When I read the first chapters of Shingeki no Kyojin, it really struck to me that this would be impossible to animate. Thankfully Production IG got Tetsuro Araki to make up for a lot there, but even with him behind the reigns there are scenes that just are so difficult to translate right. The biggest example of that is at the end of the episode.
We see Eren lie on one roof. Across the street there is a giant who swallows Armin whole and closes his mouth after that. The next scene Eren suddenly is on top of that giant’s mouth pulling Armin out of it. That scene is so complex, but it worked in the manga because there was no animation, so also no real timeframe in which everything happened. I see no way in which this anime would have been able to do that scene right, while also keeping as true to the manga as possible. The solution would have been to just rewrite it to make sure that it works.
Nitpicking aside though, the rest of this episode was just wonderful. I mean, the other scenes in which the giants just completely slaughtered Eren’s team were done brilliantly. It was a total chaos, and yet the giants just kept appearing from out of nowhere to crush everyone. It was so different from normal anime that also feature battles against really big things, that just stand around doing nothing and waiting for the heroes to make their move.
And don’t get me wrong here: the end of this episode was the point at which I only really got addicted to the manga. Before that it was also just building up and I wasn’t really sure what to think of it. And Eren becoming lunch for that giant, it worked really well. That was one heck of a cliff-hanger that you really don’t see often!
Rating: 5.5/8 (Excellent)
I dont understand how aku hana obtain six ever, and this piece of art only 5.5 for me this chapters was a 7.
I think it’s fine, besides, I’m sure that it would’s been more impactful for psgels had he not read some of the series. Besides I really liked Aku no Hana, it had a great week.
Differences of opinion need not always make sense. He’s read SnK’s manga to a point and already glowed over it, but AnH is new to him.
Don’t they always pretend kill off the protagonist in a Shounen action series before he unveils his new transformation? Things like this have been done to death. It’s getting old by now.
True, but then it’s all about execution. I don’t know about you, but even expecting this trope a mile away I was still quite surprised by how well they pulled it off. It deserves kudos for managing to take something “standard” and making something memorable out of it. Even if it’s not flawless or completely and utterly original.
Not in the way this shows does. Most just run out of Ki/spirit/whatever, and they rarely get body damage to such a degree.
I don’t quite believe Eren is done for yet, but happen at the end was brutal and near certain death,
Yeah, the execution was quite memorable. It just seems to me that they could’ve worked to make the main character a bit more sympathetic. He’s screamed at Mikasa who was trying to protect him, and he’s constantly berated Jean for being sensible and valuing his life. Just because he wants to recklessly throw away his life doesn’t mean he has to drag his comrades down with him. To me, the final scene seemed less like a tragic death scene and more like a deserved punishment for just how damn insensitive Eren has been.
I agree to a point, but the fact that he’s not quite likable makes this all the more gripping to me. It’s one thing to kick a puppy around and ask us to cry, but it’s quite another to curse the protagonist for his hubris (another classic trope).
As early as episode 3 I remember thinking “man, Eren’s just a liability – he’s going to get them all killed” (and sure enough). I didn’t much appreciate how the show made him out to be inspirational, because people normally have a good sixth sense for these kinds of things, and they didn’t make him out to be charismatic, just strong-willed. Their reaction to him made the other human characters feel a bit too much like plot devices to me.
But then, speaking of plot devices – at least the Titans have some potential depth to be plumbed now, so that will hopefully make up for it. Again.. it’s all in how they overcome the stinking stigma of being a darker and edgier shounen series.
I don’t remember Eren yelling Mikasa at all, maybe you’ve been watching gg’s inaccurate subs for this episode. He basically told Mikasa to calm down when she started sprouting nonsense having him run to her when try are in definite squads and almost defied military orders(which carry a capital crime).
He also didn’t attack Jean for wanting to join the police, the very opposite. He told shape up and stop having a nervous breakdown if wants to survive and to be enlisted in the first place.
