Otaku's Best of 2015

Following are my best picks for manga, books, anime and dramas and movies I read or watched in 2015. I honestly didn't watch too much anime this year and of what I did watch there were only a few series worth mentioning. On the other hand, I watched a lot of dramas and movies, so that section is going to be a bit larger this year as there were several worth mentioning. While I live in hope that I will one day give extended reviews of the titles listed below, history tells me I probably will not do this for the majority of them. I like to start off my year with a realistic outlook on my resolutions.

For the few people who actually read my blog, do you have any recommendations for me to watch or read in 2016? I'm always on the lookout for a new favorite.

My Best Manga Reads of 2015

Love Com by Aya Nakahara: I actually tried reading this series a few years ago and didn't get past the first volume. However, after watching the Lovely Complex movie this year I decided to give it another chance and I'm glad that I did. It's funny, quirky, and a little romantic. I loved watching Risa's and Otoni's relationship slowly develop from friendship to something more. I also felt the author realistically portrayed the awkwardness of first love and unrequited love between friends. I will say the first two volumes hover around a 3/5 stars rating, but if you stick with the series it's a solid 4/5 stars.

Kyou no Kira-kun by Rin Mikimoto: So I'm currently only in volume five of this series, but only because I live in America and it hasn't been officially translated into English. I'm basically relying on fan translated online scans which I'm eternally grateful for. This is such a cute and bizarre series. It's one of those rare finds that's both strange and beautiful. It follows the lives of a reformed (kind of) asshole, a social outcast, and her talking parrot. There are other characters, but these are really the only three I'm interested in. I love the story; it's melodramatic in the best possible way.

Orange by Ichigo Takano: This was an instant favorite! Granted, I still haven't finished the series, but it would have to take some incredibly bad writing in the later volumes to ruin this series for me (something I doubt the author is capable of doing). The premise of this series is fresh and the story crafting is beautiful and spans a range of genres from science fiction, mystery, romance, to drama. There are two interwoven stories, separated by ten years, being told simultaneously. There is a lot of emotion in the series as the author explores some heavy issues like suicide and the impact it has on those left behind. It's impossible not to feel with these characters trying to make sense of their loss by attempting the impossible.

Chocolat by Ji-Sang Shin: This is technically a manhwa, but I didn't want to make another category so I'm including it in this section. I've yet to read a manhwa where I didn't feel confused at some point with the dialog or the continuity of the story. And while this series is no exception, I thoroughly enjoyed every volume in it regardless of any confusion I might have experienced while reading it. It basically follows the lives of a new k-pop group and a fangirl who joins their fandom to get close to another k-pop group whom she actually cares about. A ridiculously over the top and unbelievable premise, with the expected melodrama, but I loved the series anyway.

My Best Book Reads of 2015

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie: The protagonist of this book has such an honest and authentic voice that it easily absorbs the reader into the narrative. The internal dialog of Junior is a mix of crude humor, genuine emotion, and angst coupled with profound thoughtfulness that is undeniably the voice of a teenage boy. I also liked how the artwork in the book enhanced the story. I alternated between laughter and tears while reading this.

Kindred by Octavia Butler: I would recommend this to everyone! It's unique premise is what first drew me to the book, but the characters are what really made me love the book. It was incredibly easy to connect with them and get lost in their lives. I worried, feared, hated, and loved with them. And Dana is one of the most believable characters I've come across. She has a voice that resonates with me on several levels. I plan on reading more books by this author; Butler's a new favorite.

Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs: I love the Alpha and Omega series and this installment did not disappoint. The antagonist in this book is a special kind of creepy that beckoned me to continue reading. The world building in Briggs' series does an amazing job of incorporating real life with the darker side of fantasy. Loved the book, love the series. I highly recommend both.

Take Me On by Katie McGarry: I think at least one of her books has made it on to my favorites list since I began blogging. This series is just phenomenal. I'm always surprised by how much I enjoy each character McGarry introduces in her series. Each new character's story becomes my new favorite eclipsing the book before it.

