Shingeki no Kyojin: Lost Girls

I was surprised to see this spin-off actually transformed into an OVA. It was a nice addition to those of us who were, at the time, waiting for Season 3 of the anime to premiere, but, as Lost Girls is not a work of Isayama's, the storytelling and character writing certainly does not live up to its original creator. I enjoyed Annie's story much more than Mikasa's (even if Mikasa is my favorite character.) Annie's story felt closer to something Isayama would write. I think the author successfully fit in a short story between major canon events and kept Annie's character true to her nature. Thetwo episodes given to her surely helped. Obviously, with the same artwork, voice actors, and music, it by all means feels like an Attack on Titan episode. The "Call Your Name" girl version ending was well done and a delightful tribute. It is Mikasa's story that I am a bit more disappointed with. Her story is reduced to one episode, and it shows, as the pacing is more rushed. That being said, I don't enjoy Mikasa's story much to begin with. It is not a story placed in between canon events like Annie's, but rather an alternative universe headcanon that only exists to show again and again Mikasa's undying loyalty toward Eren. It is unfortunate to see that, considering she is my favorite Attack on Titan character. I would've enjoyed a story similar to Annie's for her, or better yet, at least see her also given two episodes for a proper adaption of her story. Lost Girls, while including two well-known female characters from the franchise, is obviously not on par with actual Attack on Titan episodes. That being said, it was still enjoyable seeing these characters in action in something different from canon, and with the continuity of the artwork, voice actresses, and soundtrack, it still manages to be a pretty enjoyable OVA for the franchise.

"Maybe it's because they don't know that once you lose something, you can never get it back again." Attack on Titan: Lost Girls is another OVA which feels integral to the plot and development of it's characters that I'm equally as amazed that it never got an official localisation. As Annie is my favourite character from this show I'm certainly happy she got an episode all to herself exploring a day in the life of her role in the Military Police. It adds much more to her character that is painfully glossed over in the main show for the most part and even provides the hints tothe great depth of her own story, even hinting at the then unknown twists from Season 3. It's just remarkable storytelling. While I do enjoy the Mikasa episode from this trilogy, it certainly didn't provide me with anything new but still was a great watch. As with most of Titan, it's equal parts visually gorgeous and emotionally heart wrenching. I cannot recommend this to you enough. "Sometimes you have days like this. Days where the most trivial little thing ends up getting you wrapped up in some big, annoying trouble. Today is a perfect example of that. So perfect, you could frame it and hang it."

A must-watch for AOT fans. This 3 episode OVA focuses on Annie and Mikasa and adds more back story and motivations to both characters. No spoiler synopsis: Annie's episodes focus on a detective case of a missing girl, and we get to see her backstory and motivation for why she wants to capture Eren. This backstory also shows the dark underbelly of their walled city, which we don't see much of in the anime. The only problem is it was too short and not flushed out enough. While Mikasa's episode shows her reason for wanting to follow Eren and why she sticks by his side. It's notas simple as portrayed in the anime and runs a lot deeper. I think this segment of the story is essential to gain a better understanding of Mikasa's character and motivations. Like Annie's story, the main problem is this 3 episode OVA is too short; thus, the pacing feels off/rushed. Overall, it's a solid addition to AOT's lore, and I would highly suggest it. 7/10

It's been a long time since I reviewed the first series of Shingeki no Kyojin. In that time we've gotten two more series, multiple films and OVAs. And since I've been reviewing so many rubbish OVAs recently, it seems an opportune time to remind myself that there are quality OVAs out there. Lost Girls is one that was bundled with the 24th through 26th volumes of the manga. I'll warn in advance, there will be spoilers for the first series of Shingeki no Kyojin in this review since they are a part of the OVA. Story: The first two episodes of the OVA follow everyone's second favourite Titanshifter, Annie, as she tries to solve a case about a missing rich girl so that her roommate will give her an opening to capture Eren. So, this is just before episode 17 of the anime. We get some glimpses into her past, her relationship with her father and how she trained. The third episode focuses on Mikasa during the battle of Trost when she believed Eren was dead. So, really early in the anime. It basically goes into her head and her private fantasy of a world where she might be able to be with her adoptive brother. Sweet Home Alabama intensifies. The two episode Annie story is really well done. It's compelling. Her investigation is interesting. It gives you a strong sense of her life in the Capital and her motivations. The Mikasa episode, in contrast, is mediocre at best. It's basically her getting into her own head and finding nothing of value. It could have been an opportunity to explore her relationship with her parents and regrets over losing them so young, but them being alive in her little fantasy is solely incidental and you barely see her interact with them. It's not interesting and it doesn't add anything because it's basically nothing in terms of the larger narrative and all it does is repeat what we already know about her character, or lack thereof. Characters: Annie really benefits from her story in this. We get to see facets of her personality that are normally hidden beneath her cold, collected exterior. We get a stronger sense of her motivations and how her upbringing helped turn her into the woman we see in the series proper. Mikasa's episode just highlights what a bland trope of a character she is. Which is unfortunate because this was an opportunity for her to be more than a generic action girl with a fixation on the hero who happens to be her adopted brother that makes her emotionally vulnerable. But that's literally all her episode focuses on. This is why Mikasa is rubbish. Art: You have to give Wit credit. They make this franchise in general look fantastic. The varied character designs look really good. The action flows well. Annie actually looks adorable when she eats a doughnut for the first time. And yes, it is an actual doughnut and not a misidentified rice ball. 4Kids doesn't even exist any more. Sound: Shimamura Yuu and Kitanishi Junko both give strong performances. Even Ishikawa Yui does well voicing Blanda. Certainly better than you would expect given the lack of character. The music is strongly composed. Ho-yay: There really isn't any. Christa and Ymir aren't in this with their adorable interactions. Neither are Levi and Erwin with their weird way of flirting that makes it clear they'll never admit they're flirting. Areas of Improvement: 1. This OVA would be better without the Mikasa episode. 2. If you must have an episode about Mikasa, at least give it some narrative or character significance. A story from her childhood that somewhat elevates her as a character so she's less boring. Or an aside about her activities during, before or after a battle that we didn't see before. 3. Stop pushing the idea of Mikasa and Eren as romantic interests. I get that Mikasa was adopted into Eren's family when she was nine and not born into it but that's still enough to make it creepy. Final Thoughts: Honestly, I would give the Annie episodes a solid 8/10 by themselves. The problem is that I also have to factor in the Mikasa episode, which is a 5/10, if I'm feeling generous. So, averaging it out, the OVA gets a 7/10. If you're thinking about watching it, I do recommend the first two episodes if you've seen the first series of the anime or more. But I'd skip the Mikasa episode completely because it's literally nothing.

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