Manga Review: Attack on Titan, Volume 19, by Hajime Isayama

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: August 2016

Volumes: 20+

Spoilers?: Light.

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

Volume: 1. 18. 20.

Goodreads Synopsis:

CAGE MATCH
The Survey Corps is engaged in a desperate, final battle to retake Wall Maria and defeat the Titans once and for all. Eren must use his new powers to seal the holes created five years ago in the Shiganshina District gates, not to mention to finally reach the basement of his old home and find what secrets lie hidden there. But the most difficult part of the operation will be surviving whatever clever traps the Colossus Titan, Armored Titan, and Beast Titan have prepared for them! Now that Erwin is gambling with every last human life, who will triumph?

Review:

The group meets up with the rebels in this volume, the human titans who are fighting the humans. Eren fights with the armored titan for a while.

It's mainly when Armin attempts to talk to Bertolt that we get some kind of understanding what their goal is. It still doesn't make much sense, though. Bertolt claims that everyone inside the walls needs to die—they just do. He's decided this. Even when Armin tries talking sense, or just understand what his reasons are, he doesn't give much else. It's an interesting conversation to see play out, though.

And then the volume ends with a large blast in the middle of town, as he changes into a titan. It might have killed a lot of people, though.

The long time between each volume makes the enthusiasm lessen, and gives me more time to forget what's happening in the series, sadly.

Still, the next volume is always on my list.

Wishlist Thursday[166]: Attack on Titan: Lost Girls (manga) 1 by Hajime Isayama

Cover Not Final?

Attack on Titan: Lost Girls (manga) 1 by Hajime Isayama

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: July 12, 2016

Volumes: 2.

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

Add on Goodreads

B&N  Synopsis:

WHAT NO ONE KNEW…
That day, Annie Leonhart woke up in the barracks. It was the morning of her day off. The feeling of freedom doesn’t last long, for tomorrow holds her biggest mission yet: During the 57th Expedition Outside the Walls, seize Eren Yaeger.

The manga based on the Attack on Titan spin-off novel, Lost Girls!

Why?:

Mikasa has always been one of my favorites in this series, so of course I’m excited to read the manga focusing on her, and the other girls. We haven’t gotten much of an idea on where Annie is from, and I’m interested to read more on that. This is definitely a spin-off I will be picking up.

There's also the novel, released on June 28 from Vertical, but I'm a little iffy on the novels. If i enjoy this enough and want more, I might pick it up, too, though.

(I think this is being released on July 12? It's possible it was pushed back to August 23, though. I'm getting mixed messages.)

What’s on your list?

Manga Review: Attack on Titan: Before the Fall, Volume 6, by Satoshi Shiki, Ryo Suzukaze, Hajime Isayama, Thores Shibamoto

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: December 2015

Volumes: 8+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 5. 7.

Goodreads Synopsis:

ON THE SHOULDERS OF TITANS
Fifteen years ago, humanity led a last-ditch attempt to discover the Titans' weakness – a survey expedition to capture one of the beasts. But the ten-meter Titan who appeared during the capture attempt threw the expedition into chaos. Among those who escaped behind Wall Maria was the genius craftsman Angel, a weapon-developer who was participating in the expedition as a researcher. What would he conjure up from this failure?

Review:

The first half of the volume continues the history lesson, showing us the first real titan death, and the weapon used for it. From there, it pushes the group to continue learning and practicing, and figuring out how to use the weapons and the maneuvering equipment correctly and how to develop it more effectively.

Aside from that, it looks like Sharle’s family is going to be causing some real drama soon. I don’t look forward to that.

I am still enjoying this series, though some of the history and teaching and politics can get a little long-winded and boring at times. I do enjoy the characterizing, and I like Sharle and Kuklo as characters. Will be reading more.

Manga Review: Attack on Titan, Volume 18, by Hajime Isayama

Rating (Out of 5): ~4
Publisher: Kodansha Comics
Release Date: April 5, 2016
Volumes: 19+
Spoilers?: No.
Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
Volume: 1. 17. 19.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Brand new anime episode on DVD: "Attack on Titan: No Regrets" – the backstory of Captain Levi!
Special variant dust jacket by comics artist Cameron Stewart (Batgirl, Catwoman)!