The Giver by Lois Lowry: Considering it's brevity this is one powerful book. There is an "Aha!" moment that is kind of amazing and an ambiguous ending that left me eager for the next in the series. This is a quick read well worth the small amount of time you'll spend reading it.

My Best Anime Finds of 2015

My Love Story!: It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of High School Debut, so when I heard Kawahara had written a new series and that it was getting its own anime I HAD to watch it. It still kills me that High School Debut never got an anime, so there was no way I was missing out on this. This is such a cute love story with a sort of a Beauty and the Beast vibe, only the "Beast" (aka Takeo) doesn't start out as a dick. He was always pretty awesome, but because he's not traditionally handsome, but instead a sort of large awkward and intense gorilla like person, he's looked down upon. Not only is this a cute romance, it's also a pretty cool bromance. It's just as much about Takeo's and Sunagawa's friendship as it it about Takeo's and Yamato's romance. I loved the anime and plan to read the manga as I'm sure it's equally as amazing. No bias at all, I swear!

Soul Eater NOT!: Okay, so this Soul Eater spin off series has a lot more fan service in it than the original Soul Eater series, but if you can get past all of that it's a fun watch. I liked the idea of seeing the events of the original series told from the perspective of the underdogs and it was cool seeing some of the original characters again. While I would have preferred less fan service I still enjoyed the series. I hate that the only way Funimation will pick up a series is if it's hardcore shonen or has a lot of fan service, but that's another topic all together.

Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day: I absolutely LOVED this anime! There is so much pain and guilt in this series, but there is also that much love, forgiveness, and friendship. This has one of the cooler premises in this line up and a twist in the first episode that will surprise you. The ending is perfect. I might have ugly cried my way through the last two episodes. It's just that good.

Durarara!!: I didn't realize when I first started watching this that it was written by the same author as Baccano! However, by the first episode it was kind of obvious. Both series have the sort of disjointed nonlinear storytelling where you'll see events from one point of view and then in the next episode see the same events or related events from another point of view. I love this type of story crafting. It's complexity keeps the story fresh and interesting. I also love the fast pace of the storytelling and the intensity and playfulness of the characters.

My Best Drama & Movie Finds of 2015

Say I Love You: This is without a doubt one of the best manga series adaptations. While it changes some things around, which is expected due to format constraints, it remains true to the spirit of the series and the overall story arc. The acting is on point; Mei and Yamato were brought to life by the actors who played them, as if they stepped out of the manga pages and into our reality. I also love the soundtrack, especially One Direction's "Happily." The song and movie are forever linked in my mind. My only complaint is that the movie has been released on DVD and Blu-Ray, but without official English subtitles so I still don't own a copy.

Bokura Ga Ita Part I & II: I pretty much love every adaptation of We Were There that's been done and the live action adaptation is no exception. It's such a beautiful adaptation of the series and I'm so happy they broke the story into two movies as it's a love story that spans about ten years. The music in both of the movies is poignantly perfect for the emotion of the series as well. I highly recommend both movies.

Love Com: This is hands down one of the funniest movies I watched this year. It's a perfect fit for the manga series as the over the top acting fits perfectly with the tone of the manga series. It also has one of my favorite scenes in a movie; the part where Otoni let's Risa down while on their class trip. It's a perfect blend of awkwardness and heartache. I also love how Maity is always introduced with a weird pose and a rainbow. Hilarious!

Shut Up Flower Boy Band: I love movies that follow the lives of bands and this did not disappoint. It's so full of angst and ridiculous plot points that include a sort of homicide that I just had to keep watching. It also doesn't hurt that it's full of eye candy...you see what I did there. But no really, it's a fun movie with some fun music that will get stuck in your head.

Strobe Edge: This is an amazing adaptation of the manga series. I'm torn between Say I Love You or Strobe Edge for my favorite Japanese live action adaptation. They are both just so good. I love the way the movie was filmed with a sort of quick flash back to explain the history between Ninako and Ren. Speaking of Ninako and Ren, the actors did an excellent job bringing them to life. They felt authentic. However, I didn't care for how Ando was portrayed...a little too much of the creep that doesn't really match his character from the manga. Regardless, I LOVED the movie!

