Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan)

[EXO]

[Major Focker]

Fixed Posed? Pass... He is a badass... but he's such a dick! lol.

but, but, he's a lovable dick!

wait... that sounds so... wrong

[EXO]

lol!

[GU-11]

One of the reasons I'm hesitant to start on this show is the possibility of it ending up as long-winded a Naruto, as someone posted earlier.

Also, I don't want to end up hunting for a Figma Mikasa figure after watching the show, just like I did with Fate/Zero's Saber.

[SuperHobo]

Is everyone's body ready for the final episode this weekend?

Oh and scary Mikasa is scary.

[Marzan]

Is everyone's body ready for the final episode this weekend?

Oh and scary Mikasa is scary.

Nice GIF!

My body is ready for the final episode.

[Archer]

Even if I know what's going to happen, I'm so excited to see this animated! Really looking forward to more awesome music/3D maneuver gear epicosity.

I wonder how they'll square it off, especially considering the need for a second season or even third at this point.

[Negotiator]

One of the reasons I'm hesitant to start on this show is the possibility of it ending up as long-winded a Naruto, as someone posted earlier.

Also, I don't want to end up hunting for a Figma Mikasa figure after watching the show, just like I did with Fate/Zero's Saber.

Hunting for mikasa figma after watching it is a guarantee, but she's a badass. Manga seems to know where its going so far and doesn't seem like its stretched out for the sake of stretching it out.

Edited September 27, 2013 by Negotiator

[Twoducks]

One of the reasons I'm hesitant to start on this show is the possibility of it ending up as long-winded a Naruto, as someone posted earlier.

Also, I don't want to end up hunting for a Figma Mikasa figure after watching the show, just like I did with Fate/Zero's Saber.

Rest assure that the creator has an ending planned. He actually aims to complete his manga in 20 book volumes. The last one was the 11th.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-09-25/attack-on-titan-creator-aims-to-end-manga-in-20-volumes

You know they “could” always stretch the anime but NEVER as much as Naruto. That thing is still going in manga form. When a manga series has an ending they normally end the anime or if they catch up to the manga they go with a different story. Full Metal Alchemist was popular and the first anime had its own ending.

[Marzan]

Even if I know what's going to happen, I'm so excited to see this animated! Really looking forward to more awesome music/3D maneuver gear epicosity.

I wonder how they'll square it off, especially considering the need for a second season or even third at this point.

I assume then you've read the manga. If so my guess is that they'll end it with

of course Annie/Female Titan being captured and the discovery of the secret in the walls as kind of the cliffhanger for the next season. I'm hoping that there'll be an announcement for a second season soon but mid to late 2014 is more realistic.

The manga itself has little filler and most things happen for a reason, so like Twoducks said, I don't think a Naruto like (or Berserk for that matter!) length is to be expected. But I think it will take a 3/4 season deal. I don't think they'll finish it in the next one unless they go for an anime original ending and then do a reboot.

[Major Focker]

hey, i thought you said you were only going the read the manga up to the latest televised episode? not like i blame you, as i myself found it extremely difficult to drop the manga until i finished the latest volume

of course i agree with your hypothesis for the season ender.

[Marzan]

hey, i thought you said you were only going the read the manga up to the latest televised episode? not like i blame you, as i myself found it extremely difficult to drop the manga until i finished the latest volume

of course i agree with your hypothesis for the season ender.

Ha ha! You caught me there! Basically at one point I got terribly impatient because as much as I tried, there was spoilers everywhere and decided to then check things out for myself. Oh and I was also very curious because I kept seeing all these

Levi/Eren shipping threads and images that I just was almost sure that there had to be something further ahead that indicated such a thing happening. At this point I have to say that it feels more like wishful thinking from a part of the fandom

[Archer]

Yeah, ending with the "secret" of the walls would be a terribly good way to end it, most likely at the chagrin of all anime only viewers though. Honestly, I'm sure a lot of anime viewers will become manga convertees rather than wait the extra year or so to see season 2 animated.

[Marzan]

Ended as expected and with a couple of really great sequences like the

"Annie, fall"

scene. The only thing was a bit disconcerting was the

Fire/Extreme Shounen Rage Eren which seemed a bit of a deviation from the manga.

But all in all a very true adaption to one of the best series this year. Season 2 cannot come too soon.

[DuelGundam2099]

At least the series is finally over, while it had some great action everything else felt pretty mediocre. Then there is Armin, not sure if utter killjoy or brat, regardless his philosophy is horrendous. I do not care whether or not a second series gets made; if it does it should fix the problems with this one and if not it will hurt the ending.

[Archer]

^Wait, wut?

I had no galms with Attack on Titan, and it made every saturday night *that* much more enjoyable

I too can't wait to see season 2 come out ASAP.

