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Attack on Titan is easily one of the greatest series of all time, with the manner in which it curbs most shonen tropes being noteworthy in its own right. Watching the characters of Eren, Mikasa, and Armin develop over time as they deal with immense tragedy and overbearing odds is an absolute treat. With the first half of Attack on Titan's final season already blowing everyone's minds, one can only wait to see what this amazing anime has in store when the second half airs in January 2022.
Of course, anime fans who find this wait to be simply unbearable can just opt for the manga. For the most part, most people consider Attack on Titan's manga to be inferior to the anime; however, the manga definitely has its own draws, to the point where some people actually consider it to be the superior product. Here are the reasons that people cite to further bolster this point.
Updated April 10, 2022, by Ritwik Mitra: Attack on Titan is making a case for itself when it comes to being the greatest anime ever made — a statement that is not made lightly. The show is full to the brim with truly amazing moments that are built up exquisitely and have amazing payoffs. Of course, people who get caught up in the hype of anime should give the manga a whirl too to witness Isayama's brilliance in its original state. In fact, some people might argue that the Attack on Titan manga is better than its anime adaptation in many ways, with the following being the most popular arguments to support this statement.
10 Eren's Second Fight Against Annie
After finding out that Annie is the Female Titan, Eren gets into a massive fight with her. In the anime, Eren emerges victorious, although he does take some time to transform after getting over the idea that his friend has become his enemy. However, in the manga, Eren gets beaten to a pulp, even though he wasted no time transforming after seeing his friends in trouble.
As a result, Annie doesn't harden after being pushed to the brink of defeat by Eren in the manga. Instead, it's the intervention of Mikasa and the rest of the Survey Corps that forces her to harden and preserve herself so that she doesn't get interrogated.
9 The Personalities Of The Protagonists Are More Well-Rounded
Some people accuse the anime of flanderizing the characters of Eren, Mikasa, and Armin to make them easier to understand. Eren wants to kill titans all the time, Mikasa is obsessed over Eren, and Armin is extremely submissive at times.
This is not the case in the anime — Eren is more level-headed, Mikasa interacts with other characters instead of obsessing over Eren, and Armin doesn't let himself go unheard every single time. These characters feel more like real people in the manga instead of the characters they portray in the show.
8 The Manga Gives Armin More Time To Shine
One of the more unfortunate changes present in the anime is that some of the scenes featuring Armin are either removed or have him replaced with someone else. While Armin does get his moments to shine in the anime, one can't help but feel that he's still somewhat underappreciated in this medium.
This is not the case in the manga, which features Armin helping people without any caveats. A great example of this is during the first season when the Survey Corps discovers that Eren has the powers of the Attack Titan. In the anime, Mikasa takes him out of the titan's body; in the manga, that is done by Armin.
7 There's Little To No Censorship
Attack on Titan is easily one of the most brutal anime around. So, most viewers might be surprised to learn that the anime's gore is actually nowhere near as close to the brutality depicted in the manga.
Fans who want to enjoy the most visceral experience possible while experiencing this story should consider reading the manga. The latter doesn't skimp away from showing some truly brutal scenes that are pretty uncomfortable to look at.
6 The Original Name Of The Gear Used To Kill Titans Is Present In The Manga
While this is a rather minor point, the name of the gear used to kill titans in the manga is a rather important plot point that deserves to be shown faithfully. This famed Omni-Directional Mobility Gear actually goes by a different name in the manga.
The original name of this gear is Vertical Manoeuvring Gear, which wasn't used in the anime. The reason for this change is yet to be revealed, and it seems that it never might be.
5 The Inventor Of The ODM Gear Is Given The Credit He's Due
In the anime, the ODM gear is shown as a new invention of sorts, when the truth is anything but in the manga. The gear had already been invented long before, as shown in the spin-off light novels Attack on Titan: Before the Fall, which was later adapted into manga.
The inventors of this gear were Angel Aaltonen and Xenophon Harkimo. It has been around for thirty years before the start of Attack on Titan's main plot — a point that's not really touched upon in the anime. Before the Fall is generally a positive in the manga's favor as an anime adaptation of this prequel has yet to materialize.
4 The Manga Provides The Full Picture
Attack on Titan's manga and anime do not deviate too greatly from each other, particularly in season 4; however, the adaptation has had to leave a few panels out over the years. While this isn't a big deal, Attack on Titan's season 3 part 1 is somewhat of an exception since that cour streamlines the events quite a bit due to its short length.
That season of the anime is still very strong, but the only way to get the full experience is to read the manga. This ties into the point of the ODM gear's creator – the manga is Attack on Titan in its purest form.
3 Historia's Backstory Flows More Smoothly In The Manga
Christa Lenz seemed like nothing more than a run-of-the-mill meek character who was merely present to fill up a spot in the Survey Corps. However, it's only after her character is expanded upon that readers realize just how important she is to the main story. Her reveal as Historia Reiss and the gargantuan implications made for one of the highlights in a season that took a look at the internal conflict present within the walls itself.
However, the anime does change up the sequence and length of certain flashbacks that expand on Historia's past. It's a shame, since Frieda plays a major role in these moments and really gets to shine here. So, people who want to see Historia's backstory in its raw and uncut form should check the manga for the same.
2 There's More Content In The Manga's Spin-offs
Attack on Titan's world is truly brilliant, with the amazing lore adding more flavor to the series. In fact, life within the walls is so exciting that there's actually a spin-off manga that tells a story that took place within the walls a long time before the events of the main series.
Attack on Titan: Before the Fall is a great read that fans of the series should definitely check out. The idea of a Titan giving birth to a reviled child is pretty riveting, and this spin-off makes the most of this concept and gives some much-needed backstory to the elements of the series' lore as well.
Given how Season 4 has completely changed the game for Attack on Titan, a lot of people might find the events in this spin-off to be slightly irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. However, the storytelling in this spin-off is still great and worth the time of any fan who doesn't mind checking out a story with a smaller scope.
1 The Manga Has Reached Its Conclusion, Giving It A Proper Ending
Perhaps the most obvious benefit of reading the manga over watching the anime is that readers will be able to enjoy a proper ending to Attack on Titan. This is obviously more ideal than having to deal with an excruciating waiting period like most anime fans are going through right now.
Given the hype surrounding this series, it's close to impossible for a person browsing the internet to avoid any spoilers for this show either. So, someone who can't wait to witness the ending of Attack on Titan without having the experience spoiled for them should just opt for the manga instead.