Overview
The Rending Scissors (断ち斬りバサミ, Tachikiri Basami) is a weapon from the Kill la Kill series, which was directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi and written by Kazuki Nakashima. Half of the whole weapon first appeared in Kill la Kill - Episode 1 "If Only I Had Thorns Like A Thistle…". The full version wasn't seen until it appeared in Kill la Kill - Episode 12 "Spit Your Sadness Away".
When the scissors were first revealed, Nui comments on Isshin's naming. The name for the Rending Scissors is a play on words from the Japanese word Tachikiri (断ち切り) which means "cutting apart". However, the last two characters 切り (kiri) are replaced by 斬り (kiri). These are likely from the word Kirijini (斬り死に), which means "fighting to the death, with swords".
Segments
The advantage of the Rending Scissors is their ability to halt the regenerative abilities of Life Fibers. Especially strong Life Fibers can begin to heal the moment they are cut by a strong enough blade, such as one half of Scissor Blade or the Bakuzan. This makes severing them completely nearly impossible. Since the Rending Scissors cut from both ends at once, this halts their ability to reform and they die.
Hook Scissor Blade
The hook portion of the scissor blade is the primary weapon of Ryuko Matoi. It was given to her by her father after removing it from his own chest with the knowledge that using it would help her find his killer. He never had time to explain that this was half of his own invention.
Ring Scissor Blade
The ring portion of the scissor blade was taken by Nui Harime. After grasping the weapon from Isshin, she used it to stab him in the chest. It was this half that Isshin used to slice out Nui's left eye. She cut him down in a rage with this portion and ran off with it.
This half was colored purple while it was in Nui's procession, likely matching the color of the Life Fibers within her own body; but it would change back to red once Ryuko reclaimed it.
Major Story Arcs
Isshin Matoi had created the Rending Scissors from super-hardened Life Fibers, and used its existence to divert Nui Harime's attention from the creation of Senketsu by revealing it in fighting her. She eventually turned it against him and stabbed him in the belly. When she became distracted by Ryuko's arrival to the house, Isshin took one half to slice out one of Nui's eyes. She cut him down again in a rage and ran off with one half.
Ryuko was completely unaware of the Scissor Blade's origins when it was given to her by her father, as he was dying. All he was able to tell her was that using the blade would lead her to his killer before she ran off trying to find his attacker. She only caught a glimpse of the killer, and the house was soon engulfed in flames. Ryuko's travels to find the owner of the other half led her to Honnouji Academy. It was there that the student council president, Satsuki Kiryuin, seemed to recognize the Scissor Blade.
Ryuko suffered through many battles against Satsuki, her Elite Four, and others in the Student Council. She eventually learned she could collapse the Scissor Blade for easier storage and extend the blade in combat through Decapitation Mode. The Scissor Blade was always her primary weapon.
The second half remained a hidden until Nui appeared before Ryuko during the Sudden Death Run-Off tournament. Nui used the Scissor Blade this half to prove she was Isshin's killer and taunt Ryuko into fighting her. Ryuko would eventually reclaim both halves after breaking free of Junketsu's influence and defeating Nui by slicing off her arms so they couldn't reform. She would use both halves in battle with her mother, Ragyo Kiryuin; and to destroy the core of the Original Life Fiber. She would even reform the Rending Scissors as a whole while she fought Ragyo to save the world.
The Rending Scissors remained in space after the battle with Ragyo until Rei Hououmaru took over Honnouji Academy in pursuit of revenge. The Rending Scissors fell from space and were guided to Ryuko by the will of Senketsu to help her defeat Hououmaru and destroy the Last Stitch Defense System of Honnouji Academy. The blades were then left on the island was it sunk into the ocean.
Scissor Blade Modes
The size of the Scissor Blades are capable of being manipulated by the user. It can be either collapse in upon itself to shrink for easy storage in a pocket or increased in size for combat.
Decapitation Mode
Decapitation Mode (武滾猛怒, Buttagiru Mōdo) is when an inner blade is revealed from the core to extend the reach of the sword. It also extends the handle to allow Ryuko to wield with two hands. This increases the strength of her strikes and cutting power.
Duel Scissor Blade Decapitation Mode
Duel Scissor Blade Decapitation Mode (弩血盛武滾猛怒, Docchimo Buttagiru Mōdo) was used after Ryuko claimed the other half of the Rending Scissors from Nui. Although Nui could manipulate the the half she held in another way, Ryuko could extend the blade in the same manner as the other half. She used this attack to destroy the core of the Original Life Fiber.
Farewell Address Mode & Formal Reply Mode
Farewell Address Mode & Formal Reply Mode (送辞猛怒と答辞猛怒, Sōji Mōdo to Tōji Mōdo) are both extensions of the scissor blades that grow is an enormous size in order to form a gigantic pair of scissors.
- Sotsugyoshiki (卒暁式, Sotsugyōshiki "Graduation Ceremony") is the name of the attack Ryuko uses with both the scissor blades in Farewell Address Mode & Formal Reply Mode. She used it to crush the Honnouji Academy Last Stitch Defense machine. The name for this attack comes from combining the first kanji in Graduation (卒業, Sotsugyō) and the second Kanji of Ragyo Kiryuin's given name (羅暁, Ragyō).
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