Attack on Titan Live-Action Movie Trailer

Attack on Titan is an upcoming sci-fi/fantasy dystopian action film coming out later this year. Much like last year's Edge of Tomorrow, Attack on Titan is based on a Japanese comic book, referred to as a manga, and from the looks of the trailer, it is rather impressive.

Considering this is foreign film, the special effects are not bad. They might not be Hollywood level, but it is certain better than most. Thankfully, Madman Entertainment has now uploaded this official English subtitle version of the trailer, so that we know what they are saying. 

A few various things about the trailer bother me, but, for the most part, I hope this turns out well. Also, hopefully, the film will receive a wide North America release, so that I will be able to see it. 

What do you think of the trailer? It will be interesting to know what those not familiar with the source material will think of it, as well as fans.

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Attack on Titan Live-Action Trailer

The first teaser trailer for the upcoming Attack on Titan live-action film is here! And it actually does not look half-bad. I am curious as to what those, who do not know anything about the series, think about this live-action trailer. Of course, this is only a teaser and there are no subtitles to translate the dialogue, but it looks alright. You can notice the lower budget, but I hope that the movie will not be terrible like most other anime/manga live-action adaptations. It looks dark and gritty, and the costumes look good for the most part. The film is set to be released in August later this year, although I am not sure when it is set to hit US theaters, and I really hope that it not released with a dub, because that would ruin it. Even though Hollywood has a tenancy to butcher films based on anime/manga, Attack on Titan could work as an adaptation since most of the characters are Caucasian, except for Mikasa, and the action should be amazing, so I think this would work better than most adaptations if executed well. What do you think of the trailer? Please comment below and let me know, and check back Tuesday and Wednesday for a big announcement!

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Akame ga Kill Review

Akame ga Kill, a series that is set in a fantasy world where an evil Empire reigns over the land with an ironfist, and as with any evil Empire, there is an opposing rebel force known as The Revolutionary Army. However, the anime follows Night Raid, The Revolutionary Army's group of assassins that essentially do the dirty work of the army by assassinating key targets and fighting The Empire's elite force. Also, each member of Night Raid carries an Imperial Arms, also translated as "Teigu," which are powerful ancient weapons with various abilities.

What sets Akame ga Kill apart from most shounen action anime, a genre that is often hit and miss for me, is one simple fact: Any character can die. While Attack on Titan featured a similar draw, Akame ga Kill takes the "anyone can die" premise to another level. In Attack on Titan, the supporting cast can die without warning. On the other hand, any of the main characters of Akame ga Kill can die, because there is absolutely zero plot armor. Often times, shounen anime is notorious either not killing off characters or bringing them back to life, and and Akame ga Kill subverts this cliché. In addition to that, Akame ga Kill is a much more violent series than most anime.

The Good: Anyone can die, Esdeath is the best villain of the year, Uncensored blood and gore, Surprisingly satisfying conclusion, The Jaegers are well development, Impressive action sequences, Shocking and emotional deaths, Usually good sense of humor, Both villains and heroes received developed, Excellent animation, Complete lack of plot armor, Strong second half, 

The Bad: Weak first 8 episodes, Clichéd and poorly developed villains in the first half, General shounen clichés, Lighter tone can undermine drama at times,

Plot: 7.2/10- Akame ga Kill's plot is a relatively straightforward story of standing against tyranny, and the war setting provides an easily explained reason for the constant battles. Where Akame ga Kill falters is in the first eight-ish episodes. During those episodes, the series had its moments of entertainment, but the horribly clichéd villains, whose only motivation is that they are evil, are incredibly annoying and boring to watch. Oversized and cackling villains are the worst cliché that a shounen can have, and there a several of them. Fortunately, after those early episodes, the series introduces the villainess Esdeath, and, what is essentially the Empire's version of Night Raid, the Jaegers. Whereas the previous villains were dull and one-dimensional, Esdeath and the Jaegers are fleshed out antagonists, which make the second half significantly more involving.

Another issue is that the Akame ga Kill's tone clashes with itself at times. Even though characters die left and right, there is still a lot of typical shounen humor and fanservice. On one hand, the humor is actually rather funny, and it makes the episodes that focus more on Night Raid preparing for the next battle all the more entertaining to watch. On the other hand, if Akame ga Kill truly wished to create something truly different than the typical shounen series, it could have been more serious.