[Major Focker]

what about Armin's philosophy is horrendous? i'm curious.

[DuelGundam2099]

For the most part he was just annoying and whiny, but what sealed it for me was his quote in the last episode "If we destroy the titans will humanity really win?" ARE YOU HIGH? Defeating the very predators you're fighting makes you wonder if you're victorious!? Is that NOT the point you've been driving? You're REALLY complaining over that!? That should be an extremely obvious YES. But NOOOOOOO, we just HAVE to tack on philosophy to make it look all deep because "oh hey the audience like this cause it is different from what is out there with some flash, we don't HAVE to be good! HAHAHAHA!" The series was somewhat good, but nowhere near the epic pinnacle of anime history people are making it out to be.

Edited September 29, 2013 by DuelGundam2099

[Archer]

Sure, Armin interjects that quote at the end (which made sense in all honesty, if humans just beat titans with titans, are THEY the real winners?). In my viewing though, he's a pretty pragmatic character, who constantly makes all the hard decisions needed to "win".

[technoblue]

DuelGundam, it's called foreshadowing...there is more going on than the black and white Titans vs Humanity stuff. Given all the anime you watch, I'm surprised you missed it. As a character, Armin is stating that explicitly for those viewers who didn't catch on. You could criticize that that is too much hand-holding by the writers, but I don't think precociousness is out-of-line for Armin.

Myself, I have been good about not reading the manga. I think Bleach taught me to stop doing that and to treat anime as a separate entity, even when it follows the manga closely.

The scene after the credits with the titan in the wall was spooky too, and highlighted all the earlier narration about humanity being stuck in a cage. I like when small strings like that are not left hanging. The symbiosis(?) that some humans have with titan-kind is already apparent. Seeing more development and getting more answers is what I am looking forward to in the next season.

Edited September 29, 2013 by technoblue

[EXO]

How do you win a war with titans using other titans? Do you turn on the titans that helped you and obliterate them after?

Aside from all that it's just a really good fun, tense and exciting show. As for philosophy in anime... I DO wish they'd cut back a little, but it's not as bad as in the 90s with EVA and GITS, etc. But it's not just in anime anymore. I feel that even western movies are starting to suffer from some pretty bad philosophical ponderings.

But now that the season is done, I'm probably rewatch the whole thing and read all the little notes between the breaks (bumpers) and maybe keep a tally of which character has turned into titan regurgs and splats.

[SuperHobo]

An epic showdown was a fitting end to season 1 of this show and now it's time to spend the next week reading the manga during my breaks. It was a fun 25 week run.

Did anyone else crack up when they cut to the reverend preaching to his followers and then they cut to Annie falling on the church?

My one nitpick is that I do wish they spent a little more time with the wall reveal to let it sink into the viewers a bit more.

[Marzan]

Armin''s quote at the end goes beyond just

the fact that in order to defeat monsters they have to use monsters of their own ( in this case Eren). I think it's also referring to the methods and tactics they will have to use in order to be able to defeat the Titans. We've seen how Erwin was willing to sacrifice large portions of the civilian population in order to capture the Female Titan. Earlier too, we've seen how he sacrificed a large amount of the Recon corps in order to draw out the enemy. It will only get worse. Armin is supposed to be the brains of this outfit so it's not surprising that he says this.

It's really not out of place I think, and when push comes to shove of course they'll all be willing to do these things in order to win.

[DuelGundam2099]

How do you win a war with titans using other titans? Do you turn on the titans that helped you and obliterate them after?

You don't unless they turn on you first. Titans are not like humans where peaceful negotiations are possible, they're predators,they do nothing but eat humans, it is about survival. It isn't like with Zeon where they want independence, it isn't like OZ where there are simply a bunch of dicks in power oppressing people, it isn't like the Vajra defending their territory, it isn't like the angels from Evangelion going "get off our f**king planet, lilin!", it isn't like Devil Gundam simply trying to save the environment, it isn't like the ELS who just want a place to call home, it isn't even like the Anti-Spirals trying to prevent the end of the universe; the titans simply eat humans, and only humans, until they cease to function. You defeat them you win, don't and you'll go extinct. At least the zentradi and protodeviln could be convinced with culture shock and the power of rock (respectively).

if humans just beat titans with titans, are THEY the real winners?

Technically yes they would. I'm not even seeing a gray area in this scenario.

Armin is supposed to be the brains of this outfit so it's not surprising that he says this.

He'd make a bad green ranger. Edited September 29, 2013 by DuelGundam2099

[anime52k8]

He'd make a bad green ranger.

What are you talking about?

[Frogze]

Another great episode! I'm amazed at how they manage to consistently keep summoning such epicness into each episode. Every watch so far is rewarding and leaves me wanting more and the finale was no exception, it's a good, really good anime!

