In recent years, I've been longing for the Kaiju Giants to make the return to the big screen, such as Godzilla, Gamera, Mothra, etc... We've haven't seen a Japanese Kaiju film since 'Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy,' or as it's know 大怪獣バトル ウルトラ銀河伝説, a worthy 43rd anniversary of Ultraman series back in 2009. Before that Cloverfleid in 2008. We could argue that films like Monsters and Troll Hunter apart of the 'Kaiju genre' but nothing has really scratch that ich, and with Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim just around the corner, and a new 'Godzilla' in the works, my slightly niche needs are finally being met.
With that said my needs have been catered for in Manga and Anime for a while now, and I've
been sitting here literary kicking myself for not coming up with the premise for
'Attack on Titan,' otherwise known as 'Shingeki no Kyojin' (進撃の巨人). A heavily stylized show where humanoid creatures
called Titans have forced humanity to retreat into a system of
concentric Walls, and cower in there 'cage' while Titans 'rule' the Earth.
You have no idea how much that appeals to me as a writer. Its a script which has elements of humanity at it's lowest, pointing out there flaws and kaiju elements. Genius!
But with that said does 'Shingeki no Kyojin' live up to it's premise?
Just as side-note this should really be called "My 'Early' Thoughts on: Attack on Titan 進撃の巨人." As at
the time of writing there are only twelve episodes of the
Anime and ten volumes of the Manga available. I'm currently on episode ten of the
Anime and haven't started reading the Manga yet, so this won't be a full 'review'.
“The story starts off with the potential to be a thought provoking piece
on the down fall of civilization, but quickly show its true colours…”
We follow Eren Jaeger, an idealistic and impulsive young man, who after the
Titans breach the outmost wall and lay waste to the town witness his mother
meet her end at the hands of a Titan. From that moment onwards Eren vows to
"erase their existence from this world." Eren soon enlists into the
military along with his adopted sister Mikasa Ackerman, and close friend Armin
Arlert.
While goofy at times, the show is genuinely unsettling. Everything from the
design of the Titans to the way they move is slightly disturbing. There design encapsulates
the fear and threat of the Titans, perfectly. And there something symbolic about
the biggest threat the human race is facing is a race of humanoid creatures. Something
along the lines of “I think it's man's nature to go to war and fight.”
The story starts off with the potential to be a thought provoking piece
on the down fall of civilization, but quickly show its true colours as a
revenge story featuring giant monsters which in its self is fine. Around
episode nine the show slowly becomes a text book ‘Battle-Manga’ where the main
character finds that he has a special gift to fight the Titans with. At least
before this revelation it was an unconventional ‘Battle-Manga’ along the lines
of Neon Genesis Evangelion. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed
but the show never pretends to be thought provoking piece, but I would also be
lying if I said I wasn’t pumped full of excitement at the set pieces featuring
the Titans.
These set pieces are where Shingeki no Kyojin’s Kaiju roots come alive, as the
slow methodical Titans make their way through the city wreaking havoc and
leaving only death in the wake. The cinematography during these moments is fantastic,
giving a good sense of scale and context to the larger creatures and depicting
the insignificant of the human characters. Along with the amazing score by Hiroyuki
Sawano (
澤野 弘之), also known for his work on Mobile
Suit Gundam Unicorn (
機動戦士ガンダムUC(
ユニコーン), define these set pieces with adrenaline pumping pace.
The main theme "Guren no Yumiya" (
紅蓮の弓矢) by Linked Horizon
also gets a special mention for being so, for the lack of a better word, epic.
Sadly there isn’t much to say on the sound design other than its serviceable,
the sounds of the ‘Titans’ and the ‘3-D Maneuver Gear’ are as you would aspect.
But the sound never encapsulates the sense of destruction and confusion of an
attack and relies on the Sawano’s music a little too much.
Going back to “a revenge story featuring giant monsters” this is where the
biggest flaw with the show becomes apparent. None of the main characters, apart
from Mikasa, are that interesting. That’s not to say there not interesting at
all, it just that the entire main cast can fit into the generic cardboard ‘Anime’
archetypes. Mikasa is the only main character to barely escape her archetype by
have some interesting redeemable qualities, otherwise she would fall into the
quiet, mysterious archetype with the dark past. There are a few side-characters
that have some remember-able quirks but beyond that the star of the show ends
up going to the Colossal ‘skinless’ Titan. Who spends most of the series menacingly
standing at the edge of the wall overlooking the destruction.
The animation quality seems 'fragmented' at times. For the most part the
animation is defined, and bold. You can feel the weight, or the lack of weight,
within a scene. As Titans rip through stone walls and take a cannon ball to the
shoulder.
It’s engaging. While at other
times it's static, but this is a common practice within the genre, it’s still
immersion breaking.
Ultimately, 'Shingeki no Kyojin' left me a little conflicted. As I said, I'm
currently on episode ten of twelve and the series is ongoing so I can't defiantly
say whether this is worth your time or not. For the most apart, I had a good
time with 'Shingeki no Kyojin' I found it weirdly engaging but it wasn't
without its flaws. None of the main characters stuck with me, other than
the Titans. The Sound design is lacking and mentionable at best. The animation
is at times defined and full of character while at other times it seems static.
I can't recommend this to everyone, but if you're interested in Kaiju films, or
unconventional ‘Battle-Mangas’ such as Evangelion it's worth a watch.
