Considered to be one of the best anime series, and, in most respects, one of the greatest television series of all time,Attack on Titancaptivated audiences through its deeply complex characters, masterful storytelling, stellar pacing, and magical animation quality. Upon hitting television screens in 2013, the world became enamored with the world of Eren Yeager (Yūki Kaji&Bryce Papenbrook) and the Titans. The show would go on to receive numerous accolades and became the highest-streamed anime on Funimation just one year after its release.
With the finale recently released on November 4th, 2023, many have been looking back at the series, reliving the best moments and rewatching their favorite episodes.The five-season run brought joy to the eyes of millions and became a show that would go on to help define this era of animewhile also setting a huge standard for the quality of the anime released around it.
Attack On Titan
20"Retrospective" (Season 4, Episode 27)
IMDb Rating: 9.5/10
With Reiner (Yoshimasa Hosoya&Robert McCollum) and Annie (Yu Shimamura&Lauren Landa) on the field in their Titan forms, the team has to fight off Floch (Kensho Ono&Matt Shipman) and his Yaegerists as they try to stop the protagonists while they wait for the flying boat to be serviced. This conflict managed to bring in a huge development and also some of the absolute best fight sequences in the entire season and potentially some of the best in the entire series.
In a time of need, Falco (Natsuki Hanae&Bryson Baugus) turns into the Jaw Titan, which initiates anaction sequence with Floch that may be one of the most well-animated in the show.Not to mention, Mikasa’s (Yui Ishikawa&Trina Nishimura) rage is unleashed against the Yeagerists and reminds the viewers that not even the Titans can match up to her ruthlessness.
19"Sole Salvation" (Season 4, Episode 15)
Ever since his introduction in Season 3 (in his human form), audiences had a lot of questions about Zeke Yeager (Daiki Yamashita&Ernesto Jason Liebrecht) and who he was and what he had planned. They’re given some hints and tidbits of information throughout the episodes, but it was inAttack on TitanSeason 4, Episode 15, “Sole Salvation” that they got the information they sought.
The entry in Season 4 acts as a major flashback into Zeke’s past to provide the full story of the long-lost Yeager brother. This provided the audience with a ton of insight regarding his motives and the entire plot surrounding him as the season moved further into its final act.
18"Children of the Forest" (Season 4, Episode 13)
Zeke’s plans are coming to fruition as Floch’s Yeagerists begin to truly take action and, due to this, things begin to go majorly awry. But this is not the reason thatAttack on TitanSeason 4, Episode 13, “Children of the Forest,” is so notorious and remembered. The fanbase and audience remember it for a far different reason.
It’s in this episode that Eren finally gets to interact with Mikasa and Armin (Marina Inoue&Jessie James Grelle) after quite some time, and it did not turn out the way many had hoped. This was no happy reunion and showed a lot of Eren’s true colors (or so many had thought (still up for debate)).The old hero would go on to absolutely insult Mikasa and get into a fistfight with Armin,insulting him, as well. It washeartbreaking for fans of the seriesto watch and went down in the show’s history as a major turning point in people’s opinions of Eren.
17"The Other Side of the Wall" (Season 3, Episode 22)
The truth behind everything is finally made public and the consequences are felt for better and for worse. But most importantly, the Scouts finally get the chance they’ve been seeking for three seasons: to venture beyond the walls and see what is truly out there. The Scouts finally make it and, for the first time, see the ocean.
While most of them are happy and have a joyful time playing in the water and discovering things like shells,Eren is too caught up looking towards the horizon. Not yet satisfied with the work they’ve all done, he’s ready to face the rest of their enemies out in the world. It’s here that Armin truly sees how different he and his best friend have become over the years. It’s a bittersweet moment and the perfect way to cap off Season 3.
16"Close Combat" (Season 2, Episode 7)
IMDb Rating: 9.6/10
Thefights inAttack on Titanhave always been some of the best parts of the show and if there’s an episode that’s fully focused around Titan-on-Titan combat, it’sAttack on TitanSeason 2, Episode 7, “Close Combat.” Both Eren and the entire Scout Regiment get to take on Reiner and Bertholdt (Tomohisa Hashizume&David Matranga) one-on-one in their Armored and Colossal Titan forms.
