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Captain Invictus
Apr 5, 2005

Try reading some manga!


Clever Betty
Yeah I was about to say, I genuinely want all anime only watchers to post their speculations on what they think is going to happen next week and the rest of thee season, spoiler tag it if you feel you need to.

This entire arc is jam packed with stuff and I want to hear anime only watchers speculation on what folks think will happen based on what they know and have seen from this season so far, before the rest of the season airs.

Captain Invictus fucked around with this message at 12:08 on May 2, 2017

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Freakazoid_
Jul 5, 2013


Buglord

Maera Sior posted:

I keep on having late-night thoughts about Attack on Titan, but I can never remember them the next day.

However, here's something that bothers me. Ymir reads the can of herring and the audience and Reiner cannot. What's that exchange of looks? He doesn't know she's a titan, so it's not an "I'm onto you"/"I'm gong to kill you if you tell anyone" exchange. In fact, she seems rather blase about the can when she finds it and tosses it over, so does she not know that other people can't read it? Does she not care if people consider her suspicious? Is she testing Reiner and her glare is the "I find you suspicious" one in the exchange?

Basing stuff on just facial expressions is risky business in anime, but I'm leaning toward she realized she hosed up the moment she said it was herring and resigned herself to her fate. Not letting him see the can after hearing that was going to be suspicious anyway. The jig was up. If the titans hadn't attacked, she was seriously considering a violent solution.

I'm more interested in this warrior stuff now. It might give us some insight as to what the people beyond the wall have been up to.

Mordja
Apr 26, 2014

Hell Gem

Freakazoid_ posted:

I'm more interested in this warrior stuff now. It might give us some insight as to what the people beyond the wall have been up to.
I'm guessing it's some sort of Titan caste system, though of course it's still too early to tell just how unified their "society" is.

Maera Sior
Jan 5, 2012

Here's my speculation as of the end of season 1 (watched less than 2 years ago, I was late to the party). So far everything holds up.

All titans are created from people. Not sure whether it was originally a "science gone wrong" thing, a weapons program, a really strange cult (thanks for the idea, NERV), or something else, but all titan forms are induced in some way starting with a regular person. The titans that don't display intelligence are people who didn't make the transformation properly or got stuck in that form. Maybe they remained in the form for too long and lost their ability to think, maybe the change accidentally lobotomized them. I'm not sure what happened to create the Abnormals, but maybe there was an additional step to the transformation to give them weird abilities.

Kytrarewn
Jul 15, 2011

Solving mysteries in
Bb, F and D.

Maera Sior posted:

Here's my speculation as of the end of season 1 (watched less than 2 years ago, I was late to the party). So far everything holds up.

All titans are created from people. Not sure whether it was originally a "science gone wrong" thing, a weapons program, a really strange cult (thanks for the idea, NERV), or something else, but all titan forms are induced in some way starting with a regular person. The titans that don't display intelligence are people who didn't make the transformation properly or got stuck in that form. Maybe they remained in the form for too long and lost their ability to think, maybe the change accidentally lobotomized them. I'm not sure what happened to create the Abnormals, but maybe there was an additional step to the transformation to give them weird abilities.

Anime-only watcher: Part of me wonders if maybe the wall religion created titans for the purpose of encysting them to create the walls, to separate the wheat from the chaff, so to speak. Then, the technology found its way into the general populace outside the walls and they attempted to make their way into the places with food and shelter, but eventually lost control and started rampaging.

At some other point, titan juice was introduced at some point inside the walls in a couple of different places. Clearly, Eren and Annie are from different points of genesis, and it's more than likely that Ymir (Same training class as Annie, kept her name from her time with the vikings or whatever) was from a different point even than Annie. She makes mention of having a tragic backstory like Christa's and is generally a bit more pro-human than any other titan we've run across. Maybe she was kicked out of the longboat because she wasn't dead-set on xenocide?