Ao Haru Ride: While I preferred the live action adaptation of Strobe Edge better, this is still a good adaptation of one of Sakisaka's works. There were a lot of changes from the manga series, but I think it still kept true to the spirit of the series. Also, I think the actors who play Futaba and Kou did a good job portraying the characters. What I especially like about this movie is how it was just as much about the characters' friendships with each other as it was a romance between Futaba and Kou which is what I like best about the anime and manga series. I actually found I preferred the live action over the manga series, but I like the anime over both.

Sensory Couple: This has such a quirky premise that I couldn't help but watch it. And to be honest I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I started it, but I was sucked into the series pretty quickly. I loved the romance between the two main characters and adored the sort of amnesia aspect of it all and the absurd coincidence that the two main protagonists and the antagonist all have sensory issues and have a interconnected past. Also, the "villain" has the BEST library. Seriously, I kind of didn't care that he was a crazy serial killer; I was willing to overlook this for a shot at his library. Also, he's pretty hot which doesn't hurt...you know until he kills you. It's a sort of murder mystery thriller with some epic cuteness thrown in.

The Devil Beside You: You have to go into this Taiwanese drama with the understanding that it's going to be kind of ridiculous to truly appreciate it. There are multiple attempts of murder, fight scenes, and a truly horrific Christmas tree decorating contest where arguably the worst tree won. Also, a Christmas tree is set on fire at the end of the series to convey love somehow. Seriously, it's kind of epic in its absurdity. Also, the chemistry between Mike He and Rainie Yang is realistic to point where I kind of ship them in real life. (I usually refrain from shipping people in real life because it's weird and kind of creepy, but it's hard not to want them to be an actual couple.)

Why Why Love: After watching The Devil Beside You, I had to watch everything Mike He and Rainie Yang were in together which unfortunately is not much. I actually liked Why Why Love better than The Devil Beside You, because I thought Rainie Yang's character was much stronger in this series. In The Devil Beside You she's a bit of a damsel, wherein Why Why Love she's a bad ass who puts up with very little crap from either of the protagonists. Also, I love the music in both series; Rainie Yang's voice is both playful and melancholic.

Otaku's Best of 2014

I fell a little short this year on my Goodread's reading challenge;three short to be exact. In 2014, I read 119 volumes of manga, across 26 series, and 38 books for a grand total of 157 books or 29,090 pages. In addition to all the books I've read, I've also watched more anime and foreign dramas (primarily Korean and Taiwanese) than might be good for me.

Following are my best picks for manga, books, anime and dramas I read or watched in 2014. I hope to give those I haven't already reviewed a full post in the coming year, but I'm not sure if I'll actually do so based on my limited posting from last year.

My Best Manga Reads of 2014 

Say I Love You by Kanae Hazuki:  I watched the anime series last year and fell in love with it. When I heard this series was finally being translated into English, I knew I had to read it. The first few volumes were a little rough, but they've gotten progressively better with each new installment and the things I love about the anime shines brightly in the manga. My favorite thing about this series is how every character, even the most villainous, can find redemption. The series does a great job creating three dimensional characters who are believable precisely because of their flaws. Take a kick ass heroine who doesn't take crap from anyone, coupled with a hot leading man and you have a recipe for awesome.

Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama:  The anime is spectacular and while I don't think the manga is quite as good, it's still well done. The world building in this series is well done and truly horrifying. The premise is fascinating and not a little mystifying which will keep you reading long into the night.

Ao Haru Ride by Io Sakisaka:  I LOVED Strobe Edge, but I think this series is even better. Like Strobe Edge, the characters have a sense of depth not always found in manga and I related to them on several levels. There are all the usual shojo tropes in this series, but the character development is so well done that it makes them seem new again. There's a lot of emotion in this series, which is something I've come to expect form Io Sakisaka. I only hope this will eventually get translated as I'd love to own the series and read the official translations. As it is, I'm just grateful of the online fan translations.

