HE IS BACK!!!!

he started it, and he ended.

This is so dynamic and expressive

Arifumi Imai returned to make the best ODM Gear sequence of The Final Season

Thank you life

I knew it was him

You're as beautiful as the day I lost you...

I wonder if Imai asked the compositing team to have the missile be green and blue when it sparked out? he does like vibrant colors

Also I think it’s funny Imai got to pretty much ignore the Mappa model sheets until he’s obviously overcorrected on those last two cuts

The guy who characterized the action of Shingeki, and after 10 long years, that journey is coming to an end. Back for one last act of glory... Historic!

Imai is now a Mappstar

This makes me so happy. As soon as I saw it I knew it was something special T_T

so glad he was able to do this, an awesome send off

This is… astounding. On top of everything else he does perfectly, I really adore Imai’s focus on drawing facial expressions, and Mikasa’s at 0:31 is one I won’t be able to forget any time soon. Plus the effects, camera movement, debris and background animation, timing… god, everything about this is perfect, what a blessed sendoff for the show. I love Imai so damn much.

Goodbye ODM Gear sakuga, truly ended on the highest note.

The king returns

Return of the OG.

Gotta love how he draws the wires shiny like he always did. Always preferred that metallic look over season 4's matt black

Reminds me of the cut when Historia is flying through debris and the falling flesh chunks of Rod Reiss's titan but like on a whole new level...

The detail at 0:10 when Levi's leg wound opens up when he hit's the debris. Chef kiss.

You'd know it was Imai from a century away lol, I find it funny they used the most Imai smears of the cut in the trailer too. An iconic one to end it all T_T.

Imai and linked horizon. Bro I can die happy

Possibly the best cut in all of AOT, and done by the man who pioneered ODM gear sakuga. Thank you Arifumi Imai. Dedicate Your Hearts.

The level of polish is unreal

When I first saw the cut. I knew it was Imai odm style sequence. My expressions and words cannot express how grateful I am that he was able to do one last cut for this legendary show. Man AOT cannot exist without Imai Godly gifted animation. Thank you Imai-san for everything

THE RETURN OF THE GOAT 🐐

what a legend

Sinceramente, isso é lindo de tantas maneiras diferentes que chega a ser comovente. Não poderia ter sido outra pessoa.

zaris said:
I wonder if Imai asked the compositing team to have the missile be green and blue when it sparked out? he does like vibrant colors

Also I think it’s funny Imai got to pretty much ignore the model sheets until he’s obviously overcorrected on those last two cuts

Nah

That focal point readjustment at 0:07 is so fkin beautiful!! I am awe of people who can come up with these in their head. God bless Arifumi Imai.

I like when mikasa enters AT's mouth the shading style becomes like WIT at 0:29 (white shine around the edges on mikasa, her sword and eren too). Also the blade has the metallic finish

He came back to finish everything.

DABABBY said:
I like when mikasa enters AT's mouth the shading style becomes like WIT at 0:29 (white shine around the edges on mikasa, her sword and eren too). Also the blade has the metallic finish

The illustration he drew for the episode is also closer to S1-3 designs than S4, it's clear which designs he prefers lol

losingMind said:
The illustration he drew for the episode is also closer to S1-3 designs than S4, it's clear which designs he prefers lol

Ye, even when he’s drawing Levi, it looks more similar to WITS style than MAPPA’s

Aside from animation, composition and cgi work is the best here that odm gear sakuga had ever got. Sure it had good cgi work, but it lacked polish because its obvious, no one is going to polish a tremondous landscapes and buildings of cgi for a few seconds of sakuga. But here, the colour pallets, composition and especially cgi is the best the odm sakuga has ever got. People who slandered asakawa on twitter needs to lick his legs now...

I'm so happy they got Imai back to do the single most important ODM scene in the whole series.

He used cgi btw yall, https://youtu.be/m4_t2QM3bQo?t=61

Lazreyes said:
He used cgi btw yall, https://youtu.be/m4_t2QM3bQo?t=61

That's so weird, at 1:07 they used connie's model to previz Imai's Levi scene

my glorious king!!!!!!

Lazreyes said:
He used cgi btw yall, https://youtu.be/m4_t2QM3bQo?t=61

That’s probably just a placeholder or a test

0:32, when Eren’s opening his eyes, could that be Cacani’d? I though that when I saw the trailer too.

my glorious king.. thank you so much for making aot so special.

Don't know why everyone commenting like Imai sensei is reading them 😂 but I am here to give my heart to Imai X AoT for one last time 😥

Rishab said:0:32, when Eren’s opening his eyes, could that be Cacani’d? I though that when I saw the trailer too.

i don't think so, it's on imai's genga

zaris said:
I wonder if Imai asked the compositing team to have the missile be green and blue when it sparked out? he does like vibrant colors

Also I think it’s funny Imai got to pretty much ignore the Mappa model sheets until he’s obviously overcorrected on those last two cuts

The thunder spears colors were changed to be green and blue in season 4 part 1 bd release and have been that color since

losingMind said:
The illustration he drew for the episode is also closer to S1-3 designs than S4, it's clear which designs he prefers lol

He is actually following Kishi's designs, the final scene also seems to be corrected by him, it's a mix btw his original style, Akita's corrections & Kishi.