Attack on Titan Season 4 Episode 1 - Thoughts & Review

By -

 

ATTACK ON TITAN S4E1: Thoughts & Review


Right off the bat we have an excellent episode animated by Studio MAPPA (not the usual lads at Wit Studio). People may have heard of them animating Dorohedoro and the recently released Jujutsu Kaisen. Their animation talents undoubtedly have made itself the forefront of today's premiere episode.

The episode kicks off at Fort Zlava, a Middle Eastern Federation fortress who is at war at the Marleyans whom we already know since the last few episodes of season 3. Looking at my current interests at the moment, especially with anything WW1, I'd say the integration of the setting and AOT's more fantastical elements work extraordinarily well. With the stunning animation done by the studio, the Battle of Fort Zlava is an eye candy to look at - as with most first episodes in a new season of anime.

The integration of CGI into its fight scenes is really good, not even feeling as if it is out of place like most other anime. Granted, Studio MAPPA have shown that they can do CGI well in Dorohedoro but nonetheless, it's great to look at. I'd say that this is the best use of CGI in the series (aside from the more dynamic shots including the OMD Gear worn by the main cast of previous seasons).

Reiner returns as the Armored Titan.

The soundtrack itself is amazing. While Hiroyuki Sawano isn't returning to compose this season's soundtrack, Masafumi Mima has done a terrific job in capturing the sense of epicness and dread in its orchestral score which is fitting for this season (manga readers would find it especially true in the next few episodes).

While Hiroyuki Sawano is indeed a great composer, his style suits the previous seasons more as it displays a sense of hope in its loud and bombastic soundtrack coupled with the use of vocal songs. Even with a few tracks that displays the sense of hopelessness, I don't think it would really fit the tone for this season seeing as how it can really be in future episodes. And oh boy, it gets really dark.

I've also heard a few people criticizing the different tone of the opening, seeing as how widely different it is than previous songs used in the earlier seasons. Sure, it lacks the sense of patriotism and the overwhelming sense of courage displayed in those songs - again, I wouldn't think it fits the current season. But Linked Horizon's back catalog for the anime seems quite varied so I'm curious as to what they could come up with if they are ever brought back in for a second intro song.

All in all, it's a good episode and I'm finding myself watching the same thing over and over because of the battles and the soundtrack. I wouldn't give the obligatory numerical score but if you insist, it's a 8/10.

THE COFFEE SCORE: 8/10

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Essay: This Abstract Thing We Call "Love"

By -
Love. What is it, actually? Some define it as an expression that someone would display towards another individual that they have feelings for them, through actions that showcased their love to them. Others would have thought of something as simple as a feeling that would bring happiness to those who harbored it deep within their hearts. If you would ask me, what is love? I shall answer it as simple as possible. It is undefinable. To me, personally. It’s a very abstract thing that many of us can’t simply describe what love actually is. We can’t put into words about how it felt, or why it happened. That’s why phrases such as “the flowery feelings” or “butterflies in your stomach” metaphors came to be. It can be felt, yes of course and it is an undeniable thing. But to describe it? Borderline impossible, I might say. Now, when I talk about love, I’m talking about the one thing that held people together in a way through memories and acts of kindness. You get the gist of it. It is love
Read more

Battle Report: OPERATION THUNDER SPEAR - The Tenebrine War

By -
Image
  Battle of Junerva, 2338 OPERATION: THUNDER SPEAR Commander: General Brooke 19 th June 2338 At 7.30 a.m., our army of 200 tanks and 26,700 men begin their assault on Fort Junerva. Members of the 3 rd Regiment, with around 300 men charged into the fray with support from the armored div., attacking the right flank of the Fort with the sole purpose of disabling the anti-armor weapons that our scouts have identified. Accompanied by two squads from the Shock Trooper Division (the ‘Hell Brigadiers’ and the ‘Scornful Bastards’), their mission is to clear a path for the other forces – especially our tanks – to begin the second phase of the operation. By 7.50 a.m., they were under heavy fire from the machine gunners holed up in their nests and were pinned if not for the coordinated attack by the Shock Troopers. Even with the use of the ‘female’ Griffin type tanks, they are suffering heavy casualties under constant bombardment by the anti-armor weapons. The two Shock Trooper Squads
Read more

A Field of Swords: Prologue Chapter (sample)

By -
Prologue Lord Percival Dragonstorm It was already evening and on that very day it was his son’s fifth birthday. If he was still a noble lord who lived in the halls of Dragonspire – the ancestral seat of his family, he would have ordered the people to set up for a feast to celebrate this auspicious day. But he no longer lived the wealthy life of being a nobleman who holds titles and lands, commanding entire hosts of armies into battle, or taking up his sword against his enemies. He had left that behind ten years ago. Percival now lived as a normal man with a mind that drives to live such a normal life. To live in peace. To be away from the world’s concerns. To be away from the shadows of war that haunts his father and his father before him. He owns a farm now, away from Camelot lands and resides within the borders of Grecca. Kaldir is where he makes his home. With his wife Ana, he lived within this small village where the people are just as friendly as they had always been. A bu
Read more