All complaints aside, I don't think many mangas can match Shingeki no Kyojin's titanic entertainment value :D

Initially, I thought some of the major plot twists were downright silly. I'm trying not to spoil, so I'll just say that I remember thinking stuff like 'Wut? No one bothered to check what the wall was made of? For a 100 years?' or counting on my fingertips thinking 'Ok, so thats nearly half of his friends who're...wow'. I thought about it however, and now I think that without those twists, the story would have been pretty boring and linear. I really love how everything is linked in this manga; nothing is without purpose. I suppose some would say it narrows the world down (as thats what I used to think), but I think it works great for manga.

The artwork really sells this manga in my opinion. The heavy emphasis of the blacks and shadows really suits the survival theme, and the titans are truly the scariest manga antagonists ever! What's really terrifying about the way the titans are drawn is that, their faces are so realistic, I can actually say I've seen people that look like them!

The characters are a bit mediocre, and there are so many characters without any unique qualities that are overshadowed by the main character's outstanding abilities. However, the manga isn't devoid of character development, and when it happens, it's in relevance to the story (linking to what I've said above) so there's the pro of not having to read unnecessary backstory.

It ain't perfect, but I think this manga trades the mere possibility of becoming a masterpiece in exchange for pure enjoyment. I think that's great :D