Reviews Manga / Attack On Titan

^This is all subjective of course

"The soldiers getting scared about actually having to fight Titans when they trained for that"

Being trained for it won't mean much if you actually confront the several meter tall, mindless, regenerating monstrosities. Especially since a lot of them never actually saw a titan until they're already trained to fight one.

"There are 50 meter Colossal Titans in the wall? Are you serious?"

And what kind of foreshadowing would elude to that that stops short of "there's titans in the walls!"?

"How come only Levi and Mikasa can get kills on titans but everyone else has to burn their asses off to even get a scratch?"

Because they're naturally better and all-around more skilled? Not hard to understand.

"Eren was better off without the titan powers"

He would have DIED without the titan powers.

"They actually expect us to care about forgettable supporting characters."

"Forgettable"? Now I just plain disagree.

"The soldiers getting scared about actually having to fight Titans when they trained for that"

Being trained for it won't mean much if you actually confront the several meter tall, mindless, regenerating monstrosities. Especially since a lot of them never actually saw a titan until they're already trained to fight one.

"There are 50 meter Colossal Titans in the wall? Are you serious?"

And what kind of foreshadowing would elude to that that stops short of "there's titans in the walls!"?

"How come only Levi and Mikasa can get kills on titans but everyone else has to burn their asses off to even get a scratch?"

Because they're naturally better and all-around more skilled? Not hard to understand.

"Eren was better off without the titan powers"

He would have DIED without the titan powers.

"They actually expect us to care about forgettable supporting characters."

"Forgettable"? Now I just plain disagree.

Well I did say this was subjective.

1. I realize he would have died without the titan powers but if it had more foreshadowing I would have accepted it more.

2. I realize Levi and Mikasa are very skilled but the others were in the TOP TEN for pete's sake.

3. Ummm....some of them have seen a titan before and they are still crying like little girls when they are going to get eaten. In one of the later manga chapters, some dude who was said to 2nd to only Levi cried like a little girl when he was going to get eaten by a titan.

4. They are pretty forgettable IMO. Most of them have no backstories and they barely get any screentime. A prime example is Levi's squad. We barely know anything about them to make the audience even care about them at all.

5. Reread the review to see what foreshadowing would give us a hint of there being colossal titans in the wall.

I don't mean any disrespect of course. =)

"I realize he would have died without the titan powers but if it had more foreshadowing I would have accepted it more."

Fair enough.

"I realize Levi and Mikasa are very skilled but the others were in the TOP TEN for pete's sake."

Top ten of many soon-to-be dead soldiers. Lets not forget that some have already died, are not active fighters, or have gotten decent titan kills.

"some of them have seen a titan before and they are still crying like little girls when they are going to get eaten. In one of the later manga chapters, some dude who was said to 2nd to only Levi cried like a little girl when he was going to get eaten by a titan."

So you're saying that if you were about to get eaten, bitten, and devoured by a huge monster, you wouldn't be scared?

"Most of them have no backstories and they barely get any screentime."

A *memorable* character only needs a few seconds to make an impression.

"Reread the review to see what foreshadowing would give us a hint of there being colossal titans in the wall."

Yes, but you seem to forget that we still don't know much about the titans in the walls and we've only seen their faces. It's also easy to assume that the wall literally isn't made from titans, obviously there has to be parts that are just brick and sticks.

Grammar and structure issues are distracting, but they don't really reflect on the statements made. However, several of the statements are objectively wrong, which severely weakens the review.

It was well established that titans could be crippled by targeting joints and tendons.

Many of the Survey Corps are seen handling the titans on a level headed basis, most prominently those seen planning and executing attacks on the female titan before reaching the forest. It's not even close to nearly every one of them.

As Eren bitterly noted later, he might have been successful if he had acted when everyone was still alive and there to support him, rather than waiting and ending up in a 1 on 1 fistfight with someone he did not know knew his fighting style. Levi's point, that the future is unknowable, is also unharmed by his loss.

