Armin, Eren, and Mikasa standing atop a wall in Attack on Titan
By
Lewis Glazebrook
Published 14 minutes ago
Lewis is a Lead Writer for Screen Rant and has written for the site since 2022. This has allowed Lewis to explore a vast array of films, TV shows, books, comic books, and games from across the mainstream world of pop culture, reflecting his lifelong love of all media and typifying his experience in the world of fiction storytelling. To top this off, Lewis graduated from Northumbria University with First Class Honours in Film & TV Studies, truly exemplifying his experience in the medium.
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Attack on Titan broke several anime rules to make its greatest moment a true masterpiece. Hailed as one of the best anime series in history, Attack on Titan both subverts and adheres to typical conventions of the genre. There are plot twists involving Attack on Titan's saddest deaths and action scenes that are expertly animated, as anime series tend to include.
However, as was evident in Attack on Titan's somewhat controversial ending, the show also didn't play it safe and subverted expectations at times. Even Attack on Titan's titular titans created unconventional moments, be it the abnormal monsters the show's heroes fought against or the precognitive powers of other titans.
All that said, one moment in Attack on Titan stands tall as perhaps the biggest subversion of expectations. Despite going against every anime rule, this moment became one of the show's best.
Attack On Titan's Reiner And Berthold Twist Was The Most Nonchalant Reveal In Anime History
The scene in question comes in Attack on Titan season 2, episode 6, when Reiner and Berthold reveal their true nature. For a season and a half, the Colossal Titan and Armored Titan remained mysterious enemies of the show's protagonists. In this episode, Reiner reveals himself as the Armored Titan, and Berthold as the Colossal Titan.
Reiner explains that the two were sent to Eren's home to wipe out humanity. However, rather than be a massive, epic reveal with replays of the moment, reaction shots from the other characters, a dramatic pause before Reiner's speech, or a giant cliffhanger scene, Attack on Titan drops this bombshell in the most nonchalant way possible.
All of the aforementioned features tend to be part of anime shows in huge moments, yet Attack on Titan has none of that. In fact, Reiner's initial admission is difficult to hear, as it is sandwiched between voice lines from other characters. There is no close-up, no loud musical cue, or anything that should typically accompany a big reveal.
Instead, there is simply a wide shot of a group of characters walking away from Reiner, Berthold, and Eren as the former remains in focus. The latter three, the subjects of the massive identity twist, are off to the side as their dialogue quietly reveals the truth. Going against every anime convention in the book, this moment is one of the most casual major reveals in the genre.
The Way Reiner Revealed Himself To Eren Made The Titan Twist Even More Disturbing
Attack on Titan - Reiner crying on the ground
Although the complete nonchalance of Reiner's reveal breaks several anime trends, it makes the moment more unsettling. Reiner tells Eren he wants to talk to him, and, at that point in the show, the two characters have been close friends, with Reiner being an immensely likable hero. Audiences simply think Reiner is going to fill Eren in on what he missed.
Suddenly, the first words out of Reiner's mouth are that he and Berthold launched an attack on humanity five years ago, the inception point of the entire show. The words explain that they were responsible for so much death, destruction, and trauma, but they are delivered with a casualness that does not befit the dark reveal.
This makes the scene one of Attack on Titan's greatest as it becomes so disturbing. Reiner, someone audiences assumed was a stalwart hero, simply reveals he is one of the show's biggest villains, destroyed Eren's hometown, and thrust humanity to the brink of extinction. The simple nature of the reveal is so much more disturbing than if it were a big, loud, dramatic, villainous monologue.
Rather than feel like a mustache-twirling villain, as would have been the case if the anime trends had been followed, Reiner feels like a cold warrior who is following orders. If the twist had been more dramatic and grandiose, it may have been easier to accept Reiner as a typical anime villain. As Attack on Titan revealed it, though, Reiner's twist was imbued with the disturbing reality of harsh betrayal.
Isayama Perfected The Art Of Plot Twists With Attack On Titan
This plot twist is one of the earliest major reveals in Attack on Titan, with the show going on to have several more in seasons 3 and 4. The Reiner reveal set the bar high for Attack on Titan plot twists, which future reveals met with ease. This is all thanks to the manga's original creator, writer, and artist, Hajime Isayama.
Isayama wrote a complex story with Attack on Titan that, arguably, lives or dies with its plot twists. If the big reveals that the mystery box story hinges on do not work, Attack on Titan does not work. However, Isayama perfected the art of plot twists with the manga, with the anime adaptation following suit.
Attack on Titan's big Reiner twist is just one of many that people remember when looking back on the show. The Reiner moment sticks in the mind due to the nonchalance of the reveal, with other twists equally coming out of nowhere, and with similarly unconventional aspects that make them land.
Overall, Isayama's writing for Attack on Titan is some of the best in anime history, with the big plot twists and their abandonment of anime rules contributing massively as to why.
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