So many political maneuverings. I may have fallen in love with Warwick and his schemes! Henry VI is still prettiest ikemen but Catesby is a close secoSo many political maneuverings. I may have fallen in love with Warwick and his schemes! Henry VI is still prettiest ikemen but Catesby is a close second....more
4.5 stars. Requiem of the Rose King is a dark shoujo series based loosely on Shakespeare's Henry VI and Richard III. The art is gorgeous and the setup4.5 stars. Requiem of the Rose King is a dark shoujo series based loosely on Shakespeare's Henry VI and Richard III. The art is gorgeous and the setup and introduction in this volume was really well done. Plus who doesn't want to see all the big contenders in the War of the Roses as ikemen....more
**spoiler alert** I debated between giving this one star or two but after thinking about it the ending not only sucked it ruined the rest of the serie**spoiler alert** I debated between giving this one star or two but after thinking about it the ending not only sucked it ruined the rest of the series. I was spoiled on the ending but didn't quite think it could be that bad. It was though. There are so many things bad about the last few chapters that I don't think I have the strength to write them all. The only thing I liked was Levi seeing all the dead Survey Corps members again, that made me tear up a little. The same with Jean and Connie seeing Sasha. The rest of the volume was crap and just plain bad. There are so many plot holes and pointless story threads and deus ex machina moments. What sort of logic is it to wipe out 80% of the world's population and then have your friends be the ones to stop you thinking the 20% left will see them as heroes. No they won't they will see you and Paradis as the devils they thought you were all along and the last page proves this. Oh and some of the 20% left just happen to be the families of the alliance members even though Marley was suppose to be destroyed. Eren's character was ruined in this volume, in fact he was ruined after the time-skip. In the end he turned out to be a pathetic loser and contradicted his past actions and beliefs. The whole Eren loving Mikasa came out of nowhere. There was no romantic development between the two in the whole series except for Mikasa's one-sided stalker-like love. Mikasa was a completely one dimensional character who had virtually no development the entire series but somehow she was the one Ymir was waiting for all this time. It felt very shoehorned. Ymir being in love with the person who tortured her and keeping this love for 2000 years was laughable. It wouldn't have been hard to think of a better explanation for her 2000 years of waiting. Maybe her wanting freedom which was alluded to in previous chapters but then just retconned perhaps? Armin stayed as a boring ass character who was only there so the author could pull a load of things out of his arse. His thank you to Eren for being a mass murdered was a joke. His 'romance' with Annie was cringing as fuck and again random and came out of nowhere. In my opinion Armin should have died his heroic death in Shinganshina but I guess the author gave him plot armour as he needed this joke of a character to say ridiculous things at end the story. Reiner and Annie and other Marley warriors being all friends and chummy with the Paradis crew felt super forced. These people killed your friends, why the fuck are you ok with that all of a sudden? Levi didn't even confront Annie who killed his entire squad, that's not the Levi I know. Them being ambassadors of peace to Paradis was ridiculous as they were the ones trying to destroy Paradis in the first place. These characters should have all died or at least shown that there were consequences for their actions. But instead they got to live so we could have the typical shounen ending with the power of friendship fixing everything, while a lot more deserving and frankly better characters died. I guess that is something the series did well to the end, not all deaths are good or justified. Reiner did have good development, he felt guilt for his actions etc but then regressed into letter sniffing Reiner at the end.
Personally I never liked any of the Marley people, especially the newer characters (especially Gabi), Falco was ok I guess. Falco turning into a flying titan was so ridiculous and his being able to control his titan transformation after only one previous attempt was an ass pull as we have seen before that it isn't that easy. It was poor writing and an excuse for Falco to come and save everyone. Which leads me to another annoyance. There were about 10 people fighting against dozens of intelligent titans and not one person died. That is ridiculous especially considering Pieck was impaled at one point by a war hammer titan and then time passed and she was still impaled, why didn't the war hammer titan kill her there, who the hell impales someone and then just waits there for several minutes until the person impaled frees themselves. It was as if the author was scared to kill anyone off and instead gave anyone kelver-level plot armour.
Historia was completely forgotten about. What the point of her uprising arc or of her being pregnant?
Jean, Connie and crew being turned into titans only to then be turned back to humans was fucking cringe worthy and just plain cheap and spoiled what could have been an emotional plot point. And it was a Deus ex machina that turned them back which just soured it even more.