The OVAs provide some interesting context for this whole thing.
OVA1: Aberrant titan seems to be searching for Ymir-sama
OVA3 (also 4-5 to some degree): The general public is aware enough of 3D movement gear that there's a black market for stolen units.
OVA4-5: Society keeps a portion of its people underground in an awful slum and doesn't let them back up unless they gather a lot of money.

OVA3 matters because of Beast Titan's surprise at discovering that the humans use 3DMG, which suggests that he, somehow, comes from outside the story's generally-established ecosystem. Even if he were a human that transformed, he would have some knowledge of the existence of such tools.

Brutakas
Oct 10, 2012

Farewell, marble-dwellers!
I think ----Reiner---- might be a spy or a titan.

Speculative Reasons:
When the female titan first appeared, after Armin explained where he thought Eren was in the formation to Reiner, Reiner gets grabbed by the female titan. After Reiner escapes the female titan's grip, she starts to head directly where Armin suggested that Eren might be.

In season two, when Connie thought that the titan spoke to him, Reiner was very quick to dismiss the idea. Later, when Connie brings it up again, Ymir is also quick to shut down the idea. I think Reiner approached Ymir because he started to suspect her of being a titan. Maybe he wanted another ally like with Annie? Perhaps he figures out who the titans are and then uses that as leverage to get them to cooperate with him.



Maera Sior posted:

Here's my speculation as of the end of season 1 (watched less than 2 years ago, I was late to the party). So far everything holds up.

All titans are created from people. Not sure whether it was originally a "science gone wrong" thing, a weapons program, a really strange cult (thanks for the idea, NERV), or something else, but all titan forms are induced in some way starting with a regular person. The titans that don't display intelligence are people who didn't make the transformation properly or got stuck in that form. Maybe they remained in the form for too long and lost their ability to think, maybe the change accidentally lobotomized them. I'm not sure what happened to create the Abnormals, but maybe there was an additional step to the transformation to give them weird abilities.

Based on the end credits, I think it might be a cult. There's a depiction of a skeleton on an altar and some kids have "meat" in their hands. Maybe some good old fashioned heart eating? I also get a Vikings invading Europe vibe. Except replace Vikings with Titans.

EDIT: Spelling

Brutakas fucked around with this message at 16:29 on May 3, 2017

P-Mack
Nov 10, 2007

Remember that this is set in the future of our own world. I think the end credits is the society within the walls interpreting the dimly remembered super advanced sci-fi bioweapon backstory from the perspective of their current medievalish society, not a literal depiction.

Pyrotoad
Oct 24, 2010


Illegal Hen
Eren loving up with his wires was the best :allears:

Freakazoid_
Jul 5, 2013


Buglord

Brutakas posted:

I think ----Reiner---- might be a spy or a titan.

Speculative Reasons:
When the female titan first appeared, after Armin explained where he thought Erin was in the formation to Reiner, Reiner gets grabbed by the female titan. After Reiner escapes the female titan's grip, she starts to head directly where Armin suggested that Erin might be.

In season two, when Connie thought that the titan spoke to him, Reiner was very quick to dismiss the idea. Later, when Connie brings it up again, Ymir is also quick to shut down the idea. I think Reiner approached Ymir because he started to suspect her of being a titan. Maybe he wanted another ally like with Annie? Perhaps he figures out who the titans are and then uses that as leverage to get them to cooperate with him.


Reiner must be a hell of an actor then. I'm almost convinced he's not a titan or spy, just given his background as presented to the audience and how consistent he's been as a human.

Arrgytehpirate
Oct 2, 2011

I posted my food for USPOL Thanksgiving!



I think there's at least one more titan in their squad. I could see Reiner but they are giving so many subtle nudges that it's him I think it'll be someone else. Maybe the researcher?

On a larger world view note I'm predicting that everyone who gets eaten by a titan has a chance of becoming a shifter titan. It's a very low number but I'm guessing the beast titan is the leader/a warrior of a small group of shifter titans that have never been in the walls and are just starting up a society.

Brutakas
Oct 10, 2012

Farewell, marble-dwellers!

