When it comes to the best shonen series of all time, Attack on Titan is a frontrunner. The series has established itself as one of the biggest shows of all time, with the final season being particularly noteworthy for turning age-old shonen tropes on their heads to allow for a narrative experience that is an absolute blast to witness. In fact, the last season was so riveting that fans flocked in droves to read the final stretch of Attack on Titan's manga since the wait for the anime was so unbearable.However, it's highly recommended to wait for the anime's conclusion instead of reading the manga. The anime is generally considered to be superior to the manga in most regards. While there's obviously no disrespect intended towards Hajime Isayama, there are simply quite a few reasons to choose the anime over the manga. Here are some of the most notable points in this regard.Updated on March 13th, 2022 by Ritwik Mitra: Attack on Titan is a phenomenon that has taken over the whole world by storm. The latest season is an absolutely brilliant rollercoaster that has left fans craving for each and every new episode that is seemingly breaking the internet every single time. A big part of the series' massive success is the amazing quality of this anime adaptation, which does justice to Isayama's amazing work on the series. Here are the many ways in which the anime has surpassed the manga over the course of its run.
10 Eren Going Berserk During His Fight Against Annie Is A Great Touch
The first season of Attack on Titan ends on an extremely exciting note, with Eren going off the deep end during his fight against Annie. The betrayal of his friends weighs heavy on his heart, but it's only after he realizes the gravity of Annie's actions that he manages to transform into his Titan form and battle Annie in Stohess District.
During this battle, Eren gets pushed into a corner once again by Annie before going absolutely berserk in one of the best moments of this battle. Not only does his Titan appear to be engulfed in flames, but his attitude becomes downright bloodthirsty as he starts ripping Annie's Titan apart.
The fact that he constantly rambles on about destroying the world is quite eerie as well, especially given the events of the latest season and the reveal of Eren's true powers. This has led many people to surmise that Eren was being controlled by his future form during this battle so that he wouldn't lose — a theory that is absolutely brilliant and pretty plausible as well.
9 The Pacing Of The Uprising Arc Is Better In The Anime
The Uprising arc is seen as a mixed bag by many fans of the series. While the limited focus on the inner politics of Paradis Island and the reveal of the Ackermann family history is pretty great in its own right, most fans lament the shift of focus from the trio of invading Titans that is supposedly against humanity.
The manga actually shows several events in the Uprising arc that aren't present in the anime. While some fans weren't completely convinced about the various changes and omissions made in this arc, there's no denying that the pacing of this arc — which was widely reviled in the manga — has been improved significantly. A lot of unnecessary details were edited slightly or omitted entirely, which was a great touch from Wit Studio.
8 The Animation Of The Series Is In A Class Of Its Own
One can't talk about the major draws of Attack on Titan's anime without mentioning the stellar animation. Each and every frame of the anime feel vibrant and lively due to the masterful animation present in the series.
Wit Studio and MAPPA have definitely thrown everything AND the kitchen sink into the animation of this show, and it shows. The end result is one of the most addictive viewing experiences that any anime fan could expose themselves to. Watching Eren willingly transform into a titan for the second time to save his friends is a visual treat that doesn't get old due to the sheer brilliance of the animation.
7 The Anime's Art Style Eclipses The Manga
Hajime Isayama is a master of his craft, and one must definitely commend this mangaka for penning one of the most riveting stories in the realm of manga. However, his art style isn't the greatest, with some of Attack on Titan's panels being rather hard to read.
The anime doesn't suffer from this problem at all. The production houses have done a brilliant job of replicating Isayama's art style while adding small touches of their own to make the artwork even more alluring, albeit in a haunting way.
6 The Soundtrack Is A Thing Of Beauty
Attack on Titan's anime has several strengths, with the soundtrack being another element that deserves credit. The OST of Attack on Titan is awe-inspiring and helps viewers get even more invested in some of the best moments in the series. From the energetic opening that is Guren no Gumiya to the haunting choruses of YouSeeBIGGIRLTT — the sheer number of memorable soundtracks in the series is quite immense.
The manga might be great in its own right, but the lack of music is something that anime fans will miss quite a lot. Each and every piece of music in Attack on Titan is legendary in its own right and needs to be heard during some of the series' pivotal moments.
5 The Voice Acting Adds More Character To The Simplest Scenes
It would be rather obvious to say that the anime has voice acting over the text boxes of the manga. However, it's the quality of said voice acting that is of note. Viewers who've seen Eren breaking down after Hannes' death know how strong the VAs of this show really are.
The voice actors have truly brought their all to breathe new life into the characters of the series, which feel incredibly powerful at times. Watching the members of the Survey Corps and their enemies duke it out in a battle of words is quite a treat.
4 The Action In The Anime Is Simply Breathtaking
Given the stellar animation of Attack on Titan, it's only a given that the action scenes would also feel even more energetic. This is certainly the case, with most of the fights in the anime being visual spectacles that are extremely entertaining to witness.
The Titan fights were found to be a spectacular watch, but it's the manner in which the standouts of the Survey Corps defeat the titans around them that is quite pleasing. The fact that the anime features more action and less dialogue — unlike the manga — is also a huge bonus.
3 The Anime's Linear Storytelling Is Easier To Digest
The manga takes a rather unique approach to the structure of the show's plot during the first few chapters. After the attack on their hometown, the time period of the anime skips to the point Eren, Mikasa, and Armin graduate from military school. The later chapters show flashbacks of the three greenhorns as they go through the trials and tribulations of army training.
The anime ditched this somewhat convoluted narrative for a simpler one. Everything happens in chronological order, with the journey of the Survey Corps from fresh meat into trained soldiers being shown in a linear fashion.
2 Sasha Gets The Screentime She Deserves In The Anime
Sasha Braus is one of the fan-favorite characters in Attack on Titan, and her death is one of the major reasons why people absolutely detest Gabi. However, Sasha's role in the manga was fairly muted in comparison to the anime.
After realizing just how popular Sasha was as a character, she was added in way more scenes in the anime adaptation. This allowed fans to witness this fascinating character in action more often.
1 Levi Has Way More Time To Shine In The Anime
Just like Sasha, Levi was also another character who reached new heights of popularity in the anime. As a result, he received more screentime than his manga counterpart.
After all, Levi is one of the standout members of the Survey Corps. Placing him front-and-center in most action scenes was the smart decision for the anime since it allowed for better action sequences while highlighting one of the most interested characters of the entire story.