Shingeki no Kyojin

This will be my first ever review on this website, and I figured it best to start with the one series most fresh in my mind. Attack on Titan was one of the most rewarding anime experiences I've ever had. Unique premise, serious characters and a vivid soundtrack and art style make the first season of this show one to remember. I will keep this review spoiler free, as to not ruin the experience for anyone else.

Sometimes animes will fall into the trap of taking themselves too seriously. The main difference about AOT is that it deserves the afforementioned comment. ... Humanity is on the brink of extinction, being overrun by several meter tall human-like "titans" that terrorize and eat humans for just the pleasure of it. Humankind has succumbed to building three giant walls to protect themselves against the giants, and all was safe and sound....until the first wall was breached by an abnormally gigantic Titan, allowing the smaller ones to get in and annihilate the city. Eventually the invasion stopped, but the damage had already been done... The number of casualties was astronomical. The story continues by following Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman and Armin Arlert as they join the military in hopes of avenging the titan's invasion and The death of Eren's mother. Throughout the series, their efforts are pivotal in regaining a stronghold in the apocalyptic world.

One thing I love and hate about this series is the character development. It's just so damn good. At the same token, it occasionally feels so gut punching when a new character's past is explained, and then they are soon after another casualty in the struggle to survive. The amount of emotions that are invoked while one watches AOT are tremendous. I often found myself speaking out loud during a characters close brush with death or laughing during one of Sasha's hungry outbursts. The story in itself is also unique. I had been hearing wayyyy too many of the same plots floating around recently, so it was a breath of fresh air to experience AOT firsthand... At the recommendation of so many friends.

The art style depicted in this series is also quite incredible. Influences by Claymore and Casshern Sins are apparent, drawing from past experience of AOTs writer, Yasuko Kobayashi. I love how dark and gritty the character models can be, and how vivid the backgrounds are drawn. The music is also epic and fanfareish. The 2 openings also represent the growth of the story and are both extremely catchy.

In a nutshell, AOT is an anime not to be missed by any fan, especially if you love action and greatly developed characters. I can't wait until the second season rolls our way soon.

During that adrenaline rush stage of viewing fast, heavy-hitting content, we tend to lose all train of thought for the pixelated images flooding our screen. We are blindsided by the idea of what could happen next. Our brain racing to process new information as the stakes of any given set-piece is further compounded. When boiled down to its essentials, this rapid succession of quick build up and an immediate payoff is the cornerstone for many successful action titles. That "rush," that moment, is the pleasures we seek out in them; the very thing that makes the action genre so appealing, to begin with. It's for ... that reason that they remain significant breadwinners across many storytelling mediums. Once we're locked in and find ourselves immersed in the experience, everything else becomes secondary. Who has time to question the practicality of James Bond dispatching henchmen on top a speeding bullet train when we could just sit back and enjoy the spectacle? No one does, that's who! We're too busy living in the moment-to-moment rush to be bothered with any other details. So understandably, this can cause a false sense of judgment when trying to gauge the subject matter's level of quality control. It's easy to buy into the absurdity of any given situation when you're caught up in the middle of it. Thematically, you may just be consuming something that's 90% hot hair and 10% gray matter, but God be damned if that isn't the best 10% mass of gray matter you've ever consumed!

But what happens when we do bother to give ourselves a moment to question it? When all those problematic aspects that we once shoved to the wayside has now been given time to be mulled over? All of a sudden, an immersive experience can become questionable to what was there all along. As we settle down and pull ourselves out of the situation, that excitement once offered by that clump of gray mass has now been slowly revealed for what it truly was all along. We pull back slowly to see the bigger picture, to see the 90% that we ignored; and to our surprises, there it is, the puckered out rear-end of the elephant in the room. Rationality kicks in and the spell that was once hanging over our heads have now been broken. For better or for worse, our blind appraisal has now dialed back to something more rational. The enjoyment that the content offered us may still remain intact, but our assessment of it have changed accordingly. This discernment comes as a result of separating individual enjoyment from that of impartial analysis—or as we regular folks like to call it—"using common sense." We shift from living in the moment to retroactively assimilating the moment. Basically, we as viewers begin to establish our own form of quality-control standards, in more words or less; an act that's too often mistaken as "hating on something" when in actuality, it's quite the opposite. It's the act of fully appreciating and digesting the content, for both its good and bad attributes, instead of pretending those attributes don't coexist in the same body of work.

Ignorance may be bliss, but a proper understanding of the content you consume is true satisfaction.

Today, we'll attempt to do just that with Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan), as we snap out our trances, wipe the drool off our faces, and take a step back to view the elephant, or in this case, the clumsy naked giant in the room. And by doing so, we'll aim to comprehend what's become one of the most popular anime titles of all time.

Whether you adore or loathe it, Attack on Titan's prominence in the 2010s has made it an ambassador for anime-related content, both in and out of the anime community. And really, it's not hard to see why. It's a show that presented itself as a typical shounen product, but when viewed, comes gift-wrapped in the aesthetic sensibilities of a hardcore, grindhouse seinen feature. The equivalent of which is like parents taking their 10-year old kid to watch 2010's Kick-Ass or Super under the presumption that "it's just another Marvel family-friendly superhero film," only to be greeted with the grim reality that it's anything but. Their newly found realization of this fact coming in the form of bloody entrails being sprayed across the movie screen like celebratory confetti; a consolation prize offered up by the director for getting their assumptions wrong.

Keeping that in mind, Attack on Titan's marketing strategy was nothing short of a stroke of genius. In its 1st episode—where the falsehood of stability within a medieval town was instantly flipped on its head—an act that's commenced by a stampede of carnivorous giants tearing citizens apart in the most gruesome fashion possible; the anime community collectively "lost their shit." Seemingly overnight, viewing the show became something like a cultural event. As the selling point given to the uninitiated went something along the lines of "just wait for the twist bro!" An organic marketing tactic driven by word of mouth was born, the likes of which eventually led to it being in the top 5 most viewed anime titles, on all, if not most anime-database websites by the time the final episode aired. And now, after a few years have passed to see the effects of it in retrospect, it turns out we were witnessing the birth of a new gateway title in the making, as the show became an outsider window into the anime medium and how it falls into the current pop culture landscape at large. All of a sudden, there was a renewed interest for the Japanese import, made all the more obvious when you consider the growing number of companies that are trying to tap into the potentially lucrative market that might present itself to those willing to unearth it. A cultural bubble that's been steadily flowing beneath the business world's feet since the late 80s but with a modern-day face finally being attached, making exhuming it for profit easier than ever. This was no longer "our thing" fellow members of the anime community, this was now on its way to becoming a marketable sub-culture once again, thanks in large part to titles like AoT bringing back visibility to the medium, with its tentpole pitched high for all to see.

This slight removal of fan ownership may have led to the first noticeable wave of backlash for the show. The delicate bruised egos of long-time anime fans that don't want "their thing" being associated with the loud, brutish thrashing of AoT's typical portrayal. And honestly, it might stand to be the most superficial reason to dislike any piece of media as well. Anime as a medium doesn't get to decide what face it will wear in the public's eye, in the same way, no honest-to-God movie-buff like the face of their past-time being represented by any bloated Hollywood remake of a beloved classic.

Popular media, whether that be for music, movies, TV shows or books, are usually represented by the loudest, most accessible examples of their respective medium. Their credibility in these cases is usually secondary to their marketability. So whether you like or dislike the show, just make sure you're not doing so under the pretext of its popularity, because at that point, whatever you have to say will just fall on deaf ears, as this discernment of media is a very rudimentary fact that should be understood by most. With that being said, in an effort to get ahead of the inevitable shit show that accompanies the discussion of any popular anime, let me make my stance on the matter very clear: I LOVE Attack on Titan like a fat boy loves cake. As of the time of this writing, it's on my "top 100" favorite anime titles, while far more critically acclaimed works don't even make the final cut. It may not be seen as a substantive viewing experience, but let's face it, we all need our comfort food, and in the case of AoT, it's the show that serves that role for me—it's my McDonalds.

I see no reason to bastardize the title for its inherent mainstream appeal. That's just how it is. Any criticism or appraisal I will offer towards it from here on out will be based on what it had to offer and NOT the role projected onto it by outside forces. A true critical evaluation of anything, (favorites included), comes with the acknowledgment of both its strengths and weaknesses, not from pretending a work is lacking in either attribute. Now with that long-winded precursor out of the way, let's get on with the review.

The first and perhaps most prominent feature of AoT was its audiovisual output. It may not seem like it today, with the advent of consistently grander looking animated productions, but at the time of AoT's release, the show was seen as a high watermark for televised animated works. Alongside titles like 2011's Fate/Zero, AoT's visual presentation output took on, what was seen at that time, as the kind of attention to detail that was only afforded to animated movies. Before face-palming terms like "sakuga" was widely popularized for describing well-animated sequences for anime series, it was usually narrowed down to just a handful of moments throughout a show's run-time. With the rise of the aforementioned titles, that thought process changed, as well-animated sequences were dispersed throughout the entire runtime, at what seemed to be random intervals, as opposed to before where such efforts were reserved on the basis of selling some penultimate climactic act. Now, seemingly out of nowhere, moments that truly didn't need any extra flair was also getting the same attention-to-detail that would usually be reserved for the first and last episode of any other show. Whether you care to admit it or not, AoT's massive success played its part in paving the way for more flair in directing and presentation in anime shows to follow. But where titles like Fate/Zero only found popularity in the anime community's upper echelons, AoT went on to find even greater success, becoming a household name for even those unfamiliar with the anime culture altogether.

