C&C - Attack on Titan - "To You, After 2,000 Years: The Fall of Shiganshina, Part 1" [SERIES PREMIER

[Lord Dalek]

INTRODUCTION:

“On that day… mankind was given a grim reminder. We lived in fear of the Titans, and were disgraced to live in these cages we called walls…”

So begins Attack on Titan (進撃の巨人 Shingeki no Kyojin, literally “March of Giants”), a 2013 TV adaptation of the highly controversial, incredibly popular manga by Hajime Isayama, which premiered in the debut issue of Kodansha’s Bessatsu Shonen Magazine in September, 2009. The series is set a millennium for now and concerns the plight of a surviving enclave of the human race somewhere in what used to be Central Europe. 900 years ago, mindless carnivorous giants began to appear around the world with only one goal, to consume any and all living creatures in their path, but particularly humans. Fleeing their civilization, the survivors have huddled behind giant walls, becoming complacent while a brave group known as the Survey Corps fights the Titans on the front lines using weapons called 3D Maneuverability Gear. Our story is that of a boy who wanted to join those brave few and see the world, and the horrible tragedy that will link his fate with the Titans.

Attack on Titan is a violent, nightmarish tale told in rust browns, forest greens, and blood reds, intensely animated by Production IG spin-off Wit Studio, and set to a pulsating ambient techno soundtrack by Hiroyuki Sawano. I do not need to mention the opening themes by Linked Horizion which are now justifiably legendary on their own and instantly recognizable. This is not a show for the faint of heart, and it’s easily the biggest “acquired taste” the new Toonami has aired since Casshern Sins. The pacing of the show is the clinical definition of slow burn as the daily sturm und Drang gives way to absolute anarchy that goes on for several episodes. This is not to say its DBZ-quality pacing, but some may view this as the show dragging its feet in the mud. Nevertheless, the series is deeply rewarding for those continues with it, and even though there’s no conclusion as of yet (the manga is a monthly and still ongoing) the ending makes you craving more and more.

Ladies and Gentlemen… Welcome… to Attack on Titan.

Opening 1: ”Feuerroter Pfeil und Bogen (Guren no Yumiya)” by Linked Horizon
Ending 1: ”This Beautiful Cruel World” by Yoko Hikasa​

“After 100 years, peace is broken by the appearance of a fifty meter tall Titan.”

Watch it on Crunchy!

 

[MadMan400096]

And tonight, I'll finally watch the anime that's been taking the world by storm. Hope I like it...

 

[JShaggy]

This will be well worth watching, especially after watching the whole thing subtitled the first time. Of course, the show was popular enough that it won Toonzone AotM honors back in July of last year while the series was still airing in Japan.

I'm very interested to see how much has changed quality-wise between the time of the TV broadcast and the DVD/Blu-ray releases, as there was something [MENTION=21735]Jacob T. Paschal[/MENTION] once said about the show back in the AotM thread:

Shingeki no Kyo-jin: attack on titan is one of those hilarious examples of Japan literally working on an episode of an animated series five seconds before it is supposed to air. Which is sad, considering it means waiting for Blu-ray releases to have the 'complete' episodes.

To all new viewers who have never watched Attack on Titan before, you will not be disappointed.

 

[Rhaynebow]

Well, it appears my not watching of this series initially was due to sheer laziness. Thanks to Toonami, I'll finally be able to see how this show has created such a storm of popularity. I have a feeling I won't be disappointed.

Should I learn how to not attach to many characters here? Lol

 

[KYO'NYUU IMOUTO]

Episode #1 Staff (07 April 2013)

This will be well worth watching, especially after watching the whole thing subtitled the first time. Of course, the show was popular enough that it won Toonzone AotM honors back in July of last year while the series was still airing in Japan.

I'm very interested to see how much has changed quality-wise between the time of the TV broadcast and the DVD/Blu-ray releases, as there was something [MENTION=21735]Jacob T. Paschal[/MENTION] once said about the show back in the AotM thread:



To all new viewers who have never watched Attack on Titan before, you will not be disappointed.

Oh, so this is how the mention system works! Huh...

Anyhoo, yeah. The animation staff list becomes increasingly insane as the series goes on. Episode #1 is paltry in comparison.

Episode #1 is directed by Araki Tetsurou and Tanaka Hiroyuki with storyboard by Araki. This probably means Araki brought on Tanaka to so a lot of legwork for him so that he would focus on his duties as Series Director. Rumor has it Shingeki no Kyojin: Attack on Titan began broadcasting six months before it was supposed to--or at the very least should have. Araki was trying to put together a massive series on the run, hence the multitude of staff per episode.

Episode #1 has four Animation Supervisors. After the episode director(s) inspect the key animation drawings the drawings that need clean up are given to the animation supervisors who make corrections. Second Key Animators are assigned to help clean-up the more rough key animation created by the key animators due to the series' rapid production schedule. The key animation for the action cuts are specifically given to the Action Animation Supervisor, in this case Ebara Yasuyuki (check out examples of his work on Sakugabooru) and Imai Arifumi (check out examples of his work on Sakugabooru), two wonderfully talented action animators. They help bring the money shots of each episode up to the high-standard employed by the series by correcting the drawings for either draftsmanship issues or timing issues. After the animation supervisors have finished their corrections (either by themselves or if they have the time sending the work back to the key animator with notes) the key animation drawings are delivered to the Chief Animation Supervisor. The Chief Animation Supervisor is usually the character designer, here being Asano Kyouji. Indeed, Asano is the Chief Animation Supervisor here and thus acts as one more filter to try to clean up the hastily and often loveless drawn key animation drawings. Typically this only means dialogue scenes, as the vast majority of action cuts are handled by talented key animators in Japan who have too much pride to give a half-assed performance.

