And so ends the Female Titan arc. In the anime it is split into 2 arcs: The 57th Exterior Scouting Mission arc and Assault on Stohess arc. The MP recruits like Marlowe and Hitch being kept in the dark, the Survey Corps being kept in the dark by the Wallists and the 104th trainees being kept in the dark as well. Minister Nick is at least a good look into the Wall Religion with his own sad woes, and Hange being mad for the first time since she’s been introduced. Eren questioned how she could be so happy around titans, so I like seeing her get mad about the sacrifices the Survey Corps has made as well. It’s good seeing Jean, Armin and Mikasa looking over Eren while he rests. Armin’s funny/unfunny jokes as Jean calls it. Jean still wants to talk to Mikasa, RIP him. Mikasa stays behind to watch over Eren. Erwin at the assembly had to talk his way out of civilian casualties and collateral damage this time around. The only reason they did it this way is 1: Annie has her military branch in Stohess and 2: They had to hand over Eren to the MPs. So they devised a plan to show some results, at any cost. The many over the few. At least he has his eyes now on the rest of the energy hiding inside the walls as he puts it. Then Thomas comes in, talking about the breaching of Wall Rose, which happened 12 hours earlier, before the plan to ambush Annie even begins to happen. Makes you wonder what’s happening now. Miche’s Squad is overlooking the 104th for any other possible titans conspiring with Annie. Connie and Sasha are bored and talk about their hometowns, which is nice to know more of their background. Reiner is ready to help Connie escape since he’s suspicious of everything that’s going on, helpful and dependable as always. Sasha with her superhuman hearing and Miche with his superhuman sniffing. It's time to start the next fun time: Wall Rose being breached. Yay! I am ready to talk a bit more when we get to the anime part of this. You do you and enjoy the art as well. It's one of the fun things about Manga. I concur with Yaori about it being really fun seeing you react blind to the next couple of volumes, though i would enjoy seeing you reading all of it blind, you do it so that it works best for you. Reacting blind first, and then reviewing is how I've seen people normally do the content, but that works very differently and takes longer when reading manga compared to watching anime. Filmbuff, Romania Black and SoS do it very well. I think I've spent almost over a hundred hours watching all of Romania Black’s Aot series, but it was very enjoyable. Some correction facts: When confronted by Eren, Mikasa, and Armin near the tunnel entrance, Annie remarks that she could not become a "Warrior" (戦士 Senshi?). However, in the official English translation from Kodansha, this word is translated as "soldier." A more accurate title for the last chapter would therefore also be Warriors Dance (戦士は踊る Senshi wa Odoru?).
Thanks for those suggestions of others doing similar content. I may check a few of those out to see if I can take anything away. Ultimately, the approach really is informed by what feels "natural" for the content creator to do, because there's a layer of authenticity that is lost when a vlog is produced too much like a "product". I am trying to find a happy boundary and its fun experimenting with this vlog--but I, too, think I enjoy the blind read experience more, even if it's more uncomfortable to do in the computer chair... it might just mean that I need to do it in chapter-by-chapter reactions instead of reading the full volume in one sitting. "Soldier" instead of "warrior" makes a lot of sense. I recall reading the word "warrior" a few times, actually, and thinking it was just a term the different branches called those who served in them. I'm looking forward to seeing where things go in the next couple volumes!