However, the mix of humor did not affect my enjoyment all that much, since I only ever expected a shounen action series.

Lastly, Akame ga Kill takes a controversial departure from the manga in the last few episodes to create an anime original ending, so that the series is not left on a cliffhanger. Typically, anime original endings are convoluted and rushed, and while it is not perfect, Akame ga Kill’s ending is one of the most satisfying anime original endings out there, at least for someone who has not read the manga. In fact, the ending actually had some excellent thematic elements that fit the series perfectly, and if I did not know the series departed from the manga, I would not have even guessed that it was a rushed conclusion.

Characterization: 8.3/10- For the main characters in Night Raid, the characterization starts out a bit weak in the early episodes with many of the characters falling into various archetypes. The characters were not bad characters by any means, in fact they were generally likable, but the writing could have been better earlier in the series. However, after the early episodes, the characters in Night Raid really started to grow on me, to the point where the various character deaths did have an effective emotional impact, with moments many that left me in shock. Among my favorite characters from Night Raid include Mine, Leone, and Akame.

On the other side, there is the Empire's version of Night Raid, the Jaegers, who are often more interesting than Night Raid, namely the best part of the series, Esdeath. 

Esdeath is the highlight of the series as far as I am concerned. She is a completely psychopathic and ruthless killer, who enjoys the thrill of battle above all else. Esdeath's backstory actually provides a good reason for her "survival of the fittest" mentality, so she is not a complete monster monster, and yet her villainy is never undermined. As in various other media, the "crazy chick" is my favorite character, and in the 2014 year in anime, there has yet to be a better villain.

As for the other Jaegers, the series adds a layer of moral ambiguity as it even makes a character, who burns down villages that oppose the Empire, a surprisingly likable, and often humorous, family-man type character. The other characters in the Jaegers all have their reasons for joining the Empire's side of the fight, some of whom are effective thematic mirror images of Night Raid. 

One aspect that may have impacted my opinion of the characters is that this is the first 24 episode anime that I watched as it aired, so I followed these characters for nearly half a year! In a way, I feel like I was on the journey with the characters throughout the course of the 24 weeks, so it made me more attached to the characters compared to how it might have if I watched the series in a week.

Action: 9.3/10- 2014 has featured several top tier action anime and none are more exciting than Akame ga Kill. Due to the fact that any character can die, every battle actually has consequences and a heightened level of suspense. Also, since each character's Imperial Arms is unique, most the battles are entertaining and unique to watch unfold. Of course, the action sequences are typical shounen action scenes with the characters using special powers and various other clichés; however, it is some of the more entertaining shounen action. 

Acting: 8.4/10- Per usual, the Japanese cast is exceptional, with Satomi Akesaka as Esdeath being the highlight.

Animation: 8.8/10- White Fox's animation features a relatively standard shounen style. However, the animation excels in the overall quality of the art style and character designs. The series' colors pop and the characters are crisply rendered, without many noticeable drops in budget.

Another strong point is that Crunchyroll aired the uncensored version of the series, so it completely avoids the frustration associated the censorship of violence. On the possible negative side, there is fanservice.

Soundtrack: 8.5/10- Taku Iwasaki's score is superb, and it features many unique tracks that set itself apart from most action series. Unfortunately, the soundtrack is not released on its own as of today.

Humor: 8.1/10- Akame ga Kill's humor is both a highlight for me, and possibly a negative for others. On its own, the humor is often funny, even if it can be clichéd. The episodes in-between the battles feature the most humor, and more often than not, the jokes and antics make me laugh.

Opening and Ending: 8.0/10- Akame ga Kill's second opening, "Konna Sekai, Shiritakunakatta," is the highlight of the openings and endings featured in the series. 

Entertainment Value: 8.4/10- After those weak early episodes, Akame ga Kill is a very entertaining shounen action anime. It has the humor, action, and generally entertaining tone that a good shounen should have.

