Shingeki no Kyojin, otherwise known as “Attack on Titan,” is a Japanese manga/anime series that was written and illustrated by author Hajime Isayama. Arguably one of the most popular anime series in years, “Attack on Titan” delivers with massive hype under its wake.
“Attack on Titan” takes place in a reality in which humanity is no longer the planet’s dominant species, instead being driven off the top of the food chain by these large, human-esque type creatures referred to as “Titans.” Titans are huge; they stand several feet tall, and more or less do not possess intelligence of any kind. They also devour human beings, more so out of pleasure than as an actual food source. With the human population dwindling drastically, and these Titans roaming the outside world, humanity has been forced to seal themselves off using these monolithic-like structures called “walls.” The walls, being larger than skyscrapers, have become the only defense against the Titans. As of the present day, humanity has yet to see a breach in the walls in over a century. However, this semi-peaceful lifestyle changes one day when a colossal Titan appears out of thin air and destroys the walls, allowing chaos to ensue.
“Attack on Titan” is a show that isn’t afraid to take risks; it’s bloody, horrific and disgustingly good. The show stars one Eren Jaeger and his struggles against the Titans. He takes it upon himself to redeem humanity and take revenge, hence the title “Attack on Titan.” From its original Spring 2013 release, “Attack on Titan” has seen critical acclaim from all sides of the spectrum. Whether one was into anime or not, the show became known as a “gateway” into the medium.
Despite its mature themes, Titan still easily accessible to anyone willing to watch. It begins strong and gripping and has an atmosphere that promotes a mix of tension and horror. This, however, is somewhat hindered by the slow-moving plot-line, which starts off really well, but struggles to maintain that flow as the show progresses. “Titan” has the tendency to show off with bits of fast-paced action in one part, to sluggish and boring episode long conversations in another. This dulls down the excitement the show generates significantly.
Despite this, “Titan” still has a solid foundation in setting and aesthetic appeal, generating a lot of hype for the show in the west and other places outside of Japan due to the easy to pronounce German-sounding names (i.e: Eren Jaeger) and European medieval setting. Along with a beautiful art style and immersive action scenes, “Titan” deserves all the hype it has received. Over a year since the first season concluded, the series spawned a live-action film, several OVAs, two compilation films, an English dub on Adult Swim and the potential for a second season. The popularity of the show even increased the sales of the manga, which happened to sell over 28 million volumes in Japan, as of 2013. “Attack on Titan” is an exciting and gripping tale of humanity’s struggles against the unknown, and it is highly recommended.
