Attack on Titan: Episode 04 Review by Skie

Japanese Title: Shingeki no Kyoujin
Reconnaissance Report by: Skie
Progress: Episode 4

This series began strong and has continued to tell its story with impact and aplomb. It is brutal, gritty, and simply does not shy away from the terrible implications of a society trying to flourish under threat from nearly invincible predators. The main characters are thrown into difficult situation after difficult situation and come out tattered – not broken or heroically accomplished, but worn. This is a delightful change of pace from many other anime I’ve experienced that try to take on the post-apocalyptic setting.

I was worried Titan would follow in the footsteps of Naruto with the dunce of a main character, the super talented support, and the middling third wheel coming up against a basic training setting, but I was relieved to find that this was not the case. While the training montage and introduction of various side characters was swift – a single episode of storytelling – it didn’t feel too fast. Sure, it was quick, but if the scenes had been drawn out much longer or other spotlights shone, it would have felt less like a cliff notes montage and more like a filler episode.

There are a few quirks here and there – the pacing for the training, or the awkward reappearance of the Super Titan – but the writing and acting and art more than make up for it. There is decided character development that has me hooked, multiple threads of a deliciously complex metaplot are being sewn, and the art has remained consistently high quality.

The end of the fourth episode leaves us in a cliff hanger and the emergence of a new leader with a new paradigm that ensures the show remains a must-see!

Score: 9.00/10.00