Attack on Titan (Anime Series)
Directed by Tetsurō Araki
Animated by Wit Studio
Suitable for 15+
With Comic-Con just passing, anyone walking the convention floor or perusing the pictures online probably saw one of the very popular Titan Cosplays. As I gazed upon persons in flesh colored spandex, looking like a feature from the bodies exhibit, I wondered about the true appeal of Attack on Titan. I decided to delve deeper, and experience one of the most hyped Shonen Anime of the last decade.
Titan takes place in a dystopian fantasy world. For a century, the existence of giant humanoids called “Titans” has disrupted the peace and safety of mankind. This is because Titans are 5-50 meter monsters who rampage towards populated areas and eat people. Mankind’s solution of building 3 gigantic stone walls and live inside them (a la Ba Sing Se) has been working for the most part, with society stratifying into a routine feudal hierarchy. Still, with everyone safe from the giant marauding murder-beasts, people aren’t really complaining. The story kicks off when two much larger and smarter Titans appear, tearing down the outer wall. The high action introduction sets up the dark and disturbing feel of Attack on Titan, as we witness along with the characters how “Titans eat people”.
Now entering the domain of spoilers:
What would a Shonen be without a constantly unrelenting enemy, and a hero who just happens to have the key to victory deep within his soul self? You guessed it, the main character who spends the first 7 episodes shouting about how he’s going to single handedly kill all Titans, can (unkown to him at first) in fact transform into a Titan. Using his Titan powers, he Godzilla fights the bad guys to protect mankind. This will most likely be the only plot twist that shocks you in the first season.
*Spoilers over*
Now I find myself wondering, “is this a giant robot series in disguise?” I mean, they are big flesh monsters, but the principal is basically the same. The tiny human body resides in the Titan’s cerebral cortex, and drives the big monster in larger than life fight sequences. But there’s a few other things going on in the show. The anti-Titan military is at the core of the plot. This initially large cast of soldiers takes a massive toll in casualties as they combat titans with “omni-directional gear,” a fancy way of saying an improbable hip mounted grappling hook system that allows fast 3-D movement while defying most laws of physics. You kind of just have to see it to get it, and it honestly offers the most visually striking moments of the show.
Attack on Titan main characters are separated into two core groups: Eren’s trio, and the notable graduates from his military training/veteran soldiers. Eren Yaeger, the lead of the show, is the son of a Titan researcher who is orphaned in the initial attacks of the first episode. Hot headed and psychotically determined, he is the typical Shonen lead (Beleive it!). We discovers quickly that he can transform into a Titan, making him the most important person in the show.
His trio is completed with Misaka Ackerman and Armin Arlert. Mikasa is a quiet and intense combat genius with a seemingly infallible sense of control and strength. Essentially, she is the character you wait to enter the fray so that you can be confident the enemy is going down. Armin is a weak and whiny boy, with an almost clairvoyant sense of motive and military strategy. He is your basic nerd MacGuffin. He feeds information and foresight to the other characters of the show, because there is no way the audience would believe that Eren ever figures out anything on his own.
The training corps and veterans each have their individual desires and personalities as well. Attack on Titan does a great job giving each group an equal amount of character development, which is great due to the mortality rates of any character outside the core three. No matter how likeable or focal a character might seem, there really isn’t any way of determining if they are safe or not. The Titan universe is violent and unforgiving, and many named characters die in unexpected tragic and violent ways, but this is a good thing. The mortality of named characters has contributed to the success of a lot of programs, and it is no different here. While we all hate for our favorite character to die, audiences respect the thrill of actual danger, as opposed to indestructible unkillable protagonists.
While I didn’t find myself geeking out and searching the internet for Attack on Titan memorabilia after viewing the first season, it is extremely clear that this is a high quality anime. The writing, while straight forward and easy to follow, is in no way lazy. This is fortunate for the audience, because the main characters like to soliloquize… a lot. The artwork of this anime is also very good. It has beautiful settings, fast and enjoyable iconic combat sequences, and a dark concise artistic style that is very consistent and enjoyable.
Attack on Titan as an action anime, horror anime, or shonen should easily reach the top of your to-watch list. The show is both well made and fun to watch. The characters are interesting and complex, and the universe is dark and compelling. As a viewer, I find the struggle against an overbearing unexplained force of destruction a relatable and provocative core concept. While my personal demons aren’t exactly 50 ft tall monsters eating my closest friends and family, my penchant for drama allows me to relate to the struggle. Feeling powerless, suffering, and fear are all central to the plot of Attack on Titan, and each victory satisfyingly keeps you watching.
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