Overall: 7.5/10- Akame ga Kill is leaving me conflicted. It is most certainly flawed, and it does not quite fully capitalize on its premise, yet, as the series continued, the characters grew on me, and since anyone can die, each battle is filled with a level of tension not found in many shounen anime. With the addition of high production values and a surprisingly satisfying conclusion, Akame ga Kill sets itself just far enough apart from the typical action series to be one of the more entertaining anime of 2014.

Closing comments: As far as action anime that are not 100+ episodes go, Akame ga Kill is one of the better ones, and if that is a genre that you are particularly interested in, definitely give it a watch.

Recommended for: Shounen fans, Action fans, Fantasy fans, 

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The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Released Today!

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is out in theaters today! For some reason, the US release date is on a Wednesday, instead of a Friday or Thursday, but hey, that means we get it a couple of days earlier! 

Usually, I watch/read other reviews, but with the exception of Rotten Tomatoes, I have decided to avoid most reviews until I actually get to see the film. However, from the little that I have read on Rotten Tomatoes, it seems to be on par with the previous films in the trilogy. Hopefully, I will be able to go see the film sometime next week and have the review up before Christmas. Are you excited for the Hobbit? Please comment below, and do not forget to check back tomorrow for the unveiling of the blog's new header, and Monday for my review of Transformers: Age of Extinction.

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Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) Review

Attack on Titan, the enormously popular series, which is becoming one of the defining series of this generation, and an absolute must-watch for anyone, even those who do not normally consider themselves fans of the animated medium. 

Attack on Titan, aka Shingeki no Kyojin, is set in an alternate future where the last remnants of humanity are being hunted down by giant humanoid creatures called Titans, whose sole purpose is to devour the human race. To survive, the several thousand that remain, construct massive walls to protect themselves from the Titans. After a colossal Titan breaks down the first wall of defense, Eren Yeager, and his friends Mikasa and Eren escape to the inner walls. Eren swears to destroy all Titans, and to so, he joins the Survey Corps, the front line defense against the Titan menace.

Due to Attack on Titan's ridiculous, albeit well earned, popularity, I have decided to note even my most inconsequential quibbles with the series. But rest assured, aside from one truly notable flaw, I bring up these minor issues because I like it so much. Most other series do not even deserve such effort, and examination. 

The Good: Flawless production values, Best action sequences ever animated, Solid character development, Best opening ever, Armin and Mikasa are standouts, Nonexistent plot armor, Strong voice cast on both sides, Mind-blowing animation, Incredible soundtrack, Titans are legitimately terrifying at times, Action with consequence, High death count, Suspenseful at times, Perfect direction, Understandable character motivations, No fanservice, Wide appeal, Near perfect opening episodes, Sense of desperation,

The Bad: Problematic pacing, A few nitpicking issues,

Plot: 9.7/10- Conceptually, Attack on Titan's plot is incredibly well realized. The world it creates is well crafted with plenty of world building, while also not having an overload of exposition. Tonally, the series is almost like a war series with sci-fi and fantasy elements featuring many of the same themes and issues discussed in the war genre.

One aspect that Attack on Titan does better than anything else is *Possible Spoiler* how it builds up the viewer's hopefulness and then completely crushes it in a shocking manor. *End Spoiler*

The series uses the multiple episode story arc format in its narrative, with main story arcs in this first season. This format is both a positive and negative because most episodes end with an incredibly painful cliffhanger. Watching the series on television at first, and then marathoning each half when the Blu-Ray was released. I got a taste of both sides of the viewing experience, and I can definitely say that marathoning the series in large portions mitigates most of the pacing issues. If you marathon it, you might not even notice the pacing problems.

Thematically, Attack on Titan is deceptively simple, yet incredibly universal. Ultimately, the Titans can represent any obstacle that a person must overcome in whatever situation he or she is in. Another thematic high point is how the series almost deconstructs the typical shounen themes of "friendship."

Despite the excellent concept, Attack on Titan does have a few minor issues. For one, the pacing is a tad off. One or two episodes almost feel as though they are buying time until the larger plot begins, while other episodes decide to contain mostly flashbacks during the middle of an important battle. That being said, the flashbacks do serve to develop certain characters.

