Warning: Spoilers for Attack on Titan Ahead!

Attack on Titan is one of the greatest anime series of all time, and its appeal never entirely drops off, even in the face of delays between seasons, only building more hype for each batch of new episodes. After ten successful years, the series concluded its run in the fall of 2023. It is credited as one of the main recent adaptations to bring anime into the mainstream. For readers and viewers of the series, it becomes apparent that Attack on Titan is not another crowd-pleasing shonen anime but a thought-provoking and sometimes infuriating epic, even in its best episodes.

The best episodes of Attack on Titan balance the tension of its thrilling and, at times, ultraviolent action with its intricate worldbuilding and how the series’ characters reflect it. Eren Yeager and the rest of his fellow Armed Forces recruits don’t even enter the middle of the series as the same people they were when they started, with mass casualties and tragedy claiming many loved ones by the end.

It’s a grueling meat grinder of an anime, but picking the most popular episodes can be entertaining with such a popular series.

10

Episode #39: “Pain”

Levi Channels His Inner Cowboy

Much of Attack on Titan features thrilling Titan-slaying action using Eldian omnidirectional mobility (ODM) gear, allowing human soldiers to outmaneuver their Titan prey and strike at their weaknesses. However, in Attack on Titan episode #39, the installment addresses the inevitable question of viewers whether there are anti-personnel variants of this gear.

The result is a high-intensity standoff where Captain Levi encounters Kenny the Ripper, exploding into a thrilling chase where Levi and his team must deal with the gun-toting Anti-Personnel Control Squad.

9

Episode #86: “Retrospective”

The Yeagerists Get Their Ultimate Fight

The mounting tension of season 4 reaches a fever pitch as the extremist Yeagerist faction, wishing to cast off the yoke of Marleyan oppression on their fellow Eldians, tries to gather those loyal to Eren Yeager’s cause. However, by the final episodes of Attack on Titan, this group loses its legitimacy by attempting to execute anybody who does not line up behind it.

This results in an incredible battle featuring the Female, Armored, Cart, and Jaw Titan, where Armin, Jean, and Mikasa deal with the inevitable as the Yeagerists catch on to their plan to stop Eren.

8

Episode #60: “The Other Side of the Sea”

Marley and Me: Eldian Warriors’ Stories

Until this point of the series, viewers were only given teases of a world beyond the mythical sea glimpsed at the end of Attack on Titan season 3. However, in one of the best episodes yet, Attack on Titan explores Marley in the eyes of its indoctrinated Eldian warriors, trained as subjects of Ymir to use their Titan powers.

It’s an intense worldbuilding episode where Marley is portrayed as a powerful nation weaponizing Eldians, teaching them to believe their brethren on Paradis are “devils” while trying to crush enemies before they can develop weapons to destroy their Titans.

7

Episode #25: “Wall: Assault on Stohess, Part 3”

Eren Goes Berserk

For many viewers, Attack on Titan season 1 is still special despite the production values continuing to ramp up as the show advanced. But Eren’s battle with Annie’s Female Titan showcases the foreshadowing of how he abandons his humanity, recognizing his power as a blunt instrument in the form of the Attack Titan.

The thrilling sequence where Eren’s Titan, seemingly maimed beyond relief, goes into a blind rage to give the Female Titan an incredible thrashing is memorable. However, Mikasa steals the show with her “fall” moment, making for an iconic scene in the first season’s final episode.

6

Episode #72: “Children of the Forest”

Justice for Sasha

Sasha is a beloved character for many fans of Attack on Titan, and several of the best episodes or funniest moments feature her insatiable appetite and impressive combat prowess. However, in the final season, Sasha meets an untimely demise at the hands of Gabi, an Eldian warrior serving Marley.

The after-effects never go away in the series, especially for Nicolo, a Marleyan prisoner of war. Nicolo grew to love Sasha, as she adored his cooking more than anybody else could, so serving her family and her unknown killer creates a sad and taut episode.

5

Episode #87: “The Dawn of Humanity”

Eren’s Last Hurrah Among Friends

Attack on Titan features plenty of cerebral lore developments, such as the mysteries of the Founding Titan and the Coordinate, in its best episodes. Still, episode #87 is unique for its fleeting happy moments. Eren and his party reach Marley, covering the plot hole of how he infiltrated the nation to meet with Zeke while meeting and befriending other refugees from defeated warring nations.

It’s surprisingly wholesome, despite Marley’s overwhelming xenophobia toward the world in Attack on Titan, especially Eldians, with their loathsome propaganda. It becomes clear when Eren becomes “lost” to Mikasa and his friends.

4

Episode #88: “The Rumbling”

A Standout Episode in The Final Chapters: Special #1

Many moments in Attack on Titan indicate the series is often a dreary experience, with hope being far too scarce, but its best ones show just the cruel extremes this can reach. Some might argue the violence, and even depictions of humans giving into their despair and taking their own lives, is too hard to watch, and that’s fair.

It’s harrowing to see the Rumbling, especially as Eren’s friends slowly learn he will only stop if they kill him. But still, the opening sequence, where the Wall Titans move forward to flatten the world, is obscenely bleak and perfectly on-brand.

3

Episode #55: “Midnight Sun”

Levi’s Toughest Choice

Among the many excellent moments of Attack on Titan season 3, its best episode presents Levi with a cruel decision after beating the Beast Titan. He must choose which dying comrade to rescue with the Titan serum so they can inherit the Colossal Titan. The choice lies between Commander Erwin Smith and Armin Arlert of the Scout Regiment, where Levi swings between emotions and pragmatism.

The result creates a ripple effect that’s felt until the end of the series, with Levi feeling the burden of who he leaves to die and Armin with persistent survivor’s guilt.

2

Episode #66: “Assault”

Eren Seizes Victory from Jaws of Defeat

While the battle is carried over from episode #65, “The War Hammer Titan,” this is the pivotal moment, a multifaceted struggle of wits among the best in Attack on Titan. Eren makes some of his most clever moves in the entire series here, and the Cart Titan reveals her awesome might when carrying a machine gun platform that shreds through Eldian reinforcements.

Eren is most diabolical when he corners the War Hammer Titan in her hardened state, disabling and using the Jaw Titan’s teeth brutally to seize his prize, an iconic moment.

1

Episode #93: “A Long Dream”

Seared Into Memory as the Highlight of Special #2

After a decade of capturing anime fans’ imagination, Attack on Titan finally aired its last episodes as a special, the length of a feature film, and episode #93 handles the most pivotal moments of the final arc. Eren is locked in battle with Armin’s Colossal Titan while the Source of All Living Matter tries desperately to return to Eren’s head.

But the most significant moments of the episode, much like many other Attack on Titan episodes, belong to Mikasa as she never lets go of her keepsake from him, loving him enough to commit to stopping him before anybody else.