Ragyō Kiryūin is the central villain of the Kill la Kill anime and manga series. She serves as the CEO of the REVOCS Corporation, a global clothing enterprise that secretly operates to spread Life Fibers across the world, working alongside Nui Harime and Rei Hōōmaru. In addition to leading the corporation, Ragyō holds the position of chairwoman of Honnōji Academy and is known as the cruel, manipulative, and depraved mother of Ryūko Matoi and Satsuki Kiryūin.
Long ago, Ragyō discovered the Original Life Fiber and resolved to use its power to subjugate humanity. To further her ambitions, she married the scientist Sōichirō Kiryūin to take advantage of his intellect and research. Together, they had two daughters, both of whom Ragyō subjected to dangerous experiments intended to merge human DNA with Life Fibers. When these trials appeared to fail, Ragyō discarded her second newborn child without remorse.
Unbeknownst to her, Sōichirō rescued the baby and fled, taking on the new identity of Isshin Matoi. He raised the child as Ryūko and founded the rebel organization Nudist Beach to oppose the Life Fibers. During this period, he also designed the sentient outfit Senketsu. Meanwhile, Ragyō continued grooming her surviving daughter, Satsuki, as her heir while subjecting her to constant psychological and physical abuse. Through the Life Fibers, Ragyō also created Nui Harime, who became REVOCS' Grand Couturier, and began distributing Life Fiber–infused clothing worldwide.
Eventually, Ragyō discovered Isshin's whereabouts and ordered Nui to assassinate him and seize his newest invention—the Scissor Blade. Nui succeeded in killing Isshin and recovered one half of the weapon, while Ryūko inherited the other. Determined to avenge her father, Ryūko enrolled at Honnōji Academy, led by her sister Satsuki, who received the Kamui Junketsu as a “gift” from their mother.
During the Great Culture and Sports Festival, Ragyō revealed her plan to sacrifice the attendees to feed the Life Fibers. Nudist Beach and Ryūko intervened to save the captives, but the confrontation led to Satsuki's open rebellion. She exposed her mother's true motives and declared that she had secretly worked against her ever since learning the truth from her father. Ragyō retaliated by taking control of the students' minds, overpowering Satsuki, and viciously defeating her in battle. She then stripped Satsuki of Junketsu and claimed it for herself. When Ryūko arrived, Ragyō tore out her heart, revealing that she was her supposedly deceased second daughter and the first true human-Life Fiber hybrid. Nudist Beach rescued Ryūko as Ragyō began unleashing Life Fibers across the planet.
Holding Satsuki captive for a month, Ragyō subjected her to continuous torment while overseeing the creation of the ultimate Kamui, Shinra Kōketsu. She eventually recaptured Ryūko, brainwashed her, and forcibly bonded her with Junketsu. After Satsuki's escape and reunion with Nudist Beach, Ragyō dispatched both Ryūko and Nui to destroy them, but Ryūko's willpower broke the brainwashing and severed her link to Junketsu.
In the final confrontation, Ragyō released the Primordial Life Fiber and fought both of her daughters. Though Nudist Beach appeared to annihilate the creature using the S.S. Naked Sun's second form, Ragyō survived, merging with Shinra Kōketsu and the undestroyed Life Fiber. When she was gravely wounded, she absorbed Nui and ascended into space, intending to activate the REVOCS satellite to engulf Earth in Life Fibers. Ryūko pursued her into orbit and, after an intense battle, destroyed the satellite and the Life Fibers, reverting Ragyō to human form.
Defeated, Ragyō refused Ryūko's plea for redemption. Declaring her eternal hatred for humanity, she crushed her own heart and died in space. Before vanishing, she ominously warned Ryūko that the Life Fibers would one day return—but Ryūko dismissed her mother's prophecy, asserting that humans and clothing would forever remain separate.
Following Ragyō's death, Rei Hōōmaru attempted to avenge her by attacking Ryūko but was swiftly defeated when Ryūko destroyed her machine with her giant Life Fiber scissors. Rei then tried to kill Satsuki in a fit of rage but was moved by her words and ultimately chose to abandon her vengeance.