As divisive as the conclusion to Hajime Isayama's fantasy-horror epic may have been earlier last year, it is hard to deny the impact the decade-long series has had on audiences globally. Filled with emotional highs, gut-wrenching plot twists, and for some, the occasional disappointing low, Attack on Titan has seen its characters struggle and survive through countless battles and hardships, all in the name of so-called freedom.
From daddy issues to comrade betrayals to man-eating giants, Attack on Titan's Survey Corps have seen it all. With the highly anticipated second half of the Final Season fast approaching, it seemed like the perfect time to put together a definitive ranking of Attack on Titan's story arcs...
(Obviously, there are many spoilers below for the entirety of the Attack on Titan manga)
10) The 104th Training Corps Arc
Attack on Titan's original publication saw a jarring time-skip between Eren Yeager's childhood origins straight into the cadet's first taste of gory action during the Battle for Trost. Meaning, unlike in the anime, which chose to depict events more chronologically, the 104th Training Corps Arc was not realised until after many-a-life had been lost, and Eren's Titan Shifter persona already revealed.
As a new and unknown mangaka in the first decade of the 2000s, Hajime Isayama was no doubt under great pressure to sell his story as fast as possible. It is understandable therefore, why his editing team would choose to save the gently-paced teenage shenanigans of the 104th Training Corps Arc until after the series has cemented its bloodthirsty reputation.
By getting to know Attack on Titan's cast of supporting characters- many of which were quick fan-favourites and would later become leads in their own right- the stakes of the subsequent Battle of Trost became all-the-more real. The dynamics between Eren, Mikasa and Armin with the rest of the 104th are all unique and interesting in their own right. And while only brief (a mere two episodes of the anime, and half of the manga's 4th volume), the lasting impact that the training years had on Attack on Titan's core characters remains indisputable.
The bonds forged, loves found, and seeds of foreshadowing planted throughout the Arc stuck with readers all the way to the manga's conclusion. However, when compared to that of Studio Wit's adaptation, the 104th Training Corps Arc is indeed one of the few areas where the anime surpasses that of Isayama's original story material.
9) The Fall of Shinganshina Arc
The shortest of Attack on Titan's official Arcs, The Fall of Shinganshina marked the grand-scale, iconic opening of the horror series. The image of the Colossal Titan appearing over the Wall of Shinganshina District quickly became the most recognisable iconography of the franchise; generated into memes and referenced by countless fellow anime IPs, commercials, and even an episode of The Simpsons.
The destruction of Eren, Mikasa and Armin's humble hometown became the driving force behind our protagonist's thirst for revenge, and the location itself would be one frequently returned to in some of the series' most memorable moments.
Witnessing the shocking death of his mother at the hands of a titan, which would- in typical literary tragedy fashion- later be revealed as his father's first wife, became a bleak motif of Attack on Titan's unapologetically cruel world. And while the manga did an impeccable job of cementing its macabre tone through Isayama's unsettling horror imagery, the anime only elevated this to new heights thanks to Hiroyuki Sawano's iconic score.
Attack on Titan's opening episode- To You, In 2000 Years- is regarded by many as one of the best opening anime episodes of all time, and for good reason. Isayama's thrusting of audiences straight into the dark reality of his world, faced with literally colossal odds stacked against our heroes, has understandably left its mark on anyone familiar with the franchise.
8) The War for Paradis Arc (Part 2)
Attack on Titan's conclusion is one which has divided many-a-fan worse than marmite or the pronunciation of scone ever has. Some love it, some hate it, and yes, others fall somewhere in-between. Personally, Attack on Titan's conclusion felt for the most part satisfactory, and while some narrative threads (particularly those included in the additional pages of Attack on Titan's 34th volume) have left one with more questions than answers, the conclusion to the journeys of Isayama's core characters felt honest, and the fate of his broken world rightful still uncertain, though with a flicker of hope still bruning bright.