Speaking of covers, these last 2 are pretty spoilery, like damn. Starting Annie's reveal with her day-to-day life in the MPs is an interesting and fun way of doing it, it's very unorthodox in its design from everything I've seen and read so far. Even the plan being unknown to us makes it feel like we are Annie in this sense. We get to see how the MPs operate and function for the first time since they were only seen with Nile in the courtroom and the 2 investigating Mikasa's kidnappers. We meet 3 MP recruits, 2 with names, and get a picture of the kind of people who are there. Though Marlowe is the exception, much like Eren. The ring is great and it seems a heck of a lot easier and less painful way of injuring yourself then biting. The Eren/Annie and Armin/Annie dynamic is so very interesting and both of them refused to think it was completely possible. Eren more than Armin since he was sitting on it for a much longer time then Eren. Armin's and Annie's speeches about normal Vs special and good Vs bad people is great characterization for them. Annie's a fascinating character, especially now that all of this is revealed. Eren has a big time problem associating Annie with the Female Titan even when faced with what happened to all those scouts. Before he transforms his eyes are darting between all the bodies and saying he has to save them even though they are dead. Mikasa and Armin are focused on the mission, and Mikasa interrogates his ass with those eyes, like god damn. The Mikasa/Annie dynamic is also interesting, but that's for another time. Eren getting his motivation from Mikasa and her classic quote is very nice since it's those same thoughts that brought her back as well, "The world is a cruel place, but also very beautiful", being inspired by his words from the cabin. It's so cool! A question: What are your thoughts about their responses? Eren doesn't really believe that she's the enemy, or at least he doesn't want to. Armin still wants to talk with Annie, and I don't feel like he really views her as a complete enemy since she let him go twice. Mikasa doesn't really care and is ready to fight her again, especially since she has beef with Annie because of what she did to Eren. The flashback showing the already big and empty castle feeling even more empty since Levi’s Squad passing is depressing. At least we got Levi's shitty jokes. Armin, looking at Marco’s ODM gear, is actually in Vol. 6. Also, horseface Jean. Eren’s transformation and his uppercutting Annie is one of my favorite transformations in the series. I love it to death and It feels so good since she kicked his ass last time. Poor Nile and the Wallists, knowing nothing of what’s about to fall on their asses, especially the Wallists, RIP them. At least Nick survived, let’s hope he gets those reconstruction bills paid. Annie this time is severely outmatched because of the environment: Her being caged this time, people ready to attack with Mikasa being among them and Eren in complete control this time around, thinking logically and not going berserk. His introspection of Annie. Though he is not able to beat her still, he works together with the others to take her down. Mikasa taking responsibility for inadvertently taking Levi out of commision for this battle is great. It shows her respect for the things at stake and not only Eren. It is not shown entirely clear at the end, but when she scales the wall, she is too fast for the scouts to catch up, which is when Armin notices Eren coming over, in control, to help. He has Eren throw Mikasa up towards Annie, which is why Hange is so surprised to see Mikasa and why she makes it up first to cut her fingers off. “Annie, Fall.” And it's done. Eren holds her down while the Scouts cut around the hardened nape to get to Annie and while he goes in to grab her, she, while crying for the second time in the story, remembers her fathers words and crystallizes herself away in a cocoon. Also, Wall Titans. Whattttt! Iconic, so iconic. One last question: What are your thoughts about Annie? What is she fighting for, like Eren asks about? What do you make of the dialogue with her father?
Both of your questions are related. Since Erin can shift into a Titan-form, he likely has a suppressed perspective that we haven't been able to experience, because Erin himself hasn't been able to understand is there. I think that subconscious perspective is what holds Erin back from truly blaming Annie, or believing she is also a Titan rider/shifter. Whatever suppressed driver exists in Erin, when he goes Titan-mode, may be in conflict with what triggers Annie, when she goes into Titan-mode. Annie's father's comments were intentionally ambiguous, if read with subtext in mind. On the surface, him telling her to "come back" may be interpreted as her physically returning to a home that she left. On the subtextual level, this statement could be tied to her psyche, as in whatever might have been done to her, to make her a Titan shifter, might have done something to her emotionally, and the father likely had a hand in it and blames himself (maybe this will be a parallel to Erin's father's plot eventually). That's sorta where I'm at. I don't really have overt answers--but instead have ideas that I'm holding onto from a narrative subtext weaving perspective, if that makes sense!
