Pokemon X and Y: What to Expect David Flanagan
shocking developments and revelations in later episodes raise more questions than they answer, and so the audience is left pondering the mystery of the Titans, humanity’s relationship to them and the world they fight over.
Games of Thrones) “doesAOTnot(like hold back from killing
off characters, no matter how cool and skilled they are
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Humanity is not entirely defenceless, however, and despite possessing only a mediaeval level of technology, the military uses 3D Manuever Gear (a steampunk jetpack with Spiderman-esque wires and grappling hooks) to reach the weak spot on the back of a Titan’s neck. This leads to some stunningly well-animated scenes where we see soldiers gliding between buildings and dodging the Titans’ attacks to deliver vicious killing blows. The fights are underlined by a continual anxiety for the lives of our favourite soldiers, as AOT (like Games of Thrones) does not hold back
from killing off characters, no matter how cool and skilled they are. Apart from the fight scenes, the anime features some beautifully animated vistas of medieval cities and natural landscapes, which contrast nicely with the blood and gore present throughout the series. The music is also worth mentioning, as the soundtrack features a compelling combination of choir music, upbeat rock goodness and threatening synths, and the opening song ‘Guren no Yumina’ is utterly addictive in its brilliance. Despite all the strengths of AOT, there are a few nagging flaws and weaknesses that keep it back from true greatness. Character development and interaction doesn’t get that much screentime compared to other animes, and thus some characters feel flat, leaving us unaffected by their gruesome, terrifying deaths. The prevalence of animation errors and reuse of assets throughout later episodes leads one to suspect that the high-quality fight scenes were more expensive than expected, and so the studio decided to cut
some corners when it came to animation. This compounds another problem that comes with manga adaptations; where action scenes are juxtaposed with lengthy dialogues and flashbacks that take longer to watch than to read.
Despite all the strengths of “ AOT, there are a few nagging flaws and weaknesses that keep it back from true greatness
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In some cases this seriously affects the pacing of the episode, leading me to believe that the ‘TO BE CONTINUED’ screen is actually a form of sadistic torture. Despite these flaws, I would still recommend putting aside a weekend to marathon through AOT with a friend. Cringing in fear, crying in despair, cheering in (rare) exultation and flat out screaming in shock is all the more fun when you’ve someone to do it with.
Matthew Corbally is currently taking a Masters in Popular Literature.
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