Freakazoid_ posted:

Reiner must be a hell of an actor then. I'm almost convinced he's not a titan or spy, just given his background as presented to the audience and how consistent he's been as a human.

If not for that first thing I noticed in my original post, I would agree. He has been a good friend to Armin and Eren and now Connie too.

HenryEx
Mar 25, 2009

...your cybernetic implants, the only beauty in that meat you call "a body"...
Grimey Drawer
Count me in as another one who really enjoys reading the posts in this thread. Please keep going.

Maera Sior
Jan 5, 2012

Arrgytehpirate posted:

I think there's at least one more titan in their squad. I could see Reiner but they are giving so many subtle nudges that it's him I think it'll be someone else. Maybe the researcher?
Someone from the non-spoiler anime-only reddit thread noticed this (ETA to add spoiler tag).

I don't think that's just a nudge. We all missed it because of the scene it's buried in.

ETA: This means that Reiner has to be one too, right? They have to be in it together.

Kytrarewn
Jul 15, 2011

Solving mysteries in
Bb, F and D.
Blackhair looking like he's getting ready to bite his own wrist?

Arrgytehpirate
Oct 2, 2011

I posted my food for USPOL Thanksgiving!



Blackhair is Berthold right? I could see him being one and maybe Reiner knows since they're from the same village? I hope we find out. I hope Ymir gets the same deal Eren does too. And then the third titan. Humanity needs it's own little titan squad.

SpartanIvy
May 18, 2007
Hair Elf
I've thought Reiner was the armored Titan the whole time. It's been so long since S1 I can't really remember why exactly but I think his friend whose name I can never remember is the colossal Titan as well simply because they are best buds. I do remember the Annie thing with Reiner being one of the arguments that made a lot of sense.

Kytrarewn
Jul 15, 2011

Solving mysteries in
Bb, F and D.

Arrgytehpirate posted:

Blackhair is Berthold right? I could see him being one and maybe Reiner knows since they're from the same village? I hope we find out. I hope Ymir gets the same deal Eren does too. And then the third titan. Humanity needs it's own little titan squad.

I could see them not using Ymir strategically like that. Ymir was actively trying to deceive the survey corps, whereas Eren just discovered his talent by happenstance and immediately put it to use defending humans.

I've been wondering whether Mikasa might actually be able to transform and has been just holding back so as not to injure Eren's pride in being special.

SpartanIvy
May 18, 2007
Hair Elf
Man if that was true and they could scale up ODM gear to Titan size :swoon:

Maera Sior
Jan 5, 2012

Arrgytehpirate posted:

Blackhair is Berthold right? I could see him being one and maybe Reiner knows since they're from the same village? I hope we find out.
Given that it seems the colossal titan is showing up next week, it's looking likely.

font color sea
Jan 23, 2017

Expelliarmus!


Look at that hairrr
In anime, hairstyles never lie.

Arrgytehpirate posted:

Humanity needs it's own little titan squad.

Eren, Mikasa and Armin shall become the Titan Trio and save the humens.

Also titan Armin will look like this:

Catalina
May 20, 2008



HenryEx posted:

Count me in as another one who really enjoys reading the posts in this thread. Please keep going.

Same! I haven't caught up to the manga, but I've read up to the end of the next arc, and even though I still don't know things this thread is speculating on now, I'm keeping my mouth shut, even when I'd just be referring to things that happened in season 1, because I don't want to accidentally spoil anything for anyone.

Captain Invictus
Apr 5, 2005

Try reading some manga!


Clever Betty

Catalina posted:

Same! I haven't caught up to the manga, but I've read up to the end of the next arc, and even though I still don't know things this thread is speculating on now, I'm keeping my mouth shut, even when I'd just be referring to things that happened in season 1, because I don't want to accidentally spoil anything for anyone.
You should catch up and join us in the manga thread.

The latest few chapters have really done amazing things with the series.

