Attack on Titan: Shingeki no Kyojin

[Y]

Shingeki no Kyojin is a manga by Isayama Hajime, serialized in Kodansha's monthly "Bessatsu Shonen Magazine". Only starting publication a couple years ago, it won the Kodansha Award for Shounen manga in 2011, was nominated for a several others, and is reviewing/ranking extremely high. It is the #2-#3 best selling manga in Japan.

Mankind has been destroyed. The last remnants of humanity live in a single great city surrounded by walls fifty meters high. This is to protect them from the Titans who have destroyed human civilization - enormous, humanoid monsters who eat human flesh. The story follows several members of the military group tasked with defending the city from the Titans.

It's getting an anime adaptation soonish and a preview trailer just landed for it that I thought I'd share with you guys. When I say it looks a lot better than the manga I think I'm still selling it short.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKzmOh4SuBc

This is the Next Big Thing for you guys that don't read manga. This comic absolutely blew up in popularity almost as soon as it came out and 10 years from now will be spoken of the same way as Berserk. It's an unspeakably bleak portrayal of a narrowminded and futile humanity struggling to eke out a pitiful existence against impossible odds. The only problem with the manga was the frequently lackluster art, a problem which has apparently been more than rectified in the adaptation.

Also the title translates more literally to "Advance of the Giants" which is a way better title than "Attack on Titan" but whatever!

[Ryllharu]

Looks sick.

Since I somehow hadn't heard of this prior, I'll have to grab the manga now.

[MFauli]

That´s going to be a movie, not a weekly series, right?

Anyway, lookgs really intriguing, but you´re setting expectations too high, Y, when you draw the BERSERK-comparison. Let´s discuss stuff like that after its airing, I´d say.

[Y]

That´s going to be a movie, not a weekly series, right?

Anyway, lookgs really intriguing, but you´re setting expectations too high, Y, when you draw the BERSERK-comparison. Let´s discuss stuff like that after its airing, I´d say.

It's a TV series.

I've read the manga. I'm not being hyperbolic. Frankly the only superlatively written Berserk arc is the Golden Age anyway, but I intend to draw more of a thematic comparison.

[Kraco]

The manga is good, that's true. I also read a long time ago it was predicted to be the next big thing, but perhaps I've just seen too much shounen to be able to judge anymore, personally. Still, the setting is really interesting, the main characters kick ass, and people die when they are supposed to die, so I'm certainly looking forward to seeing it animated. Let's hope it won't be unnecessarily censored because gruesome violence is somewhat essential to the atmosphere.

Edit: After being notified about it, while I called this shounen, I'm not entirely sure it is. But it has some core elements that generally remind me of shounen hero growing up stories. So, I'm not going to edit it out. Shounen has changed over the years, maybe this is more like it was back in the day.

[Y]

The manga is good, that's true. I also read a long time ago it was predicted to be the next big thing, but perhaps I've just seen too much shounen to be able to judge anymore, personally. Still, the setting is really interesting, the main characters kick ass, and people die when they are supposed to die, so I'm certainly looking forward to seeing it animated. Let's hope it won't be unnecessarily censored because gruesome violence is somewhat essential to the atmosphere.

Edit: After being notified about it, while I called this shounen, I'm not entirely sure it is. But it has some core elements that generally remind me of shounen hero growing up stories. So, I'm not going to edit it out. Shounen has changed over the years, maybe this is more like it was back in the day.

Well I mean it's published in a magazine with "Shounen" in the title, but I think most people use the term to pidgeonhole something.

[Ryllharu]

Still, the setting is really interesting, the main characters kick ass, and people die when they are supposed to diePeople die if they are killed?

:o

[animus]

Yeah, I'm following this manga too and it really is fucking good. I don't praise many things nowadays, but this really deserves the praise.

[shinta|hikari]

Finally, finally.

Mikasa, I have been waiting for you for ages.

This has a great concept, very good mystery, a crap ton of violence, and freaking bad ass characters. The only thing the manga lacks is more of itself.

[Y]

Now with HD trailer.

The release date for this show is April 2013. No info on whether it's a short series, an ongoing or what.

[EpyonNext]

I could tell you that the trailer didn't give me a massive boner.

Of course, I'd be lying.

[Ryllharu]

First episode is out:

[gg] Shingeki no Kyojin - 01 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=420952)




-------------

Damn, what an overwhelming aura of despair. According to the eyecatch, all of humanity lives in an area about the size of Uruguay (or Cambodia or Syria). After 100 years of peace, everyone got complacent. I don't want to say they deserve it after seeing what happened to Eren's mother, but they kinda deserved it. I also liked that the guardman just stopped. I wouldn't call him a coward because he accomplished his goal one way or another, and the mother knew better.

I do like that Eren has the typical protagonist attitude of being the only one who is willing to fight back, but is mostly protected by Mikasa. Nobody thinks he would be a good fighter, and no one is afraid of him. They're afraid of her.

I guess the only other comment I have to make is that I was impressed by Armin's VA. We've known for a while he was going to get played by Inoue Marina (Yoko from TTGL, Yozora from Haganai, or Natsuru from Kampfer), but she really pulled out all the stops with her masculine voice.

edit 2:
Read the lyrics of the OP. Bwahahaha.

[MFauli]

First of all: I dont get it. The Titans are inside their town, so it´s all over. Or are there several towns they can flee to?

Whatever.
Fuck! Best show of the season confirmed already.
Maybe I´m a complete pussy now, but I cried when Hannes went to fight the Titan, looked at the giant´s face, then turned around and took the children with him. It wasn´t cowardice that made him run. It was pure and utter despair and the realization that he couldn´t defeat this gruesome looking thing. He KNEW by just one look at it that he´d die if he approached it. Trying to fight it wouldn´t result in a heroic death, it wouldn´t help anybody. He´d just die. Just how helpless he had to have felt there. Fuck ...

And wtf @ that gigantic red Titan. Why´s he 10 times as big as the other ones? Guess he´s the Titan´s leader/origin? Also, are those Titans intelligent? It is said that wearing clothing is a sign of intelligent life forms, so that would make it a "no". And wow, these monsters are so creepy, scary looking. Most traumatic event a main character could have witnessed, eh? I can´t think of a more gruesome thing any anime-hero has had to go through.

I´m excited to see how episode two follows up these events. And I´m glad that this spiderman-device (seriously, it´s a "spiderman-for-everybody" device, so cool) is a common tool. From the trailer I thought only Eren would have it, which would have been too "he´s the chosen one"-like. Good.

My only complaint so far would be that Eren is looking like Ruffy from One Piece, but whatever.

Man, I love it when an anime fulfills all expectations. So good.

[Ryllharu]

From the trailer I thought only Eren would have it, which would have been too "he´s the chosen one"-like. Good.
What would make you think that? There were clearly four people in the trailer with them, and one of them was blatantly female.


And wow, these monsters are so creepy, scary looking. Most traumatic event a main character could have witnessed, eh? I can´t think of a more gruesome thing any anime-hero has had to go through.
All I can say to this is, "Heh."

[David75]

So we get at least 2 sizes of Titans.
I guess that huge one lost his skins due to the explosion(s). I guess humans setup bombs as a firewall against the titans they know: the small ones. They never thought they'd get much bigger titans. That one was so huge that the explosives did not do enough damage to incapacitate it enough and it was able to breach the wall.

So now, we really need to have some background intel on how titans came to be, what are their ecosystem... because obviously feedings on so few human bodies isn't enough to support their massive energy needs. And they can't prey among themselves or they would not be able to grow in numbers... and you'd still have to find the primary source of food needed to sustain them.

The search for the source of intelligence also is important. Like stated above, the titans we got to see seem to be fairly simple in behaviour. Attack, eat, don't care for life and pain.
That's not enough to grow in numbers and build strategies.
So is there another group of titans with more wits, or are they just weapons grown by other human communities...?

[Y]

The anime adaptation was everything I could want. It's visually lush in a way the comic really never is, and everything about the world we've seen is fully realized. The emotional beat with the boozy soldier seeing a titan and just... flinching in the face of the enormity of the task ahead of him was great, and understated in the best way. The score is great (and the opening with its extremely morbid lyrics and dismal message is an instant classic). The direction and tone of the show are dead on; I think the director of Death Note has met material that matches the impossibly high stakes and gravitas he lent to scenes like eating chips. I even like the acting, as Eren hams it up as the only person who realizes what kind of TV show he's in, and Mikasa carries the trauma of just existing in this world in everything she says. It's a winner and I have total faith in the anime adaptation going forward.

[Kraco]

Like everybody else seems to be, I'm also very happy with this beginning. The false security to mask the hopeless situation was pictured very well, and naturally the moment of truth was as gruesome as it had to be. This wasn't so far much of a shounen with nobody fighting back, so I'm looking forward to when that is taken care of.

[Belial]

First of all: I don't get it. The Titans are inside their town, so it´s all over. Or are there several towns they can flee to?

If you watched / read the intermission you could see there are actually 3 walls, only the first one was breached as far as i could see, could be the others are bigger stronger as more important people live inside, don't know if they can withstand that big 50 meter mofo tho...

and i would guess that that big mofo didn't have skin to begin with because he grew so big his skin couldn't handle his growth spur, he seems a monster / mutant even compared to those other ones, not because of any damage the humans did to him

the first episode was simply amazing, you could feel the depression radiate trough you screen, shows like this give me a hope for the future in the anime world

[Buffalobiian]

First of all: I dont get it. The Titans are inside their town, so it´s all over. Or are there several towns they can flee to?

They leave? Perhaps they don't really have that high an energy need (or have freakishly low metabolism or a highly efficient metabolism), so they take a few bites and leave. If they're intelligent, perhaps they will themselves to do it.

I'm also leaning on the idea that they leave because Eren has to ultimately get back to his basement and unlock the basement for the goods his father left him. Anime convention tells me that his father should die and the key will be salvaged.

I'd say there are several towns to flee to. That would mean that no one has been breeched in 100 years, or no one bothers to communicate between cities anymore.

I also don't think that was an explosive trap. The mutant seemed to have arrived via a thunderbolt, which leads to me thinking:

1) It's sent by a god
2) It's extra-terrestrial in nature
3) Titans have science and they launched the mutant at the wall
4) The lightning was purely coincidental

So far the setting reminds me of Chrome Shelled Regios, while the gruesome man-eating nods to Claymore.

[Kraco]

The land occupied by humans is actually helluva large to be just a single walled off place, like Ryll indicated up there with his comparisons.

From the center (king's palace?) 480km to the outer wall (that now has a single breach). However, assuming the outer wall is roughly circular, it's fricking 3000km long! The map also shows those smaller walled off areas. Maybe they are the bigger towns, while the rest is countryside, villages, forest, etc.

To be honest, I think the mangaka made a terrible mistake with these numbers. Unless there was a period of hundreds of years of a slow, losing battle against the giants and humans realised their doom from early on, plus the giants weren't everywhere equally. So that when people elsewhere were being eaten and eradicated, the people roughly around where this city stands, plus any lucky refugees, had several generations to build these massive structures relatively unhindered. Let's not forget they don't seem to have much in the way of heavy machinery, relying on horses and such, so building thousands of kilometers of dozens of meters high walls is a godly accomplishment.

[Ryllharu]

I assume they began building the walls as soon as the Titans first appeared, and let the other communities of the world die while they furiously worked on their wall. It may have started out small, since most of the Titans are only a little larger than a two-story house. Over time, they built it larger and larger and larger. They were quite confident that there would never be any 50 meter Titans.

They may have built the inner wall first, started building more walls, eradicated Titans within, and then moved out another layer.

Just because the people are complacent and shitty fighters ready to piss themselves now, doesn't mean they always were. They may have been quite a bit more desperate, and willing to sacrifice a lot more lives for the greater good.

The people seem to look down on the Recon/Scouting Legion these days, but an offensive unit was probably much more important before.

edit:
@Kraco: It's hard to judge their level of technology from the first episode. While Eren and Mikasa are picking up sticks for firewood and live in a medieval looking house, the walls do have artillery canons on them, on railroad tracks no less.

Not to mention the wire grappling machines. I wish we had those.

[MFauli]

so building thousands of kilometers of dozens of meters high walls is a godly accomplishment.

Actually, do we know if they built the walls by themselves? Because I find it unrealistic that those people managed to buy build these walls. You´d need either advanced technology or a near-eternal amount of time to build these mega-structures. Probably even both. I k now, it´s a fantasy-anime, but still ... the matter of transporting all the necessary material in itself seems like an un-overcome-able problem. But I have some idea what it could be.

There´s also that lightning that occurred, leaving the Colossal Titan. I assume that soldiers are watching the outside from the top of the walls, so that monster couldn´t have approached the wall unseen. Even if no guards were on the wall, had that Titan walked there, everybody could have felt the earthquakes resulting from his steps. So I agree with Buff that the Colossal Titan arrived at the wall via that lightning. That might seem like answering it all. But: Why appear outside the wall and not inside?

My personal take on answering that lies in the specific and repeated choice of words in this first episode: Human beings living inside the walls like "livestock".
I haven´t yet thought about it in detail, but in my opinion the mystery to it all lies in aliens. Yes, lol. Maybe that´s me projecting my wishes since I love Gantz, but I´ve got the impression that the whole thing, the way people live and all, is set up by extraterrestrial beings, keeping human beings as exactly that: livestock. There´s also the fact that all those Titans look like slightly defomred humans themselves. So there´s also some kind of connection.
So, if I had to make a guess at this point: Superior alien lifeforms are carrying out a large-scale experiment, involving the obervation of behavior and the genetic manufacturing and altering of alien species (in that case: human beings).

Ok, no ill stop. too much speculation after just one ep :D


Not to mention the wire grappling machines. I wish we had those.

you´d need years of training, most likely killing yourself in the process from falling from high above. :/

[Ryllharu]

You´d need years of training, most likely killing yourself in the process from falling from high above. :/

Totally worth it. You can probably train from towers or something. The same way the military trains parachuting skills.

[KrayZ33]

Goose bumps

and extremely scary, that grin on its face reminded me of those Beta creatures from that Eclipse-whatever show. It freaks the hell out of me


4) The lightning was purely coincidental

the lightning could have struck there because its a 50m tall figure standing on a flat area... though it'd be weird that noone noticed it comming, unless they don't/can't patrol up there

[MFauli]

is it true that this is not a weekly, but monthly released anime? :/

[David75]

I also have a feeling that when those giants feed on humans, they multiply.
After all, that massive attack happened right after the recon mission when many humans were eaten.

I like the idea that the 50m+ giant was thrown there, maybe through some kind of canon?

I hope all this giant buisiness is not something crafted by the people of the inner walls.

Regarding the size of the walls, well China's is quite large too, and was only there to stop mere barbarians.
I could understand mankind would work their assez off for centuries to build something even bigger against those giants.

