Lately, it seems like just about everyone is talking about Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan) and after finishing the show, I definitely understand why. If you're looking for an anime to watch, don't approach this with hesitation because of all the hype it's been getting, wondering if you're going to start it with high expectations only to find out it was overrated. Granted, there are always people who don't like things, but seriously. Go watch it. Now. (But read my review first. And then go watch it. Now).
Story - 9
I'm sure that some people out there are thinking that this seems like a
...
generic plot line where the headstrong hero avenges the death of someone close to him set to an apocalyptic backdrop. This is certainly true, but why I rated it so high is because of how it was presented. This show has a few key elements that other animes are missing, and that is what makes it stand out. One of these elements is how hard this show hits with the deaths scattered throughout. These deaths - brutal and unexpected - add a level of realism to the anime. Every time a Titan is in perimeter in the show, you as a viewer are on edge, because early on you learn that no one, absolutely no one, is safe from them. This adds an element of suspense that is sometimes hard to find. And with this level of suspense, you also want to keep on watching because you want to know who survives, who dies, who succeeds and who doesn't. Another neat part was the setting. As I previously said, it takes place in an apocalyptic setting, but it is both futuristic and medieval. With some quite outstanding technology (the Maneuver Gear) and yet with such primitive living (horses and carriages instead of cars) it makes it very interesting and different to watch. Also, watching these people struggle to live and then seeing them killed off so horribly, really hits you that this is the remainder of humanity. There are so few of them, and they're getting killed off in horrific manners by these giant monsters. They're running short on food and they can't leave the giant walls that protect them from the Titans. I'll leave it up to your imagination what their solution is to that. This was very real and human and heightened the anime a great deal. Now, no anime is perfect, so I'll tell you the most blatant flaw in the story. My biggest frustration with the story was the ending. I was into story and the episodes, with everything perfectly paced and big surprises and twists popping up all over the place. And then suddenly, the last couple of episodes suddenly felt rushed and not quite as epic as the rest of the show . Luckily there should be another season upcoming eventually to hopefully recapture the feeling of the first season and resolve the remaining questions.
Character - 7
I haven't given the characters a high rating simply because they definitely aren't the most original characters around. Eren is your stereotypical headstrong hero who yells at the world and swears revenge and plows through the episodes with a single-minded determination that shines as his best attribute. Mikasa is the beautiful, brilliant fighter who follows Eren, her foster brother and only remaining family, without any question and protects him with everything she has, refusing to listen to him when he tells her that he's grown up and can take care of himself. Armin is the quiet, meek best friend who wobbles and wavers in the background but secretly has a genius tactical streak that's hidden (for a time). For these three characters, we explore some of their backstories and learn a bit about who they were and who they are now, but we didn't find out as much as I would've liked. I felt like the side characters were all really great characters, who unfortunately either didn't survive long enough to really get to know, or simply did not have enough revealed about them to really become an in-depth character (though you still feel sad every time one of them gets smooshed or eaten). The greatest character development for me was Jean, who went from a boy wanting safety and security to a man who still wanted that but was willing to take the risks needed.
Art - 9
I'm not the foremost expert on art at all, but I really liked the animation in this. It didn't happen often, but I liked the still shots of the lines of soldiers with the music and dialogue continuing over it. This reminded me of those old movie openings where the camera would sway over the columns of medieval soldiers trooping through a field. It was a great effect. When the characters were using their Maneuver Gear, I thought the animation was great as we would oftentimes follow them closely through and over the buildings which was a fantastic added element to the storyline, especially with the couple of times where something would pop up and surprise the characters and it would surprise us also because we're right there with them. The Titans were also absolutely creepy and scary in their design. The typical Titan wandering the streets looking for a human to snack on had misshapen bodies with huge creepy eyes. Usually misshapen lumps resembling a human body really grate on me in animes, but for these creepy man-eating monsters it was a perfect combination of creepiness and their lack of humanity (despite the fact that they kind of sort of look human). Then there was the sharply defined muscled bodies of the select few Titans who held a different job than the others, a sharp contrast to the colorless lumps of the normal Titans. I definitely thought the animation was spot-on for this anime!
Music - 10
I'm a musician and I love music, so the soundtrack of any show or anime is pretty important to me. I thought the music was fantastic. It fit perfectly for the anime with the intense, loud musical lines that matched the equally intense battle scenes where people would be falling one after the other. The opening themes were both perfect as well. I remember starting the first episode of this anime, listening to the first five seconds of the opening, pausing, and going off to download the opening song and putting it on my iPod before continuing the show. The first opening was Guren no Yumiya by Linked Horizon and had a darker feel throughout it, while the second opening, Jiyuu no Tsubasa, also by Linked Horizon, was more triumphant. I felt as though the music was a huge part of what made this anime so great.
Enjoyment - 10
I thoroughly enjoyed this anime. It's definitely a bit gorier than your average anime so be cautious if you're squeamish. I personally felt like this also added to the anime and made it darker and more realistic, which is unusual for me to say about an anime. The music was fantastic, the art was great, and the characters likable. This is the first anime in a few months that I've really intensely enjoyed and recommended to friends. So this is my recommendation to you and I hope you enjoy it!
Overall - 9
Oct 8, 2013
Shingeki no Kyojin
(Anime)
add
Lately, it seems like just about everyone is talking about Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan) and after finishing the show, I definitely understand why. If you're looking for an anime to watch, don't approach this with hesitation because of all the hype it's been getting, wondering if you're going to start it with high expectations only to find out it was overrated. Granted, there are always people who don't like things, but seriously. Go watch it. Now. (But read my review first. And then go watch it. Now).
Story - 9 I'm sure that some people out there are thinking that this seems like a ... 
May 10, 2013
Sword Art Online
(Anime)
add
I definitely struggled with deciding on how I felt about SAO. At the start of the anime, it definitely had potential. As an online gamer myself, it was really exciting to watch that world brought to life in a way. Unfortunately, it dwindled from there. - contains some minor spoilers -
Many people have great issues with this anime due to the cliche main hero who dashingly saves the damsel in distress, who swoons for the handsome man in black. Overall, I personally didn't mind the excessive "Kirito-loving" for the beginning half of the anime. I rolled my eyes at times and puzzled over the ... |
