(L) Kotetsujo no Kabaneri (Knocking on the Walls of the Armored Fortress)

[Nvis]

This is so much better than Attack on Titan.

[PreSage]

That was an intense first ep. I didn't get strong AoT vibes until the preview.

Looked like the MC was faced with the mass believing in superstitions over science with a parallel of samurai (bushi) over commoners.

Of course only in anime, but squeezing your neck to that extent would more likely leave you dead before the infection wanes. I thought he was going to chop off his infected arm, which would have made more sense in stopping a viral infection. Oh well...

I was totally not surprised when that stronghold got invaded via that incoming train. My first thought with the first train was: "letting an outside object directly enter the stronghold without first entering into some isolated quarantined area is a big mistake."

[dark998]

The pre-air impressions were right, awesome first episode. Everything is solid and they have not even used the most flashy scenes from the PVs yet. Also the lingering threat of infection gives Kabaneri its own twist compared to other survival series like Shingeki.

OST fantastic as expected of Sawano, special mention to the track when the train full of kabane rams into the city and also the vocal song at the end, giving emphasis to Ikoma and Mumei in their respective scenes.

OP song is nice but the video was all episode footage, so nothing noteworthy. The proper one will appear next week, hopefully.

[Amiluhur]

That was frickin' bananas and just so much eyegasm. Not the best premiere of the season, but easily the most entertaining of it.

[Flower]

Well ... zombie apocalypse in general are a hard sell for me ... though I must admit the visuals were excellent and I like both the MC and Mumei.

Yet another series that seems to me to be well done (maybe even very well done) but not really my cup of tea.

[serenade_beta]

Spoiler for ep1:

While I can't help myself think about Attack on Titan, especially with the flying gear, I do remind myself that zombie moves have done this type of stuff before and that Attack on Titan was not the creator of this idea nor is necessarily where this anime came from.

Putting that stupid topic aside, I really liked the first episode.
Both the protagonist and heroine(?) really proved they could handle themselves, which is always good to watch. Same voice as Ushio... and same type of protagonist too, it seems. As always, his voice is kinda... bad at times, but it works for the passionate/heated character.

As for the heroine, loli-ish with a mini-skirt showing the legs. I like it.
And I really liked the last scene. I almost wanted an avatar of her foot pulling away from her sandals, but I probably don't want my avatar being a foot...
I still loved the foot though. Someone with a gif of it?

That said, the virus is a mystery. The virus died in less than a minute after entering his body (or as least stopped zombie-fying him). On the other hand, it also takes control in a minute.
That's one hasty virus, I say. Fast to live, fast to die. Though it looks like zombies still have part of their emotions or memories from when they were alive? There was a zombie movie with that, along with a fortress too.
Also, the priest sure moved a long distance despite being bitten. That's definitely more than the time the protagonist had to fight the virus. What's with that?

Anyways, as far as first episodes go, it goes to one of the top. (I won't say THE top, just for pedobear)
Oh, and I also liked the character designs/atmosphere/way they draw the characters.

[Irenesharda]

It was a good opening. Not the best but good.

The MC is okay, though he can come off as unlikable. I understand what he's saying, but also in a way, I can see why in this situation the bushi do what they do and feel the way they feel. Yelling at them isn't the way to go about changing anything.

As for the end, the fight was great and I'm glad his gun works, but he needs to be able to mass produce it for it to do anything. Though I do wonder, why they are having such a hard time piercing iron caged hearts? We've been able to pierce iron armor for a very long time, even with weapons such as longbows.

Also the end, whatever he was doing to stop the infection took me out of it a bit. I'm pretty sure he would have killed himself faster than getting the infection to recede. Or at the very least, passed out from the pain. A cut on his arm causes him to yell out but thrusting hot metal into his body is nothing?
Also, considering how superstitious and old fashioned this steampunk universe is, and yet they know about viruses and how they worK? Well, that's anime I guess.

EDIT: On a second viewing, I liked the episode much more and the MC. I think maybe I needed time for it to sink in. Still was taken out by the scene at the end though, but that's just because of my scientist mind. :P

[xeviouses]

Originally Posted by Irenesharda

Also, considering how superstitious and old fashioned this steampunk universe is, and yet they know about viruses and how they worK? Well, that's anime I guess.

