Review of Attack on Titan

Attack on Titan Review: I was well aware of the hype this show had gained in its first few episodes back when they originally aired. When it was already in the top 10 on MAL before even a quarter of the show had happened, I was actually annoyed. I thought: "How dare people disrespect all these great shows by giving something that isn't even finished a higher rating." However, after waiting for the show to finish so I wouldn't have to endure the grueling torture that waiting for a new episode each week, I must say.... This show is fucking brilliant. Story 9/10: You all know the premiseof AoT's story. Humanity is pushed to the brink of extinction by giant monsters called Titans and all those people who remain live inside these giant walls. Then one day a big ass titan decides to kick a huge hole in one of the walls and the titans once again begin wreaking havoc. In steps the main protagonist who has had some sort of traumatic experience due to the titans, and BAM, you have a story of a kid trying to avenge his mom and save the world. I know lately the post-apocalyptic setting has really been beaten to death primarily due to the Walking Dead's success, and quite frankly I was getting sick of it. On the surface, this does seem a lot like another zombie show (albeit with giants instead). But in reality, this show takes a well-known premise, and absolutely masters it. By focusing on the harshness of death, and not just killing people to kill people, the show shines. The show has a very dark tone. Plans rarely turn out good, and never end up perfect. This high level of despair mixed with small amounts of hope really match the setting and are a perfect tone for the story.The first few episodes are BY FAR the best start to a show that I have ever seen. Attack on Titan doesn't hold back an inch and thrusts you into the intensity of the story from episode 1. If you are someone who hates a show that ends every episode with a cliffhanger (think Code Geass), then you will not like this show. But for those of you who love sitting on the edge of their seats for a 10 hour marathon session, get ready to watch this show. Another extremely important part of the show's story that helps it stand out, is just the setting in general. The humans really do seem like they are caged in within the walls and lack freedom. Add on all of the hierarchy and corruption within the walls, and the world alone is an extremely intriguing place. Add on the constant fear of a Titan invasion and the world really becomes a place that you just don't want to live in. As for the ending, it was relatively satisfying, and did a nice job of setting up the second season. Obviously, it is too early to tell if there will be any plot holes, and it can be assumed that all unanswered questions would be answered in season 2. Overall, the story was brilliantly done and is the best in the "post-apocalyptic/monster" genre by far.

Art 9/10:
Attack on Titan has a very distinctive art style. The character outlines are thicker than normal, giving them a strong definition, and is a unique trait to the show. Titans were also very creatively made, looking similar to humans, but with larger heads and the creepiest facial expressions known to man. However, more parts of the art were the representations of the world and events in it. First off, the characters are all from a slew of different ethnic backgrounds, ranging from German, to Japanese, to Swedish, to who knows what. But the characters all had traits in their design that helped identify where exactly they were from. Also, the world itself was very well thought out. The inside of the walls are filled with bland colors like brown to represent the despair and cage-like atmosphere of the place. What was most impressive were the action scenes and what came with them. The scenes with the maneuver gear were absolutely stellar. A balanced blend of cg into the scenes really helped the fast paced nature of the maneuver gear shine. The blood and just shear brutality of the violence was also some of the more effective gore I've seen in anime. Attack on Titan shines in the art department for bringing such an intriguing world to life.

Sound 9/10:
Much like with the art department, I was blown away by the soundtrack to this show. Not only are the intros and outros all fucking amazing, but so are the rest of the songs. There is a solid balance between instrumental and vocal tracks, and they are all used with perfect timing with each scene. The music greatly helps change the mood of the show, especially when they want us to feel upbeat and hopeful for the characters... only to later kill all of our hopes and dreams. I really don't know what else to say about the OST besides that it is bloody fantastic. Once again, I am no expert on Japanese voice acting, but they were all good enough to not make me laugh or scoff at their performances. A trend is forming here, the sound department also gets an A.