Returning to the subject of Second Key Animation, you'll notice only company names are listed. This is probably indicative of the schedule being so tight nobody had time to figure out which of a few dozen second key animators did how many cuts. Two names jump out to me at first glance: Seigasha and TAP. Seigasha was a major key animation studio on the first three Dragon Ball cartoon shows, both Doctor Slump cartoon shows, and early One Piece. After founder Take'uchi Tomekichi passed away in 2001 all of the good talent jumped ship to Toei Animation (Hisada Kazuya is now character designer of One Piece, Tate Naoki, Shimanuki Masahiro, and Yamashita Megumi all perform animation supervision or key animation for various Toei cartoons). I think Iizuka Youko is the only Dragon Ball veteran that stuck with and took over the running of Seigasha, but the sub-contracting house is now a shadow of what it used to be.

TAP is Toei Animation Philippines, the mother studio's cheap out-sourcing house. While a few TAP animators have been promoted to occasional key animation and animation supervisor roles the studio typically just does grunt work. They handle a good 70% of the post-production work on PreCure, from what I remember. In fact, it is Happiness Charge PreCure! Episode #7 (16 March 2014) where Joey Calangian and Francis Caneda acted as the animation supervisors. Fifteen of the key animators for that episode were from TAP, the bottom two were talented action animators Hamano Yuu'ichi and Ita'oka Nishiki. Calangian and Caneda themselves probably performed clean-up on this episode. Anyhoo, TAP is a name you will no doubt see in the credits of future episodes. Well, not on a FUNimation master, but whatever.

Thanks for playing Six Degrees of Animation Separation with your host, Jacob T. Paschal. Come back next week for more pain!

 

[trance2009]

Prepare to have your mind blown.

 

[veemonjosh]

So, even back when Attack on Titan was running in Japan, I kept thinking of a fun way of contributing to the Attack on Titan talkbacks when it would inevitably run on Toonami. That being, posting one Toonami-related AMV a week that uses the ever-popular opening theme.

The question that lingered in my mind until recently though was "Which Toonami show's AoT AMV would I start with?" My answer?

[video=youtube_share;8cXg4j5AAMs]http://youtu.be/8cXg4j5AAMs[/video]

Why not make one for Toonami itself?

 

[Nobodyman]

So, the most anticipated anime of the year finally airs tonight. As for me, I've read up through volume 8 of the manga, which covers the entirety of the anime (and I'm still reading up through 9, 10, and so on). So, do I think it lives up to the hype?

Hmm....not really.

As people have mentioned, the pacing can pretty slow at times (and I was reading it pretty much all in one go) and, as far as the manga is concerned, the art can be...well, questionable. But more than that, Isayama really seems to struggle with developing or even defining his characters. Most of them are just kinda boring to me and I often have a hard time getting invested in any of them.

But hey, you don't have to listen to me. After all, I'm the same guy who can't stand Revy and thinks that Black Lagoon, so far, has been kind of a letdown

Seriously though, I do think AoT is a good series. The plot, at least, is really intriguing and it's got a tantalizing mystery that lingers over the series (volume 9 has actually had some really interesting plot twists). And, of course, the series has one of the most unique and repugnant monster designs in recent anime history. And, yes, the action is real good. So yeah, I think it's good, just not mind-blowingly awesome like some led me to believe.

Now, of course, that's my opinion of the manga. Tonight will be my first time viewing the anime, and while I can't imagine they could have changed too much to fix some of the fundamental problems I have with the story, it will be interesting to see it in a different medium, and with that stellar animation I've heard so much. And I guess it's always possible they may have inserted some scenes to flesh out the characters more, but we shall see.

 

[Mr. Anime]

This may be a real watershed moment for Toonami, even more then Space Dandy. Lets see what a series that is hit the likes of which anime hasn't seen in quite awhile does for viewer ratings....

 

[zoombie]

Please tell me we are going to get the whole OP, please.

 

[The Talon]

Please tell me we are going to get the whole OP, please.

DeMarco confirmed that it will since it's the lead show.

I still can't believe I haven't seen this or read this manga despite all my friends telling me how sick it is, reminds me of when we'd talk about DBZ or Naruto. I think it'll live up to the hype for me since I enjoyed Space Dandy even though most TZ members didn't.

 

[FFmax]

Is this the most hyped anime in Toonami history?

 

[animePWNS]

TWD comparisons aside, I'm also expecting a Blue Gender vibe from this show.

And it starts...

Birds. Symbolic much?

Everything changed...

Now it's starting to feel like the White Walkers form Game of Thrones. With industrial grappling hooks!

 

[PhenomsServant4]

Is this the most hyped anime in Toonami history?

They really hyped Naruto like hell back when it premiered in '04.

 

[Kitschensyngk]

I haven't seen this show, apart from bits of the first two episodes and clips I found on YouTube. I'm wagering these Titans aren't teenage superheroes, primitive gods, Nashville football players, or anything of a sym-bionic nature, but I am expecting a clash, I am aware there will be wrath, and I've been told that this will be a series to remember.

"Home was a pen. Humanity...cattle."

I thought there'd be more to the intro than that.

 

[animePWNS]

Short intro, unfortunately.

 

[MadMan400096]

They cut the intro! Freakin' Liars!!!

 

[The Talon]

I don't think that was the full intro, bummer.

Everyone is Spider-Man in this show?

 

[Gorbash]

Uh oh; the intro was cut up. That's not going to sit well among people.

 

[G1Ravage]

Shortened intro.

ATTACK ON INTRO