Attack on Titan is one of the biggest anime of the last couple of decades, and its reputation is undoubtedly deserved — but while it’s a great series, there are things many fans don’t want to admit about it. The anime tends to spark heated debates, especially when it comes to certain topics. That’s probably to be expected, as Attack on Titan isn’t all that interested in moralizing or painting in black and white. The series leans into both individual- and societal-level flaws, then leaves room for fans to draw their own conclusions.
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And while some Attack on Titan opinions dominate discussions of the anime for understandable reasons, I think it’s time we admit a few harsh truths about the series. From the fact that one character doesn’t deserve so much hate to the reality that the ending could’ve been longer, it’s hard to deny there’s truth to these unpopular opinions.
5) Gabi Doesn’t Deserve All the Hate She Gets
Gabi is one of the most universally hated characters from Attack on Titan, but she doesn’t deserve all the ire. Gabi’s introduced at the beginning of Attack on Titan Season 4, which kicks off with a total perspective shift — and it’s largely the reason she gets so much flak. After Eren and the Survey Corps launch an attack on Marley, Gabi seeks revenge against the people killing her loved ones. She boards one of the Survey Corps’ airships and ends up shooting Sasha. Many viewers are stuck on the death of this fan-favorite character and use it to disregard the rest of Gabi’s arc. Gabi isn’t all that different from Eren at first, and her reaction to the Scouts’ attack is both flawed and believable. And unlike Eren, she eventually sees the error of her ways. It’s mind-boggling she’s still so divisive.
4) Jean Was Always Better for Mikasa Than Eren
Eren and Mikasa spend much of Attack on Titan skirting around their feelings for one another, and many fans fell for their romance. After all, we’re rooting for both of them at the start of the anime, and that means hoping they both get the endgame they clearly want. However, as Attack on Titan continues, it becomes increasingly obvious that Eren and Mikasa’s dynamic is fairly toxic. Her feelings border on obsessive, and he often treats her poorly (even before intentionally pushing her away). In this regard, Jean is better for Mikasa from the beginning. He presents a healthier relationship, with the pair genuinely supporting and protecting one another. She may not have feelings for him over AoT‘s run, but it’s not hard to believe she’d develop them after grieving Eren and maturing.
3) Eren’s Fate at the End of Attack on Titan Made Total Sense
Eren’s fate is a point of contention among many Attack on Titan fans, and that’s understandable. After spending multiple seasons with a protagonist, we usually want to see them grow in the right direction and maybe even get a happy ending. However, Eren’s villain turn and death make complete sense for both the anime and his character. Eren demonstrates a concerning penchant for violence and a desire for vengeance even in the series’ earliest chapters. It’s not a stretch that he’d commit such wide-scale violence after everything he sees and learns, especially if it means saving his own people. There are hints throughout Attack on Titan that Eren might end up here. And once he crosses that point of no return, there’s no other way his story can go.
2) A Bleak Ending Was Tonally Consistent & Right for the Anime
In addition to frustrations over Eren’s fate, many complaints about Attack on Titan‘s ending conclude that it’s too bleak. I’d argue anything else would be tonally inconsistent for the anime, which repeatedly shows both individuals and society making the wrong choices. At its core, Attack on Titan is a criticism of human nature and how it feeds the cycle of violence. It’s chugging straight toward its tragic conclusion from the first episode — and while there’s undoubtedly goodness in its world, it’s never enough to overcome all the hate.
1) Attack on Titan’s Final Season Needed to Be Longer (Yes, Really)
Attack on Titan Season 4 seemed to go on forever, with MAPPA announcing three parts of the final chapter. It became a running joke, and to be fair, it could’ve been broken up into separate seasons. But however you splice it, Attack on Titan‘s final outing actually needed to be longer. The final story arcs are actually some of the manga’s messiest, and there are a lot of things the anime could’ve expanded upon. From later lore issues to Attack on Titan‘s larger world, there’s a lot left on the table. And the time-travel element adds further complications; that alone would’ve warranted several more installments.
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Image Courtesy of Sony
