilL♪ – Kill la Kill OST
Kirakiraru Juuten Kanryou – Kirakira Precure A La Mode OST
服着豚型4☆極★服– Kill la Kill OST
Horobi ni Tachimukau Senshi-tachi – Star Twinkle Precure OST
Uchuu Kaitou Blue Cat Arawaru – Star Twinkle Precure OST
Shakunetsu no Koubou – Star Twinkle Precure OST
名付扇子0型5☆極★服–Kill la Kill OST
シリウス [instrumental] – Kill la Kill OP 1
Text Version: pastebin.com/CdQyY5wd
Patreon: patreon.com/craftsdwarf
Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/craftsdwarf
Side Channel: youtube.com/channel/UCRQdzITjLWnmmY4X8BLvNGA
Twitter: twitter.com/Craftsdwarf
MAL: myanimelist.net/profile/Craftsdwarf
While I don't think Kill la Kill is a magical girl series, why the association was made is just as interesting. So, where is the link between Kill la Kill and magical girl series? That question and more are answered as I approach the topic.
If you don’t read the Representations Thesis, I’d still highly recommend at least the Children of Sailor Moon article, which I also reference here several times. Even if you just read sections of the Representations paper relevant to your interests based on what is listed as a source: it's neat stuff!
Sources:
Children of Sailor Moon: The Evolution of Magical Girls in Japanese Anime: nippon.com/en/in-depth/a03904
Representations of Girls in Japanese Magical Girl TV Animation Programmes from 1966 to 2003 and Japanese Female Audiences' Understanding of Them: core.ac.uk/download/pdf/9562075.pdf
Road to Promare Trigger Staff Interviews: crunchyroll.com/anime-feature/2019/06/03-1/the-road-to-promare-trigger-staff-discuss-the-anime-studios-history
crunchyroll.com/anime-feature/2019/06/17/trigger-staff-shares-secret-stories-about-kill-la-
kill-and-more
More on Pink Violence Exploitation Films: brooklynrail.org/2006/04/film/dvd-culture-how-pink-got-so-violent-a-guide-to-japanese-female-exploitation-films-of-the-70-rsquo-s-on-dvd-by-david-wilentz
FRAU 2017 Takeuchi Naoko Interview (Pages): paper.wildmushroomland.com/frau-december-2017
FRAU 2017 Takeuchi Naoko Interview (Rough translation): sailormoonforum.com/index.php?threads/new-naoko-interview-in-frau.30648
History of Harenchi Gakuen: web.archive.org/web/20080417054609/http://mdn.mainichi.jp/culture/waiwai/archive/news/2007/03/20070330p2g00m0dm024000c.html
Toei Fushigi Comedy Series: youtu.be/PecckVgJvSE
Descriptive vs Perscriptive: merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/descriptive-vs-prescriptive-defining-lexicography
Special thanks to lime phoenix for helping me find sources, discussion, and interviews.
Used Music:
Kiっ9=KELL – Kill la Kill OST
寝LLna聴9 – Kill la Kill OST
昼裸lilL♪ – Kill la Kill OST
Kirakiraru Juuten Kanryou – Kirakira Precure A La Mode OST
服着豚型4☆極★服– Kill la Kill OST
Horobi ni Tachimukau Senshi-tachi – Star Twinkle Precure OST
Uchuu Kaitou Blue Cat Arawaru – Star Twinkle Precure OST
Shakunetsu no Koubou – Star Twinkle Precure OST
名付扇子0型5☆極★服–Kill la Kill OST
シリウス [instrumental] – Kill la Kill OP 1
Text Version: pastebin.com/CdQyY5wd
Patreon: patreon.com/craftsdwarf
Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/craftsdwarf
Side Channel: youtube.com/channel/UCRQdzITjLWnmmY4X8BLvNGA
Twitter: twitter.com/Craftsdwarf
MAL: myanimelist.net/profile/Craftsdwarf
