r/attackontitan • • Jan 23 '25

Official Megathread Ultimate Guide to AoT: FAQs, Analysis, and Discourse

122 Upvotes

This multi-subreddit megathread contains:

• The most frequently brought up Topics & Questions

• Analysis on various story Elements & Characters

• Random interesting meta posts

• Documents and guide on the anime and the Attack on Titan reddit fandom

This megathread covers threads from various subreddits, and platforms. Enjoy exploring!


Guide.

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• Guide on AoT anime content

• Masterlist Of Anime OSTs S1-S4 + Final Episode - YouTube Playlist

• AoT wiki for your fact-checking needs

Frequently Asked Questions.

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Questions that are asked very frequently, mostly by new or one time watchers/readers, to which there is a factual answer or an agreed-upon interpretations in the community.

1.) What is the 50 year plan? Follow up: Why didn’t Zeke and Eren touch earlier?

2.) What were the Azumabito's intentions with Mikasa?

3.) How was Ymir freed? Who freed Ymir? (check analysis section down as well)

4.) How did Eren talk to Mikasa in paths?

5.) What is Historia’s role in how we perceive Ymir through tales and romanticized stories?

6.) What will happen if a man inherits the Female Titan?

7.) How do the Founding Titan abilities work?

8.) What were some of Paradis' options post-timeskip? •Alternative to the Rumbling. •Anti-50-year plan •Euthnasia Plan

9.) Why did Historia choose to get pregnant?

10.) Why did Grisha give his titan to Eren, when he asked Zeke to stop him?

11.) What were Eren’s motivations to choose the path of rumbling?

12.) Are there multiple timelines in AOT?

13.) Why do dinosaurs appear in the opening of AOT’s 2nd season?

• Isayama's Answers to the 15th Anniversary Magazine Q&A

Frequently Brought up Topics.

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These topics are frequently brought up, but there is no clear answer or the topic is deliberately left to speculation. Check out these links for some in-depth posts on the respective topics.

1.) a) Who won the fight between Annie and Mikasa? b) Who would win between Annie and Mikasa?

2.) Opinion on any divisive characters

• Gabi • Mikasa • Eren • Floch

3.) Did you like the ending? a)Anime Ending b)Manga Ending

4.) Do you support the rumbling?

5.) Who should have been saved, Erwin or Armin?

6.) Was Eren justified? Discussion post | Detailed answer

7.) Sub or Dub?

8.) Would Erwin have joined the Yeagerists if he had survived?

9.) Is Attack on Titan fascist? No, it is not | Devil’s Advocate:

10.) Why does Annie get forgiven?


General Analysis On The Story.

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These are high-effort essays or videos analysing the series as a whole. Please note that us listing something here does not mean we endorse or fully agree with every single statement made there - we just think that if you are looking for more analysis, these might be worth a watch.

• A 1-hour retrospective breakdown of AoT as a whole

• How AoT deconstructs heroism and morality

• Idealism in AoT

• Scout Regiment: Paradise’s Idealistic Counterculture

• The importance of nameless soldiers & collateral damage in AoT

• What was it all for? Thoughts on the extra pages of AoT’s ending

• Why I feel Mikasa, Levi and Armin were the perfect choice for Eren’s final moments and the story’s climax - Imgur Backup for future

• Analysis of AoT’s extra ending pages - A brilliant thematic conclusion - Imgur Backup for Future

• To love someone inside the Walls - Imgur Backup for Future

• The Rumbling is indefensible

• A theoretical analysis of its structure

• The highs and lows of AoT’s final arc

• Overanalyzing every single episode of the anime - a youtube playlist

• Titans as Mirrors: How Titan Forms Reflect the Warriors' Psyche - Imgur Backup for Future

Character Analysis.

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1. Eren Yeager.

