Hajime Isayama’s acclaimed manga Attack on Titan concluded in 2021, but the ending proved very divisive among fans. Many were disappointed with how the story wrapped up after following it for so long. The dissatisfaction was so strong that some fans created their own alternate ending and tried to petition Isayama to change the official conclusion. Here, you will find the reason Why Is Attack on Titan Ending Hated?
Attack on Titan centers around Eren Yeager, who sees his mother eaten by a titan during an attack on his hometown. This motivates Eren to vow to destroy all Titans. However, he later discovers he has the power to transform into a titan, complicating his mission.
The series built up intrigue and mystery across its run. But for some fans, the eventual explanations and fates of key characters failed to satisfy. The ending did not match the expectations set by the epic scale and themes of the rest of the manga.
While no creative work can please everyone, the ending clearly missed the mark for a significant portion of Attack on Titan’s dedicated readership. The outcry highlights how invested fans were in the story, although not in the way Isayama presumably intended.
Why Is Attack on Titan Ending Hated? Explained
The controversial conclusion to Attack on Titan saw Mikasa enter Eren’s Founding Titan form and decapitate him, ending the Rumbling he had initiated. She then kissed his severed head in a final goodbye.
In the last chapter, Mikasa brought Eren’s head to Armin so they could mourn their childhood friend together. But she soon had to leave the battlefield with the head to give Eren a proper burial, as his remains would likely face backlash after the global devastation he caused. With Eren’s death, the power of the Titans disappeared from the world, returning Eldians to normal humans.
While the ending functionally wrapped up the narrative, many fans took issue with plot holes and logical gaps. For instance, Armin convincing Zeke to sacrifice himself to stop the Rumbling seemed emotionally simplistic for such a complex series. The reliance on personal appeals rather than well-developed motivations came across as rushed and unsatisfying to some readers.
Other developments also failed to live up to the intricate worldbuilding and characterization that defined much of the manga’s run.
The ending did provide closure but lacked narrative coherence with what came before. For devoted fans, the conclusion felt abrupt rather than a meaningful resolution to an epic saga. The flawed ending left a sour taste for readers who wanted the series to satisfy its ambitious premise through to the finale.
Speaking to Armin, Eren suddenly professed love for Mikasa after previously being cold toward her. This felt out of character, given his prior stoic attitude.
The revelation that Ymir loved King Fritz was also controversial since he abused and exploited her. It was perplexing that the story drew a parallel between Ymir’s devotion and Mikasa’s love for Eren, who had enacted global genocide.
Several other narrative choices rubbed fans the wrong way as well. But fundamentally, the debate comes down to supporters of Isayama’s original ending versus those favoring the fan-created “Attack on Requiem” alternate ending.
Isayama’s conclusion aims for a tragic, morally gray finish to the saga. But many believe “Requiem” delivers a more satisfying payoff by having Eren complete the Rumbling and secure freedom for Paradis. This arguably stays more consistent with Eren’s established motivations.
Will Isayama Sensei Change The Ending of Attack on Titan
In a recent interview, Hajime Isayama acknowledged regrets about the manga’s ending, admitting he now has new ideas for how to conclude the story. He said the anime-influenced his view of Eren in a more positive light, causing him to change the story’s direction substantially.
So, it seems Isayama recognizes flaws in the original ending he came up with. However, it remains to be seen what revisions he might make when adapting that controversial conclusion for the anime.
Initially, manga readers reacted very negatively to the ending for the reasons outlined earlier. But anime-only fans have responded much more positively so far.
This is likely due to the anime’s improved pacing and tweaks to divisive dialogue – for example, Armin no longer thanks Eren for genocide. With these changes, the animated version seems to flow better than the manga’s rushed-feeling final arc.
