I love this opening.
It really helps that the section of the full song used for the main part of the OP is a part of the most flawless section of Japanese singing I’ve ever heard. Honestly, this song is a masterpiece.
What’s essentially a national anthem for a fictional country, “Jiyuu no Tsubasa” (or “Flügel der Freiheit” which translates to “Wings of Freedom”) perfectly captures the spirit of Attack on Titan, one of the most popular anime around the world. With intersections of German lyrics along with the main song’s Japanese vocal work in combination with superior instrumentation, just the pure sound of this song is pleasing to the ears. Linked Horizon knocked this opening out of the park.
Linked Horizon as a group fits perfectly with pretty much everything that we associate with Attack on Titan. I’m not a music expert by any means, but the poignant and stirring melodies are engaging and fit with the soundtrack. Speaking of the soundtrack, AoT’s original soundtrack is a masterpiece in itself. With several songs that long lull you into a sense of security before hitting you with a rush of fast-paced and exciting music, there’s no other type of music I could see possibly fitting with Attack on Titan’s ridiculously well-made anime.
I digress. Basically, the Attack on Titan anime nails the sound department quite thoroughly.
Jiyuu no Tsubasa does extremely well in a number of areas. Primarily, the imagery. With a shot of white doves leading into shots of the Scout Regiment firing up their flares placed over a wide shot of the country landscape, this opening starts with a callback to these visually important aspects of the plot. The flare system is an important long-distance communication method for the scouts to warn each other of impending Titan attacks on outside expeditions. Their lives depend on using this method properly.
Additionally, without spoilers, this holds specific plot relevance with the Female Titan arc that takes place in the episodes that this opening covers. This is covered in the OP immediately after the shots of the flares pass by with a quick flash of the Female Titan’s silhouette before a few action shots.
The “Rule of Cool” is undefeated, so it’s important to show off Attack on Titan’s coolest aesthetic feature: their 3D maneuvering gear. At this point in the story, an easy way to characterize this show is as an action thriller, so establishing these shots in every opening is important just for the casual viewers. Although much of the episodes covered by this OP occur in the country side, the director of this OP found creative ways to show off their unique method of movement despite not being surrounded by tall buildings. It’s like Spider-Man in the suburbs.
For sentimental value, we get character headshots across a sweeping look at a sunset. There’s probably deeper sentimental and metaphorical meaning here, but it’s also an anime trope to get headshots of the main characters at some point in an opening. The direction that each character faces is significant, however, and that’s just one of the many details that I appreciate immensely.
The next few shots establish how dire the situation of the humans in this world really is. The lyrics match up with this, but I’ll have more on that later. Essentially, things are dark. With more establishing shots of the characters doing the “SASAGEYO” (dedicate your hearts) salute, the element of patriotism that matches with the lyrics comes out. Despite the overwhelming odds against their favor, this song is a call for bravery, and the imagery shows scenes of the characters dedicating their hearts despite what looks to be some really bleak scenarios unfolding right before their eyes.
We get some more “Rule of Cool” action, this time taking the 3D maneuvering gear to the woods with Squad Levi where more significant plot unfolds in the anime. This section again serves as a good way to hook people who are just watching for the action. There’s plenty of action in the latter half of Attack on Titan, so it’s not misleading in the slightest.
We get some title card action next juxtaposed with some really detailed looks at the entrapment gear that is used for very specific reasons later on in a moment that provides significant tension in the woods. This is a super creative way to display some of the opening credits as opposed to having it flashed over boring nature scenes. It continues showing more credits this time with the different components that are a part of the 3D maneuvering gear.
From here, we start to wind down toward the end of the OP with quick flashes à la Neon Genesis Evangelion which contain a whole package of important imagery and plot details and previews for where the story’s going to take you next. At the end, we get the title card for the anime placed on a brick wall which is significant when considering how much of the story revolves around walls.
As mentioned earlier, this is somewhat of a national anthem, and the lyrics reflect that. You have lines such as (translated from genius.com)
We grip two steel blades of Gloria,
sing the song of victory.
and have the wings of freedom on our back.
With our determination tightly held to our heart, we sever this ring of folly, and dance into the blue sky
and
Freedom, and death.
The two of them are twins.
Freedom or death?
Our friend is but one of them!
But it goes deeper than having subtle and fictional patriotic pretenses. It features lyrics that speak to the feelings they have facing a war with the extinction of the human race. Let me tell ya, people die in this series.
I won’t let anyone say
“They died in vain”,
not until I become the last lone arrow on the battlefield!
Understanding the harsh reality of the world in which these characters live, these lyrics offer insight to their ongoing nightmare. So although it’s framed as a “DIE FOR YOUR PEOPLE” anthem/call to action, this song really isn’t about all of that. The imagery would like you to believe that, but this song contains the feelings of people at the end of their rope turning their attention to what they think will end their pain: fight the Titans. Either win and secure freedom or die trying while ending your own suffering.
To a lesser degree, obviously, I think we can all relate to that. Attack on Titan is brilliant, and what I appreciate most about the early seasons was the way people communicate while living a life in which they’re essentially waiting to die. It creates sincerely interesting character dynamics and interactions, and it personally makes me feel introspective toward my own difficulties (again, obviously to a lesser degree).
This story by Hajime Isayama really captures people who are trapped in a life situation that they can’t seem to get out of, and the difference between the characters lie in how they view their situation. Some see their plight as inescapable and resolve to die. Others feel that they can do something about it and fight. No matter who you are or what you’re going through, there’s a message in there for you somewhere. “Jiyuu no Tsubasa” captures all of that perfectly.
Also, it sounds insanely cool.
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