The Colossal and Armored Titans both attacked gates, not walls, gates constructed by humans, and stated in advance to be the weak points due to that. It had also been brought up that no one had any idea how the walls were built, and that there were multiple mysteries about them.

The characters you believe to be forgettable were not intended to be forgettable. If you found them so, fine, but you're adding an unnecessary strawman.

Yes, the titans are intended to be comedic. That's part of the horror, like a dancing grinning clown that's going to butcher you with a knife.

With the factual errors and ignorance of intent, I see no reason to favorably consider this review.

Grammar and structure issues are distracting, but they don't really reflect on the statements made. However, several of the statements are objectively wrong, which severely weakens the review.

It was well established that titans could be crippled by targeting joints and tendons.

Many of the Survey Corps are seen handling the titans on a level headed basis, most prominently those seen planning and executing attacks on the female titan before reaching the forest. It's not even close to nearly every one of them.

As Eren bitterly noted later, he might have been successful if he had acted when everyone was still alive and there to support him, rather than waiting and ending up in a 1 on 1 fistfight with someone he did not know knew his fighting style. Levi's point, that the future is unknowable, is also unharmed by his loss.

The Colossal and Armored Titans both attacked gates, not walls, gates constructed by humans, and stated in advance to be the weak points due to that. It had also been brought up that no one had any idea how the walls were built, and that there were multiple mysteries about them.

The characters you believe to be forgettable were not intended to be forgettable. If you found them so, fine, but you're adding an unnecessary strawman.

Yes, the titans are intended to be comedic. That's part of the horror, like a dancing grinning clown that's going to butcher you with a knife.

With the factual errors and ignorance of intent, I see no reason to favorably consider this review.

While I do very much agree that this series is mediocre at best in immensely flawed (though calling it mediocre is lenient in my opinion), I kinda had to stop reading for a little while when I read "Mikasa is a well-developed character". I'm sorry to you and her fans, but I haven't watched one scene of her that didn't come off as an almost regressive sense of one-dimensional co-dependent fixation on a character with a sense of self-growth that was practically averted by the early deus ex titan-o-morphing. An acquaintance on tumblr put it right when they said that in terms of strength, Mikasa really only embodies statistical strength, not character strength. It's like you said about other characters though, her backstory's understandable, but it's played to a cripplingly cliche'd portrayal that I don't think it's anything worth calling development, let alone is she some sort of paragon of gender empowerment—I'd argue she's one of the most sexist portrayals in this series. Mako Mori is the kind of character who Mikasa is mistaken for being imho.

I'm not convinced that the Titans were ever intentionally comedic (no moreso than anything else with their merchandise anyway), just an intentional uncanny valley. First off, not only do they fail at all comedic value considering the show still tries to put on its pretentiously grim premise, but the tastelessly blatant attempt at the uncanny valley for offset value results in a figurative pratfall, because the show still expects them to not only be taken seriously, but to be seen as original when all we're dealing with are basically just Humongous Mecha made out of flesh and bone. When the only titan that's any scary at all is the HERO, then something's gone terribly wrong, but I do give credit to the series for apparently trying to work something into the story to that approach.

Donny KD:

-I understand that they are soon to be dead soldiers. But Mikasa and Levi do this almost effortlessly sometimes to the point that they could probably take on all the titans by themselves.

So you're saying that if you were about to get eaten, bitten, and devoured by a huge monster, you wouldn't be scared?

-Yeah I would probably run for my life. But that's beyond the point, the soldiers TRAINED for this and it never crossed their minds (especially the survey corps) that they would get eaten at least once? And please do not say that this question is relevant because this series is realistic. Because then I only have to remind you about how Levi took down the Female Titan (practically by himself I might add) in the most unrealistic way possible.

A *memorable* character only needs a few seconds to make an impression.

-Yeah but I have seen this done better in countless other shows and they were developed better too.

Yes, but you seem to forget that we still don't know much about the titans in the walls and we've only seen their faces. It's also easy to assume that the wall literally isn't made from titans, obviously there has to be parts that are just brick and sticks.

