Does Kill la Kill Have “Fan Service”?

Briefly, no.

“Fan service”, in the context of anime, refers to an intentional display of erotic imagery, with the condition that it is intended primarily for this purpose and that it is a break from the overall intention of the series.

While the imagery of Kill la Kill is often extremely erotic, there are three important reasons why I don’t believe fan service exists in the show.

Reason #1: Overall Aesthetic Intention:

Consider the numerous hot babes in Fairy Tail.  There’s no doubt fan service exists in that show, but what’s important is that the main aesthetic thrust of Fairy Tail is not to be erotic.  Any eroticism in the show is a break from the show’s overall aesthetic intentions.  To understand my point, consider why the suggestive imagery present in Fairy Tail is called “fan service,” while the same in Itadaki Senki is called, well, porn.  Fan service services the fans of something other than the service itself.

You would have to be stupid not to notice Kill la Kill’s immediate intentions not to be anything other than erotic.  In this way it’s comparable to a series like High School DxD.  However, I would argue it is distinct from series of this ilk in two ways, the other two reasons I will discuss.

Reason #2: It Isn’t Sexy

While the designs in Kill la Kill are certainly attractive, it’s clear to see that they don’t conform to what would generally be considered arousing.  As opposed to the very anime-like and detailed designs one would see in porn, Kill la Kill instead boasts blobby and cartoonish looks on all of its characters.

In other words, contrary to the all-too-common show in which arousal is sprinkled in to heighten its appeal, Kill la Kill is the exact opposite, a show centered around eroticism that is, in comparison, not made to be arousing.  More on that point…

Reason #3: What the Show’s About

Why is Kill la Kill centered around eroticism?

Simply, as anyone who has seen the show can attest to, Kill la Kill is a show about nudity.  Not only does it thematically comment on nudity and clothing alike, but uses these symbols as a vessel for exploration of its extremely varied pool of philosophical content.

It seems a bit strange to nudity (partial nudity, in this case) in a show about nudity to be “fan service.”  In the same way nothing Kill la Kill does is a break from its aesthetic intentions, nothing is a break from its narrative intentions either.