Battle of the Titans: One Piece Gear 5 vs Attack on Titan Finale - Which Lived Up to the Hype?
Both the Attack on Titan finale and One Piece Gear 5 have captivated fans globally, but did the highly anticipated finale of Attack on Titan live up to the epic hype? Let's dive into the reasons behind its perceived failure and offer some final thoughts
The final episodes of Attack on Titan and One Piece have received significant attention and praise from fans around the world. While both shows have had their share of groundbreaking moments, it was One Piece's introduction of Gear 5 in a particular episode that truly created a sensation and went viral on the internet. Despite the high anticipation for the Attack on Titan finale, it did not generate the same level of excitement and viewership as One Piece's iconic Gear 5 episode.
Attack on Titan Finale vs. One Piece Gear 5
The final episode of Attack on Titan premiered on Crunchyroll on November 5, 2023, in multiple regions including America, Europe, Africa, and South East Asia. However, before its release, the streaming platform experienced a crash due to the overwhelming number of fans trying to watch the episode. The high anticipation surrounding the finale resulted in a downtime that lasted for over 30 minutes.
This is not the first time that Crunchyroll has encountered crashes before the release of an anime episode. In fact, Attack on Titan fans were responsible for server outages on both Crunchyroll and Funimation when The Final Season Part 2 and a Demon Slayer episode were released together in 2022.
Crunchyroll servers crashed due to the overwhelming traffic generated by the highly anticipated debut of Gear 5 in One Piece. Fans attempting to log in and watch Episode 1071 were met with an error message on the website. While it's not unusual for crashes to occur with Eiichiro Oda's masterpiece, this was the second consecutive crash leading up to the release of Episode 1072, an unprecedented occurrence.
Despite the immense popularity of Attack on Titan, the view count for the Gear 5 episode surpasses it, demonstrating the heightened popularity of One Piece in comparison.
Why the Attack on Titan finale failed to live upto its hype
Mikasa Ackerman (Image via MAPPA)
Despite having a dedicated fan base and positive reviews, Attack on Titan failed to generate the same level of excitement and viewership as the highly anticipated Gear 5 episode of One Piece. Despite global anticipation, the finale of Attack on Titan did not meet expectations, even though it marked the climax of an intense and captivating storyline.
However, the viewership for the finale was disappointingly low compared to the overall viewership of the show. It is worth noting that the server failures during the initial airing cannot be solely attributed to the overwhelming demand for the Attack on Titan finale. Other factors such as glitches and server congestion may have also contributed to the technical difficulties.
Final thoughts
In the realm of anime, "breaking the internet" denotes achieving immense popularity and influence. It signifies tremendous success, allowing for a profound impact on the viewers. Surpassing the audience numbers and excitement generated by the final episode of Attack on Titan, the Gear 5 episode of One Piece instantly captivated its audience. The overwhelming response it received unequivocally demonstrated the unwavering devotion of One Piece’s fans, solidifying its position among the greatest anime series of all time.
Editor's P/S
As a Gen Z fan, I have mixed feelings about the Battle of the Titans: One Piece Gear 5 vs Attack on Titan Finale. On the one hand, I am a huge fan of both One Piece and Attack on Titan, and I was eagerly anticipating the release of both the Gear 5 episode and the Attack on Titan finale. On the other hand, I was disappointed by the execution of both.
I think that the Gear 5 episode of One Piece was a bit too over-the-top. The fight between Luffy and Kaido was too long and drawn out, and the animation was not as good as I had hoped. I also think that the ending of the fight was a bit too predictable.
I was also disappointed by the Attack on Titan finale. I think that the ending was too rushed, and it did not give enough closure to some of the characters. I also think that the animation was not as good as it had been in previous seasons.
Overall, I think that the Gear 5 episode of One Piece was a bit better than the Attack on Titan finale, but I was disappointed by both. I think that both shows have the potential to be great, but they need to improve their execution in order to reach their full potential.