[Y]

is it true that this is not a weekly, but monthly released anime? :/

The comic is monthly, not the show.


So I agree with Buff that the Colossal Titan arrived at the wall via that lightning. That might seem like answering it all. But: Why appear outside the wall and not inside?

The Colossal Titan was just there to kick the wall down, he didn't go on and rampage inside the city that we saw so kicking it down from outside or inside makes no real difference.

[Inazuma]

Wow, I was impressed. I am putting this on my list next to Evangelion, GITS and TTGL when it comes to theatrics.

[shinta|hikari]

The best part of the first episode was Mikasa. I loved her face when she was shadowing Eren while they ran towards the bullies.

Like Arch did before, I call dibs.

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 02 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=423362)

-----------------------------------------


















Is that glamourous girl in the army ranks Mikasa? If so, damn she didn't look like how I expected her to. Both her younger self and the OP/ED showed someone with lifeless eyes. Eyelashes and glossy lips aside, the girl in the ranks still had pretty sparkly eyes - perhaps that'll change soon enough.

Armin is coming off "weaker" thank I'd like, but I do like him compared to Eren at this moment because he's not batshit insane and worked up. He better be the smartest in the group so he's worth something, since Mikasa has his strengths (and then some) right now.

Biggest question this episode: Colossal Titan.

I'm going to guess he's the same one as before.
His current appearance shows growth over his exterior, which I'm going to say is a healing process. By extension, it means his bare-muscle look last episode was due to injury. An alternative hypothesis is that he is capable of shape-shifting to a degree and morphed some armour to help with his wall-tackle, but he would have no need for hair if that was the case.. so more money on injury repair.

Whatever the case, that guy's smart. Or at the very least has a basic level of intelligence. He's toying with the humans. He shatters 100 years of complacency, and took another wall down just to prove that humans aren't safe (so they can live in fear of anticipating his return). He wasn't shown to be eating at all.


You could argue with the alien theory that the Colossal got burned during atmospheric entry. Or that the lightning bolt just coincidentally zapped him. Or that his skin melted when he got fired out of a cannon. All the explanations work, but doesn't make any of them more likely, so we're back to square one.

[Kraco]

I thought it was a different one. It didn't look nearly as big. Of course similarly to the humongous one, this seemed to possess more wits than the idiotic looking regular giants. It also had the armour-plating to make it further specialised.

[MFauli]

Yeah, I also think it´s a different one. Way smaller. Guess there´s several different types. Also ... what was it with that flame that the tackle-colossus breathed out? Made it look like a robot who´s having a cool down-phase.

What I want to know: Are the more inner walls thicker than the outer walls? Because ... what would keep the other walls save against this tackle-colossus? He´d just ram his way through all walls, no stopping.

Two things I thought were silly:
1.) So the walls were really built by humans. Until we get detailed insight into HOW they did that, I´ll shake my head here. Impossible.
2.) Glamour girl in the army squad. The blonde one. Yes, it´s anime, but I could have done without pretty girls in such life-threatening environments. And even Mikasa appears to be wearing lip gloss. Come on.

Now to see if the anime can keep up my excitement. Seems like we´re in for a "training arc", and I don´t know if that´s as thrilling as a Titan-invasion. Will see.

[Buffalobiian]

@MFauli RE:Titan-breath - I think it's just artistic. It's the titan's way of saying "booyah". They whole thing does look mechanical (exhaust, and the way his jaw armour dropped down), but at this point I think they're 100% organic.

He did give me the impression that it looked smaller, but I thought that was a perception thing due to the inner walls actually being larger. I watched it again, and I think you guys are right. It should be smaller.

It also looked like he (Armoured Titan) could ram the wall because the gate was still open. I fully solid wall may be a whole lot harder - but the Colossal one from ep1 shouldn't have a problem.

Ever since the first episode, I wondered about the morality of enjoying my meat. I don't really thank anybody for the food on my table at every meal, especially not the animal that died in order for it to happen.

I don't eat meat because it is necessary for my survival. I eat it because it tastes awesome. Grinding flesh with my teeth - nom nom nom. Ever played with broccoli as if they're mini trees? Not too different from titans now are we? :S

[KrayZ33]

that second "special" titan was barely larger than a house, the first one was 50 meters tall... how could someone not notice that?

it *could* be the same one, if it has some kind of shapeshifting ability
1. mode = Huge titan, unprotected flesh
2. mode =more sturdy/armored yet smaller titan
etc.


so far I have to say that anime can't get much better than that... I like the MC and the last few seconds of this ep gave me the chills, that music kicked in right when it had to, nice stuff
can't get enough of this already



What I want to know: Are the more inner walls thicker than the outer walls? Because ... what would keep the other walls save against this tackle-colossus? He´d just ram his way through all walls, no stopping.

the gate is always the weak spot and I'm pretty sure that it was just an "inner" wall so to say.
since the town(s?) seem to be fully surrounded by a wall
though, maybe there simply is nothing to keep them save.

edit: after rewatching, it seems like the wall was an extension of Maria, so yeah, they are fucked


2.) Glamour girl in the army squad. The blonde one. Yes, it´s anime, but I could have done without pretty girls in such life-threatening environments. And even Mikasa appears to be wearing lip gloss. Come on.

... ?? for what reason, its neither more realistic to have them all look like shit nor would it add something.
(but why do you even care? it doesn't even have to do with it being an anime, its not like movies are any different)

[MFauli]

@Buff: Regarding your text about eating meat: If you don´t know the Gantz-manga, please read it. It´s got similar themes to Shingeki no Kyojin, which is what makes it awesome.
And I think this analogy between us humans and these Titans will play some role in the anime. Again, the colossals look just too similar to us, there´s gotta be some kind of connection.



... ?? for what reason, its neither more realistic to have them all look like shit nor would it add something.
(but why do you even care? it doesn't even have to do with it being an anime, its not like movies are any different)

Imagine the movie "G.I. Jane" with Charlize Theron instead of Demi Moore. That´s what I mean. No need to go all ugly, but there´s a difference between "girls in the military" and wearing lip gloss and flashy blonde hair styles. If it was any other anime, I wouldn´t mention it, but it kind of contrasts with the serious tone of this one.

[shinta|hikari]

@krayz - Look at his avatar and be enlightened as to the reason.

The big question here is, what the hell was with Eren's dream about his father? It had a strange injection scene and seemed to be post mom death, which is weird because they haven't met again after Eren's mother died.

What I love about the titan designs is that it triggers the uncanny valley effect so deeply. People actually do look like that, but the minor changes, like slimmer arms, larger mouths, and odd proportions make them so disgusting.

[Kraco]

Humans had grown very lax during the 100 years, that's for sure. When you looked at the town before the attack, they seemed to have quite a decent quality of life, even if they now say there's a food shortage. However, it's possible a significant portion of all food produced was from the outer ring, whereas perhaps the middle ring has industry and the inner administration. Considering industry requires more irreplaceable infrastructure, that would be plausible. Yet what is not plausible is the total lack of emergency food supplies. But then again, they were very lax.

If they had 100 years of peace, they should have used that time to build a crazy amount of big artillery, mines, bombs, grenades, and whatnot. But instead they have been taking it easy. I can't say I'd pity any of them, except maybe the children who hadn't yet had a chance to affect the society. But somehow I doubt they would have done anything differently if this attack hasn't happened.

[KrayZ33]

The big question here is, what the hell was with Eren's dream about his father? It had a strange injection scene and seemed to be post mom death, which is weird because they haven't met again after Eren's mother died.

they seem to have met shortly after they escaped, he had the key right after he woke up ... and the father took it with him when he left
it would be the most horrible writing mistake I've seen so far if thats not the case

my guess is that he can't remember it clearly (only in dreams) because of whatever his father did to him..
Mikasa not knowing it either is probably something that has to be explained in the next episodes.

[Buffalobiian]

that second "special" titan was barely larger than a house, the first one was 50 meters tall... how could someone not notice that?


Mainly because he ran past a smaller giant who was only up to his knee.

My own knee is around 27% of my total height, so 27% of 50m is around the 13m mark for the little guy.

[KrayZ33]

the first titan was bigger than the wall, the second one was not even close to a third of it.
you even saw him standing next to the wall in the end.

and we've also seen baby/child-sized-titans in this episode

[David75]

I wonder if Titans are humans that caught some virus?

I tolerate the armoured titan wall breach, only because the scene was rather nice. But realistically, breaching that wall as going through butter without a scratch and without much of a slowdown is a bit too much. I'd understand if he broke the door and then go slowly from there with the help of others...

Now regarding the walls, I'm wondering if Titans can swim. Why? because that could be an explanation for the boats, but maybe not with the way they move and how giants could handpick people easily...

Now that we've had those 2 eps, I wonder what will fuel what's to come.

[Y]

Some thoughts:

They blew all their budget on the Titan assault on the inner door. Cool sequence, and much better than the similar sequence in the manga that was so short people routinely missed that it actually happened and were confused by the fact that Wall Maria had fallen.

Eren's Titan hatred has sure consumed his life. It looks like all three of the kids are PTSD'd out the ass, in various ways: Eren is a lunatic, Mikasa shut down, and Armin is a whimpering pisspile. You'd figure crazy Titan bloodlust wouldn't be that uncommon among the people after such an attack though. Also as various commenters on other sites pointed out, yes, the trio are very archetypal at this point. Give their characters some room to breathe though, and don't judge them too harshly off just these two episodes.

As others have said I love how the Titans look, move and sound in the series. Their weird sexless and ageless appearance, the shiteating grins on the faces of some of them, etc contribute to a very grotesque feel to what otherwise could just be Big Cannibal People.

[KrayZ33]

I can't wait to see what kind of music they are playing when Eren is charging into his first battle, filled with bloodlust and hate for the titans.


They blew all their budget on the Titan assault on the inner door.

I hope it keeps up like that, the trailer had a few more good looking scenes, but man, that titan-charge scene sure did look great, especially that slow-motion part where everyone tried to reach the gate in time - even the captain's mouth was animated during that one (I'm not talking about the close-up)
I like it when they pay attention to little details like that, sure not in full detail, but most of the time the studios wouldn't really care and just add the sound there.

[DarthEnderX]

Regular titans...sooooooo fucking creepy.

Skinless titans...sooooooo badass.

Wallbuster titan is Urien from Street Fighter!

http://www.fightersgeneration.com/characters4/urien-chariot-rush.gif


I wonder if Titans are humans that caught some virus?I was thinking that too.


Eren's Titan hatred has sure consumed his life.Seems kind of silly too. So far, most of the titans are presented as little more than animals. Swearing to slay every last one of them is like swearing to slay every shark on the planet after your mom gets eaten by one.

I mean, yeah, I guess you could do that. But you aren't exactly showing them what for. They probably won't even know you're doing it.

[KrayZ33]

meh, not really - weak comparison imho

they nearly killed all of humanity and forced your kind to live cluttered behind a wall like livestock...and a few of them certainly show intelligence in some way, but that doesn't really matter
they are monsters in the eyes of humans, that should be reason enough and justify those thoughts

its the other way around so to say, they make you think YOU are the animal, even though you arn't

[DarthEnderX]

and forced your kind to live cluttered behind a wall like livestockI don't really see any evidence of that yet.

I mean, the humans put themselves behind the wall. And I wouldn't even see any livestock comparison if characters didn't keep saying it. Cows don't build their own pens to hide from humans.

And I'm not really sure when the last time anyone had a cattle ranch where they just let the cows do whatever for a century...

[Buffalobiian]

I don't really see any evidence of that yet.

I mean, the humans put themselves behind the wall. And I wouldn't even see any livestock comparison if characters didn't keep saying it. Cows don't build their own pens to hide from humans.

And I'm not really sure when the last time anyone had a cattle ranch where they just let the cows do whatever for a century...

I take it to mean the humans live in fear of being eaten.

I agree that they're not livestock in the sense that they're being farmed.

[DarthEnderX]

I take it to mean the humans live in fear of being eaten.Then they're kind of just being melodramatic then. There's a different between being livestock and just being a creature that happens to not be at the top of the food chain.

[MFauli]

Then they're kind of just being melodramatic then. There's a different between being livestock and just being a creature that happens to not be at the top of the food chain.

Not sure if you can apply that to the world of Shingeki no Kyojin, buuut: A creature that´s used to be at the top of the food chain might not be used to living in fear. Thus experiencing a heightened sense of what being like livestock might feel. At least that´s what people of our real world would likely feel like.

[Kraco]

Calling themselves livestock is an emotional response. They all know in the past humans were the rulers of the world, yet now they are reduced to huddling behind walls. Any who venture outside risk getting eaten very soon. So, in fact outside of the walls they are just livestock, little more, inside they aren't, but this incident showed them all that can change at a moment's notice, and they aren't totally safe anywhere.

It's actually quite interesting they haven't ever been too interested in killing the giants. If they could pull off walls like that, they could have easily built killing fields. Basically alleys where the giants could have entered only one at a time, and even so very tightly, removing their ability to react in a timely fashion. It would have been child's play then to kill them. Although that would have left behind a giant carcass to somehow get rid of, but I'm sure that would be a small price to pay. Who knows if the giants are edible... That would have brought lots of protein onto the table...

[KrayZ33]

I don't really see any evidence of that yet.
I mean, the humans put themselves behind the wall. And I wouldn't even see any livestock comparison if characters didn't keep saying it. Cows don't build their own pens to hide from humans.
And I'm not really sure when the last time anyone had a cattle ranch where they just let the cows do whatever for a century...

the analogy is really not hard to grasp...


It's actually quite interesting they haven't ever been too interested in killing the giants.

arn't they pretty much unkillable for them at the moment? at least if we consider how the first episode started...
but I want to put on a frodo face too, so I'm saying

"Why arn't they setting them on fire?"

[DarthEnderX]

A creature that´s used to be at the top of the food chain might not be used to living in fear.If they've been behind the wall for 100 years, shouldn't every human alive have spent their entire life that way already?


Calling themselves livestock is an emotional response.That's what I said. They're being melodramatic.


"Why arn't they setting them on fire?"If cannon's don't work on them, it's not much of a stretch for fire to not do much either.

[Ryllharu]

They haven't gone into detail how to kill Titans, but the answer is clear from the OP, as well as the last few seconds before the OP of the first episode. I'm not going to say it in case someone is waiting for an explicit explanation.

Cannons probably slow them down at the very least, considering the walls are covered with them, and they're on rail tracks so they can concentrate fire or move them as needed. They may use them in combination with the wire-gear. They use the bubble-cities on the edges of the walls to lure Titans to given locations. Given that, I would say cannons are at least capable of killing them, though they might not be that effective, and take a lot of shots to kill one.