Thanks for the review! Also would recommend watching the anime as its so worth it, especially the fight between eren and the female titan Also loving you talking about the art so dont worry
LET'S GOOooo VOLUME 8 RAAAAAHH!!! 1 hour of XEI being baffled by Isayama looking up a YT tutorial how on tf to draw XD. But yeah, good improvements and many more well on the way. the gap between vol1 and vol8 is like almost 3 years so makes sense they'd be changes and reader feedback. Marlow really be that young politician upstart thinking he can "make the Walls great again". Guys like him are either ran out by the older crew or they give in to corruption and power. MLK "I have a dream" wanna be ass bowlcut boy, let's see if he lives long enough XD. 10:23 "If people were essentially good" Annie is the Original Sin believer, huh. interesting. Also, the increase in political focus and talking how the gov needs to be changed, more so than it's people, is very topical, let's just say that. funny timing, given what's going on in several countries that I am personally aware of.... Interesting Armin observation about relativism. Also, absolutely GOATED 4D chess by Armin. I like how they keep escalating the obvious reveal, from teasing her about not going into a tight underground space to outright talking it out like it's noone's business. So interesting how he decided to handle their dialogue, so calm and casual, Eren and Mikasa were holding it in for a good while. In some way it's kinda cute how Eren refused to acknowledge Annie as his enemy even tho they weren't even that close and couldn't transform. He still wanted her to be a comrade in the end... damn Annie so slick, she got you confused. Idk if you can see the ring on her in other chapters, but it's hers she just took it out for that scene (but I guess it looked like Armin gave it to her, bc he's on the right side of the page and the ring is also, and the composition makes it look like it he gave it to Annie. I guess that's how you saw it?). As for how faces are drawn, pretty sure he copies faces from references? (there are literally celebrity cameos in some Titan designs like Saul Goodman titan, one of the titans I swear is based on himself). You probably re-read the last volume, but Armin yells out, saying how he "saw" Annie kill Eren (referring to him by the nickname), which made her stop, giving Reiner the opening to attack her, and then she ran away. Nah, Isayama really said "I'm something of a comedian myself" with Annie crashing into the church, I can't. I guess they didn't pay their tithe that month and God always takes his cut🤑. I do have to say, props to Isayama for figuring out how to take Annie out without killing her off, assuming she is alive in the cacoon. It's so simple to just kill a character off and intruduce a new antagonist, but if you keep them, it makes it a lot more interesting. Add that to a bingo card along with "will we reach basement this volume". Okay, funny thing - can you imagine being left on the wall titan face reveal for FOUR(4) years? cuz that's where the season1 ends. Soldiers Dance is Season2 stuff bc 1 episdoe is usually 2 chapters (manga readers stay winning). Colossal Bro really said "I'm in your walls" but he ain't meme-ing tho, why'd he do that, who put him there? Church gang has a lot to answer since they do seem to know a bit, that even Armin's book doesn't. does the church worship the Walls because they contain the titans or because they contain the titans, if you see what I mean 🤔. 1:05:35 no way bro already forgot Miche, the Vtuber feet sniffer, the schnose man. Man, I really want you to read very specific chapters blind for that raw reaction, holy *fuckkkkk* . but I don't want to signal which ones as to not set up expectations about them... can you just read the whole Season 2 stuff as a blind read LMFAO (vol 9-12).
It's crazier to think that since these Chapters are release after one month each, that the subtle, single-panel, seeds are left behind as mild echoes before Isayama drops the thunder later on. A second read of this series is likely alarming to experience how much ground work exists in subtle layering. I'll see if I can approach the blind reads a bit differently in order to maintain the blind reaction part. Maybe I'll record ONE Chapter at a time, but then stitch them together--that kinda thing--that way it's not almost 2 hours on that chair and dark reading setup!
My review from back in the day on MyAnimeList of Season 1 arc is 5 or 6 out of 10. Not because of any criteria, but based purely on how I felt about it. It's the weakest part of the story for me since I rated it with other later parts in mind. On it's own, it had more merit than I originally gave it credit for, the mystery being the strongest element, which of course gets overshadowed by other things as you get more context and knowledge as the title progresses.
Right--that's the tricky part of giving retroactive reviews and ratings! I've already begun to feel this when pondering how to approach the Vol 1 - 8 rating boards vlog that I'll be doing. Even though certain story beats are great in a broader multi-volume flow, the ultimate goal is to ALSO make the single volume hold together on its own. It will be a fun exercise!
