Attack on Titan (Manga)

Click to enlarge

⋆⋆

Name: Attack on Titan
Type: Manga

Author: Hajime Isayama

Books: 25
Genre: Post-apocalyptic, dark fantasy
Age Rating: 17+

Review:
The world has been taken over by giant mutants called Titans, and the last human survivors must live inside walls that are becoming increasingly compromised. Eren Yeager joins the Survey Corp, determined to to his part on ridding the world of these monstrous beasts.

Japan's equivalent of The Walking Dead, which I have watched with my father. Although I would have to say that Attack on Titan is much scarier to me than zombies, perhaps because Titans actually eat whole people live--bones and all--and become increasingly more intelligent. The way Isayama drew the Titans with exposed muscles and warped, almost disfigured bodies was horrifyingly real. Previews of the anime shows Titans colored as human flesh may be when peeled apart. It is like watching a cadaver get up and walk, which is, needless to say, very scary. Isayama definitely succeeded in adding "creep-factor" to his illustrations.

I liked Eren as the main character, however, as a whole, I didn't find myself getting really attached to any of the characters. Many characters were actually quite annoying like Connie, and others I couldn't figure out, like Historia. Still, the story itself was interesting and well-planned; the author certainly kept his facts straight and did a lot of thinking and planning for this series! Including a lot of unexpected twists and hidden backstories. It wasn't my all-time favorite manga by any means, but considering how popular survival stories are, I can see why it has done so well.

As a believer, your child should understand that apocalyptic stories such as this one do not coincide with true Biblical prophecies. Because of its popularity, more people are likely to be interested in reading or watching this series. It has a good story-line and an abundance of characters, as well as epic battles and the fight for human survival. However, it is a bit darker and scarier than a lot of other anime. There are heavy themes and serious undertones. For these reasons, I gave it a higher age-rating.

Mature Content:

• Profanity- "Shit" and "damn" and "hell" (and "fuck" on some online-manga versions)
• Violence- Extremely violent between Titans and humans (blood is drawn)
• Eren bites himself in order to change into Titan form
• Some characters beat up other characters
• Nudity- Titans do not wear clothes, but they also do not have skin, so there are no real details
• Drugs- Some characters are shown drinking
• Spirituality- There are several cults mentioned
• Homosexuality- It is implied that Ymir and (maybe) Historia are gay
• Intense Scenes- Multiple emotional deaths (Oluo, Gunther, Armin, etc.)
• Titans are seen eating people whole, biting them in half, or tearing their limbs off
• Characters are often drawn expressing extremely intense emotions
• Titans are scary-looking: huge creatures with almost human features under rotting flesh

Personal Note:

Secret: I found Mikasa annoying.

Wolf's Rain (Manga)

Click to enlarge

⋆

Name: Wolf's Rain
Type: Manga

Author: BONES, Keiko Nobumoto

Books: 2
Genre: Adventure, post-apocalyptic, science fantasy
Age Rating: 14+

Review: 
In the post-apocalyptic future, wolfs are thought to have gone extinct long ago. However, they are very much alive, disguised as humans. One wolf named Kiba hears of a legendary "Lunar Flower" and becomes determined to find its scent that will lead him and his pack to paradise. 

A very short, easy read. I found myself thrust into a future where there are no wolves (or so they say) and a fight lurks behind every corner. The characters were for the most part enjoyable and I liked how they were different from the usual. Though it was short, it ended well, and I understood what was going on most of the time, which was nice. I find that in a lot of manga, it can be confusing at times, and Wolf's Rain was straight to the point. However, it wasn't very memorable, and the story didn't stick with me after I'd read it.

Some of the characters were underdeveloped due to length of the series. They also did not all get along, which distressed me at times. I really enjoy it when a team works together and has the bond of friendship. It helps me connect with characters on a personal level better. It went with the story, however, and the differences between characters smoothed out and I was more satisfied with their relationships in the end.

Because of violence and some language, I'd recommend this to middle-school readers and up. Some of the characters were underdeveloped, but the length of the series was probably the main reason behind that. On a whole, the story was somewhat unremarkable and not really my type of thing, though I'm sure it would prove more entertaining for other people, particularly boys.

Mature Content:

• Profanity- "Damn" and "hell"
• Violence- Fights and graphic deaths (draws blood)

Personal Note:
When I first met Toboe, I thought he was a girl. It took me quite a while to figure it out. Oops!