Review of Attack on Titan

There is a lot to unpack with this series. It does so many things right, but makes some very fundamental mistakes that, ultimately, make the show fall flat. Let's unpack. First, we can discuss the amazing potential. The premise of Attack on Titan is spectacular. Humanity on the brink of extinction and holed up in a massive walled country with giant monsters threatening the continued existence of the human race. This alone makes the show worth a look. Next, we come to the action. The 3d maneuver gear makes for some very intense action sequences. Combine this with very tightlychoreographed fights makes for some of the best action scenes in recent history.

Now, we run into the problems of the show. The characters are interesting, but as the show progresses, they don't really grow. We learn more about them, but they, themselves, do not develop or change. It is a missed opportunity, given the mental trauma inherent in the world.

Then we run into the violence. Don't get me wrong, I have no issue with violence if done for a purpose. The gratuitous violence of Attack on Titan serves a purpose. It demonstrates just how vicious and mindless the titans are and show how bloody wars really are. My issue is that the violence is either missing or over the top. There is very little middle ground. You become desensitized after a while. At the same time, the main cast seems to be immune from horrific death and dismemberment. It's hard to get a sense of danger when I know the main people will escape unharmed.

Then we have the plot. It starts out strong, but slowly becomes a mess of unanswered questions and loose ends. I understand we need fodder for next season, but it helps to answer a few questions as we go. This is probably due to the manga writer. In an interview, he admitted that, after dropping so many hints about an important secret was in the basement, he forgot about it and put the secret somewhere else. This is not a promising development.

Ultimately, this show can be a guilty pleasure, but it does not live up to the hype and won't be a becoming a classic anytime soon.

Edit: I forgot to add that many of these issues stem from the manga. The author Hajime Isayama is still a relatively new face, as Attack on Titan is his first published work. Given all the amazing elements the manga brings, elements easily translated into the anime, I have hope that Isayama will grow and put out some truely great work.