Many Titan Shifters possess the ability to harden certain parts of their bodies at will, typically in order to make them virtually impenetrable, or to strengthen their blows during combat.

Additionally, he regains memories of his father Grisha Yeager giving him this ability shortly after the fall of Wall Maria, and telling him that the truth about their world can be found in their basement in Shiganshina.

These events draw the attention of the Survey Corps and their commander, Erwin Smith, who intend to use his power to reclaim Wall Maria and reach the Yeagers' basement.

During an expedition into the forest between the walls, Eren and his companions encounter a sentient Female Titan, whom they later expose as their fellow military comrade Annie Leonhart.

Eren and his companions return to his childhood home, where they discover the truth of their world: they are actually Eldians, sworn enemies of the conquering Marleyans who were enclosed within the walls after the original King Karl Fritz fled from the war.

Three years later, the Survey Corps launch an attack against the Marleyan capital of Liberio, orchestrated by Eren and his half-brother Zeke, who is the owner of the Beast Titan.

His death also releases memory blocks that he put on his friends, revealing that what transpired was part of Eren's plan to spare twenty percent of humanity, with Armin, Levi, Mikasa, and the others being recognized as heroes in the eyes of the world for killing him and stopping the Rumbling.

[17] Originally, Isayama planned to give the series a tragic conclusion similar to that of the film adaptation of Stephen King's The Mist, where every character dies.

[18][19] In November 2018, the Japanese documentary program Jōnetsu Tairiku aired an episode about Isayama's struggles to complete the manga, in which he confirmed that Attack on Titan has entered its final story arc.

[21] In June 2020, Isayama stated that there was only 5% of the manga left, and he expected to end it in the upcoming year, closing off the original story line of the series by finally bringing the plot to its conclusion.

[32] Another manga series based on the prequel light novels Attack on Titan: Before the Fall started running in Kodansha's Monthly Shōnen Sirius from August 2013, drawn by Satoshi Shiki.

[35][36] A manga adaptation of Hiroshi Seko's Attack on Titan: Lost Girls novel, written and illustrated by Ryōsuke Fuji, began publication in Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine on August 9, 2015.

A second light novel series called Attack on Titan: Harsh Mistress of the City (進撃の巨人　隔絶都市の女王, Shingeki no Kyojin Kakuzetsu Toshi no Joō), written by Ryō Kawakami and illustrated by Range Murata, was published between August 1, 2014, and May 1, 2015.

Produced by Wit Studio and directed by Tetsurō Araki, the first season aired between April 7, 2013, and September 29, 2013, originally on Mainichi Broadcasting System (MBS).

Two original animation DVD (OAD) episodes, based on the Attack on Titan: No Regrets prequel manga, were bundled with the 15th and 16th volumes of the main series, released on December 9, 2014, and April 9, 2015, respectively.

[97] The following month, Toho released the second trailer for the first film, and announced the second installment would be called Attack on Titan: End of the World.

[99] A live-action miniseries, titled Shingeki no Kyojin: Hangeki no Noroshi (進撃の巨人 反撃の狼煙, "Attack on Titan: Counter Rockets") and utilizing the same actors as the films, started streaming on NTT DoCoMo's online-video service dTV on August 15, 2015.

[110] An art book called Fly, bundling a booklet Attack on Titan Volume 35, which contains the one-shot manga "Bad Boy" focusing on Levi's childhood, was released on May 2, 2024.

[115] During Free Comic Book Day 2015, Marvel's Secret Wars preview included an 8-page presentation "Attack on Avengers" by creator Hajime Isayama with art by Gerardo Sandoval.

The cast includes Kurumu Okamiya as Eren Yeager, Sara Takatsuki as Mikasa Ackerman, Eito Konishi as Armin Arlert, and Ryo Matsuda as Levi.

[123] The Attack on Titan anime adaptation is noted to have helped in boosting the manga series' sales while Mainichi Shimbun called it a "once-in-a-decade hit".

[133] Based on a December 16, 2023 survey conducted by Nikkei Entertainment, the fanbase of Attack on Titan within Japan has an average age of 33 years, and a male-to-female ratio that skews 40:60.

[137] In the first half of 2014 it topped the chart, ending One Piece's five-year reign as the highest selling series in that period, with Isayama surprised about it and thanking the readers.

However, those same critics stated that after years of serialization, the art has been improving, and Kure believes that had the illustrations been "refined", it would not have conveyed the "eeriness" that is a key characteristic of the work.

[157] The series also attracted criticism: the South Korean Electronic Times magazine accused Attack on Titan of having a militaristic message that serves Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's political leanings.

[158] Hong Kong media commentator Wong Yeung-tat praised Isayama's style and the versatility of Attack on Titan's setting, which opens itself to readers' various interpretations.

[166][167] In 2020, Shaan Amin, writing for The New Republic, identified Attack on Titan as a favorite of alt-right and white nationalist internet communities, while also pointing out that people tend to "sift through stories to find the messages they expect".

[169] Manga artist Makoto Yukimura, creator of Vinland Saga, stated in an interview that he admires Hajime Isayama for his work on Attack on Titan, due to his ability to handle the entire plot until the end, especially from the 20th volume.

[181] In 2021, the Attack on Titan for Giants large-scale volume broke the Guinness World Record for the "largest comic book published", previously held by Turma da Mônica.

[208] Its characters have been referenced in the animated series The Simpsons,[209] and The Amazing World of Gumball,[210] the Korean drama Surplus Princess,[211] and Japanese rock star Yoshiki's fashion brand Yoshikimono.