Beside it’s Jean who always starts the fights with Eren in the first place doing exactly what you claim Eren does. And that’s because he’s constantly jealous of him for being with Mikasa.
Insensible? Nope, hes just being realistic while the rest are being naive idiots, and hypocrites over that or you gonna tell me they didn’t yet understand that if nothing is done all the walls will be breached and humanity as a whole will destroyed. And you even gonna tell me that Jean is sensible and value his life, nope he’s just a coward and a parasite. Now about dragging comrades, well not all leaders have to be charismatic, but all of them at some point have to make people see beyond their delusions, the colective delusion here is “safety”.
Base point here is: Humanity is facing anihilation, and the enemy not only has the edge, its quite close to winning and you wanna people to waste their times being polite and sensible, yeah do that, humanity will just die faster.
Realistic? Not really. He’s being proactive, but not realistic. He wants to kill the Titans, to go out there and basically die. And this episode proves just how wrong he was to be that naive. No one’s right in this anime, they’re just desperate, which is understandable.
Would you rather wait for your death or die trying? Even if the result is the same (you gonna die anyways), I think dying while trying is way better than just waiting for it like a coward. Off course they are desparate, they are in a lose-lose situation.
And although you do have a point in the fact that he is lying to himself about the fact that he is gonna kill all the giants, he is the only that actually has a realistic grap of humanity’s situation: if nothing is done, the giants will breach all the wall and humanity will be anihilated. Being a coward for cowardices sake is never right or justifiable.
Even if we both agree that fighting is better than waiting for one’s doom, that doesn’t change the fact that Eren wasn’t approaching things rationally for a people who don’t know anything about their foe. He inspired them to rush in headfirst to their dooms. There’s no need to treat it as a black and white “he was entirely right” or “he was entirely wrong” situation.
Off course there’s nothing absolute after all, and I should have clarified in the previews post, but I do agree with you on the point that Eren is/was playing the blind revenger, but he paid dearly for it did he not. And from now its all conjecture, since I didn’t read the manga or spoiled myself, but he will somehow survive and his utter defeat will teach him how naive he was being in believing that 3 years of training and some determination would not be enough to destroy, if it was this easy someone would have done this before.
But anyways, my point from the beginning was not to say that he was entirely right or wrong, even if I may have sounded like this, my point was that consciously or not he was the only one who understood that humanity was going to be annihilated if nothing was done and they just waited behind their walls acting like there were no giants outside.
I agree… in fact, I also agree with the previous comment, pretending to kill of the main character it’s a pretty old trick… now, one thing to have in mind here: this show is not trying to be clever, it’s trying to be popular, so it will stick to proven formulae throughout its whole development…
Now, regarding Jean, he’s being sensible. I guess cowardly sensible, but sensible after all. In any case, I wouldn’t call him a hypocrite, he’s openly declared he intends “to join the gendarmerie and live in the interior”, so, he has never concealed his true intentions.
In any case, my point is that’s really easy to feel identified with the hero of the tale while comfortably sitting in front of our pc… but coming back from the death it’s only available in fantasy tales…
This show is not pretending to kill the main character, the titan is maiming Eren. The action is really happening, there is no fake out.
Ummh… sorry, perhaps I haven’t picked the right words… let’s put it more simple:
Cliffhanger: “Oh, the titan has eaten Eren! Eren is dead!! = Cliché. Everybody knows he’s coming back in one piece… like nothing actually happened.
Cheers!
ah but if i remember right theirs a twist in that as well 🙂 the author really knows what he is doing :]
Eren pulled Jean out of a Titan´s mouth without harm, the show has established the possibility of surviving that situation.
Also you are missing the point of the episode, Eren´s stupidity killed his friends. Just read Hogart´s comment:
“He didn’t want his friends to die, yet he inspired them to blindly fight the titans head-on, which only ended up killing many of them”.
And that is something you don´t see everyday.
@Jak:
certainly, I’m aware, although now I don’t remember how exactly the resolution was developed… in any case, my point is, when I read the manga I kind of flow through this entire part until it was resolved. Now that I’m watching the anime, I just find the cliffhanger annoying…
But well, I guess that’s the point…
@Jonas:
Look man, I don’t even know what are you trying to prove here?
