Dhruv Sharma
Since its premiere in 2013, ‘Attack on Titan‘ has been a breakthrough anime that took the whole world of Japanese cartoons by storm. Its source material is still amongst the top-selling manga of all time and its post-apocalyptic fantasy element still remains unmatched by anime of similar kind. The long gap between the release of its season 1 and 2 was a bit off a turn-off for many. But if have been patient enough to stick around with the show all this while, season 3 is no less than a reward for your loyalty. This new 10-episode sequel of the anime has been labeled as “Part 2” of Season 3 itself and not Season 4 because it directly picks up right after the events of “Season 3”. Instead of adapting a whole new arc, this season is more about a new segment of the same old story which makes it more or less of a continuation and not exactly a sequel.
In the first two seasons, the anime was a gory fantasy with giant monsters trying to take over a small human civilization. But along with that, the story always had parallel subplots with the backstories of the characters and a tinge of political intrigue that made you question who the real enemy is. Season 3 takes all of these parallel stories and binds them together to bring in a very captivating plot. All of it has been woven together in a well-structured manner to make sense out of everything. ‘Season 3 Part 2’ manages to retain all of its electrifying action and dives deeper into the thrilling conspiracy that was sparked in Part 1. Many questions and mysteries that were previously foreshadowed are slowly focused upon one at a time and it’s not only satisfying to watch all these unfold but it is also shocking to see how well planned out the entire anime has been all this while.
The second part clearly displays how much of a genius the mangaka, Isayuma, is when it comes to storytelling. While many story-centric anime shows thrive on super-complex plots, ‘Attack on Titan‘ uses its simple foundation to create an unforgettable piece of art. Think about it, the show was initially all about giant naked monstrous people, three really strong walls and humans residing in the condiments of those walls. But with time, just by using these simple fundamental ideas, the series has turned into an incredibly thought-out complex story. It is rumored that this is probably Wit Studio’s last season with the anime. It’s sad to know that an anime that has delivered one of the best stories and visuals, is finally coming to an end in 2020. But what brings peace to most fans is the fact that throughout is runtime, ‘Attack on Titan’ managed to excel in every possible way.
Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2 Release Date:
‘Attack on Titan’ season 1 premiered on April 7, 2013 and came to an end on September 29, 2013. This was followed by a season 2 which aired from April 1, 2017 to June 17, 2017. Soon after this, season 3 of the anime released on June 23, 2018 and went on till October 15, 2018. Then finally, ‘Season 3 Part 2’ premiered recently on April 29, 2019 and with a total of 10 episodes, it was concluded on July 1, 2019. To know more about the possibilities of a fourth season, you should check out our preview of ‘Season 4‘.
Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2 English Dub:
The English Dub of ‘Attack on Titan’ Season 3 Part 2 is available on Funimation.
Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2 Plot:
‘Season 3 Part 2’ picks up exactly where ‘Part 1’ concludes its story and for the most part of it, this season focuses on all the struggle that Eren has to go through to regain control over everything that is being taken away from him. Meanwhile, the Survey Corps try to find a way to unravel the secrets that have been locked away in the Yeager family’s basement for years.
At the beginning of Season 3, a massive battle commences between the Survey Corps and the three great Titans. This takes up almost 8-10 episodes of the season but the real story begins after this. As soon as the Survey Corps return back home, they realize that the civilized place they had left behind is now tattered with issues greater than the threat of the Titans. To their dismay, the state of the world they lived in has completely changed and is now engulfed with with dark clouds of politics and internal controversies.
Armin Artlert is the first one to notice the potential scheme that may be against them and his speculations soon turn into a reality when the custody of Eren and Krista is demanded by the government. The entire series has always been about Eren’s hopeful desire to destroy the Titans and bring freedom to his people. ‘Season 3 Part 2’ is again about all of his hope that makes him believe that he will be able to resolve the internal issues of the civilization as well.
Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2 Review:
As I mentioned earlier, ‘Attack on Titan‘ Season 3 Part 2 is more like a reward for all of its fan. With nearly 60 episodes in the bag now, the series might have raised several questions in the back of your head. Who exactly was Eren’s father and what does he have to do with the story? Where did the Titans come from? Who is the Beast Titan? All of these loose ends and underlying questions are finally answered in this season. Certain elements of the story are a little predictable, but for the most part of it, it takes on a whole new dimension that was previously hinted and also adds more stakes to it.
There are also some extremely unpredictable elements that will throw you off guard along with some really emotional moments that will literally make every fan cry. The runtime of this season is little less than the others but it manages to perfectly capture everything that it tries to portray and executes a simple story in the best way possible. The scouts are back to their town and the world is still thwarted with the threats of the Titans but none of that matters since a brutal battle of intelligence and power has already been sparked inside the walls. That’s how simple the entire story of this season is and yet, it has been outstandingly executed.
‘Attack on Titan‘ very well knows how to use all of its characters. Every single one of them has a certain role to play no matter how big or small. Some characters don’t even have much of screentime but they still contribute to the overarching plot in one way or the other. Especially in ‘Season 3 Part 2’, it is the positive or negative motives of all the characters that tend to drive the entire story. As it pertains to the main ones, it can clearly be seen that their roles have been well crafted with respect to their contribution to the story and also their relationships with others. Speaking of relationships, ‘Attack on Titans’ has done a great job in building really strong bonds between the characters. In this season, ironically, these bonds spark conflicts after the great war and leave you with nothing but a broken heart.
One thing about ‘Attack on Titan’ that has never disappointed anybody is its art style and consistent animation quality. From the character/Titan designs to the mere weapons used for battle, every single thing has been detailed carefully. The cinematography is something that will blow you off every single time and even the shot composition is stunningly gorgeous. The color palette of this season is slightly darker as it reflects upon the darkness of the world around the characters and also their will to survive. The CGI was a little inconsistent with the parts that involved the Colossal Titan but apart from that, the battles were all as great as ever.
With Sawano as the composer, this season again brings some of the greatest soundtracks and a few of these have also been revived from Season 1. All the background scores just elevate every single scene they are played with and you’re not just able to enjoy these but you actually learn to cherish each and every one of them. Yoshiki and Hyde’s ‘Red Swan’ from the previous season still remains unbeatable and it would be great to see them collaborate again. Nonetheless, even the opening theme of ‘Part 2’ is pretty good and does justice to what follows in each and every episode.
Overall, everyone who has seen this season will agree that it is unlike any other show out there. This is indeed the best of what the anime industry has to offer and if you want to experience watching something masterful yourself, then it is never too late to pick up a show like this one. I can assure you that, at the end of the day, its utter brilliance will leave you completely mesmerized and you’ll be begging for more.
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