In a land ravaged by Titans - monstrosity that have desolated humanity and left them on the brink of constant fear at every day, every hour, every minute exists warriors that fights for what they believe in. It is freedom and to liberate themselves from fear and destruction of this apocalyptic land at the dawn of the hour, these warriors have vowed to bring the war against Titans. But just exactly who are these mysterious Titans that suddenly popped out of from the earth? Why do they eat humans when they suffer no hunger themselves? Exactly what is a ‘Titan’? These are questions you might havein mind if you decide to give this OVA a shot. Shingeki no Kyojin: llse no Techou is an OVA based off popular manga, Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan) written by Hajime Isayama. The anime series that debuted in the Spring of 2013 have been an international hit and achieved numerous praise and attention. As a standalone OVA, this little of piece of work composed of a mere 23 minutes takes us back to a time where we visit another character and the journey that she went through. It’s a tough life though with blood spilled everywhere, bones mangled, and atmosphere shrouded with fear. The OVA itself takes place in the same setting that revolves around the Titans, man-beasts and the primary antagonists of the franchise. In such a time, there are no moments of serendipity but humanity is bestowed with fear. One such character among humanity is named Ilse Langnar, a young woman from the 34th Expedition of the Scouting Legion. Being a member of the Scouting Legion means putting your life constantly at risk as they are on the front lines against the Titans. For Ilse however, she discovers more than just fear. From a startling event, Ilse discovers an astonishing factor that may have changed her life forever. There’s a clear certainty of confusion with what she found and in this OVA will reveal something you might have missed from its parent series. However, discoveries aren’t just the only phenomenon that plays a role in this OVA. For a certain character with the style of a scientist, she hopes to capture one alive and really dissect the knowledge from the Titans. Returning to this OVA is Hanji, a squad leader from the survey corps. Unlike most people who lives in fear of the Titans, she embraces its identity and wishes to discover more than what she can. Throughout the OVA, her ebullient personality and irrational behavior almost puts her own life as well as others at risk. Thankfully, we have others like Levi and his corps to save the day. The OVA itself doesn’t focus much on characters but rather more on discoveries, or rather the mysteries relating to the Titans. There are so many questions that needs answers yet no one really knows the truth. Ilse’s journal details part of what she learned although it seemed to be obscured. In one sense, the OVA present itself to viewers as a way to open up our minds to what we may think relates to the Titans. Thoughts, theories, and ideas might be evoked as we try to pierce the puzzle together similar to what Hanji is doing. It also helps that the OVA recollects some of the events from the past with a short recap to refresh viewers what they remembered before. One thing, it’s definitely not pretty and Titans are detestable towards the human race. Similar to its parent franchise, the OVA performs with action in the typical shounen style. There’s the quick movements from various squad members including the prominent clean freak, Levi. Hanji herself rides into danger although her combat phases are limited because of her ambition to capture titans rather than obliterating them. But realistically, the SnK franchise plays more on the dark fantasy genre. It focuses on portraying the desolation of humanity and presents it in a gruesome way with graphic violence. In a way, it works but sometimes lacks new features. And speaking of features, main characters from the original series such as Eren, Mikasa, and Armin are absent. The trio aren’t interested in discoveries especially with Eren being the hothead so the path of knowledge falls upon more to other characters. Artistic wise, the OVA maintains its posture well in terms of presentation. The setting reflects on a sense of hopelessness for humanity. The Titans are designed in a way that consists of human features but possesses the brutality of an animal. Most of the characters in this OVA doesn't go any significant change. Ilse on the other hand is designed to look frailer, as in a fragile woman struggling to stay alive. We don’t find out much about her combat abilities either so it’s unknown her true capabilities as a soldier. The soundtrack deserves praise similar to its predecessor. Even as a standalone OVA, the soundtrack focuses on intense choreography coordinated to desired scenes. Whether these might be brutal, sarcastic, or calm, the music department once again does its job. Ilse’s voice shows her as a woman of concern but also frustration once she comes head to head with questions. The tone of her voice during one specific scene reveals the unsettling nature of how humanity is suffering mentally because of the Titans. Overall, this OVA is definitely worth the try especially if you’re curious to see what goes on with other characters. Ilse might not be a prominent character from the main series but her discovery might be an important key to unlock the mystery of the Titans. As far as mysteries go though, the OVA doesn’t give much answers so you’ll have to dig answers elsewhere. The way the episode does handles itself though is to flourish out the grim reality of the SnK world. It’s living every day in fear in such a land realizing you’re not at the top of the food chain.
