Why Do People Dislike Attack on Titan Season 2 So Much?

One of the things that we know about Attack on Titan is that it is one of the most popular anime series in recent memory due to how it captivates fans worldwide with its incredible world-building and unique storytelling. Every season of Attack on Titan had an overarching theme that fans noticed. But while every season has been stellar so far, fans aren’t necessarily fond of the events that unfolded in season 2. So, why do people dislike season 2 of Attack on Titan?

People dislike season 2 of Attack on Titan because it focused too much on flashbacks and the relationship between Ymir and Historia, who became afterthoughts in the storyline. The element of survival also disappeared in season 2 as the characters learned more about the nature of the titans.

It is an overstatement to say that Attack on Titan season 2 was bad or that people hated it. That’s because the truth is that it is still one of the best anime seasons we’ve seen in recent memory. The thing, however, is that it was not up to par with the expectations of some of the fans. As such, it is understandable why some fans weren’t exactly as fond of it as the other seasons.

What Was Season 2 of Attack on Titan About?

After the explosive introduction of Attack on Titan in 2013, this anime quickly gathered fans excited about what was to come for the storyline’s future and how the series’ events would unfold. Originally animated by the smaller animation Wit Studio, Attack on Titan built a seemingly post-apocalyptic world and focused on the survival of humankind against unknown enemies called the titans, which were gigantic creatures that ate humans.

Of course, the first season allowed us to see that there were humans that could turn into titans, as Eren and Annie were the first two people to transform into titans on-screen. And this revelation, along with the continuous efforts of the Survey Corps in dealing with the problem of the titans attacking and killing humans beyond the walls, allowed fans to get excited about season 2.

It took a while for season 2 to drop, as it was only in 2017, four years after the first season, that it was released. This time, the storyline focused more on discoveries and flashbacks that allowed us to see deeper into the personalities and psyches of the characters involved. It was more slow-paced than the first season. Still, it explored the relationship of Ymir and Historia, whose nature as a royal family member was slowly but steadily revealed.

There’s also the fact that new elements, such as the mysterious Beast Titan and Ymir’s Jaw Titan, were revealed. We also saw how Eren was steadily getting the hang of his Attack Titan transformation in the middle of events that were steadily making more sense than they used to. Of course, more titans were involved because we saw how Reiner and Bertholdt revealed themselves to be the Armored Titan and the Colossal Titan, respectively, after Reiner’s mental health took a downward spiral due to a brush with death.

And the revelation of Reiner and Bertholdt as titan shifters allowed the season to progress to a wild scramble for Eren’s custody, as the duo wanted to take him back with them to wherever they came from. Of course, the Survey Corps saw Eren as their most valuable resource, which was why the Scouts went after Reiner and Bertholdt near the end of the season. And at the end, Eren’s Founding Titan powers manifested after making contact with Dina Fritz’s pure titan form.

In a sense, the entirety of season 2 revealed more about the nature of the titans while allowing us to see deeper into the pasts of some of the characters involved in the storyline. But, most importantly, we saw how the Scouts could learn more about the titans as Erwin Smith seemingly uncovered that the pure titans were humans that turned into those mindless creatures.

Why Do People Dislike Season 2?

While season 2 of Attack on Titan was fun in its way and was able to dive deeper into the mythos of the titans of this unique world, the thing is that it wasn’t as well-received as the other seasons. It is the lowest-rated Attack on Titan season out of all four seasons. While it is a stretch to say that an 8.5 rating on My Anime List is bad (because it is actually excellent), it isn’t as highly rated as the other seasons. So, why is it that people don’t like season 2 that much?

In season 1, the air of mystery was floating throughout the entire series because no one knew anything about the titans and what they were. This allowed fans to come up with their theories and assumptions while the season was still ongoing, as the mysterious nature of the world of Attack on Titan got fans hooked and excited for what was to come. 

There’s also the fact that there’s a post-apocalyptic theme that was prevalent in season 1, as the battle was all about humanity versus the titans that were out to eat them. People love post-apocalyptic storylines that focus on what humans are willing to do to survive a harsh world full of creatures out to eat people.

But the themes drastically changed in season 2 because it was about diving deeper into the characters. Season 2 allowed us to see more of the backstories of Ymir and Historia, who were never the most important characters of Attack on Titan. The flashbacks of their lives and the relationship between the two women were not entirely interesting to many fans because neither Ymir nor Historia was ever the most important character.

On top of that, season 2 was the season that slowly cleared the air of mystery out. That’s because we began to learn more about the nature of the titans and how there were many more people capable of transforming into intelligent titans they could control at will. So, the air of mystery surrounding the titans was beginning to clear out, especially after it was revealed that even the mindless titans were once humans.

Eren was also quite whiny and useless in season 2. In season 1, he wasn’t the best Scout, but at least he had the power of the Attack Titan, which he could use against Annie in their final battle. But season 2 allowed us to see how seemingly useless he was and how the Survey Corps members needed to sacrifice their lives so that they could save him. It was only during the final moments of the battle against Reiner and Bertholdt that Eren actually proved himself useful when he unwittingly used the power of the Founding Titan to control all of the other mindless titans.

Of course, we can’t forget about the four-year gap between seasons 1 and 2. Because of how long it took for Wit Studio to animate season 2, people expected a lot from it. That means there were incredibly high expectations going into season 2, as the events of the second season and how the story unfolded seemed to disappoint many fans that had to wait a long time to see what season 3 would give them.

With all that said, season 2 wasn’t actually bad. In fact, it was better than probably 90% of all the other anime series out there regarding how its fans rated it. But the overall theme of season 2 and how the storyline unfolded were things that some fans weren’t exactly too fond of compared to the first season. As such, despite having the most iconic opening scene in the series (Shinzo wo Sasageyo), it fell short of expectations and wasn’t as highly rated as the other seasons.