Attack on Titan watchers debate about whether it’s the best anime ever.
There are multiple ways to measure the quality of anime, but none are perfect.
Everyone decides for themselves what the best anime is.
Since Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) recently ended, there has been a heated debate in the community about its controversial ending. Some people were quick to condemn the entire series; others, who liked the ending, praised it as one of the best, if not THE best, anime of all time.
How to define “the best anime”?
There is no consensus on what the phrase really entails. Realistically, there isn’t ever an objective metric by which we can decide whether an anime is good or bad. If we judge simply by its popularity among the otaku, then yes, Attack on Titan is more popular with the current generation than anything else. However, popular doesn’t necessarily mean good. And since there isn’t a way to objectively tell if certain plot points and characters are well-written, any notion of judging by public scores or critical reception is not a good metric either. If we look at the scores, however, multiple entries hold high spots in the MyAnimeList “Top anime” ranking, which is based on user scores. Final Season Part 2 even held the top spot for a few months during the time it aired.
Cultural impact
It is borderline impossible to find a person who watches anime and hasn’t heard of Attack on Titan. You can even argue that most people in Generation Z are aware of the show even if they don’t watch anime. Multiple anime and manga after it made references to it, and it’s even been mentioned on mainstream news sources, such as The New York Times. Controversial finale aside, it’s impossible to deny the impact Attack on Titan had on the anime medium. Even after its conclusion, its legacy is going to last forever, and the show will be remembered by the general public, sparking debates for years ahead. It’s certainly one of the most impactful shows ever, but that doesn’t directly translate to quality either.
So is it the best anime ever?
Personally, I am leaning towards “no”. As impactful as it is, it is not the only show of its caliber, and with multiple issues with the finale, there are just too many factors holding it back. However, that’s just one point of view: it certainly can be the best anime for you, and don’t let anyone judge you for that. After all, everyone decides their own best and worst, good and bad.
Is there even such a thing as “the best anime”?
Summary:
Attack on Titan watchers debate about whether it’s the best anime ever.
There are multiple ways to measure the quality of anime, but none are perfect.
Everyone decides for themselves what the best anime is.
Since Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) recently ended, there has been a heated debate in the community about its controversial ending. Some people were quick to condemn the entire series; others, who liked the ending, praised it as one of the best, if not THE best, anime of all time.
How to define “the best anime”?
There is no consensus on what the phrase really entails. Realistically, there isn’t ever an objective metric by which we can decide whether an anime is good or bad. If we judge simply by its popularity among the otaku, then yes, Attack on Titan is more popular with the current generation than anything else. However, popular doesn’t necessarily mean good. And since there isn’t a way to objectively tell if certain plot points and characters are well-written, any notion of judging by public scores or critical reception is not a good metric either. If we look at the scores, however, multiple entries hold high spots in the MyAnimeList “Top anime” ranking, which is based on user scores. Final Season Part 2 even held the top spot for a few months during the time it aired.
Cultural impact
It is borderline impossible to find a person who watches anime and hasn’t heard of Attack on Titan. You can even argue that most people in Generation Z are aware of the show even if they don’t watch anime. Multiple anime and manga after it made references to it, and it’s even been mentioned on mainstream news sources, such as The New York Times. Controversial finale aside, it’s impossible to deny the impact Attack on Titan had on the anime medium. Even after its conclusion, its legacy is going to last forever, and the show will be remembered by the general public, sparking debates for years ahead. It’s certainly one of the most impactful shows ever, but that doesn’t directly translate to quality either.
So is it the best anime ever?
Personally, I am leaning towards “no”. As impactful as it is, it is not the only show of its caliber, and with multiple issues with the finale, there are just too many factors holding it back. However, that’s just one point of view: it certainly can be the best anime for you, and don’t let anyone judge you for that. After all, everyone decides their own best and worst, good and bad.