The art and animation were simply boundary-pushing. For the first time in a long time, fluidity wasn't treated as a secondary concern. Layered textures and shading weren't placed on limited supply. Choreography wasn't immediately reduced to speed-lines and the infamous "cut to black" shots to insinuate movement. Backgrounds weren't just scene-placeholders to avoid figuring out the topography of the land in order to give locations a sense of existence. Wonky character models weren't just accepted as a byproduct of "because of the budget." AoT proved that there was a better standard worth aiming for. And no, I'm not saying these techniques or shortcomings weren't found in AoT, they certainly were, but the degree to which the show relied on these techniques to avoid having to extensively animate, direct, or compose scenes, were significantly less, while at the same time, having a noticeable increase in favorable choices usually thought of as rare exceptions.

The bombastic orchestral musical selection, cleanly rendered 3D animation, well-choreographed action scenes, great use of cinematography, anatomically precise character movement, directing tricks usually reserved for live-action films; all of this and more made it an immediate hit with viewers.

It was grand, dare I say it, even "epic." A sense of scale that felt absent in too many shows at the time. Where most action-orientated anime settled for locations that didn't amount to anything but battlefield backdrops, AoT tapped into a storytelling fundamental that the shounen genre all but abandoned: worldbuilding. This may not seem all that significant for a seasoned viewer that bothers to forage through the entries of yesteryear, but for the less-experienced viewer who've only accustomed themselves to the drab landscape offered up by a limited selection of underbaked locations usually presented by this genre; effectively, what AoT did was stimulate an interest that many viewers didn't realize they were yearning for. An interest that makes the biggest difference between memorable or forgettable stories. This creative decision was perhaps the biggest reason owed towards the show's continued success beyond its audiovisual marketing.

But before we could dive into how cool those Spiderman-like web-slinging city-dive shots were or what it meant for the action scenes, we must first examine the massive undertaking that the creators dedicated towards AoT's worldbuilding that made all of it possible.

It's no coincidence that the show effectively opens up by introducing us to the walled-off city and the architectural structures of the buildings inside. Or better yet, the scale of these structures when pitted against the monstrous threat that inhabits this world. All of this was done to help start the process of setting the stage. Something the anime will continuously do throughout its run. You see, proper worldbuilding doesn't just stop with establishing shots, it's something that's supposed to expand alongside the story to help accommodate the content placed in it. And in the case of AoT, that means a whole lot of inventive action, intriguing locations, and tactile environments that feel every bit as convincing to anything found in the real world.

From the title cards inserted at the halfway point to the medieval-inspired European houses, there's not a moment where the show isn't making the viewer privy to new world details, visual landmarks, and macroeconomic world functions. It cultivated a lived-in world for its inhabitants by reinforcing the means of living, the area layout of its civilians, even things that may be perceived as trivial, like the functionality of the weapons that the military uses. You see, in order for things to feel important, you must first give the viewer a sense of existence in the world, to be able to grasp what's at stake for those within it. So later on, when this once considered "useless" knowledge festers in the back of the viewer's mind — seeing the limitations of citizen mobility, the seemingly endless maze of alleyways, and the sense of hopelessness experienced by humanity when cornered by the evil forces out to get them — all of a sudden, the viewer is now standing there with them and not simply on the outside looking in.

Many action movies like 2006's Casino Royale or 2008's Taken don't have to worry about most of this because its world and locations are already accepted as is; this is the true advantage of live-action. This is why James Bond and his antics have very little hurdles to cross to make the audience accept what's going on because the world they're placed in is our own world. It's "real." AoT, and similarly any animated feature, isn't alotted that immediate acceptance, something that's often taken for granted. If the world isn't thought out, it's hard to get enveloped in it. So when you're running your fingers across the rough surface of a moss-covered stone, creeping through the back streets occupied by the dilapidated housing of the common people; their homes built up by lumber that's slightly weathered by decay; contrasted by the sturdy, clutter-free appearance of the religious facility, with its towering structure shooting up over the houses dwarfed below. Or simply lying under a tree, as the grass and blue wildflowers surrounding you are rustled by the breeze, the endless stretch of Wall Maria looming in the background, registering no comment from the citizens, as they accept it just as much as you accept the Pyramids or Eiffel Tower as real-life landmarks; you're getting a firsthand experience of all of this worldbuilding detail at play. You may not be aware of it, but somewhere in your subconscious, these registered efforts are sinking in.

Regardless of what tonal issues the show may have towards the interaction of its world — and trust me, there are some serious issues — the actual worldbuilding itself is pretty solid.

But enough talk about the important things in the background that makes this all work, let's discuss the fun shit that everyone could comprehend; those awesome ass Spiderman-like, web-slinging city-dive shots! Tetsurou Araki, the madman behind this stroke of directorial genius, is no stranger to over-heightened, summer blockbuster-style action. Before AoT, he gave us the most unnecessarily intense, borderline comical potato chip eating scene in Death Note; the physics-defying Matrix boobs bullet-time effects of High School of the Dead; and who could forget, the booty-shorts wearing, boat-hopping leapfrog shoot-out scene from episode 3 of Black Lagoon. When it comes to directing the hell out of an action scene, regardless of how ridiculous the final outcome may be, very few come close to Araki. He's basically the self-aware version of Michael Bay/Zach Synder for anime.

But there's a lot more that goes into making these action scenes work. For one, Araki seemed to have a good grasp on capturing field-of-depth by allowing the foreground and background enough space to properly breathe. Without that discernment, the show could have easily become a muddled mess of incomprehensible motion (think most shaky-cam scenes for action movies). Where it could have turned into a nauseating rollercoaster ride of unnecessary directing techniques, Araki was able to demonstrate restraint when the scene called for it. Which may seem like an odd thing to say with a show that quite literally has people flying across cities and giant naked people trying to eat them.

Another aspect that helped give the action scenes staying power was the sheer amount of diversity given to not only the battle locations but also the titans themselves. From the claustrophobic feeling given off by the town environment to the woodland dominated by towering trees, every battlefield is given careful consideration for the fighting forces of humanity and the titans they come against.

But what good is all of this appraisal of the show's action scenes without addressing the second biggest highlight: the music. "Heavy-hitting" is possibly the best way to quickly describe what the music selection here has to offer. Like Araki, who's reputable track record has brought him fame and appraisal within the anime industry, so too is the case for the man behind the music of AoT, Hiroyuki Sawano. Sawano's musical style can best be described as a mixture of orchestral and electronic. By blending the traditional with that of contemporary music, he's able to give a feeling of timeless familiarity, while simultaneously retrofitting it for a modern audience. With booming brass instruments starting off the charge, primal drums flowing in the undercurrent like a steady heartbeat, the crooning of an incoming choir ascending from the center, and string sections that cascade into the mix with a signature snare; this soundtrack elevates the anime like a shot of pure adrenaline! Riling up the viewer for the events to come.

There's a wonderful symbiotic relationship shared between the audio and visual department of AoT; the kind of dance between elements that's rarely ever this unified. Given Sawano's work on Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, Guilty Crown and several other projects before getting involved with AoT, the vetting process was far behind him. What we got, as a result, was someone comfortable with his craft. A kind of swagger only obtainable by true experience.

With the directing of Araki at the helm, Sawano's musical prowess propelling it even further, and the efforts of every other crew member involved, the end result was a type of synchronicity that felt every bit as planned as it did coincidental gatherings of the right people for the job. Sawano's sense of auditory dramatics melded perfectly with Araki's pension for high-octane content, both of which lend itself perfectly to Hajime's writing style that focuses on melodrama and theatrics. What we have on display here was a perfect storm of individual thinkers all working towards the same core sentiments. And while that flare for the dramatic may have worked in the favor of most of what was presented, in some aspects, the outcome was a bit... juvenile.

Which brings me to a presentation decision that may have served as the first point of contention for most viewers of the show: the hammy, over-the-top voice-acting.

The screenplay for this anime seemed to have been composed entirely of capital letters and exclamation marks. It's the kind of absurd overacting that someone like Nicolas Cage might employ on one of his many B-movie escapades. But here, it's played without the slightest hint of sarcasm. And while I found this to be an amusing attribute, and honestly another reason why I enjoyed AoT, given my soft spot for schlock/B-grade content. For most not acclimated into that realm of entertainment, scoffing at these performances may be an involuntary reaction. And for those that do find this annoying, I completely understand.

The general approach taken went something along the lines of this:

-Any other anime: "Let's come up with a plan to get out of this situation."
V.S
-Attack on Titan: "OMFG BRO, LIKE WTF, WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!!! LET'S THINK OF SOMETHING WHILE SCREAMING AT THE TOP OF OUR LUNGS, EVEN IF WE'RE SURROUNDED BY TITANS AND TRYING NOT TO DRAW ATTENTION TO OURSELVES AT THE MOMENT!!!! OK!?!??!"

