Review of Attack on Titan
Where do I begin? Shingeki no Kyojin - Attack on Titan for all you none-diehard weebs, is a story of betrayal, revenge, hope and the fight for a life in peace. This Review will only contain [ MINOR SPOILERS ] Synopsis: Well over 100 years ago, humanity was facing a new enemy. An enemy so terrifying and cruel, unlike anything ever seen before. The titans - genderless beasts of unknown origin - dedicated to erradicate humankind from this world. Hiding within the safety of the walls, the last people of humanity are seeking shelter, waiting for the titans to vanish. Life seems to be fine, the daysof fear seem to have passed, when on a fateful day the collosal titan appeared. Its steamy, massive head looking over the seemingly endless walls, gazing into the eyes of the humans, it brought death once again. Humanity was defeated and had to abandon one of three walls. What are they? Why do they come and devour our beloved ones? Who sent them? Why do they only die if you cut their nape? Questions over questions but noone seems to have any answers. But the biggest mystery is yet to be discovered: what causes Eren Jäger to shift into a titan himself? Gifted with this dual bladed power he seeks for revenge for his mother that had to die on this darkest day in human history. Will he be able to defeat them and return to his home in the outer wall? Can he save his friends? And what happened to his father...?
Story:
One of the most impressive parts of SNK is its story. Filled with details that slowly build up to plot twists, searching for competitors, this story captures the rawness of this dark world. Not only does it keep surprising you - the twists this story does are insane. Anyone who's up to season 2 will agree with me on this point.
There are some small flaws, but I think we just have to ignore them for once as it is nearly impossible to write a story without encountering these kinds of flaws. However, I don't know of any major errors in terms of timeline, storytelling or plotholes. Cause normally, if the is a plothole, time will come when Eren brings a big, fat boulder on his shoulders to fill the gap ;)
Art:
The art style is very unique. It features lots of details, is consistent and very captivating. Even more impressive is the animation. Dynamic and vivid the series tells its story in stunning fighting scenes. The hard shadows empathize this horror feeling I get when watching the series.
Sound:
Hiroyuki Sawano
That's all you need to know, trust me. Even if you don't like this series, the OST is just beyond perfection. The original sound is just as impressive. The power and sheer will when they scream, talk, cry and fight is giving me goosebumps. Combined with the phenomenal, no - legendary - ost and the outstanding quality in animation, this show gives you chills for the rest of the day. It's like a drug: with each fight, the emotions proceed and the kick when you see them beating the shit out of the Titans or the cast getting slaughtered is just addictive as hell.
Character: Unlike its sequel the first season falls a bit flat in terms of character development. Don't get me wrong: the characters are all interesting in their very own way and I felt bad for every one and each that had to leave us time after time. But there is just something missing, a bit of emotional depth to some of the cast. I'm happy to tell you, that the second season did a way better job at this.
Enjoyment:
Its one of these shows, that will define the world of Anime for future generations. Lets be honest here: even if you do not like SNK a lot or at all, it is undeniably a fascinating show that has brought a lot of attention from the western world to this amazing medium and has shown once more, that Anime at its best is a artform, just as respectable as the known ones and that it is anything but "for children".
I cought myself waiting for every episode, nearly jumping around on my bed when I smashed that reload button and when it finaly appeared, I often couldn't stop myself from screaming in pure joy... yeah, I was and I am hyped for this.
Overall:
Despite beeing better than some of my 10/10 rated titles, this show is not perfect. But it is very close. In fact it would get 10/10 if we didn't have to wait FUCKING 4 years for the second season just to be turned down with a 12 episode thingy. That hurt me alot back in 2017.
Conclusion:
Is this show for beginners? YES! This is a perfect start for any newcomer to the anime genre and will hopefully open your heart and mind for this wonderful medium.
Do I recommend this show? Yep, totaly.
What word describes this show the most?
"Thrilling"
If you liked SNK you may also like:
Neon genesis evengelion (pretty similar world, setting, vibes)
Elfen Lied (gore, ost, thrilling)
Koutetsujou no Kabaneri (Same Artstyle, great ost too, very similar concept of lost world)
Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu (Monsters gore)
Another (gore, horror)