While officially regarded as one Arc, Attack on Titan's epic finale is long enough that it can and has been divided into two parts by the anime series' second leads, Studio MAPPA. Considering Attack on Titan's grand scale and universal success, it seemed only fitting that the franchise should draw out its final Arc into two parts, not unlike that of fellow popular titles such as the Avengers Infinity War saga or Harry Potter series. (Word on the grape vine also suggests the possibility of a finale feature-length film, though this currently remains unconfirmed...)
However, while Attack on Titan's anime adaptation chose to conclude the first half of its final season as the opposing nation of Marley launched its counterattack against the island of Paradis, I would personally mark chapter122 (also titled To You, In 2000 Years) as the worthy conclusion to its Part 1.
Following Eren and his half-brother Zeke's exploration of their father's memories after Zeke's royal blood makes contact with the Founding Titan, there is a sudden time skip made some four years prior in the manga's following chapter, Island Devils. Chapter 123 sees the Survey Corps on their reconnaissance mission of Marley alongside delegates of their neighbouring alley, Hizaru. It is during this mission that we see Eren Yeager truly loose hope in any sort of ceasefire, making peace with himself that he must go through with dreaded the Rumbling he had earlier foreseen.
As Eren pursues the Rumbling, murdering millions and flattening civilisations with an army of colossal-sized titans that has once made up Paradis' Walls, we see the Survey Corps all hit their own version of rock-bottom. Emotionally and physically scarred, and lacking almost all hope, the likes of Jean, Connie, and Hanji in particular all go through their own brilliantly written moment of realisation to keep on fighting. Part 2 of the War of Paradis Arc offers readers some of the most emotionally complex chapters of the entire franchise, testing ones own belief in hope of a peaceful future, and questioning the very morals which Attack on Titan's cast of "heroes" have followed up until this point.
The so-called Alliance, made up of all of Attack on Titan's remaining leads is a brilliantly dynamic collection of characters, all with their own beliefs and complex histories, all uniting with one common goal of saving the world. The Alliance embody the very dream of unity that Attack on Titan strives towards. And while some criticise the War of Paradis for largely abandoning its focus on Eren, witnessing the concluding events of the series through the eyes of these veterans is perfectly fitting.
The War of Paradis Part 2 sees an battle 10x the scale of anything the characters had previously faced, with the clash between the endless barrage of Ymir Fritz's Titans of the Past offering some of the most complex and impressive of Hajime Isayama's illustrations.
It is a grand event that could be summarised in an article of its own (and is something I reviewed chronologically as the final chapters of the manga were initially released). And yet, for all its heartbreak, reconciliation, and the scale of its action set-pieces, The War of Paradis remains an Arc that has caused such vocal division between fans it even spawned a petition for the series' ending to be rewritten.
The controversy surrounding the final Arc's more convoluted plot-points and last-minute twists and turns are hard to ignore. And while it may indeed be epic in scale, for all the things the War of Paradis Part 2 does right, there is plenty that has left a sour taste in the mouths of many.
7) The Return to Shinganshina Arc
Given its position as a favourite amongst many fans, this this is no doubt a controversial opinion. However, personally the Return to Shinganshina Arc falls into a similar trap to that of the series' final chapters, plagued by some convoluted storytelling that draws away from the vital stakes Attack on Titan was perviously known for.
Armed with Eren Yeager's newly perfected ability to harden his titan skin, the Survey Corps embark on their mission back to where it all began, hoping to plug the hole made in Shinganshina District and making it habitable for humanity once again.
Unsurprisingly upon their arrival however, Eren and co are met by their once-comrades Reiner and Bertolt, alongside the mysterious Beast Titan. The Warriors put up one hell of a fight, taking on the Survey Corps on multiple fronts, leading to a great loss of life and leaving the heroes faced with a seemingly impossible decision to make in the Arc's climax.
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Affectionally dubbed the SerumBowl, Midnight Sun (Chapter 84, Season 3 episode 18) is one of Attack on Titan's most beloved episodes. Undeniably it is also one of the series' strongest- both narratively and visually- offering some of Studio Wit's strongest animation as well as particularly powerful voice performances from the series' core cast.
