Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan) - generic discussion thread

[Spectacular_Insanity]

Originally Posted by creb

I thought the anime made it fairly clear that the belief is that Eren and Mikasa are not siblings by blood, or more accurately, that Mikasa is sort of an adopted child.

Heavily implied that Mikasa's family was killed in some manner.

I always assumed that past trauma is why Mikasa's expressions are so bland all the time, like she's suppressing her own emotions.

Eren seems to be the only one that Mikasa actually gets emotional over, evidenced by her threatening to force-feed Eren in episode 2.

[Shadow5YA]

Originally Posted by creb

I thought the anime made it fairly clear that the belief is that Eren and Mikasa are not siblings by blood, or more accurately, that Mikasa is sort of an adopted child.

That is obvious.

The question is if Mikasa thinks of herself as part of the family, why make the difference? Why not call Eren's parents "my father/mother" as well?

It just seems to show that Mikasa is still somewhat detached from everyone, including Eren's family.

[Zantetsuken]

Originally Posted by Shadow5YA

That is obvious.

The question is if Mikasa thinks of herself as part of the family, why make the difference? Why not call Eren's parents "my father/mother" as well?

It just seems to show that Mikasa is still somewhat detached from everyone, including Eren's family.

This is what I meant. I'm up to date with the manga. And this is not some anime only thing, it's the same in the manga. So what does Mikasa think of herself and what does the Jaegers think of her as?

[TinyRedLeaf]

Originally Posted by Randrak42

Episode 2, after Armin got them bread and ended when Mikasa smacked him upside the head.

Ah, I see. I didn't notice it, as I watched the anime before reading the relevant chapters of manga. It wasn't just Eren who was behaving out of character, but also Armin. That's an adaptation issue, though (the scene is an anime-original). If a viewer had no knowledge of the manga beforehand, it wouldn't have occurred to him that something was out of place.

(All the more reason for people not to drop manga spoilers or even subtle hints. I understand the eagerness to share knowledge but, really, it damages the viewing experience for anime-only audiences. Please be considerate.)

Originally Posted by Spectacular_Insanity

Heavily implied that Mikasa's family was killed in some manner.

I always assumed that past trauma is why Mikasa's expressions are so bland all the time, like she's suppressing her own emotions.

Agreed. Even without reference to the original material, that much can be inferred from Mikasa's behaviour. She's borderline psychotic, crazy enough to scare away neighbourhood bullies with a single glare. Eren's the only thing that's keeping her sane, hence her overriding concern for his well-being.

[Iron Maw]

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

Ah, I see. I didn't notice it, as I watched the anime before reading the relevant chapters of manga. It wasn't just Eren who was behaving out of character, but also Armin. That's an adaptation issue, though (the scene is an anime-original). If a viewer had no knowledge of the manga beforehand, it wouldn't have occurred to him that something was out of place.

I still feel that was just a "spur of the moment" thing. He was in very emotional state at that point and hadn't sorted out everything that happened. Armin obviously knew this which is why he didn't take it badly despite being a bit perturbed at first. I've read similar reactions to loss in other stories.

[joshuafaramir]

Zeus: RELEASE THE KRACKEN!! uhh... wait, RELEASE THE TITANS!

and that's where all the titans came from folks! End of story.

[OpenDoors]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdspXFpr9Tc

Strangely I like this version quite a bit lol

[Randrak42]

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

Ah, I see. I didn't notice it, as I watched the anime before reading the relevant chapters of manga. It wasn't just Eren who was behaving out of character, but also Armin. That's an adaptation issue, though (the scene is an anime-original). If a viewer had no knowledge of the manga beforehand, it wouldn't have occurred to him that something was out of place.

(All the more reason for people not to drop manga spoilers or even subtle hints. I understand the eagerness to share knowledge but, really, it damages the viewing experience for anime-only audiences. Please be considerate.)

But it was just so out of character and an unnecessary addition to the episode (and it resulted in some people thinking differently of Eren than what he really is). I really don't get why that scene was added.

[X207]

ive seen the 3 eps though havent seen the manga. will definetely look up on ht manga. the story is a bit sobering but dark enough to be high on my list to follow. it does seem to be as graphic as Berserk is. though such scenes are hard sometimes ie the giant eating the mother in front of him. its also sobering in the reality considering 250 000 were sent to retake land but only 100 survived.

[TinyRedLeaf]

Originally Posted by Randrak42

But it was just so out of character and an unnecessary addition to the episode (and it resulted in some people thinking differently of Eren than what he really is). I really don't get why that scene was added.

Are you speaking as someone who read the manga before watching the anime? As I said, it didn't feel like an "addition" to me when I first watched the anime. And the scene did not even feel out of place to me until people pointed it out. I can see where you're coming from, having now read the relevant chapters, but I'd point out that you're judging the anime from a viewpoint that has been prejudiced by prior experience.

