Attack on Titan

[Kite 3,263]

This new anime is awesome

 

Setting

 

One hundred years prior to the beginning of the story, giant humanoid creatures called Titans (巨人 Kyojin?) have forced humanity to devolve to a medieval level of technology and to retreat into a system of concentric Walls (ウォール Wōru?) known as Wall Maria (ウォール・マリア Wōru Maria?, outermost), Wall Rose (ウォール・ローゼ Wōru Rōze?, middle), and Wall Sina (ウォール・シーナ Wōru Shīna?, innermost). Inside these walls, humanity lived in peace for one hundred years. But in the beginning of the story, a sudden attack by a gigantic sixty-meter Titan and a smaller Titan covered in armor plates causes the outermost wall to be breached, forcing mankind to abandon the land between Walls Maria and Rose, leading to famine and turmoil.

Little is known about the Titans, giant creatures that are usually between 3-15 meters tall with a few exceptions. The Titans attack and devour ordinary humans on sight instinctively, although apparently they do not need to feed to survive, as they do not prey on other animals, even with the absence of humans, surviving by absorbing sunlight. They have hard skin and regenerative abilities, and can only be killed by a deep incision on the base of the neck. This weakness led to the development of the 3-D Maneuver Gear (立体機動装置 Rittai Kidō Sōchi?), allowing humans to navigate quickly in a three-dimensional space to access the Titans' weak point. Though it allows great mobility to a skilled user, it carries a large risk of overtaxing the muscles, thus a special physical conditioning and sense of balance is necessary to master it

 

 

What struck me is the easy the characters die, it is not glorius, it is not pretty, is is unkind and raw. the characters are scared, but some have the will to push on, others break, many die, it is such a good anime

 

It has insane battles using high speed maneuvers using harpoon harnesses and swords

 

here is the opening

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKzum5xCGjQ

Edited July 15, 2013 by Kite

[Pchan 5,162]

I read the manga, some 47 chapters. I can see how it can be popular among folk because of the ohmygodthatmonsterateafullpersonohnoitatehismother!!R%@%#% notion. Beyond that sort of shock factor fans may experience, the story itself is surprisingly not good, at all. It's predictable, marred with bad dialog. The anime version displays high quality animation that makes the package look good viscerally, but beyond that, it's just bland to me. Massively over-rated in my opinion, sorry. 

 

Give it a shot guys. 

Edited July 16, 2013 by Godgrave

[Kite 3,263]

i think the animation does help it, I imaging it might be boring as a manga, but the anime is very well made

[Sledgstone 8,672]

Now that is a very different anime compared to what I've seen over the years.. I'll check this out.

[Kite 3,263]

Now that is a very different anime compared to what I've seen over the years.. I'll check this out.

 

 

a modern anime with no fan service, just action and story,,,, rare

[Pchan 5,162]

a modern anime with no fan service, just action 

 

Fixed 

[Sledgstone 8,672]

a modern anime with no fan service, just action and story,,,, rare

 

Now it sounds even better.

[Pchan 5,162]

That new episode, god awful. Thought I'd give it another shot but phail. 

[Sledgstone 8,672]

That new episode, god awful. Thought I'd give it another shot but phail. 

 

When you say episode you're talking about the anime and not the new manga chapter right? I know how you like to call new manga chapters "episodes".

[Pchan 5,162]

Yep, technically they're episodes

[Pchan 5,162]

So what do you guys think of it now? Amazeballs awesome or good or over-rated? 

[Sledgstone 8,672]

I still haven't watched it yet. But it is subbed on netflix now so I don't have to download it. I'll watch some episodes and if it interests me I'll start reading the manga.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

We finished watching Attack on Titan tonight. I thought it was good but it doesn't explain anything in the anime.. what the titans actually are, where they came from, are they being controlled.. what is up with the titan shifters abilities, etc.. It left me with too many questions. It was also the second most bloodiest and gruesome anime I've ever seen with Berserk being number 1. I wish the anime would have continued on but it doesn't look like there is a season 2.. I suppose I'll have to start reading the manga to see how the story continues.

[Pchan 5,162]

The manga for this, aka the source material, is pretty awesome and I'm being sarcastic. Bad writing, bad drawing and the deeper you go into the story the more you find yourself thinking about the depth this series could potentially have which is at a shallow 1 cm off the surface level. Okay, a cm and a half and that's being generous at a spot that's a feet in depth. No pretty look directing from the anime, no speed lines, no soundtrack, no pretty sparkles, etc. that one could be spoiled from expecting fresh off the anime. Bare bones dull, this is. 

