Attack on Titan’s third season is now five episodes deep into its simulcast run. However, I’m an uncultured swine so I waited to watch the English Dub simulcast, which premiered earlier this week. Oh god, I can hear the booing already…
Attack on Titan is a bit of a guilty pleasure for me. I only recently started reading manga and watching anime on a regular basis this year. I currently read more than I watch, but I wanted to get into a few shows so I could further embrace my inner weeabo. Of course, I had heard of Attack on Titan before this year, as it’s one of those rare few that has really broken into the western mainstream and became one of the most popular anime series currently running. For the most part, I kept hearing that the show was ‘vanilla’ and ‘mainstream’, so I was kept from giving it an immediate go. One late night, I was stuck in an endless scrolling motion passing show after show, until I finally said “Screw it. I’ll give it a go.” It didn’t take long for the show to suck me in; beautiful visuals coupled with characters that are more complex than most people give them credit for got me instantly hooked. I finished the first few seasons off in what felt like no time at all and was left waiting in limbo for the next to begin. Luckily, I didn’t have to wait too long.
Season 3 opens with the brand-new Levi squad hiding out in the country. It isn’t really specified exactly where they are—I assume somewhere near Trost. Eren, Armin and Mikasa are all back on their feet and joined by the regular ragtag crew. They soon go out to practice a plan they’ve formulated to fill the breach in the wall at Trost that was made last season, but the practice fails, and Eren is unable to perform in his Titan form. Upon being pulled out of his Titan form, Hange accidentally rips the skin clean off Eren’s face. This is played partly for laughs, and oddly, after Eren heals, he doesn’t react negatively at all to the incident. He is more regretful that he wasn’t able to perform, further establishing the lengths Eren is willing to go to be a valuable member of the team.
From this point on, things take a turn; Pastor Nick (the member of the Order of the Walls) from season two is found murdered in the Trost military barracks. Hange quickly discovers that the MPs are responsible and relays the information back to Levi and his squad. Soon after this, the scouts are shut down and the squad has to abandon their hideout, and instead head into the lion’s den waiting for them in Trost. This whole sequence happens quite quickly—something most viewers aren’t accustomed to with Attack on Titan. At times, the show can be excruciatingly slow paced, but I was glad for the increased pace in this episode. The plot felt more fluid and nowhere near as drawn out as some previous episodes have been. Upon arriving in Trost, the squad sets up a bait and switch plan, but just as things seem like they are going according to plan, Levi realises that it’s all too easy and they are ambushed by someone from his past.
This episode skips along at a steady beat, even without a titan in sight. As always with Attack on Titan, a question or two is answered and seventeen more are asked. The mystery surrounding the humans of the interior is broadened in this episode, and I am excited to see where this season takes us. It seems as if the Levi squad will have to watch their backs at every turn going forward, whether they are behind the walls or not.
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