Why you should watch "The Colossal Titan: The Movie Season 2 - The Roar of Awakening" now [If a dog walks, it will hit an anime. Part 38]

We want to meet more and more anime that excite our hearts, anime that will cheer us up tomorrow, and anime that we will always love!　Our anime writers will introduce you to the hottest anime of the moment, regardless of whether they are new releases or long-term favorites.

This time, we will take a look at the current release, "The Marching Titans: Season 2 - The Roar of Awakening".

This action dark fantasy depicting the battle between humans living surrounded by walls and the Titans who prey on humans is set to begin airing in July 2018 with Season 3 of the TV series on NHK Sogo.

While I was surprised by the news, I learned that the movie version was highly regarded by fans as a compilation of the TV series, so I went to the theater so as not to miss it.

Having followed the original work up to the latest comic book, I would like to share with you my newfound appreciation of this anime.

120 minutes of powerful depiction and furious development

It was a breathless 120 minutes. Almost the entire time, there were crises and battles that made me feel the breath of the god of death on my neck.

There is no aesthetics or dignity in a brutal battle. People were dying in agony, showing fear and despair.

In the midst of it all, we discover the horrific betrayal of someone we thought was one of us. This is the climax of the first half of the film.

The truth of the betrayal is revealed in an unexpected scene, and the story is told very casually but with a disturbing sense of tension. This direction was superb.

The story, which is full of danger and despair, is colored with raw grief and tragedy.

The climax of the latter half of the film is Mikasa's expression of gratitude to Eren, as seen in the previews, which is a heartbreaking scene because she is prepared to die under such fierce circumstances. However, Mikasa was really cute in this scene, a heroine at 200%, and I couldn't help but admire her. (On the other hand, her evil, heroine-like appearance in order to get Eren back is also not to be missed!)


) If you know what happens in the original comic, you can imagine what Yumir, Rainer, and the others say and think, "Oh, I didn't know that!

Both the original story and the TV series are richly described and heavy, and it takes time to look back on them. The speedy development of the film version, which heightens the tension, will be good for those who do not have time to read all the comic books or watch all the episodes of the anime.

A controversial work in which the battle of desperation continues for a long time

Based on the comic series serialized in Bessatsu Shonen Magazine (Kodansha), "Shinkage no Kyojin" has been animated as a TV series since April 2013 for Season 1 (episodes 1 to 25) and Season 2 (episodes 26 to 37) since April 2017.

On that day, mankind remembered. On that day, mankind remembered the horror of being ruled by them. ...... The opening narration, "The humiliation of being trapped in a birdcage, ......," is now all too well-known.

In a world where it is impossible to know when or where, humanity is confined to a walled-off, birdcage-like country and city where society is conducted. There, the 100-year peace was broken when a super-sized Titan, over 50 meters in size, attacked.

Two years later, Eren joins the 104th Training Corps with his childhood friends Armin and Mikasa, and graduates after three years of training, but then the Trost District is attacked again by the Colossal Titan. But then the Colossal Titan attacks the Trost District once again.

From this point on, the battle between mankind and the Titans, which could end at any moment, is depicted in an extended and intense manner. The shocking depiction of the Titans devouring humans while still alive had a great impact. The sense of hopelessness, with no way out and no place to escape, is addictive, and one cannot help but look ahead.

A turning point in the story where all the characters from the 104th season have come together.

The Season 2 feature film is a compilation of episodes 26-37 of the Season 2 TV series.

In the first half of Season 1, the first climax, it was revealed that the main character, Eren, could "turn into a Titan," which became a weapon for the human side. Furthermore, in the second half, the main focus is on the battle with the Female Titan, which is revealed to be human like Eren and also a member of the 104th Training Corps.

From this point on, the story of blind despair begins to take a turn. In other words,

Humans can "change and become" Titans.
Among the humans within the Wall, a "traitor" from the Titan side is lurking.
The members of the 104th Training Corps will continue to play a key role in the story.

These are the predictable developments.

Season 2 of the film version is a major turning point in the story as all the members of the 104th Training Corps gather together.