And so ends the Female Titan arc. In the anime it is split into 2 arcs: The 57th Exterior Scouting Mission arc and Assault on Stohess arc.
The MP recruits like Marlowe and Hitch being kept in the dark, the Survey Corps being kept in the dark by the Wallists and the 104th trainees being kept in the dark as well.
Minister Nick is at least a good look into the Wall Religion with his own sad woes, and Hange being mad for the first time since she’s been introduced. Eren questioned how she could be so happy around titans, so I like seeing her get mad about the sacrifices the Survey Corps has made as well.
It’s good seeing Jean, Armin and Mikasa looking over Eren while he rests. Armin’s funny/unfunny jokes as Jean calls it. Jean still wants to talk to Mikasa, RIP him. Mikasa stays behind to watch over Eren.
Erwin at the assembly had to talk his way out of civilian casualties and collateral damage this time around. The only reason they did it this way is 1: Annie has her military branch in Stohess and 2: They had to hand over Eren to the MPs. So they devised a plan to show some results, at any cost. The many over the few. At least he has his eyes now on the rest of the energy hiding inside the walls as he puts it.
Then Thomas comes in, talking about the breaching of Wall Rose, which happened 12 hours earlier, before the plan to ambush Annie even begins to happen. Makes you wonder what’s happening now.
Miche’s Squad is overlooking the 104th for any other possible titans conspiring with Annie. Connie and Sasha are bored and talk about their hometowns, which is nice to know more of their background. Reiner is ready to help Connie escape since he’s suspicious of everything that’s going on, helpful and dependable as always. Sasha with her superhuman hearing and Miche with his superhuman sniffing.
It's time to start the next fun time: Wall Rose being breached. Yay!
I am ready to talk a bit more when we get to the anime part of this.
You do you and enjoy the art as well. It's one of the fun things about Manga.
I concur with Yaori about it being really fun seeing you react blind to the next couple of volumes, though i would enjoy seeing you reading all of it blind, you do it so that it works best for you. Reacting blind first, and then reviewing is how I've seen people normally do the content, but that works very differently and takes longer when reading manga compared to watching anime. Filmbuff, Romania Black and SoS do it very well. I think I've spent almost over a hundred hours watching all of Romania Black’s Aot series, but it was very enjoyable.
Some correction facts:
When confronted by Eren, Mikasa, and Armin near the tunnel entrance, Annie remarks that she could not become a "Warrior" (戦士 Senshi?). However, in the official English translation from Kodansha, this word is translated as "soldier."
A more accurate title for the last chapter would therefore also be Warriors Dance (戦士は踊る Senshi wa Odoru?).
Thanks for those suggestions of others doing similar content. I may check a few of those out to see if I can take anything away. Ultimately, the approach really is informed by what feels "natural" for the content creator to do, because there's a layer of authenticity that is lost when a vlog is produced too much like a "product". I am trying to find a happy boundary and its fun experimenting with this vlog--but I, too, think I enjoy the blind read experience more, even if it's more uncomfortable to do in the computer chair... it might just mean that I need to do it in chapter-by-chapter reactions instead of reading the full volume in one sitting.
"Soldier" instead of "warrior" makes a lot of sense. I recall reading the word "warrior" a few times, actually, and thinking it was just a term the different branches called those who served in them. I'm looking forward to seeing where things go in the next couple volumes!
Speaking of covers, these last 2 are pretty spoilery, like damn. Starting Annie's reveal with her day-to-day life in the MPs is an interesting and fun way of doing it, it's very unorthodox in its design from everything I've seen and read so far. Even the plan being unknown to us makes it feel like we are Annie in this sense.
We get to see how the MPs operate and function for the first time since they were only seen with Nile in the courtroom and the 2 investigating Mikasa's kidnappers. We meet 3 MP recruits, 2 with names, and get a picture of the kind of people who are there. Though Marlowe is the exception, much like Eren.
The ring is great and it seems a heck of a lot easier and less painful way of injuring yourself then biting.
