Attack on Titan, Vol. 23

進撃の巨人 [Shingeki no Kyojin] #23

by Hajime Isayama

THE DREAM OF FREEDOM DIES

The truth revealed through the memories in Grisha's journals shakes all of Eren's deepest beliefs. There is no rugged but free land beyond the Walls--there is a whole other world, equally full of oppression and war. Suddenly, the ambitions that have animated the Survey Corps for generations seem small and naïve. What is there left to fight for?

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Horror, Graphic Novels, Comics, Fiction, Dystopia

184 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 9, 2017

About the author

Japanese name: 諫山創

Hajime Isayama (諫山 創 Isayama Hajime, born 1986) is a Japanese manga artist from Ōyama, Ōita. His first and currently ongoing serial, Attack on Titan, has sold over 22 million copies as of July 2013. He has mentioned Tsutomu Nihei, Ryōji Minagawa, Kentaro Miura, Hideki Arai and Tōru Mitsumine as artists he respects, but stated that the manga that had the biggest influence on him was ARMS.

Reviews

[Tina Haigler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ugh...I hate time jumps, especially with the introduction of all brand new characters. This installment takes place 4 years after the events of Volume 22. Not only is it a time jump but it's also a location jump, with a new set of kids. Luckily, we see a few familiar faces, so it wasn't terrible, but it was definitely harder to get into. It was interesting to see how they used titans in wartime, and we learn a lot of information we were missing until now. I'm not really looking forward to this new arc, but I'm hoping that will change in the next few volumes. I hate having to start over--yet here we are--so I guess it's on to Volume 24.

[Shawna Finnigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume was pretty weak compared to the other volumes. There's a time leap and it throws you right into the middle of a battle with unfamiliar characters. It was really confusing and it took me until about the halfway mark before I understood what was going on. I hope the next volume goes back to the main squad because it was sort of boring to have a full volume focused just on the new characters and Reiner. There was also something that was revealed in this volume that was really disappointing, but I'll discuss that in the spoiler tag so that I don't spoil this volume for people who haven't read it.

This volume reveals that Ymir died, but it wasn't done well. She was a pretty big character in this series so it was disappointing for the story to just casually mention that she's dead. Her decision to give up her powers and sacrifice her life also didn't make sense. She only cared about Historia, but now all of a sudden she cares enough about the Eldians in Marley to willingly give up her powers and by extension her life? I tried to look up online why she did it but everyone else seems to be confused about this, too. I was sort of sad that she died. I didn't really like her, but I liked Historia and I feel like Historia will have a lot of grieving to do once she learns that Ymir is dead.

[Gabriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y vaya que es deprimente conocer la vida al otro lado del océano.

¡Spoilers!

Los eldianos, descendientes de Ymir son utilizados como carne de cañón; peones u objetos sin valor real. Todos y cada uno de ellos han de cumplir con su deber y nunca, nunca en su vida pensar algo en contra de los marleyanos porque de lo contrario están planeando rebelarse. Una vida plagada de gente oprimida y que viven como desechos alejados de los seres humanos comunes y corrientes solo por ser descendientes de Ymir y tener sangre de "demonio" corriendo por sus venas. En fin, personas pagando por errores cometidos por sus antepasados y sintiendo que no son gente de bien; que deben expiar esos pecados del pasado para poder ser aceptados. Continuamente castigados y oprimidos. Incluso se han visto encaminados a odiarse a sí mismos y odiar a todos los que viven en la isla Paradis; creyendo que son la fuente de cada una de sus desdichas. Y lo peor es que se lo creen y así educan a todos esos pobres niños. Con una mentalidad de odio desmedido y sin sentido alguno; utilizados como soldados desde pequeños.

[nidhi :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

2/23: i love this animanga!!!! so much!!!! if you couldn't tell!!!!

1/2: starting the year with my fix of pain

12/23: ending the year with my fix of serotonin

11/16: AW SHIT. HERE WE GO AGAIN. NIDHI IS READING ATTACK ON TITAN AGAIN TO CLOSE HER BOTTOMLESS EMPTY HEART.

10/30:
me: i have 525362728 things to do
also me: time to re-read attack on titan 😎
i'm just *built different*

(no, but seriously, keep my ACT in your prayers <3)

9/30: alright season 4...i see you 👀

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can't wait for the next volume!!

[aleksandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75/5

I don’t care about them. GIVE ME MY PEOPLE BACK.

[Lucy Tonks (the invisible life of a reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just want Eren, Mikasa and Armin. That's all I'm asking for.

[Henk · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 4 year time jump, new characters and a whole different animal in general. This will take some adjustment

Kind of Hunger Games setup with new characters.
Selling out once parents to show loyalty and a World War I vibe. Question arises why they don’t do an arial attack on their adversaries.

[Rodrigo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muy interesante. Conocer la historia del continente que hay al otro lado del mar y de la isla.
Conocemos por fín al resto de los titanes, bueno excepto a uno.

[Reza Qalandari · Rating 4 out of 5]

با تشکر از اتک، کم‌کم از مانگا خوشم می‌آد. منتها هنوز هم انیمه رو ترجیح می‌دم. صرفاً شاید بعداً رفتم سراغ مانگای برسرک.

[Brandon Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was confused at first, but holy crap this was intense!!

[Aleksandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

When did that world and the plot expanded so much? I don’t know what’s going on anymore.

And where are my children?!

[Just a Girl Fighting Censorship · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm finding it a little hard to care about these new characters as I am much more attached to Eren, Armin, and Mikasa.

[Niharikaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

[₊ ˚ ale ࿓ ♡ ⋆｡˚ · Rating 3 out of 5]

just give me my babies back

[Christine (myfictionaldays)]

5 stars

Gabi is the anime/manga equivalent of ‘a Karen’

[ScottIsANerd (GrilledCheeseSamurai) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just caught up on season 3 of the anime. I had to find out what was going to happen with season 4 (it's not out until the fall of this year) and this is the volume where the last season will start.

Now that I've read this volume I am torn. Do I keep reading - or should I just wait for the season of the anime? I liked this enough that I don't think I can wait for the show now so I guess I'ma keep reading. :p

[Manveer · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s been a time jump of four years, and we find ourselves among a completely new array of characters (well, mostly), which we quickly learn are from the ‘other’ side of the conflict, the one we’ve regarded as the ‘bad guys’ all along. But as we follow them through this volume, are they really so bad at all? Are they not just normal people who’ve been brainwashed by the Marleyans into garnering hatred against their own distant kin, for atrocities their ancestors might have committed ages ago?

I think this volume provides a fairly accurate description of the ugliness of war (and human nature, in general), indoctrination of the young, and how everything is not just white and black, and how there are two sides to every story. I actually felt sympathy for Reiner, after all he’s done. This is AoT at its peak, highly character driven, which is exactly what endeared it to me in the first place. Sure, the old characters are missed, but it’s honestly very refreshing to see a new bunch who are in no way any less endearing. A quite exciting volume overall, which makes you question who to really root for, if anyone. Really looking forward to where this leads.

[Zahidul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Attack on titan এর শেষ সিজন দেখার সাথে মাঙ্গাটাও পড়া শুরু করলাম স্টোরি এর সাথে আরো ভালোভাবে কানেক্টেড থাকার জন্য। তবে গতানুগতিক মাঙ্গা রিডারদের মতো আগে মাঙ্গা না পড়ে, আগে অ্যানিমে দেখে তারপরে মাঙ্গা পড়ছি যাতে অ্যানিমেতে কোন মাঙ্গা প্যানেল মিস গেলেও মাঙ্গাতে যাতে সেগুলি মিস না করে ফেলি। শেষ সিজন যেই স্টোরি আর্ক থেকে শুরু হয়েছে সেই "Marley Arc" থেকেই মাঙ্গা পড়া শুরু ��রলাম।

[Fereshte · Rating 3 out of 5]

"that was incredible... an Eldian, having his opinion heard by a Marleyan general! it's an honor to have played any part in that!"

[Subham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty good volume and focuses on reinier as he returns to his home of Marley after years and we learn of his past, how he wanted to become a Honorary Marleyan and all that and explore his past and then we have some spotlight with other characters like Gabi and Falco, they will be important characters later on. This story is from the viewpoint of the Eldians in Marley and how they hate the people on Paradis Island and how they wanna destroy them to be accepted by humans, good moments for Zeke and a heroic moment for Gabi in the start too. This volume tells the tale of what is the titans role in this world of nuclear missiles and all and prepares for a big war thats coming and great focus on Reinier and the art is gorgeous.

[erigibbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh be’! Questo non me l’aspettavo!
Un volume incentrato su personaggi (quasi) del tutto nuovi!
Sottolineo due cose: questo focus su Reiner mi è piaciuto molto. Fino ad ora non ero riuscita a capirlo, a capire le sue scelte e le sue motivazioni. Ora è tutto più chiaro e decisamente ha un senso. È un volume che gli dà tridimensionalità e per questo mi fa apprezzare molto di più il personaggio.
Seconda cosa: mi sento molto triste per questi poveri ragazzi (ormai adulti praticamente). Ognuno ha le sue ragioni, le sue motivazioni, le sue cause. E vedere come si sono distrutti e continueranno a distruggersi (immagino almeno per un pezzo) mi spezza il cuore 💔

[Jeni · Rating 5 out of 5]

So at first I did not like this volume because it's a new cast mostly, but then I saw the brilliance in it. This is the other side of the war, and after that last arc, yeah, if Isayama wanted me to still feel sympathy for them, this was needed. Because my sympathy was gone. Gone. But it's back now since I'm seeing the story from the other side, seeing the brainwashing their side goes through.

It almost elevates this story (not that it wasn't good to begin with) because it's definitely not good vs. evil as it first seemed. It's just this side versus that side. Yes, we're more sympathetic to the side we've been on since the beginning, but seeing the other side reminds me as a reader that it's all just perspective. Neither side is fully good or evil.

[Mika (Hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

The joke on one page was funny and also the informations were cool. But I disliked to see Gabi again and the way Reiner told Falco to protect her wasn't quite for me. I still remember it from the anime as I watched it first, but I just dislike the way how Gabi gets praise even from her family while even saying herself that others protect and safe her the whole time. And she still proceeds to see herself as something all-mighty and tells the other kids that she will heir the titan as she is the best, like what you mean, you can't do anything without someone needing to protect or save you from something. She is totally useless. This volume unfortunately gave me a headache 'cause of her narcissistic ways I needed to read.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story
I found this one a bit on the slow side. I originally thought it was a flash-back of some kind before things were made clear. By the final chapter, the previous chapters felt more meaningful, but I spent much of the volume what was going on.

I hope the story will be wrapped up soon, and that things pick up again in the next volume.

Artwork
There wasn't a ton of action in this one, so it was mostly fine as usual. I did have trouble recognizing one of the characters, and I felt like some of the characters looked like others. But that may have been intentional.

[Rod Brown · Rating 1 out of 5]

I told myself to stop reading this series last volume, but I heard the creator was working toward a conclusion so I grabbed a couple of the newer volumes at the library and hoped for the best. But I got the worst: a whole book full of crap I just cannot care about. Why would the creator think I'm interested in extended flashbacks for secondary characters who live on a different island from the main characters?

Surely, after this dreck, I wouldn't read the next volume just because I already have it at hand?

aaaaawwww dammit

[lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume felt a bit strange at first, since it follows a completely different cast of characters, but I found it interesting that we get to see this world from a different perspective.

Also, no raging Eren, which is always a plus.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

really informative and interesting buuuuut I missed the MCs all the same

[MoonWyvern · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

[Ray Flores · Rating 3 out of 5]

A new arc begins and of course I’m intrigued by Reiner’s past. Truth is Annie, Bertolt and Reiner were part of a group of eldians who wanted to be more than they could. They were harshly trained to inherit one of the 9 Titans’ powers.

We see how Reiner’s mom has been the one putting ideas in him, to become a soldier so they can live freely in Marley. But when they were infiltrated in Paradis, they did learn a thing or two among the Survey Cops, and I think he’s torn between wanting to be a great warrior even a leader, and a soldier who obeys.

Now, back in the present, he’s working with Zeke and Porco, the guy who got back the Jaw Titan thanks to Ymir sacrificing herself.

They’re planning on attacking Paradis to get back the Founding Titan and the Attack Titan but I’m not sure what will happen since the people inside the walls now know all the truth about the world outside.

PREVIOUS REVIEWS:
Volume 1 | Volume 2 | Volume 3 | Volume 4 | Volume 5 | Volume 6 | Volume 7 | Volume 8 | Volume 9 | Volume 10 | Volume 11 | Volume 12 | Volume 13 | Volume 14 | Volume 15 | Volume 16 | Volume 17 | Volume 18 | Volume 19 | Volume 20 | Volume 21 | Volume 22