AVE MARIA
The Survey Corps has overthrown the Royal Government and swept away the tyranny of the king. The next step: Move to retake Wall Maria, with the helpf of a newly-discovered metallic ore and Eren's miraculous Titan hardening powers. But as humanity pulls together, its enemies also unite beyond the Walls... now that the Beast Titan has joined Reiner and Bertolt, what havoc will they wreak?

Review:

We’re getting real answer about Eren’s father now.
We get a backstory from an observer of where his father came from and how he acted, and what happened when Eren was taken in the forest and blacked out, and then when his mother was killed. It’s a bit weirder than I expected, but it does make some sense.
The group then moves forward with taking back their land, and going to Eren’s old house to see what is in the basement that his father left behind. Their march forward goes well, but it’s when they find Reiner and Bertolt and their gang of rebels that they run into real trouble. Armin has to think outside the box, but they find them, and then they’re ganged up on fast. This fight starts the cliffhanger, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes forward next. It’ll be bad, I’m sure.
This series is good, for sure. I’m really looking forward to seeing what happens next, how the fight goes and then what they discover about Eren’s past. It’ll be good.

Manga Review: Attack on Titan, Volume 17, by Hajime Isayama

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: December 15, 2015

Volumes: 17+

Spoilers?: Not really.

Standard: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells. RightStuf.

Special Edition: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 16. 18.

Goodreads Synopsis:

ESCAPE FROM KING TITAN: Thanks to Rod Reiss, Eren finally knows the terrible truth behind how he acquired his Titan powers, and the depth of his father's crimes. The king orders his daughter Historia to kill Eren and restore the power of the Titans to its rightful place, but she chooses her own selfish path: survival. As the cavern crumbles around the Survey Corps, Eren must make another last-minute decision, with the lives of all his friends in the balance.

Review:

In this volume, we get some new developments about Eren’s titan and what Historia’s father had planned. We have a better idea of what Eren’s father did.

We have a big fight with Historia’s father’s titan, and Historia finally takes her rightful place as ruler of the kingdom. Eren is doing what he can to save the humans from the titans, even if it exhausts him to change so often. I like what Historia starts doing for the underprivileged once she’s in a place of power—it only makes me like her more.

There’s also a pause in the action as we see Kenny’s history, and his relation to Levi (and possibly Mikasa?) with a little bit of Levi’s backstory as a child mixed in. It’s interesting, and possibly going to lead to something else. And then we get a cliffhanger, which of course has me intrigued.

I am absolutely loving this series so far, and it seems like we’re starting a new arc now. I can’t wait for the next one.

Also, I am loving these special editions. This one, much like for volume 17, comes in a shrink-wrapped box, that is super pretty. It has space for the DVD and the manga, and I love it. I hope there are more coming.

Manga Review: Attack on Titan, Volume 16 Special Edition, by Hajime Isayama

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: August 25, 2015

Volumes: 17+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 15. 17.

Goodreads Synopsis:

WHAT WAS HIS FATHER'S SIN?

Captured by Rod Reiss, the rightful king, Krista and Eren finally have their memories back. What exactly happened to Eren, and what was the crime his father committed? Meanwhile, the Survey Corps desperately hunts for Eren, while at the same time seeking to legitimize their military coup. As the situation inside the walls comes to a head, the mysteries of the world of the Titans seem on the cusp of being solved at last!

Review:

First of all, I love the special edition of this book. Not only does it actually come with the regular edition of the book (so I get the best of both worlds) with a dust jacket with the cover by Tony Moore, and with the deck of cards, but that comes inside a box! It’s so pretty! I thought it would be shrink-wrapped together, but it comes in a pretty box. I love it. I can’t wait for the next one.

Now, on to the actual book.

I can’t believe how violent this series has become. And I can’t believe I’m even thinking that. But the graphic violence, the torture that happens in this volume, is just gross and I’m too squeamish for this. Ugh.

Aside from that, we find out what Krista’s father really plans to do with the two of them. And even Erin is feeling sorry for himself enough to agree. And while Levi and Mikasa and the group are fighting to get to him, thankfully Krista does what needs to be done.

There’s a lot of memories mixed in here, Krista remembering things, Eren remembering things, and Krista’s father telling them of past events. And a lot of politics. And then the ending. Which, another cliffhanger.

This series is brutal. It’s intense and amazing. I love it, even if it surprises me and makes me uneasy at times. I love this special edition, and I can’t wait for the next one.