Review of Attack on Titan

Attack on Titan is one of the most highly acclaimed anime series of recent times. What started out as a brutal dark fantasy series has since then propelled itself to legendary status. I started watching this show without knowing much about it and with very little spoilers. I was blown away by this first season. Story (10/10) The story is a fascinating premise that got me hooked instantly. Humanity has been brought to the brink of extinction due to gigantic humanoid creatures known as Titans. Whatever is left of humanity has been confined within 3 walls which have been untouched for 100 years. Once an attackhappens, Eren Yeager vows to slay every single Titan. The battle for humanity's future falls in the hands of a small group of fighters known as the Scouts who try to reclaim mankind's grip on the world. Soon our main characters find out that people on the inside of the walls are just as dangerous as the cannibalistic Titans on the outside. The storytelling of the show is nothing short of masterful. The suspense, action, build up, and execution is on point for the entire season. But the story is far from the only wonderful aspect of Attack on Titan.

Art (10/10)
The art of the show is one of it's greatest accomplishments. Attack on Titan wouldn't be as tremendous as it is without it's breathtaking animation and art style. It's just beautiful to look at. The action scenes are so well constructed and animated. The 3-D mobility gear creates for some incredible action sequences. The maneuvers and fights all look so dynamic. Just seeing the characters fly from rooftop to rooftop or from tree to tree and fighting against the Titans at full speed is exhilarating. The wonderfully drawn settings of the show create the atmosphere of a lived in world. From the poorer towns to the rich cities. I can't stress enough how gorgeous the animation looks when the sun is shining down.

Sound (10/10)
Another one of my favorite things about Attack on Titan is it's soundtrack. The OST is essential because it makes you feel just how epic every big moment, fight, or revelation is. I'll start with the OP/ED sequences. The first OP, "Guren no Yumiya" is masterful. It's a classic anime opening that got a massive amount of attention and parodies. One of the most notable things about this opening is the sync between the song and the visuals. It just fits perfectly together. It gets me absolutely hyped.. The second OP, "Jiyuu no Tsubasa" is phenomenal. It might not be as iconic as the first opening song, but it's equally as great. The animation of it is beautiful as well. The second ED, "Great Escape" fits like a glove. From the animation, the foreshadowing, the lyrics, the singing, and the fast paced guitar playing. It's a sensational theme. The rest of the soundtrack is amazing and it would take a long time to list every great song. Overall, Attack on Titan's soundtrack rivals some of the greatest film scores. It's that good.

Character (10/19)
The characters of Attack on Titan are one of it's key strong points. I've already mentioned how this show has many amazing aspects, but it wouldn't all come together if we didn't have a variety of different characters who could convey the emotion and weight of the situation. There's a large list of characters who fight for many different reasons and ideals. Despite having so many, the show does an excellent job at developing these characters. Some in very little time before their departure. There's characters who people can relate to and care about. Jean Kirstein doesn't believe in being a "suicidal maniac" and throwing his life away to join the Scouts, but has a change of heart after being forced to fight and seeing the horrors of war. Annie Leonhart is a wonderfully written character despite her short screen time. She fights alongside humanity, but not for humanity. Levi is a fan-favorite, and it's not hard to understand why. He's humanity's greatest fighter. No Titan is too strong for him. He's calm, cool, badass, and humorous.

The main trio follow anime troupes, but are refreshing in their own way. Eren is our main character. His motivation is taking revenge on the Titans for what they took from him. He wants to kill every one of them himself. It's stereotypical, but the way his character is developed through the season and the revelations he learns about make him a tremendous protagonist. He's easy to understand and follow through the battlefield. One thing i like about his character which isn't stereotypical is the fact that he's not a great fighter. You would expect him to have the skill of Levi, but instead he's flawed. His skill isn't his strength, it's his unbreakable passion for revenge. Next is Mikasa, who's the most badass fighter on the show behind Levi. She's a natural killer. An unstoppable badass who has an undying passion to protect Eren. She could've easily been a caricature, but instead she feels human. Her devotion to Eren leads her to throw herself into harms way and put her life on the line. Next is Armin, who is the perfect supporting character to both Eren and Mikasa. He follows the "smart one" stereotype. He doesn't have any real fighting skill, but his strategic skill is unmatched. He's not a one note character though. He develops a lot over the course of the show, and brings such raw emotion to whatever situation they get themselves into.

I quickly want to mention the voice acting. I've watched the full show in Japanese and the voice cast is wonderful. They bring so much life to each character. Each voice fits like a glove. Whenever there is a big emotional moment, the voice actors convey the emotion flawlessly. I've only watched a few episodes in English, and the English voice cast is good as well. They excel in emotional moments, but sound a bit unnatural in casual conversations.

Conclusion (10/10)
Overall, this is a highly debated with a massive fanbase who considers it to be one of the all time greats, and critics who believe it's overhyped and overrated. For me, this is one of the greatest shows I've ever seen. It has everything an anime should have. Any minor flaws are totally outweighed by the sublime production value. By the end of Season 4, this show will go down in history alongside DBZ, Naruto, One Piece, Fullmetal Alchemist, and others as a pinnacle of anime. I believe it deserves that praise.