Written by: Kevin Berge
Don't forget that no matter how many of you are better and more capable, Eren is all that matters. (Image Courtesy of: polygon.com)
Attack on Titan was an instant hit upon its arrival, but it took a while for the show to get its second season. It was so long that much of that excitement faded. It would take a truly breathtaking second act for fans to get reinvested in the show with so much time away.
I wasn't a big fan of the first season. Its pacing was unwieldy, and the violence just got to the point of unnecessarily cruel. Having to wait this long for a second act only accentuated my frustration with a series that had so many mysteries that begged for long-term investment.
However, once I got back into the series, it was easy to see what makes this show still engaging. It's far from perfect and really relies on its concept more than execution, but this is a show that will always pull in fans through sheer energy and grit.
I wasn't a big fan of the first season. Its pacing was unwieldy, and the violence just got to the point of unnecessarily cruel. Having to wait this long for a second act only accentuated my frustration with a series that had so many mysteries that begged for long-term investment.
However, once I got back into the series, it was easy to see what makes this show still engaging. It's far from perfect and really relies on its concept more than execution, but this is a show that will always pull in fans through sheer energy and grit.
Basic Story Set-Up
***This description will contain spoilers for the major events of season 1.***
The world has been overrun by Titans, massive human-like creatures that seem only to be driven to kill. The remainder of humanity is hidden behind towering walls that Titans have slowly attempted to break down.
As time ticks away, humanity has searched for an answer that could save everyone from these overwhelming monstrosities. After seemingly being killed in a vicious Titan attack, Eren Yeager returns as a human Titan, able to change between forms. This makes Eren the most valuable asset to humanity possible.
The powerful Female Titan tries to kidnap Eren but fails with more questions emerging when it is revealed that this Titan is actually one of Eren's fellow cadets, barely stopped by Eren in Titan form but leaving a hole in the wall that reveals a Titan.
The world has been overrun by Titans, massive human-like creatures that seem only to be driven to kill. The remainder of humanity is hidden behind towering walls that Titans have slowly attempted to break down.
As time ticks away, humanity has searched for an answer that could save everyone from these overwhelming monstrosities. After seemingly being killed in a vicious Titan attack, Eren Yeager returns as a human Titan, able to change between forms. This makes Eren the most valuable asset to humanity possible.
The powerful Female Titan tries to kidnap Eren but fails with more questions emerging when it is revealed that this Titan is actually one of Eren's fellow cadets, barely stopped by Eren in Titan form but leaving a hole in the wall that reveals a Titan.
Attack on Titan's greatest strength is making every smile look creepy. (Image Courtesy of: youtube.com)
Story Arc Analysis
***This section will contain spoilers for both season and expects the reader to have seen every episode of the two seasons. Skip to the Impact of the Season section if you have not watched this season yet.***
Siege of Castle Utgard (Eps 1-5): This may be the best Attack on Titan has been so far, and it barely includes the main trio. This short arc focuses on Krista Lenz, Ymir, Bertholt Hoover, Reiner Braun, and Connie Springer all are trapped in Titan country inside a castle surrounded by Titans.
Their plight is set up impressively to convey just how hopeless the whole situation is. No one is coming to save them, and the castle is collapsing around them. It takes Ymir revealing herself to be a Titan and largely just distract the mass to save everyone until the Survey Corps make a surprise arrival.
What makes this arc also effective is its focus on building the backstory of the other characters. There's an entire episode devoted to understanding Sasha Braus, and it is brilliant. Krista and Ymir's relationship is strongly established to the point that it might be the series' best character connection.
Clash of the Titans (6-12): This second half is a bit more rocky. Eren (with Ymir) is captured again by humans revealed to be Titans. Reiner and Bertholt turn into the Armored and Colossal Titans, and much time is then spent on exploring how this betrayal affects everyone especially an annoyingly single-minded Eren.
There's a whole episode of Eren and Ymir talking to Reiner and Bertholt that amounts to almost nothing, but this all does lead to a fun final few episodes of the Survey Corps chasing down Reiner and Bertholt through a mass of Titans with some fascinating moments.
Armin goes sadistic to try and mentally break Bertholt. Erwin loses an arm to a Titan but fights on. Mikasa gets as close as she ever has to professes her love to Eren which propels him to reveal his unexpected ability to control the rabid Titans that is likely the true reason Titans are trying to capture him.
Overall, it's a mixed bag, and it spends too much time on Eren while wasting some stronger characters, but it does have more strong moments than weak especially when including the further development of Ymir and Krista's (now revealed to be Historia) relationship and connection.
Siege of Castle Utgard (Eps 1-5): This may be the best Attack on Titan has been so far, and it barely includes the main trio. This short arc focuses on Krista Lenz, Ymir, Bertholt Hoover, Reiner Braun, and Connie Springer all are trapped in Titan country inside a castle surrounded by Titans.
