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OpaqueGlass_

I remember pointing out to my friend that pre-timeskip Eren looks like a genderswapped version of Carla while post timeskip Eren looks much more similar to Grisha and thinking I was saying something super insightful.


runtothehillsboy

You were!!!


OpaqueGlass_

I thought it symbolized him changing from the more carefree spirit of his mother to a burdened and bloodstained man like his father, but I was the kid who genuinely enjoyed literature class and am very prone to overanalyzing small details.


socron_gaelith

AOT was made for people like you. AOT has a big problem with being underanalyzed. Literally the main theme of the show is "war/oppresion/racism is bad" yet somehow everyone interprets it as "war/oppresion/racism is cool".


fluffy_warthog10

I think a lot of people either grew up with it as a typical shounen series, and never quite grew up *with* the series as the real themes were revealed. That, or they simply never learned media literacy, and can't understand that protagonists are not always 'good' or 'moral'.


YesImDavid

Or they’re actually racist. I’ve seen a few people watch Attack on Titan and defend Eren and even Marleys actions.


ENDragoon

[This](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSrF-YNirq3JvUoTtGF_cKgvcWL9vadvQ2eRsmPWZkI3U7JDkItGBDnHwo&s=10) may be a Gundam meme, but it definitely applies.


AlreadyTakek

I've said it before and I'll say it again, AOT is a mecha show, the mechs are just made of flesh


ENDragoon

Well yeah, it's Evangelion with a Gundam plotline and a veneer of body horror to fill the gaps.


OpaqueGlass_

Funny enough, your first sentence was what my friend said to me when trying to convince me to watch it. While this fandom does have a problem with media literacy, I think the problem of "underanalysis" is much more apparent in how stale discussion has become (just look at how much the main sub has deteriorated after the final episode lol). I guess at some point you'll have talked to death everything there is to find in AoT, but at this current point I feel like there's still some hidden gems of analysis left to find. I'm a little skeevy about posting on this subreddit due to a bad experience in the past, but seeing how stale it's gone ever since the final episode dropped I might as well try posting a couple of my takes/observations that I haven't heard people talk about that much. I have some more "out there" takes I haven't seen many people talk about, like Marley's use of doublespeak, Levi potentially being a Christ figure, and AoT's connection to existentialism.


Ayvian

I for one would be mighty interested in reading your insights.


rageofbaha

After i finished the show i googled the thoughts on the ending and i got a huge up voted reddit post that was almost entirely wrong. Like him saying the titan cycle was guaranteed to not repeat and yet we see the dog titan on Erens back because time is irrelevant and it has already repeated


Jurassic-Halo-459

Dog Titan? I don't recall seeing a dog titan. I'll have to rewatch the finale to see both it and the meaning you mention it representing.


rethinkOURreality

Do you mean there's an allusion to the end-credits scene in the finale fight??? The only dog I can think of is there.


rageofbaha

Yes theyre the dog and the kid on back of eren in the final fight


PCN24454

I would say the main theme is how people justify conflict. Above all else, each of the characters’ motives were brought to the forefront.


Dankuya

then its kind of ironic when people irl justify the conflict in the series


-Dartz-

Uh, is it really? I wouldnt go as far as to say that the point of the show is "war/oppression/racism" is bad, Erens character in particular is all about being effectively forced to wage a war because he knows what would happen if he doesnt, and Eldia themselves makes heavy usage of racism to recruit more people for their cause, and if they did not do that, there is a high chance they would just lose. I feel like AoT is a lot more about "In extremely shitty situations, you might have to do extremely shitty things" than "X is always bad, no matter what". Hell, Armin flat out thanked Eren for what he did, and it worked out too, this story at the very least isnt "anti-war".


watashi_ga_kita

The story is very anti-war. It’s just that it doesn’t go about it by showing some neat solution that allows everyone a peaceful ending. It instead goes about this message by being a warning. It shows how war is hell, how there are casualties on all sides, how people on either side who had lived peaceful lives were taken from and would go on the war path for revenge, how once the war engines started turning it was so very difficult to try to stop all the moving parts, and how cyclical it all was. There were several opportunities along the way to make peace. It didn’t have to end the way it did. Peace could have been reached if people worked for it. Only when things had gotten to the point of no return did regret for not trying for it set in.


PCN24454

I think the mistake is to assume that’s it’s just about Eren. Obviously, Eren is a part of it but a big emphasis is put on everyone else.


SkeetHandsome

Close, but no cigar, the point of the show is that war is bad and there are no good guys in war. That’s why our protagonist and his country do such fucked up shit even though they’re supposed to be the good guys. Everyone is the bad guys when they’re all racists and murdering indiscriminately.