[Buffalobiian]

They haven't gone into detail how to kill Titans, but the answer is clear from the OP, as well as the last few seconds before the OP of the first episode. I'm not going to say it in case someone is waiting for an explicit explanation.

When I first saw it, I thought it was going for a vertical split down the spine, but on further watches they seem to be hitting the upper trapezius/neck more so in a horizontal fashion.

Arteries at the back of the neck doesn't make too much sense as far as massive blood loss goes (though it does have the advantage of sneaking in an attack and avoiding the mouth).

I'm guessing they're slashing the spinal cord regardless.

[MFauli]

What I´m curious about is how they´ll explain the sudden gain of efficiency in terms of fighting the giants. Because from the OP it´s clear that Eren and friends are positively fighting them, without much effort or fear. They better not be like "duh, he´s the main character, he´s simply better than all those previous guys".

[NeoCybercoin]

I think Mikasa would kick so much more ass than him despite him being the MC.

[David75]

What I´m curious about is how they´ll explain the sudden gain of efficiency in terms of fighting the giants. Because from the OP it´s clear that Eren and friends are positively fighting them, without much effort or fear. They better not be like "duh, he´s the main character, he´s simply better than all those previous guys".

Eren is the new generation, the one who lost their home and familly due to the attack. It's only natural some people from that generation will have more guts/motivation to train properly and fight the giants. It's also true for trainers, science and technology effort.
After 100 years being lazy, Mankind remembered they have to move their asses for survival, that attack reminded them of that fact.

[DarthEnderX]

What I´m curious about is how they´ll explain the sudden gain of efficiency in terms of fighting the giants.I'm guessing it won't be so sudden as they're already doing timeskips a year at a time and we're only on episode 2.

[Ryllharu]

What I´m curious about is how they´ll explain the sudden gain of efficiency in terms of fighting the giants. Because from the OP it´s clear that Eren and friends are positively fighting them, without much effort or fear. They better not be like "duh, he´s the main character, he´s simply better than all those previous guys".
Motivation can be a strong factor. Like others have said, most of this new batch has directly suffered in some ways from the attacks. The older guards (at the time of the attacks) were used to taking potshots at them with cannons, at best. The only ones who fought directly were the scouting legion...and they're not exactly inspiring.

Where it used to be common knowledge that the "Offense" team was a death sentence and a waste of money, Eren and Mikasa have a reason to want to slaughter them all.

[Killa-Eyez]

I'm guessing it won't be so sudden as they're already doing timeskips a year at a time and we're only on episode 2.

Which I don't mind. The voice acting on young Eren became quite annoying.

As for the giants, my hypothesis would be either the humans fucked up some shit with gene experiments (the injection) or an epidemic broke out. No aliens for me. While quite a possible theory, I'd prefer the humans did it to themselves. Adds a more horrific feel to the series.

As for the dreams Eren's been having and deja vu's Mikasa's having, I think something horrifying happened before and both of them had their memories partly replaced/erased. I think they might be even from a previous town where something similar happened or something.
It's save to say the humans had some type of technology before looking at those walls (unless the giants build them) and I think some of that technology rests in that basement Eren has the key to.

All in all, awesome start of the series. Can't wait for the next ep.

[David75]

Motivation can be a strong factor. Like others have said, most of this new batch has directly suffered in some ways from the attacks. The older guards (at the time of the attacks) were used to taking potshots at them with cannons, at best. The only ones who fought directly were the scouting legion...and they're not exactly inspiring.

Where it used to be common knowledge that the "Offense" team was a death sentence and a waste of money, Eren and Mikasa have a reason to want to slaughter them all.

You made me realise that the people from the outter wall were despising the scouting legion as much as the people from inner walls did despise people from outter wall.
Not that big of a detail, or just that it shows Mankind probably did not choose the best strategy against the odds, by keeping a too strong classification between people.

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 03 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=425690)

[Y]

What is going on with all the stills in this episode? I know that nothing much happened but the whole exchange where they go out in the woods was basically not even a TV show, just still frames.

The music is just stellar though, and combined with the fact that this wasn't exactly an action episode makes me more forgiving.

[Buffalobiian]

I don't get why that guy goes "I'm losing my trust in people" or some shit like that. Mikasa never betrayed him in any way or form.. they don't even know each other. I can deal with a jealous rage at Eren even if it's a textbook response - at least that makes sense.

[Y]

I don't get why that guy goes "I'm losing my trust in people" or some shit like that. Mikasa never betrayed him in any way or form.. they don't even know each other. I can deal with a jealous rage at Eren even if it's a textbook response - at least that makes sense.

GG mistranslated that. The exchange goes "What did you just wipe off on my back? - My faith in humanity."

What he means is he has lost all hope since a loser like Eren is palling around with Mikasa.

[MFauli]

I see, they´re creating a relatively peaceful atmosphere now, just to destroy it again later on. My only gripe this week is how quickly Eren lost his determination when he panicked about not passing the gear test. Even IF he´d fail the recon entry test ... so what? You swore to kill all titans, you swore it to your dead mother. So just leave these soldiers and train by yourself. Become a lone fighter. Here it seemed as if he had given up all his plans, had he not let become part of the trainee camp. Silly.

Btw. I hope they´re stopping with these time skips rather sooner than later. It´s okay for now, since we saw the hero as a child, now at the beginning of his training. But hopefully the story finds a more seamless, smoother pace from now on.

[Belial]

I died laughing at the potato scene. good episode overall

[Buffalobiian]

I died laughing at the potato scene. good episode overall

I really can't tell if the trainer never ate potatoes because of how low-class they are, or because if how high-class they are.

Thanks for the clarification Y.

[Kraco]

I really can't tell if the trainer never ate potatoes because of how low-class they are, or because if how high-class they are.

He didn't really look like a noble's son who got an officer's rank as a birthright.

I think that potato scene was made all the better for me by the fact I've stood in the ranks myself when an incredibly mean looking and sounding older NCO was greeting new recruits. It's such an atmosphere that only a real nutjob would even think of eating during it.

[Buffalobiian]

He didn't really look like a noble's son who got an officer's rank as a birthright.

The social setting would suggest such, but the way it was spoken was as if someone asked me "I don't get it, why would you eat dirt?"

The confusion and your post still doesn't really explain to me if people don't eat potatoes because they're expensive, or if people don't eat potatoes because they're pig food. It was in the kitchen, so clearly someone eats them.. but still. Doesn't help.

[Ryllharu]

Sasha is clearly insane. That the thought that she shouldn't be eating didn't even occur to her is bad enough. That she was literally willing to worship the blond girl because she gave her food, and the joy and sadness when Mikasa decided to toy with her is another. But what really seals the deal is that she offered the drill instructor "half" but gave him less than a quarter of what was left (enough that he actually commented on its "halfness").
(edit: Bonus points that they cast psychopath-seiyuu Kobayashi Yuu to play her.)

Someone's village has food issues. She behaves like someone who has no idea when their next meal will be the next day, or the next week. This paints an interesting picture on the social structure of the walls. Moreso given that most of the recruits seem to have a goal of living in the pampered innermost wall, rather than revenge. Eren, Armin, and Ryner are looked at as the strange ones.


But she's not the only one. Mikasa herself is pretty obviously damaged in the head. Armin correctly identified Eren's thoughts, that he no longer has to be dependent on Mikasa for help. Mikasa immediately refuted that and said what it was really about was that he was relieved the two of them can continue to stay together. Creepy...

[Kraco]

The social setting would suggest such, but the way it was spoken was as if someone asked me "I don't get it, why would you eat dirt?"

You lost me. I thought you were joking in your earlier post. He asked her why she's eating a potato because he was actually as shocked as anybody else there, if not more so, that somebody would dare to start to eat during his gentle greeting to the troops. However, I don't see during that scene anything to suggest potatoes would be considered of low value. In fact, since lots of people were dying of hunger after the outer wall was lost, potato would be regarded as an ultimate food, not any less so by the military. Wars can't be fought on an empty stomach and potato is very convenient in many ways.


But she's not the only one. Mikasa herself is pretty obviously damaged in the head. Armin correctly identified Eren's thoughts, that he no longer has to be dependent on Mikasa for help. Mikasa immediately refuted that and said what it was really about was that he was relieved the two of them can continue to stay together. Creepy...

Considering the world they are living in, it would be creepier if there weren't lots and lots of damaged people around.

[Buffalobiian]

You lost me. I thought you were joking in your earlier post. He asked her why she's eating a potato because he was actually as shocked as anybody else there, if not more so, that somebody would dare to start to eat during his gentle greeting to the troops. However, I don't see during that scene anything to suggest potatoes would be considered of low value. In fact, since lots of people were dying of hunger after the outer wall was lost, potato would be regarded as an ultimate food, not any less so by the military. Wars can't be fought on an empty stomach and potato is very convenient in many ways.

That would make sense, if not for how they portrayed it. The trainer asked why the girl was eating a potato now, to which she said that potatoes are best eaten warm. Then he shortened his question to asking "Why are you eating a potato". If someone asked me these two questions in such a manner, I'll interpret that the timing of my eating potato wasn't that important and was thus left out to make his point heard. That means "Why do you eat?", or "Why potato"? The latter seems to be the more reasonable out of the two.

Then his surprised reaction at being given "half" a potato wasn't his angry drill-sergeant "IDIOT!" reaction, but one that suggests he's never even dreamed of half a potato in his life (to be eaten or w/e). The first part suggests potatoes are cheap. The latter part suggests potatoes are rich-people's-food.

Your line of thought would have been fine if the drill serg had a "How dare you" face instead of a "Potato? wtf?" face. As I said above, he stressed the potato - not the timing.

[MFauli]

wat

He was shocked/surprised/dumbfonded/angry about the fact THAT she was was eating whatever (here: a potatoe) during his entry speeches. Are you drunk, Buff?

[Buffalobiian]

wat

He was shocked/surprised/dumbfonded/angry about the fact THAT she was was eating whatever (here: a potatoe) during his entry speeches. Are you drunk, Buff?

Not drunk. Probably just as confused as the serg was. Did you guys seriously see any anger on his face?

[MFauli]

Not drunk. Probably just as confused as the serg was. Did you guys seriously see any anger on his face?

Well, tbh his face looks kinda permanent-angry.

[Buffalobiian]

Well, tbh his face looks kinda permanent-angry.

Hah, until the potato came along. ;)

http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/9457/39859668.jpg

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/2697/70953516.jpg

P-potato...


Really though, let's think about me eating potato chips on assembly instead.

Serg: What are you holding in your left hand?
Buff: A bag of potato chips sir! I found it on the bench on the way here.
Serg: Did you steal that? Why? Why are you eating potato chips right now?

First why would suggest to me that he's confused at why I'd steal potato chips in the first place. Are they not worth stealing?

Buff: Potato chips are best eaten when crisp. That's why I thought it was a good idea.
Serg: I still don't get it. Why are you eating a potato chip?

Seriously? Not Why are you eating right now?, but Why potato chip?. You can only think he's interested in potato chips. Why else would someone ask the way he did?

Those softened brows say 100% curiosity and 20% gratitude. No anger.

[David75]

Never thought we'd have a potato talk about that scene :rolleyes:
Regarding the sergent's face, I would not define it as angry, but more so like highly overstressed/concerned. That mixed with him facing those giants and losing comrades multiple times.
I totally feel he's more miserable than most of the recruits. And that's why he shouts so much, and gives the illusion he's so harsh.
I wonder if it'll be important in the long run. But he seems to have links with Eren's father afterall.

[MFauli]

I interpreted the look on his face in the 2nd screenshot as super-outraged, so outraged that expressing typical anger isn´t a valid option anymore. Basically, it´s the "wat?!"-humor. Something is THAT stupid/silly that you cannot find the proper response anymore.

In other words, the general could have never expected to see a fresh recruit doing something so offensive. He´s at a loss for words, staring at the piece of potatoe as if it´s an alien artifact.

[KrayZ33]

Even IF he´d fail the recon entry test ... so what? You swore to kill all titans, you swore it to your dead mother. So just leave these soldiers and train by yourself. Become a lone fighter. Here it seemed as if he had given up all his plans, had he not let become part of the trainee camp. Silly.

I liked that, everything backfired on him, especially his big mouth attitude towards those who were not able to keep going.
and its not like he could've done anything if they decided not to make him a soldier.
if you wan't to join the army, you either get in, or not - thats it.. nothing in between

he isn't (completely) nuts, even he knows that he can't fight them alone

@ potato scene

the thing that cracked me up was when the girl offered him "half", which clearly wasn't even 1/4 of it.
even the sergeant couldn't believe it - guess thats the true reason why he sent her running

[shinta|hikari]

That was some great humour in that episode.

I am somewhat annoyed by the lip design for Mikasa. Why does she always look like she has lip gloss or lipstick on? A more plain look would fit her better because of her stoic personality.

I am also not too sure if Mikasa read Eren wrong. Sometimes, people try to convince themselves that they feel one way (and even tell that to themselves within their heads), but actually feel differently. I wouldn't be surprised that beneath all of his desire to kill titans and be independent of Mikasa, there exists an even stronger desire to be together. It is a lonely and scary world after all.

[Buffalobiian]

I am also not too sure if Mikasa read Eren wrong. Sometimes, people try to convince themselves that they feel one way (and even tell that to themselves within their heads), but actually feel differently. I wouldn't be surprised that beneath all of his desire to kill titans and be independent of Mikasa, there exists an even stronger desire to be together. It is a lonely and scary world after all.

Nah, she totally read him wrong.

Eren feels inferior and just really wants to kill titans. He wasn't even interested in what Mikasa had to say about his future.

Mikasa on the other hand just wanted to be with Eren. She thought he was worried about being separated from her (and assured him she'd leave with him if he couldn't make it), but really she just thought it'd be lonely without him. In the end, she only joined the forces because Eren joined.

[Y]

I'm dying laughing at the idea of reading that scene as the drill instructor being baffled at the concept of potatoes.

Production I.G. has taken to Twitter to attempt to hire new animators on short notice. Which, well, oh dear.

[Ryllharu]

Yeah, that's not great news. They should get the newbies who worked on Death Billiards for Madhouse.


Mikasa on the other hand just wanted to be with Eren. She thought he was worried about being separated from her (and assured him she'd leave with him if he couldn't make it), but really she just thought it'd be lonely without him. In the end, she only joined the forces because Eren joined.

She said she'd leave if he flunked out too. She read him wrong because she's a bit crazy, and definitely obsessed with Eren.

[Kraco]

I do know one thing: I hope Eren will never seriously try to push her away. It would be too sad. And in the end it's not like a dude like Eren could ever win himself a woman half as good as Mikasa.

[Buffalobiian]

@shinta: I actually don't mind the lip gloss after the haircut now actually. Keeps her pretty without the impractical hair, especially now that she doesn't have the same dead eyes as she had in childhood.

