How the Opening Music Captures the Anime’s Core Themes

Attack on Titan is a sequence recognized for its mysterious world, beautiful visuals and compelling characters. These are usually not the one issues this widespread anime has to supply, nonetheless, because it additionally features a lineup of participating opening songs.

While it could be straightforward to only benefit from the powerhouse opening theme songs on a floor degree, they go a step additional and assist the anime set up its all essential themes every season. This will be seen and heard from the very first opening all the best way into the place the anime is at the moment, as of this writing. RELATED: Jujutsu Kaisen: Geto Suguru and His Preference for Found Family

The first opening tune is titled “Guren no Yumiya” by Linked Horizon. This tune’s use of choir, brass, and fast-paced percussion are what actually promote the theme for Season 1. The accompanying opening animation reveals the primary characters standing triumphantly, combating successfully in opposition to the titans and standing heroically with the rising solar. The three essential musical components talked about earlier assist add a way of grandeur and navy bravado.

This establishes how the characters are made to really feel at the start of the sequence and to trick the solid and the viewers into pondering their lives within the Survey Corps can be superior and adventurous, when really watching the anime will shortly show in any other case. This tune and animation basically act as Survey Corps propaganda, and efficient propaganda at that. This lets the viewers know that this is not going to find yourself being a typical shonen anime expertise.

Next, we have now “Jiyuu no Tsubasa”, additionally performedby Linked Horizon. Musically, this opening tune is similar to the primary. What makes this piece stand out is the depth by which it employs the weather of the primary, however extra so how the visuals have modified with it. With the audio alone, it fills the audio system with a heroic need to take the struggle straight to the titans and really feel assured doing so. When having a look on the visuals, nonetheless, it appears to say one thing else.

The characters on this opening not look hopeful. They look confused, scared, extra violent, and drenched in carnage. The characters, together with the viewer, have seen the horrors of warfare for what they are surely, and though they nonetheless participate on this world, they not see it the best way they did earlier than. This can be the primary opening to point out Eren in his titan kind, pulling again the curtain on the extent of destruction that can ensue.

For Season 2, Attack on Titan opens with Linked Horizon’s “Shinzou Wo Sasageyo”. Arguably the anime’s hottest musical opening, this appears to be the place the navy propaganda and violent truths of the characters appear to achieve concord, or at the very least the closest to concord that may be achieved. The percussion on this tune is completely different from the others in that it appears to set a tempo that’s in step with transferring on foot. It begins at one thing of a stroll, then a trot, then a dash. It solely slows down for the refrain to say its titular phrase. RELATED: Why JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Fans Are Anxiously Awaiting the English Release of Steel Ball Run

“Shinzou Wo Sasageyo” interprets to “dedicate your hearts”, which is a very powerful takeaway from this opening. That is an instruction for the characters and for the viewers. In the animation, the Survey Corps have made full use of Eren’s titan talents, using the monster they’ve fought for thus lengthy to fight the extra fast threats. As with the charging battlefield photographs, the characters are absolutely dedicated to their trigger, and the viewer is handled to extra participating battle scenes and thriller throughout this season. The animation opens and closes on a shot of a damaged statue of a mom holding her child, giving the viewer one final take a look at the innocence misplaced on this harsh world.

Season 3 takes a special strategy with the title “Red Swan” by Yoshiki. This tune adjustments the vibe utterly. Rather than a high-energy warfare anthem, “Red Swan” takes the route of a sluggish however highly effective rock ballad. Piano is included in a melancholic opening melody and the a lot cleaner and highly effective vocals are allowed to take heart stage.

The animation takes on the theme of misplaced innocence utterly, because the characters of their present types are juxtaposed in opposition to their youthful and extra naive selves. The lyrics within the tune appear to yearn for a supposed heaven, or one thing better, nonetheless the strict expressions on the characters’ faces recommend that the times of these beliefs are lengthy gone.

In Season 3 Part 2, Linked Horizon returns with their tune “Shoukei To Shikabane No Michi”. This tune goes again to the warfare anthem model, however with a twist. This tune makes use of musical queues from the opposite Linked Horizons songs, specifically “Shinzou Wo Sasageyo”, because it repeats some phrases in it. RELATED: Attack on Titan’s Eren Copied Naruto’s Itachi to Save His Friends With the Rumbling

In this a part of the season, a lot of the story is devoted to thriller and letting the viewer perceive extra of what’s going on on the earth. This makes the tune match, because it permits the viewer to sink again into a way of familiarity because the characters are allowed to grow to be extra acquainted with their circumstances themselves.

Season 4 begins with Noko & Shinsei Kamattechan’s “My War”. This is the primary opening tune that actually sounds discomforting. The lack of an inherent melody and conservative use of word ranges instills a sense of imminent hazard. The title of the tune says all of it. In this season, true all-out warfare in opposition to different people makes its manner on display screen in full pressure. It is also the season that depicts a modified and jaded Eren, inferring that the warfare referred to within the title is Eren’s himself.

As of this writing, the anime has simply completed Season 4 Part 2, and for this season, we’re given “The Rumbling” perfomred by SiM. This opening is the one which leans on the music essentially the most closely. This is the one tune to be heavy metallic, bringing an depth and conviction on a brand new degree for Attack on Titan. The lyrics are the true standout right here, as they straight relay to the viewer Eren’s inside turmoil. RELATED: Attack on Titan: Does Eren’s Appearance Change With Each Titan He Inherits?

With the animation displaying Eren strolling slowly and contemplatively, the viewer is invited to ponder with him and really feel what he feels. Even on the finish, when the vocals scream to “break free,” Eren shouts that a part of the tune with the singer, letting us in on his agony and emotions of being imprisoned by the burdens this warfare has introduced upon him.

Musical openings set the tempo for any anime and Attack on Titan isn’t any exception. The distinction, nonetheless, comes from its masterful implementation of musical queues and kinds with participating animations to inform the viewer one thing extra. Whatever they present within the season to return, it is going to absolutely be greater than what it may appear on the floor.