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Posted by: Iz♀ Mar 31 2017, 06:07 PM

What is Attack On Titan?

A fantasy story about a society that lives in a medieval world with a big imposing wall keeping something incredibly scary and out to destroy humans out. Except not THAT one. This is set in a world where humanity lives encircled by this wall, well, three walls, and outside of the walls roam huge man-eating giants, known as titans. At the start of the story, however, the titans break through the walls and start wreaking havoc in the first circle of humanity's available living space, forcing a fight for survival and political upheaval as citizens living in the outer walls are forced into the inner walls.

The anime has been very critically acclaimed and the latest few episodes are currently sitting at the highest points of IMdB, right alongside highlights from Game Of Thrones, Breaking Bad and Chernobyl. So it's the best of the best. I might be making some hints here. The first season was released in 2013 with 24 episodes, and was so popular that despite no initial plans for a season 2, it was eventually followed up in 2017, with a Season 3 airing in both 2018 and 2019.

Where to watch?

Netflix UK has I believe the first season, so anyone looking to start it can at least try it out. The later seasons are currently only on Crunchyroll or Funimation, anime-focused streaming sites, but Crunchyroll at least can be watched without subscribing (you just have to be content with ads and lower quality).

Spoilers?

Yes, yes, yes and double yes. Do not search anything about this series if you aren't caught up, Youtube titles of nearly anything connected to the series are awful for this, even soundtracks. This thread is compiled (at creation) from posts in the Anime thread solely related to it, and most spoilers are hidden behind black boxes (and DON'T HIGHLIGHT THOSE) but be careful, particularly as part of the reason for this creation is so it can be discussed without filling the Anime thread itself with spoilerific discussion.

Also, go watch it already if that Game Of Thrones hole in your life needs filling.

*The Japanese title Shingeki No Kyojin means 'Attack Of The Giants' which is more accurate than 'Attack On Titan' but somehow not as catchy.

Posted by: Iz♀ Apr 2 2017, 07:40 PM

Attack On Titan Season 2 has started!

I can hardly believe it's here but yay! And it's not disappointed, the episode that just got released has been the first episode of anime for a long time where I've actually felt fear, and I thought I was numb to what AoT had to offer too.

Posted by: Brétt-Butler Apr 2 2017, 08:44 PM

Yeah, the last few minutes of that episode really disturbed me in a way I haven't felt in a long time. I was worried that the delay between the two series of 4 years (during which AoT became an undeniable global sensation) would blunt the impact of the series, but no, it was even more impactful. And it looks like we'll be finding out the answer to quite a few of the mysteries that were seeded in the first series too.

Posted by: Brett-Butler May 6 2017, 06:17 PM

So, that last episode of Attack on Titan. All I can say is...wow.

Posted by: Envoirment May 6 2017, 06:41 PM

Can't wait to watch AoT once it's finished. I've read a lot of the manga, so will be interesting to see how well the adaptation is for the second season. Looking at reviews, it shouldn't disappoint!

Posted by: Iz~ May 6 2017, 08:53 PM

Quite. I'd had my suspicions but it was still a shock to see them say it and so casually as well. I've been liking the focus on Historia and the other non-main characters up to now with the show but this was much more tense and I'm going to have to rewatch the first season at some point or another with all the knowledge of what's going to happen now, see how many clues I can pick up.

Posted by: Iz~ May 20 2019, 12:01 PM

Other note: Attack On Titan S3 (Part 2 (just call it S4, for god's sakes)) is really high-quality right now. Caught up to the last two episodes this morning and I was so gripped in the first half of the episode where they revealed how Marco died. And the amount of characters in danger or dying in the situation at Zhiganshina plus it being so close to the mystery being revealed, I'm glad something is staying now Game Of Thrones is gone for Monday mornings, for the next few weeks anyway.

Posted by: Iz~ May 28 2019, 04:28 AM

a) I almost want to try and split AoT discussion out into its own thread because it so deserves it

and

b) the latest episode has gone straight into the top 10 TV episodes of ALL-TIME on iMDb, for a brief moment, it was at the top. And having just watched it, that's not even hyperbole, absolutely phenomenal TV

Posted by: Brett-Butler May 29 2019, 06:23 PM

a) do it, and if it fades, it fades,

and


b) I can definitely see why. I really hope that Armin isn't dead, although AoT hasn't been scared to permanently kill off prominent characters before.