Characters 9/10:
Here is where some people may disagree with me. A lot of people think that the main three characters, and maybe even the side characters, are too one dimensional to be rated this high. I completely disagree. First, we have Eren, who's mother is eaten in front of him when the Titans breach one of the walls. This traumatic event is one of the key motivators in why Eren wants to join the Survey Corps and kill the Titans. However, he has also been strongly influenced by Armin's interest in the world outside of the walls, and hates the feeling of being fenced in like cattle. Next there's Mikasa, Eren's adopted sister, who I believe is one of the best female characters in an anime to come out in a while. In a world where 99% of female characters are injected with Moe-roids or are tsundere, a character like Mikasa is refreshing. I understand she can seem insane when it comes to Eren, but try to think of it from her perspective. Like Eren, try to imagine having your family get brutally destroyed in front of you. After losing her first family, all she now cares about is protecting her new one in Eren, even if it means losing her life. These two characters show how much traumatic events can effect people, and how far they will go because of them. Armin is another main character who gets some criticism due to him coming off initially as a pussy. But Armin grows throughout the show, and learns that he's not as useless as he once thought. Really, all the characters (who survive), change and grow from where they were episode one to the end of the series, and that is what makes them special. Another huge part of what made the characters great though, was the attention put into the side characters. Every character has a back story, has fears, has emotion, personality, and everything else that could make them easy to relate to. Side characters in this show aren't just there to be killed off (even though ANYONE can be killed), every person is significant in providing insight into how brutal the world really is. Whether its the fear they have after seeing their first Titan, or the despair they feel when their best friend dies, the characters all display human traits, and aren't just there to be there. The side characters drastically help provide depth to the setting, displaying all of the selfishness, corruption, despair, and hope that the world they live in contains. Something random that I noticed during a big battle scene, was that when buildings were being crushed, and havoc was wreaking in a city, they didn't just show buildings getting destroyed like they do in most shows/movies. They actually showed the bodies of people in buildings flying out, the blood spilling, and just all of the real, disturbing stuff that you would see if something like this were to happen. The main characters were easy to sympathize with, and most importantly, the others were treated as people instead of objects, and that is why I gave this section such a high score.

Enjoyment 10/10:
When a show makes me SHAKE while watching, I know it is intense. There have only been two other shows to make me feel this much anxiety and excitement, those being Code Geass, and the 2nd half of Steins;Gate. The thing about Attack on Titan though, is it takes the action from Code Geass, and adds the psychological aspect of Steins;Gate, making one hell of a ride. I feel sorry for those of you who watched this show on a week to week basis, because basically every episode ends with a cliffhanger that leaves you wanting more. Marathoning this show is really the best way to watch it, and its pace makes it feel more like one big movie than a tv show.The world and characters made me really think about what I would do in this situation. Attack on Titan really hits all the marks in the Enjoyment category: intensity, emotional impact, humor, wtf moments, etc. The only thing it really lacks that I really enjoy is a romance, but with it exceeding so well in every other aspect, I truly enjoyed this show as much as most of my other favorites.

Recommendation:
+.2 Buy it
Buy this show. Actually, I would wait til season 2 airs and is over, then buy both of them regardless of how good season 2 is. I'm not saying that because I'm confident s2 will be great, but more because I'm gonna hate waiting for season 2 to come out. I just wish season 2 was out already! The anticipation is killing me!

Overall 9.4/10:
Attack on Titan is a work of art that deserves all the praise it has been getting. Both action packed, and thought provoking, the show is truly amazing. By no means am I declaring this show the greatest of all time like many seem to be doing. But Attack on Titan is nothing to be laughed at. Honestly, anyone who says they didn't like this show is probably trolling. After all that writing, I'm not sure what else to say besides "This show is fantastic, stop watching porn and go watch this!" All I can say is that I hope that Attack on Titan can be wrapped up in two seasons because I won't be able to handle the suspense of waiting for a third season.

The Verdict:
An intense ride that blasts off from episode 1 and never looks back.

Pros:
+ Intriguing setting/concept
+ Death and gore is purposeful and powerful
+ Fantastic OST
+ Amazing action scenes
+ Characters are extremely human

Cons:
- Unanswered questions left for season 2
- Main characters can appear 1 dimensional

If you liked Attack on Titan, watch...
Fullmental Alchemist Brotherhood:
Both shows are intense and action packed, with the main male leads both being primarily motivated by the deaths of their mothers.
Spiderman:
maneuver gear = web swinging

9.4/10 - Brilliant