Attack on Titan, a famous series with a large fanbase, isn't without its share of divisive opinions.
A No Recent Examples rule applies to this trope and examples shouldn't be added for 6 months. This is measured from release or when the issue becomes divisive, whichever comes later.
- The 25th episode's differences from the corresponding manga chapters, including Eren entering a sort of Super Mode while fighting Annie, Armin being replaced with Mikasa in some scenes, changing how Annie was finally defeated and her crystallization scene, and the "Titans in the Wall" reveal being delayed until the second season. Some fans claim the show is made worse due to the changes in themes and character dynamics; some dislike the changes but don't see them as a big deal, and some think the changes improve the plot.
- Inevitably, the English Dub of the anime.
- The pronunciation of names in the English dub. The ADR director decided to pronounce them to their accurate German pronunciations, which caused some confusion and heat among the fanbase. Notable examples are Connie Springer (pronounced "Shpringah" in the dub) and Bertholt Hoover (pronounced "Hoobah"). Some prefer the dub pronunciations and enjoy their accuracy, others think they sound silly and prefer to pronounce them in a more traditionally American way.
- The Rogue Titan's roars in the dub. Some think the switch to a high pitched raptor-like sound ruined the badassery of them, while others think it made him sound more demonic and overall scarier.
- The release of a third OVA centering around one of the 104th cadets' training days that turns into a rescue mission for Krista has also received some mixed reactions. People either enjoy it for seeing the characters back on screen with more comedy and badass sequences, while others found it to be Padding and a waste of an OVA that could have been spent on more canon material.
- The decision to give the Titan serum to Armin. Forums and imageboards were livid about it, citing that giving Armin a Heroic Sacrifice and a touching sendoff that nicely wraps up his character arc, only for it to be rescinded by reviving him as a Titan Shifter, only emphasizes the Plot Armor that envelops the main trio, and in general because they would have preferred Erwin took the flesh instead. Others point out that Erwin's sacrifices would have all been for naught had he just been revived afterwards, and he was built up to die during the Colossal Titan takedown, anyways. Another dimension to the controversy focuses on in-universe practical considerations rather than the narrative, namely whether Armin or Erwin is more of an asset to the Survey Corps. On the one hand, Erwin is the well-respected commander of the Survey Corps who can make harsh decisions for the greater good, and some argue that Eren and Mikasa chose to save Armin because he's their friend. On the other hand, some argue that Armin is as much of an asset to humanity given his knack for making brilliant plans, and condemn Erwin as a selfish man who let people die so he could fulfill his own dream of finding the answers he'd sought.
- The Marley arc has split some circles of fans as well; most have praised it for its world-building and for the much more morally ambiguous approach to the story while others have criticized it for its dramatic Genre Shift in the now much-wider conflict, the absence of any real comedy relief, the increasingly-political nature of the story, and for several controversial character developments, leading to sporadic claims of Seasonal Rot.
- For anime-only fans Season 2 as a whole, which adapted the Clash of the Titans arc, seems to have divided people. One part of the fandom hates the fact that, after waiting four years, the much shorter second season answered almost no questions and only piled on about 50 more and that there wasn't enough substance to the plot. The other half of the fandom though loved the season for being more character-driven and focused, giving characters such as Reiner, Ymir, and Krista some much-needed screen time, and developing the cast into a more well-rounded ensemble. A third group agrees with the problems raised by the first but admits that they can accept it since the fandom will only have to wait another year for Season 3 to be released and to get some answers.
- As Season 3 released, manga-reader fans who are familiar with the source material have been seen some division on the changed pacing of the Uprising Arc. Some favor the changes, noting that the very plot-heavy arc flows more smoothly this way and Isayama himself recommended several of the changes, as he was somewhat dissatisfied with how the arc came out the first time around. Others are less keen on them, considering how several small character-building scenes were cut and how some aspects of the exposition seem rushed or more confusing because of the trimmed exposition. On the other hand, most seem in agreement that the bits of Adaptational Expansion, such as the increased screentime of Kenny Ackerman are definite improvements on the source material.
- The Rumbling. Fans either agree with Eren releasing the Wall Titans, as the government of the overseas Alliance has made it clear they see Paradis as an island of monsters, so destroying every possible ally ensures their home's true safety; or they condemn the whole thing as performing global genocide (which inevitably includes innocents) only proves those prejudiced towards Paradis right, and only solves the problems Paradis has on the surface. At the very least, Chapter 131 acknowledges both sides of the debate, but has Eren continue on with it because be felt it needed to be seen to completion.
- The final chapter split the fanbase for several reasons, particularly in regards to the motives of Eren and Founder Ymir, and naturally on whether it's a satisfying ending. When the final volume was released and included extra pages for the last chapter, the fans were once again split over whether they improved, ruined, saved, or worsened the ending.
