Sunday 16 June 2013

Attack on Titan - Episode 11

Eren, Mikasa and Armin have managed to survive the seemingly lethal distrust of their own comrades and superiors thanks to Commander Pixis, but what awaits Eren now seems to be even more uncertain territory.

Despite not being fully aware of the extent of his powers, Eren has nonetheless been press-ganged into trying to use a boulder to seal the hole in the wall through which Titans constantly pour - a dangerous mission for both himself and any troops assigned to assisting with the mission.  With a number of troops already in open rebellion at the prospect of another pitched (and not to mention uneven) battle against the Titans, the prospect of helping out an experimental man-turned-Titan doesn't really fill them with hope either.  However, Pixis is nothing if not a charismatic man when it comes to his use of language, and before we know it any immediate signs of insubordination are quashed.


From here, the real question involves the minutiae of the plan, with Armin stepping in to suggest that the mainstay of the military force concentrate on luring Titans away from Eren, with only a small elite squad assigned to protect him as he does his work with the boulder.  Although there are still doubts in the heart of everybody, with no other options for humanity there's no turning back, and so the plan begins.  Eren turns into his Titan form smoothly enough, but it seems as this is where the plan ends in terms of following the script.

As its pacing slows down and its production issues bite ever deeper into the series (just how many static shots were there in this episode?), Attack on Titan certainly feels like a show that's on the ropes somewhat at the moment - however, for the time being it continues to get by thanks to its stirring soundtrack and a plot which I just can't tear myself away from in spite of its occasionally surreal twists and turns.  Hopefully the series can at least find the time and budget to give the episodes to come what it seems like they will need, as we once again appear to be entering a phase of this series doing what its best at as it pits man (and woman, of course) against Titan once more.

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