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dangdidi's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
lanceylance's review
4.0
This was not expecting when I picked this up from the library--- literally. Because I'm stupid, and wasn't paying attention, I got this, instead of the original SNK #1 that I was planning to read. That aside, this was not what I expected from an SNK spinoff.
[SPOILERS IN THIS PARAGRAPH ONLY] The story of this manga series is of a boy who was born from a titan, grew up in a cage, was sold to an aristocratic family as a "punching bag", and something happened with the daughter of said family. But let's go back. This kid was born from a dead mom, into titan bile. That's a pretty crappy way to come into a pretty crappy world. You would hope for people to help this child grow up happily and as normally as possible- so of course that's not what happened. He was treated as a sideshow freak his whole life, and spent it all in a cage. Then he got bought by a man who wanted to get his son a punching bag. But his daughter was kind enough, and had enough compassion to teach this pathetic boy how to speak. They begin to plan to escape together.
[NO MORE SPOILERS] I really enjoyed this first manga, and I have already read 2-6. I can dig it. I recommend this to fans of the SNK series who want to know more about before our favorite characters enter the picture. This series takes place 55 years before the fall of the outermost wall.
I will say, sometimes it feels the story is beginning to get a bit predictable- but your predictions can be wrong. Keep that in mind. That's all! Thanks for reading!
[SPOILERS IN THIS PARAGRAPH ONLY] The story of this manga series is of a boy who was born from a titan, grew up in a cage, was sold to an aristocratic family as a "punching bag", and something happened with the daughter of said family. But let's go back. This kid was born from a dead mom, into titan bile. That's a pretty crappy way to come into a pretty crappy world. You would hope for people to help this child grow up happily and as normally as possible- so of course that's not what happened. He was treated as a sideshow freak his whole life, and spent it all in a cage. Then he got bought by a man who wanted to get his son a punching bag. But his daughter was kind enough, and had enough compassion to teach this pathetic boy how to speak. They begin to plan to escape together.
[NO MORE SPOILERS] I really enjoyed this first manga, and I have already read 2-6. I can dig it. I recommend this to fans of the SNK series who want to know more about before our favorite characters enter the picture. This series takes place 55 years before the fall of the outermost wall.
I will say, sometimes it feels the story is beginning to get a bit predictable- but your predictions can be wrong. Keep that in mind. That's all! Thanks for reading!
alyssabookrecs's review
4.0
Honestly? This is a pretty damn good prequel series to AOT. It veers off in concept, art style, and plot despite being rooted in the world of AOT. I appreciate the different artists and writers who took the prequel in a new direction. It makes the world feel fresh again.
justcallmeemily's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Torture, Trafficking, Violence, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Death, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Gore and Death of parent
heyjudy's review
4.0
~4/5
[Read more at my blog, Geeky Reading!]
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book. For one, I didn’t read the synopsis, because I wanted it to be a surprise. But I also didn’t know how much influence Hajime Isayama had, so I didn’t know how far it would stray, if there would be similar characters, what the art would look like, or what.
First of all, this story is really only set in the same world. There are none of the same characters, as far as I can tell. It’s a completely different story.
Also, the artwork is very different. It’s honestly prettier than the original. I know that some people don’t like Isayama’s artwork, but I’ve grown used to it. Still, this one is prettier, nicer to look at. (Also, it has a lot more ink used, I noticed.)
This story stars Kuklo and Sharle, who are both in pretty bad situations. Kuklo is possibly a titan, or able to be a titan, or something. He was born in a messy situation involving a titan, but he looks like a normal boy. And he’s being held prisoner by a merchant, abused by the man’s son. Sharle is the man’s daughter, being generally ignored and forced to marry someone she doesn’t want to. Their meeting isn’t ideal, but Sharle quickly decides to help Kuklo, and feed him. And it’s obvious that Kuklo is starving, in a horrible state of mind, doesn’t really know how to talk.
I rather quickly grew to like both characters. The ending was a rather big cliffhanger, too, and now I’m really eager to read the next one, to see what happens next. I want to see Kuklo mature, learn, and become more of a person, as well as see what he intends to do next. I want to see Sharle mature, a lot. I'm intrigued by the plot, but this volume seemed a little more character driven, whereas the original series is more plot driven. I definitely don't mind, though.
The one real aspect that this volume was missing, though, I think, is the character development. While I did grow attached and interested in them, there wasn’t a lot of development. Isayama definitely flourishes in that area, where Suzukaze (I think?) doesn’t quite as much. I didn’t get quite as much of a feel for all of the characters, definitely not as fast, as I did in the original. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, and there is still time for more to happen.
I’m excited for the next volume, and a little bummed that I have to wait so long.
[Read more at my blog, Geeky Reading!]
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book. For one, I didn’t read the synopsis, because I wanted it to be a surprise. But I also didn’t know how much influence Hajime Isayama had, so I didn’t know how far it would stray, if there would be similar characters, what the art would look like, or what.
First of all, this story is really only set in the same world. There are none of the same characters, as far as I can tell. It’s a completely different story.
Also, the artwork is very different. It’s honestly prettier than the original. I know that some people don’t like Isayama’s artwork, but I’ve grown used to it. Still, this one is prettier, nicer to look at. (Also, it has a lot more ink used, I noticed.)
This story stars Kuklo and Sharle, who are both in pretty bad situations. Kuklo is possibly a titan, or able to be a titan, or something. He was born in a messy situation involving a titan, but he looks like a normal boy. And he’s being held prisoner by a merchant, abused by the man’s son. Sharle is the man’s daughter, being generally ignored and forced to marry someone she doesn’t want to. Their meeting isn’t ideal, but Sharle quickly decides to help Kuklo, and feed him. And it’s obvious that Kuklo is starving, in a horrible state of mind, doesn’t really know how to talk.
I rather quickly grew to like both characters. The ending was a rather big cliffhanger, too, and now I’m really eager to read the next one, to see what happens next. I want to see Kuklo mature, learn, and become more of a person, as well as see what he intends to do next. I want to see Sharle mature, a lot. I'm intrigued by the plot, but this volume seemed a little more character driven, whereas the original series is more plot driven. I definitely don't mind, though.
The one real aspect that this volume was missing, though, I think, is the character development. While I did grow attached and interested in them, there wasn’t a lot of development. Isayama definitely flourishes in that area, where Suzukaze (I think?) doesn’t quite as much. I didn’t get quite as much of a feel for all of the characters, definitely not as fast, as I did in the original. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, and there is still time for more to happen.
I’m excited for the next volume, and a little bummed that I have to wait so long.
putz7's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
4.0