Story & Characters:
Looking at the production of Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, you'll notice that most of it is similar to Attack on Titan's production. You have the same director, studio, and even the composer is the same. This had led Kabaneri to receive claims of it being a rip off of Attack on Titan, but I do not believe that is the case. Kabaneri is an anime that holds well on its own and despite its flaws, it makes for great entertainment due to its spontaneous production.
The story and progression of Kabaneri has the same feeling some shounen series do due to it being an action-adventure with dark undertones. Kabaneri has a formulaic routine on how it runs along with the progression until a certain point. Traveling by train to get from one destination to another while fending against adversaries known as the “Kabane” show said routine. Seeing how the story continues is entertaining with the intense action scenes, character interaction, and thrilling violence.
Despite any intensity Kabaneri may contain, it does have its own flaws with the mechanics of its Kabane adversaries. Due to the origins of the virus not being fully explained, we are left in the dark about the idea, which could have added to the story. For what Kabaneri does lack it makes up with its great use of steampunk. The display of weapons, world, and even a sturdy koutetsujou shows how creatively steampunk is used in this series. Specifically, how weapons are used helps stir up any action that takes place. Kabaneri also adds in some slight sci-fi gimmicks that looks intriguing, but doesn't work out well due to deus ex machina cliches and plot devices.
Characters, while all do not get fleshed out, add to the progression of Kabaneri. Character interaction with other characters helps the flow of the story and allows opportunity to give spotlight to individual cast members. Development is strongest in moments of intensity where action is taking place with vital roles being set in motion. Whether if it is Ikoma being a nerd and fighting Kabane, or Mumei being heroic, each character has a part to play that is important to the story. One gripe would be the inserting of a villain at the half point of the series since it makes the series stumble a bit. How Kabaneri progresses with said villain can feel forced, rushed, cliché and some of his actions resemble that of a typical antagonist.
Art & Animation:
With studio Wit handling the production of art and animation, a lot of skill and quality went into making Kabaneri. The art is something to focus on due to the amount of detail that it contains. The shading of the atmosphere to represent the post-apocalyptic setting, symbolic objects, and coloring of the Kabane are good examples of detail. Character designs are unique and fit well with the setting Kabaneri is setting its sights on. They do not look too flashy, yet, not plain either, which makes the designs just right for this series. Despite the fantastic art, there are moments where it can get gory with tons of bloodshed and dark visuals of dead bodies. If you are of the squeamish, you may want to take caution before watching Kabaneri.
Animation is something to gaze upon as scenes are well animated no matter what is taking place. Whether its a fight for whoever gets more food, idle chatting, and even training, the animation pumps out levels of quality to fit each situation. Strongest moments of animation are during action sequences when characters are fighting to defend from the Kabane. The fluidity becomes superb with each movement and adds to the enjoyment value. Even with the high quality action scenes, the art along with animation can drop down below its level of excellence at times. Noticeable moments such as still frames, sloppy movement, and dip in art showcases the lower levels of quality.
Music:
Kabaneri's music soundtrack is composed by Hiroyuki Sawano and If you're familiar with Attack on Titan, you will notice the similarities. Besides, Attack on Titan, Sawano has done music for anime such as Blue Exorcist and even Kill la Kill. With that being said, just like the series mentioned, they all have an impactful soundtrack and the same goes for Kabaneri. The music used is intense, exaggerative, and loud, especially in moments of tension. Powerful tracks fit well for Kabaneri due to the action and adventure that takes place, which makes it more thrilling. Even in moments of turmoil, the soundtrack shifts its tone to deliver that ominous sensation, which accompanies the situation. If I may say so, the music certainly has been a blast and listening to it while watching Kabaneri raises my excitement for each scene.
Final Thoughts:
I strongly defend Kabaneri when someone calls it an Attack on Titan rip off. As a matter of fact, I would even go as far as to say it is better than Attack on Titan for the most part. The characters have more personality compared to the ones in Attack on Titan. Also, the adventure aspect is something Kabaneri has that Attack on Titan doesn't. Still, I will admit that Kabaneri does have its issues. It almost dropped the ball near the end because of cliches, a cookie-cutter villain, and rushed progression.
Also, is it just me or does Kajika look like Kotori from Love-Live? Except, if Kotori were in a post-apocalyptic setting!
