This revolution is not going to be televised.
Creative Staff
Story: Ryo Suzukaze
Art: Satoshi Shiki
Character Designs: Thores Shibamoto
Translation/Adaptation: Stephen Paul
What They Say
Kuklo heads to Shiganshina District to test the new model of the Device, while Sharle anxiously awaits his return at Xenophon’s workshop. But long after Kuklo’s expected date of return, there is still no sign of him … Meanwhile, an antigovernment group carries out a plan in the Industrial City, where Sharle works. Little do they know, Xavi has infiltrated the mission on orders from above.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Plotting, scheming, power grabs. Revolution waiting in the wings. A populace on edge even before the fall of the outer wall. That’s the scene this volume sets of the world of Attack on Titan. We’re plunged into clandestine meetings as Xavi is quickly made a pawn of his new commanding officer.
Let’s make this clear, Xavi is still not a good guy. He still thinks of his younger sister as an object and not as a being with her own agency. It’s not even a protective older brother vibe, just a ‘woman are children to be ordered around by men’ sense of misogyny. Despite that, he’s extremely nuanced for an antagonist for a work about giants eating people. At the least, he’s very compelling to watch and more interesting than Kuklo at the moment.
Xavi maneuvers himself through the machinations of Gloria. She orders him on a special infiltration mission to stop a rebellion threatening the industrial city. Xavi counterplots to snatch his sister and bring her back home. What he doesn’t anticipate is how everyone is playing each other, and who is playing who. The rebellion makes a few huge assumptions that lead to massive mistakes, one of which is anticipating that the craftsmen metalworkers would want to turn against the government. Surprise! Anyone who’s been following the story would know that they don’t.
It’s actually surprisingly gripping watching the attack go down. The momentum and the snags in everyone’s plans feel organic and logical, and it’s very engaging. The story only starts to lag once Kuklo and the others arrive back at a city under siege. That probably doesn’t bode well for the overall story when the hero is the least interesting person here. At least Kuklo can’t go through with too many heroics, not with his broken arm.
The artwork in this series continues to be stronger in general than the books which spawned it. There’s a good sense of action and movement in this volume, and the only confusing parts are the first half of the fight between Xavi and the other swordsman. Sharle’s eyes still look too wide for her face but otherwise everything is an improvement over Isayama’s art.
In Summary
Before the Fall is more interested in its politics right now than fighting titans, which are turning out to be far more complex than I would’ve originally given this spin-off credit for. The focus being almost entirely on Xavi gives us an interesting perspective on the brewing rebellion and how the whole thing goes amazingly sideways. Though I have to say Sharle’s lack of agency in everything going on around her is boring me. She’s such a flat character compared to her brother, or even her brother’s employer. Lucky for her Kuklo is on his way back to rescue his damsel in distress. For a spin-off this is becoming quite the epic.
Content Grade: B
Art Grade: B +
Packaging Grade: B
Text/Translation Grade: A –
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Kodansha Comics
Release Date: August 9th, 2016
MSRP: $10.99
