Satsuki: Snap out of it, Ryuko Matoi!
[Berserk Ryuko/Senketsu remains]
Satsuki: I canât get throughâŠ
In retrospect, Satsukiâs inability to free Ryuko and Senketsu from their berserk state is incredibly sad.
While neither Satsuki nor Ryuko know it at this point in the series, Satsuki has been fighting practically her entire life for Ryukoâs sake. Satsukiâs immense love for the sister she never got to know drives her to push through unspeakable horrors and pain⊠but when Ryuko needs it the most, that love doesnât come through. Satsuki canât help her.
Even without acknowledging Ryuko and Satsukiâs blood relation, though, the understanding that Satsuki was never truly against Ryuko also puts this entire sequence in a much more tragic light. For perhaps one of the only times up until the big sister reveal, thereâs a real sense of remorse from Satsuki regarding Ryuko.
Satsuki: Damn! Thatâs what you were after, Nui Harime?
Notably, Satsuki is more than simply upset upon seeing Ryuko and Senketsuâs mutated formâsheâs shaken. The camera positioning is also quite telling; whereas even Makoâs reaction to the danger of Ryukoâs situation is presented with a silly, over-the-top medium shot depicting both her and Houka (which âbrings viewers closer to the characters while still showing some of their environmentâ), Satsukiâs response is conveyed with an extreme close-up of her eyes, a choice that is âusually for expressive or dramatic purposes and ⊠can be an extremely powerful means for guiding and directing a viewerâs attention to the important features of a sceneâs action or meaningâ (Prince 9).
Further, an extreme close-up of the face is most commonly utilized to depict intense emotions, such as existential agony in Ingmar Bergmanâs Persona (1966), for example (Corrigan and White 109). As such, the usage of an extreme close-up and focus on Satsukiâs horrified reaction, when she has thus far presented herself as the seriesâs primary villain, upon seeing the hero in peril? In the moment, itâs a remarkably powerful way of foreshadowing Satsukiâs true intentions, but with those intentions in mind, itâs also a remarkably poignant depiction of Satsukiâs true feelings. No matter her claims later on that she only ever intended to use Ryuko as a tool, Satsuki clearly harbors some genuine concern for the girl here. The thought of Ryuko being in danger deeply affects herâenough that when Mako later steps in to save the day in Satsukiâs place, Satsukiâs angry demand that Nui â[h]old [her] tongue and watchâ feels like a lot more than simple resentment at Nui for messing up her potential weapon.
Indeed, perhaps thereâs even a sense of jealousy from Satsuki; she couldnât save Ryuko, but Mako can. While Satsuki is not truly against Ryuko, her plan prevents them from being close. The thought of Satsuki fills Ryuko with hatred⊠when they could have been allies and friends. Satsukiâs tired, sad frown as Ryuko returns to normal, juxtaposed with the Mankanshoku familyâs shock and Nuiâs bemusement, does well in hinting that maybe Satsuki wishes she had Makoâs power herself⊠and sheâs sorry that she doesnât.
Satsuki: Mankanshoku, [Ryuko] survived thanks to you.
Even sadder, this scenario later repeats itself in episode 18 of the series, right after Satsuki reveals her ambition. Put under Ragyoâs control, Ryuko attacks Satsuki, and Satsuki once more attempts to get Ryuko to come back to her senses⊠but once more, itâs no use.
Satsuki: Matoi, snap out of it!
Ragyo: Sheâll never be able to break free of my control.
When Ryuko is again out of her mind upon being forced to wear Junketsu in episode 21, Satsuki no longer attempts to get through to her. Satsuki commands Mako and Senketsu to help instead, leaving herself out of it, even though Satsuki realizes her relation to Ryuko at this point in the story and must think, at least on some level, that she should have the power to reach Ryukoâs heart, but she doesnât.
Satsuki: Now, Mankanshoku! Jam Senketsu into the wound! Senketsu! Use your strength to shake Ryukoâs Life Fibers loose from Junketsu!
The situation becomes even more tragic in the following episode, when, upon regaining her freedom, Ryuko struggles to refer to Satsuki as her sister; in fact, in one of the earlier scripts, Satsuki herself is noticeably upset that Ryuko canât. While sheâs been fighting for Ryuko for so long, and while sheâs clearly cared for Ryuko long before knowing that Ryuko was the sister sheâd been fighting for, Satsukiâs lies keep Ryuko distanced from her even once the truth is revealed.
Satsuki: SNAP OUT OF IT, RYUKO!
[Ryukoâs eyes snap open]
But Ryuko and Satsukiâs sad history makes the moment that Satsuki does finally get through to Ryuko so dang sweet. Once Satsuki makes her heart and feelings clear, she holds the same power as Mako and Senketsu do when it comes to Ryuko, just as a sister should.
Corrigan, Timothy and Patricia White. The Film Experience: An Introduction. 3rd ed., Bedford/St. Martins, 2012.
Prince, Stephen. Movies and Meaning: An Introduction to Film. 6th ed., Pearson, 2013.
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