The MC did say 'it's not a curse' plus the whole need to stop it from reaching his brain and gathering kabane parts suggests there have been studies regarding the virus at least. MC did have a diagram of a kabane heart in his workshop.

Meh, Alternate Universe with dire circumstances changes world beliefs and views. They did have a female bushi in the train.


Through iirc I thought the industrial age is where humanity started questioning the superstitious? Granted the setting is Japan ( or based on it) but still.

[Irenesharda]

Originally Posted by xeviouses

The MC did say 'it's not a curse' plus the whole need to stop it from reaching his brain and gathering kabane parts suggests there have been studies regarding the virus at least. MC did have a diagram of a kabane heart in his workshop.

Meh, Alternate Universe with dire circumstances changes world beliefs and views. They did have a female bushi in the train.


Through iirc I thought the industrial age is where humanity started questioning the superstitious? Granted the setting is Japan ( or based on it) but still.

That's possible, it could be that it's just him that is more science leaning. If it's more towards that, then I can understand it better.

It could be a theory that is believe by some but not by the majority.

[miroku2192]

Was that foot shot at the end really necessary? Lol, but in any case very well animated. Episode 1 got me hooked. I'm hoping the MC won't be as annoying as Eren from AoT. Eren just got annoying for me by the end of the series.

[Boukenxha]

The hype looks to be justified imo. Show looks fantastic, has got everything one ever need in an epic series, very promising. True enough to initial impression, this takes a few liberties from concepts such as AoT, but it doesn't really matter. I'll say just base on ep 1, this has got plenty to stand on its own and maybe more.

I have to reiterate that the fuedal japan x steampunk combination has meld into quite an engaging world setting. Bushido is practised to some extend, though it has understandably gone wayward due to the fear of the kabane. Ikoma's rhetoric "Who is the gun pointed at?" seems confounding at first but the question became clear when they wanted to fired at the guy. In retrospect, the use of the suicide bag also kinda draw inference to giving in, thus setting another interesting contrast to Ikoma's will to fight the kabane curse at the end of the episode.

Mumei needs to be mentioned because she is awesome, totally stole the first ep from Ayame, the other female MC with her mysterious and quirky personality. I laughed when I read people saying she is the Mikasa of this show. Either way, that round house kick man, also love the tapping of her foot there. I chuckled when the hidden blade stuck the clog on the pillar and she had to take her foot off, how cute.

I guess blasting the heart is not the way to kill a kabane (?) and yeah also the scene with the little kid whose mother got bitten, does it look like the kabane is reaching for something? Does it know the kid? I don't know if I'm making things up lol, but hey just maybe there is a sentimental reason for the kabane to gather at the train stations? Interesting.

[quigonkenny]

One thing's for certain. This is the best looking series I've seen in a long time. I love the dirtier, more old fashioned, less digital feel to the character designs. Reminds me a lot of Ninja Scroll.

Not generally a fan of the whole zombie apocalypse motif. Like your typical vampire series, they always seem to degenerate into an emo angstfest, only with twice the world ending despair and very little of the sensuality that the sharper toothed undead bring... This one looks to have an interesting take on it, though. Yeah, you have the AoT-style "humanity behind the walls" hook, which has been done with zombies before (and honestly, AoT at its core is basically already a zombie apocalypse setting), but it's set in a feudal steampunk Japan, and our MC is less "grrr, must kill zombies and avenge" shounen rage, and more "hey, let's figure this out". That suggests that the details of how the world got this way will be an integral part of the plotline, and not tacked on at the last second to help the author keep things consistent.

Also, cute ninja loli zombie slayer with bladed geta? Oh hells yes.

[DOmus]

Way better start than AoT, to be honest. First chapter I enjoyed the most from this season. Hope it gets even better in further episodes.

[Wingsaber]

I get the neck brace,but why the metal and rivets in the shoulder?

[Arya]

Originally Posted by bakato

Not really. I can see enough details for distinction.

For starters, the enemies here are just really strong infectious zombies. Nothing like the eerie titans. I think we can can expect a lot less conspiracy too. Unlike the titans, the kabaneri don't seem to be outside, inside, and everywhere in between.

I'll add zombies are far more believable in terms of in-universe science, it's your usual infection after all, and so easy to take than those titans that popped out of nowhere (that first giant one, and no I never cared to look for the science behind it).