Their plight is set up impressively to convey just how hopeless the whole situation is. No one is coming to save them, and the castle is collapsing around them. It takes Ymir revealing herself to be a Titan and largely just distract the mass to save everyone until the Survey Corps make a surprise arrival.
What makes this arc also effective is its focus on building the backstory of the other characters. There's an entire episode devoted to understanding Sasha Braus, and it is brilliant. Krista and Ymir's relationship is strongly established to the point that it might be the series' best character connection.
Clash of the Titans (6-12): This second half is a bit more rocky. Eren (with Ymir) is captured again by humans revealed to be Titans. Reiner and Bertholt turn into the Armored and Colossal Titans, and much time is then spent on exploring how this betrayal affects everyone especially an annoyingly single-minded Eren.
There's a whole episode of Eren and Ymir talking to Reiner and Bertholt that amounts to almost nothing, but this all does lead to a fun final few episodes of the Survey Corps chasing down Reiner and Bertholt through a mass of Titans with some fascinating moments.
Armin goes sadistic to try and mentally break Bertholt. Erwin loses an arm to a Titan but fights on. Mikasa gets as close as she ever has to professes her love to Eren which propels him to reveal his unexpected ability to control the rabid Titans that is likely the true reason Titans are trying to capture him.
Overall, it's a mixed bag, and it spends too much time on Eren while wasting some stronger characters, but it does have more strong moments than weak especially when including the further development of Ymir and Krista's (now revealed to be Historia) relationship and connection.
Here I was thinking all Titans looked ugly then they made a Titan that is meant to be an ugly Titan. (Image Courtesy of: myshinyrobot.com)
Impact of the Season
This seasons pulls back on its central focus, spending significant time developing new or underused characters in the opening season. While the plot will always focus on Eren as a whole, the second season feels most directly connected to Krista Lenz and Ymir.
They are both harboring secrets that drive them to be close friends, and their plight gives an interesting weight to the story that felt less intense in the opening season. Mainly, the focus is on these characters becoming what they need to be by relying on one another.
Another strong focus of this season is identity, in particular between what is human and what is Titan. As mysteries begin to stack up and be unveiled, Titans are slowly become more than smiling mindless beings, and their purpose is far more nuanced.
While it is hard to say if the show can be trusted to answer the questions it sets up in a satisfying manner, these new questions are far more interesting than what came before and establish some exciting ideas for later discovery.
They are both harboring secrets that drive them to be close friends, and their plight gives an interesting weight to the story that felt less intense in the opening season. Mainly, the focus is on these characters becoming what they need to be by relying on one another.
Another strong focus of this season is identity, in particular between what is human and what is Titan. As mysteries begin to stack up and be unveiled, Titans are slowly become more than smiling mindless beings, and their purpose is far more nuanced.
While it is hard to say if the show can be trusted to answer the questions it sets up in a satisfying manner, these new questions are far more interesting than what came before and establish some exciting ideas for later discovery.
Conclusion
This second season is better than its predecessor. The storytelling is tighter and less rushed with more interesting threats. However, it still suffers from the same storytelling issues that plagued its predecessor. This is still a better concept than show.
Part of this is unfortunately due to just how annoying a lead character Eren is. He's entirely one note in his furious rages while being next to useless without his abilities. Luckily for him, he just so happens to be the most important person in the world because of those abilities.
It would be so much more interesting for this series to focus more on other characters, and it does so at times in this season. The first act is basically entirely removed from the main trio of Eren, Mikasa, and Armin, and it benefits even if it would be nice to still give more time time to the other two "main characters".
I was happy to have given this show a second chance, but I fear it is just never going to live up to its potential. This series has such a high ceiling for success, but the writing by Hajime Isayama feels so lacking in strong character understanding. His concepts are bigger than his creative grasp.
I say this more for the overall series and my expectations about its direction than the second season which was largely quite solid. I flew through these 12 episodes in a few short days and didn't have many issues beyond having to listen to Eren talk too much. For now, this is a bloody, brutal, and engaging adventure.
Part of this is unfortunately due to just how annoying a lead character Eren is. He's entirely one note in his furious rages while being next to useless without his abilities. Luckily for him, he just so happens to be the most important person in the world because of those abilities.
It would be so much more interesting for this series to focus more on other characters, and it does so at times in this season. The first act is basically entirely removed from the main trio of Eren, Mikasa, and Armin, and it benefits even if it would be nice to still give more time time to the other two "main characters".
I was happy to have given this show a second chance, but I fear it is just never going to live up to its potential. This series has such a high ceiling for success, but the writing by Hajime Isayama feels so lacking in strong character understanding. His concepts are bigger than his creative grasp.
I say this more for the overall series and my expectations about its direction than the second season which was largely quite solid. I flew through these 12 episodes in a few short days and didn't have many issues beyond having to listen to Eren talk too much. For now, this is a bloody, brutal, and engaging adventure.