This article is part of a series that discusses various aspects of Attack on Titan, there is a few other articles posted about Attack on Titan, so if this is something that interests you check them out! (Articles linked HERE and HERE)

Attack on Titan, otherwise known as Shingeki no Kyojin in Japanese or AOT, is a current media sensation and the anime community is being pulled along for Hajime Isayama’s emotional roller coaster.  

The story opens as a simple action filled anime with some very loveable characters. But as the show progresses through it’s four seasons, everything the watcher believes to be true is crushed just like a lot of our favorite characters were. 

As the final episodes air people are left wondering what is next, and it’s all a lot of people can think about. Including us editors, anime only Samantha Bell, and manga reader Belle LeDuc. Come along as we fangirl over the heart crushing anime that has a grip on the weeb (anime fans) community. Through a series of articles that cover various topics such as our favorite characters, where we stand, animators, etc. 

It is important to note that Belle LeDuc has finished reading the Manga. While these articles will include major spoilers for the show, LeDuc is not allowed to spoil the end of the series. Her input was not considered when making theories or discussing character arcs that have not been completed. 

Animators

There have been two animation companies tasked with bringing Hajime Isayama’s  vision to life: Wit Studios for seasons one-three and Mappa Co. for the final, fourth season. 

 season.  The transition has sparked controversy among the fanbase and we can’t help but compare the two studios. How do they portray our characters? Had 3D animation improved since the traumatic Reiss titan? These are important questions that must be answered. 

At the end of season three, Yeager is roughly fifteen-sixteen years old. At the beginning of season four, he is nineteen years old. Mappa animated Yeager- along with every other character- in a much more mature light. Wit and Mappa both perfectly capture his emotions and pain. Mappa does an excellent job at animating Yeager with new maturity. The biggest difference is in the eyes. Post-time skip Yeager has a new focus and sinisterness  to his gaze that wasn’t there in the earlier seasons. 

This similar change is applicable to nearly every character. Armin has finally out-grown his ridiculous bowl cut but still kept his innocent blue eyes. 

The Intros and Outros 

Attack on Titan is well known for their iconic intros. Each intro is a piece of art that works wonderfully to represent the season it plays for, hype the viewer up for the series, all paired with stunning visuals.Most season gets two openings, splitting the seasons into two halves.  Out of the seven openings, each fan will have their favorite and least favorite. They all have their strengths and weaknesses 

In last place, the worst opening is Shoukei To Shikabane No Michi otherwise known as “Path of Aspirations and Corpses” by Linked Horizion. The reason this opening is in last place is because we simply forgot it existed, which is disappointing for an AOT opening. Its visuals are very straight forward: showing clips from various moments from the show and spoiling the season for those with a close eye. Had this opening been for any other series, it would have been fine. However, this is AOT and ”fine“ is not good enough. 

The second to worst opening is Jiyuu No Tsubasa otherwise known as “Wings of Freedom” by Linked Horizion. This song is reminiscent of various national anthems from around the world. A perfect beacon of patriotism, which is ironic since this opening plays for the portion of season one that is about finding who the traitor to the walls is. Where the music falls short, the visuals pick up. This opening is filled with complex imagery that has fueled many a fan theories through the ages. 

In fifth place is The Rumbling by SiM. The latest and last of AOT openings, this song has a unique tone and style when compared to the other songs. Metal is the perfect genre of music to represent Eren’s current state of mind as well as the direction the anime is going. The video for this opening is straightforward: the rumbling. It lacks in thought-provoking and symbolistic visuals, but listeners are left quacking in their seats when they watch it. 

One of the most iconic AOT openings, Shinzou Wo Sasageyo otherwise known as “Devote your Hearts” by Linked Horizion is fourth. After 4 long years of waiting for season two, this is how fans were brought back. Who can resist devoting their hearts when the song calls for it? Who is unable to feet the excitement and sorrow this opening portrays? With beautiful visuals and iconic lyrics, this opening was the perfect way to get fans hyped up for the new era of anime. 

The third best opening is the one and only Guren no Yumiya otherwise known as “March to Freedom” by Linked Horizon. As the first opening to AOT, it holds a special place in our hearts. It plays into the horror aspects of the show wonderfully and does a great job at showing what the show as a whole is about. Ask any anime fan to name the most popular anime opening, and this one will certainly be up there. Thankfully, it only gets better from here. 

Not many anime openings are tear-provoking, but Red Swan by Yoshiki and Hyde manages to do it. Viewers of AOT often forget how heartbreaking the events are for the characters, how painful each episode is for them. We forget that these characters were once children with hopes and dreams. Red Swan’s music perfectly shows how the characters feel and how things have changed drastically for them. The visuals do not let us down. We get to see who the characters really are: young children drafted into a war they never actually wanted to be a part of. 

The best AOT opening is My War by Shinsei Kamattechan. This is the first opening that takes place after one of the biggest plot twists in anime history and it tells the viewers one thing: this isn’t the same show anymore. Debates about justice, freedom, morality, and revenge are at the forefront and this song encapsulates it all. The visuals remind viewers of imagery from WW1 and WW2 and this is the only opening where Eren is not shown in his human form. What could this mean for our beloved main character? Maybe this reveals what Eren has been all along: the real enemy.