Attack on Titan will always have one of the best anime reveals, and no new gen has come close yet

Modified Aug 31, 2024 06:30 GMT

Attack on Titan stands unmatched with one of anime's best reveals (Image via Wit Studio)

Attack on Titan proved to be something of a masterpiece. Hajime Isayama's genius gave us something to cherish for decades to come through his expert storytelling and world-building abilities. Putting it together, we received a series that focused on a unique subject - conflicting philosophical themes in character development.

Moreover, the series made a name for itself through some mind-blowing revelations. Each of them stunned audiences and was set up in a way that no one expected. To be specific, this article will focus particularly on the reveal of the identities of the Armoured Titan and the Colossal Titan. With the way this reveal was done, no new-generation anime can likely match up to it.

Disclaimer: The article contains Attack on Titan spoilers and contains the writer's opinion.

Attack on Titan stands unmatched with one of anime's best reveals

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In Attack on Titan, Reiner Braun, and Bertholdt Hoover revealed that they were titan shifters, i.e., Reiner was the Armored Titan and Bertholdt was the Colossal Titan. To begin with, the scene was set up almost too perfectly. Usually before a major reveal in a series, certain signs/hints build up to the mentioned reveal.

But in this case, there was no such build-up. The reveal came after the Cout Regiment regrouped atop Wall Rose. Ymir's Titan powers had just come to light and Historia was pleading with Hange that she wasn't a threat to humanity. A little further away, Reiner stressed out his second near-death experience with a Titan. Eren acknowledged his stress and felt it was due to him being away from his hometown for a while.

While the rest of the Regiment began to depart, Reiner pulled Eren aside and divulged his and Bertholdt's identity as the Armored and Colossal Titans. What followed was Mikasa's fruitless attempt at killing them, which led to both of them transforming and subsequently, Eren transforming, to battle Reiner.

Bertholdt and Reiner Braun (Image via Wit Studio)

This entire scene will likely always remain unmatched when it comes to anime's best reveals. Everything about this particular scene was very random and that is exactly what makes it so brilliant. Additionally, its specialty lies in how it pans between Hange theorizing in the forefront and Reiner's muffled confession, almost like the viewers should overlook it and focus on the scouts.

This scene embodies a sort of cognitive dissonance, leading viewers to not suspect Reiner and Bertholdt. After all, why would these two characters that have been shown to develop such a strong bond with the protagonist turn out to be Titans? Moreover, why would they be the ones to cause a twist in the plot of this magnitude? Such questions keep them out of the wrong kind of spotlight. But again, it was this very detail that Isayama leveraged to catch everyone off guard.

Reiner and Bertholdt's reveal will go down as probably anime's best reveal of all time. The stressful confession from Reiner, the swiftness of Mikasa, the lightning striking the top of Wall Rose as the pair transformed and the soundtrack adding another dimension to the scene - absolutely phenomenal. It is very unlikely that any modern generation anime can come close to a scene like this, for it takes something special to cook this up and only Isayama might have the recipe.