The argument you’re mentioning it’s pretty much the same I was using a couple of comments below in another branch of this discussion, so yes, I’m aware of Eren’s stupidity…
Now, I’m not saying I didn’t like this episode, I’m just saying I didn’t like the cliffhanger because, in my personal opinion, it’s a cheap trick.
Sorry. What i´m saying is that there should be concequences for Eren´s actions, he should not just come back like nothing happened, Because something did happen, he got his friends killed.
The hipocrisy is in the fact that he thinks the interior will be safe forever. And there’s no sensibility in this, hes just an egoistical coward.
Did he really say such things? I thought he was just a coward running from the situation, but he obviously knew that it was no better than fighting and that’s what changed his mind in the end.
That said, Eren’s really no better than Jean, he’s just got different wrong-headed ideas. His ideals may be more seductive, but look where they led him and his friends, all because he HAD to fight the titans head-on.
Check your definitions… having a wrong idea is not the same as hypocrisy. Jean has never concealed his intentions, therefore, you can call him coward and say his wrong, but you can’t call him a hypocrite.
Also, I’d say the character knows that there isn’t a truly safe place, but he simply wants to live as much as he can… which is pretty much what everyone wants and really, that’s the most natural thing in the world. Calling him a coward is pretty easy from the comfort of our home…
In any case, just look at the anime… Eren just wanted to satisfy his rage, he went head-on without the minor tactic consideration, and thus, he got almost everyone killed. Not a single giant was defeated in the process.
First of all, I never said anything about Eren’s actions, or his naivety about how powerful the giants really were, what I said is that he was the only one that actually understood that humanity was screwed and there was no point in thinking that the walls were going to protect then, especially forever.
Also since you said it yourself, it makes things easier:
“Also, I’d say the character knows that there isn’t a truly safe place, but he simply wants to live as much as he can… which is pretty much what everyone wants and really, that’s the most natural thing in the world.”
You really still don’t see the hypocrisy of it all? Wants to live as much as he can? Everyone wants? Most natural thing in the world?
How did it work for the people in the first wall? Oh a 100 years of peace, thank god it was only a 100 years because if it was 200 there would be no need for the giants to come inside anymore, because they would be killing each other for food and space. But hey it’s alright, the first wall was breached, part of the population died in the attack and then most part of the people who escaped was sent back to die else everyone else would die together for the lack of food, adding to a total of 20% of the total population. Then they had five years of peace, what humanity as whole did (I’m talking about the majority you cited here)? They adapted themselves, there’s a little bit less food, meat became a commodity, but hey we can survive like this, let’s just pretend the giants are satisfied with the 20%. Off course, they breached the first wall like it was an old farm fence, and our second wall is exactly the same as the first, but hey, why they would break the second wall too? What about the third, why would they care about our last wall, that place is going to be packed like a tuna can when the second wall falls, why would they want to open something like that, oh well, because they eat humans… for fun.
I went a little overboard here, but that’s how humanity is, even in the face of despair, they prefer to lie to themselves (you know things like, there’s nothing I could have done, or it was not my fault, or going emo so people pity them) and adapt to the buttload of shit that is thrown at them, than to accept the consequences of their actions (in the anime, said action was passivity) and fight (not always literary) so they don’t make the same mistake twice.
One question by the way, are Jean’s actions or dialogue (or both) different in the manga?
Man, I’m not saying Jean is a hero, but I certainly understand him because he’s being human.
Let’s put it in other words: I certainly don’t know what would I do in their position, but precisely because I’m not a hypocrite, I won’t say I’d join the fight in the front. Most likely I’d try to stay alive as much as I can and help to find a solution using my head rather than simply going blind and becoming titan’s food.
