Satsuki Kiryūin

"Fear is freedom! Control is release! Contradiction is truth! That is the reality of this world! Listen well, you pigs in human clothing, and submit to that reality!"

- Satsuki Addressing the students of Honnōji Academy

Satsuki Kiryūin (鬼龍院 皐月) is one of the main characters in Kill la Kill. She is the president of Honnōji Academy's Student Council, and rules over the surrounding land. She has absolute authority over the academy, and is regarded with reverence by many of its residents. She was the main antagonist for the first half of the series, becoming a secondary protagonist in episode 17. Ragyō Kiryūin takes the role of main antagonist at this point.

Personality
A very prideful woman who rules with an iron fist, she is extremely intelligent and calculating. Unlike Ryūko, she had no shame in wearing her Kamui in its most revealing form, instead describing her actions in donning Junketsu as "utterly pure". She describes people as "pigs in human clothing", and justifies that the weak and foolish must be ruled. However, she respects those with resolve and has been quite forgiving to the Elite Four. She also went out of her way to stop Ryūko when she went berserk, instead stopping Nui and allowing Mako to calm Ryūko down, congratulating her afterwards. Satsuki also seems to be aware of knowledge regarding the circumstances of Isshin Matoi's death, as shown when she demonstrated interest in Ryūko's Scissor Blade, among other instance.

Though she looks like a heartless person, it was seen in episode 16 that she also has a good heart even in childhood and has always been kind to Mitsuzo Soroi, her butler. She also treats the Elite Four as equals and works hard to ensure they are properly prepared before a fight. This even extends to her enemies as Satsuki is quite willing to spare her foes life if it is the better choice.

Current Powers and Abilities

 * Natural Capabilities
 * Satsuki is accepted as the most powerful fighter of the Academy with almost superhuman physical strength, speed, endurance and reflexes. Her middle-school self was able to emit a fighting spirit capable of downing 500 men, and she was able to incapacitate Ira Gamagōri despite his superior size, age and with him wearing steel armor. Even when stark naked, and with her hands restrained, she still had enough skill and power to kill multiple COVERS using nothing more than her two altered toenails. She is also highly intelligent and manipulative as seen by her plan to take down her mother and the various people she deceived and manipulated in the process. Likewise she demonstrated a strong sense of patience and willpower, to endure the capture and torture at the hands of her mother, while slowly planning an escape route.
 * Bakuzan Gako and Bakuzan Kōryu
 * After Bakuzan was destroyed in the battle against Ragyo, the shards are eventually reforged into Bakuzan Gako and Bakuzan Kōryu, a long blade and short blade respectively, which are given to Nonon Jakuzure and Ira Gamagōri respectively. Bakuzan Kōryu is then passed onto Uzu Sanageyama, as Gamagōri claims that he is more proficient with blades. Both blades are returned to her by Sanageyama and Jakuzure.


 * False Toenails
 * Satsuki also has two toenails made of the same material as the Bakuzan, which she can use just as effectively.

Powers and Abilities

 * Kamui Senketsu (神衣鮮血)
 * Life Fiber Synchronize (人衣一体) – After Ryūko is brainwashed by Ragyo and forced to don Junketsu, Satsuki wears Senketsu to combat Ryūko. She states that even though Senketsu may dislike her, only she and him can stop Ryūko. While transformed, Satsuki is shown to be able to use all of Senketsu's alternate forms such as Senketsu Senjin and Senketsu Shippu, although not at their full power.
 * Ryūko has stated that Satsuki and Senketsu are not truly synchronized, and Satsuki is merely commanding Senketsu to do as she says. Despite this, Senketsu acknowledges that Satsuki and its heart are one with the desire to bring Ryūko back to her senses. Senketsu is eventually shredded apart by Ryūko, but reforms itself in time to protect Mako.


 * Kamui Junketsu (神衣純潔)
 * Life Fiber Override (人衣圧倒)
 * After her first clash with Ryūko, Satsuki donned the Kamui Junketsu and was able to force the blood-thirsty uniform to bow to her will. Her utter lack of shame at her appearance also allowed her to immediately attain Junketsu's Life Fiber Override and true form. Under Junketsu's power, Satsuki is granted incredible power, and even the smallest of attacks are capable of causing exceptional devastation. She is also capable of altering her Kamui's shape, as seen when she altered one of her shoulder guards into a drill to attack Ryūko. However, due to her inability to overcome the human race's resistance to the Life Fibers, she is unable to fully synchronize with her Junketsu, thus being shy of it's full power and capabilities, while exerting greater pressure and fatigue on her body.