[shinta|hikari]

She is pretty enough without it. Look at the other female characters that still look good even without the lipstick. Right now, Mikasa looks like she wants to seduce Eren (which might not be far from the mark at all though...).

[Y]

Mikasa is off-model this episode. I don't think she was actually dressing sexy for her first day of training.

[Killa-Eyez]

Sasha is clearly insane. That the thought that she shouldn't be eating didn't even occur to her is bad enough. That she was literally willing to worship the blond girl because she gave her food, and the joy and sadness when Mikasa decided to toy with her is another. But what really seals the deal is that she offered the drill instructor "half" but gave him less than a quarter of what was left (enough that he actually commented on its "halfness").
(edit: Bonus points that they cast psychopath-seiyuu Kobayashi Yuu to play her.)
...


...
@ potato scene

the thing that cracked me up was when the girl offered him "half", which clearly wasn't even 1/4 of it.
even the sergeant couldn't believe it - guess thats the true reason why he sent her running

What I found funny about that part was she wasn't the least bit amused about sharing it:
1486
She's def. not in her right mind, lol.

I agree with MFauli on the whole "potato reasoning" thing.
Dude's like so perplexed, he can't even find the right response and asks incoherent questions like:

"You stole a potato? Why? Why are you eating a potato?"

While a proper response would be:

"You don't eat during a bootcamp drill! Are you out of your freaking mind!? DROP AND GIMME 100!", or something Full Metal Jacket-esque. :p

[Archangel]

Episode 4:

That's hilarious, the colossal titan gives no fucks about your newly build defenses or character development. Also interesting how once again he showed up out of nowhere, does he travel by lightning or some shit?

I'm not complaining but i don't guess we'll be seeing any realistic physics out of these iron cable devices right? They're basically spiderman and invincibly durable as long as they jump around with those? Just want to know where we're at with that.

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 04 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=428058)



That's hilarious, the colossal titan gives no fucks about your newly build defenses or character development. Also interesting how once again he showed up out of nowhere, does he travel by lightning or some shit?

That's... basically it. Lightning teleport.

It was annoying to see Eren ask everybody (who was not himself) "Why don't you join the Military Police, you've got good scores right?" You just gave that speech ffs, and even if you didn't you should know full well what joining recon means. Did he expect all recons to be half-assed rejects or something?

Sasha might be #9 (rankings remind me even more of claymore now), but she's damn awesome. Connie Springer shouldn't be ahead of her. If he can do sharp turns but doesn't know what to do with/after them, what's the point? You dodge a titan-palm and land in his mouth.

Damn, the day she gets eaten would be the saddest day in this show. :(


edit: this show loves giving me the wrong idea with visuals

http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/887/11716860.jpg

[David75]

I wonder if there's a pattern like:
Recon mission->Titans attacking

[Kraco]

That's hilarious, the colossal titan gives no fucks about your newly build defenses or character development.


Does it have enough wits to care? I don't recall it doing anything but appearing out of nowhere and kicking the gate in. It might be a true one-hit wonder.


I'm not complaining but i don't guess we'll be seeing any realistic physics out of these iron cable devices right? They're basically spiderman and invincibly durable as long as they jump around with those? Just want to know where we're at with that.

It's about as realistic as the giants themselves or the way the giants are fought. After all, this wouldn't be nearly as exciting a show if they did the obvious thing and developed splendid artillery and mines that would make short work of the giants, when employed with intelligent tactics and general strategy. Better have young people swinging around using cables and swords instead!

[MFauli]

And shit´s hitting the fan again!

I love how Eren can look the Colossal in the eye (face, lol) without going into shock freeze. He´s grown. Sasah rescuing the guy by shooting his leg was great. Connie is one of those super sympathetic characters ... which makes him the perfect candidate for a dramatic death :/ I don´t think Armin will die next episode, unless they want to make a point of his physical deficits. But they also mentioned his will power, so, no.

Btw. sorry for being forgetful, but why does Mikasa carry a different last name from Eren´s? They´re siblings, right?

Now, as for the titans. Can´t say I like the lightning teleport method. It puts a truly magical occurrence into an otherwise relatively realistic setting (yes, yes, there are giants, but that´s not magic per se). Also, it annoys me that humans didn´t do anything to strengthen the wall in all those years. Maybe it´s either that they don´t have the material for it, or they simply cannot build walls strong enough against that special titan. Hm.

Next episode will be important for the whole anime´s progression and mood, though. Really hope Eren and Co. don´t go around slaying titan after titan. That´d rob them their fearful impact.


I wonder if there's a pattern like:
Recon mission->Titans attacking

I dunno, are we led to believe that recon missions only happen on a 5 year basis? I thought recon squads were leaving and returning on a regular basis.

[Buffalobiian]

Btw. sorry for being forgetful, but why does Mikasa carry a different last name from Eren´s? They´re siblings, right?

She's a friend, and she's effectively adopted.

[MFauli]

She's a friend, and she's effectively adopted.

Ah, ok. So it makes sense for the other guy to be jealous of Eren. And it´s this anime´s chance at some pseudo-incest. Can´t have an anime without these days :>

[David75]

I dunno, are we led to believe that recon missions only happen a 5 year basis? I thought recon squads were leaving and returning on a regular basis.

Well, after writing it I thought that it might just be Titans attack when they meet a recon team.

[Buffalobiian]

Well, after writing it I thought that it might just be Titans attack when they meet a recon team.

I wonder what happens outside of the 2nd wall now that the 3rd wall's been breached. Last episode they made it sound like only a pocket (a slice of the outer wall, if you will) was taken, but it sounds like the entire outer perimeter between the middle/outer wall was lost.

Do titans wander those grounds? If so, recon teams shouldn't find it hard to encounter a titan. If titans don't wander those grounds, why not send people out to repair the wall once you've sent a scouting party to ensure the coast is clear? I'm assuming humans can repair walls, since that's what the drunk guy was accused of doing, instead of fighting titans like a real soldier.

[NeoCybercoin]

Awesome episode. I really like Sasha. Comedy relief but still pretty kickass herself. But Eren caught my eye. Well something that he said anyway. When they were blown away at the end he said it was hot. So did that Behemoth give off steam or something or was it just heat in the air from the lightning?

[Buffalobiian]

So did that Behemoth give off steam or something or was it just heat in the air from the lightning?

Depends..

My favourite explanation was that the colossal was launched/ejected by lightning, which fries his skin off. The steam is his evaporated fluid.

[Ryllharu]

I just wanted to point out that Hannes (the old drunkard that Eren and Mikasa always knew) has the Garrison badge in one shot, then Scouting Legion badge, then the Garrison badge, then back to the Scouting Legion badge, all while they discuss that he's been made a captain of the Garrison.

It's also interesting to note that while some people above have complained that the shiny lip gloss makes Mikasa look like a model (same with Krista for that matter), Mikasa also sits like one. She always puts her feet together, pushed to the side with her hands in her lap like a refined and delicate lady. It is very weird.

I also like Sasha, but I think of all the non-Mikasa characters, I like Annie the best.

[shinta|hikari]

Why the hell is Mikasa not there when things go crazy? I wanna see the skills of a genius as soon as possible.

The humour in this show is amazing. While the contrast to the general atmosphere helps, it really is just well timed and delivered.

[Y]

I just wanted to point out that Hannes (the old drunkard that Eren and Mikasa always knew) has the Garrison badge in one shot, then Scouting Legion badge, then the Garrison badge, then back to the Scouting Legion badge, all while they discuss that he's been made a captain of the Garrison.



Yeah they fucked that up, not to mention a lot of characters were "off-model" this episode.

I guess they're just following in the footsteps of the manga by making an ugly ass anime.

[KrayZ33]

Aww man, that epsiode was fun to watch, it feels like Eren is just the right amount of badass - above average skills, yet not a prodigy, hard working type and so far he is able to stand his ground when it matters

the music was freaking epic again.
and I really like the animation so far

[Killa-Eyez]

Good stuff. Want more.

It seems the anime is pretty keen on time jumps. Hope that ends now as few details are given and my curiosity keeps growing.

The seriousness/comic relief contrast are both remarkably at their extremes but pretty well thought out, luckily. It makes for an interesting watch, seeing as how traumatizing the occurring events are. Question is though how well it's development -to the point it stays realistic- will progress.

1501
Lol. Which is scarier, Titans or this dude. :confused:


Annie VS Mikasa

o.O

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 05 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=430400)

[Archangel]

I'm sorry but that was hilarious to me, it was so obvious they were all going to get ass raped when they were all patting themselves in the back for all the titans they were gonna kill. Didn't expect what was seemingly going to be the main character to die so fast though, wonder if he'll pull through.

[lelouch]

He's obviously not going to die - there's still the whole deal with the key and the stuff his dad injected into him. Maybe he was injected with titan blood to regenerate, and the episode will end with him slashing his way out of the belly of the beast.

[Buffalobiian]

He's obviously not going to die - there's still the whole deal with the key and the stuff his dad injected into him. Maybe he was injected with titan blood to regenerate, and the episode will end with him slashing his way out of the belly of the beast.

Hmm, good point.

At one point I wondered if the Titans reproduce by eating humans.. but perhaps not.

[lelouch]

Yeah glad they killed off Thomas, too. He was getting annoying and looked too similar to Reiner Braun.

Thomas: "You can't beat the titans!"
Titan: "Not with that attitude you can't! nom nom nom."

[MFauli]

W
T
F

I saw Thomas being eaten and was like "alright, destorying putting a stark stop to the happy atmosphere from moments ago". But then everybody kept dying. omg

Really hope that Eren manages to cut himself out of the titan´s belly. I´d normally hate such bullshit-saves, but ... I like Eren :/ And neither Mikasa nor Armin are charismatic enough to take over as the main protagonist. God damn! Was tearing up again when Eren switched places with Armin. Those warped, despaired eyes of Eren ... ugh.

Between this show and children getting killed in HXH, anime has become rather depressing lol.

[Y]

My favorite part of the episode is that the badass scene from the trailers of Eren heroically charging into battle, lavishly animated and burning with righteous fury, leads directly into him getting chomped on and most of his team being brutally murdered thanks to his hasty attack. No, wait, it was the Titan that out of nowhere had giant anime eyes. No, it was Pixis obviously losing on purpose to the lord and then chugging his wine the second the news came in of the Titan attack and telling him to go be fat somewhere else. No wait, it was the titan stuck under the fallen barricade near the breach in the wall, wriggling around like a trapped insect.

Attack On Budget continued, slightly abated. A hilariously bad copypaste crowd, some still frames, but other than that a good looking and pretty fun episode. Also some minor censorship all around, but some of it can be attributed to a change in style - in the manga, Eren and his crew getting busted seemed very slow to me, as a poster on SA put it like a waking nightmare. Here it all happens lightning-fast, with little time spent lingering on it.

[David75]

Nice entertainment.
But I now have mixed feelings.
Eren survives with some trick, and I'll gripe. He's really dead, and I wonder on what basis that anime will hold as has been stated earlier.
When he lost half his left leg, I had wishfull thinking that with proper gear you would still be able to use that spider like device since you mainly need your arms... except bouncing off wall. But even then, we know of carbon blades that are very efficient... just not in a late medieval like setting.
Then he lost his right arm when swallowed. In fact I even wonder how he was able to save Armin at all, that part was utter bullshit.

So back to Eren making it alive:
It was nightmare. Well usual storytelling bullshit.
The injection was for body regeneration: bullshit that might fit into the setting. Particularly if that technology is derived from a previous failed attempt that created the Titans in the first place...

So now, Eren has to make it out alive from his nightmare... or from that Titan's belly.
Piercing his way out with his left hand blade when he lost that much blood and is probably suffering like Hell... or even is out cold from those very severe injuries?
Being able to pierce the back of the neck, but from inside the throat and have the Titan pop like a buble and he falls several meters?
Have Armin pop the Titan for him?

Regarding intelligence, yes those Titans have some intelligence.
They can organise their hordes for attack with specialised types.
They are also able to set traps, Eren lost a leg to such a trap.
And yes, that Giant among Titans really did target the canons and didn't care attacking Eren at all.

[Belial]

Well that was unexpected ... brutal as always, and at least we got some explanation on the titans, they are basically hot giant zombie vampires with only one weak spot at the back of the neck

[MFauli]

Since David mentioned the trap-aspect. That´s actually really stupid. That giant the laid on the ground, waiting for Eren to fly over him. Wat. How many recon squads have they sent out for the Titans to develops such strategies, lol.

Also, the "they can regenerate even after their head is blown off" and "they only eat humans, but haven´t been able to do so for 100 years, yet they´re still there" for me confirms that all of this is either a god-like alien´s experiment OR it´s something spiritual, like, this world is actually hell and the people there are punished. Or Eren is actually a real world-otaku, lying in coma and having this dream, lol. Or maybe Sword Art Online 2.0 :>

[David75]

Belial, your avatar reminds us of another cripled MC that beats unbeatable monsters easily.


Since David mentioned the trap-aspect. That´s actually really stupid. That giant the laid on the ground, waiting for Eren to fly over him. Wat. How many recon squads have they sent out for the Titans to develops such strategies, lol.

Also, the "they can regenerate even after their head is blown off" and "they only eat humans, but haven´t been able to do so for 100 years, yet they´re still there" for me confirms that all of this is either a god-like alien´s experiment OR it´s something spiritual, like, this world is actually hell and the people there are punished. Or Eren is actually a real world-otaku, lying in coma and having this dream, lol. Or maybe Sword Art Online 2.0 :>

Or there's a mastermind organisation behing all of that, I would not be surprised if they told us those Titans are weapons sent from another human group/nation.

[lelouch]

Or there's a mastermind organisation behing all of that, I would not be surprised if they told us those Titans are weapons sent from another human group/nation.

Maybe the fire nation?

[Kraco]

Regarding intelligence, yes those Titans have some intelligence.
They can organise their hordes for attack with specialised types.
They are also able to set traps, Eren lost a leg to such a trap.
And yes, that Giant among Titans really did target the canons and didn't care attacking Eren at all.

You are extrapolating far too much. The normal titans simply wander in when the wall is breached, seeking humans to kill. The colossal one can kick a gate in and sweep cannons, but that's more or less it, based on what we have seen. It's battery life is also extremely limited. The trap was no trap. Eren was blindly flying forward, paying no attention to his surroundings whatsoever, along a very long road with high visibility. Any random titan would notice him and naturally try to snatch him out of the air. And there were many titans around.

I got a feeling from this episode that Eren is a huge liability. He forgot their whole training the moment he lost his cool and got his whole team annihilated. He's the main character, so he has to survive, and ironically enough it's no doubt only his single-minded and idiotic obsession of killing titans (with his lack of skills but bigger than a titan ego) that will allow him to move forward despite the knowledge he's the reason his team was killed without achieving anything at all. A normal man would be full of regret, but this guy, I reckon, will shrug his shoulders and dream of killing another titan.

