Over the course of its three season run, Attack on Titan has quickly become one of the most popular anime series of all time. Set in a world where humanity is trapped inside walls by man-eating Titans, the show adapts the manga series written by Hajime Isayama. And when it comes to interpreting Isayama’s story, the anime does an impressive job.
There are few changes between the two versions of the story, and the ones that do exist mostly serve to move things along for viewers. As with any adaptation, however, both versions of Attack on Titan have strengths and weaknesses.
Here are five things the Attack on Titan manga does better, and five things that are better in the anime.
10 Better In The Manga: The Introduction To The World
While the beginning of the Attack on Titan manga and the anime are essentially the same, it's definitely easier to piece together the characters and worldbuilding when looking at them on the page. The series has a decently large cast, along with complex politics and a complicated setting, and it's easy to miss the smaller details when watching the anime.
Of course, watching as the Armored and Colossal Titan break down the Wall protecting the Shiganshina district is far more satisfying in the anime. But understanding the intricate details, like which district is which and how the military is broken up, is far easier in the manga.
9 Better In The Anime: Annie's Big Reveal
When fans are introduced to the Female Titan during the first season of Attack on Titan, it seems certain that a big twist is coming — and it certainly does. Viewers eventually discover that cadet Annie Leonhart has been the Female Titan the entire time, a jarring betrayal for the characters and a reveal that raises plenty of questions for fans.
Although Annie's reveal is shocking in both mediums of Attack on Titan, it feels more emotional for Eren and his friends during the anime. There's also a ton of foreshadowing when the Scouts first fight the Female Titan, during which she seems to purposefully avoid killing her former comrades. This foreshadowing occurs in the manga, too, but it's less noticeable, perhaps because her facial expressions aren't as easy to read.
8 Better In The Manga: Eren's Titan Training
It's not every day you discover you're a titan, and Eren's ability to shift into the Attack Titan is something that takes some getting used to. In the anime, he adapts much more quickly to his new form and abilities, but the manga does a better job of having Eren learn to control his powers gradually.
With all the plans the Survey Corps have for Eren's titan powers, it makes sense that fans would get to watch him learn how to master them. Onscreen, however, things tend to be glossed over more quickly in favor of fast pacing. But anyone who enjoys a good training arc will appreciate the manga more.
7 Better In The Anime: Bertolt And Reiner's Internal Conflict
No matter which medium you're experiencing the story of Attack on Titan through, it's a shocking moment when Reiner and Bertolt reveal that they're actually the Armored and Colossal Titans that caused the horrors that destroyed Shiganshina at the very beginning of the series. And while the two experience some level of dissonance in both the manga and the anime, the anime does a better job of conveying what they're feeling, if only through the emotions behind the voice acting.
The anime depicts Reiner's confusion regarding where his allegiances lie — especially after kidnapping Eren — and it also does a stellar job with Bertolt's "find us" speech to his former comrades.
6 Better In The Manga: Christa's Backstory
In both the manga and the anime, Christa is revealed to be Historia Reiss, the daughter of Rod Reiss and the heir to the throne. She should also be the one to receive the power of the titans and withhold her people's history from them, but Christa opts to do neither of these things.
With everything that goes into Christa's backstory, though, it can be confusing to absorb all the details in the anime. This is especially true when one considers that the anime alters the flashbacks a bit, shortening some and moving others around in the story's timeline. Fans who really want to make sense of Christa's background would be better off sifting through the manga.
5 Better In The Anime: Christa's Relationship With Ymir
While a romantic relationship between Christa and Ymir is hinted at in both the manga and the anime, the Attack on Titan anime does a solid job of conveying the powerful connection between the two girls. Again, that could totally be due to the voice acting.
Not only does the anime more clearly paint the emotions that the two feel at being separated, but it highlight more effectively why Ymir is so willing to sacrifice herself for Christa. Ymir’s final letter to Christa is also more packed with emotion during the anime, making it a more satisfying end for her character.
4 Better In The Manga: Levi's History With Kenny
Levi is another Attack on Titan character with a fascinating history, and it’s one that feels more fleshed out in the manga. While the details of his backstory don’t change all that much between the two versions of the story, the anime offers more insight into the abilities that accompany being an Ackerman — and Levi’s family history in general.
No Regrets, a spin-off manga of the original series, also chronicles Levi’s early adulthood, giving fans a better idea of how he wound up in the Scouts Regiment in the first place.
3 Better In The Anime: Erwin's Final Charge
During the mission to retake the Shiganshina District and uncover what Eren's father was keeping in their family’s basement, the Scout Regiment becomes trapped between the city's walls and the Beast Titan. All out of options, Commander Erwin makes the decision to lead one last charge against the Beast Titan — distracting him while Levi sneaks up on him from behind.
This last stand for the Scouts is epic in the manga, but the anime interpretation of it is so heartfelt and emotional, it’s difficult to even compare the two. The anime interpretation shines because of its stellar graphics and voice acting, and those components are what makes it so much better than the manga.
2 Better In The Manga: The Explanation Of Grisha's Past
Grisha’s history opens up the world of Attack on Titan, introducing fans to the conflict between Eldia and Marley and revealing the truth behind the existence of the Titans.
These additions to the world make for a far more complex and interesting story, but they also give fans plenty to unpack. It’s far easier to read the explanations of the two civilizations in the manga, and it allows fans to process the conflict between the two groups more thoroughly.
1 Better In The Anime: The Flashbacks To Grisha's Past
While the Attack on Titan manga might do a better job of explaining Grisha's history, the anime certainly keeps the flashbacks more interesting. Being thrown into the past is jarring as it is, but readers and viewers may find it difficult to connect to Grisha and his comrades during his flashbacks in the manga, especially since they're characters we haven't really gotten to know.
Seeing and hearing the horrors Grisha experiences in the anime, however, makes it almost impossible to look away from. If his experiences don’t evoke empathy while they’re playing out onscreen, nothing will.