Manga Review: Attack on Titan: Before the Fall, Volume 2, by Satoshi Shiki and Ryo Suzukaze, Hajime Isayama and Thores Shibamoto

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: August 19, 2014

Volumes: 3+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

FREE TO FACE THE TRUTH
Kuklo had spent his entire life in cages, feared and hated as "the Titan's son." Then he met Sharle Inocencio, a young girl who defied her father and brother to care for and educate the abused boy in secret — and plot his escape from the dungeon, and her escape from her betrothal. But the night they've dreamed of brings new horrors with it, and Kuklo becomes obsessed with proving that he is not the monster everyone has always assumed him to be. That means meeting a Titan for himself, in person…!

Review:

I am rather unabashedly enjoying this series. There was some more depth developed from the first volume, and while it’s violent and a little horrible, there’s also a shojo element thrown in that I’m just plain enjoying.

I’m a shojo girl at heart, so I’m looking for and liking the budding romance between Kuklo and Sharle, as well as the development of both of their characters.

I like the way that Sharle made the decisions for herself, and how she’s doing what she needs to, with working and bandaging Kuklo. I feel bad for her, with the fact that Kuklo has to leave for a while, and she doesn't know how to help.

I like Kuklo. He finally really sees who he is despite what everyone has always told him in this volume, and he also makes a big decision not to give in. I like his discovery, and look forward to seeing how he toughens up later.

We’re learning some interesting history about the survey corps, and I can’t remember if any of this is mentioned in the original series or not, but I’m intrigued to see where that goes.

The cliffhanger was rather mean, so I’m eager for the next volume to see what happens next. The novel version is being released soon, too, and I look forward to reading that quite a lot.