If you’ve been an anime fan for a decent number of years, there is no doubt you would have heard of Attack on Titan and how it became a phenomenon around the world. It was one of the shows of the modern generation to push anime towards recognition as something that could become mainstream, and it instantly captivated fans with its dark and gritty reality where death seemed like an inevitable conclusion rather than a shocking event. The first two seasons of the show were pulse pounding and laid the groundwork for a more elaborate story, and at long last, Season 3 has come to deliver that, with the first episode premiering yesterday.
The episode kicks off with an opening that many would argue has no place being in an anime like Attack on Titan, but as a manga reader, I can tell you wholeheartedly that it fits right at home with the overall tone of this part of the story. Nevertheless, moving past that we finally get to see what the Survey Corps are up to in the wake of the revelations thrown up by the climax of the last season, with Mikasa, Armin, Sasha, Connie and Jean joining Eren as new members of Levi’s squad.
Interestingly enough, we don’t see any Titans in the episode; instead, we deal with an incident that appears to have taken place on the inside, with the Military Police tipped to be heavily involved. As if this isn’t mysterious enough, we meet a figure from Levi’s past who resurfaces, but not to aid him in any way.
Attack on Titan has always carried a reputation of starting each season with a spectacular episode. In season 1 we saw Eren’s mouther viciously devoured by a Titan right before our eyes, and in season 2 we witnessed Mike Zacharias being ripped apart by a group of Titans. This time, however there are no shocking moments like that, and while the ending is quite surprising, its nowhere near in impact compared to the other two mentioned.
Overall, the season is off to a great start, and I’m very excited to see what happens next. Even though it’ll be quite a while before we see the truly spectacular scenes from the manga, fans of the show can rest easy knowing that they it will definitely come one day. This time, Attack on Titan is here to stay.