Attack on Titan is, without a doubt, one of the biggest anime of its generation. It has done a remarkable job to expand on its story in a way that stays true to its material, but can push the narrative to new and exciting places. Now that the anime is currently in its final season, it’s working harder than ever to make sure that the series goes out on top.
It’s impressive to see how the anime elegantly adapts Hajime Isayama’s original manga, especially since anime adaptations aren’t always a faithful process. Attack on Titan exhibits deep respect for its manga, but there have also been occasions where the anime has been able to push ideas even further and help them evolve.
10 The Very First Titan Attack
Attack on Manga is full of beautiful artwork that emphasizes how terrifying and malicious the Titans can be. The first panels that depict a Titan are compelling, but it’s a scene that’s able to hit even harder when it’s fluidly brought to life in the anime’s first episode. The anime’s introduction of Titans is just as disturbing as it should be and it helps set the tone for the entire series. It’s a moment that if it were unsuccessful, then the entire anime would struggle, but it’s instead turned into an iconic sequence that’s helped bring in audiences.
9 Reiner And Bertholdt's Inner Turmoil
Attack on Titan contains many substantial twists, but the reveal that Reiner and Bertholdt are enemy Titans is a gutting revelation. The surprising news is a huge moment in both the manga and anime, but the anime can do more with it due to the voice actors and the anime's score. There's a fantastic and pained performance from Eren as he processes the news that he's brutally lost his friends. Still, the anime also flashes back to cherished moments from these characters' time together to make it as emotional as possible.
8 Erwin's Charge Against The Beast Titan
Attack on Titan excels with how it presents characters that are so dedicated to their beliefs that they’re willing to die for them. Erwin Smith's journey is a rather depressing one where his spirits get progressively beaten down. His final act is a charge against the Beast Titan, resulting in his death and massive casualties.
This is another moment where the animation, music, and vocal performances can elevate what’s present in the manga. Erwin’s resolve earlier on and his melancholy chat with Levi before his demise also makes what follows even more effectively.
7 The Reveal Of The Female Titan
One of the biggest twists to hit audiences in Attack on Titan is that Annie Leonhart is the Female Titan. The moment where this all spills out is some of Attack on Titan's finest work, but it's such an effective scene because everyone's reactions carry just as much weight as Annie's reveal. The anime lets this news ripple through the Survey Corps for an entire episode. Annie is also considerably more wicked when she drops this news, and her eerie laugh is a detail cut from the manga, only to be amplified in the anime to great effect.
6 The Foreshadowing Around Kruger
Attack on Titan’s fourth and final season turns the clock forward and radically expands the series’ narrative's scope in genuinely fascinating ways. New characters become the focus, and an impressionable Falco Grice befriends an injured soldier who goes by Kruger's name. This turns out to be a massive subterfuge, and Kruger reveals who he really is down the road. However, Kruger's anime peppers are watching characters from afar and gathering information, which doesn’t initially stand out. These scenes stand out more in the anime and help this larger story get fleshed out.
5 Eren’s Berserk Mode During His Fight Against Annie
All of the battles in the series that pit Titans against each other are especially satisfying, but the fight between Eren’s Attack Titan and Annie’s Female Titan is a spectacle that plays out quite differently in the anime.
The manga version of this fight gives Annie the advantage for most of the battle, whereas the anime sees Eren’s Titan dip into a new reservoir of power and achieve Berserk Mode. This is an anime-only power boost that doesn’t return, but it makes Eren’s Titan exceedingly aggressive and engulfed in flames. It’s an exciting visual element to add to the chaos.
4 Ymir's Backstory And Relationship With Historia
Attack on Titan often deals in action, but it’s able to juggle different sensibilities, and season two tells a touching love story between Ymir Fritz and Historia Reiss. Ymir's history and the truth behind Historia, who at that point is known as Christa, is a little unruly in the manga. Attack on Titan's anime can slightly change events and hint at Ymir's story much earlier because of how important it will be later. The anime presents a take on their history and love that's not just easier to understand but is more emotional.
3 Eren And Armin Finally See The Ocean Together
The concluding scene from Attack on Titan's third season has Eren, Armin, and the rest of the Survey Corps cover new ground, reach the ocean, and set their sights on the rest of the world. It's a highly cathartic moment, especially for Eren and Armin, who got to fulfill this promise to each other. Every element of the anime is exceptional here, and the ocean sparkles and comes to life in a way that's not possible in the manga. It becomes rather fitting that the final scene from WIT Studio's work on the anime is such a beautiful sequence.
2 Eren Activates His Coordinate Ability
The season finale of Attack on Titan's second season concludes with one of the series' biggest moments at that point. Eren lets out a tremendous scream and activates his Coordinate ability for the first time, which allows him to launch a horde of Titans onto Reiner and Bertholdt. Eren's performance at the moment is both triumphant and frightening. There's just so much that goes on in this moment that can benefit from animation versus the drawings in the manga. It signifies a major change that’s to come and digs deeper into the mystery of certain Titans' different abilities.
1 Season 4’s Premiere And New Opening
Attack on Titan’s final season heads into very new territory for the series. This turn hits as a major surprise in both the manga and anime, but the anime has the power to make this schism feel even more significant. The opening credit sequence for Attack on Titan’s final season is radically different than the previous ones, and it features no familiar characters or landmarks. It makes it feel like a unique show, and it’s a beautiful way to accentuate the changes that are about to take place.