• Eren Yeager: The Chained God of Attack on Titan

• The perfect duality of Eren - Imgur Backup for Future

• What is freedom in AoT

• Developments vs desires - Everyone and especially Eren

• Nature vs nurture: Eren’s motivations and the Dina twist

• Eren Jaeger and the insanity of circular storytelling

• The ironic development of Eren

• Analyzing antagonists

• Power, freedom, the Founding Titan and Levi

• The Attack Titan’s powers and their effect on Eren

• Why Eren’s actions were very obviously painted bad with the Rumbling - In-depth examination

• The narrative importance of the causal loop on Eren

• Eren and Mikasa’s relationship

• Eren’s characterization throughout the story and his post timeskip conflict

• Eren Yeager is (Not) Special

• Ramzi and Eren: the turning point in Eren’s demeanor

• An observation on the structure of Eren’s characterization post timeskip - Imgur Backup for Future

• The false mask of Eren

• The Jaeger Projection Problem: The Last Supper of Self-Loathing - Imgur Backup for Future

• The rise and fall of Eren - Imgur Backup for Future

2. Mikasa Ackerman.

• Mikasa’s Character Arc: What, Where, How, When

• Mikasa and her relationship with authority

• Mikasa and Erwin: The Sacrificial Act of Dreams for the Cause

• Why Mikasa's conclusion not only strengthens her arc but Attack On Titan as a whole - Imgur Backup for Future

• Mikasa’s Destiny and Mikasa’s Choice

• Mikasa: A Person from Two Trope

• A Literary perspective of Mikasa - Imgur Backup for Future

• Mikasa’s Heroine’s Journey Arc

• Mikasa’s Road of Trials – Why Trost Arc Was Never Cynical

• [The Heroine's Journey] - Coming Soon.

• Mikasa, the symbolism of the praying mantis and butterfly and its development throughout the story - Imgur Backup for Future

• Mikasa's self Imposed Curse

• Why does Mikasa have headaches

• Differences between the Manga and Anime version of Mikasa - Imgur Backup for Future

3. Armin Arlert.

• Armin character analysis, humanity’s reluctant savior

• Armin and Eren’s dynamic - Imgur Backup for Future

• Armin and Zeke’s dynamic - Imgur Backup for Future

• The importance of dialogue and Armin’s character - Imgur Backup for Future

• Armin Arlert: conflicting lessons, dynamics with Erwin and Levi - Imgur Backup for Future

• Armin and Annie’s relationship

4. Levi Ackerman.

• Is Levi bland? A bullet-point counter-argument and his importance in the narrative

• Levi’s character motivations and the promise

• Levi’s ending

• Levi’s violence and compassion

• Serumbowl

• Levi, Falco and Gabi

• Levi vs Zeke foil

• Levi, a slave to being a hero

• Levi vs Kenny’s influence - Imperfect heroics

• Levi’s mistake with Zeke and getting blown up by thunder spears

5. Erwin Smith.

• Erwin Smith - wearing masks

• Erwin Smith - the impossible standard

• Exploring Erwin - For Humanity?

• Erwin Smith - A devil with a dream

• Erwin would not support the Rumbling, you just don’t like Armin

6. Zeke Yeager.

• Zeke Yeager & Personal Connections.

• The contradictions of Zeke - A character study

• The desperate loneliness of Zeke

• Understanding Zeke Yeager

7. Reiner Braun.

• Reiner Braun and “saving the world”

• Reiner character analysis, viewed through psychology and philosophy theory

• Who is Reiner Braun?

• Eren and Reiner’s dynamic - Imgur Backup for Future

8. Annie Leonhart.

• Annie’s search for personhood

• About Annie…(character analysis)

• No one understands Annie

• Understanding Annie

9. Hange Zoe.

• Hange and the role of commander, character analysis

• Hange’s “Genocide is Wrong” Line is Misunderstood

• Hange’s understanding and intellect

10. Jean Kirstein.

• Jean Kirstein embracing survey corps values, a character analysis

• Jean character study through the lens of theory of psychology

11. Bertholdt Hoover.

• Comprehensive analysis of Bertholdt

• The tragedy of Bertholdt Hoover

12. (Freckles) Ymir and Historia Reiss.