Posted by: Iz~ May 31 2019, 04:13 AM

Done. New thread hype.

But yes, I am so ready for more, I wasn't like this in the first half of Season 3, but that was a lot slower and the current arc is all hype. Seriously can't wait for the next episode though.

(heavy spoilers for last episode)
I kind of want Armin to be dead because that's such a glorious narrative way to go out, we'll remember him far more if this is his last act. The only way he can survive that for me would be appropriate is if they use the Beast Titan's body to make him into a Titan, but Levi could also do that for Erwin. Either Erwin or Armin will be dead though, I'm pretty sure. Then again, I was almost certain that they'd just callously killed off Hange a few episodes ago.

Posted by: Iz~ Jun 3 2019, 05:07 PM

very, very significant episode. And a great one, all hinging on a moral choice, letting the dust settle a bit after last week.

things will never be the same again now. I wasn't sure for most of the episode whether Levi was going to end up choosing Armin or Erwin to save, and though the choice he did make makes a lot of sense now I think about it, I loved how reflective it was, how each character put forward their reasons for it, and finally, the very quiet nature of it all at the end of the episode as two major characters die.

Series that contrast their high-energy moments with these low-energy, cerebral episodes are incredible.

Posted by: Brett-Butler Jun 3 2019, 08:02 PM

Even if the character is villainous, watching them get eaten by a Titan sends the chills down me every time. As I suspected, they wouldn't let Armin die, but will be interesting to see how the dynamic among the main trio changes now that he has Titan powers.

And finally next week, it looks like we'll get the reveal we've all been waiting for since episode one - what is in the basement?

Posted by: Envoirment Jun 8 2019, 02:42 PM

I really cannot wait to start watching the latest season. I've had a few distractions recently anime-wise, but will try to finally start going through it this weekend.

Posted by: Iz~ Jun 11 2019, 12:37 AM

That walk through Shiganshina was so beautifully directed, I was crying, really brings home everything the whole show has been about for Eren/Mikasa/Armin, what they've lost, subtle and quiet.

And then (basement spoilers) I can honestly say that I didn't see that coming in the slightest and I feel so pleased I managed to avoid that little reveal, the reveal about the photograph! That didn't disappoint, in fact it throws a new light on nearly everything Can't wait to see where it goes from here.

Also:

Which means Season 4 confirmed to be happening. No word on WIT Studio, who have said that Season 3 will be the last they animate, which is a loss. However, best case scenario would be production just moving over to Production I.G., which WIT is just a subsidiary of and would probably have many of the same team members. This season has really blown it out of the park in every possible way, not least the animation, so I hope that's the case.

Posted by: Brett-Butler Jun 11 2019, 07:13 PM

To say that this episode is a game-changer would be an understatement. We now know that a) there are people who live outside of the walls, and b) they possess technology that is much advanced than the world that the protagonists think that they live in, which begs the question: have the residents of the Walls been purposely put there by somebody, and left ignorant about the true nature of the world? If so, for what purpose?

Posted by: Envoirment Jun 13 2019, 10:20 PM

I've just caught up to the current season and wow, there's so many things to take in. Marco's death being shown was beyond tragic. The choice of Erwin vs Armin - that was beautifully done. Bertholdt finally being killed and Armin becoming a titan. The truth that there is a world beyond the walls, more advanced than that behind the walls. Levi cutting down the beast titan. Hange reappearing after being thought dead, to have Mikasa incapacitate Reiner. Who is that four legged intelligent titan who saved the beast titan/Reiner? Mikasa and Eren walking through the streets to the basement... another beautiful scene in the midst of such chaos and devastation. I've teared up multiple times in the 7 episodes of this season thus far... If the series remains like this until the ending epiosde, I honestly believe it'll be one of the most well executed seasons of an anime series. Superb.

Posted by: Iz~ Jun 19 2019, 02:27 AM

Some conversation going out on Twitter about this Polygon article. https://www.polygon.com/2019/6/18/18683609/attack-on-titan-fascist-nationalist-isayama-hajime-manga-anime?utm_campaign=polygon&utm_content=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

Going in might have found some manga spoilers though I'm not sure of their significance (hence not even sure if I found any, that's just a warning), but with the detail in the latest episode about the true nature of the world, and how Eldians were in Jewish-esque ghettos, I get why the point is being raised, but my interpretation of it was the complete opposite, the current fascists, the Marleyians, are still the bad guys and the whole point is that people shouldn't be held accountable for the crimes of their ancestors, so the people we all sympathise with are against the fascists.

