Is Attack on Titans one of the best anime ever created or is it the overrated anime?
There is no doubt that Attack on Titan is one of the most popular anime both in Japan and the United States. However, some believe that it isn't worth of being considered as one of the best anime shows of all times. Is Attack on Titan one of the best anime ever created or one of the most overrated anime of all time?
Opinion #1. It is one of the best anime ever
It's a typical Shonen anime, but the synopsis is unique and interesting: human eating naked giants besieging the last city on Earth! (The fantasy is of the European style world.)
Attack on Titan is notable for remarkably vivid characters and action-oriented story. The anime stands out in its quick paced action and events. In fact, it saw almost no competition in 2013. (The anime was first aired on TV in 2011) This does not mean that 2013 did not see man good anime. It's just that the anime's impact was so great that other amines had no chance to compete.
The anime also conveys great symbolism. The story symbolizes our political systems, greed and corruptions within, conflicts between people, racism, and is done in a very subtle way. When titans eat people, it clearly reminds you of David versus Goliath story. The anime depicts many mind-blowing ideals through a fascinating story.
Opinion #2. It is the overrated anime
Some people don't like this anime because they believe the anime is a victim of its own hype.
Fighting scenes occupy the runtime of most episodes and main characters aren't developed enough to be regarded as good. For instance, Eren's goal stayed the same and never really changed. Unnecessary flashbacks and internal monologues of characters can be vexing. (Episodes 9, 10, and 11 are particularly annoying as there were a lot of flashbacks made.) Some characters are unreasonably strong and invincible.
Flowing from one Season to another isn't natural either. For instance, the central figure in Season 1 and 2 is Eren Jeager, but the central character in Season 3 is Levi Ackerman. New settings are introduced without resolving previous puzzles.
The first nine or so episodes are fresh and catchy but later episodes fail to meet expectations of fans.
Conclusion
There are many reasons to believe that Attack on Titan is an overrated anime, but it is still a good anime. I think Guilty Crown deserves the title for the most overrated anime for similar genre compared to Attack on Titan.
If you enjoy watching anime based on medieval European fantasy or dark Shonen manga like Berserk, then Attack on Titan is still a recommendable anime.
Is Attack on Titan going to improve? Probably yes! Season 3 was a very good improvement as opposed to Season 2. So hopefully it keeps improving until the series ends.
Sidenote
* Interestingly, the Season 2 of Attack on Titan was banned in China due to its violence; they say it's just too bloody.