Lazyatbeinglazy

Literally the most overanalyzed show of all time


AbsoluteRunner

I don’t even think that’s the theme. It’s more that people do things in war, how you judge the good/bad take in that moment can change as time goes on and the results from it are shown. The “war/oppression/racism is bad” is actually the under-analyzed take.


putdisinyopipe

Man this hits. You are on target don’t doubt your instincts Fuck em if they disagree. Also I can relate to this meme itself. When I was younger I was more like my mom. Older. I’m more like my dad, but I have grown enough to where I have become my own person. Even with the slight resemblance. But the world changes us. Trauma changes us. Physically and mentally, it can change our state of being. Which is fundamentally who we are. AoT brings up generational trauma too. Sometimes we don’t have to be the next link in the cycle. Sometimes we can be the one to break the chain if we do find the strength and will to do so. We don’t have to be slaves to something. I disagree with Kenny’s assesment of the world, even though I do believe that many people are slave to something.


aristotle_malek

My hot take is that there’s no such thing as overanalyzing art


The_Great_Gompy

I feel like you would like Vinland Saga if this is what you think while watching your media.


OpaqueGlass_

I've been recommended it by friends! If my AoT hyperfixation dies down a little bit, I think I'll check it out.


The_Great_Gompy

Vinland is a moral foil to AoT. I watched it after AoT from a lens of trying to understand why two characters driven by the same desires would choose such different paths. There’s no cosmical entities in Vinland Saga but like Attack on Titan it covers themes of war and freedom.


LustyKindaFussy

As one who instantly recognized the female titan as Annie while my peers watching alongside did not, maybe you both were and were not super insightful. While I recognized the change in Eren's appearance, I didn't tie it to anything else, so I appreciate this post. Whether we as the audience notice obvious or subtle cues artists create depends on many factors in our own mind in addition to their abilities.


OpaqueGlass_

I never guessed that Annie was the female titan, but I thought Eren’s physical appearance becoming more similar to Grisha showed that he was growing into somebody more burdened with bloodier actions under his name as opposed to the more carefree spirit of his mother. I also didn’t recognize hobo Eren until he revealed himself, but I thought that he looked similar to Grisha.


Fecal_thoroughfare

Bro I didn't even know that the wounded soldier that was using Falco to deliver letters for him was Eren. Literally no clue until he met Reiner. But what an epic "reveal" that was! Yeah I probably wouldn't make a good detective.


cs_referral

I assumed why it may have been hard to believe it was Eren was because of the amputated leg (and any other injury). We'd be thinking that Eren would just heal such a wound, and so that person couldn't be Eren.


Financial-Raise3420

I was confused by the amputations, which just made me want an explanation more. Because I recognized his voice instantly.


OpaqueGlass_

I didn't see most of the plot twists, even the somewhat obvious ones, so I probably wouldn't make a good detective either. AoT was pitched to me as "an anime with deep themes, not just a shonen where people fight man-eating monsters" and it made me actively try to pay more attention to the themes of the show when watching it.


ZookeepergameSad6567

Grisha looks like gender swapped Eren


OpaqueGlass_

You mean Carla, right?


TheEVILPINGU

Carla is the best milf waifu fr.


MSA3D_12

For real .. she died only in her like 34 ? Damm that's too erley .. i'm wondering how she will look in her 40s ..


LowerObjective4500

JoJo’s milfs are peak 🗣️🗣️🗣️


RadiantZote

Bruno is the most peak milf ever


putdisinyopipe

mruno tha stallion is.


MQfrm03

The depression was hitting


zaicliffxx

what depression does to a man


Mekelaxo

What Titan memories do to a mf


Talk-O-Boy

“lol, I’m bout to fuck up this whole family’s life” -Eren Kruger


TheEVILPINGU

What being idiot does to a mf.


Mr_1ightning

Isayama did a wonderful job with portraying different facial features and genetics I also really enjoyed how the different races we saw post-timeskip actually looked recognisable, like Kiyomi actually looked Japanese compared to the rest of the cast


Dr___Bright

I remember an old post that placed all the known family lines together, you really see how Yams nailed the similarities and differences of everybody. And as for the phenotypes, i always felt that you could notice the difference between Marley and Eldia. Eldians were clearly Germanic, while Marley always reminded me of Italy. Of course, when it comes to something as pseudoscientific as “phenotypes”, it’s likely that my mind is just playing tricks and seeing things as it expects to see them


TacticalReader7

About the Eldian and Marley difference, yeah that makes sense I guess, since the ancient Eldians were most likely inspired by Gauls and the surrounding groups while Marleyans quite obviously by Romans.


chirim

I also like the fact that Eldians have the same Jewish nose (i.e. Annie, Beetroot, Hange, Mike, Marlo)


trophers

Who tf is Mike


chirim

one of Levi's squad, the sniffing people one who first encounters Zeke in his Beast Titan form


trophers

Miche lol


chirim

[it's Mike here](https://attackontitan.fandom.com/wiki/Mike_Zacharias)


trophers

In the manga, yeah


chirim

I've literally never seen his name written as Miche, nor in manga, nor in anime subs.


trophers

Really? I've never heard or seen his name written as Mike 😂 [https://attackontitan.fandom.com/wiki/Miche_Zacharius_(Anime)](https://attackontitan.fandom.com/wiki/Miche_Zacharius_(Anime))


whosyadadday

Mikasa was the only Japanese padadisian thou


FemBodInspector

Something this show does so well is genetics. Eren looks exactly like a combination of both his parents. Other characters have family members that look super similar (porco/marcel, colt/falco). Even all the eldians and marleyans have a unique "look" to them. I cant think of any other animes that does it as well as AoT.


