When the Attack on Titan manga ended in May 2021, many fans broke down because of such a heart-wrenching conclusion as well as a controversy through a misinterpreted scene.
With the anime finally airing its final episode, fans began comparing it with the manga on how it differed in terms of story. So, was the anime ending different compared to the manga?
Not necessarily. The anime ending was quite faithful to the manga, but there were a few changes, including Eren and Armin’s interactions, which were depicted more clearly in the anime, and adding a few scenes, like Levi’s peaceful days, to make it more heartfelt.
Attack on Titan Manga vs. Anime Ending: Was It Different?
Attack on Titan has come a long way, as opposed to when viewers thought regular Titans outside the walls of Paradis were the major villains.
We’ve seen many sacrifices from the likes of Hange, Hanness, Sasha, and Erwin, as well as some bittersweet moments between Eren and his best friends, Mikasa and Armin, all in the name of attaining freedom.
With Eren gaining the powers of the Founding Titan with the help of Ymir, he initiated the Rumbling using the Colossal Titans that have been sealed inside the walls for centuries to flatten the world.
Ultimately, Eren killed around 80% of the population, giving some hope for Paradis Island to fight when the world launches another war at it.
Although he intended to destroy the entire world so that Paradis Island wouldn’t face any more threats, his own allies, Levi, Jean, Mikasa, Conny, and Armin, teamed up with the Marleyans to stop him.
The ending was pretty much the same in both anime and manga, but there were a few noticeable changes—for example, the interactions between Eren and Armin during their climax fighting sequence.
In the manga, Armin thanks Eren for turning into a mass murderer for their sake so that they didn’t have to shoulder such a burden by themselves, but it wasn’t interpreted as Isayama, the manga creator, hoped.
So, the anime made sure to change it in a way that would positively impact the audience, which is why they focused on Eren expressing his feelings for Mikasa to Armin.
Furthermore, there were a few more scenes added independently to give something more palpable for the manga readers. The interactions of Eren and Mikasa at the cabin were extended a bit as well.
Since the anime involves us feeling what the characters intend to convey, the extended scenes added a touch of emotional impact, which left fans bawling their eyes out.
The anime also did justice to Levi’s character by animating his peaceful days and reminiscing about the late Survey Corps, which many fans appreciated more compared to the manga.
At about the same time, there was also a scene of Gabi and Falco planting trees with several other survivors, hinting that the world is finally at peace, even if it means for a short while.
Last but not least, anime made a minimal change to the final panel, where they showcase the tree where Eren was buried as well as a view of the Paradis, which now has advanced into a modern city.
Although it was a little advanced in the manga as well, the time skip in the anime seems to have been exaggerated. In the end, Paradis faces destruction in both manga and anime, meaning with or without Titans, humans can never live in peace.
So, have you watched the anime’s final episode yet? How did it feel compared to the manga?