Sand Chronicles by Hinako Ashihara:  This series is quite broad in scope and reminded me of We Were There. Like We Were There, it tackles serious issues and follows the lives of these characters over a twenty year time span. The series explores dark and innocent themes alike. Beautiful character development and a rather lovely ending. While I could have done without the sort of prequel volume the rest were well written and hard to put down.

I am Here by Ema Tōyama:  A super cute series that'll make you feel happy. I enjoyed the simplicity and sheer joy found in this series. It reminded me of a younger version of Kimi ni Todoke. I enjoyed watching Hikage grow into herself and finally speak out and act on her needs. It's a really fast read guaranteed to make you smile.

My Best Book Reads of 2014

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta: One of my all time favorite books, I've read it multiple times this year. The writing is beautiful with deep observations on life, family, and friendship. I can't gush enough about this book. I laughed and cried and in the end I felt better for having read it. The story and characters will stick with you long after you've finished reading.

Bone Doll's Twin by Lynn Flewelling:  This is the first book in the Tamir Triad and all three have found their way on my favorites shelf. This is a blend of fantasy, gothic and coming of age with a bit of court intrigue. The writing pulls the reader in from the first page. The author took an overdone plot device, the hidden child King (or Queen in this case), and turned it into a truly unique and rather dark tale. Beautifully crafted.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell: I related more to the main character in the book than I like to admit. Cath is the ultimate fangirl living in her make believe world, which is cooler than anything the real world can offer...or so she thinks. I loved watching her come more fully into the real world, while not giving up her enthusiasm of the fandom she loves. The book also explores the bond of sisterhood and what it means to be a twin--the struggle of finding your own identity when someone else is wearing your face.

Crash into You by Katie McGarry:  This is a series that improves with each volume. Isaiah is one of my favorite characters, and I so wanted him to find a happy ending after his unrequited love was well and truly rejected in Dare You To. This volume delivers all this and more.

Still Life by Louise Penny:  I usually don't go in for mysteries and if this hadn't been a book club pick I never would have read it. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this first in a series. While it was a rather slow beginning and the mystery was easily solved the character development is top notch and the writing is beautiful.

My Best Anime Finds of 2014

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood: I started watching this series on a whim, and binged watch most of the series in a week. The story is action packed, has a unique premise, and alternates between comedy and sorrow at any given moment. I loved the relationship between Ed and Al and can't wait to watch season five!

Sailor Moon Crystal:  I'm a huge Sailor Moon fan, so I'm incredibly excited that they've rebooted the anime. While I have a soft spot for the original series, I have to say that I LOVE the new reboot. The artwork is better and the characterization is more true to manga series. My only issue is that the episodes are released as such a slow rate. If they revamp the entire series it may be ten years or so before they complete the fifth season.

Blue Spring Ride:  Based off of the popular manga series Ao Haru Ride by Io Sakisaka, this is one of my favorite anime and manga finds this year. While the anime series only covers the first half of the manga, it does a good job of tying up loose ends since it's unlikely to get a second season due to an unfair bias against shojo anime. The anime series leaves off on a hopeful note that I think defines the manga series. The music in this series is quite beautiful and at times playful.

Attack on Titan: Such a freakin' awesome anime series! I fangirl ridiculously hard for this series. It has a compelling plot and unforgettable characters. Not to mention one of the coolest female heroines in anime. While I liked the manga I think the anime is better. And the soundtrack is amazing!

My Little Monster:  This series is ridiculously cute and silly, something I feel like we should all have more of in our lives. The chemistry between the main characters, Shizuku and Haru, is not only believable but so much fun to watch while it develops. Super cute; super fun!

My Best Drama Finds of 2014

To the Beautiful You:  I adored this K-drama. While the premise is unrealistic (no one is mistaking Sulli for a boy, even with short hair) it didn't distract from the story. I loved the straightforward way the series approaches gender issues, especially with regards to Eun-gyeol's feelings for Jae-hee. I'm not gonna lie, I also love the fact that Shinee's Choi Minho is the leading man in this series. I also love that EXO members were also part of the series. K-pop makes everything better!

