Review of Attack on Titan
This is my first anime review on MAL. When it comes to adapted material, I always make sure to tackle the original first. As such, I'll be recommending this show based on its own merits and how much it holds up against its source material. I first started reading Shingeki no Kyojin in 2015 and loved it (to a point...). But whenever I looked at screenshots of the anime, I was immediately repulsed by the bright and detailed presentation- the exact opposite of mangaka Isayama's gritty art style- and assumed that Wit Studio made a flashy cash grab to exploit the popularity of the source materialand score even bigger bucks during the new era of the anime industry taking place at the time. Now that I've finally watched it show, I can say that I was... 75% correct on that assumption. Allow me to elaborate.
Story- 8/10: At this point in Shingeki no Kyojin, the premise is bog standard. The concept of some kind of menace reducing humans to cowering behind walls until some people fight back has been done to death (no pun intended given the nature of this show). But I'd prefer a bog standard story over something that bites off a little more than it can chew (ANOTHER pun, really?). Although many might argue that the series ends up doing just that, that point in the narrative doesn't come to pass in this particular season of the anime. The premise is simple and strongly presented.
Characters- 7/10: The characters are about as standard as the premise. But for some reason, I never cared. I think that simple characters can work as good as complex ones when given powerful presentation, and Shingeki no Kyojin is an example of such. Although I think the expressions in the manga conveyed more emotion, the characters are still presented more than adequately. Don't worry if you can't stand the MC; pretty much everyone OTHER than him is likeable.
Art- 7/10: Out of context, this show is gorgeous. The backgrounds are detailed and appear hand-painted. And THAT'S the problem. It's too pretty for the nature of what it is. Many might argue that this show is better looking than the manga, which- technically- it IS. But then you must ask if such gorgeous art SUITS the show, which I'm plainly going to say it doesn't. Fortunately, it still manages to get dark and dreary during some of the more intense fights, which I'm perfectly fine with. Lastly, this show has some of the best sakuga moments I've ever seen in an anime, period, especially on the maneuvering gear they use.
Sound- 9/10: The voice actors are fantastic, nothing more to say. But my real reason for the high sound rating is the MUSIC. Well, the OP music, not the BGM so much... The BGM is okay for the most part. There are some lyric songs that they insert sometimes, which were jarring to me at first, but I got used to them. The OPs of the show are the best part, though. Guren no Yumiya and Jiyuu no Tsubasa by Linked Horizon feel a bit show-offy at first, but I feel as though they convey the emotion and action of Shingeki no Kyojin as well as the stubborn will of the human spirit. I've listened to the full songs more often than watching the OPs!
Pacing- 7/10: This is something I have never found done consistently in anime. For this show, the pacing is usually pretty good, but it's not consistent. A lot of times there's a high adrenaline action scene with sakuga and sweeping camera angles and that crazy church choir from the soundtrack, but then it'll just cut away to characters discussing the situation WE ALREADY KNOW ABOUT and it will have the traditional only-the-mouth-moves-type animation that they must due for budget reasons with no music or interesting composition at all. In fact, I'd almost argue that they ADD scenes so that they can end episodes in juicy spots, as there are scenes that I feel like were NOT in the manga to my knowledge. But even if they were, the manga always had tight pacing and as long as there was an action scene, there was a scene of urgency.
Enjoyment- 8/10: I ended up liking this anime more than I thought. I don't think it holds up to the manga, but the powerful music, sakuga, and sometimes tight pacing make this a fun ride. And with the notorious four-year wait for Season 2 long over, there's no reason to not at least TRY it (although I still recommend the manga over this).
Just don't be surprised if you end up liking this particular season of Shingeki no Kyojin the most compared to later on. (Hoo boy, it's gonna be fun when I get to reviewing Season 2...)