I wish I was being hyperbolic here, but this is what AoT does on constant repeat. The concept of "inside voices" was completely lost in this universe. So while I may laugh hysterically at the sheer madness of the voice actors seemingly being prompted to "unleash their inner crackhead," I'm in no way condoning this as some positive aspect.

And since we're addressing the issues of AoT at this point, I guess it's time we address the clumsy naked giants in the room: the story and characters.

For every appraisal I've lobbied at AoT for its worldbuilding, the same number of issues can be found with the story that takes place in it. In the process of picking up the ball dropped by many other shounens, AoT accidentally tossed the story down a flight of stairs, where it seemingly suffered a concussion on its long way down. AoT's story was plagued with several issues, one of which may perhaps be one of the worst kinds of narrative conceits: the mystery box. And what I mean by that is that you're watching 25 episodes of "stuff" happen, but nowhere is there a conclusion, or better yet, a sense of purpose or finality to any of it. Cohesiveness is missing, instead, what we have is a series of "and then" plotting choices, as is usually the symptom of anything relying on the mystery box appeal to sell its feature.

If you're reading this, you've either seen AoT or heard enough about it to understand the general idea, so I won't waste my time regurgitating information you could simply find in a synopsis. What we will discuss, however, are the ways these narrative decisions ended up hurting the show. And if that means exposing the number of calories in my unhealthy comfort food as a result, so be it.

AoT is erratic. Having nothing to truly say or no insurmountable goal it's trying to get to means that it could, and did, become one hell of a journey. When your story becomes akin to an unpredictable roller coaster ride of happenings, all to reach an elusive mystery that's ill-defined, yet naked to all those paying attention to it; the sheer level of sensationalized theatrics that the creators could tap into is bound only by their ability to imagine it. This, as a result, ensured that every episode of AoT was marked off with a huge cliffhanger. It basically became voluntary visual entropy. Like the genius behind its organic viral marketing, this scatterbrained approach to "just go with it" storytelling, under the guise of knowing what exactly you're doing, ended up creating some truly spectacular firework displays. It worked in the past for live-action TV shows like Lost, is currently the reason that One Piece can span onward for eons, and will be the reason that AoT will carry that baton into the future.

Success in the eyes of the business world breathes this dilemma: make a true-to-self statement or appease others for personal benefit. You could try to have it both, but that's a goal rarely obtainable; compromise is almost inevitable. If this wasn't apparent enough, AoT's creator, Hajime Isayama, has also gone on record many times admitting to several changes he's made to his original idea for the material, all of which correlate with the reaction given by outside forces. This wasn't done out of an artistic effort to give the "true" experience he envisioned, but simply because the studio heads and newfound fanbase surrounding the project started yelling "we need more!"
It's this same kind of push for more, regardless of what it means to the original vision, that was expressed out loud from the likes of Kazuhiko Torishima of Dragon Ball fame, where he openly stated in an interview that "-it should’ve been wrapped up with the Frieza Saga.” but cited the commonly expressed truth that when something becomes so big and popular, at some point, your vision becomes much more than simply "your thing." Eventually, everyone takes selfish ownership. In the public domain, self-entitlement is an ugly beast that's yet to be tamed. Hundreds of episodes later, and clearly "ending it at Frieza saga" wasn't the case.
"George Lucas is selfish because he won't give the public distribution rights for the original Star Wars screening. Marvel "sold out" because they gave up their movie rights to The Mouse." — there's really no winning this argument either way. The power of the dollar trumps all. The power of demanding fans trumps all. And sometimes, that also includes artistic integrity. AoT became another statistic.

But now we're starting to enter a morbid place, so let's get back to that fun shit! Time to address one of AoT's most talked about features: the shock and awe of its excessive violence.

The violence is the feature that links the "characters" to the story. I use the term "characters" loosely, as its mostly just a wide range of stock-piled cannon fodder; where only being characterized enough to only get a cast mention would be the equivalent of a death sentence. And I'm not talking about any beautiful send-off, as the music slowly swells into a crescendo, I'm talking some really heinous shit! You don't just "die" in Attack on Titan, you are torn limb from limb! You become the center attraction of abject horror! By the time one of these "characters" leave this earth, their arm is stuck somewhere ontop a rooftop, while their torso is halfway down the throat of a naked giant with down-syndrome eyes, munching down without a care in the world. AoT is high caliber schlock. Schlock that transcends to the upper echelons of Tarantino blood-splatter. Schlock that rides the coattails of exploitative media. Cannibal Holocaust would be proud.

It's honestly one of my favorite aspects of the show, but let's just be clear, being a favorite aspect doesn't mean it's a good one. This is my McDonalds after all, let's not forget that. You see, the problem with reducing your "characters" into a Russian Roulette spin of "what person can we brutally kill next?" is that it divides them into two exacerbated sides:

1.) plot armored to gross extremes
2.) expendable to gross extremes.

When main characters are shown surviving death-flag incidents against all odds, despite what the universe shows you about said chances for other characters involved, it renders their upward mobility to success charitable. Even contrived at times. The screenwriter's pen begins to leave creases into the product. There's a clear line made, as clear as their heavy marker-like character outlines. And once you notice who's in the safe zone, it's hard to unsee it. It becomes a blemish for those taking the show seriously. Me, not so much, I knew my McDonalds wasn't nutritional from the moment I purchased it. But for the ones who bought the snake oil, expecting more, that absence of care would be frustrating, to say the least.

And on the opposite side of the creased-outline, we have the fodder. People who are made solely for their eventual deaths. It's like watching people lined up before a gun firing squad. You start remembering them for how they died rather than who they were. They become a part of the blood splattered decoration, their remains paint the walls, the rest, a pile of bodily fluid, covered in stomach acid, left out in the sun to bake, (Did I mention that the deaths were gruesome?) In all seriousness though, AoT's characters are not good in the slightest. They're there to facilitate either cool fight scenes or cool death scenes; there's really no in-between.

And when death becomes a party trick and character success a hand-out, the tension, the stakes, everything, suddenly means so little.

I love AoT, but at no point can I take it seriously, because it's a show that's shown me time and time again that it doesn't even care about itself enough beyond spectacle. For AoT, integrity is a secondhand concept to theatrics. It's schlock entertainment with an A-Grade budget, an as such, some of the best in the medium. But that's where the appraisal begins and ends. Because when the momentary high is over, when I recline back in my couch, settle in, swallow the last bite of that comfort food, my stomach immediately growls and I find myself on the porcelain throne, purging that "good-time" out with projectile accuracy, while simultaneously dispensing a can of Febreeze, creating an artificial cloud to cover my nostrils.

And you know what's the fucked up part? I'm sure I'll still be coming back to have second helpings. There's more to life than veggies, we all need our comfort food, whether we choose to openly admit it, or shamefully hide behind terms like "guilty pleasure." So go ahead, bite into your BigMac and do it without shame, because I'll be the last person to ever cast judgment.

How does one review an entity such as Attack on Titan? It has gathered a massive following had has taken the anime community by storm. Anyone who calls themselves an anime fan has undoubtedly heard of the show and even those who aren't anime fans probably have seen some kind of merchandise floating around wore by someone... someone like me who has a Attack on Titan backpack. But just because something is popular doesn't make it good.

PLOT: So humans are now no longer at the top of the food chain and were nearly wiped out 100 years ago of 1000ish years ago (they never ... really explained what time period it it) so humanity is forced to lived behind massive walls to protect themselves from the Titans, these massive naked human looking monsters that eat humans. We start of to see a young trio of children going about their daily life and thinking about what all kids think of, what life is like outside the walls. More frolicking about happens and sudden a massive titan appears and breaks down the wall. Dozens of Titans invaded kill people and we get treated to one of the most emotionally gripping scenes I've every seen in a show.

So now our main protagonist Eren and his buddies Armin and Mikasa enlist in the army and go on their journey to kill all titans. This sounds bland but the story is going at a lightning pace that things change very fast and you can expect a twist and turn all throughout the show that it will keep you on your seats begging for more, or for my case, marathoning 10 episodes in a row. The story breaks the mold of generic revenge story and adds things like conspiracy and thriller aspects that propels the experience. However there are some points in the show were you can so glaringly seen them going all like "This person is TOTALLY normal wink wink" and the foreshadowing alarms go off, but that never distracted from the overall presentation of the story. Also there is lots of action and fighting stuff which I'll get too later...

