Attack on Titan doesn't aim to be overly shocking in its initial story arcs. The series stands out as a post-apocalyptic tale filled with striking visuals, depicting humanity's struggle for survival against giant creatures. Titans are portrayed as thoughtless beings that do not consume humans out of hunger, but rather derive pleasure from human suffering.

The main setting of the series is presented similarly to films where communities build walls around themselves to protect against external threats, such as World War Z. Like Kaiju and other giant monsters, the Colossal and Armored Titans breach humanity's defenses, keeping them on high alert. Eren Yeager emerges as a typical "lower-class" character who witnesses his mother's murder by Titans. His sole aim is to climb the ranks to become stronger and take revenge on the monsters.

However, these post-apocalyptic developments serve merely as a cover for a much more political and thought-provoking story. In the second season, Attack on Titan gradually reveals the truth behind its post-apocalyptic narrative. It unveils that the Titans sleep within the stones of Wall Sina and that this is connected to a state-sanctioned cover-up, marking a significant genre shift. The battle between good people and evil monsters becomes more complex with the emergence of a corporate conspiracy.

The second season instills a sense of paranoia in viewers by showing that the "Beast Titan" can transform the villagers of Ragako into monsters. This sets the stage for one of the most devastating betrayals in anime history. As the season progresses, Titans evolve from thoughtless beings acting solely on instinct into armed political tools, wielding their power to maintain control and wage war. This subtle shift completely reframes the main conflict of the series. In the third season, Attack on Titan almost entirely abandons its post-apocalyptic elements to focus on a gripping government conspiracy and military coup story.