The conflict between offering the single dose of life-saving titan serum to either of Attack on Titan's smartest characters is one that endures amongst fans to this day, with Commander Erwin Smith's death marking one of the most tragic and memorable moments of the series.
The stakes of a brawl between Eren and Mikasa and Captain Levi are all-too-real, with each party offering valuable rebuttals as to why either Armin or Erwin deserve to live, as well as some undeniably personal desires which makes the conflict all the more heartbreaking. However, as strong as the clash between these characters is, Midnight Sun does not entirely make up for the areas in which the Return to Shinganshina Arc falls short.
In particular, the Arc saw the character of Reiner given a rather distracting amount of plot armour (no pun intended). It became increasingly obvious as the Return to Shinganshina Arc progressed that Reiner was not only a personal favourite of Isayama's, but also that he still had big plans for his character in the narrative, securing his survival. Reiner's multiple brushes with death throughout the Arc- including having his neck sliced open and his head literally partly decapitated- unfortunately meant that any similar sort of violence throughout the rest of the series seemed to lack the same sort of urgency that it once did.
Character's became almost indestructible in the Return to Shinganshina Arc, and what had at a time been a series likened to (the once beloved) Game of Thrones franchise for its unforgiving attitude towards the mortality of its characters, sadly lost its edge.
However, while there are faults to be found with the Return to Shinganshina Arc, it also harbours a heavy importance unlike that of any other. It opened Attack on Titan up on a new, previously unimagined scale, which saw the reality of the world Isayama had made flipped on its head. A plethora of secrets were spilled, and the scale of the threat revealed to the Survey Corps made even man-eating giants seem like child's play...
6) The Marley Arc
There was a time when Eren and his best friend Armin's dream of seeing the ocean seemed like Attack on Titan's endgame. But what happens after you have reached your goal, are your truly "free" then? For Eren, reaching the ocean was only start of his battle.
With the truths of the outside world revealed to the Survey Corps through the journals of Eren's father Grisha Yeager, the scale of Attack on Titan shifted from the claustrophobic world within the Walls, to war on a global scale between opposing military powers more technological advanced than the island of Paradis could ever dream.
Correlations between Paradis' enemy nation, Marley, and their barbaric treatment of Eldian people (those who are decedents of the first titan, Ymir Fritz) have frequently been likened to the Nazi's genocide of Jews during World War Two. And this, alongside many further historical influences,
remains at the forefront of Attack on Titan's Marley Arc.
Taking place 4 years following the battle in Shinganshina, the Marley Arc sees Eldian Warrior Reiner Braun as its protagonist, and introduces a whole new cast of characters, all seemingly on the opposing side of the Great Titan War. It was a bold move on Isayama's part, shifting focus from the characters fans had known and come to love for years and bringing a whole host of new faces into the mix. However he succeeded, and not only were Marley's new characters all strong figures in their own right, but the Arc itself was a well-paced and engaging look at the new outside world and the rules that governed it.
The Marley Arc opens quite literally on the battlefield at the climax of a 4-year long conflict between Marley and the opposing Mid-East Allied forces. The action that follows is quite unlike the medieval methods Attack on Titan had previously been known for, bringing the series into a new age of warfare that included air ships, tanks, and Titan Shifters used as tactile weapons of mass destruction.
Reiner is a strong enough protagonist to carry the Arc, with is guilt-ridden PTSD over the war crimes he committed against Paradis a dark and constant cloud that follows him. Yet, the characters who really shine throughout the Marley Arc are the young Warrior cadets, whose youthful spark and determination are a great mirror image of the childhood innocence similarly lost by Eren and his friends in the series’ earliest chapters.
The Marley Arc concludes with some of the most suspenseful sequences of the series, with the Declaration of War being a particularly stand-out scene worthy of its popularity. Moreover, the Arc also saw the demise of beloved character Sasha Blouse, whose death very much set the macabre tone of Attack on Titan’s following final Arc.
5) The Battle of Trost District Arc
The first real fight the 104th cadets faced took place right before their military graduation, seeing the Walls plummeted into chaos when the Colossal Titan appeared and punctured a hole into the city of Trost.
