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.

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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.

Skip Beat! (Volume 32) by Yoshiki Nakamura

Title: Skip Beat! (Sukippu Bito!)
Author: Yoshiki Nakamura
Volumes: 34 (ongoing)
Volumes (English): 32 (ongoing)

Kyoko Mogami followed her true love Sho to Tokyo to support him while he made it big as an idol. But he's casting her out now that he's famous! Kyoko won't suffer in silence--she's going to get her sweet revenge by beating Sho in show biz!

Ren’s trademark cool is beginning to crumble under the strain of maintaining his various personas. And the sudden manly attention being directed at Kyoko from fellow actor Kijima and a newly determined Sho aren’t helping matters. Will Kyoko’s good luck charm keep him in check, or will the beast chained inside him destroy them all?!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound | Goodreads | LibraryThing

Skip to the bottom for my final thoughts.

Anyone who has read my previous post on Skip Beat! knows how much I love this manga series, which is why writing this post is difficult for me. While I love the artwork of the Cain siblings arc, I haven't been a fan of the actual story line. This volume had all the elements of the current arc that I hate.

Too much Sho. Seriously, I don't understand why there is any sort of relationship between Kyoko and Sho at this point. He's always hanging around like the stalker that he is. (I thought he's supposed to be a superstar, why is he never actually working?) Also, I have no idea why she's even discussing Ren with Sho. [View Spoiler]

[Why would she make such a stupid promise, that she's not interested in Ren and would never hook up with him, to her arch nemesis? What hold does he still have over her? It makes no sense that she would care what Sho wants and thinks.]

He's too self-centered to offer anything meaningful in a relationship and yet Kyoko is still hung up on him. While her feelings primarily revolve around revenge, he's too much in her head. She's found her calling and come to the realization that she actually loves her profession, so why is she still hung up on getting even with Sho?

Oh, to continue the series you say. Well, fuck that...Nakamura can use a new story arc to move along the series. Like I don't know, maybe her burgeoning relationship with Ren or even her acting career. Sho should be a side note at this point, not a main character.

Ren's character change. Ever since the Cain siblings arc, Ren has completely changed. He's actually becoming more like Sho which is starting to make me dislike him. He doesn't have any claim on Kyoko and has admitted nothing to her about his feelings, so why should he continue to act possessive over her? If you like her, ask her out like a normal human being. Don't act like a petulant child every time you see her with Sho and certainly don't corner her in your bedroom. It's not sexy and it's not cool. Actually, it's kind of creepy...

Look, I know the Cain siblings arc is supposed to be focusing on Ren while he maybe possibly starts to confront his past, but it's taking too long and is just annoying at this point. He's becoming so anti-Ren that it's hard to like him during this arc. At this point I honestly don't like either of Kyoko's love interests. I only hope he gets his shit together in the next volume so I can continue to root for Kyoko and Ren as a couple. Otherwise, I'm shipping Kyoko with herself.

Moko is MIA. Seriously, where is Moko during all of this? She's one of the best characters and she is strangely absent in most of this story arc. Kyoko is going through a lot, so you'd think her best friend would be around somewhere.

Final Thoughts

So while I still LOVE this series, I'm slowly becoming disenchanted with the Cain siblings arc. I love the artwork in this arc, but I need more from the plot. At some point this manga series needs to get back on track and real headway needs to be made with the story. Ren needs to deal with his demons already, Kyoko needs to get over her issues with Sho, and Moko needs to make her way back into the series.

Her name is Koko. She is Loko...I said "oh no!" (Jormungand)

Title: Jormungand
Writer: Keitarō Takahashi, Yousuke Kuroda
Director: Keitaro Motonaga
Episodes: 12
Related Series: Jormungand: Perfect Order

Jonah is a child soldier and the newest bodyguard for Koko, an international arms dealer with an entourage of hired guns. The cold-blooded kid hates Koko’s line of work, but following her into the darkest corners of the black market might be the only way he can find those responsible for his family’s slaughter. Besides, his employer isn’t like most merchants of death. She uses guile and cutthroat tactics to keep her clients armed to the teeth—all while cultivating her own warped plan for the future of world peace.

FUNimation | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Hulu

This might just be the best use of the "next time" feature that animes routinely employ at the end of each episode. It'll take a sharp utensil to the brain to dig it out of my head. It's in there for life and I'm okay with that.

