The long-awaited part three of Attack on Titan‘s final season will be released on March 4th, 2023. MAPPA, the studio producing the anime, commented that the final arc will be divided in two parts in order to uphold their standard of quality. The studio will first drop an hour long special and return to another break until the following episodes are fully prepared.

Heart wrenching and action packed, Hajime Isayama’s masterfully crafted dark fantasy has climbed the ranks as one of the top manga and anime series in the word, cementing itself as a must-watch classic in the anime community. Because of the global success of Attack on Titan (AOT) and last year’s explosive response to part one of season four, the series was even crowned anime of the year in 2022. 

The story takes place in an alternate historical universe following Eren Yeager and his allies Mikasa and Armin as they uncover the dark secrets behind the Titans, man-eating humanoids that terrorize human civilization. As the plot progresses, the narrative becomes increasingly morbid, invoking conversations about genocide, human nature, and the fine line between good and evil. Full of fantastical horror and multifaceted characters that break traditional storytelling norms, the highly anticipated finale to this cultural gem is one you don’t want to miss.

The series left off at episode 28 of season four, titled “The Dawn of Humanity”, where the ravaging conflict is put on pause to focus on the complex relationship between the two leading characters. As hope for a happy resolution rapidly dwindles, Mikasa and Eren recall their memories and question if their past actions could have prevented the catastrophe at hand. Like the quiet before the storm, this philosophical but powerful episode sets the stage for the final battle to take place in part three.

The AOT anime will be nearing the finish line in these new episodes, but the manga version has already concluded in April of 2022. The ending of the comic was supposed to be an event of celebration for the fanbase, but to many people’s surprise, the final chapters received more mixed reactions than applause. While some readers thought the resolution tied most of the loose ends of the story, others argued that it was anticlimactic and reversed the achievements that the main cast had fought for the entire series. In fact, the ending was so controversial that the creator received death threats following the manga’s conclusion. Most notably, Isayama asked his fans to be “kind” to him before attending Anime NYC last fall and voiced his concerns about his safety at the event. Looking at the situation from a realistic standpoint, it’s easy to understand some of the disappointment considering that the complexity of the storyline makes it difficult to create a satisfying but realistic ending. However, don’t let this controversy deter you from watching the ending of season four; everyone has their unique opinions about the resolution, and it’s still fulfilling to see the entire storyline concluded no matter how it unfolds.

After nearly a decade since the first episode was aired, the final stretch of the AOT anime is expected to be nothing short of emotional as the final episodes are slowly released. Despite the controversial ending, the Attack on Titan community is still eager to watch this beloved series come to a close in animation, and the standout quality of this show is sure to be revered for many more years to come.