After what seemed forever regarding the last part of the series, one of the foremost epics in the world of anime, “Attack on Titan” concluded its “trip”, which actually started back in 2013, in a way that is both impressive and somewhat disappointing. Let us take things from the beginning though.
Watch This Title on Crunchyroll
by clicking on the image below
After the last season brought the whole story into perspective, and particularly the fact that the events of the present are parts of a millennium long history, the set is prepared for an all out battle involving every character that has survived so far. As such, the Rumbling, directed by Eren, aims at destroying all humanity outside the Paradise Island, with the Colossal Titans killing countless people, including Ramzi and his brother and Grisha's parents, and destroying civilizations all over the world. Meanwhile, the ship carrying the scouts and warriors arrive at Odiha. Thinking her father is already dead, Annie decides to stay behind on the ship with Gabi, Falco, Yelena, and the Azumabito, while the remaining warriors, scouts, and Onyankopon take the flying boat to stop Eren and the Beast Titan.
As mentioned in the review of the previous part of the season, the story has truly gone off the rails, becoming rather convoluted but most of all, not meeting the expectations the initial seasons “provided” to the audience of the series. This approach becomes even more annoying with an almost desperate effort to make Eren appear as a good guy, despite his genocidal plans, both by hinting that his plan may aim at something else, and by also having the rest of the characters, the ‘good guys' mentioning how much butchering they have done in their own stead.
Check also this interview
On the other hand, the inclusion of the parents of some of the protagonists and the regret they feel for setting their kids on a path of revenge, is quite appealing to watch, and along with the fact that you never know who of the protagonists will end up dead, considering how many of them died in the past, carries the season, at least in contextual terms. The somewhat realistic ending regarding the end of war also moves into the same direction, while providing an ending that even if not that satisfying, definitely offers some closure.
The action, however, is as impressive as it always was, with the fact that some additional main characters do die once more, adding a very appealing sense of drama to the whole thing. The animation by MAPPA definitely thrives on the speed of the characters during the battles, both heroes and villains, with the appearance of a new form of titans also working well in that regard. The same applies to the existence of the huge one, who actually provides the setting for most of the battles, while the flying titan adds yet another level to the action, similar to air combat. The continuous sacrifice of Reiner is also excellently portrayed, with him looking more and more rugged as the battles continue, while the movement of the Scouts is as impressive as ever.
Tomohiro Kishi and Akihito Sudo's character design is also on a very high level, with the details on both humans and Titans being rather high, and the majority of the characters differing significantly from each other (definitely more than the previous entry in the season), with the same applying to the non-protagonists. The white titans on the other hand seem a bit lazy in their depiction, with the fact that they are fodder being quite evident from the get go. The backgrounds are impressive on occasion, both in drawing and coloring, with this aspect actually finding its apogee in the aftermath of the battle.
“Attack on Titan Final Season The Final Chapters” is a very good title, impressive on a number of levels. At the same time, however, one can only feel disappointment by the turn the series got in its last part, with the finale definitely not being deserving of the masterful first seasons.
