3 Reasons “Attack on Titan” Anime Blew Me Away.

February 27, 2014 in ANIMATION

ANIMATION – 3 Reasons “Attack on Titan” Anime Blew Me Away

3 Reasons Attack on Titan Anime Blew Me AwayIt’s no secret that I like anime.  I grew up watching it.  I think it’s one of the few sources for unique animated cartoons in the world.

The Japanese are not afraid to take risks when it comes to stories and genres in animation. Most of the time because the anime is based off of already successful Manga with huge fan bases.

When I start watching a new anime show or movie I’ve never seen or heard of, I watch it hoping for the best but expecting something mediocre of bad.  I’ve watched enough anime to know that there’s some pretty bad stuff out there.

Recently on Netflix, a new anime by the name of Attack on Titan came to my attention. It was recently released yet it had four stars.  This was quite surprising.

The title made it seem like it would be a science fiction story.  Maybe, it would take place in outer space.

I had to take care of holding Baby Gio at the time. I didn’t really have much to do since I had to hold and rock him to sleep, so I put the cartoon on to pass the time. Imagine my surprise when I was instantly gripped by this cartoon.

I’ve rarely been so enthralled so quickly.  Here’s the three reasons why this cartoon blue my mind:

1. It’s a Fantastic Premise

3 Reasons Attack on Titan Anime Blew Me Away 02This is NOT a cartoon about outer space like I thought it was. If anything, the title almost makes no sense.  It should have been called, “Attack on the Titans,” or “Attack of the Titans.”

It’s a fantasy story about the last of humanity and the giants who have all but wiped them out.

This isn’t your happy fairyland and magic type of fantasy, this is dark, dreadful, “we’re all going to die” kind of fantasy.

After a century of safety and peace behind these giant walls that protect humanity from the giants that have wiped out almost all humans, the giants manage to breach the first wall, thus starting humanity’s last stand.

It’s as intense as it sounds.

And the world building is really well done.

2. It’s Got Some Fantastic Cinematography

3 Reasons Attack on Titan Anime Blew Me Away 01One of the things that is just mindbogglingly good is the use of the camera in this cartoon.  It’s a hand drawn cartoon but uses CG backgrounds to move through the streets, following the soldiers as they do their thing.

Believe me when I say that what the soldiers do in this cartoon is very dynamic.

The cinematography adds a visceral flair that really builds the intensity of show. I can imagine how much duller this show would be with static cameras.

3. It’s Gripping

From the very first minute of this show, you’re hooked.  THIS is how to tell a story.  It’s truly gripping.

It’s one scary show.  Very intense.  Very creepy. Very suspenseful.

If you’ve watched the Battlestar Gallactica reboot from a few years back, you have a bit of an idea of the intensity of the situation the characters in this story are dealing with.  It’s a very similar premise.

And the giants in this show are really horrific.  The show goes out of it’s way to make you realize how awful these things are.  The are REALLY SCARY.  And humanity really doesn’t stand much of a chance against them.

You empathize with the protagonists right away, simply because their situation is so dire.

This is one of the reason the show is so gripping. On top of that, the story is so full of twists and turns, shows often end in these crazy cliff hangers. And just when you think things are finally going to be okay, they throw in another twist.

It’s brilliant.

Watch It

If you have Netflix streaming and you want a great, intense show and don’t mind reading subtitles, this is the a show you should watch.

I’ve watched a lot of anime, and they rarely grip you like this.  This show is obviously based on a manga series.  Now that I’ve watched the anime, I’m curious how much more story there is in the manga.

Have you seen this show?  If you have, what do you think? Do you agree?

Sound off in the comments below.

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