SERIES FINALE: Akame ga KILL! EPISODE 24

The final, decisive battle between Akame and Esdeath has arrived, and blood will be spilled one last time as the series reaches its chilling conclusion.

The Emperor has been defeated, and the Empire is in ruins. However, our heroes learn that it’s still too early to celebrate, as Esdeath still stands and—Empire or not—she will continue to kill as she sees fit. Akame ga KILL! is notorious for displaying heart-racing action sequences that never skip a beat, and it’s clear Studio White Fox wanted this last battle to be the show’s defining moment. Akame and Esdeath’s fight is a pure, unadulterated blowout of sword clashes, aerial collisions and consistent punches—no dragged out dialogue here. Akame does take a couple opportunities to question why Esdeath still intends to fight after the Empire has lost, but is only met with the walking genocide’s simple, sadistic desire to kill. Realizing that reasoning is futile, Akame actually cuts herself with the Murakame to reveal her trump card—becoming possessed by the sword’s spirit and channeling its demonic power into her body, transcending her own humanity. Not only is it terrifyingly cool to watch Akame start flash-stepping all around the battlefield, but it forces Esdeath to finally play her own trump card, the Makahodomo. As mentioned in previous reviews, this ability pretty much raises Esdeath to god-level status and allows her to stop time at will. However, Akame’s flash-step actually allows her to dodge this time-freeze by leaving an afterimage to throw Esdeath off. Yeah, that’s how incredibly fast Akame’s Murakame form is, which does raise the question of why she didn’t use this in previous episodes, but saving it for the finale does make the battle look a hell of a lot cooler. One final slash down the middle of her body, and Esdeath is caught in Murakame’s curse poison. Akame wins, mission accomplished.

Alongside having the highlight battle of the series, this last episode still manages to deliver a completely satisfying ending to the series which ties up all remaining plotlines and finally deals with Minister Onest. Seeing the fat bastard get his head smashed into a bloody pulp by Leone’s own two fists was probably one of the most rewarding moments of the entire show, but it did come at the cost of our favorite blonde bombshell. Honestly, the fact that Leone managed to take six bullets in her abdomen and still walk away for a couple more hours just proves how much of a tank she was. The bullets still kill her eventually, but despite dying alone in the slums of the city, she still does so with a smile on her face. What a badass. The Emperor also takes responsibility for his actions and steps up to the guillotine, giving himself at least one moment of redemption for what really wasn’t even his fault. The Emperor was just a child that got manipulated by an evil minister, so it’s hard to blame him for screwing up so badly. If anyone is to blame, it’d probably be the people who put a 12 year-old in charge of a nation to begin with. But, he still accepts his fate and has Najenda promise him that his death will be the last drop of blood shed. The surviving Jaegers help rebuild the Capital, Najenda becomes the leader of the townspeople, and Akame leaves for destinations unknown and vows to carry all of the Capital’s wrongdoings upon her shoulders so that the people remain unified towards one common enemy.

Akame ga KILL! is a show that’s never been afraid to break from the norms of anime storytelling—killing its main characters and keeping them dead, unleashing tons of violent fanservice that normally wouldn’t see air time, and always balancing plot progression and character interaction with adrenaline-pumping excitement. For all these traits it’s become one of the best animated series of 2014, and this final episode is the absolute and definitive ending it deserves. All questions are finally answered, and all conflicts are settled. Far too often in anime nowadays do we see open-ended conclusions to shows that either try to convince viewers into reading the manga to find the answers they seek, or simply to throw the audience for a curve and let them figure the rest out. Sometimes it’s intriguing, but so many good shows use this mechanic nowadays that it’s just become frustrating. Akame ga KILL! does not force this onto its fans, and ensures that each character is given a resolution and every plotline is concluded. The show leaves its fans knowing that the battle is over, and our heroes have won. Overall, the plot did feel more rushed during the second half of the show, probably due to the fact that the writers had to condense the manga’s story into a 24-episode run, which isn’t much time when you think about it. This came at the cost of several characters becoming less developed than others, and the Mine/Tatsumi relationship is a prime example of this. But these extremities prove to be minor compared to how well executed the series’ themes and moments are.

Like any other show Akame ga KILL! still possesses its own flaws, but this is a series that definitely hits its mark nearly every time, and certainly one that no anime fan should miss out on. Whether you’re looking for a story of rebellion against corrupt higher powers, or just searching for a damn bloody good time, Akame ga KILL! has got you covered.

EPISODE SCORE: 10/10

SERIES SCORE: 9/10

-Andrew (Head of A7)

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