As of right now, Attack on Titan: The Final Season only has 16 episodes listed, according to the Blu-ray volumes. It will end with episode 75. Today, the ninth episode of those 16 aired. We have the titles of the episodes through episode 12. Each episode is titled after a chapter in the manga, and they go up to chapter 110. Now, this is significant, because in the trailer for the series, we’ve seen scenes going up to chapter 122. There may be a second cour, but considering this was an initial trailer, by episode 16, we will reach chapter 122. To reach chapter 122 though, the anime will have to move at an incredibly brisk pace. So where will Attack on Titan: The Final Season end? Without posting spoilers, these are four shots from the trailer which are from chapters 120, 121, and 122, respectfully. Even the featured image for this article is from a later chapter. Note: These are all from the Attack on Titan trailer and are not considered spoilers and are not given any context.
Someone in Chapter 120
Chapter 121
Chapter 122
Chapter 122
If these are animated, then it means they appear in episodes. So far, MAPPA Studio has done a fantastic job at adapting the manga faithfully. It is possible that there will be two cours to the Final Season so they can end the series properly. That being said, if these 16 episodes are it, we have no idea where the Attack on Titan: The Final Season will end. It has to reach at least chapter 122, given all of the evidence, yet at the same time, the episode titles through episode 12 simply do not make sense given the possible pacing. The most recent episode, “Brave Volunteers”, only adapted one chapter of the manga: chapter 106. While this was totally justified given the material, it’s been going at a pace of roughly two chapters per episode. If the series slows down at a drastic rate, it’s not feasible to reach chapter 122.
The thing is, chapter 122 has already been worked on. Chapters 120 through 122 have at least been worked on, and a part of chapter 120-122 appears in the ED for Attack on Titan’s final season. What does this mean? Either a lot of material is being cut or the 16 episode order is not the full episode order and we will continue to get weekly episodes after episode 16. That’s the only thing that logically makes sense. MAPPA wouldn’t animate something that won’t be in the season, especially for the trailer, and considering how faithful they are being to the manga (this is one of the greatest, if not the greatest manga adaptation of all-time), I can’t imagine them cutting massive amounts of material to get to chapter 122. There’s even more than what I’ve shown here from the trailer, but it would most likely get into spoilerish territory. If you don’t mind though, check out our trailer analysis for this season of Attack on Titan.
What do you think? Is Attack on Titan: The Final Season going to be rushed to get to the end? Will it be split into two cours? Will they do a movie series to finish it out? There are many possibilities, and we simply do not know at this juncture what course the Production Committee will take.