[Buffalobiian]

Attack On Budget continued, slightly abated. A hilariously bad copypaste crowd, some still frames, but other than that a good looking and pretty fun episode. Also some minor censorship all around, but some of it can be attributed to a change in style - in the manga, Eren and his crew getting busted seemed very slow to me, as a poster on SA put it like a waking nightmare. Here it all happens lightning-fast, with little time spent lingering on it.

Agreeing with pretty much all of this, and it made it difficult for me to enjoy this episode. Eren's crew died so fast that I didn't even invest enough feelings into them for their deaths to be meaningful. The "timeskip" to saving Armin was BS as David pointed out too. How on earth did that happen? The first 3 episodes of this anime were nice, but now it's hard to get me pumping. Everything just seems so... bland. Maybe if they bothered to animate this "waking nightmare" Y speaks of then I would have felt more emotional. And what's SA?

On the intelligence note, the Titans crossed the pitfall traps at the gate with some type of bridge - was the bridge theirs or were the humans stupid enough to leave it lying there?

I don't read the manga or readers' hype about this, so I'm basically watching this as-is. It's above-average entertaining, but Valvrave's already overtaken it in the Weekly Anticipation factor.

[lelouch]

Everything just seems so... bland.

...if this show is bland to you, I fear to ever meet you in person. o.O

As others have said, I don't think the mini-titans were setting traps. To my understanding, they were kind of just thumping around and Eren & Co's lack of awareness is what got them fucked harder than a filipino hooker.

[MFauli]

wow, i cannot, like, at all understand the complaints about the production value. Each episode is so fun, so interesting and also visually pleasing that i spend no thought at some sub-par computer-animations or stills or whatever.

"above-average".
guess some people really don´t want anime to become good again. it´s all about moe ...

[Buffalobiian]

"above-average".
guess some people really don´t want anime to become good again. it´s all about moe ...

Good and moe aren't mutually exclusive, just as "shit, people actually die and aren't in school" doesn't make something automatically worth watching.
I talked about the lack of emotional draw in those deaths in my previous post. In fact, the titans themselves don't even feel that scary or gory anymore. They're just monsters to me now after this ep.

A lot of it might even be due to Eren losing his cool and rushing in, which results in a "No shit you're going to get eaten" thought from me.

The lack of Sasha, Mikasa and Annie (anybody with skill who is worth watching) also made this episode "above-average" entertaining. When I use average, I actually do mean average - not baseline-barely-watchable-average.

[MFauli]

In fact, the titans themselves don't even feel that scary or gory anymore. They're just monsters to me now after this ep.

Well, I thought they did a good job at creating a real scary scene again, buy suddenly breaking the happy mood that filled the air right before the fight. Thomas dying was unexpected for me, then even more of them dying (or are they, we didn´t see the others being eaten, only close to) really nailed the despair.
What´s more, the fact that we saw jumping Titans for the first time added something fresh to the Titans that I had thought of slow creatures before.

No, I can´t agree with them not being scary anymore.

My only real complaint would be the sillyness that is "they can regenerate even after having their head blown off". That just doesn´t make any sense from a logical point of view, and I´m not sure how much I can enjoy full-on magic or magical properties, so to speak.

[Ryllharu]

It happened so fast that it was honestly hard to care about any of these deaths, including Eren's. Had they lingered on any of them, or showed their head stuffed halfway into a titan's mouth and stillframed for several beats, then I think it might have done a better job invoking the terror it was meant to.

I see that they meant to convey how fast it all went to shit, but they should have held the aftermath a little longer to let it really sink in. The one from the old preview where the guy gets snagged in midair while Low Pigtails watches horrified turning halfway was probably the only one done properly in that regard.

As for it looking impossible that Eren could have saved Armin, that really comes down to it looking like the oldman Titan had already swallowed him. Just closing his mouth wouldn't have looked as off.

My only real complaint would be the sillyness that is "they can regenerate even after having their head blown off". That just doesn´t make any sense from a logical point of view, and I´m not sure how much I can enjoy full-on magic or magical properties, so to speak.
In my opinion that just ramps up the overwhelming levels of despair. Giants are big and strong, but they're also big and easy to hit targets. To make it look like the humans are at such a severe disadvantage, you either have to have hundreds if not thousands of titans swarming in all at once, or they have to be far more resistant to damage than humans. Monstrous regeneration is a good way to do that.

I don't see how this was anything but full on magical from the start. Titans are an impossibility to begin with, particularly that they have no genitals and don't appear to be able to reproduce. Or appearing in bolts of lightning. We've already had discussions about the impossibility of building a wall that size if humanity was truly under such an onslaught (unless they sacrificed a hundred other cities to build this Uruguay-sized wall in secret).

[David75]

Regarding consistency and physics:
I was wondering about weight and inertia. Particularly for the jumping Titan that did not break the tower it jumped to.

Regarding heat, I read long ago an article about giant mamals and heat management. A hot blooded giant human would create too much heat to be viable, it would exceed water boiling point. Why? because the surface of such a body would be far insufficient to dissipate heat.
Such a problem does not exist for whales and the likes, as they live in water that is more efficient to cool a body than air. Also, their base metabolism probably adapted.
For that latter idea, the way those Titans move, I do not feel like their metabolism is slow... and there's the steam and all.

[NeoCybercoin]

That's just the thing. The professor explained that they didn't need to eat so they wouldn't have a metabolism.Logic and science doesn't even seem to apply to them. The one that jumped against the tower and it didn't break so their his weight must be pretty low.

[MFauli]

The professor explained that they didn't need to eat so they wouldn't have a metabolism.Logic and science doesn't even seem to apply to them.

Which to me points towards a theory of some kind of spiritual setup. Remember LOST? Yeah, maybe something like that. Maybe the whole "there you have a pseudo-medieval society and they´re fighting monsters"-appearance is all fake. Maybe we´ll suddenly tap into the scifi-genre. Who knows.
All I know is that, unless the author sucks and didn´t give a shit about logic, there is so much more to it than we currently know.

[darkshadow]

And yes, that Giant among Titans really did target the canons and didn't care attacking Eren at all.

Pay more attention, it tried to grab Eren.

[Y]

It happened so fast that it was honestly hard to care about any of these deaths, including Eren's. Had they lingered on any of them, or showed their head stuffed halfway into a titan's mouth and stillframed for several beats, then I think it might have done a better job invoking the terror it was meant to.

I see that they meant to convey how fast it all went to shit, but they should have held the aftermath a little longer to let it really sink in. The one from the old preview where the guy gets snagged in midair while Low Pigtails watches horrified turning halfway was probably the only one done properly in that regard.

As for it looking impossible that Eren could have saved Armin, that really comes down to it looking like the oldman Titan had already swallowed him. Just closing his mouth wouldn't have looked as off.

This is pretty clearly due to censorship and budget limitations. They cannot linger on the violence and they cannot have long shots in the 3D animated city of people getting messed up by the Titans.

As for Eren magically being fast enough to save Armin it seems obvious that Eren getting his second wind and Armin getting swallowed were supposed to be happening concurrently.

[NeoCybercoin]

Why hasn't anyone who had been swallowed decide to cut their way out of their stomach's? Unless their stomach acid instantly melts them.

[Y]

wow, i cannot, like, at all understand the complaints about the production value. Each episode is so fun, so interesting and also visually pleasing that i spend no thought at some sub-par computer-animations or stills or whatever.

"above-average".
guess some people really don´t want anime to become good again. it´s all about moe ...

The show is cheap. A previous episode was done by an outsourcing studio and it looks the part. They constantly use freeze frames and posted on Twitter asking aspiring animators to apply to Production I.G. to finish episodes of the series. I'm not holding that against it that much - the manga is pretty rough looking. It's just kinda lame.

[lelouch]

The show is cheap. A previous episode was done by an outsourcing studio and it looks the part. They constantly use freeze frames and posted on Twitter asking aspiring animators to apply to Production I.G. to finish episodes of the series. I'm not holding that against it that much - the manga is pretty rough looking. It's just kinda lame.

I'm not really sure what you're saying. The graphics and animation in this show are amazing relative to anything we've seen in a long time.

[FelixZeroAlastor]

For a weekly release, I think this show looks great. I see some minor problems but they don't bother me. Those will most likely be fixed in the Blu-Rays.

The slaughter of Eren's team wasn't bad. Fast but that was about the speed it happened in the manga. I think it conveyed how powerless they are. They probably could've focused more on the gore had they not added that part with Pixis and Lord Balto but I liked that little extra. Maybe they will add the missing gore of the three teammates dying in the next episode.

[Y]

I'm not really sure what you're saying. The graphics and animation in this show are amazing relative to anything we've seen in a long time.

I'm not sure this is true, or a very flattering comparison for Attack on Titan considering the dreck the anime industry usually puts out.

EDIT:

As someone on another forum pointed out, it bugs me when the guy gets pasted in midair by the Titan bitchslap and a big grey rectangle flies out of his body. It seems like they were intending it to be his 3D gear or a piece of it or something and instead it looks like a placeholder animation they never bothered touching up.

[NeoCybercoin]

Pretty sure Eren lives. I mean he is the main character. And he had flashbacks of his dad trying to inject him with something while saying it's mankind's hope or something.

[KrayZ33]

the kawaii-face giant was really weird, and the part about Pixis felt, at least a bit, out of place too... don't know what to make out of it because I have no clue whether I should remember him as an important person for the series or not, that might change though

I don't know what to say about the "bad animation" stuff, especially when people mention freeze frames... its like they've never read a manga nor seen anime before
I seriously think that, most of the time, it can't be done in a different way... especially since they are flying all over the place and you have/want to explain stuff and train of thoughts - so its not rare for the the narrative time to be longer than the plot duration during an action sequences
sure thing, it would be awesome if you hear their thoughts while they swing through the town just like Eren did when he was about to avenge Thomas but no one should expect it to happen more than every so often... its a TV series after all.

[Ryllharu]

You know, there is a funny thing about the "badly animated / kawaii-faced" titan...

http://imageshack.us/a/img689/5554/f8c8b26798c76fc0818b2d1.jpg (http://imageshack.us/a/img42/5554/f8c8b26798c76fc0818b2d1.jpg)
[Click for full size (full size is probably NSFW)]

100% legitimate. Not a lazy animator foible.

[KrayZ33]

Not a lazy animator foible.
never said it is, its just looking weird because its looks so different from the others

[Ryllharu]

Wasn't particularly aimed at you, or really anyone on this forum, but I've seen it mentioned extensively elsewhere.

You were just the first one here to reference it, reminding me to check the original page (because I was pretty sure I recalled it looking that strange in the first place), and giving me the opportunity to post about it.

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 06 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=432681)
[ASL]_Hikasa_Youko_-_Shingeki_no_Kyojin_ED_-_Utsukushiki_Zankoku_na_Sekai_[MP3].rar (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=431553)
[ASL]_Hikasa_Youko_-_Shingeki_no_Kyojin_ED_-_Utsukushiki_Zankoku_na_Sekai_[FLAC].rar (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=431552)

[Ryllharu]

Mikasa's heartless pragmatism toward the merchant. ♥♥♥♥

I guess we've also found out why she was so insanely devoted to Eren. He was a bit of a little psychopath, wasn't he? Then he infected Mikasa with legions of crazy.

I'm a little bit amused at the inverse-racism. "Orientals" are some kind of superhumans apparently. Not quite as funny as the Ultra pro-Japanese uses in other series though.

[Buffalobiian]

"Orientals" are some kind of superhumans apparently.

I don't think they ever said that. Her brain "unlocked" when she came to that realisation, but it wasn't "oriental-specific". You can interpret it that way though because Mikasa is the only surviving Oriental, meaning we can't differenciate this as a Mikasa-event, or an Oriental-event. I go the former though.

The thing they DID say was that they're exotic sex slaves.

Her flashback was awesome. Best episode for me since ep02.

[Archangel]

http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=view&tid=432662

[MFauli]

Two things I just want to mention:

- didn´t they say they knew bascially nothing about the titans? Suddenly, they know about "abnormals" and ahve a specific name for them, Eotena.

- Mikasa is too strong. She makes those titans look overly weak.

And damn, I still cannot believe that Eren is truly dead. Makes no sense to me.

[Buffalobiian]

- didn´t they say they knew bascially nothing about the titans? Suddenly, they know about "abnormals" and ahve a specific name for them, Eotena.

That's a Commie thing, they've been using that label in place of Titans since the beginning.

I take it you've been watching gg up till now, and followed Ark's link?

Eren is "dead" in that the titan ate him and walked away and no one knows where he is. I refuse to believe he's dead at this point until we see his body (which ironically impossible if he's eaten, so I suppose I can only keep on believing).

[MFauli]

That's a Commie thing, they've been using that label in place of Titans since the beginning.

I take it you've been watching gg up till now, and followed Ark's link?

Ah, okay, makes sense.


Eren is "dead" in that the titan ate him and walked away and no one knows where he is. I refuse to believe he's dead at this point until we see his body (which ironically impossible if he's eaten, so I suppose I can only keep on believing).

Yeah, that´s what I hope for, too.
You know, I haven´t spoiled myself anything, but I heard other people say "the next 2-3 episodes will decide if keep watching the anime", as if there´s some big twist coming up. Made me think weird stuff like "hm, maybe those who are eaten by titans are teleported to another realm", lol.

Anyway, the biggest wtf in this episode: Mikasa is oriental. WAT. They certainly did a bad job at drawing Mikasa´s face ANY different from the other characters. just lol

[Buffalobiian]

You know, I haven´t spoiled myself anything, but I heard other people say "the next 2-3 episodes will decide if keep watching the anime", as if there´s some big twist coming up. Made me think weird stuff like "hm, maybe those who are eaten by titans are teleported to another realm", lol.

I had that thought ever since Eren was "eaten" and Titans were also shown to be non-reproductive. The "eaten" humans become future titans somehow.

And ofc Mikasa is oriental. Not "slanty-eyed" oriental like you saw in Thermae Romae, but still oriental. I don't know how you could have mistaken her for any other.

[MFauli]

Btw. anyone has an idea what the beginning of the opening song lyrics are supposed to mean?

"Sie sind das Essen, und wir sind die Jäger", German, for "they are the food, and we are the hunters".

The hunters should be the recon squads, but would the titans be called "food"? Or is it just Japanese not knowing German that well, and what they really meant was "prey" instead of food? Would make more sense.

[David75]

Eren coming back would be a stretch on so many levels.
Except the Titans thing and maybe the spider like equipement/movements, everything else is crudely "reality" like... even if on the violent and pessimistic side of Mankind.
Well, Mikasa is also surreal. The way she's way overskilled that she can beat any special troop veteran and how she eats titans for breakfast...