CHARACTERS:
Our main hero/protagonist is Eren Yeager, a young solider who enlist because he watched his mother get eaten by a titan and wants revenge. He is hot blooded and won't take no for an answer. There's Mikasa who is Eren's stalker/adopted sister/baddass. Then there is Armin who is there to cry, get in the way and make plans for battle situations. Eren is too me at least in the beginning kind of a bland generic character. I've seen these kind of super angry main leads before and most of them aren't interesting. Eren evolves just enough to keep him from being bland. Mikasa is a character that I think is a bit overrated. Before going into this show I read everywhere how Mikasa is the best character ever created and I just don't see it. OK sure is ridiculously talented in combat. OK she isn't a generic tsundere. What stands out to me is here wanting to protect Eren which makes for a lot of speculation as too what their relationship actually is, but Eren is more or less an ass to Mikasa in those situations even though Eren does care for her just not in the same way she does. I'm am really glad that the writers didn't make these two characters love birds as that shtick has been used over and over and over. Armin is the only main character that seems to have a working brain as he doesn't go on titan murdering rampages. He is also practically useless in combat. He comes up with ridiculously complicated battle strategies that seem too always go as planned or at least achieve the objective even after a major fault happens that ends up killing half the squad. Yes this show has the Tomino "kill em all" approach to characters. Everyone in this show you like will probably die, that sounds like a spoiler but its not. I had to start telling myself not to like characters because I feared that they would get eaten five minutes later. Having characters that don't have plot armor makes the show fell more action packed that it already is.... and it is. The interaction between the characters is good and a shout-out to Levi.

ART/ANIMATION:
Well... My word who is funding these people the Brooklyn Nets? The budget for this show must be endless as I never recall a time when this show didn't look like pure awesome. The animation for this show is simply outstanding, the actions scenes are breathtaking, and when they used the 3D movement gear my God does it look stunning. The art style is rather unique too with thick black borders around the characters and the Titans (some of them) look very disturbing. The scenery is gorgeous and those action scenes.... just so good.

SOUND:
THAT OPENING!!! Yea the first opening for this show is amazing. So is the second one. So is the fight music, and so is the dub and yes I said DUB. DUB! I can already see people moving their mouse to "Not helpful" before going onto the next review but the dub for this show was done by Funimation and such is of the up most quality. Bryce Papenbrook is great as Eren because no one can scream like him, Trina Nishimura fits Mikasa almost freakishly well and Josh Grelle does a great job making Armin sound like a wimp because that's exactly what he is. Oh and Matthew Mercer is just silky smooth as Levi. Great job Funimation for getting a good cast.

ENDING (NO SPOILERS)
The ending is paramount. This story is incomplete but there is a second season coming sometime soon so that makes this section pointless, if it were too end right now it wound be terrible but it doesn't so yea.

OVERALL:
Attack on Titan has been the only show that has made me impatient enough to go out and read ahead in the manga. This first season was extremely well done and the series as a whole has tremendous potential to be something very special indeed. I give this a strong recommendation too anyone that likes a good story driven high action series. Attack on Titan is a great watch.

Oh boy, Attack on Titan.
Up front, the more time passes between me, having watched the show and now thinking about it, the more average it becomes. I came to the conclusion, that the show severely lacks memorable moments. Many may call BS on me for that, but really think about it. Excluding what happens in Episode eight...I think, there was almost nothing for me to remember fondly. I'll say, that upon first completing the show, I quite liked it and would have even called it good, but that is just not the case anymore.

Most of the things like character-motivation, their development and the ... pacing just seem quite off. The characters like Eren, Mikasa and Armin are completely one dimensional and void of almost any interesting aspect.
Now I know. It is shounen, what do I even expect? But the straw of thinking too deep into it doesn't work this time, because even when you scratch the surface of these characters, they still seem to be completely uninteresting. There is no concept worth exploring here, no good idea hooking you to the adventure and what is there, is boring after a few episodes.

I try to at least be as objective as possible with these reviews (try to, not succeeding, shut up), but in this case I can't not mention the constant annoyance the main character and his constant angsting about the things that happened in the first episode, is. Jesus Christ, his whole existence revolves around angst. Realistic portrayals of characters do not just use one aspect of them and blatter us over the head with that non-stop. There needs to be at least one high-moment to correlate all of the low moments. If he is in constant angst-mode and always shouting, it becomes meaningless and more of a joke or a running gag, than a conflict or a struggle for the character. And that problem encumbers most characters in this show. Their constant one-note struggles and conflicts ultimately do not mean anything because it is all we ever see of them. Characters, besides the plot are paramount for me, which is why it is almost everything I talk about in this, but it is the main point I want to give you an understanding of, so there you go.

And so people in this show are not remembered for their characterization or their interesting personalities but rather for very stereotypical aspects and their designs, which is very repetitive by the way. It just looks too bland and uninteresting for my taste. They could have at least incorporated a few different uniforms and colors but no, brown it is.
That could very well be the name of the anime, “brown it is-the anime”, but I digress.
What looked like something good in the first eight or so episodes came to a grinding hold in the boulder arc, did not really pick up after that and just left me with a great desire of the story continuing like it did in the first eight episodes and not the way it did. The few twists it threw in were nothing too surprising and pretty easy to figure out, if you at least try to pay minimum attention. The last scene at the end failed completely in hooking me for the next season and that pretty much sums it all up.

It's almost addicting to not care about this anime anymore. Hype didn't last for good reasons. Stuff's painfully mediocre with a tendency to annoy me more than entertaining me.

OP theme still awesome though.

Attack on Titan or Shingeki no Kyojin has become one of the biggest anime, at least stateside, over the past few years. Unfortunately many shows that are popular often get caught up in the hype of fans and when people view it when hype has begun to cool down it is often that these shows often get a lot of backlash since they are not as good as everyone who watched it years ago says it is. Fortunately I think that Attack on Titan is well made enough that it will not be seen as trash by viewers years from now when if it does ... have some issues.

To start out with the good the show has top notch production values. The animation stays great throughout which especially shines during the completely awesome and often brutal action sequences that are sprinkled throughout the series. A word must also be said that the show also has a very unique art style with heavy outlines around the characters which helps the show pop out without doing anything too distracting.

Despite the oldtimey setting of the show the music often has a somewhat electronic feel to it and while some might be distracted the music really helps set the epic mood and at times can get you pumped for the next fight.

While the story is never too out of the ordinary, the world that Attack on Titan creates is interesting enough that you are guaranteed to stay interested in whats going on.

But everything is not perfect unfortunately.

While there are a plethora of characters in the show that are often very interesting, most of the cast outside of the main 3 protagonists don't really get enough screen time to get very developed. It also doesn't help that some characters will just randomly die before you get attached. While one of Attack on Titan's claim to fame s the fact that they often murder characters you often don't get enough attachment to some who die in order to make their deaths have as much emotional weight as they probably should.

The show also has slight pacing problems as the show goes at a almost breakneck pace in the first few episodes until it suddenly decides to slow down. Luckily by the half way point enough happens to make this less of a problem.

Also while this show certainly tries to be epic it sometimes goes into hilariously over the top territory but not too often.

Even with these problems the show is still a great watch. It is quite brutal though so if you can't stand violence stay out. Also the storyline isn't complete yet and at this point a sequel is very likely which is good since I along with many are interested to see where the story goes and aren't willing to read the manga to find out.

So while it may not be perfect Attack on Titan it seems that it is just too big to ignore and that is why I am happy that it is of a very high quality.

Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan) undoubtedly made it as the top anime of 2013. Hajime Isayama’s creation gained fans across the globe with its thrills, surprising twists, and memorable characters. Compared to other apocalyptic anime, Hajime develops undefeatable and menacing creatures: giant man-eating titans --- overgrown human-like creatures that range in size and ability.

Story (8)

The suspense is incredible and exciting with constant gory scenes of titans brutalizing humans to the fullest degree, whether it is crushing skulls with their massive thumbs or tearing apart the human body. Combat action involves stunning choreography as armed soldiers spin or fly in mid-air with their 3D ... maneuver gear before striking lethal blows to titans. Certain circumstances cannot be predicted accurately as SnK shows no hesitation in killing off supporting characters. The majority of the episodes end in surprising and unexpected twists as soldiers fight to save humanity by risking their lives to accomplish one goal: destroy all of the titans. The pacing is steady, allowing viewers to understand the plot and characters with extreme detail. However, the primary objective is too complex to complete in 25 episodes. A cliffhanger ceases the opportunity for more exploration of the titans and other characters.

Tip: In the middle of each episode is a helpful “Info We Can Share So Far” section. It lasts for less than 20 seconds, so it’s advised to pause and read the info. Most of them are hidden data that are not quoted by characters in the series, including history of the titans and info about the communities.

Character (8)

The majority of the characters, including the MCs, have motives behind their actions, and they develop and strengthen after experiencing tragic events. For example, Mikasa’s sole purpose of protecting Eren throughout the series has more to do than just her personal feelings for him. Eren is the main protagonist and has a strong passion to destroy every single titan. He was intolerably whiny and irresponsible in the beginning but slightly matured halfway through the series due to interactions with experienced squad members. He gains common sense and looks at situations from different angles. However, he does not fully develop as his old ways sometimes reappear.

Mikasa and Armin may appear clingy to Eren at times, but the trio spend much time apart with other characters, primarily during the second half. Mikasa is the strong female heroine who is a master in combat action. She’s fearless and presents a major attraction with her swift moves of killing multiple titans in one blow. Armin showed great improvement in his character. He starts out as a coward but becomes willing to strategize despite his fear. He is also quite the genius and contributes to resolving various mysteries of the titans. Along with Armin, there are many characters who present or develop great charismatic skills.

