Attack on Titan: Review of The Final Chapters Special 2

Article Key Points

The final season of Attack on Titan delivers a satisfying and action-packed conclusion to the series, with impressive animation and choreography in the battles.

The finale is enhanced by the return of animators from previous seasons, bringing a nostalgic element to the dynamic and visually impressive final fight scene. However, there are mixed reactions among fans, with some finding satisfaction in the ending while others express disappointment. The unanswered questions and lack of a definitive resolution in the narrative leave room for doubt and reflection. Overall, the ending receives a rating of 3/5.

Attention: Spoilers ahead for Attack on Titan Final Season THE FINAL CHAPTERS Special 2, currently available for streaming on Prime Video.

Concluding a narrative is no easy task, especially when it comes to ensuring the satisfaction of the vast majority of viewers. Despite having a clear vision for the conclusion, the unpredictable journey of Attack on Titan became a type of confinement for its creator, Hajime Isayama, throughout the years.

The (Honest-to-God) Final Chapter

In 2013, WIT Studio produced an adaptation of Titan under the direction of Tetsuro Araki. The TV anime received widespread acclaim and quickly became a beloved classic. Its production also set a high bar for future projects. Fast forward 10 years, and Studio MAPPA, led by director Yuuichirou Hayashi, has taken on the challenging task of continuing what WIT started. Their efforts have yielded admirable results.

The conclusion of Attack on Titan has been underway for nearly three years, and with each new installment of the "Final Season," the subtitle itself has almost become a comedic portrayal. However, this approach has probably been for the better, as it has enabled the production to uphold a consistent level of quality, considering the studio's already extensive workload.

Consequently, Part 2 begins with great momentum, immediately picking up where it left off eight months earlier, as the remaining heroes descend upon Eren's colossal Titan form. The final battle commences without much fanfare, making it a more immersive experience to watch Parts 1 and 2 together, as they help to establish the mood leading up to the conclusion. The collective fight of these characters carries a greater impact when the preceding tension is still fresh in the viewer's mind.

The battles in this series are captivating, even with the transition from WIT Studio to MAPPA. Director Hayashi has demonstrated that CGI can be effectively utilized without detracting from the overall quality. The action sequences are creative and well-choreographed, seamlessly combining 2D and 3D elements.

The characters are faced with a daunting task of finding and defeating Zeke and Eren. However, they are uncertain of their exact location within the maze of white bone. To make matters worse, a seemingly endless army of Titans, representing the previous generations of the Nine Titans, is arising from the body of the Attack Titan to impede their progress.

Even on the brightly lit stage, which might typically seem too clean to be unsettling, the artwork still manages to create a sense of unease with its unique Titan designs. This challenging boss rush continues the Attack on Titan tradition of adding insult to injury for the main characters. However, in line with that tradition, there are also moments of hope that narrowly prevent the story's hardships from becoming overwhelming (if that's even possible at this stage).

Even more impressively, this finale marks the return of the talented creative staff from the WIT days, including the renowned Arifumi Imai, the master behind the breathtaking ODM fight scenes. Imai, who played a pivotal role in shaping the animation of "Attack on Titan" during its first season, continued to contribute to the series' visual zeniths throughout the second and third seasons, even as the show veered away from the initial unrealistic standard it had set.

The first half of this special delivers exactly what fans anticipated. It showcases a magnificent battle that embodies MAPPA's contribution while paying homage to the series' legacy. What makes it even better is the unity among the cast as they face a common enemy, resulting in a cathartic and emotionally charged climax. However, manga fans had already anticipated that this perfection would be short-lived, as there is still plenty of story to be told after the dust settles.

What Was It All For?

Many people appreciate this ending, finding it dense enough to potentially leave fans satisfied. The conclusion strikes a delicate balance between the acceptance of suffering's inevitability and the hope for the human spirit to prevail despite constant foolishness. This aligns with the overall philosophy underlying the entire story.

However, for many others, this ending may leave a sense of emptiness, prompting the question, "What was the purpose of all this?" To the show's credit, this very question is posed within the text itself. It's not that the story lacks answers; rather, it's about the nature of those answers. By the story's conclusion, an unfathomable amount of human life has been snuffed out, with the culprits and their motivations feeling somewhat feeble.

The narrative seems to imply that the events unfolded solely due to the writer's choices. This uncertainty greatly impacts Eren, who is too significant to be dismissed as a simple antagonist, yet his actions are too horrific to be easily forgiven. In the final scenes, it is as if his character becomes non-existent, as the true purpose behind his and others' suffering remains elusive and incomprehensible.

The tantalizing line between nihilism and hope upon which the story toils becomes exasperating in the final half-hour. While some of the concluding scenes genuinely satisfy the viewer, others that come before or after may leave the impression that nothing was gained. Rather than a tragically beautiful portrayal of life's yin-and-yang, the message feels spineless and indecisive, fueled by the emotional ups and downs that have brought everyone to this juncture.

One would hope that the integration of sound and visuals, which have been the foundation of this series since the beginning, would improve the issues with storytelling. The music remains as powerful as ever, and the vocal performances, particularly Marina Inoue as Armin, are outstanding. However, even with these elements serving as a remedy, they struggle to ease the frustration.

The most challenging realization when confronting the conclusion of Attack on Titan is that, like many divisive endings, its true impact may not become clear until years later. Perhaps once the audience has had more time to contemplate the entire story, this ending will be viewed more favorably. For now, it is an imperfect conclusion to a series that should still be celebrated for the extraordinary journey it has taken us on.

Rating: 3/5

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z netizen, I have mixed feelings about the Attack on Titan series finale. On the one hand, I am satisfied with the conclusion of the story and appreciate the epic battles and impressive animation. The return of animators from previous seasons added a nostalgic touch to the final fight scene, making it even more special.

On the other hand, I share the disappointment expressed by some fans regarding the unanswered questions and lack of a definitive resolution in the narrative. The ending left me with a sense of doubt and reflection, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it could have been more satisfying. Overall, I give the ending a rating of 3/5.

Attack on Titan has been a defining anime series for many fans, and its conclusion marks the end of an era. While the ending may not have been perfect, it was still a monumental achievement and a testament to the hard work and dedication of the creative team. I am grateful for the journey and will remember Attack on Titan as one of the greatest anime series of all time.