The Eren/Annie and Armin/Annie dynamic is so very interesting and both of them refused to think it was completely possible. Eren more than Armin since he was sitting on it for a much longer time then Eren. Armin's and Annie's speeches about normal Vs special and good Vs bad people is great characterization for them. Annie's a fascinating character, especially now that all of this is revealed. Eren has a big time problem associating Annie with the Female Titan even when faced with what happened to all those scouts. Before he transforms his eyes are darting between all the bodies and saying he has to save them even though they are dead. Mikasa and Armin are focused on the mission, and Mikasa interrogates his ass with those eyes, like god damn. The Mikasa/Annie dynamic is also interesting, but that's for another time.
Eren getting his motivation from Mikasa and her classic quote is very nice since it's those same thoughts that brought her back as well, "The world is a cruel place, but also very beautiful", being inspired by his words from the cabin. It's so cool!
A question: What are your thoughts about their responses? Eren doesn't really believe that she's the enemy, or at least he doesn't want to. Armin still wants to talk with Annie, and I don't feel like he really views her as a complete enemy since she let him go twice. Mikasa doesn't really care and is ready to fight her again, especially since she has beef with Annie because of what she did to Eren.
The flashback showing the already big and empty castle feeling even more empty since Levi’s Squad passing is depressing. At least we got Levi's shitty jokes. Armin, looking at Marco’s ODM gear, is actually in Vol. 6. Also, horseface Jean.
Eren’s transformation and his uppercutting Annie is one of my favorite transformations in the series. I love it to death and It feels so good since she kicked his ass last time.
Poor Nile and the Wallists, knowing nothing of what’s about to fall on their asses, especially the Wallists, RIP them. At least Nick survived, let’s hope he gets those reconstruction bills paid.
Annie this time is severely outmatched because of the environment: Her being caged this time, people ready to attack with Mikasa being among them and Eren in complete control this time around, thinking logically and not going berserk. His introspection of Annie. Though he is not able to beat her still, he works together with the others to take her down. Mikasa taking responsibility for inadvertently taking Levi out of commision for this battle is great. It shows her respect for the things at stake and not only Eren. It is not shown entirely clear at the end, but when she scales the wall, she is too fast for the scouts to catch up, which is when Armin notices Eren coming over, in control, to help. He has Eren throw Mikasa up towards Annie, which is why Hange is so surprised to see Mikasa and why she makes it up first to cut her fingers off.
“Annie, Fall.”
And it's done. Eren holds her down while the Scouts cut around the hardened nape to get to Annie and while he goes in to grab her, she, while crying for the second time in the story, remembers her fathers words and crystallizes herself away in a cocoon.
Also, Wall Titans. Whattttt! Iconic, so iconic.
One last question: What are your thoughts about Annie? What is she fighting for, like Eren asks about? What do you make of the dialogue with her father?
Both of your questions are related. Since Erin can shift into a Titan-form, he likely has a suppressed perspective that we haven't been able to experience, because Erin himself hasn't been able to understand is there. I think that subconscious perspective is what holds Erin back from truly blaming Annie, or believing she is also a Titan rider/shifter. Whatever suppressed driver exists in Erin, when he goes Titan-mode, may be in conflict with what triggers Annie, when she goes into Titan-mode. Annie's father's comments were intentionally ambiguous, if read with subtext in mind. On the surface, him telling her to "come back" may be interpreted as her physically returning to a home that she left. On the subtextual level, this statement could be tied to her psyche, as in whatever might have been done to her, to make her a Titan shifter, might have done something to her emotionally, and the father likely had a hand in it and blames himself (maybe this will be a parallel to Erin's father's plot eventually). That's sorta where I'm at. I don't really have overt answers--but instead have ideas that I'm holding onto from a narrative subtext weaving perspective, if that makes sense!
Thanks for the review! Also would recommend watching the anime as its so worth it, especially the fight between eren and the female titan
Also loving you talking about the art so dont worry
Thanks for the encouragement :)!
LET'S GOOooo VOLUME 8 RAAAAAHH!!!
1 hour of XEI being baffled by Isayama looking up a YT tutorial how on tf to draw XD. But yeah, good improvements and many more well on the way. the gap between vol1 and vol8 is like almost 3 years so makes sense they'd be changes and reader feedback.