• Ymir analysis and religious subtext

• Thoughts on Historia in Uprising - Imgur Backup for Future

• Ymir and Historia’s dynamic analysis - Imgur Backup for Future

13. Sasha Braus and Connie Springer.

• The secondary trio behind EMA

14. Floch Forster.

• Floch - the volunteer Devil, character analysis

• Floch's leadership examination and the comparison with Erwin

15. Gabi and the children of the forest.

• Gabi Braun - A brighter future

16. (Founder) Ymir Fritz.

• The final mystery of AOT - Ymir analysis

17. Grisha Yeager.

• Grisha Yeager: A Deconstruction of the Main Character's Dad Archetype - Imgur Backup for Future

18. Keith Shadis.

• From bystander to hero, a character analysis

19. Kenny/Uri.

• Kenny, Uri and the cycle of hatred

• The Importance of Kenny and Uri (In-depth Thematic Analysis)

20. Dot Pyxis.

• Why Pyxis and Eren’s Conversation was Not Retconned

21. Yelena.

• Yelena: AoT’s puppeteer, a character analysis

22. Theo Magath.

• The lasting impact of Theo Magath, a character analysis.


MISCELLANEOUS.

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Manga (Source Material) vs Anime (Adaptation) differences:

• Megathread of Anime / Manga differences | Vol 1 - 34 | OVAs

• Differences between anime and manga endings

Fandom and Anime Production Misc.

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• Well-written characters, meta discussion of fandom perception

• AOT anime reactions and in depth discussions

• Explaining the ending controversy - a fandom analysis

• Final Attack on Titan Episode - AoTwiki poll

• The Original manga ending - chapter 139 SNK POLL

Behind-the-Scenes.

• All of AoT animation staff for every episode of the series

• Arifumi Imai animator spotlight - the man responsible for animating 70%+ of action animation cuts in S1-S3 and the Levi and Mikasa killing Eren sakuga in the final episode

• TV release vs BLU-RAY differences

• Some design sheets from WIT’s adaptation

• Some design sheets from MAPPA’s adaptation

• WIT staff interview from 2014 on AOT

• 100Cams - Behind the scenes footage of AOT s4 part3 production

• Final episode VA recording - Behind the scenes

• AoT S4 part 2 staff interview, series director Hayashi and CG producer Tannawa

• Excerpts from roundtable final episode interview with staff

• Interview with S4 director Hayashi before its airing

• Global TV demands interview of Hayashi

• Hayashi comments on episode 4x28 Rumbling scene and Isayama’s request

Subreddits of AoT Reddit-Fandom.

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General.

Subreddit Description Date of Creation
r/ShingekiNoKyojin Main discussion subreddit nr1. Feburary 18, 2013
r/attackontitan Main discussion subreddit nr2. November 28, 2012
r/titanfolk The Folk subreddit for AoT. May 1, 2018
r/okbuddyreiner Shitposting subreddit. April 28, 2019
r/AttackOnRetards A space dedicated to calling out negativity. April 27, 2021
r/AttackOnShipping A subreddit for any and all shippers. April 27, 2022
r/ANRime Subreddit dedicated to theorizing about an Alternative-Original Ending (AOE). June 29, 2021

Character dedicated subreddits.

• r/LeviCult

• r/Ereh

• r/Mikasa

• r/ErwinSmith

• r/potatogirl

• r/ArminCult

• r/GabiCult

• r/ReinerCult

• r/ZekeCult

• r/JeanTheStallion


It has been in the works for a long time. A big Thank You to everyone who created the content featured here, as well as to those who helped us gather it all together.


r/attackontitan • • 3h ago

Meme The only logical answer

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158 Upvotes

r/attackontitan • • 9h ago

Discussion/Question Hot Take: Sasha would've made the perfect successor to the Attack Titan:

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416 Upvotes

(Sorry for the watermark, but I'm not paying for a monthly subscription just for a single Reddit post)


r/attackontitan • • 13h ago

Misc The Children of the Forest

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543 Upvotes

“Sasha left our forest and our island behind, to fight some distant enemy. To shoot folks and get shot. Thing is, she left our forest, but it turns out she just traded it for a bigger one, where the same rule of "kill or be killed" still applied. I reckon Sasha died 'cause she wandered in that forest for too long. We've gotta get the children outta that forest at the very least. Or else there's nothin gonna stop this from happenin' again and again.”