In any case, I don’t disagree with the rest of your statement, and actually it’s pointed somewhere in the anime and/or the manga that, if the next wall falls, they’re facing a civil war over food. But that’s not the point of my argument, I’m simply comparing Jean to Eren, mostly to point out that Eren is a jerk… he does seem to understand that something’s gotta be done to prevent mankind’s extinction (although, I wouldn’t say he’s the only one that aware of that, otherwise there would be no Recon Corps), but it the end he’s lost in his own delusional world, in which he thinks he’ll kill all the titans,…
…whatever.
Cheers!
Oh well, when everything is said and done all that is left is personal opinion, you think Eren is a jerk and you sympathize with Jean, I think Jean is a jerk and a coward, as for Eren, he is a courageous guy, even if he’s stupid.
Except I don’t even simpathize with Jean… I’ve only said I understand him. If any, I simpathize with Armin (considering he sucks at physical prowess, I’d say he’s even more corageous than Eren) or Sasha (pretty basic girl, but at least she’s honest). Now, going back to Eren, he’s reckless and hellbent on revenge, but you may call him corageous.
Anyway, peace offering: before, you asked about Jean in the manga, I don’t want to make spoilers here, so I will just say that both, he and Eren will eventually grow up and become more likable…
Cheers!
Tbats it.
Cbeers bro!
Eren was trying to protect Misaka. He doesn´t want her following him into combat. Even if he is suicidal, he wants his family to survive.
He didn’t want his friends to die, yet he inspired them to blindly fight the titans head-on, which only ended up killing many of them.
Yes, and that is why he doesn´t want Misaka near him.
Uh, no. He wasn’t trying to protect Mikasa. He was trying to stop her from protecting him. It’s Mikasa’s self-appointed job to protect Eren. Eren hates that. He hates that she would stop him from fighting Titans because she thinks his recklessness + Titans is a horrible combination. She’s right too, just look at what happened the minute she turned her back on him.
It’d be kind of hard to simulate, but it sure seems like all the soldiers could have used more training in the not-getting-killed aspect, not just the part about moving around and swinging swords into meaty necks.
I didn’t too much mind the scene discontinuity and certainly not Eren’s personality and actions (it’s not bad to have a protagonist with an edge, a few issues).
The part that bothered me was the generic hohoho aristocrat sitting on his ass far from the front lines, who thinks the world revolves around him. Come on… by this point, we all get it. Nothing interesting to see there. I suppose it’s mostly just to introduce Pixis, but still.
Eren is still a problem for me, but damn was this episode intense!! I do agree that the execution for the scene where he suddenly appeared in the giant’s mouth was kinda weird but other then that, the battle (or should I say slaughter) was quite satisfying and gruesome. Can’t wait to see what happens next.
Great episode, though it is a very manipulative one.
great episode, got plenty of ideas on the twist to come but I’ll just wait and see.
This show is awesome.
I’ll throw my “something to do with giant regeneration” guess out there right now.
ur pretty near xD
I knew it he’s going to eat his way out! xP
Can’t wait to watch. This show is fucking epic.
I think I messed up this reply thing.
indeed u are right and if i remember right the manga presented this with unique twist lets c if people recognize it next episode 😛
No, he’ll more than likely transform into some sort of Human/Titan hybrid like his other Shounen counterparts. Especially since they mentioned the Titan’s regenerative abilities.
I knew it he’s going to eat his way out! xP
Can’t wait to watch. This show is fucking epic.
About the scene badly timed where Eren teleports where Armin is, they showed how the giant who ate Armin gulped down which gave the feeling Armin had already gone to his stomach.
However they could have just shown Armin entering the mouth (no gulp) and immediately Eren’s flashback and reaction and him going to save Armin with the 3D-movement gear (without his leg obviously). For me, the scene wasn’t well done because the animators were lazy or misdirection (or they didn’t want to show Eren moving fast while he has lost half leg).
A better job was perfectly possible. Anime should improve upon the manga when things aren’t well explained or shown in the source.
Well…. technically he doesn’t need his legs to use those grappling hooks so he could have gotten there just as fast with or without legs. Everyone’s really just nitpicking at minor faults now.