The large number of squad members have personalities ranging from indifferent to determined, and they all distinguish with their levels of combat ability and leadership. Some of their attitudes can be hilarious, depending on one’s sense of humor. The anime goes into the past of some of the important characters and highlight relationships between them. It helps the viewer understand the characters and develop a love/hate relationship with them. The only downside is the inability to explore other important characters before the finale.

Animation (8)

Production I.G. and Wit Studio did a fantastic job with the animation. The thick outlines displays details within the background and character design. The artwork emphasizes excellent visual effects of combat action and characters maneuvering between buildings, trees, and other landscapes. All of the settings from the cityscape to the forest are remarkable. Character designs are distinct, and the unisex military uniforms reveal great details, thanks to the outlines. Characters’ fear and other emotions are generally shown with black lines drawn on their faces, contributing to the horrifying theme of SnK. The black lines symbolize distress, anger, frustration, etc. Bloody scenes of titans crushing and eating human bodies fulfill in making those primary creatures look terrifying. Titans are drawn as ugly and naked overgrown human beings. Some are shown to be skinless, and the vast majority are the opposite.

There are a few problems with the art. There's no distinction in gender between the titans. It was not an issue in the beginning, but it later becomes something important to note in the series. Another poor part about the animation are the stills. There are some scenes that are at a standstill with the characters talking like an idle page in a storybook. Other times, there would be fixed scenes with only one or two objects striking attention with movement.

Sound (9)

The voice actors adjusted to the characters’ personality, making their emotions and identities suitable for the fearful and serious atmosphere. The stomps and groans of titans presents practicality to the anime’s theme, considering the type of monsters Hajime decided to create. The music from the theme songs to the background is memorable. Background music includes warrior-like songs and sometimes fast-paced or choral music during fights. The entire soundtrack adds a grand quality to the series.

Enjoyment (9) / Overall (8)

SnK is one of my favorite action anime, even after re-watching it a few times. In addition to the cliffhanger, I found Eren to be really annoying. There was a scene where Eren hurt Mikasa physically, and I hated him for intentionally harming a lady. SnK’s focus on other characters and increased suspense made it much better. The characters' behavior were humorous at times, and there was always something to look forward to after each episode. As a result, I experienced laughter and shock throughout the series. Due to its popularity, I’m looking forward to a 2nd season and reading the manga in the meantime.

Overall, SnK has entertaining combat action, surprising events, and remarkable visuals. It provides details throughout the series to keep the viewer current on events, and it gives quite a bit of attention to the characters. Apart from its incomplete ending, I highly recommend any fan of action anime to become familiar with the SnK franchise.

There's only one possible number to represent Shingeki no Kyojin, and that number is a certain one-digit number between 1 and 10 and is a multiple of 3.

You guessed it. Six. Or nine, flipped the other way.

I know you anime whores and die-hard SnK fans are probably sitting in your chairs ready to light torches and grab your pitchforks and form a mob right outside my front door because "six" is a pretty low-end score, at least on my ranking scale let alone for a hyped-up series like SnK, but come to think of it, did you come here to confirm your opinions about SnK ... being 2013's greatest anime show, or did you come here to whine in American-accented Japanese at the next guy that gives SnK a low score because you hate it when people disagree with you?

I have to admit that SnK, through my eyes, was a decent show at best, decent being the number "six". And before you and wonder "wut skoar did dis n00b giv sao?!?!?!", let me tell you beforehand, I rated it 8, in my own unbiased opinion. I wasn't excited at all to watch SAO, and I was pretty darn excited to hear rave reviews about this new show that brings Jack and the Beanstalk down to Earth, multiplies the number of giants involved, and gives the humans no beanstalk to escape to safer grounds. It sounds interesting, but was it a good show?

Six. I'll stop saying that now.

Story: A fantastic tale about 10-meter-tall zombies eating out every woman and child like certified pedophiles in the world's largest buffet platter with three different types of meals: Outer Wall for peasant's dishes, Inner Wall for middle-class, and the ultimate dessert: the King and his loyal subjects for those fattening delicacies. I believe the first episode gave this story the right amount of pressure to set the rest of the series of events in motion when [literally] the world's largest pop star, Michael Jackson, resurrects as a Titan and has a change of heart to chase after married women instead of children, but a couple of years later, this leaves us absolutely.... nowhere.

See, I'm fine with that, at least it shows humans are struggling to keep themselves off the main course by avoiding intervention with their larger selves, but what accelerated like a rocket from the beginning has become a race to reach the end as slowly and safely as possible. My grandmother doesn't drive slow enough to keep the same pacing as SnK's storyline, and what should be 24 minutes of giant ass-kicking is in reality 15 minutes of build-up, 5 minutes of something ACTUALLY happening, 1 minute to introduce the cliffhanger, 1 minute for the opening sequence, 1 minute for the ending sequence, and another minute for desperate neckbeards to unzip their pants and fantasize about Mikasa Ackerman being their "waifu". That Mikasa Minute usually occurs in-between the build-up scenes, so on the plus side, it gives weeaboos everywhere a chance to wipe their monitors (or leave it there so they can claim to their friends that they also ejaculated on Eren's face).

Art: I can see why every male anime nerd wants to stick something onto their screens every time the females show up. Shingeki no Kyojin has some of the best aesthetics of an animated series that I've ever seen/heard, from the show's sheer amount of gory content to the snapping of bones (which I still feel). On that alone, I've felt something.

Character: A good number of the characters make very little sense to me. Armin van Buuren RIAA Multi-Platinum Arlert makes spot-on predictions because he's probably reading ahead in his own manga series. Eren Jaegermeister wants to kill all of the Titans and save everyone, but his indecisiveness causes more people to die, not that it matters that dozens die in his care. Captain Levi Denim claims to dislike pointless deaths, but every time he sacrifices a soldier, he never completes his operation, and when he executes the operation, more people end up dying anyways. That's like telling people you're a green politician, yet the car you drive is an environmentally-friendly Hummer H2.

We also get characters with very little introduction and very little development, who only seem to fill in the role of creating more pointless deaths. Titans are scary, indeed they are, but are soldiers really THAT expendable? One does not simply self-impregnate, clone, or genetically-engineer new soldiers to fight. Sooner or later, there will be less soldiers to feed to the Titans, but then again, the author could always create new ones out of black matter to keep drawing his fanbase in.

Enjoyment: Despite what I have to say about SnK, I found it to be an enjoyable watch. It delivers softcore male pornography on a large scale, and sometimes it adds an extra X to the already triple-X rating and exposes what's UNDER the skin for those hardcore biology nerds (I know, it's too intense just thinking about human anatomy).

When the action sequences come around, they deliver. There's something special about the 3D Maneuver Gear that allows for more dynamic camera angles, giving you that same high-speed sensation the characters should also be experiencing. However, if I could pinpoint my absolute favorite moment of this show, I wouldn't highlight anything involving 3DMG. Instead, I would opt for Episode 8, the underground scene when members of the 104th Training Corps attempt to retake their base. Why THAT scene, you may ask? Because it's more fun discharging your guns in the Titans' faces, and it's better doing it in a group.

Overall: Yes, I enjoyed watching. Yes, the aesthetics were phenomenal and it did draw me in from the beginning when Michael Jackson went on tour to Wall Maria and ate one of his fans. I thought the action was superb and it was a thrill to watch. But does it make it a great show? In my eyes, not really. Slow pacing, meaningless death, and heavy amounts of build-up define SnK. I know there are people out there who will complain, disagree, and ultimately flame on my profile for disliking SnK, but then again, take this into consideration: I gave this series a 9 from the beginning, and I ultimately decided to drop it to 6. Am I being biased? I don't think so.

But if you hate my opinion, or if you're hoping to defend the glory of SnK by trying to convert another non-believer to your SnK Fan Club or whatever the hell you'd like to call it, then do me a favor and don't try to shove your opinion down my throat. I've had it happen already, and it'll only tell me how much of a steaming pile of shit you are.

Story - 10
Art - 10
Sound - 9
Character - 10
Enjoyment - 10

I won't go on too much, I just really enjoyed this and thought I'd bump it up this list a bit more. I think this would appeal to many westerners... it's brutal, it makes you think, makes you feel and most of all it immerses you. I've rewatched it through 3 times (once on my own, once with my friends and once with an ex) just for those 3 episodes at the end! Pretty big deal for me considering I usually have to wait at least 2 years to properly enjoy rewatching a show, and ... I've watched it 4 times within that same space of time.

Finished this for my first time between the end of 2013 or start of 2014... can't remember when but I've been as eagerly awaiting the sequel (which is out in 2016 :

To begin, I mostly stumbled across AoT because of its high rating and under that premise assumed that it has to be somewhat decent, which it is. On the whole though, it didn't strike me as spectacular as some people made it out to be for reasons I shall explain below.

Story/Pace: 3/10
To be honest, the first couple of episodes had a wonderful fast pace as the main protagonists advanced, more about their strange world and titan relationship was revealed e.t.c. However, like most animes who give it their full right away, it ran out of ammunition very soon and a good 1/3 of all episodes ... as of ep 12 (I didn't check, so I may be off) were recaps and comparatively generic giant-vs-human action. So while the story was initially very gripping, I spent the last few episodes grinding my teeth, while hoping for something other than human group A being slaughtered by giant group B to happen and was sorely disappointed. If I only had taken into account the first dozen episodes, this would be an 8-9, but given this endless drawing out, the anime really does not deserve that.