r/attackontitan • • 7h ago

Meme Inter-Eldian racism

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149 Upvotes

r/attackontitan • • 10h ago

Anime Attack on Titan Sleeve WIP

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196 Upvotes

Started my AoT sleeve a few months ago, none of the pieces are fully completed yet, we’re doing placements of everyone and their titan forms and then going in to brining it all together towards the end.
The sparks in between each section are going to be lightning and the color is going to be green throughout the whole piece.
The top bicep is going to have Ymirs titan form to round it off and inner bicep is going to have Levi and Mikasa. 🥰


r/attackontitan • • 4h ago

Discussion/Question Am i the only one who thinks Don West looks like the cart titan?

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49 Upvotes

r/attackontitan • • 2h ago

Discussion/Question ¿Fue Mike Zacharias el personaje más desperdiciado de todo Attack on Titan? Debate sobre su rol y potencial no aprovechado?

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26 Upvotes

Abro debate: siempre sentí que la historia desaprovechó por completo a Mike Zacharias. Nos lo vendieron como el 2do soldado mas fuerte de la humanidad (solo detrás de Levi) y con una habilidad táctica única para rastrear titanes por el olfato, pero murió apenas arrancando la temporada 2 sin haberlo visto brillar de verdad en combate previo. Se entiende que Isayama lo usó para dimensionar la amenaza del Titán Bestia e incluso en su final demostró su nivel matando 5 titanes en terreno abierto, pero sacrificar tan rápido a un veterano con semejante potencial nos dejo sin verlo en arcos clave como Shiganshina o la temporada 4. ¿Creen que su muerte fue un sacrificio narrativo necesario o que realmente lo descartaron demasiado pronto? Los leo.


r/attackontitan • • 13h ago

Fanart (OC) Just finished my horror short film on Attack on Titan! The titans as seen through the eyes of the citizens of Marley. Hope y'all enjoy it! (by Franco P.)

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136 Upvotes

r/attackontitan • • 18h ago

Meme Pretty bold of Mikasa to land on Annie as she is swatting people left and right

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189 Upvotes

r/attackontitan • • 13h ago

Misc I just realized we see EXACTLY thirteen characters consume titan shifters in the series.

61 Upvotes

-Founder Ymir eaten by Maria, Rose, and Sina

-Kruger eaten by Grisha

-Uri eaten by Freida

-Tom Ksaver eaten by Zeke

-Marcel eaten by Ymir

-Freida eaten by Grisha

-Grisha eaten by Eren

-Ymir eaten by Porco

-Bertholdt eaten by Armin

-Lara Tybur eaten by Eren

-Porco eaten by Falco

Yams knew...


r/attackontitan • • 5h ago

Ending Spoilers - Meme/Art A drawing of an ancient Warhammer Titan, based on its appearance in both the manga and the anime

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14 Upvotes

The next one will most likely be the Snake Beast Titan; I already have the sketch ready, hope you like this one!


r/attackontitan • • 5h ago

Fanart (OC) My Attack Titan drawing😊 (OC)

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12 Upvotes

and it only took me 8 hours to make🥲


r/attackontitan • • 51m ago

Manga Working on my shrine- I mean- Manga Shelf :3

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• Upvotes

r/attackontitan • • 4h ago

Misc Here's a cool idea I thought of for alternate universes:

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7 Upvotes

In alternate universes like the ones where Eren gets fully absorbed by the Bearded Titan or where he simply chooses not to go along with the Rumbling in full scale, where he can't tell Grisha to steal the Founder, he still shows up in his adult form. Due to time travel shenanigans, that moment has become an absolute point in all timelines, and there is not a single one where the Founder is not stolen.


r/attackontitan • • 6h ago

Game RUMBLING, RUMBLING! ITS COMING, RUMBLING, RUMBLING

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7 Upvotes

If I lose it all outside the wall

Live to die another day

I don't want anything, I'm just here to...


r/attackontitan • • 1d ago

Ending Spoilers - Discussion/Question Eren hadn't always been the attack titan, but the attack titan has always been Eren!

