Akame ga KILL!

Episode 17

In the wake of the massive explosion from Bols detonating his fuel tank, forces on both sides of the Night Raid/Jaegers conflict try to regroup. While Chelsea continues to show why she is just as deadly as any of the other Night Raid members despite not being a combatant, she reminisces about how she came to possess her Imperial Arms, Gaia Foundation, and take the Path of the Assassin. Kurome, meanwhile, reminisces about how she and Akame came to be recruited and trained as assassins themselves and how they got separated, while the rest of Night Raid, upon hearing that Chelsea has undertaken the eminently dangerous task of trying to take out Kurome on her own, dispatch Tatsumi and Akame to back her up. When it comes down to a contest between Akame's dangerous but also medicinally-dependent sister and Chelsea's ability to pass herself off as anyone, and thus ingratiate herself into any confidence, the unconventional duel between the powers of two Imperial Arms can only end the way all such duels do: in someone's death.

Akame ga KILL! made it clear with Sheele's death that it was not going to be shy about killing off named and established, even sympathetic, characters. It has been a little while now (by this series' standards, anyway) since someone important actually died, so this episode makes up for that by eliminating two characters from the scene – one in a comparatively peaceful fashion, one definitely not. Of the two, the more easily predictable one is Bols, as his Imperial Arms was destroyed last episode and so far that has almost always been an immediate prelude to that character's death. That provokes some mixed feelings, as the writing has pushed so hard to make him sympathetic and a genuinely good-seeming guy when not fulfilling his abhorrent duties, and it maintains that focus up to his very end; he is even ultimately undone because he was helping someone out in a completely pleasant, innocent fashion. He doesn't even hold a grudge in his heart as he dies because he knew, deep down, that retribution would be coming someday. For all that effort, though, his passing still does not come off as too sad. His awkward mixture of personality traits was never really a good fit for the series, whose heart squarely lies (or at least wants to lie) in far darker territory.

The second death, on the other hand, fits that territory much better, both in the violent fashion in which it is rendered and the message it impresses. One theme which has gradually been percolating throughout the series is the notion of an endless cycle of retribution, where once the killing starts, taking revenge can initiate a chain of such efforts which can only stop once everyone is dead or someone resists doing it, and neither side of the Night Raid/Jaeger conflict seems likely to give an inch on that. While Bols' death plays into that some, the second character's death fits that pattern even more strongly. Given the way that scenario is ultimately concluded, more retributive deaths coming is virtually guaranteed and its impact is less diluted by the character's weak background development.

Other interesting developments include learning a bit more about the extent of Kurome's abilities and why she's always chowing down on those snacks. (There is actually a reason for it.) Technical merits don't do anything special, but those who like their graphically bloody violence should not be disappointed. The dramatic staging of the second death scene is one of the better ones so far for giving a named character a proper send-off.

Essentially, episode 17 concludes Round 2 of the Night Raid/Jaeger conflict. Looks like the standard pattern is going to be that some kind of short-term distraction will get in the way before the next round can be waged, though.

Rating: B-

Akame ga KILL! is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.