After taking a week off to stare down some northeastern wintry armageddon, This Week in Anime is back in business. I’ll be offering some short takes on a few different topics this week, so let’s get to it.
Kill la Kill on TV
The English dub of Kill la Kill premieres on Cartoon Network’s Toonami block this weekend, which is awesome. The series itself is a fantastic mix of stylish animation and clever writing, and the dub has been earning plenty of accolades as well. The only way to watch the dub until now was to buy the pricey Aniplex discs, which I’ve been too penniless to do. If you’re in the same boat, this is probably the best chance you’ll get to check it out.
There’s been plenty of speculation over whether or not the show will have to be edited for television, but I don’t expect that to be the case. Kill la Kill is running on a (basic) cable channel at 12:30 AM, so it’s not as though it’ll have to adhere to network primetime standards. While the series can get completely bonkers at times, its actual content is no more objectionable than many of the other shows that have occupied its timeslot. I’ll honestly be stunned if it ends up needing any significant edits.
Kill la Kill might be a little too crazy to pull in an enormous mainstream audience, but I imagine it’ll do well all the same. Part of anime’s appeal in the US is its willingness to jump sharks at the drop of a hat, and Kill la Kill definitely taps into that particular mentality. Here’s hoping it all goes well.
Assassination Classroom Gets Delayed
This column wasn’t the only thing that took some time off recently; the popular action comedy Assassination Classroom had its third episode delayed by a full week. The episode in question introduced a new character with a casual attitude towards violence and an underhanded approach to his attempts at assassination. In light of the recent terrorist incidents involving Japanese journalists, the episode was delayed.
There was initially no word as to when the episode would air, but it ultimately returned the next week with no apparent changes to its content. The series is expected to resume its normal schedule, albeit a week behind for the rest of the season.
Having to wait for new anime is always a pain, but I think the producers made the right call here. Without the delay, Assassination Classroom ran the risk of becoming a talking point for all the wrong reasons. The episode wasn’t especially shocking in terms of its content, but playing it safe makes sense. It doesn’t keep fans from seeing the show in its entirety, so no harm done there.
Monty Oum Passes Away
As I was putting this article together, the news dropped that RWBY creator Monty Oum passed away. More details are available at the Rooster Teeth website here. His passing is a major loss for the anime community in the US and around the world, and he will be missed.
This Week in Anime is hastily cobbled together by Paul Jensen. You can follow his ramblings about anime and manga on Twitter. Check back every Monday for new articles.