[S2013] Shingeki no Kyojin Ep. 1

English Title: Attack on Titan
Season: Spring 2013
Type: Manga Adaptation
Projected Episodes: 25

I've noticed more and more than when a manga gets released state side, an anime adaption isn't far off. This season alone we've seen Aku no Hana, and Shingeki no Kyojin; which each had only about 2-3 volumes of the manga released in English before the anime adaptations were announced. We also got an adaptation of Devil Survivor 2 (don't let that 2 confuse you, it's just an indicator the second Devil Survivor is getting an adaptation instead of the first much like how Persona 3 got adapted and not the first 2). I think the same thing also happened with High School of the Dead when it came out (manga was released state side, then an anime adaptation was announced). Oh, and I've also noticed the reverse. When an anime comes out if the manga hasn't been released state side you might see it after the season ends (see I don't Like my Big Brother At All). Maybe this is a sign that the whole online movement of offering anime for free legally has been allowing more manga that otherwise would be really hard to sell to be released with English translations... ok I'm starting to ramble. Back to the matter at hand which is the intital impressions of episode one of Attack on Titan (I'm using the English title from here on because it makes more sense to me).

There isn't too much to say about this episode other than it sets up the main character... well kind of. All I can really gather is he was an angry little boy who really wants to join something life threatening and become a hero; but his reasons aren't really shown- well his first reason isn't shown but another reason is given to him in the episode. He clearly has a reason at the start of the episode, so giving him another reason just seems a bit like overkill but that is a story problem, not an anime problem because this is based on already existing material.

Attack on Titan is well animated (which is to be expected simply because Production IG is on the bill and I have yet to see a bad series from them), with a good soundtrack and a pretty decent start (even though it was a bit overkill for a first episode). Go watch it now so that if your friends start talking about this one which I can guarantee anyone watching this season will, you'll be in the know.

[check out the other S2013 impressions]