But for Eren to comeback when he's swallowed, missing an arm and leg. Even if Mikasa arrives just as he's still in the throat, like for Armin's bullshit scene, that would be really too much.

And I do not think the "Eren got a monster-Titan-killing-machine child with Mikasa" would work either. We are still waiting for that kind of fanservice after all :D

[Ryllharu]

The hunters should be the recon squads, but would the titans be called "food"? Or is it just Japanese not knowing German that well, and what they really meant was "prey" instead of food? Would make more sense.
Well, it is either a new phenomenon known as Jerman (like Engrish) or that line is actually meant to be the Titans. As humans are the food, and perhaps the more intelligent titans view themselves as hunters that shoot fish in a barrel.

It's probably them screwing up the German.

[Kraco]

Eren and Mikasa's flashback was jolly good. Such a psycho couple.

I reckon Mikasa is so strong partially because she keeps her head really cool, isn't afraid (except for Eren's safety) and doesn't hesitate. Fighting against these giants, the first attribute is quite essential, as we saw in the previous ep when Eren's squad was annihilated largely because Eren is always so hot-headed. It's not like most of the giants we have seen would have been overly intelligent. So, humans ought to use intelligence to defeat them. However, Eren threw such things to the wind and charged forward heedlessly. The first titan we saw Mikasa defeat was doing the exact same thing Eren did, and paid the price similarly when Mikasa disposed of it before it knew what hit it.

[Buffalobiian]

Eren and Mikasa's flashback was jolly good. Such a psycho couple.

I reckon Mikasa is so strong partially because she keeps her head really cool, isn't afraid (except for Eren's safety) and doesn't hesitate. Fighting against these giants, the first attribute is quite essential, as we saw in the previous ep when Eren's squad was annihilated largely because Eren is always so hot-headed. It's not like most of the giants we have seen would have been overly intelligent. So, humans ought to use intelligence to defeat them. However, Eren threw such things to the wind and charged forward heedlessly. The first titan we saw Mikasa defeat was doing the exact same thing Eren did, and paid the price similarly when Mikasa disposed of it before it knew what hit it.

At the same time, Mikasa got some easy titans from what we saw. None of them jumped at her, slapped at her mid-flight or pulled her wires. The running abnormal completely ignored her shot to its neck.

[Kraco]

At the same time, Mikasa got some easy titans from what we saw. None of them jumped at her, slapped at her mid-flight or pulled her wires. The running abnormal completely ignored her shot to its neck.

True. But it was just another part of Eren's foolishness that he assumed all titans are trudging, dull eating machines. It's all up to luck, I guess, and it's fickle in the battlefield. For anybody wanting to survive for longer, it would be best not to count on it. Nothing says Eren wouldn't have encountered easier titans later, and similarly Mikasa might meet the tougher ones, yet all the same they would need to be ready to face and elimate them all.

[Ryllharu]

True. But it was just another part of Eren's foolishness that he assumed all titans are trudging, dull eating machines. It's all up to luck, I guess, and it's fickle in the battlefield. For anybody wanting to survive for longer, it would be best not to count on it.Isn't inadequate training a part of that? They're trained to attack stationary wooden replacements that rotate at best. They try to surprise the trainees in the woods with rapid appearances, but they are completely unprepared about how fast a titan can move its limbs.

[Buffalobiian]

Isn't inadequate training a part of that? They're trained to attack stationary wooden replacements that rotate at best. They try to surprise the trainees in the woods with rapid appearances, but they are completely unprepared about how fast a titan can move its limbs.

Which reminds me.

Where the fuck is Sasha? :(

[Ryllharu]

Where the fuck is Sasha? :(Probably outdoing Mikasa's kill count, considering the colossal titan smashed the box with the stolen meat in it along with everything else on the battlements. I bet she's pissed.

[NeoCybercoin]

Have you guys seen this yet? Sure it's fake but it looks so amazing.

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/95/avzne9v700b.jpg

[MFauli]

saw it, but while it looks cool, that colossal is too colossal. if he was that big, he could destroy the whole wall instead of just kicking in a small gap.

[NeoCybercoin]

I'm pretty sure he actually could destroy the entire thing. Or climb over it for that matter.

[darkshadow]

http://koujiart.blogspot.com/

[Kraco]

saw it, but while it looks cool, that colossal is too colossal. if he was that big, he could destroy the whole wall instead of just kicking in a small gap.

The poster wouldn't look cool or intimidating if you only saw the very top of the colossal's head. In fact most people (who haven't seen the manga or anime) wouldn't necessarily get what's going on.

I think it's a very cool poster, also artistically. My only problem is that the 3D gear looks like something out of a scifi movie, not early industrial application of pressurised gas. But, again, I think the artist did it like that to draw attention to the gear. People not familiar with the title might miss it altogether otherwise.

[KrayZ33]

The hunters should be the recon squads, but would the titans be called "food"? Or is it just Japanese not knowing German that well, and what they really meant was "prey" instead of food? Would make more sense.

and how exactly would that change the meaning of the sentence? it wouldn't
"prey" might be more lyrical though

the context and meaning of the OP should be clear either way though


True. But it was just another part of Eren's foolishness that he assumed all titans are trudging, dull eating machines.

while he saw and admitted it himself that there are intelligent titans out there (the huge one especially), they have been teached that titans show no sign of human intelligence in school
they are driven by instinct...is what has been said

[FelixZeroAlastor]

[gg] Shingeki no Kyojin - 07 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=434819)

That was a fantastic episode. That decapitation was the highlight of the episode for me.

[lelouch]

Well, that explains what happened to Eren. Awesome episode.

[Buffalobiian]

HaHA! I'm putting even more money on the point that eaten humans become titans now (that's how titans reproduce given their asexual state). Either Eren's anger on its own was enough maintain his mind (or at least attitude towards other titans), or it required his father's magical injection.

Someone came up with the idea before about whether the Colossal Titan was a human that could spontaneously transform, so leading on from that... would Eren be able to shapeshift between human and Boxing-Titan? (I would call him Eren-Titan, but I'll wait till that's confirmed).

[MFauli]

okay, that will need a lot of explaining but IT WAS FREAKING AWESOME!

Eren-Titan (of course, it´s him!) shouting aloud gave me goosebumps and reminded me of the first time when Shinji controlled EVA-01, when it went berserk. So good. so fantastically good.

Obviously, the question is now why Eren kept (part of) his mind, even after turning into a Titan. I dont really like the "his father gave him something"-idea, as it would mean that his father knew about all of this. Which would be fucking stupid to keep a secret from all other people.
But even before that, I´m now wondering just how "real" magic is in this anime. Eren was eaten just minutes ago, yet he´s there as a titan already. And his hand regenerated nothing like biological regeneration would work. It just went back into its original state. Since I´m not a big fan of bullshit magic explanations, I hope all of the Titans-related matters are part of a scifi-layer beyond what looks like a medieval setting otherwise.

Teleporting via lightning, living without eating for decades, regenerating instantly, even when the head is gone. Turning human beings into their own kind in a matter of minutes - yeah, I´m hoping this is all some Gantz-esque setup where superior alien lifeforms are messing with human lifes. Seeing how quickly the story proceeds, I could very well imagine that a stark shift in environment can happen anytime. But whatever. This anime has been so good till now, I won´t doubt we´ll get a good explanation for now.

About the idea of shapeshifting ... well, certainly not an impossible concept, seeing how quickly regeneration works and stuff. Though that definitely would change the tone of the series. Somewhat reminds me of "Heroic Age", where the main character also transforms into a super powerful monster. Being able to transform into one of the larger Titan-classes would also open up the option for leaving th e save wall-insides and go on "adventure" outside, with Eren protecting the group if necessary.

Damn, another week-long wait. So hard.

[shinta|hikari]

That episode reminded me of why I wanted this story animated so badly. That episode is now one of my most favorite anime episodes.

The decapitating left hook was awesome. The way the head flew away and struck the buildings, how it got stuck, the sudden pause right on impact of the punch, all of it made that scene awesome. The way Mikasa popped up into the air after the abnormal titan stomped on the ground for a right straight was absurdly cute to me. Well, anything Mikasa related is either absolutely cool and/or cute to me so that is no surprise. The sheer amount of Ackerman screen time this episode might give me withdrawal symptoms later on.

I loved how Mikasa managed to get back on her feet after getting broken once. Eren did save her that day, but maybe it is today that Eren truly saved Mikasa. She has become a stronger and more complete person after realizing just what Eren gave her and had continued giving her (although we hardly ever see it because the point was to surprise people on the reason Mikasa adores Eren) during the time they were together. The character development she went through in the span of a few minutes, from her racing towards death, surviving on instinct, realizing her reason for living, and finally being enthralled by the abnormal titan, surpasses what other characters go through in the length of an entire cour. Her internal and physical struggle as she goes through this were also done perfectly.

[NeoCybercoin]

So...fucking...awesome.

Now that I've gotten that out of my system. It looks like the Titan's are really weak. I mean their bodies. The little shockwave you see coursing through Titan-Eren is from his own punch and afterwards his own hand is destroyed. Sure it heals right away but it really does show that physically the Titan's don't have a lot of defense.

[shinta|hikari]

They don't need it.

[Buffalobiian]

The little shockwave you see coursing through Titan-Eren is from his own punch and afterwards his own hand is destroyed. Sure it heals right away but it really does show that physically the Titan's don't have a lot of defense.

The "shockwave" depicted came from his neck and spread down his body, which didn't make any sense to me. I would have imagined it as kinetic energy coming from his toes, through his torso as he twisted then through his arms to the decapitated head - but that didn't happen either.

No idea what the "wave" was. DS thinks it's some sort of reinforcement mechanism.

[Ryllharu]

It seems just like a visual effect to me. It looks cooler than a still shot or different angles frozen at a point of time. It felt like it was the energy behind the strike, even if it was depicted backward from what we're used to seeing in martial arts anime.

It's not like this series hasn't done that before. This episode alone was full of crazy visual effects and badass lighting tricks.

edit:
Thought about it some more.

Start with your hand up by your shoulder, mimic that move. Feel which muscles work. Shoulders tense as the arm is extended, then as you swing, the tension moves down your arm and down your back as you twist. It's not a punch, it's a slap.

[NeoCybercoin]

So just slapped off the head of that Titan? Makes all the more badass. Like 'get the fuck outa here." Slap!

[shinta|hikari]

It was kinda weird how he took up a kick boxing stance then suddenly slapped the enemy though.

I just wish that they keep up the details on the titans' faces. Sometimes, particularly this new abnormal one, the face suddenly gets smooth with no details.

The titans are sorta pink right? Do you guys think they would be more disgusting and/or horrifying if the colour of their skin is the same as the rest of humanity?

[Ryllharu]

They're already all bloated, veiny, with a slight iridescence to their skin, partway between a deathly fever pallor or newborn amniotic goo. That's pretty fucking disgusting as is. Mostly notably, they have way too many teeth, and their mouths are just slightly too small for how many teeth they have, so their lips are always curled back.

They're designed to fall firmly in the uncanny valley, that I am sure.

[shinta|hikari]

I'm not questioning that. I'm asking if they could have dived further into that valley by copying the skin colour of humanity. I have always imagined them to be so from the black and white pages of the manga. So what do you think? I'm not really sure, but I feel that making their skin colour a little too alien made the titans less WTF for me, not that I am unsatisfied with them as is. I'm just curious as to how others perceive it.

[Buffalobiian]

I'm having trouble imagining them with a different skin colour (when I try to see them as "more human", I get a real-life giant in my head, rather than this anime). If you could photoshop a pic for comparison shinta, that would help me come to an answer.

At this point, I think the "baby-ness" of monsters in general make them pretty damn scary. It's that gleeful innocence as they munch down on humans tell you they simply like what they do (and there's nothing you can do to stop it).

You're not competing against someone's mind or strategy. You're simply someone's toy/food.

[David75]

The slap from that fighting Titan was obvious from the way the arm moved and the fact the hand was open (or maybe I did reconstruct that image after watching the hand regenerate?)

Regarding the muscle effects, I was wondering if it was in fact heat, lots of heat produced by the massive energy bursts in each muscle needed to move an absurdly big and heavy human-like arm.

What I find intriguing is that that Titan has a very good build, pretty much like the armored one. We'll eventually see if it is important. Why? because most of the titans we get to see do not have a good BMI after all :D
Would that mean human=junk food? :D

[Buffalobiian]

The slap from that fighting Titan was obvious from the way the arm moved and the fact the hand was open (or maybe I did reconstruct that image after watching the hand regenerate?)


On the first watch, I thought he hammer-fisted the guy with the wrong end of a hammerfist (thumb-side).

[Kraco]

I'm satisfied Mikasa overcame her depression, at least to a degree, so quickly. She was always quite a dark character (after her tragedy, anyway), so I imagine she wouldn't have any weapons such as cheerfulness to combat dead-end emotions. Although being obsessed about Eren is an integral part of her character, so I'd say dropping that to go on would be bad.

But yeah, I was also looking forward to seeing the abnormal titan animated.

[Buffalobiian]

Hopefully I won't be disappointed by the full length OP when it comes out in July, since this is pretty awesome already.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j82EzZB8Oo4

[DarthEnderX]

So...yeah. I dropped off this after episode 2, and then caught up all at once today.

So it's been an emotional roller coaster.

When Erin's squad was wiped out, I was kind of pissed, because it seems like all of a sudden the titans had way more speed an manuverability than they'd shown in the past. But then they explained it as abberants.

But yeah, I was only kinda pissed at first that he died. Nice swerve I thought and I didn't really like him anyway.

But now he's back, and awesome because he can't talk and say stupid shit anymore!

I'm definitely going to agree with the theory that getting eaten turns you into a Titan, and whatever Erin's dad injected him with is what's allowing him to have some control over himself.


I don't know if it's just being artistic or not, but I do feel it's trying to give the impression that being Asian makes you magic(which of course is true to real life).


It looks like the Titan's are really weak. I mean their bodies. The little shockwave you see coursing through Titan-Eren is from his own punch and afterwards his own hand is destroyed. Sure it heals right away but it really does show that physically the Titan's don't have a lot of defense.That's why there's an Armored one!

Who SHOULD be showing up any time now if everything repeats from last time.


On the topic of skin coloration, I think what's actually happening is it's becoming translucent. And the more advanced the titan, the more see-through it becomes.

[David75]

Titans seem "fragile" because the mass/weight/intertia/constraints of huge limbs/bodies impose on skin/flesh/bones is that more tremendous. A 18 meters Titan is 1000 times (scalefactor^3) heavier than a 1.8 meter human, it really goes over the limits living matter can bear. But they have that regeneration ability to compensate.And armored Titans.

[DarthEnderX]

Honestly, I'm disappointed in how few precautions they took from the previous attack.