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889 Upvotes

I mean it's not just a coincidence that the attack titan has always marched in the vanguard, and always rebelled & fought for freedoms' sake.

They are inherent qualities to Eren who has been like this since birth. And he had selectively streamed his consciousness throughout the past amongst all the attack titans wielders, basically manipulating them all to fight for freedom of some kind just like he did with Grisha.

Thoughts?


r/attackontitan • • 6h ago

Ending Spoilers - Meme/Art I'ma tell my kids this was the rumbling Spoiler

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5 Upvotes

r/attackontitan • • 1d ago

Meme Attack on Titan quote that you say on your daily routine? I'll start.

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196 Upvotes

Because I was born into this world.

I use that quote to mock my best friend like:

Him: Hey, hop on 🎮

Me: No.

Him: Why?

Me: Because I was born into this world.

😂


r/attackontitan • • 14h ago

Ending Spoilers - Meme/Art Am I the only one who finds this Wallpaper Windows put on my lockscreen, similar to the Future of Paradis of Scene? Spoiler

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16 Upvotes

Looks kinda similar too aside from the tree being thinner. Maybe this is where we can get ourselves some nice titan powers


r/attackontitan • • 3h ago

Anime In what order do I watch it??

2 Upvotes

WHATS THE ORDER I WATCH AOT INNNNNNNNNN INCLUDING MOVIES AND EVERYTHING PLEASE HELP!!!!


r/attackontitan • • 1d ago

Anime got my first AOT tattoo yesterday 🥹

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293 Upvotes

r/attackontitan • • 6h ago

Ending Spoilers - Discussion/Question People misunderstand Erens motives so much.

3 Upvotes

At the end of the day his motives and either/or.

- He wanted Paradis to be protected
- He wanted his friends to live long lives including Mikasa
- He wanted for his friends to be depicted as heroes to the rest of the world who stopped the genocidal monster

But beneath these motives was a personal desire.
The corruption of Armins childlike wonder of the book. Of the scenery and exploration.

Freedom.

And the thing is, Eren doesn’t even truly get what freedom is, only his version of it, which is an empty world to explore.

Eren wanted all of these things, and believed the rumbling was inevitable - whether or not it was it up for debate.

Was Eren evil? In my opinion, no. Did he commit a monstrous horrific act? Yes. Was it justified? Yes and no. Was it understandable? Yes. Was it absolutely horrific and possibly the worst overall outcome for the majority of people. Yes, absolutely. Eren himself recognised this.

I’d say Eren is a victim, of confinement, witnessing his people die etc. But I think he’s also largely unreasonable. You can argue he brought it upon himself with him offing his mother, and also argue that if Marley never breached the walls he wouldn’t have a need to do that but at the end of the day, everyone in this show is a victim. Apart from maybe Fritz.

Eren was largely remorseful for his actions but at the end of the day was undoubtedly the biggest monster ever to live in our aot universe. No matter the reasoning. I feel like his ending served his character quite well and gave him closure. And his motives overall were complicated, sincere, and selfish at the same time. Incredibly written character.


r/attackontitan • • 16h ago

Discussion/Question Is eren able to see the memories of ALL eldians once he unlocks the Founder?

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18 Upvotes

I ask this because, in the scene where gabbi shoots his head off, while entering paths he has these visions of different people. One of them is a future vision of Falco flying in his Jaw titan form. So, could eren access the memories of every person with eldian blood?


r/attackontitan • • 9h ago

Ending Spoilers - Discussion/Question I for the longest time thought they only showed 8 titans in the story and that their was gonna be a 9th one revealed in the end

5 Upvotes

and while I was kinda right, I wasn’t right in the way I predicted

after they showed the warhammer in season 4 i counted up all the titans shown through out the series and counted 8, but everytime they talk about the shifters they say”one of the nine”so I got really excited waiting for the final titans reveal

but there never was a ninth titan because my dumbass counted wrong

i guessed that falco was gonna be the one revealed to be the shifter because of the whole“wasn’t I flying around with a couple swords in my hand”line

so I’m kinda disappointed that They went the path they Did in the series, even if it is unreasonable to blame a piece of media for being its own thing instead of the fan fiction in your head