Attack on Titan made a name for itself with its unusually gritty and atmospheric world, and its gory, tense battle scenes. This was no ordinary shonen story; it blurred the line with seinen and horror, serving as a mecha/zombie survival story where lumbering, organic Titans threatened what was left of the human race. Or at least, that's how the story started.

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The story of Attack on Titan has undergone many radical and exciting changes since the early episodes, and many central themes and elements have since been phased out or replaced as the story went. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, however; in fact, it's one of Attack on Titan's strengths, being willing to change and evolve to present a new perspective on the same world and expand the lore in unexpected ways. Still, not everything changed.

10 HOW ATTACK ON TITAN CHANGED: The Outside World Is No Longer An Intriguing Mystery

attack on titan city

In the beginning, one of Attack on Titan's most compelling elements was the mystery of the outside world. Eren and his childhood friend Armin wondered what lay beyond those walls, and in books, they read about things such as vast oceans, frozen tundras and expansive deserts.

This world didn't appear until much later, and the answer was a shocking one: that most of humanity was actually still out there, and they had more advanced technology, such as the ruthless Marley Empire. Eren has finally seen the world, and he doesn't like it.

9 HOW ATTACK ON TITAN DIDN'T CHANGE: Characters Die Often

Attack On Titan Theo Magath

Many elements to Attack on Titan have changed since 2013, but one of the constants was the sheer brutality of it all. Many characters die in this series, and even in later chapters, beloved characters were liable to get killed, such as the cheerful Sasha Braus. Even Hange Zoe died near the end of the story.

The action and violence of Attack on Titan is all more compelling if characters die often, and each battle becomes that much more suspenseful. Who will die, and who will survive with serious injuries?

8 HOW ATTACK ON TITAN CHANGED: Paradis Is No Longer The Last Bastion Of Humanity

Paradis Island aerial view

It's true that later in Attack on Titan, the people of Paradis Island still had an "us vs. the world" theme, but in a different way. No longer do the people of Paradis Island think that they are the last survivors of the human race. They are just a fragment of it.

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Early on, the stakes seemed incredibly high, since it appeared that the very human race hung in the balance - that if the three walls fell, then humanity would go down with it. This is no longer the case, and the Paradis Islanders aren't even the only Eldians in the world, let alone the only humans.

7 HOW ATTACK ON TITAN DIDN'T CHANGE: People Are Still Inventing More Ways To Slay Titans

thunder spears attack on titan mikasa

Titans are always a threat in this series, and their opponents are seeking newer and better ways to fight back. Ordinary cannons, spears and rifles are ineffective, so at the start of the story, soldiers used ODM gear and paring blades to take down Titans. And that's just the start.

After a point, Mikasa Ackerman and her allies also used the recently-invented thunder spears to destroy Titans - even Reiner's Armored Titan. Meanwhile, on the mainland, Marley's enemies were inventing even bigger and better ways to topple Titans, such as huge guns mounted on armored trains.

6 HOW ATTACK ON TITAN CHANGED: Eren No Longer Cares About Rank & Chain Of Command

Eren looking over his shoulder in Attack on Titan Season 4

Early in the series, Eren was a soldier, and he was firmly integrated into the chain of command. He was still a wild and reckless Scout, but he at least halfway respected the chain of command, and he had Captain Levi Ackerman around to give him orders. This wouldn't last.

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The "rising in the ranks" element of Attack on Titan was lost when Eren became a true rogue, making up his own rules as he launched the assault on Liberio and stole the War Hammer Titan's powers. Now he leads the Yeagerists, and they don't need ranks.

5 HOW ATTACK ON TITAN DIDN'T CHANGE: The Titan Shifters Are Always Important

annie female titan

The Nine Titan Shifters are all powerful and unique, and they are the key to the battle between Paradis Island and the Marley Empire (and other battles, too). In early episodes, Bertholdt Hoover's Colossal Titan and Reiner's Armored Titan were game-changers, and then more appeared.

Annie Leonhart's Female Titan was also a challenge, and Eren's Attack Titan was Paradis' best hope against these threats. Later, Zeke's Beast Titan became a major player, and of course, the Founding Titan is the most important Titan of all. Eren and Marley's leaders will fight to the death over it.

4 HOW ATTACK ON TITAN CHANGED: The Zombie Apocalypse Element Was Later Abandoned

Eren Stands Up To Smiling Titan AOT

The Titans always play a role, as the title would suggest, but Eren's view of them certainly changed, and so did the viewers'. At first, Attack on Titan had a zombie apocalypse element to it, which directly ties into the "we're the last of humanity" theme. It was monsters vs. civilization.

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But this changed with time. Eventually, Eren and the others learned about the Marley Empire, and they learned that Titans are actually Eldians who have been turned into biological weapons that fight for Marley's sake. Now the Titans are more like organic mecha suits than giant zombies - tools to be used in war. This changed everything.

3 HOW ATTACK ON TITAN DIDN'T CHANGE: Politics Play A Major Role

Historia Reiss in Attack on Titan

The political element to Attack on Titan didn't show up right away, but it took its place in the lore before too long, and it never went away. Paradis Island was divided even before coming into contact with the Marley Empire, and this conflict was largely based on the Reiss family and its control of the Founding Titan.

The Founding Titan had erased everyone's memories of traveling to Paradis Island 100 years prior, and later, the political element evolved to incorporate the Marley Empire, Azumabito and other factions. It's not just how people fight, but why.

2 HOW ATTACK ON TITAN CHANGED: The Three Walls Are No Longer Purely Defensive

attack-on-titan explanation of the walls

The three great walls of Paradis Island always have a role to play, but that exact role changed somewhat as the story progressed. Earlier on, the three great walls were humanity's only real defense against the Titan hordes, and an entire religion was based on the walls. They were downright holy.

Early battles were focused on the walls, such as the great battle for Trost, when Eren helped seal a hole in Wall Maria with his Attack Titan. Later on, the walls became unnecessary as the war shifted to Marley's territory, and the walls were eventually reverted back to millions of Titans to commence the Rumbling.

1 HOW ATTACK ON TITAN DIDN'T CHANGE: The Characters Devise Complex Battle Plans

Armin in Attack On Titan.

Attack on Titan has brutal and gory fight scenes, but it also has some remarkable strategies in it, too. Many of the best battle strategies originated from Armin Arlert, though Hange Zoe and Levi also have incredible tactical acumen. Titans are tough, but they are simple-minded, and humanity can outfox them.

Later on, the strategic element of Attack on Titan expanded even more, pitting humans vs. humans vs. Titans, and it made for some truly brilliant strategies and battle plans right up to the end. This helped the series from becoming tedious or stale.

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