Attack on Titan is a Japanese anime that debuted in 2013 and over the years since, has gathered millions of fans  worldwide. It’s one of the most popular anime’s thanks to its exciting (and heartbreaking) plot line which quickly captures viewers’ attention until they have no choice but to keep watching. 

If you have never seen or even heard of the show, here’s a quick and spoil-free summary. 

The story begins with a boy named Eren Yeager whose life is destroyed in an instant due to titans (giant, human-eating monsters who have taken over the known world) trampling his home and the people he loves. He is left with his two best friends, Armin and Mikasa, who all decide to join the Scout Regiment to fight the monsters that smashed their lives to pieces. They make many friends and many enemies along the way, but not without the price of losing many of those closest to them. 

All in all, it’s a show that will have you on the edge of your seat, with its incredible animation, amazing voice actors, and excellent intro songs. However, fair warning, sometimes your eyes will be so covered with tears that you won’t be able to see the animation.

The show aired its latest episode on Sunday, January 9 after being off the air for over a year. Fans were more than happy to see their beloved characters back on the screen, including the crowd favorite: Eren Yeager. He may have made many bad decisions throughout the years, but that won’t stop viewers from defending him during this last season.

“Eren has been my favorite character since season 1. Sometimes he’s a little bit of a messy character, but I love that he never gives up,” said senior Margaret Coll. 

The episode started off with quite an intense scene, showing Squad Leaders Hange and Levi in a dire situation. They leave their troops in order to seek help and stay safe, leading the show to move onto Eren in his Titan form, fighting the Marleyan army. Things quickly heat up as Eren begins to fight two other powerful titans, while the troops defending him are taken down in a matter of seconds. 

This new episode was a great way to begin the ending of Attack on Titan. It started right where it left off, keeping the viewers interested and dedicated. 

Freshman Bernadette Nieto-Ramos believes, “The new AOT episode was absolutely amazing. I was impressed with how detailed the visuals and animations were. The opening had a lot of foreshadowing for future events that I’m very excited to see.”

However, not all Attack on Titan watchers are excited for this season. Senior Raymon Martinez said, “I honestly think that this season won’t stand out from any other ones. It’s very mid.” 

In the end, this show will have viewers that hold all different kinds of opinions. But that won’t stop it from being one of the most popular animes today. 

Finally, if you’re interested in watching the show, viewer discretion is advised. Due to the nature of the plot, there’s pretty heavy amounts of gore that might not be for everyone. If gore and blood isn’t your thing, I’d recommend another show.

If you still want to see why this show is so popular, feel free to check it out on Hulu or any anime streaming site, like Crunchyroll. If you become so obsessed and cannot possibly wait to see what happens, catch a head start and check out the manga which can be found at any bookstore that carries manga.