The Attack on Titan finale in the anime took place last weekend and is still talked about as one of the industry's most popular properties came to a conclusion. There were a lot of expectations surrounding the anime's conclusion, and there were several fans hoping that Studio MAPPA would fix some of the mistakes in author Hajime Isayama's conclusion.
The hope was that the Attack on Titan finale would fix some situations, such as Eren's final moments with Armin, some plot points that didn't make sense with some characters, and overall the flow of the story. While people's perception of the story is going to depend on every viewer's interpretation, there were some changes that MAPPA made to enhance the story.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Attack on Titan finale.
All the differences of the Attack on Titan finale between the anime and the manga
One of the first changes the Attack on Titan finale goes through when compared to the manga is when Armin and Eren talk in Shiganshina. They see the river of lava they thought was "burning water" when they were kids, and they begin to talk, which includes Eren's confession about not wanting to die and Mikasa. The "burning water" part was extended a bit when compared to the manga.
The only major difference in the anime when compared to the manga is Armin and Eren's conversation. In the manga, Armin thanks Eren for being a mass murderer for their sake. In the anime, Armin admits that he is just as responsible as his friend and that they are both going to hell after killing 80% of the human race.
Another major change took place with the final goodbyes of Eren and Mikasa. In the manga, author Hijame Isayama went for a more detailed approach to the scene, while MAPPA chose to go for a more subtle route. This helps to build a bit more atmosphere between the two characters as they say their final goodbyes.
Both versions show the destruction of Paradis many years down the line, although the Attack on Titan finale in the anime shows the skyscrapers in this version of the city a lot more futuristic while the ones in the manga were similar to real-life buildings.
The final moments of the anime also add some moments for the remaining cast, including some of them rebuilding the land after all the destruction that had ensued. One of the few anime-only scenes that were added was the one of Gabi and Falco planting tree seeds, thus reflecting the theme of building for the next generation and creating a better society.
Overall, the bulk of the Attack on Titan finale stayed pretty faithful to the source material while trying to iron out some key moments, like Eren's conversation with Armin. Yes, some fight scenes were improved for entertainment purposes in the anime, but in terms of story progression and plot points, it remained pretty much the same as the manga.
Final thoughts
The Attack on Titan finale is going to live on in the memory of a lot of fans over the years, and for a good reason: it is the conclusion to one of the most popular anime in the last decade. Credit goes to MAPPA Studio for doing justice to the source material and even improving some key points that were criticized by the fandom.