Parents' Guide to Attack on Titan

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Common Sense Media Review

By Edie Nugent , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 15+

Extreme violence, bloodshed are center stage in hit anime.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 15+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 13+

Based on 104 parent reviews

Parents say that this show features intense violence and complex themes, making it more suitable for mature teens or adults, with many suggesting a minimum viewing age of 12 to 15. While some praise its storytelling and character development, others express concern over its graphic content and recommend parental guidance to help younger viewers understand the darker aspects of the plot.

  • - intense violence
    - mature themes
    - recommended age 12+
    - strong storytelling
    - parental guidance advised
Summarized with AI

age 12+

Based on 479 kid reviews

Kids say the show is a masterpiece with brilliant worldbuilding, compelling characters, and intense plot twists, particularly praising the character development of Eren, Mikasa, and Armin. While the first three seasons garnered high acclaim, many viewers expressed disappointment regarding the fourth season, criticizing it for its violence and dark themes that might be unsuitable for younger audiences, suggesting a minimum viewing age of 13 or 14 due to graphic content, intense violence, and mature themes.

  • masterpiece storytelling
  • character development
  • intense violence
  • age recommendation
  • mixed season reception
Summarized with AI

What's the Story?

ATTACK ON TITAN is set in a city surrounded by a series of circular walls. These offer protection from the Titans, murderous giants who nearly consumed the human race 100 years ago. "Consumed" should be taken literally here; these Titans get their kicks from eating people, either whole or in pieces. When the protective walls are breached, military corps spring into action to contain the threat. Three young friends, would-be heroes of varying abilities, are motivated to enlist to fight against the Titans after witnessing their brutality firsthand. Their contributions will be vital in the battle to save humanity.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 104 ):
Kids say ( 479 ):

As with many action-based anime shows, this series is pretty light on character development but tries to make up for it with lots of plot and fighting. While the main characters do experience some personal growth over the length of the show, it's overshadowed by the bloody battles they engage in. Action sequences employ some impressively realistic animation of high-wire acrobatics that allow military forces to scale buildings and meet the titanic Titans, which is fun to watch. But while the plot and story stand out against similar fare, the constant death and dismemberment make the show hard to justify for a tween and younger teen audience. This one is for action and horror fans only, with little in the way of crossover appeal.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about violence and plot. What would this show be like without fighting? How would its characters deal with conflict?

  • Main character Mikasa quickly becomes an important figure in the Survey Corps. Which qualities, aside from her skill as a fighter, make her such a successful soldier? How do those same qualities affect her personal friendships?

  • Armin may think himself a coward, but his loyalty to his friends trumps his perceived inferiority and pushes him to enlist. How can loyalty to friends both help and hinder our personal development?

TV Details

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