Like Iron Maw, my first impression of that scene in the anime was that Eren had been traumatised by events. His emotions were understandably unstable, hence his outburst. As for why the scene was included, that's easy: the anime producers needed to pad out the material to fill the time. It would have been jarring to introduce the training camp in Ep2, only to end it halfway.

Plus, there was a need to control the story's pacing. If you watch carefully, you'll see that Ep2 was gradually taking the tone from Ep1's emotional high, down to the depressing low of Ep2. You are meant to see the severe contrast between the lazy complacency of humanity in Ep1 and the pathetic helplessness of Ep2, as refugees begged for food even as many of them were sent to a meaningless death to recapture Wall Maria.

The peaks and troughs of emotions are what gives you, the viewer, a sense of pacing and tension. You can't keep viewers on a constant high. You'll either run out of thrills or you'll wear out your audience, whichever comes first.

So, that was why the scene was added. It was necessary from the perspective of the anime. One should never go into an adaptation expecting 100 per cent fidelity with the source material, because that is never possible. Different mediums require different approaches to storytelling.

[Iron Maw]

Originally Posted by Randrak42

But it was just so out of character and an unnecessary addition to the episode (and it resulted in some people thinking differently of Eren than what he really is). I really don't get why that scene was added.

Drama, though people had issues with Eren even before that. But frankly it's really minor thing either way and it's not unbelievable.

EDIT: TinyRedLeaf is probably closer to the truth here.

[Kirarakim]

Thought this was another excellent episode, really this series keeps getting better and better for me.

Also really like how many female characters (who seem to be treated with respect as characters) are in the trainee camp.

The last scene with Eren flying in the air was really well done. That's how you end an episode.

[chaos_animagic]

You know what I just thought?

There is a way to defeat the Titans easily...

Being so huge and naked and based on Human's design...

They must have huge exposing "Achilles heel" LOL, aim for that and the Titan drops down than you can aim at them easily.


Potato girl is funny... so, to use her "power" all you need is to make her starve than throw some bread or potato at the Titans and watch the Werewolf like battle...

[Iron Maw]

More MADs (though I don't recognize this show )

YouTube

https://youtu.be/DIAomsC6rH4

Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?

[larethian]

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

Are you speaking as someone who read the manga before watching the anime? As I said, it didn't feel like an "addition" to me when I first watched the anime. And the scene did not even feel out of place to me until people pointed it out. I can see where you're coming from, having now read the relevant chapters, but I'd point out that you're judging the anime from a viewpoint that has been prejudiced by prior experience.

Like Iron Maw, my first impression of that scene in the anime was that Eren had been traumatised by events. His emotions were understandably unstable, hence his outburst. As for why the scene was included, that's easy: the anime producers needed to pad out the material to fill the time. It would have been jarring to introduce the training camp in Ep2, only to end it halfway.

Plus, there was a need to control the story's pacing. If you watch carefully, you'll see that Ep2 was gradually taking the tone from Ep1's emotional high, down to the depressing low of Ep2. You are meant to see the severe contrast between the lazy complacency of humanity in Ep1 and the pathetic helplessness of Ep2, as refugees begged for food even as many of them were sent to a meaningless death to recapture Wall Maria.

The peaks and troughs of emotions are what gives you, the viewer, a sense of pacing and tension. You can't keep viewers on a constant high. You'll either run out of thrills or you'll wear out your audience, whichever comes first.

So, that was why the scene was added. It was necessary from the perspective of the anime. One should never go into an adaptation expecting 100 per cent fidelity with the source material, because that is never possible. Different mediums require different approaches to storytelling.

Just to add on to this point, there are also times when the original creator collaborates with the anime team and could have been involved in certain 'add-on's, which he/she originally wanted but was left out in the manga due to page constraints. In that sense, this sort of non-100% adaptation will be beneficial in fact (though, usually, it's the other way round - snipping instead of adding - for most ).

Though, of course, I'm not sure whether this could have been the case or not for this show. Perhaps someone who's more informed on whether or not the author is involved in the anime production at some level could share some info with us

[Tranhieu]

Originally Posted by Shadow5YA

That is obvious.

The question is if Mikasa thinks of herself as part of the family, why make the difference? Why not call Eren's parents "my father/mother" as well?

It just seems to show that Mikasa is still somewhat detached from everyone, including Eren's family.

It's not like she was officially 'adopted' by Eren's family, and it's also due to her previous family's relationship with Eren's family. Oh well... you should go read the manga for further info, I just can tell so much without spoiling the material.

Anyway her calling Eren's parents obaa-san/ojii-san is perfectly normal from an outsider's view (not sure how things go for western kids though).

[Jan-Poo]

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

So, that was why the scene was added. It was necessary from the perspective of the anime. One should never go into an adaptation expecting 100 per cent fidelity with the source material, because that is never possible. Different mediums require different approaches to storytelling.