Additionally, the series does have a few problems, which is more nitpicking than anything else. One mystery is setup in the series, and while intriguing at first, it was not particularly difficult for me to figure it out after two episodes of its introduction. Another minor quibble is that, throughout the series, there are moments when the characters either have inner monologues or conversations in slow motion in the middle of a battle. While typical in a shounen series, it is a trope that is not always necessary, at least not in the amount that it was used.

At an early point in the series, I think it could have gone in an even more inventive route than it ultimately took. Also, the series does not have a definitive conclusion. However, the lack conclusion is perfectly fine since the next season is set to air next year.

Characterization: 8.5/10- Attack on Titan has a large cast of likable characters with understandable motivations. What sets Attack on Titan apart from everything else is the death count. Almost anyone can die. It makes even the Walking Dead or Game of Thrones look almost peaceful. However, the series' strong point is how the audience creates an emotional attaches with even the minor characters, thus making the deaths more meaningful. Also, aside from Eren (and maybe Mikasa), few of the characters fall into archetypes.

Eren Yeager is the main protagonist of the series, and while his motivations are adeptly setup, he is a relatively stagnant character during the first half. Aside from the pacing, Eren is the only minor negative of the entire series itself. Compared to the majority of shounen protagonists, Eren is more skillfully realized, yet compared to the high caliber of the rest of the series, or top tier shounen; he is not quite on par.

Mikasa Ackerman is the stoic childhood friend of Eren, and resident bad*ss of the series. She is almost always cool, calm, and collected. Early in the series, Mikasa seemed to be a standout, and even though she did not develop as much as she could have later in the series, she is flawed enough to be believable. Also, her devotion to Eren is admirable.

Armin Arlert is a character that at first seems weak, but eventually grows into a well realized character. He is the brains behind the trio, who uses his quick wit to get them out of tough situations. However, unlike a lot of strategic characters, like Light Yagami or Lelouch Lamperouge, Armin is often timid and terrified (and rightfully so), rather than bombastic and confident, which is a welcome change to my favorite character type. Among the cast, Armin is probably my favorite for being the most humanized and likable of the cast.

While the main cast is mostly fine, it is the side characters like Levi, Sasha, Annie, Jean, and Petra that standout. Even though only Levi receives much development of the supporting cast, they are all surprisingly memorable and likable. Overall, my only nitpick is that with so many characters, the audience never have the chance to attach to individual cast members to the same degree as other iconic anime characters like Edward Elric, Spike Spiegel, or Vash the Stampede. Again, this is a minor nitpicking flaw.

Action: 10/10- Unquestionably, Attack on Titan has the best action of any series ever produced. Only Black Lagoon and a select few even compare to the epic scale and high energy action sequences throughout the series. The characters' 3D-Maneuver-Gear is possibly the coolest device in all of anime, and it is the focal point of the series flawless action sequences. In addition to the insane action, the action is more strategic at times, which is one of my favorite aspects of action. 

Tetsurō Araki, director of Death Note, Highschool of the Dead, and Black Lagoon, brilliantly crafts the action sequences to not only be visually exciting, but also to serve a purpose in the narrative (most of the time). If I had to nitpick, the series decides to ignore physics at times, yet how exactly is that a negative?

Acting: 9.7/10- In short, both the sub and dub are top notch. For a quick comparison, Eren in Japanese is better than the dub, Armin is better in dub, and Mikasa is roughly the same in both. Funimation spares no expense in casting top notch dub actors even in minor roles. Of course, the Japanese is just as good, albeit harder to critique. Either way you go, there is no wrong choice.

Art Style: 10/10- Wit Studio and Production I.G's animation is mind-blowing. The use of hard black outlines gives the series a unique visual style, as well as accentuating the characters from the background. Most of the character models, at least for the main cast, are virtually flawless with a blend of semi-realism and stylistic design. Even the 3D animation is not a negative at any point, which is rare. Also, there is absolutely zero fanservice.

To nitpick, the series does occasionally use still frames as well as overdoing the fast moving lines on the screen to make things more epic. Another common criticism is that a few of the Titans' faces are more humorous than terrifying, which is often true (Kawaii Titan is hilarious!).