-I'm aware of that, but why the heck hasn't there at least been a foot that fell off? Plus it seems like they are falling into the trend of making everything a titan to make things more interesting.

Westrim:

Grammar and structure issues are distracting, but they don't really reflect on the statements made. However, several of the statements are objectively wrong, which severely weakens the review.

-Yeah the structure is pretty weird but I don't really see any grammar errors besides the fact that I use way too many quotation marks.

It was well established that titans could be crippled by targeting joints and tendons.

-I can count on one hand how many times this was used (Levi's Asspull doesn't count.

Many of the Survey Corps are seen handling the titans on a level headed basis, most prominently those seen planning and executing attacks on the female titan before reaching the forest. It's not even close to nearly every one of them.

-Fair enough but look at my above example and that doesn't explain Hannes and how NOBODY did anything during the Fall of Shiganshina arc when there were clearly some people there. Plus the Survey Corps were there, why didn't they at least show them DOING something?

As Eren bitterly noted later, he might have been successful if he had acted when everyone was still alive and there to support him, rather than waiting and ending up in a 1 on 1 fistfight with someone he did no know knew his fighting style. Levi's point, that the future is unknowable, is also unharmed by his loss.

-Eren was TRAINED by Annie. Didn't he have a sense of her fighting style?

The Colossal and Armored Titans both attacked gates, not walls, gates constructed by humans, and stated in advance to be the weak points due to that. It had also been brought up that no one had any idea how the walls were built, and that there were multiple mysteries about them.

-The Armored Titan broke through the gate. The Colossal Titan made a HOLE IN THE WALL. Perfect chance for foreshadowing if you ask me.

The characters you believe to be forgettable were not intended to be forgettable. If you found them so, fine, but you're adding an unnecessary strawman.

-How is that unnecessary? This review is my opinion and if I feel this way I can put it. If you don't agree then fine. But whatever I feel is important to mention then I can mention it (unless it's something EXTREMELY minor). Plus to support this, I can count on one hand the names of the people I know that died in this manga (some characters do not count since their names were listed on the very first page of the manga like in most shonen but that doesn't excuse the characters that get introduced in one manga and die the next). This series gives such short introductions for these characters that it's hard to care about them when they die.

Yes, the titans are intended to be comedic. That's part of the horror, like a dancing grinning clown that's going to butcher you with a knife.

-These titans are way too comedic that most of the time I couldn't take them seriously. Examples: Running Titan in Trost, the Moe titan (yes there was a Moe titan) that was going to eat Sasha, All the titans going to eat Annie in Titan Form, etc.

With the factual errors and ignorance of intent, I see no reason to favorably consider this review.

-Well this is subjective and at least you explained your reasons so I'm thankful for that.

Blood Raw Knuckle:

While I do very much agree that this series is mediocre at best in immensely flawed (though calling it mediocre is lenient in my opinion), I kinda had to stop reading for a little while when I read "Mikasa is a well-developed character". I'm sorry to you and her fans, but I haven't watched one scene of her that didn't come off as an almost regressive sense of one-dimensional co-dependent fixation on a character with a sense of self-growth that was practically averted by the early deus ex titan-o-morphing. An acquaintance on tumblr put it right when they said that in terms of strength, Mikasa really only embodies statistical strength, not character strength. It's like you said about other characters though, her backstory's understandable, but it's played to a cripplingly cliche'd portrayal that I don't think it's anything worth calling development, let alone is she some sort of paragon of gender empowerment—I'd argue she's one of the most sexist portrayals in this series. Mako Mori is the kind of character who Mikasa is mistaken for being imho.

-..........................................................................I will now edit this review.

I'm not convinced that the Titans were ever intentionally comedic (no moreso than anything else with their merchandise anyway), just an intentional uncanny valley. First off, not only do they fail at all comedic value considering the show still tries to put on its pretentiously grim premise, but the tastelessly blatant attempt at the uncanny valley for offset value results in a figurative pratfall, because the show still expects them to not only be taken seriously, but to be seen as original when all we're dealing with are basically just Humongous Mecha made out of flesh and bone. When the only titan that's any scary at all is the HERO, then something's gone terribly wrong, but I do give credit to the series for apparently trying to work something into the story to that approach.

