Attack on Titan Episode 53 Review: Perfect Game

Getting goosebumps yet? Sitting on the edge of my seat throughout the entire episode and watching the Survey Corps being cornered with no way out other than death was absolutely heartbreaking.

Japanese Original Episode Title: 完全試合

Plot

The Colossal Titan keeps destroying houses and turns Shinganshina into a sea of flames by scattering burning debris. Armin is scared and confused as to what will their next plan of action be, so he hands over the command to Jean who orders them to head for the river and stay hidden. Meanwhile, the Beast Titan begins throwing boulders towards the scouts holding the horses outside the wall, destroying all buildings and annihilating the rest of the scouts in the front lines. Levi orders them to retreat to the wall with the horses where he regroups with Erwin. Meanwhile, in Shinganshina Jean commands Eren to try to stop the Colossal Titan who is getting closer to the Wall, by grabbing its foot, but it kicks him onto the Wall, leaving him unconscious. He then orders Armin’s team to attack with Thunder Spears, but the Colossal Titan deflects them with a huge burst of steam. Back to Levi and Erwin, even though the situation seems hopeless, Erwin suggests a counter-attack, willing to sacrifice himself and the new recruits to give Levi a chance and an opening to kill the Beast Titan. Erwin gives an inspiring speech to the recruits, convincing them that it is better to die fighting than waiting to be killed by rocks and leads them in a cavalry charge towards the Beast Titan.

Episode Highlights

That joke in the beginning: So, first of all since the translation of Connie’s joke was so bad I feel like I owe to every fan out there to properly translate it. Basically, he is making a pun with Eren’s last name ‘Yeager’, so what he says is ‘Eren no ie ga’ which means ‘Eren’s house’ but with the way it sounds, is very similar to his last name. And then the small mental breakdown followed and Sasha’s smack made him return to reality quite fast.

Hopeless despair: I haven’t felt this way while watching Attack on Titan since the first season. This anguish and miserable despair made my heart literally ache. The Scouts are being massacred by flying rocks, the Beast Titan looks like he is enjoying his baseball game, Armin is frozen by indecision and fear, Eren is unconscious, the Colossal is grilling everyone with his steam, the Armor Titan is up and running again, Hange is nowhere to be found, all the new recruits and horses will die, Erwin is probably dead as well, and Levi is the only thread of hope and tries to take down the Beast Titan. I don’t think I will manage to keep myself from crying in the next episode because the death of some characters is definite at this point.

Blood is in the air: When the Beast Titan starts throwing the rocks in the Scouts and they all die like ants. There is this red steamy fog in the atmosphere of the scene that honestly made me shiver so much. This episode really hits you with all the horrors of the battle. I mean, just look at the fear in the characters’ expressions.

The conversation between Levi and Erwin: Jeez, every single line of those two during their conversation was stabbing my heart. I was so heartbroken seeing Erwin feeling torn between following his dream and being a good Commander for his comrades. And it was even more sad (yet badass) when Levi said to him: ‘Give up on your dreams and die. Lead the recruits straight to hell. I will take down the Beast Titan.’ I really don’t want them to die…

Themes & Trivia

Information Available for Public Disclosure

The Colossal Titan’s steam: A Titan’s special powers are produced by using its own body as a resource. In that way, it is thought the steam emitted by the Colossal Titan consumes muscle tissue and therefore must be finite.

Comments

Even though the color palette and the shadowing, detailing in the expressions of the characters was phenomenal in this episode, I have to say that the Colossal Titan looks a little bit weird. I do not agree with the decision of making him 3D while every other Titan is not. I understand that he is huge and it was probably better for the animators to work with him like that, but I just feel that he is a bit meh.

My soldiers, rage! My soldiers, scream! My soldiers, fight!

I don’t know what to say about Erwin anymore. He is truly the most badass and virtuous character in command that I have ever had the pleasure to see. He will surely be missed (because it’s safe to assume that he is probably dead) and that hopefully his sacrifice along with all the other recruits will not be in vain. Levi, cut that horrific huge ape into pieces, please.

NEXT TIME: Hero