 

But, give it a shot. 

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

The manga for this, aka the source material, is pretty awesome and I'm being sarcastic. Bad writing, bad drawing and the deeper you go into the story the more you find yourself thinking about the depth this series could potentially have which is at a shallow 1 cm off the surface level. Okay, a cm and a half and that's being generous at a spot that's a feet in depth. No pretty look directing from the anime, no speed lines, no soundtrack, no pretty sparkles, etc. that one could be spoiled from expecting fresh off the anime. Bare bones dull, this is. 

 

But, give it a shot. 

 

 

I've watched a lot of shit anime... because I have this thing where once I start one, I have to finish it. I like this one... but I am at a point that I know it is going to let me down in the end. Its definitely not what I expected in a unfavorable way.  From what I have gathered, you dislike a lot of the anime I found to be a waste, but also some that I like.

 

Give me a list of your top 5, and I shall check them out.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

I was going to read Attack on Titan, but it does sound like its a let down. I don't even know where the series would go from where the anime left off. It looks like the humans will eventually be wiped out as there is no end to the titans and apparently some other humans want their city destroyed. The only thing I look forward to finding out is what "truth" was in that guy's basement. That was the primary goal they were going for at one point and then dropped it and never mentioned it again.

 

Instead of Attack on Titan, I'll start reading Claymore because it actually ended. I know the manga is better than the anime so I'm sure I'll enjoy it.

[Pchan 5,162]

Gotta warn you about Claymore being a bit of a clunker when you get to the middle of the series, felt like the mangeka had too many ideas and couldn't pick where to take it.

 

I've watched a lot of shit anime... because I have this thing where once I start one, I have to finish it. I like this one... but I am at a point that I know it is going to let me down in the end. Its definitely not what I expected in a unfavorable way.  From what I have gathered, you dislike a lot of the anime I found to be a waste, but also some that I like.

 

Give me a list of your top 5, and I shall check them out.

 

DX, that is very sweet of you, thanks for your kind words. Unfortunately I used to watch a lot more a few years ago than I do today because of the nature of today's anime and it's primarily the reason why Attack On Titan grew in popularity. The past few years anime has had a lot of loli, cute, lets eat cake, upskirt, jiggling boobs, wind up your skirt kinda cutesy high school drama, comedy, slice of life, harem kinda stuff. Here comes Attack On Titan about killing and killing someone's mother or eating them and it came as a shock to the cake eating otaku who was expecting to see some speed lines of women in tight costumes or short skirts fighting demons/ monsters. Unfortunately, the series they all gripped on is not good where it truly matters - the meat of the story/ characters.

 

It's been a long time since I watched anything that grabbed me as much. From on-going manga I truly value or treasure, I'd say there's Berserk, Vagabond, Real, One Piece - amazing story telling combined with talent in the craft of the art of drawing manga and more importantly, depth in characters, them evolving or devolving and the story overall. Each of those are so different from one another and invoke different emotions as I read them. There are a lot of other completed series that I could recommend you read - Akira, 20th Century Boys, Lone Wolf & Cub, NANA, Barefoot Gen, Slam Dunk, Monster, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, GTO and a couple more. If it's anime you're asking about, there are a few I like in no order, including series or movies at the top of my head - Akira, Crest Of Stars, Banner Of Stars 2, Kurogane Communication, Planetes, Harlock Endless Odyssey, Robotech, Kurau, Fruits Basket, Twin Spica, Gankutsuou, Girl Who Lept Through Time, Angel's Egg, Hunter x Hunter, Kino's Journey, Boogiepop Phantom, Last Exile, Tokyo Magnitude, Macross Frontier/ Plus, Nadia, Saikano, Ouran, GTO, Perfect Blue, Millenium Actress, Blue Seed, Haibane Renmei, Place Promised In Our Early Days, Irresponsible Captain Tylor, Rahxephon, Escaflowne, His & Her Circumstances, GITS Stand Alone, Ippo original series, Voices of a Distant Star, Patlabor OVA, Gundam - Char and MS 8th, Paranoia Agent, Legend Of The Galactic Heroes, Battle Programmer Shirase ... there are a few more but I'll have to go through my stuff to dig and tell.

