I absolutely LOVED this series.
When I first watched Attack on Titan, it felt very futile and needlessly violent. I had a really hard time watching it. But as the story develops, it becomes more HUMAN. It deals with suffering, grief, trauma, hope, beauty. It is true to how human beings are with one another - it has wonderfully fleshed out politics, emotions, character development, and plot - IF you can stomach all of the death and destruction.
And that’s coming from somebody who has only watched the show. Don’t worry - the manga is on my list. But I wanted to read the story in order, so I started here.
Before the Fall answers a lot of unanswered questions - what has the political spectrum behind the walls looked like, and how did it lead to the current political decay in the story? How were anti-titan weapons created? What does life look like behind the walls for people who aren’t military? How do certain cults and factions come to be - the titan worshippers and wall worshippers? Etc.
Come prepared: if you read Isayama first, this story will feel jarring. It’s sanctioned by Isayama and Kodansha, but it’s written and drawn by other creators. It’s all canon, but it’s stylistically different. Personally, this didn’t bother me at all.
If you allow it to, Before the Fall’s intellectual tackling of the ODM development, the history of the Survey Core, the nuances of conservative and reformist wall politics, and other intrigue and mystery will thrill you.
More importantly, though, the story deals with themes of belonging. The danger of dehumanizing others. The need for the strongest hope of humanity to rest in love and not anger - in care and not vengeance. Nothing against Eren Jaeger, who is who he is for a reason - but the main character here, Kuklo, stands in stark contrast.
Rather than themes of kill or be killed, the world is cruel, lose your humanity to fight, etc. Before the Fall centers on themes of family, love, and emotion - all in a soft boy! I love a male character who is true to his feelings.
I’m also a sucker for a good “shoujo” ending - and let’s face it - somewhere in this dismal tale of gloom and doom, SOME characters deserve to just win and be happy, right?
Overall, this story will surprise you with its sweetness, and likely give you a breath of fresh air and hope before you dive into Attack on Titan true and all your precious babies die left and right. Good luck out there!