Both the members of the Student Council and a portion of the student body wear powerful Goku Uniforms that grant them superhuman abilities. The delinquent, Suzuki , attempts first to flee, then fight using the One-Star Goku uniform he stole. The next day, a new figure arrives outside of town. Most students, including Mako, are no-stars who aren't permitted to wear Goku Uniforms and are restricted to the city slums. Other students are allowed to live in nicer districts depending on the number of stars they have. Afterward, the school council meets and discusses what to do about her.

Ryuko is a vagrant schoolgirl traveling from place to place searching for clues to her father's death. Her journey has led her to Honnouji Academy. Ryuko arrives at Honnouji Academy, where tyrannical Satsuki and her loyal underlings, the Elite Four, have the academy under their absolute control. Weakened by a battle, Ryuko flees the academy before collapsing in the street.

It follows vagrant schoolgirl Ryuko Matoi on her search for her father's killer, which brings her into violent conflict with Satsuki Kiryuin, the iron-willed student council president of Honnouji Academy, and her mother's fashion empire. The series is Trigger's first original anime television project, directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi and written by Kazuki Nakashima , both of whom had previously worked together on Gurren Lagann in and would go on to do Promare in It aired in Japan between October 4, and March 28,