Attack on Titan
- To You, 2000 Years From Now -
Hot damn.
good god the OP is so good.
Set in what could aptly be called a dystopian world, humanity lives in constant fear of the massive Titan’s. They devour whomever they come across, human standing nary a chance. For the past century however, the people have lived safely within the confines of three massive walls, keeping the Titans at bay. However as humanity grows complacent in the lull of security, a Titan far larger than the rest arrives. The people can only watch as their wall crumbles before them along with the rest of their lives.
I’m always excited for adaptations of manga I enjoy. More often than not, that excitement is shot down in misery. Yet every time, without fault, a new announcement brings about new joy. Shingeki no Kyojin was a little different. The initial teaser image, the first trailer, they got me thrilled, ecstatic! But more than anything, I was worried that they’d screw up what has turned out to be one of my favorite manga of recent times, since I really freakin’ love this comic. I want to see this adaptation do what Magi’s didn’t, I truly want the source material to be done justice.
It’s good. It’s really really good.
The grueling atmosphere makes this every bit of a “cruel world” as it should be. It’s harrowing and brutal. From the losses humanity suffers, we get a real sense of danger, and from the Titans themselves, we get an unnerving fear of these beasts. They creep right into that delightful uncanny valley territory, where the obvious humanness accentuates any bit of them that is clearly NOT human. The studio really nailed it with the soldier Hannes; a look at a Titan, one who has the most genuinely dreadful grin plastered on it’s face, from up close was all it took to move him from being super confident to absolutely terrified. A great deal of that atmosphere comes from not rushing the pace, I felt like. It took it’s time. Let the viewer get comfortable with the setting. Gave us a view of the main characters, the society they live in, displaying bits and pieces of the gearwork of the town, the world. Build-up and set-up. So when the actual horror begins, it’s all the more effective when that world comes crashing down.
I can’t actually get over how impressed I am. This, just on a technical level, is impressive. It’s visually stunning, with fluid movement where it matters and when it doesn’t, the scenery and details make themselves known. The result is something that looks great, and is a sign that they’re very well aware of their budget. They’re taking the steps to make the entire two cour run keep up the same level of production, which is one of the most relieving things to know. The music is bona fide quality too, with grandiose tracks for the enormity of the devastation. It’s very bold and strong, yet when it needs to be, also a little unsettling.
Man. This is just. I just enjoyed this immensely. I’ll totes blog this, there’s no way I couldn’t talk about something that makes me this happy. My grin is as wide as a Titan’s. (⊙‿⊙✿)
