Attack On Titan [Season 3- Part 2] (2019)

When the first season of Attack On Titan aired it was a genuine phenomenon. Not only was it huge with anime fans, but it was also a rare cross-over hit. It seems to have lost a lot of steam in the intervening years- probably because it was a four-year wait for a slightly underwhelming second season. The show (and the manga) are still popular, but people don't seem to talk about it nearly as much any more. It's a shame because the first part of the third season saw something of a return to form. And part two proved to be even better.

Season three was aired in two parts, with the initial 12 episodes running between July and October of 2018. The second part consisted of 10 episodes,- contained in this release- and aired between April and July of 2019. The English dubbed and subtitled versions are produced by Funimation and released in the UK by Manga Entertainment.

The decision to split the season in two is one that seems to make sense. The two parts feel distinct from each other, to the degree that they might as well be separate seasons. While the first part headed into new territory with political intrigue and infighting, the second is much more like the Attack on Titan we know.

It starts going at full pelt, with the Scouts arriving in Eren, Mikasa and Armin's hometown to mount the mission to take back Wall Maria. It's pretty much one long battle sequence from there on out, as the Titans, lead by the shifters arrive to try and wipe them out.

It's thrilling, intense stuff that barely lets up for a moment. As the Scouts face off against seemingly insurmountable odds, it's incredibly dramatic, with the best action seen in the series since the first season. The series also looks better than ever, with Wit Studio delivering excellent looking animation. Only some wonky CGI lets the side down, but it's no deal-breaker.

After sidelining its central trio for much of the rest of the season, Eren, Armin and Mikasa get to play a central part in events once again. Mikasa, in particular, is much closer to her kick-ass season one self.

It's a pivotal battle with a high body count, and it will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout. Later on, the fallout means that incredibly tough decisions must be made, with serious consequences for the future. The drama here is every bit as gripping as the epic action. Attack on Titan has an atypically serious feel, lacking the radical tonal shifts of so much anime.  It ensures it's an incredibly addictive show that lends itself to being consumed in large chunks (God bless you, Funimation's Marathon Play feature). How people are able to watch this show week-to-week is beyond me.

The aftermath is no less compelling than the battle episodes themselves. Major revelations begin to reveal much more about the secret history of the show's world. The steady drip of information we've been getting about the secrets behind the titans starts to become a flood.

As the series wraps ups its third season, it naturally has lost some of the sense of novelty and surprise that the first season benefited from. But in virtually every other respect, this is as good as Attack On Titan has ever been.

Giant Titan fans will be tempted by the special edition release, available alongside the standard Blu-Ray and DVD editions. It contains the episodes on both Blu-Ray and DVD and an 80-page artbook.

 FORMAT: SERIES AVAILABLE ON: BLU-RAY/DVD/LIMITED EDITION/DIGITAL/STREAMING  FROM: MANGA ENTERTAINMENT/ FUNIMATION  RATING: 15 [UK] TV-MA RUNNING TIME: 10 episodes

IN A NUTSHELL:  Blistering, exhilarating action and shocking revelations make for some of the best Attack On Titan yet. 

Review disc supplied by Manga Entertainment 

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