Characters: 4/10
The characters of this anime had their boons/banes, but by tendency, need improvement. Our protagonists are a bit very stereotypical, but made interesting mostly because they keep dying/almost-dying. Generally, all characters are very dramatic and are constantly on the verge of/at a nervous breakdown. Although this would typically annoy me, the anime does deserve credit for making the most convincing war environment I have ever seen (making it much more preferable to those creepy ones where people just casually brush off that their friends just got butchered).
This unique aspect does however trip and fall horribly among the sidecharacters, who both spawn and die like flies. They show up and some of them die 3 episodes later which is very realistic, but perhaps a tad too realistic. I seriously struggled keeping track of all of them and at some point simply gave up on doing so. There are a few more important side characters who will likely survive, but on the whole I find that they all lack depth. One sees too little of them and when one does, they are either killing titans or mourning their friends, which makes it hard to learn new things about them and understand them.

Art: 8/10
I must agree, that a good part of the artwork in this anime is phenomenally well done. The colours have a nice glow to them and the various phyiscal features are appropriate. In that aspect, the anime deserves substantial credit. I did however, notice a number of moments where the animated component was missing and the characters were shouting at the top of their lungs while statically standing there. Other scenes on the other hand move incredibly smoothly, so it seems a bit lazily done at times. Still on the whole, very good.

Sound: 7/10
The music of the anime was decent and created an epic feel for the combat scenes. This has however, been done thousands of times and it didn't really stand out among the other animes that practice this. The voice-acting is harder to judge as I am not fluently Japanese, but seemed appropriate. On the whole the sound is good, but nothing special.

Enjoyment: 4/10
I did enjoy the beginning of this anime, but it then quickly became disappointing due to aforementioned reasons. Towards the end I just felt like skipping ahead to where something interesting was revealed, but the anime ends with ultimately telling little more than what can be garnered from the first few episodes. I did also enjoy the titan fighting, but can say that the 1st titan fight was substantially more impressive than the 30th and as that was the content of all of the episodes, I bored quickly.

Overall: 5.2/10
On the whole I feel a bit bitter about the plot's speed, but for those who enjoy action with high-definition picturesque imagery and epic music, I would recommend it. If you care more about a deep plot with lots of mysteries, don't bother.

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 like ... it, 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

Although it is difficult to review an anime after only five episodes, it is certainly possible to make a few observations about it. Shingeki no Kyojin it is a dark, plot driven anime focusing on the battle for humankind very existence, and it's brutal. There is no Moe, no fanservice and aside from a memorable scene with a potato, very little comedy.

In these first episodes the balance of power lies very much with the titans. Human kind loses; a lot. In fact many have already accepted that they cannot defeat the titans even with their largest armies so argue against even attempting to fight them.Those ... sent to fight against the titans are as afraid as everybody else, and the anime does a good job of portraying believable human fear in these characters. The characters themselves may not be the most developed but they work well, the main trio being the hot headed idealistic Eren Jaegar, his bad-ass childhood friend Mikasa and the weak but smart Armin.Their designs aren't anything special but that is made up for by the titans themselves.

There is considerable variety to them, from hulking monstrosities down to smaller almost comically grotesque monsters. Although the titans themselves are beautifully animated and the animation is generally of a very high quality, providing sufficient fluidity in the movement of the 3D maneuver gear, the shows unique art style may prove jarring to some viewers. The soundtrack is another strength of the show, with the opening especially being catchy and fast paced in a way that reflects nicely on the show it's self.

Shingeki no Kyojin is a tense action packed show that moves quickly and isn't afraid to show violence. It's not for everyone but it provides a cool interesting premise with stunning fight scenes and a brilliant soundtrack. It is something I'd defiantly recommend people to try at least due to it's originally and high quality.
9/10

So, SnK. Undoubtedly the most popular show not just of spring and summer 2013, but of 2013 as a whole. You can't go on an anime related site and not see it, and it's very likely to pop up in discussion. Hyped to high hell by almost every anime fan out there. But does it deserve all the attention it gets?

Story: 4/10
The premise was great, and had me quite interested at the start. The idea of humanity fighting for their life against an unfathomable opponent who popped out of nowhere is quite interesting. But did the anime deliver? I'm afraid I'd have to say I ... was slightly disappointed. To start with, it damn interesting. Titans attack, mass panic, humans forced to retreat, great; Interesting. What wasn't so interesting were the episodes which followed.
While the scenes with titans in them were intriguing, and at best enticing, everything in between seemed like filler. At one point I even recall the cast spending 3 entire episodes discussing moving a boulder, how to move a boulder, and the main character angsting over turning into a titan in order to move a boulder. I'm even partially expecting the OVA to be about the boulder.

Art: 3/10
I mean, come on. Am I really supposed to rate it higher than that? The animation and art in this show was incredibly lazy. The show was chock full of still shots, some of which lasted for over 5 seconds, and panning over motionless scenes, without the characters moving a muscle. A lot of powerpoint-tier animation in there as well. The character designs weren't terrible, but they definitely weren't marvelous either. I also am of the believe that the show's artists were having a contest to see who could make the most ridiculous looking titan, which, in all honestly, could be more entertaining than the plot progression of the show at times.

Sound: 6/10
No complaints here. I do feel like a few sound effects, like the titan-transformation, were repeated, however.

Character: 4/10
No one really stood out for me. The only character development I can note is if they were about to die, and in most cases they did, so they're dead anyway. Minus points for having a main character who's entire personality was REVENGE and I'M GONNA KILL THEM ALL, and a female lead who's motivation consisted of protecting the main character. Bonus points for Jean.

Enjoyment: 6/10
It's not all bad, I actually enjoyed the show a little, although it did annoy me at times when literally nothing was happening. But, I won't deny I found the show overall entertaining, but most definitely not on the level a lot people seem to. I'm honestly baffled by how this show became so popular as I can only fathom it as slightly above average at best.

Well, that's all. Overall, I'd say that The Eotena Onslaught is a decent show, but don't go and watch it expecting a masterpiece.

**SPOILER FREE REVIEW**

"Sind sie das Essen? Nein, wir sind der Jäger!"

This German phrase, which roughly translates to "Are you the prey? No, we are the hunters!" Is a term that people who have watched this anime are all too familiar with by now. Attack on Titan (a.k.a. Shingeki no Kyojin) is to 2013 what Sword Art Online was to 2012; a show so hyped that you can't call yourself an anime fan if you haven't at least heard of it. While I haven't finished watching SAO, I am well aware that the majority of people feel it was ruined by the hype. Does AoT fall ... into this same category, well, honestly, no. I don't think it does.

Story: 8/10
In an alternate universe, humanity has been nearly wiped out after the appearance of a new species of beast whose sole existence seems to be eradicating humans; the titans. Titans are massive, mysterious creatures whose origins, method of reproduction, and true motivations remain completely unknown to humanity. The humans have retreated into 3 circular walls that are large and strong enough to keep the Titans out, but for how long?
AoT gets major props from me for creating the darkest, most convincing, most tragic war environment I've ever seen in a TV show. The sheer amount of suffering, physical trauma, psychological trauma, and portrayal of devastation is so horrible and disturbing that it is beautiful. If you like watching happy-go-lucky, feel-good anime, this show is NOT for you. Rule number one of watching AoT is to NEVER expect something good to happen. Doe it seem like something good is about to happen? Well, something bad is probably about to happen.
AoT really manages to create an atmosphere where the viewer is viciously cheering for humanity to prevail, and that is no easy task. And of course, that just makes it all the more devastating when that character you were finally starting to like gets eaten. The storyline is extremely engrossing and interesting, but due to the fact that the story is incomplete (hopefully season 2 will be announced soon), I can't give it 10/10 or 9/10 in good taste, but AoT is very much a plot driven anime.

Art: 9/10
Very detailed and stylized. Style is something that is very hard to explain, but it fits the atmosphere perfectly. I loved the art.

Sound: 10/10
EPIC soundtrack. "Epic" is an overused word, but all you have to do is listen to the opening to know that this show is just EPIC! The voice acting is stellar as well.

Characters: 7/10
Seeing that this is an anime that is not finished, it makes sense that a lot of the character development is also unfinished, but the main characters are all intriguing.
Eren, the protagonist, is headstrong and reckless, but also very compassionate. He has a fascinating and tragic backstory (that the show still hasn't completely told), and his internal struggle between either sacrificing his humanity for the good of his race or maintaining his humanity and saving every individual he can is very engrossing and one of the show's strong points. Eren is clearly a round character and I like him quite a bit.
Mikasa is Eren's childhood friend, and to say Mikasa is protective of Eren is an understatement. She has no family left, so Eren is the only thing that keeps her going any more. She is by far the best fighter out of all the recruits and is a total badass when fighting. You can't not love Mikasa...
Armin, also Eren's childhood friend, is a frail boy who isn't much of a fighter, but possess great strategic intellect. He has proven to be one of the show's more dynamic characters as he breaks out of his shell as the anime goes on and realizes that he isn't as useless as he thinks he is.
Levi is a BAMF. That's all you need to know.
There are also tons of intriguing side-characters, but I wouldn't get too attached to them if I were you. NOBODY in this show is unkillable, except probably Mikasa. Don't be surprised when a seemly major character gets eaten in the blink of an eye. AoT really keeps you on the edge of your seat in that regard. If the show was complete and the character's development was finished, characters would have likely gotten a 9/10 or 10/10.