Nobody said anything against the added scenes of the armored titan and the choice of moving the flashback earlier was generally praised.

In other words nobody is bitching about that scene because "it isn't in the manga therefore it's wrong", but because they think it was a bad choice or it wasn't done well. i.e. they don't think it was necessary at all to show Eren insulting Armin, rather, simply wrong.

And anyway it's not really bitching because pretty much everyone says it's a minor thing, just a bit off.

[Randrak42]

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

Are you speaking as someone who read the manga before watching the anime? As I said, it didn't feel like an "addition" to me when I first watched the anime. And the scene did not even feel out of place to me until people pointed it out. I can see where you're coming from, having now read the relevant chapters, but I'd point out that you're judging the anime from a viewpoint that has been prejudiced by prior experience.

Like Iron Maw, my first impression of that scene in the anime was that Eren had been traumatised by events. His emotions were understandably unstable, hence his outburst. As for why the scene was included, that's easy: the anime producers needed to pad out the material to fill the time. It would have been jarring to introduce the training camp in Ep2, only to end it halfway.

Plus, there was a need to control the story's pacing. If you watch carefully, you'll see that Ep2 was gradually taking the tone from Ep1's emotional high, down to the depressing low of Ep2. You are meant to see the severe contrast between the lazy complacency of humanity in Ep1 and the pathetic helplessness of Ep2, as refugees begged for food even as many of them were sent to a meaningless death to recapture Wall Maria.

The peaks and troughs of emotions are what gives you, the viewer, a sense of pacing and tension. You can't keep viewers on a constant high. You'll either run out of thrills or you'll wear out your audience, whichever comes first.

So, that was why the scene was added. It was necessary from the perspective of the anime. One should never go into an adaptation expecting 100 per cent fidelity with the source material, because that is never possible. Different mediums require different approaches to storytelling.

I've read the manga long before the anime and I'm known to be a "purist" when it comes to adaptations (adaptations should be as faithful to the source material as possible) so I am well aware that my opinion is pretty biased here. I'm also well aware that the episode needed padding and I don't mind a couple of anime only scenes if it is necessary...as long as they are handled correctly.

Let me use the example of a couple of collage buddies of mine. The four of us have been into anime for a long time but I'm the only one that actually does any manga reading while they mainly stick to anime. After episode 2 came out I recommended it to them and they watched both episodes in a row, they liked it of course but when I asked them what they thought about the MC (Eren) one of the said, and I quote "He seems like a little whiny bitch to me." and that they generally thought he was just a typical emotional shounen MC and that they didn't like him much. I was puzzled by this (since I never got that impression in the manga) and they pointed out that particular scene, saying he was overreacting with his outburst toward Armin.
Yesterday they saw episode 3 and told me their opinion of Eren has improved but still hasn't changed much.

I just hate to see people form a negative opinion of a character based on an anime only scene that breaks his character right at the start of the series. If people don't like Eren or any other character from his/her canon actions then I'm perfectly fine...but I'm not fine when that opinion is the result of badly handed filler.

[TinyRedLeaf]

The purist approach to adaptation places an unreasonable limitation on creativity and innovation, in my opinion. There have been several movie adaptations of popular Jane Austen novels, for example, and hardly any of them are "pure" transfers from text to screen, line for line, scene for scene. Then, there are more radical interpretations, like the BBC's contemporary update to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, starring Benedict Cumberbatch. It is absolutely faithful to source material? Hell no. But does it work? Hell yes.

But that's a meta-discussion for another day, another thread. For the record, I'm with creb:

Originally Posted by creb

Eren has always been my least favorite character in the series, and I enjoy the series best when there's too much going on (usually action) to fixate on what a generic shounen male lead he is (ala Naruto, and virtually every other shounen manga male lead).

Based on what little I've seen in the manga, Eren still strikes me as a generic shounen male lead, hot-headed and impetuous. So, I disagree that Eren is presented more sympathetically in the manga than in the anime. To me, he's generally unlikeable in both mediums.

But he does score points for effort, and for being quite cool on occasion. I'll grant him at least that much.

[playmaker2k]

I like training episodes were nothing is given, but earned.

Eren's emotions are never lukewarm. He's either very resolute or very wimpy.

It's better to have both than the latter. We have too many of those in other shows.

In a weird way, Shingeki has this morbid humor. It gives out this funny blend of Hardcore Seinen action poses with some fail expressions that lead to laughs.

I found it hilarious when I saw that guy's doom face when Mikasa was obediently listening to Eren about cutting her hair. What made it worst was he was rubbing some dude's afterwards.

And Demon Sasha's bread grab. lol

On a related note, I need to know the name of that song playing at the very end of this episode.

I want that shot into my veins.

Can anybody confirm if that was Steve Conte of GiTS fame?