‘Attack on Titan’: Why the Anime Series Should Wrap Up With a Movie to Satisfy Fans

With only three more episodes left, the hit anime TV show Attack on Titan is wrapping up its final season. Because the series still has so many loose ends to tie up, it hardly feels like the finale is actually approaching.

As many fans are aware, the Attack on Titan source material is not finished yet, with one more chapter of the manga remaining before the series truly ends.

Fans have wondered whether season 4’s 16 episodes would fulfill what the written text laid out. But there is little hope left for a repeat of season 1 where the show was split into two parts.  

So, what can be done to resolve this storytelling dilemma?

There’s no perfect answer, but one idea is for the anime series to go the movie route. This worked with Demon Slayer and Spirited Away, so why not? Attack on Titan is popular enough.

Though it may be a bit disappointing for the series finale to end with a cliffhanger, there are several benefits of concluding this fan-favorite thrill ride with a movie.

‘Attack on Titan’ animation could switch up with a film

Since the new season of Attack on Titan began, some fans have been quite critical of the series’ new artistic approach. Production for season 4 moved to a new animation studio, and there were some complaints and concerns about the CG quality of the show.

It’s understood that the scale of AoT requires enormous resources to create a quality series. There are a number of fans who are happy and quite satisfied with MAPPA’s work. But with a film, more time can be devoted to develop the animation and possibly avoid backlash from those who didn’t like the style.

A manga-based plot can be hashed out

For a series as well-written as Attack on Titan, it would be disheartening if the ending was rushed. Again, time is a gift.

A film format time would help to alleviate most of the problems that naturally arise from having to cut content in order to fit a certain number of episodes.

With cult classics like Akira and Evangelion already breaking the mold, it wouldn’t be a stretch to think that this series could somehow manage to tell its story efficiently, even if it has to change the source material.

Potential blockbuster status

From a business standpoint, there is evidence that a potential Attack on Titan movie would do well internationally and domestically.

Fans would definitely come out to see this manga unfold on the big screen, and Demon Slayer is a great example of a successful theatrical run. Even in the middle of a pandemic, the movie turned into a smash and beat the record for Spirited Away.

AoT could either debut as a film adaptation of the entire manga series or as a continuation of where the anime leaves off. The downside? The only possible issue is the wait time required for fans living outside of Japan, because Japanese films usually do not get same-day releases internationally.

Stay tuned for the final few episodes of Attack on Titan Season 4.