There are many factors that makeAttack on Titanone of the best stories ever told, from the heart-racing, brutal action to the hair-raising score and excellent character development, including a number of quotes from the roster that have the potency to break your heart or give you courage.
Every Attack On Titan Season, Ranked
Every run is stellar, but some are more memorable. Here’s every season of Attack on Titan ranked.
Every episode of the anime and chapter of the manga has at least one tattoo-worthy quote that amplifies the story’s main themes of hope, freedom, and death, and every quote has its own unique purpose and power. Here are some of the best quotes from Attack on Titan.
~ Warning: This post contains SPOILERS for Attack on Titan and references to suicide. ~
Attack On Titan
10“Everyone Was A Slave To Somethin’"
“Everyone had to be drunk on somethin’ to keep pushing on … Everyone was a slave to somethin’.”
Kenny Ackerman’s dying words to his nephew, Levi Ackerman, highlight the fuel that keeps the soldiers and villains trudging on, whatever motivation that may be, and it’s a contemplative, honest quote that’s worthy of starting the list. After chasing power and serving as a surprising villain to Levi in season 3 part 1, Kenny tapped into one of the show’s main themes, freedom, by explaining that he was no longer a slave to power, which is why he decided not to inject himself in order to become a titan and break free. This syringe would later be used on Armin, when Levi chooses him over saving Erwin, and he later becomes the Colossal Titan.
9“I Wasn’t Brave Enough”
“You couldn’t save your mom, because you weren’t strong enough. I didn’t face the titan, because I wasn’t brave enough.”
Referring to The Fall of Shiganshina, Hannes admits that he wasn’t valiant enough to face the Smiling Titan in order to save Eren’s mother, Carla, from being eaten. Eren was too young, and therefore, not strong enough to face the titan himself, which led him on his vengeful path to eradicate all the titans by joining the Survey Corps. Instead of turning to face the titan and save Carla, Hannes instead carried Eren and Mikasa to safety, which Eren later resented him for, but Hannes’ words prove that he at least had the bravery to admit the truth and this raw veracity deserves a mention on the list.
“I don’t like the terms “good person” or “bad person.” It is impossible to be entirely good to everyone. To some, you are a good person, while to others, you are a bad person.”
Wise words and a mature outlook from young Armin Arlert during the first season of Attack on Titan, foreshadowing the duality the characters would face later on in the story. This quote is worth mentioning for its ability to paint heroes and villains in a different light, introducing shades of gray and blurred lines that influence the moral compass of the show. Armin explains that no one can simply be a “good person” or a “bad person” in the world that they live in, and it perfectly reflects Eren’s decision to cause The Rumbling later. Many saw Eren as a genocidal maniac, but he went ahead with his plan for the greater good in order to save his friends.
7“Tatakae!”
“It doesn’t matter how strong the opposition is. It doesn’t matter how fearsome the world is, it doesn’t matter how cruel the world is. Fight!”
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One of many quotes from Eren Jaeger featuring his iconic phrase “Tatakae” meaning “Fight,” but this one has to be included for the irrefutable air of hope that Eren casts. During the scouts’ battle against the titans in Trost, Eren encourages his comrades to keep fighting despite the odds stacked against them, reminding his friends that it’s important to keep going even if the attempt is futile. This is directly contradicted when Eren tells his friends to give up fighting against The Rumbling in season 4, but knowing his fellow soldiers, he knew they would not yield.
6“Choose Whatever You’ll Regret The Least”
“No one knows what the outcome will be. So, choose whatever you’ll regret the least.”
During one of the first missions, Eren decides between changing into his titan to defend the squad against the Female Titan and following the advice ofhumanity’s strongest soldier. Levi understands that no decision is right or wrong when facing monsters, so he explains to Eren the importance of choosing but advises him to choose the decision he’ll regret the least to make it easier. This quote further demonstrates the impossibility of being the good guy in life-or-death situations, and it’s a profoundly bleak but important quote to include from the heichou.
5“This World Is Cruel”
“This world is cruel, and it’s also very beautiful.”
This quote from Mikasa Ackerman early on in the anime frames the character’s outlook on the world and the reality of it, explaining that it’s a beautiful environment full of kind people, like Eren when he saved her from slavery, but bitterly cruel because of the creatures and fear they have to face every day. The first season one ending song also mirrors this quote, titled “This Beautiful Cruel World,” and it’s very much a recurring theme for Mikasa as the anime continues. It’s a simple but potent quote to note, and the best line spoken by Mikasa in the narrative.
4“We Don’t Know How To Quit”
“We’re Scout Regiment, we don’t know how to quit.”
The first quote from the season finale of the anime comes from Jean Kirschtein, whose arc completes at this moment while the scouts are battling past generation titans within the skeletal structure ofEren’s Founding Titan. Reiner has a suicidal history, ravaged by guilt over his actions as the Armored Titan, and this scene saw Reiner close to giving up and falling into The Rumbling, but Jean catches him at the last moment and recitesa real tearjerker. Considering Jean always rebelled against dying on the battlefield for no reason, this is a real evolution for the character and a powerful quote to be delivered during the finale.
3“It’s Something We Simply Can’t Accept”
“Ever since I joined the Survey Corps, I’ve had people dying on me every day. But you understand, don’t you? One day or another, everyone you care about eventually dies. It’s something we simply can’t accept. It’s a realization that could drive you insane.”
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Since Attack on Titan deals with death on a daily basis, this quote from Hange Zoe during the final part of season 3 is touching and hits the nail on the head when it comes to facing your own morality and the fate of fallen comrades. The quote projects the dark cloud hanging over humanity that promises death one day in the future, and Hange comments that it’s an inevitable event that’s daunting enough to drive anyone mad. Not only does this quote resonate with everyone, but it also mirrors the end credits of the anime’s final episode, when all the characters eventually pass on naturally. It definitely adds a sting and deserves a place on the list.
2“Shinzo Wo Sasageyo”
“Dedicate your heart.”
Perhaps the most popular quote or motto from Attack on Titan is “shinzo wo sasageyo”, which translates to “dedicate your heart” in English and had to be included in this list. Commonly spoken by Erwin Smith, this phrase somewhat faded after Erwin’s death in season 3, but it was resurrected during Levi’s final conversation with Hange before her great sacrifice. Levi had never uttered the words before, and despite being heartbroken that his last remaining friend was now going to die, the captain uttered the words to reaffirm their purpose to Hange before letting go, and it also reinstalled his purpose to see the titan curse end.
1“My Soldiers Rage”
“Their memory serves as an example to us all! The courageous fallen! The anguished fallen! Their lives have meaning because we the living refuse to forget them! And as we ride to certain death, we trust our successors to do the same for us! Because my soldiers do not buckle or yield when faced with the cruelty of this world! My soldiers push forward! My soldiers scream out! My soldiers RAAAAAGE!”
If there was one speech to be chosen from pop culture that could make your hair stand on end in an instant, it’s Erwin Smith’s final speech as the Survey Corps commander while leading the suicide charge againstthe Beast Titan. This was a necessary act in order to distract the titan, so Levi could attack from his blind side, but the speech Erwin delivered to give his soldiers a final burst of courage to stare death in the face is extremely moving and a testament to his qualities as a leader. It allowed Levi to deal some serious damage to Zeke Jaeger inside the Beast Titan, and stands as one of the best speeches in anime within one ofthe best episodesof the series.
