Review of Attack on Titan

Attack on Titan and I have a history, one filled with love and hate, a re-watch, and the manga. Of course, it seems the entire anime/manga community (and some outside of it) have an opinion on this show. It’s widely popular and has been so for quite a while now. So, just how does this show about giant monsters that eat people take us all by storm? Let’s find out. Rather, I’ll do my best to tell you why I love it (now). Sometime to note is that I really didn’t like the AOT franchise when I first watched the anime. I wanted to likeit, but found the whole thing over hyped and too dramatic. However, after I read the manga and re-watched the show, I know have Survey Corps Cosplay and have become a die-hard fan.

I am up to date on the manga. Detangling my feelings of the anime and manga won’t be easy, but I’ll do my best.

This review is spoiler free!

[spoiler=Characters]Characters in the AOT franchise are 10/10, but, when strictly concerning the anime, they stagger to an 8/10. On the surface, the characters come across fairly stereotypical. Eren, the shounen lead, is obsessed with getting stronger and revenge and possess a (seemingly) random power. Dig a little deeper and Eren reverses some shounen lead tropes. I can’t go into details without spoiling major things for those who aren’t caught up with the manga, but trust me: Eren isn’t a typically shounen lead.

Back to the anime.

A usual some of the most important lines and little moments that deepen characters aren’t in the anime. AOT characters’ growth is subtle, and the high-paced anime may even include those finer moments but they’re hard to catch amidst all the titan killing action. But, if you compare a character from his/her first episode to his/her last, you’ll see how the story has really shaped and changed the character.

Here are some pluses. The characters are also relatively mature (as the show goes along. Warning: some start as VERY immature had have a lot of room to grow). Also, the characters beside the shounen lead get to have relationships (that actually change and grow) with each other. Again, it’s subtle. Bat an eyelash and you might miss it.

The characters make realistic choices. They react and behave like people who live in a desperate and relatively hopeless society. Some of their choices may surprise the viewer and unveil and new layer to a character. They’re not always the decision the viewers may want or like, but it makes the characters interesting and the story less predictable. Many of the secondary characters have unique and distinct personalities as well (this is largely due to the fact that later in the manga their importance increases significantly). Something to appreciate is the fact characters offer different opinions on the situation without the show spoon-feeding the viewer into thinking one view is better than another. Rather, the viewer must decide for his/herself what he/she believes. The show does not give a “right” or “wrong” answer.

However, a lot of characters get tossed at the viewer simultaneously—and about half of them die. Without knowing who lives to become an important character later in the series and who becomes titan chow, it can be a little overwhelming. This is partly why the first time I watched the anime I didn’t enjoy it. People just kept dying so I stopped caring about any of them. This problem also makes it hard to notice the quiet growth between characters and their relationships. Now, after reading the manga and watching it again, I love them all (I even like the bad guys, or, at least, I find them complex and interesting).

Another minus: the characters are overdramatic at times (for me). While I feel the desperation and understand their hopelessness, I still roll my eyes once in a while. Before the story has pulled you and before you believe and feel how sad they are, it can be distracting. I’ve met a couple of people who’ve even found it humorous at times (I never went that far, but it did (and in three scenes still does) annoy me). The show really plays it up too. It will show random scenes of grieving families that didn’t appear before and don’t show up after just to prove how dramatic and dark it can be. The world is dark enough that these moments subtract from the show instead of add to it. [/spoiler]
Score: 8/10

+subtle development
+believable relationships
+varying personalities
+flawed
+more than a stereotype
+believable reactions/personality
-judgmental protagonist
-over dramatic
-too many characters introduced at once

[spoiler=Story] When I first watched the anime, I wasn’t invested in the plot (this is largely due to the fact I wasn’t invested in the characters). After I read the manga, I flung myself headlong into the story and now read the chapters as soon as I can get my grubby fingers on them. After re-watching the anime, I can say the author has had a plan for series from the start. I missed hundreds of little clues while watching it the first time. Answers to huge questions are right in front of your face (I honestly feel stupid for missing them). Some twists are impossible to see coming and only after you’ve caught up to the manga can you fully appreciate how well crafted the plot is.

Some things were still extremely predictable in the anime. I’m hardly ever surprised by big “shocking” moments in anything (anime/manga/books/whatever) and saw a lot of things coming. Others have told me that the anime surprised them, and the show does deliberately play on your expectations of a shounen. There are a few moments where it sets the viewer up to believe he/she knows where the story is going only to whack him/her in the face with a quick turn. That was highly enjoyable.

One thing to keep is mind is the sheer ridiculous appearance of the enemy. Frankly, the titans are some of the stupidest looking villains in a story to date. While terrifying, it’s humiliating to watch humanity get wrecked by funny looking naked giants (a fact even the characters address). Humanity is often compared to cattle as well, which leads me to think the viewer is supposed to find it frustrating and embarrassing to be defeated by such monsters.