Soundtrack: 10/10- Hiroyuki Sawano's score is virtually flawless. From the perfectly placed insert songs to the epic orchestral themes, the score is always fitting, even if Sawano would continue to use the same rhythmic structure in all future scores. But hey, if it’s not broke, don't fix it.

Humor: N/A- While not void of humor per se, Attack on Titan is a very serious series with occasional moments of well placed humor in between the larger story arcs.

Opening and Ending: 10/10- Attack on Titan's first opening, "Guren No Yumiya" by Linked Horizon, is the best opening of all-time as far I am concerned. The visuals are epic, and the song itself is 100% perfect for building up the viewer's excitement for each episode. Unfortunately, the first opening is replaced at the halfway mark, and while the second one is excellent, it is not on the same level as the first one. Both endings are very fitting the series, with the second being my favorite.

Non-Otaku Appeal: Attack on Titan has already shown a lot of crossover appeal with many who do not normally watch anime, and with the English dub being recently released, the series is even more accessible. It is a must-watch for anyone, providing you can handle the violence.

Entertainment Value: 9.8/10- With the exception of a few episodes, Attack on Titan often has me glued to the screen with the sheer amount of nail-biting suspense and epic action.

Overall: 9.6/10- With near flawless production values, and only a few minor flaws, Attack on Titan’s first season actually lives up to the Titan sized hype, for the most part at least. If you have not seen it, do so as soon as you can, because season two is on its way.

Closing comments: As with anything popular, Attack on Titan is bound to have its fair share of haters. However, compared to a lot of other popular anime, like Sword Art Online (which I enjoyed) or most shounen, Attack on Titan at least has some incredibly strong merits while avoiding most tropes, and if you genuinely did not enjoy the series, that is fine too.

Recommended for: Anyone, Action fans, Fantasy fans, Sci-fi fans, Anime fans, Animation fans,

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Also, if you have reviewed this anime, leave a comment with a link to your review and I will post it here (providing it does not contain any explicit content).

Attack on Titan Review by Arvin Saints
Attack on Titan Review by Shena Tokala



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Avengers and Attack on Titan Official Crossover

Last week Marvel announced an official crossover between the Avengers and Spider-Man with the popular Japanese manga/anime Attack on Titan! The comic story will be released in the Japanese magazine Brutus on November 15th (official artwork above). An English release date has not been announced but it should not take long considering the popularity of both properties in the west. The plot of the manga will be in the style of Marvel's iconic "What If" storylines with the following description being released "What if Spider-Man and the Avengers battled a 46-foot-tall Titan in the streets of New York?" Also, as far as I am aware, Spider-Man is one the most popular superheroes in Japan and many fans compare the Three Dimensional Maneuver Gear used by the characters in Attack on Titan to Spider-Man's web swinging ability, so this is a perfect fit that I am excited to read! Providing I can get it finished in time, please be sure to check back Friday for my review of Attack on Titan. What do you think of this news? Please comment below and let me know.  

P.S. Due to my previously mentioned nerve damage in my arm still preventing me from typing with two hands, my review of The Legend of Korra and possibly Doctor Who will be delayed. 

For another opinion on the news, check out Danial Kurosaki's blog post.

Am I the only that gets this joke?

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The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Trailer

It may be late, but the first official trailer for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, aka The Hobbit: An Overly Long Long Title, is here! As expected, this trailer looks epic. For the most part, it is exactly what we expect from a Middle Earth tale from Peter Jackson. Without a doubt, this is my most anticipated film of December. What do you think of the trailer? Please comment below and check back tomorrow for more reviews.

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Attack on Titan: Episode 9 Review

After yet another mind-blowing twist, the Titans' assault on the city Trost continues.

*Major Spoilers*

Episode 9 opens with the audience's first real introduction to Levi, the most bad*ss Titan slaying machine in the Survey Corps. The first 8 minutes of the episode essentially introduces The Scout Regiment to the audience and showing why they were not inside the inner wall when the Titans attacked Trost. Other than Levi's brief moment of awesomeness, another notable character, Zoë Hange, is introduced. While I do not know much about the character other than the gender of the character is ambiguous in the manga, whereas Zoë is definitely a woman in the anime series, her brief scenes were interesting, but not much about the character is revealed. 

