Akame ga Kill! (Episode 12) – Kill the New Recruits
With the location of their base compromised, Night Raid relocates to a Danger Beast infested region while the resistance makes them a new home. Now they can get to know the new members, but it’s not all smooth sailing.
What did you watch?
After the excitement of episode 11, it’s time to slow things down. Episode 12 of Akame ga Kill takes Night Raid to a secluded region that is overrun with Danger Beasts. The title of this episode instantly puts you on edge as we’ve only just met the new recruits and it would be sad to see anything happen to them just yet. Yet another example of the effectiveness of the ‘cheap’ deaths. Honestly, I’m not going to stop. This series uses death in a way that few other shows do and it’s refreshing and traumatising all at the same time. Right, let’s see how the new recruits fare and whether they survive the episode. Do not continue if you are concerned about spoilers, because there will be plenty.
What happened?
Najenda flies Night Raid out into the middle of nowhere on the back of her flying Danger Beast, much to Tatsumi’s excitement. They stop in a region overrun by Danger Beasts which is an ideal place for them to hide where the resistance finds them a new headquarters. It’s a great chance for the team to meet the new members. There is Chelsea, a veteran of numerous missions despite her appearance, and Susanoo who is actually an Imperial Arms that Najenda is able to use. He was developed as a bodyguard and is able to cook, clean, and perform other daily tasks.
Akame, Tatsumi, and Leone accept Chelsea and Susanoo with open arms, whereas Mine and Lubbock seem a little more threatened. Things get to a head when Najenda asks Chelsea what she thinks of the team. Chelsea criticised Bulat and Sheele, saying that they must have been weak to have died. Mine is furious and comes up with a plan to get her back… well, she makes Lubbock and Tatsumi come up with a plan. She is Mine after all. Lubbock then convinces Tatsumi to sneak up on Chelsea while she bathes and scare her, but she notices his aura and uses her Imperial Arms to disguise herself as Susanoo. She then berates Tatsumi but reveals that her previous team were all killed and she doesn’t want that to happen to Night Raid.
Meanwhile, the Jaegers have been unable to find Dr. Stylish and believe he’s been killed. Esdeath consoles Seryu who has now lost her parents, her mentor, and her friend. She’s even more determined to kill Night Raid. Esdeath hugs Seryu and reminds her that she will have her chance if she stays with the Jaegers. Run informs Esdeath that he has found several candidates to replace Tatsumi, but she tells him there is only one Tatsumi. Outside the capital, a new arrival appears to have unleashed a new breed of Danger Beast and is looking to cause some trouble!
What did you think?
This was a much slower episode and gave us some time to get to know the new recruits. Luckily, no one died despite the episode title. It was interesting to see what the new recruits bring to the team with their abilities and Imperial Arms. There was also a little more humour and some serious moments. I enjoyed seeing the team almost relaxing for a moment, even with hordes of Danger Beasts all around. It was also interesting to see how Esdeath dealt with the loss of Dr. Stylish and it was surprising to see her console Seryu. I love seeing how both sides react.
What was your favourite moment?
It may seem trivial, but I couldn’t help but laugh out loud when Najenda was proudly telling the team about how Susanoo had been in hibernation mode until she arrived at the resistance base. She told them that he must have reacted to her feminine charms. Susanoo revealed that she reminded him of his previous master and then he was a remarkable man… Obviously, Leone couldn’t contain herself and Tatsumi struggled to hold back the laughter. Najenda was not too impressed with their reactions. It’s great that we can still get moments like this in a series that is so dark and full of death. It really helps to humanise the characters.
What was your least favourite moment?
Seeing anyone talking badly of Sheele or Bulat is not something I’m prepared to sit back and let go. I thought they were interesting characters and their deaths had an impact on the characters and the plot. Anyhow, Chelsea took a shot at them and it put the backs up on half of the team. Probably not the best way to develop a relationship with them. The way she reacted to Tatsumi showed that it’s just a way of protecting herself, but I also think the rest of the group would like her more if they saw that side of her. Still, it makes Chelsea an interesting addition to Night Raid.
Who was your favourite character?
Have I told you that I love Leone? Well, it’s time to say it again. She really is the crazy aunt of the group, constantly causing trouble and having a good time doing it. We didn’t get to see her going on any crazy missions in this one, but she sure seemed to have a good time taking on the Danger Beasts. It’s amazing to see her fight because it’s raw and savage, kind of like her sense of humour. Anyhow, I’m just looking forward to more Leone and also more Esdeath. Did I tell you how much I love Esdeath???
Who was your least favourite character?
It would be too easy to pick Chelsea for this one because of her comments, but I’m actually going to go with the mysterious guy that appeared at the end having released the new Danger Beasts that ate the miners. This is mostly a manga versus anime thing. I’m not going to spoil anything here, but I didn’t like how absurd his grin was in this episode as he laughed about causing chaos. His actions definitely make things a little more dangerous going forward though.
What have you learnt?
This is one of the things that I find the hardest when writing and that’s to slow things down. When I write it’s like an action movie with neverending fights and action. I’m not a huge fan of the slower moments where nothing really happens, but I am working on it. So, like this episode shows us, it’s good to have a moment to reflect on the progress. We get to see how Tatsumi has grown and how the team has developed around him. There was some action, but it wasn’t to progress the story. I have to remember that not everyone wants to have their heart-racing the whole time they’re reading…
Other posts in the series
Anime
- Season One
- Episode 1 – Kill the Darkness
- Episode 2 – Kill the Authority
- Episode 3 – Kill Your Cares
- Episode 4 – Kill the Imperial Arms User
- Episode 5 – Kill the Empty Dream
- Episode 6 – Kill the Absolute Justice
- Episode 7 – Kill the Three Beasts – Part One
- Episode 8 – Kill the Three Beasts – Part Two
- Episode 9 – Kill the Lust for Combat
- Episode 10 – Kill the Seduction
- Episode 11 – Kill the Mad Scientist
- Episode 12 – Kill the New Recruits
- Episode 13 – Kill the Hindrance
- Episode 14 – Kill the Giant Dangerous Beast
- Episode 15 – Kill the Religion
- Episode 16 – Kill the Dolls
- Episode 17 – Kill the Curse
- Episode 18 – Kill the Demons
- Episode 19 – Kill the Fate
- Episode 20 – Kill the Pandemonium
- Episode 21 – Kill the Despair
- Episode 22 – Kill the Little Sister
- Episode 23 – Kill the Emperor
- Episode 24 – Akame ga Kill!
Manga
- Volume 1
- Volume 2
- Volume 3
- Volume 4
- Volume 5
- Volume 6
- Volume 7
- Volume 8
- Volume 9
- Volume 10
- Volume 11
- Volume 12
- Volume 13
- Volume 14
- Volume 15
You might also like…
Reading several of your last posts make me wonder who said that there were cheap deaths in Akame ga Kill? Each of those losses seemed pretty impactful for members of either the Jaegers or Night Raid. Death is not something that the anime brushes aside but it makes sure that each life is valued as each loss is felt among the survivors. While some may not choose to show the emotion its hard to characterize any of the deaths of the Jaegers or Night Raid as cheap.
Agreed. I’ve been surprised at how there appears to be a purpose to each death. Whether that was intentional or I’m reading into I’m not sure, but I’m really enjoying the depth of the series in this rewatch. I think there’s far more to this series than many give it credit.