It shouldn't have worked. Most arena fighters—those 3D brawlers that pop up every time a popular Shonen Jump series gets a greenlight—are, frankly, kind of soul-less. They usually feel like floaty, button-mashing clones of the Ultimate Ninja Storm series. But Kill la Kill If is different. It’s weird. It’s loud. It’s actually a legitimate fighting game hidden underneath a layer of fan service and Studio Trigger’s chaotic visual DNA.
I remember when Arc System Works announced they were publishing this. People lost their minds. ArcSys is the gold standard, the developer behind Guilty Gear and Dragon Ball FighterZ. However, the actual development was handled by APlus Games. That made people nervous. Could a smaller team capture the frenetic, "clothing-is-evil" energy of Ryuko Matoi’s journey?
They did. And honestly? They might have over-delivered on the mechanics while under-delivering on the "content" that keeps casual players around.
The Satsuki Kiryuin "What If" Scenario
Most people picked up Kill la Kill If for the story. It’s right there in the name. "If."
The game presents an alternate timeline written by Kazuki Nakashima, the original series writer. Instead of following Ryuko’s perspective immediately, you start as Satsuki Kiryuin. It’s brilliant. If you’ve seen the anime, you know Satsuki is the real engine of the plot for the first half of the show. Giving her a "what if" path where she obtains the Junketsu Shinzui early changes everything.
It’s not just a retelling. It’s a remix.
The story mode uses these gorgeous, high-fidelity 3D models that look almost indistinguishable from the 2D cels of the 2013 anime. When the camera spins around Ryuko or Ragyo, the lines are sharp. The shadows have that specific Trigger "pencil-sketch" hatch-work. It feels like you’re playing an episode.
But here is the catch: it’s short. You can blast through the Satsuki and Ryuko campaigns in a single afternoon. If you’re coming for a 40-hour RPG, you’re going to be disappointed. This game was built for the competitive grind, even if the marketing didn't always make that clear.
Why the Combat Mechanics Actually Matter
Let’s talk about the Rock-Paper-Scissors of it all. Most arena fighters have zero depth. You press the "auto-combo" button and watch a movie.
Kill la Kill If uses a triangle system:
- Blows beat Breaks.
- Breaks beat Guards.
- Guards beat Blows.
It sounds simple, but the speed makes it tense. You aren't just mashing. You are trying to read the opponent’s "Ketsui" (Determination).
The Ketsui Burst is the most controversial and fascinating part of the game. It’s a literal verbal debate in the middle of a fistfight. You trigger it, and the action pauses for a split second while you choose a taunt, a provocation, or a mock. If you win the RPS interaction, your Ketsui level increases. Reach level 3, and you unlock your "Fiber Lost" secret technique. It’s a literal instant-kill move.
It’s incredibly BM (bad manners). It’s loud. It’s exactly what Kill la Kill should be.
Movement is also surprisingly nuanced. You have a homing dash, but if you rely on it too much, a competent player will just side-step and punish you with a full vertical combo. The game rewards "Long-Range" vs "Close-Range" archetypes. Playing as Nonon Jakuzure feels like a completely different genre compared to playing as Ira Gamagoori.
The Roster Problem
If there is one thing that killed the game’s momentum, it’s the roster size. There are only 10 characters (plus dual-wield variants).
Ten.
In an era where Tekken or Street Fighter launch with 20 to 30, ten feels like a demo. You have:
- Ryuko (and Dual-Wield)
- Satsuki (and Dual-Wield)
- The Elite Four (Nonon, Sanageyama, Gamagoori, Inumuta)
- Nui Harime
- Ragyo Kiryuin
- Mako Mankanshoku (DLC)
- Ultimate Double Naked DTR (DLC)
That’s it. While every character feels distinct—Gamagoori literally has a masochism mechanic where he gets stronger by taking damage—the lack of variety meant the online meta-game solved itself way too fast.
The Visual Mastery of APlus Games
We have to give credit to the technical art here. Kill la Kill If uses a specific shader technique to mimic the "limited animation" style of Japanese TV anime.
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In most games, 60 frames per second is the goal. APlus realized that Kill la Kill looks better when it’s "staccato." They use stepped animation to make the hits feel heavier. When Ryuko swings the Scissor Blade, there’s a deliberate pause—a "hit stop"—that makes the impact feel like it’s breaking the screen.
The environments are less impressive. Honnouji Academy looks fine, but the stages are mostly flat circles. It’s a bit of a letdown considering how vibrant the show’s locations were. You’re mostly there for the character models, which, to be fair, are some of the best cel-shaded renders in gaming history.
Is the Online Community Dead?
If you try to hop into a Ranked Match on PlayStation or PC right now on a Tuesday morning? Yeah, it’s a ghost town.
But here’s the secret: the Discord community is still kicking.
Like many "discord fighters," Kill la Kill If lives on in private lobbies. The people still playing are terrifyingly good. They’ve mastered the "Dash Cancel" and "Delayed Guard" mechanics to a point where a new player will get perfected in thirty seconds.
Does that mean you shouldn't buy it? Not necessarily. It’s frequently on sale for under $10. For the price of a fancy latte, you get a high-octane story mode and a local multiplayer game that is an absolute blast at parties. It’s the ultimate "vibe" game.
The Verdict on Kill la Kill If
This game is a victim of its own niche. It was too "fighting game" for the casual anime fans who just wanted to mash buttons, and it was too "arena fighter" for the hardcore FGC (Fighting Game Community) crowd who refuse to play anything that isn't on a 2D plane.
It sits in this weird middle ground.
But man, when you’re in a flow state, parrying a giant needle from Nui Harime while Before My Body Is Dry blares in the background? There is nothing else like it. It captures the "hype" of 2013-era anime better than almost any other licensed project.
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Actionable Insights for New Players:
- Don't mash the Ketsui Burst: It’s tempting to pop it as soon as you have a bar, but if you lose the RPS interaction, you’ve wasted your meter and left yourself open. Save it for when you've conditioned your opponent to block.
- Play the Tutorial: Seriously. Unlike Jump Force or Shinobi Striker, this game has actual mechanics like "Short Dashes" and "Recovery Frames" that you need to understand to win.
- Get it on Sale: Don't pay $40 or $60. It goes on deep discount during every Steam Anime Sale or PlayStation "Big in Japan" event.
- Join the Community: If you want to play against humans, look for the "Kill la Kill If Discord." The players there are welcoming to "new blood" and will help you learn the loops for characters like Sanageyama.
- Use a Controller: If you're on PC, don't even try with a keyboard. The 360-degree movement and specific trigger-button modifiers are designed for an analog stick.
Ultimately, the game stands as a testament to what happens when a developer actually cares about the source material. It isn't a cash grab. It’s a flawed, beautiful, hyper-active love letter to one of the most influential anime of the last two decades. Go find a copy, pick Ryuko, and start shredding some Life Fibers.
How to optimize your experience today:
Check the digital storefronts for the "Full Bundle" which includes Mako Mankanshoku. She is arguably the most fun character in the game because her "Tension" gauge rises as she idles, mimicking her nap-taking and "Halelujah" rants from the show. If you're playing on PC, check the Steam Community forums for the latest "Resolution Fix" guides, as the port can sometimes be finicky with modern 4K monitors. Once you're set up, head straight into Satsuki's Story Mode to unlock the full roster before trying to jump into local Versus mode.