Review of Attack on Titan

I haven't enjoyed an anime this intensely in many years! It's a rollercoaster ride. I've watched it 5 times already. Eren Jeager. I love this guy. He is NOT a two-dimensional Gary Stu that seems to be a favorite in the anime and superhero communities. He is by no means the fantasy badass that every little geek dreams to become. His flaws are the greatest things about him. Emotional, passionate, driven, purposeful, idealistic. Historically these have been the most dangerous and annoying people -- but the ones that brought great changes whether for good or ill. So despite his lackluster abilities, everyone, both the audience andthe characters that surround him see a potential for greatness.

And by god I love how mentally messed up he is. PTSD is something rarely shown in anime. The badass Gary Stu tends to just shake it off and most fans think that's a sign of strength. When in reality even the most veteran specialized soldier needs to a therapist. Eren Jeager is a low key sociopath that suffers irregular bouts of madness.

The horror elements are more relatable. Horror movies, for example, are very simple. Terrifying and powerful thing chases helpless, scared victims. In this show, it's more than that. It's not horror for horror's sake. Each character deals with their fear differently and each one makes a personal choice with that terrifying power that ostensibly seeks to oppress them.

The mystery is well-paced despite what others say. Season one does a good job fleshing out each character, casting subtle foreshadowing even as it poses several questions for the viewer.

Is it CONSTANT action. Hell no. And thank goodness. That is terrible storytelling, in fact, it isn't storytelling at all just mindless entertainment. Attack on Titan is more than an action anime, much MUCH more. The pacing is well adjusted and balanced depending on the arc. During battle sequences, many things are happening while many things are revealed or planned simultaneously and each scene is artfully placed to make it each little victory satisfying.

Season 1 of Attack on Titan is an introduction to the rest of the story, one that is masterfully designed to set up each pin for the multiple climaxes to come. The animators did an outstanding job with this.