After those 8 minutes, the episode flashes back to what happened to Eren after being eaten by the bearded "Santa Claus" Titan. With Eren in the stomach of a Titan, we see how he escaped by turning into a Titan. Following the flashback, Commander Kitz Woermann must decide whether or not Eren is a threat. Seeing Mikasa stand up for Eren to protect him was not surprising considering the previous episodes and her protectiveness of him. The episode concludes with Woermann ordering the wall cannons to fire, which caused Eren to have a quick flashback with his father telling him something important about his mysterious power. Eren uses his Titan powers to transform partially into a Titan to save his friends. While there is normally quite a bit to discuss with AoT episodes, there was not much to episode eight of Attack on Titan. Even though it was certainly a cool episode with the usually amazing animation, it was more of a setup for what is to come, which is not necessarily bad, but it is certainly not on the same level of the previous few episodes. 

Overall: 7.8/10- While still undeniably entertaining and epic, episode eight of Attack on Titan felt more like a bridge to the next episode than providing anything substantial.

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Attack on Titan: Episode 8 Review

After yet another unexpected plot twist in the previous episode, episode eight continues to deliver high quality writing, animation, and action.

*Major Spoilers Ahead*

With HQ still overrun with Titans and the others low on gas, Armin thinks of a plan to lure the new "Traitor Titan" to HQ to help take it back. After the characters reach HQ, Armin continues to demonstrate his strategic skill with a plan to take back the inside of HQ. While Armin might be a little cowardly, he is a skilled strategist, and I like that side of his character. His plan to use the muskets and the elevator thing to distract the Titans was a cool and practical plan. When the characters are walking down the steps to execute the plan, animation turns into a slide-show with just pictures as they talked, which was odd. Honestly, I did not notice it much until my second viewing of the episode, but it is still worthy of note. Also, the joke about the Titan's other weakness being their butt was admittedly humorous. 

During the planned attacked, Sasha and Connie Springer (or was it someone else?) which left the resident bada** ladies, Mikasa and Annie, to save the day. I am sure everyone recognized the attack from the opening animation as well. As for the Titans themselves, seeing the smaller four meter Titans up close for the first time was interesting. If my memory serves right, those Titans have not been shown up-close before until now or at least not close enough to reasonably judge their size. Also, the infamous "Kawaii Titan" was a little unintentionally humorous, although I did not think it was as bad as others have said. 

One minor thing is that the conversation Jean had with one of the other characters, whose name I cannot remember, while running towards HQ, is not kind of a terrible idea. It is really not the time for a chat when you should be running from the Titans. It is not a big problem, but it still kind of odd, but not uncommon for anime or any TV series for that matter.  

After killing the Titans and taking back HQ, the "Traitor Titan" is seen fighting off more Titans outside HQ, and, unlike the other Titans, he does not appear to be regenerating as fast as the others. But what comes next is the major plot twist: Eren is the Titan! As stated last week, I already kind of heard that he turned into a Titan, so it was not a huge shock, but the scene gave me chills nonetheless. Also, I think I would have figured it out anyway. To my surprise however, Eren turning into a Titan happened much earlier in the series than I expected. I thought it would happen towards the finale. Now that his major plot point is out of the way, I do not believe I know anymore spoilers! Hopefully, the next few episodes provide a decent explanation as to how he turned into a Titan. Otherwise, this is going to be the deus ex machina plot twist that I did not want to happen, but considering the series' praise and popularity, I do not believe it is going to disappoint.

Overall: 9.3/10- Ramping up the epic action to yet another level, episode eight, "Hearing the Heartbeat: Battle of Trost District, Part 4," delivers in spades.

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Attack on Titan: Episode 7 Review

With episode 5's shocking plot twists still left unexplained, episode 7 throws the audience right back into the action.

*Major Spoilers*

The episode starts out by showing the disarray at the HQ with even one of the soldiers "opting-out" instead of fighting to survive. Jean's platoon (or whatever you call it) are out of gas for their 3DMGs, aka ODMs, and the soldiers at HQ are too overrun to supply the gas. Being the bada** that she is, Mikasa leads the charge to take back HQ, and she gives a not so motivational speech to Jean and the others. What follows is more of the incredibly amazing action scenes and some epic music. 

