Attack on Titan The Finale Season (Episode 60 onwards) - Anime Episode Discussion

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Jan-Poo

Should make it clear enough that this is 9 years after the last episode we've seen and not the past (unless you imagine an absolutely improbable scenario where Marley did the same thing in the past and coincidentally lost the same two titans), but it can easily fly under your radar if you are confused by the whole situation. And that's especially true if you forgot what happened with Annie and Berthold.

It's actually nine years after the first episode of the series, and 4 years after the last one. 5 years spent inside the walls by Reiner and co and 4 years spent at war.

[Anh_Minh]

It's a lot easier when you know what to pay attention to, and you're not also busy trying to figure out who the new characters are.

[Haak]

I have to admit, whilst I did figure that there had been some kind of time skip I was a little confused as to what kind of time frame it would be. I feel like a simple Title In at the start saying "4 Years Later" would've alleviated the problem but it wasn't that much of an issue for me anyway.

Cracking episode though. Here we finally get to see what made Reiner, Annie and Berthold the way they are and I guess Gabi the Gabshite plays a significant role in that regard. She's certainly quite the character: The kind of person you'd hate to be around normally but clearly the kind of person you want on your team too - She saved a lot of her comrades that day.

Kinda weird seeing Zeke in the position he was in. He's always been portrayed as a "final boss" type of character thus far so watching him being another team player rather than THE team leader was a curious shift.

The vilification of the Marleyans continues: It's really just impossible to see any redeeming qualities in those people, though more expansion on their geopolitics was interesting. It's all just casually thrown in there but the appearance of yet another side (the Middle Easterns) that the Marleyans were at war with was kind of a bombshell really. My only question is...why Middle East? Is this some kind latent Anti-American sentiment on Isayama's part? Speculative at this point, but I'm certainly curious.

[Jan-Poo]

Why would you think Marley = America? They have been historically in conflict with Eldia so it's probably another country from the corresponding "Europe" of this world.

Additionally all that part where the enemy soldier was spouting racist comments against the Eldian that went his way to help him and treat his wounds made it clear that it's not like they are the "good guys" in this situation.

[Haak]

Originally Posted by Jan-Poo

Why would you think Marley = America? They have been historically in conflict with Eldia so it's probably another country from the corresponding "Europe" of this world.

I've seen a fair amount of shade thrown on America (in particular) in a lot of anime over the years in reference to the Iraq War. Plus I made previous comparisons in the last season between Paradis Island and Japan and given Japan's history...

But like I said, it's purely speculative.

Additionally all that part where the enemy soldier was spouting racist comments against the Eldian that went his way to help him and treat his wounds made it clear that it's not like they are the "good guys" in this situation.

Well I never said the Middle East faction was being portrayed as good guys but I wouldn't say one barely intelligible wounded soldier's comment directed at a side that just wounded him is good enough to make a judgement call on their entire side. At least not compared to all the shit we've seen Marleyans do.

[devilo96]

https://youtu.be/rC653PJFAw8
Man...the WW 2 ver get takedown by youtube...the song really good match for ww 2 ver

[Kanon]

The animation this week felt really weird at times, how the characters moved in particular. And it's only the second episode.

[kk2extreme]

Warhammer titan is mentioned!!! I cannot wait for the future eps

Don't screw up the animation now

[Haak]

Originally Posted by Kanon

The animation this week felt really weird at times, how the characters moved in particular. And it's only the second episode.

There was a lot of noticeable rotoscoping I thought. The bit where glasses boy has his little rant on the pier side was particularly egregious - That's meme material right there.

That said I thought it was an absolutely fascinating episode. Its always overshadowed by the Titan action but Isayama has really done a great job making his world feel so genuine. I remember watching Arte thinking it felt like Japanese people imitating the renaissance period but I don't get that at all here. And the way he manages to exude such a despairing and deeply suffering undertone at every corner of the Eldian's oppressed lives was especially well done.

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by Kanon

The animation this week felt really weird at times, how the characters moved in particular. And it's only the second episode.

Well, it was a talking heads episode. Either you pull a JC Staff Unlimited Slide Works like in their infamous Shokugeki no Soma, or you try to do it like Kyoto Animation. I said try.

[Jan-Poo]

There have been occasional problems with the animation in the past of this series, but it seems they have decided to make liberal use of 3D animation thinking it's totally fine to do so. As a matter of facts they have made use of animation stunts that you almost never see in 2D animation because of how difficult and time consuming they are, such as the slow camera pan around a character's face.

It doesn't make it better though, at least in my opinion, it just makes it painfully obvious they have almost entirely abandoned 2D in favor of 3D graphic, and not a high quality one.

[maximilianjenus]

season 01 was already talking heads and picture pans at this point, tho.

[Kanon]

I think they cut a lot of stuff, including the details of Marco's death, unless that was already covered in a previous season? Anyway, I guess anime viewers got the gist of it: being Reiner is suffering.

[kk2extreme]

Wait! Kenny is Annie's dad?

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by kk2extreme

Wait! Kenny is Annie's dad?

Of course not
How would that even work? No one's left Paradis in a hundred years.

She was following him because they figured he was close to the Royal family and she said that to not blow her cover.

[maximilianjenus]

i love how the ride will already start next episode. is the secret obvious to anime watchers or am i being too informed?

[Klashikari]

Originally Posted by Kanon

I think they cut a lot of stuff, including the details of Marco's death, unless that was already covered in a previous season?

Marco's death was already exposed in details in Season 3, episode 15.

[Wandering Soul]

Fun fact: Reiner is actually Isayama's favorite character. His treatment of the guy might imply otherwise though.

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by Wandering Soul

Fun fact: Reiner is actually Isayama's favorite character. His treatment of the guy might imply otherwise though.

I think it's fairly common for authors to dump horrible things on their favorite characters.

[Jan-Poo]

Or maybe it's because so many bad things have been dumped on them that they start receiving the sympathies of their authors. Isayama originally stated that his favorite character was Jean.