-Personally, I thought the titan running like a retard across Trost was just hilarious but comedy is subjective. And yeah Eren is the only one that looks even remotely scary and the Uncanny Valley attempt was way too comedic to even be taken seriously.

when all we're dealing with are basically just Humongous Mecha made out of flesh and bone.

-NeonGenenesisEvangelion

• ^Wow fail....

Everything you mentioned is actually justified if you open your eyes a little wider.

• Why didn't the Survey Corps handle Shiganshina? They just came back from an expedition and were FUBAR and were half way back to Trost. What manpower they had left could not save Shiganshina.
• Mikasa and Levi are almost inhuman due to their traumatic histories. Levi is explained in the manga. They are not like the others, who, as much as you want them to be idealized, are teenage humans.
• The entire premise of the show is not knowing. If you're criticizing a series for its base premise, you're missing the point.
• If Eren had defeated the Female Titan in his fit of vengeance, THAT would have been cliched.
• Subjective does not excuse objective mistakes. That makes you look ignorant.

If you keep comparing a series to another, you'll be disappointed every time, I promise you. This series isn't for you, and that's fine, but please try to think your review through better.

superdawge:

Why didn't the Survey Corps handle Shiganshina? They just came back from an expedition and were FUBAR and were half way back to Trost. What manpower they had left could not save Shiganshina.

-Fair enough. I thought they had at least a few men left, sorry about that misunderstanding.

Mikasa and Levi are almost inhuman due to their traumatic histories. Levi is explained in the manga. They are not like the others, who, as much as you want them to be idealized, are teenage humans.

-Being close to inhuman has nothing to do with your skill on killing titans (at least it shouldn't. Unless having a Dark and Troubled Past can give you super strength or something). Just look at Eren. He can't do anything without his titan powers and his mom was eaten by the titans.

It should however, in my opinion at least, have something to do with their decisions (which admittedly is clearly shown with Levi but barely shown with Mikasa who is only concerned about protecting Eren)

The entire premise of the show is not knowing. If you're criticizing a series for its base premise, you're missing the point.

-Well it is in the premise but isn't the main premise to kill titans?

If Eren had defeated the Female Titan in his fit of vengeance, THAT would have been cliched.

-Eren was always cliched tbh (understandably of course but did he have to be so cliche?) but I feel that this would have been better instead of pulling a Diabolus ex Machina (Didn't Eren train with Annie a few times? Shouldn't he get a sense of her fighting style)

Subjective does not excuse objective mistakes. That makes you look ignorant.

-I was actually referring to how he felt about the review not the mistakes.....sorry for looking ignorant though.

If you keep comparing a series to another, you'll be disappointed every time, I promise you. This series isn't for you, and that's fine, but please try to think your review through better.

-Are you referring to the Neon Genesis Evangelion thing? I was joking on that part when he was referring to the titans basically being Humongous Mecha with flesh and bone (which I honestly feel is....sorta false but...). And for comparing a series to another, I know I will be disappointed every time but I have a habit of doing so anyways. And I do realize I need to think my review through better since I did kinda rush to do this review.

>asspulls

...I don't think you understand what an asspull is. Fair enough, Eren being able to control Titans is easily an asspull given that it has no foreshadowing or link to a past incident as of now. But Eren being able to shift WAS. We already knew that Grisha injected him with something, but we didn't know what that something did. Or else, what would have been the point of that scene? If you couldn't make that link, why didn't you mention that scene and how out of place it should have seemed to you?

And Levi being able to hold his own against the Female Titan, since he's already been established as Humanity's Strongest Soldier doesn't at all count as an ass pull.

>titans in the wall and Armored Titan

Obviously, he knew to hit an area of the wall where there was a gap inbetween the Titans.