They know the gate's can't hold against the colossus, so why do they even still have the gates at this point? Why haven't they walled up the gates.

They know the wall isn't tall enough to keep the colossus from reaching up and smashing the cannons, why aren't they making the wall taller?

[Kraco]

They know the wall isn't tall enough to keep the colossus from reaching up and smashing the cannons, why aren't they making the wall taller?

Think back to the kind of leadership we have been seeing throughout the whole show. Obviously the people who built the walls, designed the 3D gear, and all in all built a civilization out of refugees are long, long gone. What we have left are cowardly, greedy, petty nobles who don't give a shit about the common man and only want to live in luxury in their walled-off castles while the rabble dies of hunger. In short, there's absolutely no one left to organize bettering the defences. All we have are random decent officers among many wastes of gas, trying to do what little they can against the odds. Building stronger gates or higher walls would be nothing but useless dreams.

They didn't even have any sort of emergency food stores. As soon as the outer wall fell, people started to go hungry. That tells something about the mentality of the government, considering they have been besieged by relentless enemies for an eternity and thus only an idiot would think all is well under the heaven.

[DarthEnderX]

They didn't even have any sort of emergency food stores. As soon as the outer wall fell, people started to go hungry. That tells something about the mentality of the government, considering they have been besieged by relentless enemies for an eternity and thus only an idiot would think all is well under the heaven.Now, see, THAT I actually understand.

They'd been safe inside the walls for a century. That they'd be complacent is no surprise.

They fact that they haven't done anyting in the five years since the first wall was breached aside from train more guys is the part that doesn't make any sense.


Especially laughable is the attitude of the guys who want to be assigned a cushy position in the inner wall. That attitude just doesn't make any sense now. When the first wall goes down, yeah, okay, maybe you could think "Hey, maybe we'll have another century without incident."

But now that the second wall has been breached just 5 years later, you should be thinking to yourself, "Well, in another 5 years, they'll probably breach the third wall, and we'll all be dead". So why would anyone think the inner sector is even remotely safe at this point?

[Ryllharu]

Obviously the people who built the walls, designed the 3D gear, and all in all built a civilization out of refugees are long, long gone.
...
In short, there's absolutely no one left to organize bettering the defences.I agree with most of your post, but not with this. The eyecatch showed that the control gear for the 3DMG is a black box. Someone still has the expertise to develop and tweak them as needed.

After the first attack, there was also a dramatic improvement to the gate defenses (for what little good it did from a colossal's kick). There are also substantial improvements to the top of the wall. That wasn't anything there in the first episode, presumably because they felt that the wall kept them safe. Now there are powerful, mobile cannons that can point downward. Railways are pretty advanced stuff given most of the technology they use in everyday life.

There is without doubt someone innovating with technological defenses.

[DarthEnderX]

The first wall didn't have cannons?

That's weird then that he said it was just like last time when he swept the cannons aside.

[Kraco]

Well, I suppose there can and should be small enhancements, such that can be produced by limited number of people, for example in the military's own workshops and built solely by the military's own personnel. However, I still stand behind my claim that there's nobody left in the leadership who could orchestrate a huge, common effort involving all the population to make significant changes to anything.


Now, see, THAT I actually understand.

They'd been safe inside the walls for a century. That they'd be complacent is no surprise.

No, I don't think so. Their civilization looked easily advanced enough to allow them to plan ahead a little bit. And also advanced enough to produce more food than they consume. There are few nations on Earth right now that don't have emergency supplies if they have any capability at all and have a stable government. Even if they haven't seen a war for generations. Because it makes very basic sense. Believing one is safe is no excuse for complacency. The only excuse is idiocy, and that these folks unfortunately have in an ample supply.

[DarthEnderX]

This is of course assuming that they DON'T have tons of emergency supplies that are just being horded by the inner section.

[KrayZ33]

they certainly lack the material to make the walls larger and both time and equipment too

they didn't even manage to move a certain rock from somwhere to the wall so they could block the wall in an instant again once it has been breached.


No, I don't think so. Their civilization looked easily advanced enough to allow them to plan ahead a little bit. And also advanced enough to produce more food than they consume. There are few nations on Earth right now that don't have emergency supplies if they have any capability at all and have a stable government.

these supplies are not there to feed the population over a long period, its there to supply people for a very short time periods.. for earthquakes and such. until they sacrificed 1/5 of their population, nearly a year has passed by if i'm not mistaken
not to mention that you don't hoard bread or potatoes... you storage wheat which needs processing, and this is just a guess given by what we've seen and heard but I believe the buildings for that were mostly placed on the outer wall area


well, whatever
It's rather convenient that the titans keep marching on them from one direction.
they could've attacked the outer wall from the south and then the first inner wall from the west or north etc.
I could never feel safe behind those walls

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 08 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=436938)

[FelixZeroAlastor]

Great episode.

Was it me or did the animation quality drop?

[Archangel]

Ok so did Eren become a Titan or did he sort of absorb the Titan that ate him and then took control?

[Buffalobiian]

Ok so did Eren become a Titan or did he sort of absorb the Titan that ate him and then took control?
I'm thinking the same thing as well, and I'd personally like for it to be the 2nd option, because it makes it more risky for him (say, he has to be eaten every time, but swallowed with his neck intact or something, and perhaps choosing which titan to be eaten by would affect his abilities etc). Things would also be more human for him (he control titans, not becomes them).

Eren-titan stops regenerating after a point, so it'd either be his will (too boring), or if he has to take over a titan every time - to do with the reserves that titan had. So taking over a titan from the start of a battlefield would be weaker, but you could feed it some grunts and turn it into a supercharged beast.

[MFauli]

You´re all avoiding the first and foremost question: HOW did he manage not to be killed?!

While I was hoping that it wasn´t thanks to some magic potion his dad gave him ... IF it is because of that, it´d indicate at least some sort of governmental conspiracy, where the higher ups actually know a lot more about the Titans than the general public is led to believe. How else would there be a "medicine" like that. Well, unless Eren´s dad is the single one, lone researcher who figured it all out. But that would be too silly.

And I agree, if it was just Eren "willing" himself into controlling the/being a Titan, that´d be super boring. This isn´t some Naruto-bs.

Now on to the most interesting part of these last couple of episode, though. The fantastic effect that Eren´s "death" had. By supposedly killing off the main character, all the supposed side characters got room to breathe, to develop. And I love it. Mikasa got to show off. Armin is at the beginning of his career as a strategist. The guy that wanted to lead a safe life in the inner wall is shaping up to become a leader. Skinhead boy (yeah, Im really bad with names, lol) is super sympathetic. Potato girl shows weakness, which makes me like her a lot more after she seemed to be another Mikasa-like goddess in battle. And so on.

It remains to be seen how the return of Eren effects all this development of other characters. Also, Eren is to become an outcast? Don´t know how I like that. Well, it gives a good excuse to leave the walls and go outside exploring, but still. Wonder if the others will follow him then. Could be the start of some "legendary squad", where all of them leave the walls, go outside, and then return like 2-3 years later with significant information about the titans.

[David75]

Best part of the episode: Mikasa crying.

Eren is operating a bio_interfaced_titan_which_looks_like_a_flesh_mech was a little underwhelming.
Now I guess that with a good night sleep, he'll be able to operate a 20-30 meters class high output titan again... Younglings these days have too much energy I tell you.

[Kraco]

Best part of the episode: Mikasa crying.

I thought so too. Her expression is always so stoic, despite the fact we know she loves Eren more than anything, so having her cry was quite refreshing.


Eren is operating a bio_interfaced_titan_which_looks_like_a_flesh_mech was a little underwhelming.
Now I guess that with a good night sleep, he'll be able to operate a 20-30 meters class high output titan again... Younglings these days have too much energy I tell you.

A pure shounen show and a main character that was quite underwhelming initially, especially overshadowed by his sidekick. There was no other choice but to introduce something extraordinary to help the main character kick more ass.

[Buffalobiian]

ou´re all avoiding the first and foremost question: HOW did he manage not to be killed?!

While I was hoping that it wasn´t thanks to some magic potion his dad gave him ... IF it is because of that, it´d indicate at least some sort of governmental conspiracy, where the higher ups actually know a lot more about the Titans than the general public is led to believe. How else would there be a "medicine" like that. Well, unless Eren´s dad is the single one, lone researcher who figured it all out. But that would be too silly.

Titan Regeneration Potion.

Remember his dad's basement?

[MFauli]

Titan Regeneration Potion.

Remember his dad's basement?

Yeah, my dad has this stuff in our home´s basement, too.

:/

[KrayZ33]

Awww man, Mikasa is so lovely

I want her to twirl and smile at me

that scene, that music playing, the tears.....everything was just right

[shinta|hikari]

Why do they keep the Mikasa scenes so fantastic? I actually teared up at the scene where she held Eren with such a look of shocked elation. That part had more impact to me than the crying. The entire scene was done great, from the camera angles to the timing in the changes in Mikasa's expression. Her feelings for Eren became so visible it was almost tangible.

[DarthEnderX]

They tricked me dammit!

I thought this was a fantasy series, but it's secretly a mecha series!

Gross, fleshy mechas!

[Buffalobiian]

Sasha failed because she was following someone else's plan. If she had thought of her own way to approach the titan and kill it, I'm sure she would have succeeded. ;)

I love seeing her crying to Mikasa like a pet though. She's cute that way.


They tricked me dammit!

I thought this was a fantasy series, but it's secretly a mecha series!

Gross, fleshy mechas!

I think it's more like Ultraman in disguise.

[MFauli]

Nah, Shingeki no Kyojin is a Gantz-spin off, playing on an alien planet, where human beings have been deported for a perverse survival experiment. Just you wait, Kurono will have a guest appearance in like 5-6 episodes :>

[Buffalobiian]

Nah, Shingeki no Kyojin is a Gantz-spin off, playing on an alien planet, where human beings have been deported for a perverse survival experiment. Just you wait, Kurono will have a guest appearance in like 5-6 episodes :>

I'm talking about your "mecha" analogy, and saying that I see it more akin to Eren becoming a giant to fight monsters, as opposed to your typical "pilot a mecha to fight monsters".

[Killa-Eyez]

"Pilot monsters to fight other monsters".

1514

Just barely below the neck. Makes me think about the others... :confused:

[MFauli]

omg, nice find. another Bokurano-moment incoming :>

[Archangel]

"Pilot monsters to fight other monsters".

1514

Just barely below the neck. Makes me think about the others... :confused:
Thumbnail looks like a vagina.

[Inazuma]

Thumbnail looks like a vagina.

Someone has a problem with Vaginas

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 09 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=439087)





---------------------------------


















Damn that was good. The whole stand-off was annoying to watch because we knew exactly what went on, despite it being a necessary and truthful conveyance of what should have happened.

The worst part was that I really wanted them to use my comback:

"You ask a lot of questions, let me ask you this: How many titans have you killed?

I've (Misaka) personally killed 13. Armin devised a plan that killed 7 and saved 20 soldiers. Eren took out innumerable titans and avenged our comrades.

Have you killed any titans today? Don't you dare accuse us of treason."

edit2: oh, and turns out Eren becomes his own titan. Ultraman analogy ftw!.

[Kraco]

"You ask a lot of questions, let me ask you this: How many titans have you killed?

I've (Misaka) personally killed 13. Armin devised a plan that killed 7 and saved 20 soldiers. Eren took out innumerable titans and avenged our comrades.

Have you killed any titans today? Don't you dare accuse us of treason."

That would be totally useless. The commanders in that city always command from behind the lines. They don't lead from the front. They are aristocratic military leaders, which naturally goes well hand in hand with the country being an absolute monarchy. The king needs the military command to be in the hands of people who also are privileged and thus have to jealously guard their high station. A man who can turn into a titan would make such leaders deadly scared for many reasons, and the fact they haven't personally faced a titan outside of reports is only one of those reasons. The more important one is that they can't subdue such an individual easily and thus the man-monster would be a threat to the class society.

Humans would be far better off being under the rule of a military junta obsessed with defeating the titans.

But, man, this episode felt really short.

[Buffalobiian]

It wasn't meant to persuade the leader into agreeing, but more of a SHUT THE FUCK UP comment that would also impact on his troops. The leader was going to kill them anyway because he's shitting himself, but perhaps the grunts that work underneath him have a few more functional brain cells. (His 2nd-in-command seems to be brighter, but no less narrow minded)

It's s smarter thing to say than their feeble responses, which was all I was hoping for.

[MFauli]

omg

We still didn´t get an explanation for why Eren could take control over a titan body. Now we also don´t know how he suddenly knew how to force-awaken his titan-form. Damn, this just got way crazier! I have no idea what to make of it. I mean, biting into your finger, suddenly transforming, that´s magic shit. And I don´t like non-sensical magic shit. With how clever and intelligent this series has presented itself so far, however, I doubt that it´s really magic shit. There´s more to it, definitely.

Btw. was it just me who thought of Susanoo when Eren transformed, haha.

[David75]

omg

We still didn´t get an explanation for why Eren could take control over a titan body. Now we also don´t know how he suddenly knew how to force-awaken his titan-form. Damn, this just got way crazier! I have no idea what to make of it. I mean, biting into your finger, suddenly transforming, that´s magic shit. And I don´t like non-sensical magic shit. With how clever and intelligent this series has presented itself so far, however, I doubt that it´s really magic shit. There´s more to it, definitely.

Btw. was it just me who thought of Susanoo when Eren transformed, haha.

Rewatch the father flashback.
You'll understand the injection is the reason Eren has this power.
Regarding Magic shit, well the titans and the way they appear and sometimes disappear out of thin air should tell you there's room for that.

[Buffalobiian]

omg

We still didn´t get an explanation for why Eren could take control over a titan body. Now we also don´t know how he suddenly knew how to force-awaken his titan-form. Damn, this just got way crazier! I have no idea what to make of it. I mean, biting into your finger, suddenly transforming, that´s magic shit. And I don´t like non-sensical magic shit. With how clever and intelligent this series has presented itself so far, however, I doubt that it´s really magic shit. There´s more to it, definitely.

His dad said "their" memories will tell you how to do it (the transformation). From that, I can infer that the injection transmits both the means for transformation (Titan blood seems to evaporate, so I'm not sure it's that.. perhaps some other mutating agent?) as well as the memories of the Transformers who came before him (again, not sure how you get memories into a jar.. perhaps Transformers don't have evaporating blood like Titans do).




Btw. was it just me who thought of Susanoo when Eren transformed, haha.

Nope.

[MFauli]

Guys, I "get" that injection. It´s just that I need even more of an explanation: 1.) What exactly happened inside that Titan that ate Eren? We just saw how Eren-Titan erupted from inside the other titan. Was there a chemical reaction, was there a mental link, what was it? 2.) WHAT is that injection? We believe to know what its effects are, but we have no idea what that substance is, how Eren´s father go ahold of it and how he knew about its effects to begin with.