ViggyNash
Oct 9, 2012
I was one of those on the "Reiner is the Armored Titan" train but with that last episode I don't think that's possible. If he's unaffiliated with the outside-the-walls faction, what motive did he have for smashing the gate in? Then again there's all sorts of factions that have been hinted at but never fully acknowledged. At the very least there are:

1) The inside-the-wall humans, whose perspective we've been watching the show from.

2) The human-like titans that are attacking them.

2.5) The Gorilla Titan's faction, who seem to have a measure of control over faction 2), as well as possibly the ability to make titans out of humans, or at least instigate the transformation somehow. At the very least it's pretty drat clear that the season 2 titans are transformed normal humans from inside the wall.

3) The wall-worshiping humans. We don't know quite what their beef is, but someone high-up in the nation's ranks is in some way involved with them, specifically whoever Christa's family is.

4) Ymir and the presumably outside-the-walls humans who I am guessing are aware of the ability for humans to transform into titans. Eren is perhaps from this group, but unaware of that fact. Eren's dad may be related to them in some way.

4.5) The "original" titans. I mean "original" loosely since I don't quite know what else to call them or what relation they have to the broader story, but I am referring to the titans in the walls. I'm speculating that all of the walls were created by calcified titans, which would mean that these "original" titans sacrificed themselves for the benefit of normal humans. These titans are likely a distinct faction from - or possibly ancestors of - from the titans of today, who are obviously hell-bent on getting inside and eating all the humans.

Note on the gorilla titan: Judging by the ending credits, is is possible that it's not only humans that can transform, but animals as well. The Gorilla Titan is the only intelligent titan we've seen thus far. Even Annie never displayed nearly as much ability as Gorilla Titan, who seems to have at least a regular human's level of intelligence. It may be possible that the less intelligent the regular version is, the more intelligent the titan version is.

Lets see how much of this I'm wrong about by the end of this season.

Catalina
May 20, 2008



Captain Invictus posted:

You should catch up and join us in the manga thread.

The latest few chapters have really done amazing things with the series.

Thanks! I believe it, but it's still amazing to hear, since the series is already so amazing. In my Old Age For An Anime Viewer (32), I gotten to be a bit of a professional translation snob, so I'm gonna go with buying about a volume a month instead of going to read the scanlated mangas. This season's gotten me all fired up to continue on; I just got so burned out after being on the edge of my seat at the end of each month only to feel like the plot was inching along.

BrainDance
May 8, 2007

Disco all night long!

I want to get into the manga but, as a show watcher, I really don't want to read through a bunch of stuff I already know for the most part. I'm sure there are plenty of reasons not to skip what was generally season 1 in the anime but whatever.

So, could any manga readers and show watchers tell me where in the manga I'd want to start if I wanted to skip season 1?


Oh and my general show theory has sorta already been said, but from pretty early on I got the sense that the titans are sentient and aware beings, probably turned humans, who are not in control when it comes to the eating humans thing. And their existence in being a titan is a absolute horror, and somehow the humans are all only making it worse. I don't know exactly how that would play out, and I guess it's not the case for the yeti dude, but I just think at some point in the story for some reason or another the "mindless" grunt titans will become sympathetic characters instead of just one dimensional straight villains.

Captain Invictus
Apr 5, 2005

Try reading some manga!


Clever Betty
Start at chapter 30. There are similar parts but the finale of season 1 is pretty different from how it goes down in the manga, and by 32 or 33 you'll be in totally new territory(season 2's stuff).

Liquid Dinosaur
Dec 16, 2011

by Smythe

BrainDance posted:

I want to get into the manga but, as a show watcher, I really don't want to read through a bunch of stuff I already know for the most part. I'm sure there are plenty of reasons not to skip what was generally season 1 in the anime but whatever.

So, could any manga readers and show watchers tell me where in the manga I'd want to start if I wanted to skip season 1?