Fated to Love You:  One of my best friends recommended this T-drama to me and I'm so very glad she did. It might be one of the most melodramatic series I've ever watched, which just adds to the sheer pleasure of watching it. The more ridiculous the better! I'd like to add that it has one of the funniest "sex" scenes I've ever seen. This scene alone makes the series worth watching.

Playful Kiss: I tried watching this last year and couldn't get past the first episode. The daydreaming was just too out of control. This year, I decided to give it another try and I was rewarded with a new favorite. Part of the reason is because I find Kim Hyun-joong incredibly sexy. I adored him in Boys Over Flowers and absolutely loved him in this. The asshole with a heart of gold works for him. If you can make it through the first two episodes you'll be rewarded with a cute yet unlikely love story. The absurdity of it all makes it that much better.

Attack on Titan

Title: Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin)
Writer: Hajime Isayama, Yasuko Kobayashi 
Director: Tetsurō Araki
Episodes: 25 episodes 

When the man-eating giants called Titans first appeared, humans retreated behind massive walls. After a hundred years of safety, a colossal-sized Titan smashes through the defenses, unleashing a flood of giants and carnage in the streets. Eren Jaeger watches helplessly as one of the creatures devours his mother.

He vows to kill every Titan walking the earth.

Eren and his surviving friends enlist to fight against the insatiable monsters. The future looks bleak, but there s more to Eren than meets the eye: he may be humanity s last hope against extinction. From the director of Death Note and High School of the Dead comes the series Anime News Network calls an intense, visceral, and graphic thrill ride. The Titans have come to feast. Anything can happen. No one is safe.

FUNimation | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Crunchyroll | Hulu

To avoid all sorts of spoilers you should skip to the bottom for the spoiler free wrap up.

So I know I'm late to this party, but this is such an amazing anime that I MUST add my voice to the thousands of people fangirling over it. I'd heard of this anime long before I actually took the time to check it out and when I finally did, I ended up binge-watching all 25 episodes on Crunchyroll in one sitting. It was so good, that after taking a nap I watched it again from the beginning.

You may be asking yourself, what makes Attack on Titan so freakin' awesome? Well let me give you a quick (Who am I kidding? This won't be quick.) rundown on why this should be moved to the top of your anime watch list.

1. A post post apocalyptic setting that is uniquely terrifying.

The premise of this world is that humans have been herded behind three enormous walls after creatures known as Titans mysteriously appeared one day and began devouring the human race. (Imagine being caged like cattle, never knowing when you'll be part of a Titan buffet.) For 100 years, humans have lived peacefully behind these walls sending out an advanced guard, known as the Recon Corps, to get supplies and learn more about the Titans. (Usually, less than half of each party makes it back alive and they really haven't learned much about them during these missions.) The anime begins on the day this peace is broken when a Colossal Titan breaks through the outer wall allowing the city to be overrun by Titans. When all is said and done 20% of the population is dead and humanity has lost access to the outer walls.


2. Did I mention these truly creepy monsters known as titans?

Zombies step, or stagger, aside if you will; there's something far more terrifying than hordes of the undead. Titans are these humanoid shaped giants that mindlessly eat humans for apparently no other reason than to eradicate humans from the face of the earth. Seriously, they have no digestive system or any need for sustenance. They just eat to kill. (Kind of speaking of zombies, here's a not so serious question to ponder: Would a Titan eat a zombie and would a zombie survive said Titans eating them?)

The smallest Titan is 3-5 meters (or 10-16 feet) with the largest being 60 meters (or a little under 197 feet) and the average seems to hover around 7-15 meters (about 23-49 feet). Most walk around as if they're out having a casual stroll (the kind of stroll where buildings are decimated and corpses are left in their wake), but there are a few "aberrants" who are completely unpredictable and seem to move faster than normal Titans. The aberrants are particularly terrifying because there isn't any sort of pattern to what they are going to do.


