The fourth and final season of Attack On Titan is nearly upon us. The hit anime series will be ending more than seven years after premiering in 2013. Having received widespread acclaim, Attack On Titan has transcended the anime genre to become of the most captivating shows on television during its era. Here are the best reasons to binge the series in time for the fourth season.
The Stakes Are Colossal
Attack On Titan is set in a society where humans live in a walled-in nation to protect themselves from giant, man-eating titans on the outside. These titans do nothing but devour humans and appear to be naturally drawn to them somehow. In the first episode, the outermost wall is breached, jeopardizing all of humanity. In every second of the series afterward, the stakes could not be higher. At any moment the scales can turn for either side, raising the intensity of every battle. With every victory and defeat for the show’s main characters, you feel the lasting impact that affects those that go unseen. It’s more than people pitted against the titans, it’s a fight for the survival of the human race.
There’s a Whole World to Explore
Attack On Titan utilizes a very unique method of world-building. Starting out in the small cities on the outer portion of the walled-in nation, the series gradually makes its way towards the central districts. There are three massive walls that form the skeletal structure of the land: Wall Maria, Wall Rose, and Wall Sina. Nestled between each wall are a large number of districts, villages, and fortresses; however, after the initial titan attack, Wall Maria’s residents were evacuated and it became a wild area for titans. There is much about their world that the characters are unaware of, and the series keeps the same information from the viewer, though sometimes providing vague hints via foreshadowing and flashbacks. This allows Attack On Titan to reveal the world and its history to both the viewer and characters simultaneously.
It Will Scare You Silly
Attack On Titan is far from a children’s anime. Though they look silly at first glance, the titans are some of the most terrifying monsters in modern pop culture. They wander mindlessly like zombies seeking flesh for no nutritional purposes. They don’t digest the humans they eat, they merely regurgitate them. The horror the titans are capable of isn’t fully discernable until they have someone in their grasp. The only thing more disturbing than watching a smiling titan bring a panicked human towards its mouth are the final words that most doomed characters shout out before being eaten. On the other hand, the people in the walls are more than capable of their own heinousness. There are many human villains who often show similar sentiments towards human life as the titans. The constant unease created by the show is done to keep viewers emotionally attached rather than celebrate bloodlust. Simply put, Attack On Titan sugarcoats nothing about its grueling and gruesome world. And make no mistake, there are many scenes that haunt you long after you’ve seen them.
You Never Know What to Expect
As mentioned earlier, there is much about the world of Attack On Titan that is hidden from both the characters and the viewer. From the first episode and the attack of the Colossal Titan, the series is shrouded in mystery. While the beginning is rather straightforward, the show builds more intrigue as it progresses. Eventually, the true nature of human and titan society are revealed, along with how they correlate to one another. Filled with inexplicable phenomena and cryptic flashbacks, Attack On Titan grows so much between seasons that Season 1 and Season 3 seem almost entirely different. Twists and turns abound and reward attentive viewers who can catch hints and clues. The more questions that arise, the more you will want to watch in search of the answers.
The Characters
Like any great show, Attack On Titan is buoyed by its cast. The anime features a wide ensemble of characters across various roles, personalities, and backgrounds. While Eren Jaeger may be the true protagonist, nearly every character holds an equal amount of weight in the story. Whether you are a fan of stone-cold badasses like Mikasa or Captain Levi, the comic relief of Hange and Sasha, or an arc of retribution like Armin’s, there is a character for everyone’s taste. New characters are introduced every few episodes, which means there are also plenty of deaths and downfalls. Each character has a unique purpose to the story, even if their destiny is to become titan fodder. Some will make you laugh, a few will infuriate you, and others will make you cry, but that is the strength of great characters: they make you feel something.
