So why not take all of the arcs we’ve seen so far and rank them? That way we get to gush about the series and raise even more hype for when the story finally ends. Here’s my ranking of all the Attack on Titan arcs. Keep in mind, this is all for fun.
9. 104th Training Corps
Since this is one of the shortest arcs in the series, it only makes sense to rank it pretty low. Overall, it doesn’t do much aside from setting up the main trio and some of the other Scouts. The only real stand-out moment of this arc was Sasha eating a potato. And although that was pretty adorable – it can’t really compare to the insanity that is about to follow.
8. Fall Of Shiganshina
This short arc covers the very beginning of the show and is THE arc that got us all hooked. We get some concrete world-building and a glimpse of what this show has to offer. Honestly, the first time the Colossal Titan peeks over the wall will forever be one of the most iconic moments in the series. And Eren’s mother getting chomped on almost makes up for his anger issues later on. Almost. I will say that this arc gets even better upon a rewatch though, as lots of little hints are thrown into the mix. Plus, it has a very strong “videos taken minutes before a tragedy” vibe.
7. Battle of Trost District
Although Fall of Shiganshina gave us a pretty good taste of the show’s atmosphere – I still wasn’t ready for Trost. And while a lot of people tend to overlook this arc (as there aren’t that many key moments that happen), it still deserves some recognition. This was one of the most surreal and morbid arcs in the entire story. We got to see exactly how powerless mankind was when faced with Titans. We also got to see that side characters aren’t above getting munched. And even though it was an obvious twist, even Eren died for a second! Overall, it might not be the flashiest arc ever – but for the tone-setting alone, it deserves some recognition.
6. Royal Government Arc
It honestly hurts me to put this arc so low, as it contained some of my favorite moments in the show. This is mostly due to the fact that Levi got most of the spotlight. Finally seeing his backstory, absolutely no one was surprised to learn that it was tragic. Nevertheless, it broke my heart and his battle against Kenny was S-tier action. In general, the moral dilemma that arose about killing other humans was a very interesting twist if you ask me. And Kenny’s send-off only made the morality even grayer and made me more depressed. All of that being said, it’s also important to note that this arc had some lull moments. Politics was a huge part of the story and for a lot of people that was pretty boring. Also, Eren crying in the cave made me want to punch a hole through my computer. Overall quite the mixed bag.
5. Female Titan Arc
Up until this point, there wasn’t really an antagonist. Sure, there were nameless Titans, but nothing we could really latch on to. But then the first impostor was caught, and everything became a lot tenser. Sure, a lot of people have pointed out how obvious Annie’s identity was – but I didn’t mind it that much. Her fighting style was brilliant and somehow managed to up the gruesome ante. The scene where she lifts up Armin’s hood honestly gave me chills. And the moment when she figured out that her cover was blown was just amazing. Overall, this arc had a lot of really cool fights and jaw-dropping moments – easily landing it in the number five spot.
4. Clash Of The Titans Arc
Although some people were underwhelmed with Annie’s reveal – the entire anime community universally dropped their jaw when Reiner and Bertolt first transformed. This arc only gets better with subsequent rewatches as you see just how much foreshadowing there was to this grand reveal. And when the actual battle commences, it’s just a beauty. This arc also featured some plot bombs. Not only do the Scouts start piecing together the Titans’ origin (through the strange case of Connie’s mom) but Eren controls a Titan for the first time. And then he subsequently kills the Titan that ate his mom, completing the cycle of revenge. This arc was jam-packed with memorable moments and plot twists – so it has to be at number four.
3. War for Paradis Arc
When it comes to the top three arcs – they outrank each other by extremely thin margins. The War for Paradis arc was the latest arc to have dropped and boy was it interesting. It probably had the highest amount of action the show has ever seen – with Titan vs Titan and human vs human battles going on all over Paradis island. This arc also contained one of the best plot twists in anime history – with Eren revealing his master plan and showcasing his power to alter the past. I know I’ve said this a few times already – but after finishing this arc, every subsequent rewatch becomes infinitely more enjoyable. Honestly, the only reason that I ranked this arc at the bottom of the top three is that it felt unfinished. We all thought that this was the final season (since it’s literally in the name) but we got Rick Rolled. Also, there was no Levi in this arc. That’s pretty much a death sentence in my books.
2. Marley Arc
The beginning of season four was probably the strongest introduction I’ve ever seen. Up until this point, we’ve never even seen the world outside of the Walls. And now we’re in the midst of it all – from the battlefield to the normal civilians living their life. So, when Eren showed up all alone and looking like a killer hobo – we all knew that this season was going to be amazing. And the show definitely delivered. Eren’s first contact with Reiner is nothing short of a masterpiece if you ask me. And the battle that ensues is equally as masterful. With Armin using his powers for the first time, Eren going sicko mode, and the entire cast now being grown-ups – this arc just shook me to my core. I honestly have nothing bad to say about it. The only reason that it isn’t in the number one spot is because of one key scene (no spoilers).
1. Return To Shiganshina
Although I like to fanboy over Levi, Mikasa, or the new Eren, there’s one character that has always been the GOAT. And that’s Erwin. I honestly think that he’s an example of near-perfect character writing and every scene is immediately made better by having him in it. He was so well-written in fact that I didn’t even want him brought back to life. That’s because his speech prior to attacking the Beast Titan was my favorite anime moment of all time. It was so well executed and gave me goosebumps so frequently that it alone made this arc the best one out there. But then you also factor in Levi vs the Beast Titan and the basement finally getting explored – and you get a recipe for greatness. I know that for most people the final season had all of the best moments – but I’m prepared to die on this hill. The season three finale is peak anime and there’s nothing anyone can say to change my mind.