As for the plot itself, there is nothing particularly unique about it. The world feels well explained and detailed. And, better yet, it’s surprising easy to relate too. If you feel powerless, like nothing you do matters and all you want to do is matter, somehow; if you feel like there are problems you just can’t face but you wish you were brave enough to stand up against—then this story will touch you, heart and soul.

Stripe the story down to its bones and it’s about people struggling to defeat enemies larger than themselves, to face despair and learn how to keep moving. I’m serious here. The characters’ goal is not survival but for their deaths to have significance. In this sense, AOT goes beyond an anime. It reveals the heart of a desperate people and how to never give up.

These characters have simple dreams and desires batted against insurmountable enemies and stark fear. Such raw simplicity rests in most human hearts, and I believe a lot of people connect with that and turn this story into something bigger. I certainly didn’t the first time I watched it, but I do now. Now, when I see the Wings of Freedom, I see a symbol of hope and determination. I see people who are willing to sacrifice themselves despite their fear and doubt because it’s the right thing to do. I see someone I can aspire to be because theses characters are afraid and angry and flawed just like me. I see heroes I can believe in.

A lot of the sentiments I’m referring to occur after the Survey Corps appear. I believe the story improves immensely after its entrance. I find the Survey Corps the real heart and protagonist—if you will—of the series. Don’t misunderstand: the individual characters are fantastic, as is the first half of the show. But the Corps is who and what I connect with.

A step away from the sentimental and existential-ness of this review, the plot is put together extremely well. It moves fast without sacrificing character development. And you can tell the author has an endgame. He knows where he wants this story to go and is slowly taking the viewer there, revealing one little fact at a time, usually one that only opens more questions (the manga has answered some and created more, but things are starting to congeal and it’s fantastic!) [/spoiler]
Score: 9/10

+fast paced
+easy to follow
+interesting plot twists
+few plot holes
+believable desperation/situation
+plays with expectation
-fairly typical
-lack of investment (if not invested in characters)
-a little overwrought

[spoiler=Art]Amazing. It’s crisp, bold, and brilliant. The fights are brutal and fast and don’t cut too many corners. You get to see the full battle, not two characters screaming “AAHH!!!!!” and then clashing once in a kendo-like strike. [/spoiler]
Score: 10/10

+unique style
+detailed
+fast battles

[spoiler=Music]This soundtrack makes bells sound badass. It has a variety of sounds and languages as well (German, English, Japanese). It’s creative, intense, and will make your heart pound. I consider it one of the best anime soundtracks I’ve heard.[/spoiler]
Score: 10/10

+epic sound
+blend of battle and emotional
+sets clear tone
+adds intensity to scenes

[spoiler=Angles] They put a lot of thought into their angles. I’ll go into detail about a scene here to show you just how much. I’ll avoid names for spoiler’s sake. Character A must pull off a risky stunt into order to protect the walls and discusses the plan with Character B. Character B asks Character A if Character A can do this. Then Character B asks Character A what [he/she] wants to protect. Behind Character B, you see all that’s left of humanity and just what is at stake. Brilliant and subtle, the angles add an entirely new dimension to the show. [/spoiler]
Score: 7/10

[spoiler=IntroOutro] The first intro is fantastic. I love it. The second intro first few notes feel like a Fire Emblem theme, but I still enjoy it. The outros for me are interesting because both incorporate the narrative. The first has a rather obvious connection to a character’s growth, motivation, and story (not to mention stunning animation). The second is less obvious, but centers around several theories. And, if you know what I know, does some interesting things with the characters. [/spoiler]
Score: 8/10

[spoiler=FemaleRepresentation] This show doesn't have time for romance or gender roles. Humanity has to survive. Gender is hardly even mentioned. No one cares if you’re a girl or boy—it doesn’t matter. Girls and boys are treated the same way. I’m serious when I say gender is hardly even mentioned. There is actually one character whose gender has been unconfirmed because the author doesn’t think it matters. The girls are not sexualized and are just as strong as the boys. And, you usually don’t see this: girls and boys have the same uniform. Girls are not illogically fighting in skirts but also wear pants, which makes more sense to me. [/spoiler]
Score: 10/10

+given equal treatment to males
+can actually fight
+practical armor
+varying personalities
+more than plot device/love interest
+aspirations beyond love interest
+no fan service

Sub vs Dub:

I watched the first five episodes in dub and nearly stopped watching the anime. I apologies to all dub fans, but I found the dub absolute trash. Even now I refuse to watch the show in dub. The sub, however, does a fantastic job.

Warnings:

AOT is tremendously gory and violent. While toned down from the manga (surprise, surprise), it’s still brutal and graphic.

Overall: 8/10