>The entire choice thing when Eren was fighting the Female Titan. Let me explain, if Eren was saying that he made the wrong choice by not turning into a titan and saving Petra and the others (I dunno who the rest are) then he should have taken down the Female Titan quickly. This is to show how much of a mistake it was (missed chance for Character Development). He should not have LOST ANYWAYS which completely loses the entire effect of "making the wrong choice"

Dude, there was an ENTIRE FIGHT between the two and it was clear that Eren was less skilled than the Female Titan. And it doesn't diminish the fact that he made the wrong choice— what happens afterwards is ALL part of the string of consequences of his decision.

>Well it is in the premise but isn't the main premise to kill titans?

This shows how much you understand the series. And by that, I mean you don't quite understand the series that well.

>[...]but I feel that this would have been better instead of pulling a Diabolus ex Machina (Didn't Eren train with Annie a few times? Shouldn't he get a sense of her fighting style)

No amount of fighting style knowledge is going to save you from getting your block literally knocked off by a unpredictably fast punch.

I need to chime in on this notion of things about Eren being Asspulls. This has two glaring flaws.

First, its quite wrong. Eren is foreshadowed in Chapter 1 (the basement mystery) and Chapter 3 (has his first vision of the forest injection) so literally everything about it has been there since the beginning. We were also told by Grisha in Chapter 10 that Eren has memory loss. This alone sets up Eren for just about anything, because he has yet to be explained and is fumbling in the dark. Further more the Female Titan AND the Beast Titan both displayed an ability to control Titans, and the Female Titan also shows off the variation in Titan Shifter special abilities. Next Reiner first mentions the "Coordinate" in Chapter 47 before Eren displays it. So it is far from out of nowhere, not that its so obvious you should have seen it coming either.

Second and far far FAR more importantly this is not a Fair Play Whodunnit and is not required to be by anything but sheer arrogant opinion of Tropes Are Bad. Indeed as far as Attack on Titan goes its rather a central theme that "you don't have all the information, and something you believe is true is fatally wrong" starting with humanity's illusion of safety as an experimental subject inside a cage. This is a story where you should expect game changing events to come out with regularity and only maybe be discernible from foreshadowing when you know what the answer is. The Beast Titan wasn't foreshadowed for one and the entire arc runs on "what the hell is happening" though you might have guessed that all Titans used to be humans. This is a show about such mysteries and while we can maybe make some educated WA Gs about it, we still barely know anything.

Complaining about sudden shocking revelations is not a valid opinion... its missing the entire point of the story.

seg162:

1. You CANNOT tell me that the way Levi took down the Female Titan was not an Asspull. The way he took her down was not only unrealistic (minor complaint I know) it also didn't make much sense (how the heck did he go that fast without gas? And if I remember correctly he barely used the manuvering gear too. So....how?)

2. Obviously, he knew to hit an area of the wall where there was a gap in between the Titans. -Unless it is revealed that the titans are somehow involved with the wall cult then my opinion still stands.

3. Dude, there was an ENTIRE FIGHT between the two and it was clear that Eren was less skilled than the Female Titan. And it doesn't diminish the fact that he made the wrong choice— what happens afterwards is ALL part of the string of consequences of his decision. -Yeah like failing to curve his punches after PINNING THE FEMALE TITAN ON THE GROUND!!!

4. No amount of fighting style knowledge is going to save you from getting your block literally knocked off by a unpredictably fast punch. - Unless if you had curved your punches when you pinned the female titan on the ground instead of punching straight.

gs:

1. The foreshadowing you mentioned was kinda small to reveal something this huge..

2. Complaining about sudden shocking revelations is not a valid opinion... its missing the entire point of the story. - I guess that is true.....

Just to make things clear I don't think this series is terrible. I just think it has flaws.

1) I will tell you that it was not an asspull— it's a testament of his skill.

2) That part of the story is still developing, but to begin with, the Wall Cult already knows stuff about the Titans, starting with the fact that the Titans were in the wall.

3/4) How intuitive is it to curve your punches? Not to mention that it's irrelevant by the time that he gets his block knocked off.