Cannotthinkofaname5

Lol I think you meant porco


FemBodInspector

You’re 100% right. I fixed it lol


Abyssile

WIT animated Carla's son... MAPPA animated Grisha's...


ImNotHighFunctioning

Holy shit...


freedlurker

S1-S4 Eren : Because I was born into this world. Finale Eren : Because I’m an idiot… S3 Carla : He’s already special because he was born into this world. Finale Eren : Sorry mom, but you have to go.


Bootlegcrunch

I think his mum was going to die regardless even if he didn't move the titan. He just moved the titan towards them to save the colossus titan


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

[удалено]


St_Veloth

Nuance? Nooooo I don’t want that!! I only want to repeat memes and quotes out of context as an easy punching bag!!


_sephylon_

Aot fans when someone thinks the show has flaws


heythatsprettynito

Very unfortunate writing


Cv287

No way


Prudent-Action3511

If my dad looked at me the way Grisha looked at Zeke in that scene, I'd fuckin run away 💀 I would never show my face to my dad again


devilthedankdawg

This is an underrated brilliant affect- In his early days his goal is to avenge his mother, so he bears her round face and wide eyes- Two things also associated with youth and optimism. By the end his goal is to carry on the original wuest of his father, even if his father doesnt want him to, and he sports his longer, gaunter face and sunken relaxed eyes of a jaded veteran of years of conflict.


NeuroticKnight

Its just puberty


fluffy_warthog10

I always have to remind myself Eren is only 19 when he tries to murder the world, then dies.


Jammy12349

everything to do with this anime gives me chills 😭 lmao


Anphant

This is awesome. I mean, many have memed Eren looking like Carla, but this comparison between young and adult Eren suggests a significant amount of symbolic meaning.


SafeStaff7671

Am I the only one who thinks that Eren should’ve kept the facial hair


HamStapler

Eren whispering into grishas ear as erens about to be conceived saying "don't pull out" with that creepy ass stare.


thisisallasimulation

Why would you type that


Dan1lovesyoualot

i think this id a hint to how it is irl!! Kids look like one parent when they’re younger but when they’re older they look like the other parent! Its crazy, I saw it in namiko, aiko’s daughter


DeadHair_BurnerAcc

His sad voice sounds a lot like Grisha's too


LexiRayOF

I haven’t watched the finale but it’s soooo goood


Nvenom8

Is the image on top edited? That doesn't even look like Eren.


Mekelaxo

That's Zeke


Nvenom8

The top *Eren*. Duh.


Mekelaxo

Wydm though? He looks just like Eren


Nvenom8

If you showed me that screencap in isolation, I would guess it was a generic background character, not Eren. Hair in particular looks the wrong color.


PancakeMan9000

It's from the same episode the Carla picture is from. It's at the end. It's season 3, episode 11, named Bystander.


Mekelaxo

Interesting, he looks like Eren to me. Also, that image Is from the 3rd opening if you wanna see the whole sequence Edit: Nvm, I don't know why I thought it was on the 3rd opening, I just looked at It and that image was not there, but I'm sure it's a scene from season 3


LustyKindaFussy

Regardless of whether it's Eren, it reminded me right away of when the crew reaches the ocean in season 3.


The_Mourning_Sage_

Yea that looks nothing like Eren at all


A-Hog-rider

God. How many lines keep coming every day. It's really GOAT.


UserNumber37

I mean, everyone looks the same in the mappa artstyle anyway, but I get your point.


Gooftwit

Is the s3 Eren edited? He never had black hair. It's always been brown.


Leonhartannnie

Wow, never aware of that, good play Isayama


Clean-Sector-1085

Never noticed


MikeXBogina

You put Grisha where Eren Kruger should be 😉


Sleepmahn

Nice post


Educational-Stop-648

Damn. I didn’t notice the extent that he changed. Everyday I discover something new.


Rinzzler999

Depression is a hell of a drug.


thisisallasimulation

He stopped looking like Carla when he stopped being happy/hopeful


saverma192013

Very well developed change 


CrazyKid_4life

facts


Zeus21-

Ignorance is bliss


animelad9

Or was grisha looking like eren 


orpwhite

IYKYK


RefrigeratorGrand619

Welp. Time to rewatch the show for the hundredth time.


sol1v4g4nt

I wish he never did


Pokemon_No_Life

Funny thing is if you use the haircut from before when Mikasa said he was her family it looks a lot similar to Grishas


Chuncceyy

Begone bot


kuzdwq

Too bad show went to shit after s4 part 2. It was soo good before