Shingeki no Kyojin goes on a break this episode from its intensity to show the more lighthearted side of the series. That is, if there’s even one. And we start with Eren and the gang finally joining the army, where the drill sergeant’s verbal abuse await them.
Yeah, typical army stuff. Break the cadets first before building them up. But here’s the thing: Potato Girl.
Yup. Sasha Blouse, aka Potato Girl, is pretty much the highlight of the episode. She’s caught eating a potato while in formation, and upon being confronted, offers “half” to the drill sergeant.
Priceless. She earns herself hours and hours of running.
And that pretty much spelled the pattern of the show. It’s the lighthearted side of things. We’ve got feuds and petty conflicts…
someone having a crush on Mikasa and getting disappointed upon seeing how see sticks to Eren…
Mikasa’s pseudo confession to Eren getting wasted on Potato Girl…
and yes, even more Potato Girl…
The episode does talk a bit about the horror of titans, especially when people learn about where Eren, Mikasa and Armin came from. The kids there ask Eren for details about the titans and all that, as though interviewing someone who had seen a celebrity. Later on Eren and Armin also hear a bit about some of the other cadets’ own experiences. There’s just this really random, unrelated and stupid scene where the guys go out late at night to look at nature.
Oh yeah, the cadets begin training with 3D movement. And Eren sucks so bad.
He practices, and fails. He asks for advise, and fails. He pretty much fails, and he fails really badly. Come exam day where if he fails, he gets booted out, he manages to stay upright for a few seconds…
only to fail again…
But as it turns out, it’s his belt that’s faulty, and upon changing his gear, everything goes well.
Moral of the story? It’s not you, it’s the equipment. Anyway, the formal training then begins, and next episode, it appears they’re already graduating…
I didn’t particularly like the episode. It just didn’t have the same intensity as the first two episodes. It felt more like a filler or a side story, to be honest. But maybe it was necessary in order to introduce the other characters who the series will probably focus on. It’s not like it’s just gonna be Eren, Mikasa and Armin, right? It’s probably gonna be more about their platoon or something.
Oh yeah, Potato Girl. Single best thing in the episode.
