Released By: Manga Entertainment
Rating: 15
Running Time: 320 Mins
Audio: English DD 5.1 & Japanese DD 2.0
Release Date: Out Now!
Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes
In medieval times giants walked the earth destroying humans in their wake and nearly obliterating every last one. The survivors after the invasion decided to erect huge walls to keep out the giant intruders, and though the walls are there as a deterrent to them, the city hasn't seen a giant in over a hundred years.
Evan and his foster sister, Mikasa are two of the survivors who live with their mother and father. While everyone around them feels a sense of safety and security having the wall as a serious barrier to enemies, Evan thinks differently as he has grown bored with his safe existence in the city. Evan wants to be seen as a strong young man, but everyone sees him as a kid who can barely look after himself even though he wants to be involved in combat to take away his boredom.
These man-eating giants are called titans and, to make them less human and much more primitive, they attack wearing nothing but a huge, gaping mouth with which to devour the villagers. No real explanation is given as to why they exist as a naked race of beings, though the fear comes with their size and the fact that they eat people in front of their friends and family without discrimination. The villagers don't think the titans will come back as they haves their huge walls designed to keep them out, but this only serves to make them naive about the titan's threat.
This series was originally written by Tetsuro Iraki who is responsible for Death Note, High School of the Dead, and Elfen Lied. They all have elements of horror, fantasy and a sense of survival that some anime series lack. Driven by his need to get his revenge on the enemy, Eren enlists in the army along with his friends Armin and Misaka. Attack on Titan is an anime adaptation of the manga by Hajime Isayama. The titan come in several numbers, huge and colossal with one that can loom over the walls to see the villagers. Eren and his friends find solace in their fighting back against the returning titans and while fortune could smile on the side of the titans, the humans' resilience and fighting spirit mean they might be able to cut their numbers enough to make them leave never to return again.
The battle sequences, almost seem far-fetched are also something to enjoy - for similar scenes can be seen in the latest two Berserk movies and look spectacular. Attack on Titan has the viewers watch over the characters lives and how they can handle their ever changing lives under the might of the titans. It shows how the fighters can keep relationships in terrible and testing times.
Bonus Material: Episode 2-13 Commentary Tracks, (Extras Exclusive to Collector's Edition = Bonus Disc; Making of Attack on Titan, Text less Opening, Text less Closing, US Trailer, Chibi Theatre: Fly, Cadets, Fly!, Days 1-13).
Verdict: One of the finest anime around at the moment, which already has a serious fan following!