Oh and my general show theory has sorta already been said, but from pretty early on I got the sense that the titans are sentient and aware beings, probably turned humans, who are not in control when it comes to the eating humans thing. And their existence in being a titan is a absolute horror, and somehow the humans are all only making it worse. I don't know exactly how that would play out, and I guess it's not the case for the yeti dude, but I just think at some point in the story for some reason or another the "mindless" grunt titans will become sympathetic characters instead of just one dimensional straight villains.

I'm not checking and you should wait for a better reply but I want to say like chapter 30. BUT I would HIGHLY recommend you read a few chapters before that, around the leadup to the Female Titan fight in the city. It's been 4 years now so I barely remember any specifics but I remember us being mildly disappointed with how they handled the fight. I think it was partially that they needed to make be slightly more "Epic" since it was the big finale fight they were blowing all their remaining money on animating.

Saagonsa
Dec 29, 2012

BrainDance posted:

I want to get into the manga but, as a show watcher, I really don't want to read through a bunch of stuff I already know for the most part. I'm sure there are plenty of reasons not to skip what was generally season 1 in the anime but whatever.

So, could any manga readers and show watchers tell me where in the manga I'd want to start if I wanted to skip season 1?

If you just wanted to skip season 1, start at chapter 34. If you wanted to skip what's been in season 2 so far as well, start at chapter 42.

BrainDance
May 8, 2007

Disco all night long!

Awesome, I will take all of your advice and try to jump into the manga. Thanks for saving me a lot of time trying to somehow figure it out on my own without having actually read any yet.

ViggyNash
Oct 9, 2012
I'm curious, what's the ratio of anime-only to manga-readers in this thread? Lets have a count, or possibly a pole if someone cane set that up.

I'm anime-only (as ppl probably guessed already)

Rangpur
Dec 31, 2008

Way, way back, before the anime was even announced I read roughly the first 12 chapters or so, thought it was really cool and then lost track of it completely. I've considered catching up on the manga more than once, but like JoJo, the anime is good enough that I don't really feel like I'm missing much.

Captain Invictus
Apr 5, 2005

Try reading some manga!


Clever Betty
Caught up on both.

Once season 2 ends I recommend reading the manga because who knows if we will even get a season 3, feels like season 2 hasn't done nearly as well as the first one due to the abnormally long gap between the two, and there's a chance we won't get it for another few years. And there's multiple entire arcs between where the second season will end and now, all at the very least decent if not great.

redsniper
Feb 15, 2012
I've come from the manga thread to inform everyone that the Best Beast Titan's proper name is Monkey Trouble. Thank you.

Also this show is rad as hell. Even knowing what's going to happen, it's tense and exciting all over again with color and delicious 3DMG sound effects. :swoon: :magical:

ViggyNash
Oct 9, 2012

redsniper posted:

Monkey Trouble

Thank you manga thread for this quality naming. That is so good.

Bruc
May 30, 2006

ViggyNash posted:

Thank you manga thread for this quality naming. That is so good.

Shoulda leaned on Donkey Kong more, the word "Japes" should be in there somewhere.

Lucy Heartfilia
May 31, 2012


Monkey Trouble is a good name

I'm also reading the manga.

Maera Sior
Jan 5, 2012

I was thinking that Eren seemed really calm about the whole thing, but if everyone in the group was warned, why was Mikasa the only one to hang back enough? Reiner was pretty obviously losing it.

The CG colossal titan is a bit distracting, what a shame.

Asuron
Nov 27, 2012
That CG is really, really awful

I mean it was distractingly bad, what on earth were they thinking

Captain Invictus
Apr 5, 2005

Try reading some manga!


Clever Betty
Something to fix for the blu-rays probably

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Ahmed
Dec 24, 2012

Surgeon
Lipstick Apathy

Maera Sior posted:

but if everyone in the group was warned, why was Mikasa the only one to hang back enough? Reiner was pretty obviously losing it.
Reiner was bitten by a titan in an earlier episode, and this may decrease suspicion about him, also the other members of scout were busy thinking about Yamir and the absence of a hole in the wall and what this should mean.

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