Overall: 8/10
So far, AoT is the rare case of an anime living up to the hype. With an epic plot, complex characters, badass art style, and an epic soundtrack, AoT has the potential to be something really special, but lets wait for the end of the second season (which will totally be announced soon) and it's ending to draw any conclusions.

Popular anime very rarely receive balanced reviews, which is a shame, because they often set themselves up for a balanced judgement. You either get people worshipping the ground that it would walk on if it hypothetically grew legs and start walking, or people throwing so much crap at it that it becomes in serious need of a shower. Shingeki no Kyojin is no different in this regard, but almost uniquely among recent mainstream titles it's actually deserving of much of the praise it gets. Don't get me wrong, you can still expect a balanced review here. This certainly isn't the life-changing and complex masterpiece that ... many people will promise you, but neither is it as shallow and bland as a lot of shounen anime prove to be.

When examining the story, it's best to get the flaws out of the way first. Shingeki no Kyojin is predictable. Very predictable. In fact, the final 2 arcs hinge upon an important mystery element, and if you haven't worked out the big twist almost immediately, then you must have already kissed your braincells goodbye. It certainly does have surprising elements, but when the progression of the plot becomes dependant upon a major story twist it starts to become a little obvious how things will turn out. A second key issue that the series suffers from is a lack of engagement around the mid-point. I'm talking about the "Battle for Trost" arc, when I simply found that I no longer felt emotionally invested in the story, nor did I particularly care about the conflicts of the characters. One suspects that this is a side effect of the conversion from manga to anime (though I can't be sure, as I have not read the manga). Shingeki no Kyojin tends to place a lot of dramatic flare on events but the action and development that take place in this arc were perhaps not entirely suited to the impactive stylistic elements that we witness, and it all starts to feel a tad inane.

Now, it's important to note my use of the phrase "impactive stylistic elements," because when I say that Shingeki no Kyojin has dramatic impact, I mean it. It might not be the most amazingly well-written anime in history, but it certainly ranks among the most absorbing as well as the most intense. It builds a rich and complex world with an interesting society and carefully crafted history. We see the structure of the military, the social class system and the lives and attitudes of various demographics clearly laid out before us even when they are not necessarily integral to the plot. It makes it believable, and that makes it absorbing, and this in turn can make it both gripping and powerful. When the action hits it's a cathartic experience, riddled with brutal violence alongside the typical OTT flash of the shounen genre. It looks good and it hits hard. When it slows down to prioritise drama, it generally feels personal and relevant (with the finest example being the finale of the "Expedition" arc). The characters do feel a little static unfortunately, but there's some nice development thrown in that hinges upon decent character conflicts and interesting backstories. At times however, it becomes apparent that several characters are forgotten throughout the course of the story, though it is entirely possible that a continuation will expand upon these unfortunate victims of limited season length.

Highly stylised while still showcasing normal anime conventions, the art and animation are entirely deserving of all the praise they get. The animation has weight and the aesthetic is effective and unusual. At times, and most often when the show slows down, inconsistent character models become noticeable, but not to any concerning degree. And if we're talking sounds, then it's damned close to perfect. Fantastic musical score and great voice acting. Whatever you think of the story, you'd be wrong to call Shingeki no Kyojin anything other than a technical masterpiece.

Not much else to say, so I'll leave you with this closing statement: watch it. Even if, like me, you tend to adopt the attitude that because many people lack critical judgement it means that most mainstream anime aren't as good as popular opinion might imply, at least be open-minded enough to appreciate the possibility that, just this once, the majority may be right.

The first season of attack on Titan was one of the most interesting animes i have watched. A great story with still so much to be discovered. I found that the story represents a racial war. You see the titans almost have no reason to kill as many humans as they do. It represents what Caucasians did to the african Americans back in the slavery years.

With a great story, exceptional graphics the only place i saw Attack on Titan go wrong was the characters. Now im not being to critical, we can all imagine that we would be just as traumatized and upset as ... Eren, Armin and the others are due to the fact that there are giant Titans eating all your friends and family. But its just not your typical anime characters. There is so much crying and a lot of the show is characters weeping about how terrible there life is, its just not the anime i am used to. Maybe, in a way thats what makes it better than most anime, the fact that characters show so much emotion. Instead of having a fearless character like Goku or Inuyasha you have characters who are scared and admit their fear.

Attack on Titan is a wonderful story and I myself can not wait for Season 2. I give the first season a solid 9/10.

Shingeki no Kyojin, the anime that has brought forth a new wave of anime fans and stormed the anime world when it debuted in spring of 2013. An anime that was quickly subbed and added to Netflix after it's airing, that has gained the attention of thousands of people who normally do not watch anime. It has sold extremely well in Japan and the manga has profited well in the States as well. This must mean the series is something revolutionary and a game changer for all anime after it correct? After all it can't all be hype, there has to be some serious substance ... behind all of this right?

Most fans will tell you off the bat that it is not like other series, that it is heavily violent, shocking, and sometimes horrifying. That it is a world full of interesting characters and sudden death at every turn. And all of that is true...for the first five episodes. After an introductory which I would say is worthy of the praise it gets, the series seems to fall apart extremely quickly and after it's smash beginning has so substance left to support itself afterwards.

I'll spare a summary of the story as it's almost hard not to know what the story is about by this point. I'll give you my thoughts on it in one word: Horrendous. To call the story mediocre would be too much praise. Out of the three main characters only one stands out as anything special, that being the character of Armin Arlert. However as interesting as he is compared to his two other mains, he is given significantly less time on screen to showcase this than the other two. The characters of Eren and Mikasa are without a doubt two of the worst characters ever conceived in any work of fiction. I would attempt to discuss their personalities but there is little to nothing to discuss. A standard cardboard box has more depth to it than those two, and would probably make a better lead character as well.

Ignoring the horrific set of main characters, the supporting cast is dotted with traces of what could be interesting characters, but there is never enough time given to them to let that shine through. They glimmer with hope that Isayama's writing could be something other than pathetic and are one of the only things keeping SnK afloat in an ocean of fecal matter.

The story itself must have been written by a fourth grader at best. The "plot twists" (even calling them that is a stretch) and sudden character death are all presented in such a shallow way it is often hard to care about any character that dies or any new plot development (hint: there are none, the manga is good at one thing and that is providing hundreds of questions and not a single answer). The entire pacing of the series itself is some of the worst I have had the displeasure of experiencing in years. The plot itself goes from moving at a sluggish pace and solving nothing, to a break neck speed where a character is introduced one chapter only to be killed off in the next one.

The art and animation jump between not bad and hard to even look at. The character designs suffer an often same-face syndrome worse than Araki's recent style and excluding background shots, the art is subpar at most and there is much more to be expected from a studio like IG Production. Their is a constant reuse of animations and scenes to such an extent that anyone would has this displeasure of watching more than one episode in a day would find incredibly bothersome. Reusing an animation once or twice is forgivable and almost expected, but to the extent they are reused in SnK there is absolutely no excuse.

The sound design is the only thing I can find hard to complain about, in a series where everything is so awful it is hard to even say something comforting about one of it's only good points. Which is an absolute shame as I can say the OST is probably the only thing to ever get from the anime at all.

My final verdict on SnK will be a series of questions to ask yourself before watching it. Do you enjoy awful characters that have no depth and lack the personality of even a desk chair? Do you enjoy wallowing in absolute shit? Do you have any other reason to watch this other than to laugh at how utterly irredeemable it is? There is not a single good thing to say about the series other than that the first few episodes are "not bad", apart from that it would hurt to attempt to say anything good about this series.

If you still believe you should watch this show, may God have mercy on your soul, for you are going to need it.

Please read the Review first before marking it as “Helpful” or “Not Helpful”

One thing I´ve been noticing in the past few years is that new anime releases are lacking on originality and a serious plot, so when Shingeki no Kyojin or if you prefer Attack on Titan first came out I had all sorts of mixed feelings towards it, but this feeling of relief was always present on me. Attack on Titan is one of those anime that even non regular anime viewers praise, but does Titan lives up to all its Hype surrounding it or it just stays as Attack on Hypu?

Setting/Plot: ... 7.5
I will try to not drag out for too much in this part even though Attack on Titan has a very big premise, when humanity is no longer at the top of the food chain because of what they refer as Titans who resemble giant people varying from 4m class to a big ass 60m class have putted humans at border of extinction. Now humans only option is to live cornered in this 3 gigantic walls Maria, Rose and Sina. This situation creates a lot of limitations for humans such as their resources and their live space. On a first look the plot doesn´t look that amazing or original, but it doesn´t just stop there as the majority of people think, no, the world of Attack on Titan is much bigger than that delivering complex themes such as new religions, monarchic government, new social ideals, etc.