Titan PUNCH!!!!!!!

Mikasa's ODM runs out of gas, and she falls. Until the end of the episode, there is not a lot to say, but that does not mean the episode was anything less than amazing. Jean is forced to make a tough decision when some of his platoon members die. However, what makes the episode something special is the last seven minutes with Mikasa demonstrating the resolve and will power not to give up that she learned from Eren. While flashbacks can be annoying, the previous episode's flashback scenes appear to be justified, so that Mikasa's actions are further explained. 

Unexpectedly, at least for most viewers, right before Mikasa is about to face a Titan without her ODM, another mysterious Titan attacks the other Titan and saves Mikasa. Why would a Titan attack another Titan!? Also, this Titan looks different than the others. Unfortunately, I somewhat think I know what that Titan is, so possible spoiler ahead if you have not seen the next episode: Eren is the new Titan. Aside from the main story, the animation continues to be mind-blowingly stunning, especially during the action scenes. The music is perfect with the insert songs reminding me of Kill la Kill's "Blumenkranz" with the lyrics German, although that should not be a surprise since the same composer did both soundtracks. Trina Nishimura's as Mikasa continues to give the standout best performance of the series in the dub. She provides a lot of depth and emotion to her scenes. The rest of the English cast has been consistently superb as well.

Overall: 8.9/10- Episode 7, "The Small Blade: Battle of Trost District, Part 3," mostly follows the series' best character, Mikasa, in yet another action packed episode that introduces a new variable with the "Traitor Titan." 

*Major Spoiler for Future Episodes* Of course, after writing this review and watching the later episodes, I know for certain that Eren is, indeed, the Titan.

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Attack on Titan: Episode 6 Review

After one of the most shocking episodes of all-time, episode six has a lot to live up to, and while it does not disappoint entirely, it does not exactly answer our questions either. 

*Major Spoilers*

We first pick with Armin after the Titan attack. On a side note, the bearded Titan that ate Eren looked like a Santa Claus Titan. Next, the episode follows some of the citizens trying to escape when the greedy merchant's guild leader is blocking the way with a cart. When a Titan comes crashing towards the citizens, Mikasa, aka the most bada** character since Roy Mustang (Fullmetal Alchemist), saves the day. The majority of the episode follows Mikasa with a flashback to how she met Eren. 

Before continuing, I must explain how my viewing experience for this episode is different than before. Previously, I watched the series weekly on Toonami; however, now that the first 13 episodes of the English dub have been released, I watched episodes 6, 7, and 8 the day after watching episode 5 instead of waiting for the episodes to air. Now, back to the review.

The episodes picks up with Mikasa's flashback to when her parents were still alive. Three bandits attack her home and murder her father and mother. It is revealed that Mikasa and her mother are oriental, and that Orientals are rare in AOT’s world. The bandits planned to sale her as a slave in the capital. Since the character designs are somewhat ambiguous in terms of ethnicity, the revelation that she is the only oriental is interesting. Eren apparently finds the cabin where the bandits have taken Mikasa, and, unexpectedly, he kills two of the bandits. It seems that Eren has had no problems with killing to survive even before his mother was eaten by the Titans, which provides some intriguing insight into the character's motivations. Although, my first impression of Eren in pilot episode was that he was a wimp that became motivated after his mother’s death, but that is obviously not the case. Mikasa also kills the third bandits when he grabs Eren. I am not sure if it was for dramatic effect, but how did Mikasa break the floor by planting her feet to attack? It happens a lot in anime, but unless she actually has superpowers of some kind, other than being a bada** Titan slayer, that one scene was kind of odd. Regardless, the part towards the end of the episode in the flashback when Eren gives Mikasa his scarf was a good character moment explaining where she got the scarf. 

Is she superhuman?

For the most part, the episode did next to nothing to progress the current plot thread, but that is not really a bad thing. If I was still watching the series on a weekly basis, I might be disappointed by the episode, but considering that I watched the next two episodes back-to-back, it was not a huge deal. Mikasa stood out as an intriguing, yet stoic, character in the previous episodes, and this one humanizes her, while still making her a bada** Titan slayer, which is a nice touch. In fact, after watching this episode, I am fully invested in her character now. Mikasa is, by far, my favorite character of the series at this point. 