Except for the missing genitals (no idea how they reproduce), vacant expressions and the disproportionate bodies, Titans are human in appearance. This adds to the creepiness factor, as it seems almost cannibalistic when they are devouring people. The worst part is when people try to reason with the them. The Titans can't comprehend their pleas so there is no mercy.

3. Unforgettable characters

The characters in Attack on Titan are well developed and simply unforgettable, which is a shame since so many of them die. (I know when a character is about to die, because I'll have started to grow attached to them.) George R.R. Martin has nothing on Yasuko Kobayashi when it comes to killing off characters. More than half of the cast is dead by the end of the first season of Attack on Titan. (I don't think I'm exaggerating.)

Jean Kirstein: He's one of my favorite characters in the series. He also has one of the most interesting character developments. He starts out as a brutally honest yet self-centered, delightfully cynical, and a somewhat apathetic recruit and evolves into a brutally honest, delightfully cynical, and a somewhat selfless leader. His sole purpose of joining the Training Corps is to join the Military Police Brigade who serves in the interior wall where it's "safe." He has no plans to look out for anyone but himself and when the Battle of Trost District begins he almost deserts.

With the coming of the Titans and the death of a close friend (I'm trying to maintain the illusion of a spoiler free review) Jean finds the courage to accept leadership and the difficult decisions that comes with such responsibility. One of the best moments in the anime is when Jean leads his squadron (really the remaining trainees) into certain death to retake the supply depot in the Trost District. He's a realist, but one that pushes through even when the outcome is obvious. He's the most human out of all the characters and probably the character I relate to the most.

Levi (too cool to have a surname): He's just a cool character and the best fighter in the kingdom. He's very calm under pressure and nothing really phases him for long. For Levi, anger is a fist to the face, pain a lingering look, and he takes the world as it comes. More than anyone he lives in the moment. I defy anyone not to hurt for him when he loses his entire Survey Corps Special Operations Squad, including Petra who may have been a love interest, in one outing.

Sasha Blouse: So I kind of fell in love with Sasha's character from her introduction in the 104th Training Corps when she offered her commander half of her potato. (The smaller half I might add.) It might have been the funniest moment in a series where laughs are pretty hard to come by. She remains optimistic in the worst possible situations which is quite lovely.

Hannes (not sure if he has a surname or not): I relate to Hannes more than I should admit to. His fear when faced with a Titan at the fall of Shiganshina and decision to take the children (Mikasa and Eren) and run resonated with me. A memorable  moment is when Hannnes faces a young Eren, shortly after a Titan killed his mother, and tells Eren that he is too weak to have saved his mother, while he [Hannes] was too cowardly. (So many tears at this part.) I admire that he's able to use this experience to grow as a person and face his fears head on. (By the end of the first season he's a Captain of the Garrison and a valued soldier in the fight against the Titans.) In spite of a shaky beginning, he forms a strong relationship with Mikasa and Eren - almost acting as a favorite uncle.

Eren Yeager: Hot headed and eager to avenge humanity by killing all the Titans, he immediately signs up for the Survey Corps after graduating. Eren is the type who acts first and maybe thinks later. (I sometimes think he needs Armin to act as his functioning brain.)  In spite of all this he's one of my favorite characters. There's something so honest in his rage and need to break free of the walls of humanity's captivity.

Armin Arlert: Physically weaker than the rest, but he's also smarter than the rest. It's thanks to Armin's quick thinking that the remaining trainees survive the retaking of the supply depot during the Battle of Trost District. His greatest weakness is his lack of confidence in himself which causes him to doubt his place in his friendship with Eren and Mikasa. I love watching him begin to trust in himself and to speak up. Out of all the characters, I think he has the most heart.


4. A kick ass heroine

If you know anything about Attack on Titan, you probably noticed Mikasa wasn't listed above. That's because she's so freakin' awesome she deserves her own category. She's easily one of my favorite anime characters and probably my favorite in the series so far. She's the best fighter in her class and better than many of the veterans. Her devotion to Eren is a beautiful thing and I unabashedly ship Mikasa with him.