Regarding my "magic shit" complaints, I´m still hopeful that all the supernatural events we´re seeing are not caused by magic, but by extraterrestrial forces. Or other weird, but kinda-logical stuff (like "woohoo, we´re inside the Matrix, that´s all just a dream. The injcetion was the red pill." and such lol). I mean, come on: If all those monsters and transformations are magic-based, then that would take away a lot of the excitement, wouldn´t it.
Shingeki no Kyojin is presented as a mystery, where each and every episode uncovers another layer of the unknown. If it´s all magic, then there´s no more suspense, because magic means: Anything goes. No rules. It´d be super boring, because the producers could just throw weird shit as us without any consequences - aka do what Kishimoto is doing with Naruto currently.

If it IS magic-based, then don´t make it such a mystery. See Claymore. First episode explains what Claymores are, what Youma are, how they work. And then we follow a story that has to deal with these known facts. Magic is okay here. But again, when you´re telling a mystery-based story, magic kills suspense. In my opinion at the very least.

Edit: And I really hope some asshole didn´t just spoil me the future development of this series in my reputation-comments list. Thank you, dirtbag.

[KrayZ33]

wow

I watched this episode and thought there were like 10 minutes left when it ended... time sure flies when you are having fun.
the titan carcass at the end looked sick... someone from naruto sure could take a look at that to improve his badassness



I mean, come on: If all those monsters and transformations are magic-based, then that would take away a lot of the excitement, wouldn´t it.

I expect alchemy.
weird experiment to creat something (maybe a weapon); result = Titans
Titans went rampant. humans tried to fight them off using gunpowder (another invention they created) etc.
I got that impression when I saw that weird picture of humankind fighting off titans and all the humans wore these weird "magic"-hats

not to mention that the secret basement sounds like a lab of some mad scientist and so on
it'll probably be something like Fullmetal Alchemist

[Buffalobiian]

What exactly happened inside that Titan that ate Eren? We just saw how Eren-Titan erupted from inside the other titan. Was there a chemical reaction, was there a mental link, what was it?

Mental link.

[NeoCybercoin]

So his transformation is linked to his mental state and pain? I mean in the belly of that titan he clearly was in pain since he lost his freakin arm and leg. Plus he was completely focused on the thought killing Titans. At the end he was focused on protecting Mikasa and Armin and he also bit himself for the pain.

Anyway, did you all notice that lightning and steam when he did transform? That was just like the Behemoth Titan. So is that huge one also human?

[KrayZ33]

I guess, since it appeared and disappeared just like that. I wonder why someone would do that unless he is a arsonist/firestarter so to say, the fact that it appeared just when the elite-recon squad left the town is also very suspicious too, sounds like an inside job
lets not forget, there is the "armored titan" too which is way to abnormal for a regular abnormal. and it exhales "steam" just like Eren did, a feat we have not seen normal titans do so far if I'm not mistaken
and its weird that it has not appeared again

if they are humans, how did they get their powers though?

[Buffalobiian]

if they are humans, how did they get their powers though?

They're part of some group that Eren's father is also a researcher of. Perhaps they're some dark underground society that is bent on destroying mankind, but Eren's dad opposed it somehow. It sounds something like that anyway. I can't imagine someone high-up in society wanting this type of shit though, they're better off sitting on top of their hill of peasants. It sounds more like some lower-class revolutionaries got their hands on some long-lost samples and true history of how the titans came about.

Does that mean the walls were built by "good" titans before they died out? Ideally, Eren should stay within the walls and act as the absolute guard against titans. If all the colossal wants to do is kick a hole for the normal ones, then Eren should just stand at the bottleneck with some weapon that Armin devises.

Or, you know.. don't cover those pits near the entrance that you humans took so long to dig.

[Killa-Eyez]

Kuchiyose no Jutsu! :p

Awesome stuff. Now we know that and how Eren becomes a Titan, I wonder what makes Mikasa so special. They made her look like she also has got some kind of enhancement. Kids around the age of 10 normally don't make holes in wooden floors while pivoting their foot for running.

I'm going for the alchemy theory.

[Kraco]

Awesome stuff. Now we know that and how Eren becomes a Titan, I wonder what makes Mikasa so special. They made her look like she also has got some kind of enhancement. Kids around the age of 10 normally don't make holes in wooden floors while pivoting their foot for running.

I'm going for the alchemy theory.

Duh. She's of Asian descent. She was born with vast kung fu skills, so it would be strange if a floor plank wasn't broken when she gets serious. Nothing more is needed.

[Killa-Eyez]

Of course, wtf was I thinking. It is common knowledge Asians are the most suped-up 1337 human beings from the awesome lands of the oriental in the whole wide of the universe, 3var.

Forgive my foolishness
I'll no longer have any future questions regarding Mikasa's awesomeness.

Thank you Kraco. :3

[shinta|hikari]

Before she is an Asian, she is hot.

Hot girls break everything, floors or giants or whatever, just by being hot.

[Buffalobiian]

Mikasa is a genius when she lost her hesitation (and hence inhibition) when she moves. It's the whole "unlocking 100% of your potential" thing. She no longer subconsciously pulls her punches and everything comes out at max human potential. There's no real answer to "why is her potential above others (if at all)", the answer to that is the same as the one to "Why is Armin so smart?" -> just because.

[DarthEnderX]

For as obsessed as they've been on gathering information on the Titans in the past, they sure are eager to blow up the most important discovery they've made in...ever.


Kuchiyose no Jutsu! :pGear...Third!

[Archangel]

Did we really need half a fucking hour of exposition just to reach such a predictable conclusion?

[FelixZeroAlastor]

Kuchiyose no Jutsu! :p

Awesome stuff. Now we know that and how Eren becomes a Titan, I wonder what makes Mikasa so special. They made her look like she also has got some kind of enhancement. Kids around the age of 10 normally don't make holes in wooden floors while pivoting their foot for running.

I'm going for the alchemy theory.

She is Asian and clearly related to Soujiro from Ruruoni Kenshin hence the floor board breaking.

[Buffalobiian]

gg - Episode 10 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=441257)




-------------------------------














Did we really need half a fucking hour of exposition just to reach such a predictable conclusion?

Some good Armin-guts-building, so why not? I'll expect the balls he grew here to evaporate soon enough, but hopefully this is enough to build his confidence up, so that when he does (inevitably) fall into a rut, he remembers this and charges forward.

I wonder how the boulder thing would work, since if Eren can move it as a 15m titan, wouldn't the others be able to move it out of the way as well? Eren titan seems physically superior, but the others aren't exactly weaklings - especially when there's a bunch of them.

[MFauli]

I assumed he´d make it stuck firmly somehow. A single human can also build a wall that other humans cannot easily destroy, after all.

Good episode. We need such episodes without fighting, too. Watching Armin defend Eren somehow felt like watching Phoenix Wright, though, lol.

I hated how blindly everyone followed that captain´s orders. And it´s rather dumb of Pixis to drink alcohol all the time. Just because it makes him look "cool" doesnt mean that it enhances his abilities in battle lol.

Btw something I thought about last week´s episode: We´re running into the problem of Titans being too easily killed now. Why do we even need Eren to retake a town, when we can just send that elite squad? They aren´t scared at all, quite the contrary, they enjoy it. Don´t know how I feel about that.

[MasterOfMoogles]

You still lose people even if you have an elite squad, and every time you lose someone, humanity's power decreases.

[Kraco]

A boring episode. I was really close to skipping parts of it. I think this show spends a bit too much time building the desperation both on population and individual level, especially outside of fighting. It's getting repetitive and forced. Armin's character has had easily enough exposition to know what he's like so the long periods in this episode were 80% unnecessary. The weakest part was how scripted it felt Eren turned to Armin for a solution to the situation, right after telling how he's going to get to the basement alone, leaving the others out of his personal problems. As annoying as the cowardly officer was, at least I'm happy he remained stupid till the end and wasn't miraculously cured from his foolishness by Armin's speech.


I hated how blindly everyone followed that captain´s orders. And it´s rather dumb of Pixis to drink alcohol all the time. Just because it makes him look "cool" doesnt mean that it enhances his abilities in battle lol.

Dunno. I might be drinking in his position as well. A hopeless war with corrupt superiors, stupid subordinates, and completely demoralised troops. Being a little drunk might be the only way to get motivated to do anything.

[Inazuma]

The drinking feels like PTSD² after looking at his behavior and eyes.

[FelixZeroAlastor]

Did anyone else laugh a little when they showed the animation of Armin hitting his chest? It seemed needlessly, epically drawn.

[lelouch]

Why do we even need Eren to retake a town, when we can just send that elite squad? They aren´t scared at all, quite the contrary, they enjoy it. Don´t know how I feel about that.

You need Eren to block the hole with the rock in order to kill off the remaining titans. Otherwise more and more Titans would just keep flooding in.

[Buffalobiian]

Did anyone else laugh a little when they showed the animation of Armin hitting his chest? It seemed needlessly, epically drawn.

I thought it was brilliantly epically drawn. Like the whole potato-chip-and-eat-it thing.

[DarthEnderX]

Boring episode.


Like the whole potato-chip-and-eat-it thing.That is EXACTLY what it made me think of.

[MFauli]

Horrible Subs - Episode 11 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=443286)

--------------------------

Surprisingly fast

----------------------

Ha, great episode. Pacing was a bit too slow, since I expected the episode to end with the hole in the wall being filled. But seeing how it actually ended, the pacing made sense.
Just when things seemed to go smoothly, another twist for the worse. Love it.

I guess that Eren will eventually regain control, however, I have no idea how he´ll move that boulder. As Mikasa thought, even at his Titan-size, Eren is way too small to lift that rock. Which really only leaves two outcomes: Either, Eren gains the ability to become an even bigger Titan, OR the whole situation turns into a disaster where almost everyone dies and Eren is forced to flee.

[Archangel]

Another episode for talking, wonderful.

The ending was funny though. I also liked how the animation was persistently shitty through the whole thing so they could blow their budget on that 30 second wire parkour scene.

[MFauli]

Man, I´m really glad that I´m somehow blind for that "shitty animation". Whole episode looked fantastic as always to me. Also, what the fuck is up with all those "too much talking"-complaints? Heard these before. Um, I´m glad to have an anime that isn´t all action. That would be for kids. A good story needs build up, and 20 minutes are not enough to have both in a good balance, at least not week after week. Without "talking", the twists wouldn´t feel as impactful.

The "action, action all the time!"-concept works for something ridiculous like Jojo. It doesn´t work for everything.

[David75]

I guess that last scene offers 2 options:

-Eren needs some time to control the titan he creates. During that period, he attacks anything. Or he's so exhausted he can't control his Titan. Or, when not other threat is around he falls back to humans. Great power need control and experience, he obviously lacks in those since he just discovered his powers.

-The other option is the usual: it seems like I'm attacking you, but in fact I'm saving you from a threat behind/below/around you. Like there was a titan hidden below Mikasa. Overused, but why not.

[NeoCybercoin]

I doubt there was a Titan below Mikasa. That would mean that it was in the house. Also...last time he became a Titan he wanted to protect and now he just attacks the one he protected earlier. Maybe he really does need a clear mental image. Can't have doubts when become a Titan it seems.

[Kraco]

I doubt there was a Titan below Mikasa. That would mean that it was in the house. Also...last time he became a Titan he wanted to protect and now he just attacks the one he protected earlier. Maybe he really does need a clear mental image. Can't have doubts when become a Titan it seems.

Wanted to protect? He was well past protecting, after having saved Armin. He was in the titan's gastric juices already, wondering if that's how he's going to die, without achieving anything at all. If he had a mental image, it was that: Why he's about to perish before having vanquished scores of titans like he swore he would. Now his mental image should be no less: How to move the big rock.

Edit: Uh... I completely managed to forget the cannonball transformation. So, yeah.

[Buffalobiian]

I don't think the previews have trolled us yet, and the preview has Armin slashing Eren while saying he's going berserk. I'd say Eren's going berserk.

[Ryllharu]

"KILL THEM ALL! Waaagh!" is a pretty clear mental image, simple, easy to carry out and only involves two steps: Find 'em, Kill 'em. Zero discretion. So is, "Protect friends/self from cannonball!" Only one step there: Block it.

"Move that rock into that hole," is an order of magnitude more complicated. It requires awareness of an explicit target, and explicit action, and an explicit destination. There are a host of distractions along the way.

Eren doesn't know what the hell he is doing with this power. It's only the third time he's ever used it, and only the second time he's done it willingly.

I'm willing to give him a break on this one for a little bit.

[shinta|hikari]

If he so much as scratches Mikasa, he deserves to lose both his arms and legs.







They will grow back again anyway. Can't make Mikasa sad with him being hurt or dead.

[DarthEnderX]

The line thickness in parts of this episode were just astounding...


Anyway, not surprised at all about the ending. At no point has he ever shown to have any actual conciousness in Titan form. He doesn't even remember anything that happened while he was in it. I don't know what made any of them think he'd actually be able to control it.


Or he's so exhausted he can't control his Titan.I was honestly surprised he wasn't given time to eat and rest etc.

The first time he used it, it lasted a long time, until he'd basically exhausted it. The second time, which he used right after his first one burned out, he couldn't even make a complete titan. I'm surprised it didn't occur to him that he might need to replenish himself a big before being able to make another fully functional titan.


Surprisingly fastThat's how fast they normally are. Not sure why they've been so slow with this series in the past.

[Buffalobiian]

if they are humans, how did they get their powers though?They're part of some group that Eren's father is also a researcher of. Perhaps they're some dark underground society that is bent on destroying mankind, but Eren's dad opposed it somehow. It sounds something like that anyway. I can't imagine someone high-up in society wanting this type of shit though, they're better off sitting on top of their hill of peasants. It sounds more like some lower-class revolutionaries got their hands on some long-lost samples and true history of how the titans came about.



Revision: The commander's story is true. Humans created Titans to unite humans against a common enemy. Eren's dad was part of a secret group who monitored society. Some people thought the current humans could do with a bit of butt-kicking and used their Colossal and Armoured forms to scare them.

Eren seems to emerge from the back of the neck, where the recruits were also taught to cut. Pretty safe bet to say that's the central control point of these titans. What remains to be seen is whether you can drag a human controller out of any of them.

[Killa-Eyez]

...

1514

Just barely below the neck. Makes me think about the others... :confused:


...

Eren seems to emerge from the back of the neck, where the recruits were also taught to cut. Pretty safe bet to say that's the central control point of these titans. What remains to be seen is whether you can drag a human controller out of any of them.

Yesh...

It's a real twisted way to get back at humanity though, becoming huge to eat them. Straight up cannibalism right there, son. That is assuming all titans are controlled by humans and all humans have remained their consciousness while doing so...