On May 25, the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards will present Attack on Titan with its inaugural Global Impact Award, celebrating anime that redefines pop culture and makes a lasting mark worldwide. After the negative reactions certain fans had toward the manga after its 2021 ending, and the way that response soured online conversation about the anime adaptation, it’s vindicating to see a formal recognition for the series, and the impact it left on the world.

Attack on Titan’s evolution from a story about giant people eating normal-sized people to a profound reflection on humanity’s endless cycle of destruction is truly remarkable. It’s obvious that creator Hajime Isayama carefully planned the series’ progression, from its intimate beginnings to its expanding scope: The manga and the anime adaptation were carefully planned and skillfully executed, with each arc seamlessly building on the last. It’s also clear that Isayama understood the need to initially frame the story as a typical shonen adventure to draw audiences into a much deeper narrative about humanity’s cyclical nature.

Following the release of each manga chapter had a profound impact on me. Attack on Titan’s lessons about human nature, its hope for a better tomorrow, and the message that everyone is the hero of their own story resonated with me, especially amid the COVID-19 outbreak and........

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