‘Attack On Titan’ Season 2: Release Date Confirmation, Production Style Heralds Serious Pacing Issues


Attack on Titan Season 2 has finally received an official air date, with the wraparound jacket for the manga’s 21st volume declaring an April 2017 release. Fans of the iconic and popular anime have been waiting for more than three years now, but considering the material that is set to be covered by Attack on Titan Season 2, avid supporters of the gritty anime should rest assure that the wait for the upcoming series would be well worth it. While AoT Season 2 would be a wild ride, however, fans of the anime would be wise to prepare a whole lot of patience as well.

Attack on Titan is set in a very intricate and massive universe, featuring hundreds of years’ worth of background and dozens upon dozens of well-developed characters. An IGN report stated that if there’s anything that Attack on Titan has developed a reputation for, it is its tendency to make sure that each component of the story is intensively discussed before progressing the plot forward. Fans of the anime who have not read the manga have not experienced this firsthand since Season 1 was largely world building. Once Season 2 starts, however, things are bound to get real, for better or for worse.

The Attack on Titan anime has always been very faithful to its manga counterpart, with the series practically transposing the source material frame by frame, according to an Anime News Network report. While this has managed to keep the integrity of the overall plot intact, this also meant that the flaws of the manga became the weaknesses of the anime as well. Considering the arcs that would most likely be explored in Attack on Titan Season 2, fans of the franchise would definitely have to muster a whole load of patience, as the anime’s pace would most likely slow down midway through the season.

[Image by Wit Studio]

The upcoming second season of Attack on Titan is speculated to cover around three to four story arcs, just like its first season. After the finale of the first season, the Attack on Titan manga has managed to cover a number of arcs, featuring the “Clash of Titans,” “Uprising,” and “Return to Shiganshina” sagas. Considering the anime’s tendency to adapt the manga extremely faithfully, there is a good chance that Attack on Titan Season 2 would most likely cover the same story arcs. This, of course, might result in some challenges for fans.

It is no secret that the “Clash of Titans” and “Return to Shiganshina” arcs are arguably the most intense sagas the franchise explored, with each story featuring the most violent and high-stakes battles that the heroes of the franchise ever faced. Some of these include Eren’s one-on-one battle with the Armored Titan and the Survey Corps’ last stand against an unusually powerful and intelligent Titan Shifter. Inasmuch as “Clash of Titans” and “Return to Shiganshina” are pulse-pounding rides, however, the “Uprising” arc, which would be aired midway through Attack on Titan Season 2, would be a massive exercise in patience.

This is because “Uprising” is largely focused on more world-building and explaining the truth about the titans that were found on the walls. Featuring the Survey Corps’ attempts to bring down the ruling class in Wall Sina, the “Uprising” arc has tons and tons of exposition, conversations, and even more exposition. While “Uprising” has some memorable action scenes, its intensity significantly pales in comparison with “Clash of Titans” and “Return to Shiganshina.”

[Image by Wit Studio]

Another factor that might prove challenging to avid fans of the franchise is the length of the “Uprising” arc. Among the sagas that the Attack on Titan manga has explored, “Uprising” is one of the longest, mainly since it covered a lot of character development and exposition on numerous fronts. Back in AoT Season 1, fans were quite surprised that the “Defense of Trost” arc was so long. Viewers could expect the “Uprising” arc in Season 2 to be just as long, or possibly even longer.

Attack on Titan Season 2 would definitely not be perfect. With the series expected to follow the progression of the manga to the letter, the upcoming anime would most likely have some serious pacing issues as it covers the “Uprising” arc. Nevertheless, AoT Season 2 would most likely end its run as one of the best anime of 2017. Despite a weak middle arc, its initial and final sagas are compelling enough to attract new and satisfy old fans alike. With the April 2017 release date fast approaching, fans of Attack on Titan are just waiting for the franchise to once more regain its dominance in the anime industry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4v3mikNm8E

[Featured Image by Wit Studio]

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