Save time and skip to the bottom of the page for final thoughts.

My awesome friend Amy recently, and by recently I mean last night, introduced me to Funimation at the Movies Meetup in the DFW area and it was super entertaining! They had a screening of the first four episodes of an anime I had vaguely heard of, but never watched called Jormungand.

While the anime is not going to make it to my favorites shelf it was fun, goofy and had an offbeat humor that had the theater laughing. There were some truly hilarious one liners, my favorite being when Koko calls Jonah "a nice kid" and he answers back "Nice kids don't shoot people in the face." Koko then follows this up with a ridiculous metaphor about niceness being encased in a bullet. Probably one of my favorite scenes in the four episodes.

While enjoyable, the anime had a too much talking. It'd be one thing if the dialogue was interesting, but for the most part it was a lot of ammo speak. I know they're arms dealers, but still it seemed a little dry and the language took me out of the moment.

The characters were also a bit too preachy, especially Koko.  They argued a common theme in anime of world peace and whether or not weapons have a place in obtaining such peace. Can lasting peace truly be obtained at the end of a gun barrel? This will probably be delved into even more during the rest of the series.


It also tried too hard to get over how crazy Koko is. Every other villain was commenting on how "psycho," "crazy" or just plain "bitchy" she was. They needlessly used a sledgehammer to drive home Koko's eccentricity. Her actions were crazier than any offhand comment made by other characters. Actions still speak louder than words and subletly is not lost on viewers.  No need to shove it in my face repeatedly. Am I repeating myself...maybe employing said sledgehammer technique? Kind of annoying.

Usually, I find fan service to be distracting and tiresome in anime (I mean seriously how many panty shots of big breasted women can you see in an anime and not be bored?), but the little that these four episodes had was refreshing. It lightly made fun of itself and fan service in general. Valmet's nosebleed scene in the first episode (or it could have been the second) was perfect. I defy you not to laugh at Koko's reaction to Orchestra's only female assassin's reason for not wearing underwear.

Final Thoughts

Despite the long winded dialogues, more like monologues, and sledgehammer tactics at character building, I did enjoy what I saw of the series, especially the hints of supernatural elements surrounding one of the characters. I'll probably eventually watch the rest in the series since I'm interested in seeing where it goes.

I hope there are future meetups as this experience was fun. Some of the voice actors were actually present for the screening and there was a quick Q&A as well as door prizes! Also, you could take your picture with Maka and Soul - who could pass that up? Certainly not me.

The crowd was laid back and just genuinely happy to be out watching anime on a weekday. The Alamo Draft House had decent food and a decent price. Has good waitstaff and comfortable seating. Those putting on the event were friendly and enthusiastic. I definitely hope to attend more events like this in the future. Probably with my awesome friend Amy!

My Epic Year of Manga: Best of 2013

So every year I do a reading challenge on Goodreads. Not only does it help me keep track of what I'm reading and encourage me to continue reading, it's also a whole lot of fun. I read a lot of manga so this year I challenged myself to read 250 books with the understanding that at least half of that number would be manga.

In reality I read 224 volumes of manga, across 24 series, and 33 books in 2013 for a grand total of 257 books and 51,012 pages. To put this in perspective in 2012 I read a total of 181 books with only 105 volumes of manga, across 14 series, and 43,266 pages. I more than doubled the volumes of manga I read and increased the number of series I read in as well. In addition to all the manga I've been reading I've also watched a ridiculous amount of anime and Korean, Taiwanese and Japanese dramas.

Following are my best picks for manga, books, anime and dramas I read or watched in 2013. Most of the manga and anime will probably eventually get full posts later in the year if they don't already have one.

My Best Manga Reads of 2013

High School Debut by Kazune Kawahara:  I laughed so much while reading this series! Haruna's naivete and determination make her an enduring character. The chemistry between Yoh and Haruna is beautiful and the care they take with each other heartwarming. The ending is perfect without feeling contrived.

Kimi ni Todoke by Karuho Shiina:  While the pacing of this series is slower than I usually like, the characters and story more than make up for it. Sawako and Kazehaya are one of my favorite couples, seeming so different yet being more alike than even they realize. The friendships formed in this series seem real and steadfast.

Strobe Edge by Io Sakisaka:  This is another series with slow pacing, but the story is absolutely beautiful. There is so much emotion and longing in this series along with believable and relateable characters. It has some of the best bonus stories and stand alone stories included at the end of each volume as well.