Spawned a new meme though, adjust this copypasta and somewhat ridiculous quote to whatever TV show, author and message you desire:

Posted by: Envoirment Jun 25 2019, 07:56 PM

Just caught up on the last couple episodes and they have fleshed out the story very nicely and added some much needed detail. I didn't expect the Eldia to be linked in such a way that memories could be shared. In fact it seems that memories can be shared across time as shown by The Owl talking about Mikasa and Armin?. Things are getting really interesting. I believe the next epsiode is the last of this season? I hope we won't have to wait too long for season 4.

Posted by: Iz~ Jul 2 2019, 12:08 AM

Show has finished with a beautiful beach scene, and a stage very well set for the final season, which has been announced to be coming in 2020.

Following it this year has absolutely been a blast, it's been perhaps one of the best seasons of TV I've ever seen, and I'm so glad it looks like it's going to be finishing on a high next year. <3

Posted by: Envoirment Jul 5 2019, 07:25 PM

The last episode was kind of heartbreaking and a great way to end the season. The fact that the freedom beyond sea doesn't exist puts everyone in a very challenging position, particularly Armin due to being revived over Erwin.

I am very excited for the final season and hope it'll be done just as beautifully as this season has been.

Posted by: Brett-Butler Jul 6 2019, 12:45 PM

It was a great ending to the season - although they finally saw the sea, learning more about the true extent of the world they live in has added a new impetus to their fight against the Titans. It's good that it now appears that the final season will match up to the soon-to-finish manga, so we won't get a Game of Thrones situation with the adaption, and it means that we'll get a finite conclusion to the series.

Posted by: Iz 💀 Feb 5 2021, 06:32 AM

Final season is airing now and I've just got around to starting it (8 episodes out, I've watched the first two). I think I'll catch up in no time at all, my original plan was to wait until the end and binge, but I figured seeing as it was trending on Twitter every week and I've sort of absorbed a couple of spoilers without even trying I needed to.

Going right in with a whole horrors of war angle, and the political situation of Marley set up to be this pre-WW1-esque power broker of the geopolitical situation is so great, particularly as the Eldians on the Marleyans' side have some major 'we're fighting to prove we're not like those other devil Eldians' trauma, that's a very complex and powerful situation they've set up. Also I'm impressed at how so far it's set somewhere completely different from the end of the last season but still manages to feel connected to the world and expanded it, I think this'll be a stunning finish.

(particularly as Isayama went on record as ing after the GoT finale so he's very aware not to fall into similar traps, and the show looks as beautiful as ever even after being transferred to a different studio)

Posted by: Iz 💀 Feb 5 2021, 02:59 PM

Easy to catch up as ever. Sasuga Shingeki.

Hell, this is good. Managed to even be briefly #1 on MyAnimeList (an incredible feat indeed as normally Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood stans spend their spare time giving 1/10s to any show that comes close to dethroning their favourite).

War is hell, makes murderers of us all. Incredible stuff with giving the first 4 episodes over to focus on what would otherwise be a faceless opponent and have us sympathise with kids like Gabi and Falco (and Reiner, especially Reiner), brainwashed by a hierarchy that hates them for existing though they are, especially when they inflict casualties, some quite severe ones, on the normal cast of heroes. All somehow, with so many loose strands prior to this season, fitting together so far almost perfectly as well.

Posted by: Envoirment Feb 22 2021, 08:33 PM

I can't wait to binge watch the final season. *_* 4 more weeks to go I believe!

Posted by: Iz 💀 Mar 29 2021, 11:38 AM

Final season... part 1 is finished! Final final part coming Winter 2022 (at least it'll hopefully give the animators enough time). Great 16 episodes, very different from previous seasons, some nice new characters (Pieck is a favourite) and lots of moral flip-flopping throughout.

essentially 3 sides going into the final battle(s), Reiner and the Marleyans, Eren and his Jaegerists, and I suppose anyone left from the other Eldians who would follow someone like Armin or Mikasa, morally I suppose the last would be the most supportable and likely to win but there's going to be a lot of pain before it gets to that point. Haven't read the manga but I believe that recently finished or is about to..