I wouldn't even say I was disappointed in the ending as I didn't have high hopes as for me the series started only downhill after the time-skip, as the characters started to act like idiots and some plot points seemed quite contrived, and then the series went even more downhill after the time/memory travel introduction. I'll just pretend that the series ended in Shinganshina/ocean and headcanon the story from there....more
There were a couple of good things about this volume which is why I'm giving it 3 stars. The pages showing the devastation of the rumbling and those tThere were a couple of good things about this volume which is why I'm giving it 3 stars. The pages showing the devastation of the rumbling and those two boys being crushed was superb because it conveyed the horror of it really well. The bit between Hange and Levi made my heart break (poor Levi loses everyone he cares about) and the bit showing the survey corps and Hange broke my heart again (I miss you Erwin). I didn't like how (view spoiler)[ Hange died, I thought it was pretty poorly executed and had a lot of plot holes and convenience. I don't think taking out a couple of colossal titan would actually slow them down as there are literally hundreds/thousands of them. Plus the mechanic said that it would take about an hour to repair the plane but then it took at most a few minutes as Hange wasn't killing titans for an hour. It just felt like a cheap death and a way to end that character's arc quickly. (hide spoiler)]
The whole alliance thing is quite create cringey. The SC now suddenly working peacefully alongside their enemies seemed quite forced and sudden. ArminThe whole alliance thing is quite create cringey. The SC now suddenly working peacefully alongside their enemies seemed quite forced and sudden. Armin is still useless. The Marley people are still dull and Gabi is still alive unfortunately and keeps being given the spotlight.
The last chapter of the volume was better as it was cool to see all the massive titans lined up ready to destroy some shit. I really don't care if the whole world gets annihilated at this point as I have lost the love and interest I had for this series quite a few volumes ago. ...more
I finally agree with something Armin said. He should have died back in Shiganshina but his plot armour was too big for that and the power of friendshiI finally agree with something Armin said. He should have died back in Shiganshina but his plot armour was too big for that and the power of friendship had to prevail (stupid shounen tropes). If this was seinen or a realistic (semi-realistic at least) that shit would not have happened. Mikasa is still a one dimensional character. In 31 volumes she has had practically no development and is still just Eren this and Eren that.
I don't see the point of Annie being reintroduced. She was always a weak character for me because she was dull and had no development before being frozen/hardened in a coccoon for 4 years. Should have just died in the coccoon, starving to death.
The alliance at the end happened so quick that it felt quite contrived. And the let's team up and save the world bit at the end was super cheesy.
It was nice to see Levi and Hange again even if they are shadows of what they once were....more
I can't say I like the revelation of time/memory travel though it was predicable. I think something else would have been better as I always feel that I can't say I like the revelation of time/memory travel though it was predicable. I think something else would have been better as I always feel that when you add in time manipulation it sort of cheapens everything that happened in the past and the characters motivations at the time and makes them kind of pointless. Also, considering no one else seemed to know that the attack titan had this ability makes it kind of contrived. I still miss the original crew. Part of what I really liked about AoT was the Survey Corps and was emotionally invested in how they solved the problems that arose. Since the time skip this has been sorely missing and we essentially lost 4 years of development and the characters have all turned into lesser beings than their past selves without much explanation and just seem a bit thick. Plus changing the focus to the introduction of a load of new characters instead of the ones you have come to know after 20 add volumes was not somewhere I wanted the story to go. If instead of focusing on these news characters for chapters upon chaptersz we stayed with the established cast and saw how they approached learning about the outside world and its hatred for them, I think this would have been way better and I would probably have been more invested in the plot that followed, because it probably would have made more sense and flowed better. Where I stand at the moment I don't care if Eren kills the entire world as the characters I once liked are lesser beings, the ones we considered enemies I have no sympathy for, the new characters add nothing but annoyance and the larger outside world is so underdeveloped that it just as well not exist....more
Still don't care for any of the Marley crew especially any of the new characters, especially Gabi who I wish was dead. This series would have been a lStill don't care for any of the Marley crew especially any of the new characters, especially Gabi who I wish was dead. This series would have been a lot better if she was never introduced as in my opinion she doesn't add anything, just annoys me and makes me hate every panel she is in and her plot armour is very high, not as high as Reiner as that dude's plot armour is record breaking and makes me hate his character and I lose a bit more interest in the story whenever he doesn't die....more
I really don't understand why anyone on Paradis thought it would be sensible to allow a bunch of your enemies onto your island and allow them to go abI really don't understand why anyone on Paradis thought it would be sensible to allow a bunch of your enemies onto your island and allow them to go about their day without any supervision or at least suspicion, let alone trust the guy that just before was trying to kill you. It's like all the characters have turned into idiots since the time skip. I think this is the main reason I'm not enjoying the story as much as Isayama decided to skip 4 years of potential character and plot development to instead focus on new characters from Marley, who I couldn't give a shit about, and then switch back to the normal gang but not flesh out what they had been doing for 4 years but instead vaguely mention that they now trust the enemy and are getting help from them and Eren is all moody now and everyone else acts stupid. Oh and Gabi is still alive and fucking annoying, why even make her a character!