Marlow really be that young politician upstart thinking he can "make the Walls great again". Guys like him are either ran out by the older crew or they give in to corruption and power. MLK "I have a dream" wanna be ass bowlcut boy, let's see if he lives long enough XD.
10:23 "If people were essentially good" Annie is the Original Sin believer, huh. interesting. Also, the increase in political focus and talking how the gov needs to be changed, more so than it's people, is very topical, let's just say that. funny timing, given what's going on in several countries that I am personally aware of....
Interesting Armin observation about relativism. Also, absolutely GOATED 4D chess by Armin. I like how they keep escalating the obvious reveal, from teasing her about not going into a tight underground space to outright talking it out like it's noone's business. So interesting how he decided to handle their dialogue, so calm and casual, Eren and Mikasa were holding it in for a good while. In some way it's kinda cute how Eren refused to acknowledge Annie as his enemy even tho they weren't even that close and couldn't transform. He still wanted her to be a comrade in the end...
damn Annie so slick, she got you confused. Idk if you can see the ring on her in other chapters, but it's hers she just took it out for that scene (but I guess it looked like Armin gave it to her, bc he's on the right side of the page and the ring is also, and the composition makes it look like it he gave it to Annie. I guess that's how you saw it?).
As for how faces are drawn, pretty sure he copies faces from references? (there are literally celebrity cameos in some Titan designs like Saul Goodman titan, one of the titans I swear is based on himself).
You probably re-read the last volume, but Armin yells out, saying how he "saw" Annie kill Eren (referring to him by the nickname), which made her stop, giving Reiner the opening to attack her, and then she ran away.
Nah, Isayama really said "I'm something of a comedian myself" with Annie crashing into the church, I can't. I guess they didn't pay their tithe that month and God always takes his cut🤑.
I do have to say, props to Isayama for figuring out how to take Annie out without killing her off, assuming she is alive in the cacoon. It's so simple to just kill a character off and intruduce a new antagonist, but if you keep them, it makes it a lot more interesting. Add that to a bingo card along with "will we reach basement this volume".
Okay, funny thing - can you imagine being left on the wall titan face reveal for FOUR(4) years? cuz that's where the season1 ends. Soldiers Dance is Season2 stuff bc 1 episdoe is usually 2 chapters (manga readers stay winning). Colossal Bro really said "I'm in your walls" but he ain't meme-ing tho, why'd he do that, who put him there? Church gang has a lot to answer since they do seem to know a bit, that even Armin's book doesn't. does the church worship the Walls because they contain the titans or because they contain the titans, if you see what I mean 🤔.
1:05:35 no way bro already forgot Miche, the Vtuber feet sniffer, the schnose man.
Man, I really want you to read very specific chapters blind for that raw reaction, holy *fuckkkkk* . but I don't want to signal which ones as to not set up expectations about them... can you just read the whole Season 2 stuff as a blind read LMFAO (vol 9-12).
It's crazier to think that since these Chapters are release after one month each, that the subtle, single-panel, seeds are left behind as mild echoes before Isayama drops the thunder later on. A second read of this series is likely alarming to experience how much ground work exists in subtle layering.
I'll see if I can approach the blind reads a bit differently in order to maintain the blind reaction part. Maybe I'll record ONE Chapter at a time, but then stitch them together--that kinda thing--that way it's not almost 2 hours on that chair and dark reading setup!
My review from back in the day on MyAnimeList of Season 1 arc is 5 or 6 out of 10. Not because of any criteria, but based purely on how I felt about it. It's the weakest part of the story for me since I rated it with other later parts in mind. On it's own, it had more merit than I originally gave it credit for, the mystery being the strongest element, which of course gets overshadowed by other things as you get more context and knowledge as the title progresses.
Right--that's the tricky part of giving retroactive reviews and ratings! I've already begun to feel this when pondering how to approach the Vol 1 - 8 rating boards vlog that I'll be doing. Even though certain story beats are great in a broader multi-volume flow, the ultimate goal is to ALSO make the single volume hold together on its own. It will be a fun exercise!