Shingeki no Kyojin review (episode 1-10)
Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack of Titans)is an auspicious debut. It is visually and audibly entertaining, which is the primary reason why I gave this anime full marks in terms of enjoyment.
STORY 9/10
The story encapsulates all the necessary elements to make this film an action-packed madness with recurring hints of fantasy and unpredictability. While the plot is unoriginal in the concept of survival against foreign creatures, its ability to capture the eyes and minds of the audience has forgiven this. Every important scene so far has remained vivid in my eyes and fresh in my mind. As Eren who is the protagonist, experienced the arrival of the humongous humanoid creatures, he witnesses a tragedy that fuels his desire for revenge. In his revenge plan, action blooms, suspense tightens, as he unleashes his anger towards the titans. This anime has met my expectations of a good story development, and I am hoping that it surpasses its potential.
ART 9/10
What is refreshing about this anime is how it successfully grasps the audience into the world of turmoil; the setting that denotes that survival is paramount. This feat was aided by the enthralling depiction of the realistic dystopia that the characters live in, as well as the AWESOME animations that takes place when tension arises between humans and titans. The humans and the titans were portrayed in a perfect balance; it is surrealistic without being too overtly down-to-earth. Additionally, the art on the character's facial expressions in different scenarios evokes a sense of feeling to us, and it makes us feel that we are in that character's position.
SOUND 9/10
I think that the soundtrack is well suited to the anime's genre of action, fantasy and drama. Opening 1 has a perfect blend of these genres, and while I do not know what the song is about (I'm not Japanese), just by hearing the first 10 seconds tells me that the music choice is appropriate. In addition, the music prepares you for the upcoming action scenes to come and strengthens the impact it gives to the audience to a great extent. The sound effects were also exceptional.
CHARACTER 7/10
I gotta mention this; while there are no anime that is perfect, there are some who are near to that level though. One of the flaws in this anime is the lack of character development. Only Eren, Mikasa and Armin's past is portrayed and explained and all the main character's personality seems a bit bland to me. For example, there's Eren who's fuel for desire stems from his dark past of negative experiences. His ambition is already cliched, but why is his personality the same as well? Most of the time, he is depicted as a person who has been consumed by anger and revenge; surely there can be some happiness in his life, right?
Then there's Mikasa, who actually has something (in this case, 'someone') to protect in her life, which is Eren. What is ironic is that Eren has an ambition, but no one to protect (except humanity indirectly), and Mikasa has something to protect, but no ambition ( except protecting Eren's welfare). In my opinion, the characters needed more dimensions in their personality and in their ambitions. However, I understand the fact that the characters live in a world full of hopelessness, and this might be the deep-rooted cause of it.
ENJOYMENT 10/10
I thoroughly enjoyed Shingeki no Kyojin, and I recommend it to all. Shingeki no Kyojin is a fulfilling present that is wrapped with exemplary art and sound components and is filled with a story that depicts utmost survival and an inevitable outrage of vengeance. The anime is also quite didactic, as it informs the audience the importance of mateship, as shown by the characters initiative to help each other in dire moments, and their abilities to work as a team.
Final rating: 9+9+9+7+10= 44/50 (8.8/10) Overall: A 9/10
