Last Updated: November 19, 2019
Popular anime series Attack on Titan is returning for season 4, and here’s what fans can expect. Based on the manga by Hajime Isayama, Attack on Titan burst onto the international anime scene in 2013 with an intriguing premise and sadistic, bloody violence, even attracting a crossover audience with no previous interest in anime. Long delays to season 2 somewhat halted the momentum Attack on Titan had generated for itself, but a quicker turnaround for the recently-concluded season 3 ensured critical reception was at least back to hitting the series’ familiar high standards.
Shortly after Attack on Titan season 3’s completion, it was announced that season 4 was officially happening, but would be the final run of episodes, bringing Eren, Mikasa and Armin’s story to a close. Now, fans wait not-so-patiently to find out what Attack on Titan’s swan song has in store for them, and how much more giant monster carnage they have to look forward to before the show signs off for good.
Given the show’s popularity, it’s hard to imagine that the Attack on Titan creative team will want to go out with anything less than a home run final outing. With many question marks hanging over Attack on Titan’s fourth season, here’s everything we know so far.
Attack On Titan Season 4 Release Date
Following Attack on Titan’s season 3 finale, season 4 was confirmed for a fall 2020 premiere. This is more or less in line with the gap between Attack on Titan’s second and third seasons, however season 3 was split into two chunks. It seems likely that Attack on Titan season 4 will also be comprised of two 10-12 episode blocks, since animating a full season in time for fall 2020 could be a tall order.
Attack On Titan Season 4 Will Be The Final Season
Attack on Titan’s season 4 renewal instantly became bittersweet when it was also announced that season 4 will be the final season. While many fans were understandably upset by the news, most shows don’t get to end on their own creative terms, and now the cast and crew of Attack on Titan will get a chance to ensure that season 4 serves as a proper conclusion to the series anime fans have come to know and love.
Attack On Titan Season 4 Story Details
Attack on Titan season 4 finds itself in a strange position, considering the manga series still running. A previous announcement had already confirmed that the Hajime Isayama comic series was publishing its final arc, but there’s no telling exactly how long that will take, with manga arcs sometimes spanning several years. Add to that all the chapters Attack on Titan has yet to adapt, and it immediately looks like a considerable challenge to wrap every plot thread up within a single season. With Attack on Titan already risking a Game of Thrones-style rush to the finish, a short 12-episode run in the mold of season 2 is surely out of the question.
Towards the end of season 3, Attack on Titan finally explored Eren’s fabled basement, cracking open the truth of the world, the Titans and the unknown history. If the anime series stays faithful to the manga, season 4 won’t immediately pick up on this, but instead explore a new crop of characters that exist outside of the walls in the enemy land of Marley. Eventually, the new and old cast merge and events will build towards a climactic showdown between the Eldians inside the walls and those who have kept them captive for over 100 years.
Along the way, Attack on Titan season 4 will throw everything fans think they know about the story into doubt, and delve even deeper into the history and powers of the Titans. Moral lines in the sand will be blurrier than ever before and, not before time, the final, as-yet-unseen Titan-Shifter will also be introduced. Also expect more time skips following the jump towards the end of season 3 between the Survey Corps.’ victory and Eren reaching the ocean.
The biggest question surrounding Attack on Titan season 4 is how much detail from the manga will have to be sacrificed in order to ensure that every major storyline is wrapped up by the end of the season. Will the anime adaptation be forced to make significant deviations to present a more streamlined version of Attack on Titan’s ending?
How to Watch Attack On Titan Season 4
While Attack on Titan season 4 will air on the NHK General TV network in Japan, viewers in other territories should be able to watch subtitled episodes on Crunchyroll shortly after their original airing. More details for Western viewers will no doubt be revealed nearer to season 4’s premiere next year.
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Attack on Titan season 4 premieres in fall 2020.