We Were There by Yuuki Obata:  This series will make you feel all the feels. It's more than just a love story and goes beyond high school crushes. It explores how guilt can create obligation and the tug of war desire and obligation have with each other. A wonderful series and an inspiring ending.

Venus Capriccio by Mai Nishikata:  I love how the series explores gender roles while creating two unique characters that will stay with you long after you've finished the series. The last volume isn't published in English so I read the fan translations. While I appreciate these translations, different translators can change the intention of a piece as some of the process is subjective. The last volume wasn't as good as the others, but I have no way of knowing if it's the translation or the story.

My Best Book Reads of 2013

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell:  This book is moving and the story crafting is perfect. It's a little edgy with some truly swoon worthy dialogue. A beautiful read and I highly recommend it.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline:  I loved this book! There's action, suspense and even a little romance. The world building is top notch and the 80's, science fiction and nerd culture references are not only entertaining, but integral to this world and plot.

Dare You To by Katie McGarry:  This was one of those sequels I put off picking up. I was nervous because the pairing wasn't what I expected after reading Pushing the Limits. However, the author knew what she was doing and the chemistry between Beth and Ryan was perfect. While I disliked Beth in the first book, by the end of this she became my favorite character. She's a vulnerable yet strong female lead who one can't help but admire. The series deals with real world issues and makes no apologies. Great book, great series!

My Best Anime Finds of 2013

Say I Love You:  The characters in this series are fleshed out. They're flawed and at times even broken, but they aren't flat. I love that the story doesn't leave an antagonist as only a villain. They have back stories and they actually grow like individuals do. A really well done series.

Princess Jellyfish:  This series is delightful and revolves around a group of girl otakus as they try to save their apartment with the unlikely help of a gorgeous woman, who turns out to be a crossdressing hottie. There were times when I teared up while watching this series and other times when I was laughing hysterically. Seeing these awkward girls slowly come into their own is just lovely. And the friendship (hoping it will become more) between Tsukimi and Kuranosuke is playful and sweet.

Kimi ni Todoke:  So I really love Kimi ni Todoke! The anime is just as well written as the manga series. I love watching Sawako start to make connections with other people. This series has some of the best supporting characters as well. I love how important friendship is in this series. The romance between Sawako and Kazehaya is delicate and wistful. I have so much love for this series!

Baccano!:  Not my usual type of anime, but I found this after watching hours of videos on Anime Freak's YouTube channel. The plot of this series is unique and the pacing helps set the lively tone of the series. While there is violence, it's not needlessly so. The characters are fun and some are just flat out deranged. My favorite character is Claire, closely followed by Isaac and Miria. Claire for his unequivocal approach to life and Isaac and Miria for their joie de vivre.

Skip Beat!:  Skip Beat! is an anime that I have re-watched several times this past year. This premise of this series is ludicrous in the best possible way, but still retains sincerity at its core. The characters are well done, even those I don't like. I hate that it only has one season.

My Best Drama Finds of 2013

Boys Over Flowers:  This K-Drama is over the top as only K-Dramas can be. I binged on the complete series in a week's time. No matter how outlandish the situation I was incredibly entertained. It's a kind of Cinderella story, but with near rape and meddling mothers. I might have been the only one of my friends that didn't want Jan-di and Jun-pyo to get together. I grew to be okay with the pairing by the end of the series, but I paired her with Hyun-joong even if it was useless.

It Started With a Kiss:  This is another drama (Taiwanese this time) where the jerk ends up with the girl. Of course this might be like 80% of television dramas so I can't really complain. Regardless of the fact that he's kind of a jerk and she's kind of stupid, I really liked the series. It was fun and at times super melodramatic, but well worth watching. I tried watching the Korean version, Playful Kiss, and couldn't get into it. It was too fanciful.

High School Debut::  I suppose that technically this is a Japanese film and not a television drama, but it's close enough that I'm including it. The film takes most of the seriousness out of the manga series and focuses on its comedic aspects. Have you ever watched something that was so terrible that it was funny? That's the best way to describe it. There are giant pencils, dancing santas (like over twenty of them), prat falls and a mini mall concert that is interrupted in the most hilarious way. There's no way you can watch this adapatation and not laugh and cringe at the same time.