EPISODE REVIEW: Akame ga KILL! EPISODE 20

Blood litters the streets as another episode of Akame ga KILL! takes the life of a main character and arguably the most loveable personality in Night Raid. Being a pretty heavy episode, this review will contain spoilers.

Night Raid has now made their move to sneak into the capital’s palace and execute the emperor using their connections with some members of the resistance that work within the capital’s bureaucracy. Tatsumi and Lubbock have been dispatched to sneak inside the palace grounds, while Leone and Mine maneuver through the city’s underground sewer system and Najenda, Akame and Susanoo try to contact the Western Tribes for assistance. Being a league of assassins, Night Raid tends to have its good and bad days. Then there’s the Plans-Go-Horribly-Wrong-And-Shit-Gets-Fucked-Up days like today. Najenda’s group can’t get in contact with the Western Tribes, and Tatsumi and Lubbock walk straight into a trap.

All of the Resistance that was to rendezvous with Tatsumi and Lubbock are found dead, and the lunatic son of the minister, Shura, has been waiting for them. The commander-in-chief of the Capital’s military, Budou, also arrives on the scene and forces our protagonists into a corner. Shura’s Arms is also fairly broken for making him able to teleport literally anywhere he leaves his marking—even in the air. However, being the most calculative and cunning member of Night Raid, Lubbock is able to use Shura’s teleportation against him, leading to both Shura’s death and ultimately Lubbock’s sacrifice. Even when being transported to another dimension entirely, Lubbock still has one last trick up his sleeve and pulls Shura in with him, again proving how utterly cool he can be when getting serious. Unfortunately, Tatsumi is still highly outclassed in his fight against the human capacitor Budou and, in his despair over losing ANOTHER close friend, also loses the urge to fight. Tatsumi is captured, and the Capital plans to execute him in public.

What made Lubbock such an impactful character was his charm for being a loveable, perverted idiot who suddenly became a badass whenever in a pinch. Like at the snap of a finger, he could suddenly change from a comedian into a killer. Moreover, he fought his battles like a game of chess, always planning his next move and setting up his enemies for a checkmate without them even realizing it. Whether it was fighting Dr. Stylish’s creations or escaping from the Koukenji Rakshasa Demons, he was always one step ahead and could win while dropping some cheesy one-liner. Also, his multiple attempts at spying on girls while they bathed were just funny as hell. Lubbock had a personality you just had to adore, and his abilities made him a creative and intellectual assassin that didn’t suffer from plot vibes. In fact, he’d play up the drama to make it look like he was in trouble so he could trick his enemies. Well played, Lubbock, we’ll miss ya. At least you went out in style, falling through the sky during a sunset for the whole Capital to witness your awesomeness.

The death of Shura didn’t carry much weight, as he was only around for a short while and barely contributed any more to the plot than a reason to see Esdeath in a bikini with Tatsumi for a beach episode. Seriously, the internet exploded with pictures of Esdeath after that, and now we have an Esdeath fanbase (sex sells, kids). His character left much to be desired, as he was your typical self-centered asshole who thought of human beings as toys to cure his own boredom. Like many other villains whom we’ve seen perish throughout the season, Shura killed people for fun and didn’t possess any particular reason or motivation to fight that would make him an interesting character. In other words, he was just plain evil. Nothing more, nothing less.

However, Budou appears to be a promising addition to the Capital’s side for possessing a reason to fight and a respect for those with fighting prowess like Tatsumi. It’s clear that Budou sees how corrupt and cowardly the leaders of the Capital have become, and that matters must be taken into more capable hands, hence his interruption of the minister’s collaboration early in the episode. If Budou’s allegiance were with the Resistance instead of the Capital, Night Raid might have a better chance of tearing down the corrupt system that rules their land. Also, Budou’s shockwave tremor is just incredibly overpowered, giving him a ranged ability while still being a physical fighter. Alongside being compared to Esdeath in terms of strength, we have a capable and competent enemy that might give our protagonists a run for their money.

Now that Tatsumi’s been imprisoned and sentenced to death, it’s a wonder how he’ll escape a second time from the Capital. An all-out rescue mission by the remaining members of Night Raid is possible, and could potentially bring down the entire city in its wake if more characters come to clash arms as we reach the final episodes of Akame ga KILL! This is a show that isn’t afraid to kill off main characters in swift and terrifying fashion, as well as hit the audience with suspenseful plot twists in quick succession, so who knows what’ll happen next.

SCORE: 9/10

-Andrew (Head of A7)

(Rest in peace, Lubbock. *sob*)