Manga Review: Attack on Titan, Volume 9, by Hajime Isayama

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: November 2013

Volumes: 13+

Spoilers?: Not really.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 8. 10.

Goodreads Synopsis:

HUMANITY'S WORST NIGHTMARE
Eren is still resting from his brutal fight with the female Titan, when word reaches the interior that the impossible has happened: Wall Rose itself has been breached, and Titans are pouring through the gap! The emergency casts new urgency over Armin and Hange's questions about how the walls were built, and what humanity can do to restore them...

Review:

This volume was not quite as mind-blowing an experience as the last one, but there was still a lot going on.

There are a lot of titans, everywhere, attacking and killing people, and some even talking (!). I am really intrigued by their talking, to see how that progresses in the future. There is also some focus on the other characters; a chapter on Sasha, a chapter on Connie, and then some of Ymir and Krista. I like that their characters and importance is expanding. I feel bad for Connie, now that he’s experienced some really bad things. Ymir has me wary, and I’m really interested to see what Krista knows.

Now that the titans have invaded, a lot is happening. There was even a creepy-edged tone to some of the scenes, and particularly some of the information that was revealed. Like, about where the titans are maybe coming from. This series is usually just more horrifying and exhilarating, it was new to have the added creepiness of the unknown. There are even more questions now!

We saw a different kind of titan in this volume, and I’m intrigued and a little creeped out. I am really looking forward to seeing the wall-debacle expanded on—it’s such a terrifying idea, I want to know everything about it! There was also the mention of Eren’s key and the hints his father gave him at the beginning of the series. I’ve been wondering what was up with that, and I hope that plot point becomes a focus soon.

This series is still going strong for me. It’s exciting, surprising, horrifying, amazing. I love it, and can’t wait to read more.

Also, as a sidenote, this series really makes me wonder how much Isayama planned ahead. If he started with a small subject, small idea, and comes up with more as he writes, comes up with some, or has the entire problem/solution, world of the series planned out. It sure seems like it must be the latter, given how everything is revealing itself.