Filled with teenage arrogance and thirsty for titan blood, protagonist Eren Yeager flung himself head-first into the battle, resulting in a sudden and shocking "death". Eren's gory encounter with a titan in Trost District was indeed one of the stand-out moments not only the early stages of the manga, but for the anime series as well, with the unexpected plot twist becoming a hook for many fans to fully invest themselves in the series.
The break-neck pace of the Battle of Trost Arc- from Eren's death and eventual titan reincarnation to Mikasa's grim memories of her parent's murder- completely elevated Isayama's manga from a typical shōnen into a layered and original story filled with complex, memorable characters.
Stand-out moments of the Arc include the 104th cadets' risky plan to use shotguns to defeat a hoard of titans trapped inside their supply warehouse, Mikasa's rallying speech to her comrades, and Eren's harnessing of his titan power to plug the whole in the Wall; birthing one of the franchises' most iconic lines: "Tatakae" or, quite simply, "fight!"
While comparatively small in scale compared to the later battles to come, the assault on Trost was and remains one of the heaviest hitting of Attack on Titan's arcs. Its stakes are high and its action consistently strong. The attention made to developing characters such as Jean Kirstein and Connie Springer, who would latter blossom into narrative leads themselves, made for a gripping read where it felt as though the lives of characters were constantly in the balance. After all, if Eren Yeager could be "killed", so could anyone else.
4) The Clash of the Titans Arc
Another favourite amongst fans, the Clash of the Titans Arc took betrayal to a whole new level when it was revealed that close companions of Eren and co, Reiner and Bertolt, were actually the Armoured and Colossal titans.
The focus of Attack on Titan's second season- a hype four years in the making- the Clash of the Titans Arc took Attack on Titan's popularity to the next level, with Linked Horizon's opening theme for the season (Shinzo wo Sasageyo) becoming something of a national anthem amongst anime fans.
It is for good reason the Arc holds a tender spot in the hearts of many. Its action is as plentiful and diverse as its world building and expert foreshadowing. And while many remember the Clash of the Titans Arc for Reiner and Bertolt's reveal or the epic titan chase sequence, it is truly at its strongest in the most gentle of moments.
Flashbacks exploring the relationship between the characters of Historia and Ymir (who both had enough history of their own to fill an entire Arc), as well as the intense confrontation between a Eren and his once-friend Reiner (suffering greatly from Dissociative Identity Disorder) are two examples of just how clever Isayama's writing could be. Isayama's hints of the world beyond the Walls are plentiful throughout the Arc, making for particularly great re-read/watchability. And Eren's climactic harnessing of the Founding Titan would only further add to the intrigue, hinting of larger stakes to come and a truth unfathomable for characters and audiences alike.
3) The War for Paradis Arc (Part 1)
Filled with political intrigue, regret and mourning, and the slow building tension that set the stage to what would become Attack on Titan's final conflict, Part 1 of the War for Paradis Arc is unlike any of its predecessors. Shifting the focus from Marley back to the island, the War of Paradis shows us not only how much Attack on Titan's world has grown, but how its characters have along with it.
The Survey Corps are not the same people they were 4 years ago, hardened by their new-found knowledge of the outside world and their place as a globally oppressed ethnic group. The Arc opens right on the tail-end of the Marley siege, with the core cast
of characters mourning the loss of Sasha, and struggling to comprehend Eren's actions, who parted way with the Corps to take matters of war into his own hands. Even more shockingly, Paradis forms a pseudo-allegiance with their once-enemy Zeke Yeager, though keep him and his Anti-Marleyan volunteers at arms length.
The Arc's core themes revolve around trust and the questioning of ones beliefs. Who is on the right side of this war? Can anyone really be blamed for the crimes of their ancestors? Will the fighting, the prejudice and the hate ever truly end? Warrior cadet Gabi questions the propaganda instilled in her by Marley, and the blind hatred she holds for the Subjects of Ymir on Paradis. Levi questions his last promise to Erwin, unsure whether or not killing Zeke will offer him peace. Mikasa questions her relationship with Eren, and whether her love for him could have ever been enough to stop his warpath.
