Jumping straight to the plot, I do agree the whole "humanity will be driven out by a far more superior race" part of the plot was really cliched, but the creation of the soldiers' equipment and developed weapons said otherwise. I'm a huge fan of post-apocalyptic stories, and in most scenarios humans haven't found any way to develop enough technology to defend themselves because they simply give up; however AoT has used human nature as a good plot device and it gave a sense of "desperate times call for desperate measures" very well. Also, this show doesn't shy away from gory art at all. The producers were definitely not afraid to show you broken, brutally amputated, maggot-ridden bodies and their beloved friends witnessing the brutal death of each soldier. It shows the hard, sad reality that even the best of people go unnoticed as they decay into dust, and the best of people die first while their killers survive and run off scot-free. (S/N: I want to mention the series' ending, but I can't do it without spoiling the anime. Basically, the anime ended while the manga stretched even farther. It was extremely disappointing.)
Next up, art: it was amazing. Outstanding. The mix of both dull and vivid colors gave a really nice atmosphere of "we're all done for, but somehow there's still hope." I especially loved how detailed the military uniforms, 3DMG, and character expressions were, using the depressing and interesting color scheme. However there were some flaws with the animation, such as cutting to Annie's nose in the middle of a fight scene, or still screens that hold for a few seconds and kill the suspense. Or, at the most unexpected times, there are the most random freakout moments with speedlines everywhere. Otherwise, it was extremely fluent. This can be seen in many fight scenes where the soldiers are flying around in their Maneuvering Gear, a very excellent tactic to build up the suspense as humanity wonders whether or not their comrades will return in one piece. The sound effects were really fitting as well; it was wonderfully synced with character motions, and that zipper-effect when a character goes sailing through the sky on his Gear is very well done. I really enjoyed listening to the soundtrack as well. It brought out the true nature of AoT associated with the many emotions connected to the anime using a mix of both medieval and modern rock music. It may not seem like a good mix at all, but when used with a plot as deep and complex as AoT it's damn good.
I'll start this next paragraph here by introducing the characters. Eren is your typical shounen-style protagonist; a hotheaded brat with a short temper and always ready to fight. Mikasa is the overly-obsessed-with-the-main-character background chick, and Armin is the brainy nerd who always pussies out of a fight and gets bullied by the neighborhood kids. This doesn't change in the story (by that time they introduce Jean the Jackass and Marco the Overly Optimistic Guy) until many soldiers die during a mission (for the sake of spoilers I won't say who or what) and they all finally realize the true horror beyond the walls just waiting to unleash all hell on them. For only twenty-five episodes this was an amazing character development, especially as a soldier finds his friend(s) dead and abandoned, one by one, just rotting on the side of the road. These are definitely the most depressing scenes; many will tell you to not get attached to a character, but it's just too much to handle not to feel saddened by a soldier's death.
Combining the good, the bad, the best, and the worst of Attack on Titan, I give the series a 9 overall. The way the anime had been discontinued was very disappointing and frustrating, but the manga lives on. The character development was well done, art vivid and impressive, animation thrilling and suspenseful, story a bit cliched but otherwise with a VERY good "we're all doomed" atmosphere. I would definitely not recommend this anime for the lighthearted, seeing how dark and violent it is (yet the fandom is obnoxious and bubbly), but for the shounen/post-apocalyptic fans who could deal with darker themes, this show would definitely be your knight in shining armor. The plot is a bit confusing and complex, but the anime in itself is unique and captivating. Some may have to rewatch a few times or so just to understand the plot and the meaning of the series itself, but it will definitely be worth your time. I hope my half-dead half-alive review helped (I seriously doubt it), and I hope all the shounen freaks enjoy this anime.