Edited October 15, 2014 by Pchan

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

 

[Sledgstone 8,672]

This looks crazy.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

So now I'm wondering if attacking Annie was the wrong move, She never did anything to attack the actual city that I remember. While two Titans I expect to be members of the military have. Its clear that more than just Eren can transform. It will be interesting to see the motives behind each side.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

The sub already started at the beginning of the month. I'm just glad I don't have to wait a good 4-5 months to watch this dubbed.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

Caught the first two episodes. So far its interesting, less action and more substance. Even then it feels like these episodes only last 15 minutes.. they go by so fast I feel like not enough happened. Maybe its just the torment of only being able to watch 1 episode a week when I'm use to binging these things.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

Oh boy... the fact this season is only 12 episodes with a lot of fillers, and "12 hours ago" type eps is pretty disappointing. I've liked all the eps, don't get me wrong, but I don't see how they are going to really progress the story, and then wait another few years for a season 3? It seems like they should probably take a break, and just start over when the manga is done. Apparently the anime industry is in bad shape right now, animators are overworked, underpaid, and school's are closing.

This guy has an annoying voice, but goes over it. I guess the animators can't go on strike like the writers guild and actors guild have done in the US to get better wages.

But I find it funny its hard to get quality anime, yet T&A shows get pumped out like no one's business. Anime were busty girls fight with there butts, and what not. wtf . I mean I enjoy a Highschool DxD now and then, but damn the market is saturated with fan service, and people are yearning for something better. I know there is a lot of meh towards AoT, but there is a reason its popular, and the state of the market has a lot to do with it.

 

[Strider Hiryu 2,704]

I have no real input on the AoT stuff because I'm one of those people who find it to be meh (the only real reason it's popular is that it's been awhile since we've had an anime that all gore and fighting, those kind of went the way of the dinosaur after the original anime boom back in the early 2000's. Beyond that I really don't see whats interesting (I'm sorry the story is just bad)).

T&A sells and it's quick to produce hence why you see so many harem related anime these days (it's the reason why I've lost my taste for newer anime. I mean I find the rare gem here and there (Saga of Tanya the Evil being one of those) but overall I have no interest in watching a show about a guy who's surrounded by women and doesn't know what to do (very few, if any, of them are any good)). I mean Slice and Life anime is starting to go down this route now as well and it saddens me as it's my favorite genre now-a-days (Mech anime has really gone down hill the last few years (what with the various shitty Gundams (IBO was good but nowhere near as good as the shows that came before it) and the lackluster Macross Delta (I still haven't watched it because of the bad reviews it's gotten), there hasn't been any real good historical or sci-fi related anime, and well Shoujo anime has pretty much suffered the same problem as harem shows (yes I watch Shoujo anime, ask Eppy about of conversations in the past)).

As far as I understand it animators aren't unionized in Japan (nor do I think they believe in unions). Anime isn't exactly looked highly upon in Japan, never really has been and animators have always been treated like shit outside of those few that make a name for themselves (like Tomino (though he's been getting a lot of flack lately), Miyazaki, Anno, etc.). The only real reason the industry is still doing alright is because of the amount of money it was bringing in on the foreign market (pretty much everywhere but Japan) and now that streaming has really taken off it's allowing even more money to come in. Sadly that doesn't trickle down to the animators which is why they're in this predicament right now (yea I pretty much TL;DR'd the video, plus you'd be surprised how much of this shit gets outsourced to China/Taiwan/Korea (another reason why animators in Japan get paid pennies)). Go over to Anime News Network, Justin Sevakis goes over quite a bit of this in his column Answerman (he pretty much answers questions from readers and a lot of them have been about the inudstry as of late, really good reads if you ask me). I'm honestly surprised the industry hasn't imploded upon itself kind of like it did over here (I mean we have like 4 companies to even buy anime from anymore after ADV crumbled and the smaller publishers went out of business).

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

Pretty sad since some of the better stories of any form of TV/Movie media has come from anime. I have noticed anime with more Western themes. My Hero Academia is one of them, AoT has a lot of European characters, and all the Martians in Aldnoah.Zero were Aryan.

I guess attention spans really have gotten bad in our digital age. I was watching some commentary discussion on the new Eureka Seven and they said the the original had a "slower pace that newer anime fans wouldn't be use to" and I was like uuuh wot?