 * Secret Sword Bakuzan (秘剣縛斬) Satsuki is a master swordsman who wields the Bakuzan, a black-bladed katana in a white sheath with an edge that is claimed to be keener than Ryūko's Scissor Blade. Its strength is so great that one slash is enough to damage a transformed Kamui. While durable enough to clash with Ryūko's Scissor Blade on their multiple battles, the Bakuzan was eventually broken when clashing against Ragyo's fist.

Ryūko Matoi
Satsuki appears moderately surprised when Ryūko brings up the latter's father's death; and with the Scissor Blade that Ryūko claims is the other half of the full weapon and demands to find the owner of that other half. Satsuki discloses little other than the speculation that there might have been involvement on her behalf. It should be noted however that Satsuki has shown no real desire to do Ryūko serious harm, even when she is left broken and defeated at her feet she is shown to have covered her with a blanket and left at least one piece of Senketsu with her. Satsuki seems to regard her as a useful tool help her achieve her goals, any other emotions towards her have yet to be seen. It is revealed in episode 18 that Ryūko is actually Satsuki's younger sister.

Junketsu
While Satsuki has never been seen communicating with Junketsu, her initial encounter with him and the fact that she has to override him in order to transform show that, unlike Ryūko with Senketsu, she has to actually bend Junketsu to her will through sheer willpower. In episode 16, Junketsu starts getting agitated after being worn by Satsuki in Override mode for a too long, prompting Shirō Iori to administer a Life Fiber inhibitor, allowing Satsuki to transform him to his normal state. This left her extremely tired.

Nui Harime
Satsuki is extremely cautious around Nui, as she seems to have some knowledge of her power. However, she still maintains her strong and impassive front when addressing her. They have known each other for an unknown amount of time.

Ragyō Kiryūin
Ragyō Kiryūin is Satsuki's mother.It is revealed in Episode 16 that Ragyo and Satsuki have a less than pleasant relationship. Ragyo sees her daughter as little more than an heir to COVERS and is revealed to have been sexually abusing her daughter for some time now. In episode 18, Ragyō notes, how despite her daughter's impressive achievements of wearing a Kamui and double-crossing her, she was ultimately a disappointment due to being unable to draw out Junketsu's full power eventually defeating her and taking the Kamui for herself.

Nonon Jakuzure
Nonon first met Satsuki in kindergarten. Although Nonon didn't think much of Satsuki at first, Nonon became awestruck with Satsuki after Satsuki's sudden personality shift from happy and bubbly to serious and stone cold (due to Satsuki's father, Sōichirō Kiryūin, telling Satsuki the awful truth about Life Fibers and Satsuki's mother, Ragyō Kiryūin). From then on Nonon has pledged her undying loyalty and friendship to Satsuki. While it's apparent that Satsuki respects Nonon, it's unclear whether Satsuki shares the same level of closeness to Nonon, as Satsuki seems to regard all of her compatriots equally.

Mitsuzō Soroi
Soroi has served as Satsuki's personal butler ever since her childhood, and as such they developed a strong bond. While professional obligations are very clearly estblished, Satsuki shows great respect and consideration for Soroi, even pretending to like his tea (which in fact she finds way too bitter) so as not to offend him.

Senketsu
When Ryūko falls victim to Ragyō's brainwashing and is worn by Junketsu, Satsuki wears Senketsu in an attempt to stop them. She asks for Senketsu to lend her his power, even if he hates her. Apart from that, she does not seem to have any significant feelings for him, either friendly or hostile.

Memorable quotes
"Fear is freedom! Control is release! Contradiction is truth! That is the reality of this world! Listen well, you pigs in human clothing, and submit to that reality!"

- Addressing the students of Honnōji Academy.

"Ask not the sparrow how the eagle soars!"

- Upon donning Junketsu for the first time.

"Kiryūin Ragyō, you killed my father Sōichirō, and my little sister who you didn't even name. You shall atone for that sin!"

- Challenging Ragyō Kiryūin.