[DuelGundam2099]

What are you talking about?

It was a joke, green rangers are usually the smart guys in super sentai and sentai-esque series.

[technoblue]

How do you win a war with titans using other titans? Do you turn on the titans that helped you and obliterate them after?

I think that could be one path the story could take, unless Eren can figure out his own personal mysteries and find a way to control the Titan/Hulk rage. Having one Annie was bad enough. If Eren went rogue and started swatting at everyone like he did at Mikasa earlier in the season, then Humanity would lose its only gamble.

Edited September 29, 2013 by technoblue

[EXO]

Armin''s quote at the end goes beyond just

the fact that in order to defeat monsters they have to use monsters of their own ( in this case Eren). I think it's also referring to the methods and tactics they will have to use in order to be able to defeat the Titans. We've seen how Erwin was willing to sacrifice large portions of the civilian population in order to capture the Female Titan. Earlier too, we've seen how he sacrificed a large amount of the Recon corps in order to draw out the enemy. It will only get worse. Armin is supposed to be the brains of this outfit so it's not surprising that he says this.

It's really not out of place I think, and when push comes to shove of course they'll all be willing to do these things in order to win.

Totally agree. I guess that was the whole point of that exposition at the courtyard when they were trying to arrest Erwin.

[anime52k8]

It was a joke, green rangers are usually the smart guys in super sentai and sentai-esque series.

The green ranger was the badass loner, the blue ranger was the smart guy.

[Noyhauser]

You don't unless they turn on you first. Titans are not like humans where peaceful negotiations are possible, they're predators,they do nothing but eat humans, it is about survival. It isn't like with Zeon where they want independence, it isn't like OZ where there are simply a bunch of dicks in power oppressing people, it isn't like the Vajra defending their territory, it isn't like the angels from Evangelion going "get off our f**king planet, lilin!", it isn't like Devil Gundam simply trying to save the environment, it isn't like the ELS who just want a place to call home, it isn't even like the Anti-Spirals trying to prevent the end of the universe; the titans simply eat humans, and only humans, until they cease to function. You defeat them you win, don't and you'll go extinct. At least the zentradi and protodeviln could be convinced with culture shock and the power of rock (respectively).

And yet you still don't get it. Not everybody think in such simplistic/linear manner as yourself. Winning by any means necessary may well lead to a pyrrhic victory. Taken to its ultimate ends, your view would justify every extreme measure in order to win. And that may include abandoning the very essence that makes you human. All freedoms could be curtailed in order to meet the ultimate ends of victory. That means more "expeditions" like the one subsequent to the fall of Wall Maria, that led to 250,000 people slaughtered.

That's all fine and dandy if you're the one making those orders, but I'm pretty sure that the people who are sacrificed might not see it the same way you do. Certainly individuals like Armin, who have seen and experienced the ugly side of Humanity's effort to win at all costs, might have severe reservations about this method. I certainly would and I wouldn't just mindlessly follow what the leadership (one shown to be corrupt and self serving) says is for the best of humanity. For armin, that also means using his friend as a mindless merciless weapon. Yeah, I'd be totally down with that.

And after you win, what does that mean? Do you use extreme methods to crack down on every problem? Its not a clear cut answer, no matter how you try to portray it.

Edited September 30, 2013 by Noyhauser

[technoblue]

^Well said. Armin is the voice of reason.

I think he is well aware that the abnormal Titans are inhabited by human hosts with very human goals. There is more going on than what Erwin is reacting to.

What was Annie protecting, for instance? We haven't discovered that yet. What really fuels Eren's rage? He hasn't learned to control it yet. What these Titans are, what they want, or why they exist at all hasn't been explored in the anime beyond the smallest of clues. It seems there was some past subterfuge among certain humans and yet even those turned Titan are not completely aware of what happened to them. I think Annie gave us the most information thus far, but now that she is encased in a shell who knows if we will get more answers from her?

Edited September 30, 2013 by technoblue

[DuelGundam2099]

Do you use extreme methods to crack down on every problem?

Having very powerful predators stalking you all the time to the point of being driven close to extinction is not "every problem".

For armin, that also means using his friend as a mindless merciless weapon. Yeah, I'd be totally down with that.

You'd have a point with this if Eren wasn't so content with it as long as he keeps his hellbent intention on eliminating titans.

And that may include abandoning the very essence that makes you human.

That is until the next generation when paradigms shift, much like throughout history. This also is not counting the fact that organisms (not just humans) try to adapt to survive to keep themselves alive.

pyrrhic victory

I don't even know what that means. Edited September 30, 2013 by DuelGundam2099

[Marzan]

I don't even know what that means.

Google is your friend.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrrhic_victory

[EXO]

Killing and eating humans is not a means of survival. That's one of the mystery behind it.