I couldn't even enjoy the chapters with Levi that much as I kept thinking how out of character Levi seemed.
I think since the decision to let the power of friendship rein supreme in the decision in Midnight Sun the writing has gone way down. But I guess Isayama had to let Armin live as otherwise the idiocy that is happening in these later volumes probably wouldn't be happening without nerfing big brain Erwin. For all the in your face Armin is smart shit Isayama tried to push on you in the early volumes he has done fuck all and isn't that much smarter than anyone else now probably because he wasn't a genius all along but was good at observations and describing the strategy Erwin had already implemented....more
Gabi is still annoying and I wish she didn't exist. Falco would be much better without her. I do feel that the series has gone downhill since the timeGabi is still annoying and I wish she didn't exist. Falco would be much better without her. I do feel that the series has gone downhill since the time skip. It isn't as exciting or interesting anymore and the characters seem to have gone backwards with their development and just make out of character decisions....more
The first 2 chapters were quite dull. I just do not care about Reiner or any of the new characters introduced, Gabi is especially annoying. I feel likThe first 2 chapters were quite dull. I just do not care about Reiner or any of the new characters introduced, Gabi is especially annoying. I feel like the last 3 volumes have been a definite drop in quality and think the general reasoning/plot of these volumes could have been better merged with the rest of the story built up so far. I love fantasy be it epic, political, grimdark, apocalyptic. I love complex worldbuilding and great characters (Sanderson isn't my favourite author for no reason). Attack on Titan had a good world with good characters (some a lot better than others) but abruptly changing the flow of the story from apocalyptic/survival to a WWI-esque political drama to try to make me feel sympathy for the other side doesn't work. I'm not someone that just wants action and titan killing as I really enjoyed the uprising arc (it's probably my 2nd favourite arc behind RTS) but the Marley arc is so dull and I dislike the heavy-handed approach of trying to get the reader to sympathise with the other side.
The last two chapters were much better but still didn't reach the highs of pre-Marley chapters....more
2.5 stars. I didn't enjoy the flashbacks or retelling of the earlier story events from Reiner, Bert and Annie's perspectives. I already know how it ha2.5 stars. I didn't enjoy the flashbacks or retelling of the earlier story events from Reiner, Bert and Annie's perspectives. I already know how it happened, I don't need to read it again. Stop trying to make me like these characters as it isn't working. ...more
2.5 stars. This volume is definitely my least favourite out of the volumes so far. I'm finding it really hard to care about these new characters or Re2.5 stars. This volume is definitely my least favourite out of the volumes so far. I'm finding it really hard to care about these new characters or Reiner even if they have been indoctrinated somewhat by Marley. Gabi is so fucking annoying. ...more
Itai! Chapter 'Midnight Sun' killed me like it did the first time. (view spoiler)[ RIP Erwin you will always be my favourite character. Though I likedItai! Chapter 'Midnight Sun' killed me like it did the first time. (view spoiler)[ RIP Erwin you will always be my favourite character. Though I liked the chapter I think it was quite unrealistic and considering that Armin got burnt to a crisp and then fell 50 odd feet he should have been dead thus no need for the who gets the serum debate which though moving and sad it was also cringe when Eren said his lines. The fact that Armin was able to survive being burnt to a crisp AND a 50 feet drop is poor storytelling in my opinion and totally unbelievable. Surely there was a better way to write this if you really wanted him to stay alive than to resort to the dreaded plot armour trope. This isn't me being bias as Erwin is my favourite character as I'm fine with him dying if it is sensible but what rational person would choose a slightly above average intellect 15 year old rookie to a genius commander who reformed the Survey Corps, identified that there were enemies on the inside, captured one of them, thwarted a load of their plans and overthrew a corrupt government. No wonder it all went to shit in later volumes. (hide spoiler)]
Other than heartache we finally got some answers in this volume. ...more
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