The Underlying Power Of Red Swan

Attack On Titan’s reputation precedes itself. Garnering such a fervently passionate viewer base that goes even beyond that of the anime stratosphere. It’s success cannot be overstated, especially in 2013 with the beginning of the anime adaptation of Hajime Isayama’s long-running manga series. Attaining and unexpected global following in the years to come. And while the apex of its popularity may be behind it, there’s no denying its impactful dent in the continued success of the Japanese animation industry’s success overseas. 

It’s iconography instantly recognizable, it’s stories of humanity’s plight to repel gargantuan humanoid-like “Titans” from the equally large contingent of humanity nestled inside it’s comparatively small hovel of 3 walled cities. The world beyond an unsolved mystery. But perhaps one of the most well-known aspects of the series, and arguably the reason so many were drawn to it, is its proclivity towards hard-hitting, almost grandiloquent, progressive metal hype-machine openings with a flair for the visually intense.

The unofficial band behind the melodic magic is that of Japanese progressive metal band Linked Horizon, who have been almost as responsible for the series’ epic, homeric tone-setting as that of the narrative-arcs they precede. Setting the stage for the backdrop of scale, spectacle, and fast-paced action fans of the series will know well. The very first title sequence set to Linked Horizon’s “Feuerroter Pfeil und Bogen” famously asking in admittedly a poorly translated German “Are we the eaten? No, we are the hunters.” in what may well be one of the greatest and most well known anime openings of all time.

Such was Linked Horizon’s impact on the personality of the series that when I learned that, for season 3, they would be taking a back seat to Japanese rock legends Yoshiki of X Japan and Hyde, I was admittedly concerned. The anticipation of each episode in seasons prior felt so intrinsically linked (pardon the pun) with Linked Horizon’s ability to captivate its audience. Almost feeling operatic in their ability to “narrate” the beginning of the narrative arcs currently ongoing in the show proper.

And while it took some time for me to come around, it was ultimately by about the 3rd or 4th episode of the 3rd season that I realized that I not only had learned to love this new style and tone of Yoshiki and Hyde’s opening “Red Swan”, that it was my favorite of any season. Not only with its drastic shift in tonality, but within the context of thematic and narrative intention. It's tonally reflective, resigned, and measured in every way imaginable.

[Story spoilers ahead: You may not want to continue reading if you have not seen of have intention to see up to season 3 of Attack On Titan]

A character swinging into the frame on their ODM gear would usually assume accompaniment of high tempo accented, staccato orchestral instruments combined with choir of the ancients in high dynamic marking. On the contrary with the aforementioned imagery we are greeted by a much gentler piano riff, accompanied by harmonizing guitar chords and percussive drum tapping joined later by a choir of the gods. During which we are greeted by visuals of our main trio, Eren, Mikasa, and Armin sitting atop the remains of a building while interspersed with cuts of a much younger trio doing everything they can to climb up to the top of the same building in much better condition as the title card drops into frame as the modern trio look off into the fading sunset.

And it is throughout this opening that the imagery flitters back and forth between our characters in hindsight and their current selves with a myriad of emotional beats. Freedom, innocence, skepticism, pain, duty. Beyond the main trio, characters whose pasts have only been hinted at previously. Being given the slightest of contextual weight but only enough to imply.

As our main trio are set back against a cloudy blue sky, a hand, presumably Eren’s hand, faded, reaches out to attempt to grasp the comparatively little knowledge humanity has had to fight this existential threat. Knowing that the answer, his father’s basement key, right there, hanging around his neck, but access is still left wanting. As he clenches his fist around it, transitioning to an image of him and his parents whilst he was still an infant, and a shot of his childhood home from the street. He’s come so far, he’s so close, but fear of the knowledge awaiting him is palpable, painful, to change the perception of everything he thought he knew.

He stares out at the cloudy blue sky. It feels almost endless, but in an abyssal sense. Hope wains. A younger, carefree Eren runs into the frame. He bumps into current Eren, the soldier unmoved, unbothered by the disruption. Young Eren confused by his devotion and focus. He calls to his friends offscreen to follow him, tapping on his elder’s shoulder almost as if to say “I’ll be back later.” Elder Eren knowing in his heart, he’ll never be back. This life of combating titan’s in the military has consumed him, it has become him, but not enough for him to forget who he was, to long what might have been if he was not chosen so cruelly by fate.

Younger Eren and his friends run off into the abyss of the sky. Elder Eren knowing only too well what awaits them. There is nothing he can do only watch in solemnity as they get ever closer to agony beyond their childlike comprehension.

Historia, armed with the newfound knowledge of her family lineage and her right to the throne, fidgets back and forth against a pole, pondering what her life could have been, what it will look like, and how she will take on the colossally large task of commanding an entire army. Levi and Erwin pass by with stoic expressions, knowing all too well the magnitude and form of pain and confusion their younger comrades are experiencing. One of the younger trio running towards the demise of their innocence leaves behind a sandal on the streets of reality. Symbolic of their cherished youths being left behind.

And all it took was a 90 second opening to communicate for me exactly what I believe Attack On Titan’s message to be at its core level taking into account all of its narrative, character, and thematic exploits. Confronting the uncomfortable truths of our past and future, both of a personal/interpersonal dynamic as well as that of a collective. Be it us or another. Leaving a piece of ourselves behind in the process is an inevitable reality that we must learn to cope with balanced against wistful longing in a healthy measure. That there is power in understanding pain.