Originally Posted by bakato

Second, Eren was pure dumb annoyance.

Amen to that.
(I fixed the quote a bit )

Originally Posted by bakato

Third, romantic interests. And two of them to boot!

Ah, I just noted the "love triangle" tag, so the two beauties will fall for the MC after all. mmm, not sure if it's a good thing or not yet.


So, now I'm wondering, since they translated one of the most cool factors of AoT, Mikasa, into Mumei, if they will transport even Levi into this universe

[DragoonKain3]

So Mumei is the girl that got bit in the flashback, but like Eren Mk2, she somehow survived the attack and thus gained superhuman powers? I mean, MC was taken aback upon seeing her at the station (implying he recognizes her or she resembles someone he knew), and that's the only connection I can make with just the pilot episode. Well either that or it was just him badly falling in love at first sight... XD

[foxbox360]

So they took all of the good parts of AoT and made it into a anime, nice .

[Gan_HOPE326]

I think one of the things I might like more about this series is its slighly different outlook at the same issues than the one seen in Attack on Titan. In AoT, the heroes were considered such because they were willing to risk their lives in order to conquer back the outside, even though there were plenty of rational arguments to be made as to why the enterprise was indeed moot, the way they were going on about it (considering the ridiculously high death rates and generally terrible idea of sending isolated squads of horsemen deep into territory controlled by giant man-eating monsters). Here the main conflict is that fear of infection drives people mad and pits them against their fellow man. Also, the MC has already shown more merits in one episode than Eren in the entire season - Eren's only good point was his ability to transform into a Titan, and that wasn't something he did anything special to deserve, it just happened to him. This one has actual wits and is trying to develop new weapons (something that they ought to have done in Titan as well, obviously, seeing how terribly they were faring with the current ones).

[dark998]

Originally Posted by Boukenxha

I guess blasting the heart is not the way to kill a kabane (?) and yeah also the scene with the little kid whose mother got bitten, does it look like the kabane is reaching for something? Does it know the kid? I don't know if I'm making things up lol, but hey just maybe there is a sentimental reason for the kabane to gather at the train stations? Interesting.

Im not even sure that kabane is dead yet, those veins were still glowing after Mumei slashed the head off.

[Iron Maw]

Ugh, I hate OPs which are just a collage of scenes from various episodes rather than a properly animated sequence. I really hope that just because the staff wasn't done with it yet. This show has waay too much budget for something like that to side. Beyond the song is quite good so make.

On the episode, I liked it quite a bit myself despite the usual shortcomings from this particular director and chief writer combination. Just as the Japanese impressions said, the show is gorgeous, easily the best looking premier I've seen this season pretty much blowing out Hero Academy and Bungou Stray Dogs which held that title. I have serious doubts of whether they keep up this visual feast all season since it usually never happens but at the very least the first couple episodes should be a treat in that area.

Content wise, I'm not sure I like more than AoT's premier or not because that one had stronger emotional impact where while this was competently produced I wasn't left with such a strong impression. It maybe because it was a bit paint by the numbers in how it played out or Sawano's score not standing out as much to me. Like it's processor AoT it's another post-apocalyptic faire (now fusing medieval Japan with steampunk aesthetics) which everything else nowadays is an very old concept, but one I still very much a fan of. Script-wise exposition is fairly clumsily since it makes too obvious that some of things are being said sole for the benefit of the audience. Araki's usual over-the-topness is also present mainly through the MC's brutal abuse for merely voicing his opinion and his own fairly one-sided philosophy. But it's kind of thing I expected from this staff so I'm used to that.

Ikoma himself comes across like a more mellow version of Eren Jeager, in that he's obsessive, pretty reckless and most likely prone to putting his foot in his mouth however unlike Eren however he doesn't run a pure adrenaline 90% of the time and actually puts thought into some of his actions. In that sense he's better balanced character even if his personality is common for this setting. Can't say much on female lead yet, seems to be your typical mysterious manic pixie gal.

All in all it was solid premier that didn't boggle itself down too much in details and move itself at reasonable clip with is pretty important for an heavily orientated action show. I can see it going south or degrading like Araki and Okouchi shows have tendency to do mid to end season, but I'm going to be optimistic about it for now.