For the longest time, I didn’t get the hype behind Attack on Titan. On the surface, it just looks like a gore-fueled, post-apocalyptic world with giant, scary monsters.
Due to a slew of recommendations, though, I decided to watch an episode here and there, hoping that I would eventually grow to understand the fever most fans have for the series.
Before I knew it, I was all aboard the hype train, emotionally invested in the characters and the unique story Attack on Titan offers. Even a lot of the issues that cropped up at the start of the show soon became reasons I ended up loving it.Â
We are just (hopefully) a few weeks away from the series’ final season, so if you haven’t watched the show yet, check out the following reasons you need to binge-watch every episode of Attack on Titan right now.
Fight Animations
Though I don’t enjoy gore, I can’t deny that even when I didn’t get the love for Attack on Titan, I knew that the animation was breathtaking. From the Titans’ sheer scope to the methods soldiers would use to combat them, fight sequences were always a highlight.
That statement goes double for any Levi scene, especially when he gets to let loose with ODM (Omni-directional mobility gear). The creativity that goes into the camera shots and sakuga during these scenes is top-class animation.
Even if you don’t end up watching the series in its entirety, you at least owe it to yourself to watch the characters traverse the environments like spider-men, as it is pretty awesome.
Character Development (Especially Eren)
It is easy to forget at the outset of Attack on Titan that the majority of the characters in the spotlight are barely even teenagers. As such, they are prone to being whiny, scared, and incredibly stupid.Â
Just about every episode, I found myself shaking my head at the decisions Armin, Eren, or the droves of titan-fodder supporting characters made that put them in avoidable situations.
Over time, though, each character grows a distinct personality, offering a particular skill set that is vital to the war against the Titans. Even the antagonists get ample screentime, making the conflict between each side that much more compelling.
I’m especially impressed with Eren’s growth, as he evolves from a cliche, overpowered, annoying anime protagonist to a complex and flawed main character.
Continuity and Foreshadowing
One of my biggest problems with the start of Attack on Titan is that it felt like the story wasn’t really going anywhere. There were a few cool developments, but there was so much of the overarching narrative missing for the most part.
As always, patience is a virtue, as the latter half of the series delivers a lot of amazing continuity and foreshadowing.
Parts of the show that seemed like odd lines of dialogue or conflicting character motivations eventually pay dividends. There are so many obscure moments that don’t make sense when they occur that end up being mind-blowing when finally given context.
The bonkers planning that goes into the story, and thus its continuity and foreshadowing, lead into the next topic: plot twists.
Plot Twists
Now, I know it’s a taboo in entertainment to say that something has a twist, as the sheer notion that you should expect a twist ruins the surprise.
With that being said, there are enough twists and turns in Attack on Titan that you can’t possibly predict every one of them. Whether it is the first season or the most recent one, you can expect something you didn’t expect to happen pretty damn often.
What is even more impressive is that these abrupt surprises build-off each other, eventually coming together to reveal an interwoven tapestry of connective twists that leave you questioning everything.
Published: Sep 10, 2020 01:38 pm