Attack on Titan Season 3 – Part 2 Series Review: The Penultimate Season

For Reference:

Attack on Titan Season 3 – Part 1: Attack on Titan 3-1

Attack on Titan Season 3 – Part 2: Attack on Titan 3-2

Series Positives

Attack on Titan 3-2 had a lot riding on it. This continuation needed to keep alive the momentum, tension, and strength of 3-1. A tall order, given how 3-1 was pretty damn awesome. Let’s not forget, last time, there was a ton of forward progression and a seemingly endless supply of badassery.

There was a bar 3-2 needed to meet, and, naturally, one can’t help worrying when expectations are on the line. As such, how did this continuation fair? Let me put it this way:

It was near the halfway point of episode one (episode fifty if you’re counting) when I said to myself, “Cool. It looks like I’m not going to bed tonight.”

This was really f@#$ing good.

It would seem 3-2‘s goal was to serve as a set up for something huge. As in, end-of-the-story huge.  Thank all which is everything that at the end of episode ten (episode fifty-nine) we got the beloved words “To Be Continued,” because having the reassurance of there is going to be more does helps contain everything this season did.

In 3-2, most, if not all, the remaining answers were presented. As you should expect, you will need to watch this show to find out what those answers are, but maybe take solace in knowing 3-2 was more narrative-driven than any other installment in the franchise thus far. This wasn’t a simple opportunity to have awesome action just for the sake of having awesome action; something the Attack on Titan series has proven time and time again it knows how to do. No, story and characterizations were the foundational pillars of this latest chapter.

The benefits of that prioritization paid off magnificently. There were several scenes where 3-2 demonstrated this series still knew how to tug at the heartstrings. You’ve got to remember, by this point in the story, we have seen Eren, Mikasa, Armin, and the rest of the Survey Corps grow to become these hardened soldiers. Every single one of them has had at least a moment that was purely their own — those instances – some bigger, some smaller – culminated into this mission to retake Wall Maria.

Even though 3-2 didn’t make action its primary focus, oh my god, the action in this season was insane. I suppose “satisfying” is enough, but just in case, here are some additional words which appear when you look “satisfying” up in a thesaurus:

• Contenting
• Pleasing
• Gratifying
• Mollifying
• Fulfilling

Yeah, all those work at getting across how great the action was in this season.

Maybe you’re thinking, did I have a favorite moment? Actually, yes, I did. I’m not going to tell you what happened, but I will tell you who was responsible. That credit goes to Levi, and I’ll need to dwell on this a little bit more to be sure, but he might have pulled the coolest move(s) of the entire series, and that is saying something.

In a nutshell, you could not have asked for more out of this season. There was a lot it had to bring to the table, and it decided to go above and beyond.

Series Negatives

What to say here?

3-2 was quite excellent.

Lengthwise, it was perfect. Substantially, it was marvelous. Adrenaline pumping, it was off the charts. A ton of pure fun, you bet your ass.

If there was one thing, and I mean one teeny, tiny thing I had to say against this installment, I suppose it was a bit jarring when the story went from action to dialogue.

The majority of this season took place during the Survey Corp’s mission to take back Wall Maria. Their secondary mission was to find out what secrets were in Eren’s father’s basement. That latter point had been a lingering question ever since season one. Therefore, a simple straight-to-the-matter reveal wasn’t going to be enough. This required a well-thought-out answer, as well as time to explore it fully.

Compare that to when the Corps members were fighting for their lives, every decision needed to be fast to prevent a painful death.

Those two goals are inherently opposed to one another, but both can coexist within the same story so long as the transition between the two is as smooth as possible, something I think 3-2 did. However, that transition was like turning off a highspeed motorway onto a residential street. The slowdown is expected, but it does take a second to adjust to the change in speed.

As you can see, I am grasping at straws for this section. 3-2 was just that solid.