A very well-flowing, highly accomplished compilation film.

The drama is so dense that there is no time to catch one's breath. Following the Female Titan, the identities of Eren's enemies, the "Colossal Titan" and the "Armored Titan," are revealed, and there are the cries of their souls and fierce battles.

How could they have condensed this content into 120 minutes? The interview with director Masashi Hizuka in the official pamphlet shows that he had a hard time editing the film because there were many scenes he did not want to cut.

However, the result is a speedy, dense, and spectacular compilation.

A film version as a compilation of a TV series sometimes lacks dynamism as a single work. However, this Season 2 is highly satisfying as a stand-alone film, and I feel that it is a stand-alone film that condenses and conveys the essence of the work.

However, since it is structured after the previous theatrical version, it is not as friendly to those who do not know anything about the previous episodes. On the other hand, if you are a fan of the original work and want to see the anime, there is no problem if you start from this point.

When seen on the big screen in the theater, the speed and power of the animation are impressive, and you will once again realize the high level of perfection of the visuals.

The music is also very powerful and beautiful. The music is not only enlivening, but also supports the depiction of the battles without being overly lyrical, but it accompanies the visuals.

It is easier to understand what kind of situation we are in now in the anime than in the comics. Where you can loosen up a bit, the music cues you. It subtly nudges you into the next flow.

In the latter half of the film, as the characters' anguish and grief deepened, I was struck by the way the music added a plaintive beauty, like a slight relief or a prayer.

The night I saw it in the theater, I dreamed of giants. The power of the big screen was a bit special, after all.

The "4D version" will be screened from February 17!

On January 24, 2018, it was announced that the TV series "Shinkage no Kyojin" Season 3, which will start in July, will be broadcast on NHK Sogo. This was surprising news since the previous TV series had been broadcast on commercial broadcasters such as TOKYO MX, Mainichi Broadcasting System, and BS11.

Speaking of NHK's animation, there have been many examples of full-length works that have been carefully animated to the end.

One of the longest was "Major," based on a boys' manga serialized in Weekly Shōnen Sunday, which ran for six years from 2004 to 2010, with a total of 154 episodes in its sixth series. A new series, "Major Second," featuring Daigo, the son of Goro Shigeno, the main character of "Major," is scheduled to begin airing in April.

On the other hand, there is no way for the anime to come to a clean end unless the original story is completed. It remains to be seen how far "Shinkage no Kyojin" will go in its anime adaptation, but we can expect it to continue until the very end.

Season 3 will be based on the 13th volume of the original comic.

The character who appears in the key visual and faces Levi is someone from Levi's past. Levi, who is very popular among viewers, will also be brought into close focus.

Furthermore, as symbolized by the confrontation between the two, the real name of Krista Lens, which was revealed in Season 2, will be involved, and the battle will be not only against the Titans as before, but also against the "humans" within the wall. However, in many ways, there will also be an increase in depictions that are not suitable for a TV anime. Fans of the original story are anxious to see how it will be expressed.

Nevertheless, watching the Season 2 movie version, I once again feel the goodness of the animation of this work. The action of the 3D Maneuver Gear goes well with the animation. The speed, the reversal of viewpoints, the sense of weight and freedom, and the floating sensation of leaping. Everything is comfortable. The drawings of the animation are really amazing!

I applaud the animation staff for taking the appeal of the original work, which never lets go, and turning it into an even more pleasurable entertainment experience.

It has been decided that a "4D" version of "The Movie: Shingeki no Kyojin Season 2 - The Roar of Awakening" will be released nationwide on February 17. This is an interactive theater experience in which the audience seats move in conjunction with scenes from the movie, and the audience can enjoy effects such as water, wind, and flash. In addition to the excellent quality of the film, the content of the theater is expected to be frighteningly appropriate, so we are looking forward to seeing it as well.

Whether you have seen the TV series or not, we hope you will experience the satisfaction and despair of "The Titans of Progress," which can be experienced only at the theater.


(Text by YAMAYU)
(C) Hajime Isayama, Kodansha/"Shinkaku no Kyojin" Production Committee