Attack On Titan Season 4 Part 1 Recap

So, Attack on Titan Season 4 Part 1: Did We Even Need It? (Unpopular Opinion Alert!)

Okay, okay, before you sharpen your blades and come at me, hear me out! We all love Attack on Titan. Giant naked people eating other people? Riveting! But Season 4 Part 1? A little slow, right?

Remember when the show was just about killing Titans? Simpler times. Now we're deep in geopolitical drama. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the complexity. But sometimes, I just want to see Eren punch a Titan in the face.

We start in Marley. These guys are, like, the bad guys now? Except, wait, they also have tragic backstories? Suddenly, I'm supposed to sympathize with the people who have been tormenting our beloved Paradis Island crew? My brain hurts.

And the Warriors? Reiner, Annie, Bertholdt (RIP). Remember them? They’re all grown up and… well, still messed up. Reiner's having an existential crisis, Annie's encased in crystal (classic Annie), and Bertholdt... is Titan food. Circle of life, I guess.

We're introduced to new characters. Like Gabi. Oh, Gabi. She's... enthusiastic. Let's just say her dedication to Marley is, um, unwavering. Some might say she's a little… intense. I'm trying to be nice here.

Then there's Falco. Sweet, innocent Falco. You just want to protect him from all the crazy happening around him. He's basically the puppy of the group. And we all know what happens to puppies in Attack on Titan. Shudders

The war scenes are epic, I'll give them that. The Titans are used in increasingly creative (and terrifying) ways. It's like a macabre Olympic sport. But amidst all the explosions and screaming, it’s easy to lose track of who's fighting for what. It feels like a game, right? Just like:

"Oh, look, another nation with a tragic past and a legitimate grievance!"

And what about our heroes? Eren, Mikasa, Armin... where are they? Oh, right. Eren's disguised as a wounded soldier in Marley. Smooth move, Eren. Subtlety has never been your strong suit.

He’s all brooding and mysterious. He's got a plan, obviously. But he's not sharing. Which is frustrating. I mean, come on, Eren! Throw us a bone! What's with the long hair? Did he finally discover shampoo in the basement?

Mikasa and Armin show up eventually. But they feel… different. More mature, I guess. But also… distant. Like they're tired of Eren's shenanigans. Can't blame them, honestly.

The ending is, of course, a cliffhanger. Eren transforms into the Attack Titan and starts wreaking havoc. Classic Eren. Setting the stage for more chaos and destruction.

But here's my point: did we really need a whole part of a season to get here? Couldn't they have condensed things a bit? Maybe trimmed some of the political exposition? Given us a few more Titan fights?

Look, I'm not saying Season 4 Part 1 was bad. It was setting the stage for something bigger. But it felt like a really, really long stage setup. Like watching someone build a house, meticulously placing each brick, and you're just sitting there thinking, "Can we just get to the furniture already?"

Maybe I'm just impatient. Maybe I just miss the days when Attack on Titan was about screaming teenagers killing giant naked people. But hey, that’s just my unpopular opinion.

Now, bring on Part 2! I'm ready for the furniture… and hopefully a few more Titan-punching scenes. Thanks, Hajime Isayama!