Story- Well giants preying on mankind is the basic idea behind attack on titan. Its a simple idea but the execution is what makes the difference. The story is ripe with action, suspense and plot twists which begin as early as episode 5. The 1st major character death occurs in the 1st episode itself ( I wont spoil who) and from then on its a straight road into hell with our protagonists learning the ropes of the 3D equipment gear as well as grappling with their own insecurities and fears. The 1st half of the series is good. However the show tends to drag at the episode 10-13 mark. Fear not, by the 2nd arc which begins around episode 14 the show picks up and plows forward at a breakneck pace.
Characters -
I suppose there is something about the titans that make them so much more imposing than other antagonists of a series. True, giant villains have been done in other anime such as the Hollows in Bleach or the Shukaku in Naruto. But I have never experienced the sense of scale or danger that I do with Attack on Titan. Mainly because we know the main protagonists of those 2 series will come out on top no matter what.
Titan is a different ball game. People die. Alot.
Call it the Game of thrones of anime, but no one is safe on this show.Characters whom you get to know and love die like insects before you know it.
The show has 3 main protagonists:
Eren- Main character. Angry, whiny but determined. Truth be told he whines too much. But he is key in the fight against the titans for reasons which i will not spoil here.
Mikasa- Erens childhood friend and skilled fighter.
Armin- A character who starts off with low confidence but begins to form ideas of his own and ultimately starts showing leadership qualities as the series progresses.
That's the beauty of this series: characters actually grow and develop. You feel like these are actual people and not cardboard cut outs. Even the most unlikeable characters mature and you grow to like them.
Art-
Here is where attack on titan shines. The titan battles are beautifully animated as our heroes grapple and swing through cities and forests, flying over, under and around the walking behemoths trying to cut them down. Its all very jaw dropping stuff and somewhat spiderman inspired. Character art is quite well done as well with darker lines being used for character outlines making them stand out against the backdrop. There is plenty of blood and gore so this show is also not for the faint of heart.
Sound-
I have the 1st opening song on repeat. Its that good. The actual soundtrack itself is amazing and I would say on par with many hollywood films. The music plays a big role in enhancing the scale of the titan battles.
Enjoyment-
It has been a very long time since I have found an anime which i can sit down and watch for hours. This is such an anime, and I would say it deserves a spot among the 'New Big 3' in japan.
Overall- 8/10
Hope they animate the rest of the manga.