Eren gets a chance to really take on the Armored Titan again while the Scouts attempt to take down the Colossal.This fight gives Eren the chance to show off some of the fighting moveshe learned from Annie back in the first season and surprises Reiner. Meanwhile, the Scouts really struggle to take on the Colossal with his deadly steam abilities.
15"The Dawn of Humanity" (Season 4, Episode 28)
Mikasa fondly recalls traveling to Marley for the first time and interacting with her friends and refugees. However, she quickly remembers Eren’s plan to follow Zeke and wishes things could have been different. Eren is also remembering how things were and the events that led him to this point. How he would use the rumbling to wipe out the rest of the world. The episode ends with Eren arriving on the shores of Marley.
A pivotal episode that goes into greater detail about Zeke’s euthanasia planand Eren’s secret plan to divert and destroy the people of Marley. In the last episode before the final chapter, fans were in anticipation to see if Eren’s plan would come to fruition.
14"Attack Titan" (Season 3, Episode 21)
In a flashback, Grisha Jaeger is distraught over the loss of his family. However, his friend, Eren Kruger, convinces him to take up the mantle of the Founding Titan from the king who refuses to use the power to protect the people within the walls. In the present, the team discusses becoming more secluded, that the people outside the walls do not trust the subjects of Ymir. Eren realizes he is not a descendant of loyal blood but can still control the Founding Titan.He remembers being touched by the titan form of Dina Fritz, giving him the ability to control the Founding Titan.
So much information is given about the Titans and Eren’s connection to the Founding Titan in this episode, making it an important one. This episode is where the story begins to shift and fans, and Eren, are taken by surprise by learning how all paths interconnect in the story of his father. In this episode, the series starts to become more complex and branches off into a wider view of the world of Titans.
13"Scream" (Season 2, Episode 12)
IMDb Rating: 9.7/10
The smiling titan swallowed Hannes, and Erin unleashed a scream that somehow caused the other Titans to swarm the smiling titan and tear it apart. Erin watches as the Titans devour his fellow scouts, desperately trying to use his newfound powers. Ymir leaves the scouts and retreats with the warriors into the woods.
The importance of the episode comes at the very end, as the camera pans over Shinganshina, a man wearing glasses emerges from the beast titan. It’s the first time we glimpse the person who controls the Beast Titan. Theepisode ends on a cliffhangerwith the reveal, making it one of the most exciting.
12"Memories of the Future" (Season 4, Episode 20)
IMDb Rating: 9.8/10
In hopes to show him he’s been brainwashed, Zeke takes Eren through their father, Grisha’s memories. This episode takes the cake for being one of the most intelligently written episodes of the entire series, with the big twist of the episode revealing that Eren was in Grisha’s head manipulating him into killing the Reiss family and taking the Founding Titan.
The reveal of the episode caused fans to take the internet by storm and sparked trends and memes that only uplifted the episode even more in many people’s eyes. The big twist of the episode ties the entire series together in a tight knot that genuinely enhances the writing of the past seasons looking back, asthe creator of the series, Hajime Isayama, had the series planned out from the very beginning. This aided in making the journey of watching the series up until now and rewatching feel so much more rewarding.
11"Two Brothers" (Season 4, Episode 19)
Eren’s Attack Titan and Zeke’s Beast Titan struggle to get to each other as the rest of the world fights against them, and Colt pleads with Zeke not to use his titan roar to save Falco. Zeke decides to use it anyway, transforming the soldiers of the city into titans. The pacing of this episode is done very well, consistently offering new developments that keep it moving fast and hard-hitting, which makes each new development feel more impactful than the last.
The episode’s pacing slows down significantly once Eren and Zeke end up with Ymir in Paths, which gives the audience breathing room after the insane sequence of events that came about in the real world.This aids the final reveal of the episode to hit the hardest,giving it a decent time to be built up.