Overall: 8.5/10- While not nearly as shocking and groundbreaking as the previous episode, episode 6, "The World She Saw: Battle of Trost District, Part 2," is an excellent character development piece that humanizes one of the best characters of the series.

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Attack on Titan: Episode 5 Review

Attack on Titan episode five, aka the most shocking thing I have seen in a very long time.

*Major Spoilers Ahead*

Wow, just wow.... Seriously, that was one heck of an amazing episode! After the ending of the previous episode teasing a giant battle, this episode delivered a lot more than I had ever expected. Please remember, this is a spoiler heavy review; turn back now while you still can if you have not seen the episode. 

At first, Eren attacks the Colossal Titan, and when he attacks, it appears to show intelligence by destroying the cannons. After Eren tries to take it down, the Titan disappears, which explains how the sentries did not see it coming. My guess is that it has something to do with Eren's father and that key, but we shall see. During the episode, there is a flashback to Eren being taught that the only weak spot on a Titan is the back of the neck. Also, the teacher explains that Titans do not require humans, or anything for that matter, for food, and that no one is certain if the Titans have intelligence. Other information given is that they do not communication; the Titans are nearly invincible unless you hit them in the neck, and that they do not have a means of reproduction. So then, where do the Titans come from? Unfortunately, I think I might know the answer due to spoilers, but hopefully I am wrong.

Later on, there is another scene with an aristocrat of some kind playing chess with a general. It provides an insight into the inner politics of the world, although the scene seemed a bit unnecessary, but it will likely impact later episodes. 

Before the big battle, Mikasa sent to an elite platoon from Eren, and Eren headbutts her and tells her to go. That was the only scene where the animation looked a little odd since it did not look like they actually collided.    

Towards the end of the episode, Eren, Armin, and the others are sent out to attack the Titans head on. Somehow, episode five packed more intensity, action, and shock value in the last five minutes of the episode than the most other series do in their entire run! Seriously, the last five minutes managed to pack so much epicness that I thought it was going to end at any point, yet it kept going! As for what happened in the last five minutes, everyone died! Well, almost everyone. I knew AOT was infamous for its lack of character plot-armor, but that is an understatement. The three others with Eren and Armin are quickly dispatched by the Titans. When Armin was being eaten and the episode went to a flashback talking about the outside world, I kept thinking: "You better not freaking end with a freaking flashback!" Then, going back to the present, Eren holds open the jaws of the Titan and saves Armin right before he is swallowed. As for what happened to Eren, he lost a leg and an arm! And he was swallowed by a Titan! He is the main character and that he does not die, at least not yet, but how is he going to get out of this one!? And how is he going to kill all of the Titans without an arm and leg!? He better call up Winry Rockbell for some automail (Fullmetal Alchemist reference). Without his extremities, he reminds me of another shounen protagonist, Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist, who also happens to be one of my favorites (reviews for both Fullmetal Alchemist series coming soon). 

Seriously though, what is going to happen to Eren!? I already know a few too many possible spoilers, but the next episode is going to have to do something really smart not to fall into the deus ex machina plot device. During the episode, while everyone was dying, I gasped in shock, and after the episode, I was utterly speechless. I just sat there is my mouth to the floor in awe for a few minutes. Not since Code Geass have I been so utterly shocked! Also, the animation is pure awesomesauce. 99.99% of the time, 3D and 2D do not blend, but this is the exception because the action scenes are mind blowing!

Overall: 9.7/10- A part of me wants to give the episode a 10/10 since it is undoubtedly the best Attack on Titan has yet to offer, and one of the best episodes ever, but I want to leave some room for improvement in the later episodes, and there was one or two incredibly minor elements that were not perfect.

Note: Since writing this review, I have seen all the way up to episode 13 of Attack on Titan (the Trost arc), so if you want to say something about what happens later, that is fine. Even though I have seen the later episodes, I will continue to post Attack on Titan episode reviews every week.

This Gif is utterly amazing, providing it does freeze up.

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