So the anime follows Eren a kid that has always been curious of the outside world, he has always had this motivation to join the Scouting Legion, accompanying him there´s Mikasa and his friend Armin. When suddenly a Colossal Titan appears with what they call the Armor Titan breach over the walls that have protected them for their whole lives, letting minor titans enter the wall and start chaos, the outcome of this event had Eren seeing her mother get eaten by a Titan which starts Eren journey to obliterate the Titans!

Art/Animation: 8.5
I personally was a bit concerned with this at first; Attack on Titan was produced by Studio Wit. As a new studio it’s usual that they start with less ambitious projects and I was preoccupied if they could handle a promising show like Titan; they went totally beyond my expectations!
Don´t get me wrong, it had decent animation, but when it needed to exceed their potential they did, that´s why SnK has God given action scenes!
As it for the artstyle I can say it has a different aspect looking a bit more cartoonish than most of the anime, I´m not saying this is good or bad it just depends on your taste. Also this combined with a world filled with medieval atmosphere does work pretty well. The animation is one of the remarkable things about Titan, with this you can notice their high production value played a great part on the anime because if just help to deliver the viewers a more realistic environment to what´s happening.


Soundtrack: 9
You know that a soundtrack is good not just when it helps building up the atmosphere but when it becomes memorable, that is what attack on titan OST´s delivered to me. The OST does not reach the “eargasm” levels for me but it surely is one of the greats. I also have to give them props for the voice casting, it just was right on spot with honorable mentions to Kamiya Hiroshi casting for Rivaille and Inoue Marina casting for Armin both with remarkable performances, being honest the whole cast has done an amazing performance!

Characters: 7
Now I come to the weakest part of the anime, I will just limit myself to talk about the main cast not because other characters are not important or I dislike them, is because anybody aside from the main cast of characters can die, even the coolest character if he´s not from the main cast he´s probably just there for the meat fest. This is really sad because there´s much more cooler characters the anime can focus on that don´t get that much screen time =(

Eren Yeager: Eren is our lead protagonist in the series, starting out being a character with a great determination that also felt very cliché with this “I´ll swear vengeance “thing. Although he has a great determination he sometimes turns out to be useless at times, even though he has this special something inside him…….

Mikasa Ackerman: Probably the best out of the three leads, Mikasa, is presented to us as a strong character not just physically but also emotionally. She also has this abnormal attachment towards the main lead Eren. She also takes part on some of the best scenes of the anime, just portraying how epic she can be.

Armin Arlert: Last but not least we have Armin, which for me is the one who gains more development throughout the anime being from a total pussy to a mastermind who leads important operations for humanity.

Enjoyment:9
Attack on Titan surely shows some remarkable work in a lot of its categories, but still is not perfect as people claim it to be it does enough to keep you eager to know what will happen next! Attack on Titan does not lifts up to all its Hype but this doesn´t mean that it fails to do a remarkable and enjoyable anime!
Overall: 8.5

This review is spoiler free.

The name''attack on titan'' might not seem that interesting. At first I thought, giant brainless creatures that eat humans? so what? But then it turned out definitely unregrettable.

The story is hardcore (I believe one word is enough) and so is the soundtrack. Never have I ever seen a soundtrack that suits the story and the fight scenes that well, it litterly sends chills down your spine, which is why I rated it 10 (and I never give 10). As for the art and the charcters, I can honestly say the design is more realistic than anything else. I remember the first ... episode left me shaken because of the single thought that this could happen for real. However I hated the fact that so many characters died before we got to know them well. It didn't keep me from enjoying it anyway, though you would rethink the definition of enjoyement after watching this anime. Shingeki No Kyojin is definitely not something for the soft hearted or those who easily get attached to fictional characters (which is nothing to be ashamed of).

Just to say, you might wanna watch this anime before you die.

*This is one of my first reviews, so let's see how I do, shall we?

Attack on Titan, possibly this year's most popular anime.... and surprisingly, one of its worst as well. Although being immensely popular, Attack on Titan does not live up to the reputation that so many believe it does. Yes, the action and excitement are all very easily seen, yet the predictable/cliche story and the absolutely horrific characters makes this the SAO 2.0. In short, do not expect to be blown away by any means, in fact, prepare yourself for a rather emotional and boring ride that will make you wonder why you ... are still watching.

To begin with, let me clarify by saying that this won't be an extremely long review, as it has only been six episodes, but I will still mentions as many things as I can for now.

Story: The story in AOT revolves around a world were humanity struggles to survive against giant, genital-less Titans. While the story is fresh and includes very nice aspects, the predictability of the story is insane. It is incredibly simple to point out what will happen and when it will happen, and there were almost no surprises that ever arose from watching. Also, the story has some very weak spots, but now it seems that most shows rely on intense action and gore rather than the simplistic aspect of continuity. Furthermore, the show focuses on the aspect of throwing a lot of blood around to make an attempt to affect the audience, when it actually fails to influence any sort of emotion to come forth. Thus, I give the story 6/10 for being good and new, but incredibly boring.

Art: The art is actually one of the positive points in this mediocre anime, specifically when speaking about the Titan's ruthless smiles. Other than that, you have smooth action sequences and very gory scenes that couldn't have been more bloody. 9/10

Sound: Opening's great. I don't approve of the ending though, and action sequence tracks are pretty good. 9/10

Character: Now, AOT makes a fairly silly attempt to draw in their audience through rampant emotions, namely, Eren. Eren would be described in anime as: "The Little Train that could." This emotional roller coaster of a character fails to use logic at any given moment, rather, Eren relies on iron strong determination that will somehow be able to physically harm these giant Titans. He is more childish than any other character and has no actually talent. Yet, this boy will miraculously save humanity, you can bet on it. Furthermore, you have the useless Armin, the unnecessarily complicated Mikasa, the potato-eating, unneeded comedy relief in Sasha, and a whole gang of terrible characters that meet the bare minimum for supporting characters: being alive. Although, people have been able to turn away from these hideous creatures that are our characters, and focus on the "fantastic story and action" which doesn't exist. Overall: 2/10

Enjoyment: If you watched Sword Art Online and loved it, it is merely because you enjoyed it, more so than critiqued it. AOT is the same. In terms of enjoyment, it is great, but in terms of critique, its flaws can be spotted everywhere. So ultimately, it is up to personal preference. While I want to say it will get a 9 for enjoyment, the utter disgust of watching the characters and cliche story makes me want to give it a 5, so 7/10.

Overall: Attack on Titan fails to reach the standards that have been set for it. The story is rather cheesy, and the characters are a mess. AOT ultimately shows that an anime will not simply be great because it shows death and blood, rather, it needs a balance of characters, plot, and theme to get the job done. Hopefully, AOT becomes better, because right now, it deserves a 6/10. Nothing special, unless you are easily entertained by puerile attempts to become one of the great anime.

I'll write another review for this after the season is over, but for now, AOT is a letdown.

One thing I would like to say before anything else, don't believe the hype.

Starting off with the story. I find this right here to be half and half. As far as the background and history shown, and the world that was created I think it's really good. I liked the idea of humanity living behind walls, drove to near extinction, finding the overall story of the world to be pretty original in anime. However, on the other side, as far as the actual, episode to episode, overall story of the season... I find it to be very lackluster. The show forces shock value down your ... throat, showing mass death almost every episode, to the point where it seems like the makers don't know how to tell the story without throwing genocide or murders in every other episode. Aside from the forced shock value; there is barely anything worthwhile that happens in the story for the first season. Not to mention most of the season is composed of two 8+ episode arcs, which are very drawn out. I could go into much deeper reasons, but don't want to spoil anything.

The art style and sound are both pretty decent. I find the art style pretty unique, although when it comes to the sound, aside from the first opening of the series I find the remaining themes pretty generic. The first opening does pump you up and in my opinion blinds people into thinking the show is going to be "super epic".

Now for the characters... I am not kidding when I say that the main characters in this series are complete crap. Eren is definitely the most boring main character, compared to a lot of others; I hated Sword Art Online but I thought even Kirito was more interesting than Eren. All Eren does is shout and preach, like he's the center of everything but has barely anything to back that up. And aside from his titan-related trait there's nothing else to him. I find Mikasa an empty character who only lives for Eren, who makes it seem like she can't even think for herself without him there. The only thing she has going for her is bad ass action scenes with her, which delude people into not looking past that and seeing a shallow character. And then there's Armin, who is a complete pussy and useless for the first 7-8 before he slowly starts becoming useful; most of the time he's shown he's either whining or showing how incompetent he is. He does get better down the road, and out of the three characters his is probably the best.

Attack on Titan is apparently hailed as "The Best anime of 2013" and some going as far as saying "The Best Anime Ever!" When in reality, no. A lot of its' fans make it seem like that you have to fall head over heels for it, and act like if you think it's bad then you don't know what good anime is.

Not saying this isn't a bad show, but I find it majorly flawed, and wish that more people would sit down and really think about this show before they praise it like they do. In my honest, serious opinion, I really am concerned about people who claim it to be the best anime of 2013.