Check out last week’s episode review here.
Wow, so I just realized how much was cut out and shuffled around this episode.
I wanted to go back and re-check the manga chapter because I didn’t remember Eren’s slight transformation.
For whatever reason, I still think it’s a flashback Hanje was seeing, and not actually happening. I think it’s safe to say that she’s definitely unsettled by him now. I was about to type the word afraid, but that might be too strong of an emotion for their new relationship.
On the same note, I had no clue that Mikasa’s Shogunate clan tattoo was never adapted into the anime. I even re-watched past seasons before the start of this one, and for some reason…never noticed? It took stumbling upon a Twitter thread to inform me.
Which by the way…that’s a pretty significant plot point. Why didn’t Wit Studio ever animate it? Did Isayama tell them not to?
There were some issues with people not even understanding which clan of ancestry Mikasa’s tattoo came from, or why she can’t turn into a titan.
And what the heck is going on with the continued burial of Zeke’s significant character development this season?
Like I know after episode 5 I said I would chill out with the nitpicking and just take the adaptation for what it is…but I can’t help but feel a bit cheated. And it doesn’t help that even the more astute reactors I watch now have no clue what is going on in the anime.
This is somewhat annoying because Zeke Yeager is a walking contradiction that also exposits wonderful plot points every now and again.
He quite literally out of his mouth states the reason Ackerman’s can’t turn into titans, and the entire secret in the manga. In the anime adaptation, this should have been around episode 2 or 3 I believe when Zeke and Colt are on the rooftop and Magath ambushes their conversation.
Another gripe would be the half-assed conversation flashback we got with Shady Kiyomi.
The decision was made to cut out another crucial piece of Zeke’s dialog that would later add credence to his mental state, and self-appointed ‘double identity’.
Besides skipping over that, I don’t see why it couldn’t have hurt to add another line of dialogue explaining that the ice burst stone was created as an unintended byproduct of early titan construction almost a century ago on Paradis.
Or the real reason why Marley wanted the charismatic Willy Tybur on their side for the declaration of war discussions in episode three. Adding these simple details already covered in the manga would demystify a confused anime only fanbase.
Because it shouldn’t be this way. Especially so early on.
I enjoy gauging anime only watchers reactions to the story online, but if people thought this was a tense and stressful episode, I’m wondering how they are going to handle the rest of the developments.
Not to mention the odd pacing.
In the trailer, we were shown a few scenes in flashes that were current with the latest manga chapter at the time. I strongly thought that we’d at least get to a certain reverse uno saga from the manga but the way it’s going now…we’ll barely get past the current events we see now.
Unless MAPPA makes the choice to just speedrun and re-arrange things in a nonsensical way, in which case I’d be super disappointed with that decision.
Which…last gripe…but I’m disappointed the decision was made to alter the Historia pregnancy flashback.
There is a man in a cloak in one of the memories, and many (myself included) believe this is proof that Eren Yeager is the father of Historia’s baby.
It has yet to be confirmed in the manga, but I was just hoping any sort of voice acting or dialogue added to this scene would make it obvious.
I guess it would have, similarly to cutting out the scene of Zeke and Colt playing baseball moments before showing a baseball and glove near Eren while he was still at the hospital in Marley.
*sigh*
I swear I wasn’t going to do this again – I really was going to talk about the episode but ended up going on a tangent.
Oh well.
Next week’s episode should be pretty explosive. And, we have the return of King Floch – which is always nice to look forward to.
I’m hoping things go smoothly. Chapters 109 & 111 are my favorites in the manga.
I already made peace with however the story goes in both the anime and manga – but I feel a slight tinge of dread regarding how the pacing is beginning to pan out.
Anywho, how did you enjoy the episode?
What do you make of Kiyomi Azumabito? Did she confirm that Mikasa has royal blood via the ruling Shogunate clan of Hizuru?
Why are Eren’s friends plotting to betray him?
And…
Why does Historia look so depressed?
Leave your thoughts in the comment section below, I’d love to hear from you! Also be sure to follow us for more weekly Attack on Titan the Final Season reviews!
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Recommended: (spoilers) Hallucigenia – the Primordial Spinal Creature from Attack on Titan – Anime Anthology
Recent Shingeki no Kyojin manga review: ch 137
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