After the intense journey alongside its characters, the anime series “Attack on Titan” has finally reached its climactic final season, showcasing the conclusion of one of the most critically acclaimed series of the decade. Over the course of seven years, “Attack on Titan” has successfully remained consistent in improving and further developing its plot to create the unique intricate story it is now so well known for. From its creative plot to the complex characters, there are many elements that factor into making “Attack on Titan” one of the greatest shows of all time.

This anime series about humanity’s survival against man-eating titans that roam the lands has been one of the most beloved anime series ever since its release back on April 7, 2013. This anime implements many elements of action, horror, and mystery to combine them into a perfect blend of genres.

 The series starts with arguably one of the most attention-grabbing beginnings in all of anime, as we are directly thrown into the cruel world that many of these characters have to live in. In a world where humanity is on the brink of extinction, mankind is forced to keep themselves alive by isolating inside districts surrounded by walls.

 The setting of “Attack on Titan” impacts many people’s lives, such as that of the protagonist, Eren Jaeger, whose motive from the beginning is to obtain freedom outside of those walls. These motives drastically develop as Eren loses one of his family members by a titan before his eyes. This traumatic experience sets the tone for the entire series, as Eren Jaeger vows to bring freedom to humanity by exterminating the titans that have disrupted humankind for over a hundred years. 

It is quite clear that “Attack on Titan” has one of the most unique and creative plots developed during the last decade. The situation that the characters have to live through has never been seen before “Attack on Titan” came along. What’s left of humanity eventually settles to create a new country with many real-world elements, such as class systems, which include royalty, and military divisions. The Scout Regiment, the Garrison Regiment and the Military Police Regiment all contribute to the society they live in, with the Scout Regiment the most important to the plot, as it is responsible for many outside exploration missions and titan studying.  

Many of these societal functions make the story of “Attack on Titan” stick out as believable and creative, but the complex characters of the series dramatically impact the plot. Despite the fact that this is a fictional world where humanity has to fight back against titans, the people that live in this world are written with real-life characteristics and emotions. Eren Jaeger has always been dissatisfied with the world he was born into, comparing everyone living inside the walls as cattle. Since the outside world has always been a mystery, with no official written information to educate the people inside the walls, we are introduced to characters such as Armin Arlert, who has always been fascinated with the idea of exploring the outside world. This fascination leads a young Armin to forget the illegal consequences of publicly talking about the outside world, as he shows Eren a book with supposed information from beyond the walls. 

The characters’ anger and curiosity surrounding their environment helps the viewer feel sympathy for them and their dreams. Many viewers, including myself, develop emotional connections to the characters, as we experience their journeys alongside them throughout the story. As the show progresses, we get to know many characters and their backstories as to why they are where they are, which makes them feel like real human beings.

Mysteries such as the history of the walls and the existence of titans drive the plot throughout the series, as each episode leads closer to the truth. As the story progresses and events unfold, many unexpected twists occur, such as the revelation of who the antagonists really are, which completely changes what the viewer and characters think they know about the world. These events contribute to the character development of individuals such as Eren, who’s motives and personality drastically change after finding out the truth.

Now that “Attack on Titan” has reached its final season, we are taken on a journey through the perspective of different characters, making this final season feel as if it’s an entirely separate anime series. Throughout the first few episodes of the final season, we are introduced to new characters, a new setting, and a new conflict that has been created during events that have occurred in the first 3 seasons. The fresh new feeling of this season is all thanks to the brilliant way the series has been built upon over the years that have led us to the most anticipated final season of the series. 

It is safe to say with the amount of support and popularity the series has received, “Attack on Titan” is one of the best animes to have ever come out. This series is undoubtedly one of the few animes that push the boundaries on simply showing how wonderful anime can really be if an effort is put into making the story feel connected with no filler or plot holes.