Hajime Isayama makes sure readers are never entirely certain of who they can trust throughout the War of Paradis Arc. And while it lacks some of the heavy action Attack on Titan is known for, Part 1 offers more nail-biting tension and shocking reveals in the build up to the Rumbling than any of Isayama's other narrative threads.
2) The Royal Government Arc
Originally referred to as the Uprising, Attack on Titan's Royal Government Arc took a huge departure from the usual giant-slaying antics of the series to tell a much more human and political story. Loved by some fans and hated by others, the Royal Government Arc saw Levi's Squad become fugitives on the run from the corrupt Paradisian government as they plotted a coup d'état to overthrow the faux king.
Rather than battling man-eating titans, the Survey Corps threat became very much human, and challenged the morality of our heroes by having them spill the blood of their own people (ironically a dilemma they already faced, albeit unaware). The Royal Government Arc spreads is focus across multiple fronts: exploring the complex pasts of both future queen Historia Reiss and Survey Corps veteran Captain Levi, while Commander Erwin Smith faces being hung, drawn and quartered for conspiring against his government, and Eren battles with the burden his father bestowed upon him, loosing faith in his ability to fight.
However, compared to the rest of Attack on Titan's anime adaptation thus-far, the Royal Government Arc saw some major changes when it was put to screen; most of which where not for the best, with major aspects of the narrative diluted or cut out entirely. And while Isayama himself may have been at the forefront when it came to suggesting rewrites in the anime's screenplay, personally these attempts to "deliver a more concise narrative" were unnecessary, and resultantly stripped away at some of the strong character development the Arc was favoured by fans for.
Yet, in spite of the changes the anime made to the Royal Government Arc, the bones of its story remained true. And coupled by some of the series' strongest animation to-date, Attack on Titan succeeded once again in subverting the expectations of what a shōnen franchise was capable of. Not only did the Arc introduce Attack on Titan's most vibrant antagonist in the form of gun-slinger Kenny Ackerman, but it also explored the emotions and mental fortitude of its characters in a way that would be felt for years to come.
Attack on Titan was always at its best when it took risks with its storytelling, and that is precisely what the Royal Government Arc did.
1) The Female Titan Arc
The Survey Corps have forever been the beating heart of Attack on Titan, with dedicating ones life for a hopeful future for generations to come the creed that followed its characters from beginning to end. No other storyline better encapsulates the struggle and strive to reach this goal than the Female Titan Arc.
The storyline encapsulates everything that is great about Attack on Titan; the unique action, the heartbreak, the betrayal, and intrigue for the unknown. In his first expedition as a fully fledged solider, and the new hope for humanity within the Walls, Eren comes to terms with his power and the responsibility he holds throughout the Female Titan Arc.
Annie is a brilliant antagonistic figure, both sympathetic and brutal, and relatable and mysterious enough to keep audiences on the edge of their seats. The dynamic between characters- both established and new- from the tactical minds of Armin and Jean to Eren's admiration and camaraderie with Levi's Squad of expert titan-killers is enthralling from start to finish.
The Arc includes some of Isayama's best and most well-disguised foreshadowing, making looking back on these earlier days a consistently exciting experience. The anime adaptation of the Female Titan Arc is as strong as- if not more so- than Isayama's original manga, hosting what is frankly an unforgettable score and perhaps the franchises' best (though under-appreciated) opening title sequence.
While this is no doubt an opinion shared by many, my viewpoint may still be somewhat biased, because ultimately it was the Female Titan Arc that made me fall in love with Attack on Titan. However, for this very reason it is worth asking why? With a narrative that is as consistently strong in its action, its mystery and its heart, the Female Titan Arc resonates with audiences so strongly because it never tries to be too grand or unbelievable. It doesn't fall back on any conveniences or contrived plot developments. It solely relies on the brains, the brawn, and the hope its characters have for a better future.
The Female Titan Arc opened the door just enough for fans to peak inside, and witness the boundless potential Attack on Titan held to enthral millions.