One of my favorite things about Mikasa is she doesn't give up when everything is against her. She lives by Eren's words, "If you don’t fight, you can’t win!" and turns them into a sort of mantra. Unlike so many anime heroines who are supposed to be strong, she doesn't fall apart after a fight. How many times have I witnessed the supposedly strong female archetype in anime collapse or faint after a battle because it was just too much for her weak female body and brain? (Sailor Moon is a great example of this.) I love that she doesn't wait for Prince Charming to come to her rescue. Hell, she's more likely to rescue him.


This doesn't mean that she isn't feminine or that she's a man-hater or doesn't have a vulnerable side. She's just capable and doesn't pretend to be less than she is. [View Spoiler]

[I cried for her when she heard of Eren's death, mainly because she wasn't able to cry for herself. While they're not related, Eren is the center of Mikasa's family, and her dreams of a future. Even when she decides to give up for a brief moment after his death (and it's not the typical collapsing aforementioned in my previous paragraph), she can't stop fighting. She refuses to give into her grief. Such determination in the face of such loss is heartbreaking and inspiring.]

5. Sweet technology

The technology in Attack on Titan is unusual in the best possible way. I'm specifically referring to the Three Dimensional Maneuver Gear that they use in fighting the Titans. If there weren't Titans to kill it would be the ultimate extreme sport. It seems to work using gas, wires and a fan. Not real sure about the mechanics, but it looks awesome!

6. An unexpected plot twist or two

While everything above has been filled with spoilers, this part is pretty much nothing but spoilers. So really read at your own risk.

So fairly early on in the series Eren is killed off. He's eaten by a Titan after saving Armin's life. This goes against any and all story crafting. You don't kill off a main character at the start of a series! I had a hard time believing it and by the time the anime finally convinced me of his demise he appears in Titan form. It turns out Eren has a strange ability to change forms into a 15 meter high Titan who looks wicked cool. He precedes to kick a lot of Titan ass. (One of the best moments is when Eren's body is discovered in the decaying husk of the titan ally. Mikasa's reaction was perfect and I was so happy for them.)

One of the best characters, and one of my favorites, in the anime series turns out to be a villain. I'm of course talking about Annie Leonhart. I liked her when she was just another trainee and still liked her after it turned out she was the unusual Female Titan that killed off a good portion of the Survey Corps. I don't condone her actions, but I have a healthy respect for her.

I felt for Annie during training and her self-imposed isolation. I didn't understand why she isolated herself, and from the brief flashbacks given when it's discovered she's the Female Titan I'm still unsure of her motives. She's a complicated villain rather than merely being evil. I'm not sure if she truly believes in what she's doing, or if she's one of the "weak" who got "swept along with the flow." She's a villain that I can't hate without hating a part of myself.

8. An ambiguous ending

This is all:

Final Thoughts

So this blog post was just an excuse for me to fangirl over Attack on Titan. I love the premise, the characters, and the world building. This is an anime series that once I started watching I couldn't stop until I had finished it. I laughed (rarely as everyone kept dying), I cried (ugly sobbing), I said "WTF?" A LOT, I cheered (hooray someone didn't die!), and I cringed during most of the battle scenes (some truly terrifying monsters).


Side Notes: 

My favorite episodes so far in the series are also the episodes with the most feeling behind them: The World the Girl Saw, The Small Blade, and The Beating Heart. These three episodes delve into Mikasa's, Eren's, and Armin's past. They also have some truly beautiful scenes that are heart wrenching. I might have cried like a baby while watching The Small Blade.

I loved the theme music and opening sequence of the first 13 episodes of Attack on Titan. It's a perfect fit for the anime and does a great job setting the mood for the series. In comparison the theme music in the opening sequence for the next 12 episodes doesn't really fit the series. It feels out of place. It's not a terrible opening, it's just not as good.