Series Title: Attack on Titan

MPAA Rating: TV-MA

Release Date: Dec. 7, 2020

Rating: A

“Attack on Titan” is one of the most well-known anime in Japan and is slowly starting to become very popular in the U.S. The show has recently gained more popularity due to its climactic final season which has just finished its first part. Even with a studio change for the last season, the show has been incredible so far and has amazing potential for the second part of the final season. Almost every aspect about this season is amazing and there is very little to critique about the story and where it is going. The next part for this season has been announced to be released in the winter season of 2022, which gives the animators some time to adapt the manga to their best ability.

One of the best things about “Attack on Titan” is the complexity of the story. The first three seasons provided a simple yet fascinating story of a boy living inside massive walls who wants to kill all titans because they killed his mother. However, at the end of season three, the characters of the story find out that they are not alone and that there are people who live outside the walls. From the very beginning of this season we are introduced to many new characters who live on the outside of the walls and the viewers are able to see the differences and similarities between the people on the inside and outside of the walls. Each episode, the story and history of this world was being built upon adding layers to the story which changes the entire narrative of the show.

In the first three seasons, all of the characters believed that their enemies were the titans. However, after finding out the truth of how the people outside the walls look down upon them and send the titans to them, the characters shifted their beliefs and now see these people as their enemies instead of titans. This new season introduced many of the characters that lived outside the walls and presented in a way that resembled how the main characters of the show were introduced. This reinforces the fact that, in this show, no side is in the right or wrong and allows the viewers to pick which side they want to win.

Another thing that made this season so enjoyable to watch was the development in the characters which we have seen since season one. Between season three and four, there was a time skip of about four years which allowed for many of the characters to change their views on what is right and what is wrong. For example, many of the characters which used to be comedic relief characters have turned into elite soldiers who have to kill in order to save themselves or their comrades. This shift in characters made it very interesting to see them for the first time and made it feel as if it were a new character on screen. The character that was the most interesting to see was the main character, Eren, and how his beliefs have changed since the previous seasons.

“I really enjoyed this season so far. Every character that has been introduced is interesting to watch and see how they develop. I’m excited for what’s to come” senior Fabian Crespo said.

Eren used to be a typical anime protagonist possessing similar traits to many other main characters in other popular anime such as his perseverance through difficult challenges or his empathy and kindness towards his friends. However, after seeing the events of the future at the end of season three, his mindset and attitude completely changed. He shifted from a naive child who cared more about his friends than himself, to a cold-blooded avenger who would risk everything to get the outcome he wants. In the very first scene that he appears in this latest season, he killed thousands of innocent families in order to eliminate the military force of his enemies. In this new season, he is much more strategic, calm and powerful almost to the point where it feels like he is a different character from the first three seasons.

This season has been the best season so far. If the next part of the season is as good as this part, “Attack on Titan” could be one of the greatest shows of all time. The story is captivating, the characters are amazing, the animation is beautiful and the fight scenes are exciting to watch. Each second of this season was captivating and the cliffhanger left fans anxiously awaiting more.