Review of Attack on Titan
Attack on Titan, a.k.a Shingeki No Kyojin, is, in my opinion, the best anime to come out this decade. It is based on the manga of the same name that is very popular in Japan even before this anime came out. So because of the popularity, this anime had a ton of hype behind it prior to its release. I tend to use caution when going into a series or movie with a lot of hype surrounding it. Usually the series or movie cannot live up to the immense hype and I am left disappointed. For example, Sword Art Onlineis an anime that came out the previous year that had a bunch of hype surrounding it. In my opinion, that is a series that did not live up to the hype at all and was mediocre at best. However, this is the rare time where the hype is justified.
One of the big strengths of this anime is the world. I love how they took a simple concept like zombie giants attacking humans and created a grand and intricate world around it. I love this world and the way it looks, though I sure as hell would not want to live in it. The animation is breathtaking. This is some of the best animation I have seen in almost any animated series. The animation here is movie quality. This anime was produced by a relatively new studio called Studio Wit (though they had help from Production I.G.).
The soundtrack and score are off the chain. This has some of the best music that I have heard in a while. The action scenes are top notch as well. I do not normally like 3D but some of these action scenes were made for 3D. The weapons that the characters use here are called 3D gear after all.
The characters are a bit simplistic, but they are still likable. The characters are not the strongest aspect of Attack on Titan, but they are still good. The main characters, Eren, Mikasa, and Armin start of basic, but as the story goes they get fleshed out and get a bit more depth. Throughout the series we are introduced to more characters like Sasha, Jean, Levi, etc. There is not much development for them in this season. However, I still grew to like them and can easily sympathize with them even when they are making bad decisions.
The most major issue I have is that the pacing can be a bit slow at times, especially in the second arc of the season. Some episodes felt like padding or even filler.
Another big strength of the show is that while the characters are basic and do not have much development besides the main characters, you still grow to like all of them or at least relate to them. This series does a good job at showing the dread and direness of the situation and how it affects the characters. Plus, the lack of development isn’t really an issue anymore in the later seasons. Seasons 2&3 really improve upon the characters.
This anime is very violent and unsettling not just from the gore but from the psychological of being trapped like livestock by these titans that are superior to them in nearly every way so there is nothing they can do about it.
Overall, Attack on Titan Season 1 is definitely the best anime of 2013 and of the past ten years. This series has nearly everything going for it and the issues are minor ones. This anime is not for everyone. There is a lot of blood and gore and there are many unsettling psychological moments. This series is definitely not for young kids. However, whether you are an anime fan or just want to see a good quality series then definitely check this out.