Today, Attack on Titan earns this title by refusing to bend to genre tropes that would slow down its immaculate pacing. This series is returning anime to the level of international fame it achieved back in the ’90s.
Attack On Titan’s Viewership Outpaces Every Other New-Generation Anime
Attack on Titan’s viewership numbers is unheard of in the world of anime. This new-generation series makes Dragon Ball’s international following look like nothing more than a smoke trail leading to Attack on Titan’s explosive release.
By setting itself in a Westernized world and playing into the dystopian zombie genre, Attack on Titan pulled in thousands of viewers that may not have ever given anime a chance.
Furthermore, Hajime Isayama mastered the plot twist and managed to make power-scale discussions more than just online gossip.
No Anime Does Plot Twists Like Attack On Titan
Attack on Titan treats plots twists differently than most anime, to great effect. While most anime series alienate new viewers by including plot twists that won’t be set up until the subsequent flashback, Attack on Titan pulls in viewers by setting up its twists and giving fans a good reason to believe in an ever-increasing power scale.
The world of Attack on Titan is realistically somber. Death is normal and people act out their insecurities more often than their strengths.
When it’s revealed that the protagonist can transform into a Titan, fans are willing to accept the twist and suspend their disbelief because it means their protagonist is still alive.
Attack On Titan Blends Dystopian Fiction With Historical War Fiction
When Attack on Titan first debuted back in 2013, it captivated fans with a fresh take on the dystopian genre of fiction. The world fans were dropped into tells the story of a people trapped behind three concentric walls, each staving off the threat of giant zombies and anarchy.
As the series progressed, it transformed into an entirely different genre of fiction. Seasons 3 and 4 opened Attack on Titan up into the world of historical war fiction.
Attack on Titan managed to master both genres while gratifying fans of action-adventure and mecha anime as well.
Titan Shifting Makes Attack On Titan A Reskinned Mecha Anime
The mecha anime genre has a long history of gratifying anime viewers. Neon Genesis Evangelion, Code Geass, and Gurren Lagann are three popular anime that fall within this genre.
Another anime that technically falls within this genre is Attack on Titan.
Though there are no literal mechas in Attack on Titan, the Titan Shifters all control their giant Titans like Asuka and Shinji from Evangelion.
When fans come to realize that Attack on Titan is an anime that could be considered action-adventure, dystopian fiction, war fiction, and mecha, it becomes clear just how brilliant this series is.
Attack On Titan’s Power System Is As Mysterious As It Is Powerful
Like the Titans that broke through the walls of Shiganshina, the power system in Attack on Titan is a complicated beast to tackle.
Isayama decided to slowly share information on the Titan’s power, making them almost impossible to make sense of until the final season.
On top of the simple yet diverse power of the nine intelligent Titans, there’s the power of modern artillery and the blood of the Ackermanns to consider when breaking down Attack on Titan’s power system.
This diversity allowed Isayama to create complex action sequences, while the simplicity of each power made it easy to keep track of.