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Let’s give this excellent clip from Kill La Kill a closer look! https://www.sakugabooru.com/post/show/69511
The first thing to point out here is the simple staging of the shot. This is a straight-on medium shot and both characters take up one side of the frame. There is a clear separation in value between the two visible elements on screen: the characters and background.
So what can we gather from this? This kind of staging, which isolates both characters completely, shows us that the intent of the shot is to tell the story entirely through the two’s movement. And these two do indeed move expressively! Here’s some notes on how:
Ryuuko’s movement shows her exhaustion but also her determination. Her swings are intense and forceful, as she throws her whole weight into each strike. However, these strong moves are surrounded by extended periods of recovery, during which she moves much more subtly.
Meanwhile, Fukuroda’s movement shows his energy and playful attitude. He often alternates between snapping quickly and moving carefully between exaggerated poses. The Kanada-style acting used here is a great fit for the character, as it shows both his energy and athleticism.
One other thing that really stands out about Ryuuko’s movement is the animator’s careful realistic depiction of her weight. I’ve outlined the three heavy masses of the head, chest, and pelvis and drawn a plumb line to help visualize how Ryuuko’s weight shifts naturalistically:
