Review of Attack on Titan: No Regrets
Everybody knows Attack on Titan, but does everybody recognize Attack on Titan for what it is? ------- Art: 8/10 ------- Production IG has improved dramatically over time, and AOT is very slick. The backgrounds are very fleshed out, and idle animations look good. The rain and fog are particularly dark feeling, and oppressive. Otherwise, solid effort on the animation front. Personal Score: Good ----------Sound: 8/10
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Hiroshi Kamiya returns as Levi, Daisuke Ono appears again as Erwin Smith. Both give solid performances and bring the characters to life as the stoic Levi and commanding Erwin. The same OP and ED from the series appear, along with the weird German acoustic guitar song with bad grammar.
Personal Score: Good
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Characters: 8/10
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Particularly Levi, but also Erwin in this pair of OVAs get some needed characterization in an emotional and expository way. Levi's past as a street punk and how he came to be part of the Survey Corps is explored, along with his deep seated, cold as ice personality. His obsessive compulsive germophobia is also hilariously present.
Levi becomes much more than the almost super-human titan slaying prowess he displays in the original series- he's given heart. Levi is shown to have always been a driven man, a goal oriented man- but not one without a conscience. His relationships with his friends, past relations with the army, and future relationships with the Survey Corp, and by default, Erwin Smith are all explored and fleshed out fantastically in such a short amount of time.
Erwin Smith appears in a limited role. He's presented as a much more steeled and uncaring man than Levi himself, hardened by the harsh realities of life outside the walls. His perceived understanding of the nature of life beyond the safety of the human settlement drives him to be a conservative and competent leader, which further settles him into his role as the Commander in AOT.
Personal Score: Good
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Story: 8/10
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This time, the story has a definite beginning and definite conclusion. The audience already knows what happens beyond this- it's been detailed in the original series. What sets Birth of Levi apart as a superior OVA is how it takes important, fairly fleshed out, established characters, and turns them into something more. Captain Levi is one of the most beloved characters in AOT, and for good reason: he's good at his job, he doesn't take no shit, and he doesn't break the rules of the show. His past is explored, why he's the way he is, and how that past affects his present and future to come in the Survey Corps. Levi experiences a range of emotions and events that are formative for the character presented later on, and to great effect.
Personal Score: Great
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Enjoyment: 9/10
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I'll be honest: I found Birth of Levi to be _better_ than the entire first season of AOT. The original AOT could have benefited a lot from the pacing and character driven storytelling that Birth of Levi contains. There's no filler: everything serves a purpose. Levi experiences a character arc, we see him develop and change into the Levi that we know and love, and not just because the plot demands it. It's an organic change, and not one forced in for convenience.
Much improved pacing (there's not a whole lot of time to work with in two 30 minute OVAs anyway!) leads the way to a fantastic standalone work within the AOT universe that's certainly a step in the right direction.
Personal Score: Great
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Overall: 8/10
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I've been wanting to re-review Attack on Titan since I did the original, but I wanted to see an actual difference in how something with such promise could be presented in a character driven, no frills, no filler format. Birth of Levi delivered with style.
Final Score: Good (41/50) = 8.2