Why is Attack on Titan Splitting the Final Part Again?

The second half of the final part of the final season of Attack on Titan.

Otaku Voice Staff

Rejoice! The Rumbling is coming!

The highly-anticipated final season of Attack on Titan is finally confirmed for March. Unfortunately this is not the absolute start of the end. The final part of the season will be split up, with the March 3rd release the penultimate part. Not much more information has been released, and while the exact format of the split has yet to be confirmed, some speculate that it may be in the form of two more cours or one cour split in half.

The news came via a tweet and a preview video from the official Attack on Titan Twitter account – @anime_shingeki

The Final Season’s Split Ending Leaves Fans Divided

The internet has responded to this news with a mix of laughter and disappointment. Many are finding the decision to split the final season comical in an almost sad way. Opinion is divided on why Studio Mappa isn’t just simply finishing the long running series (It’s been almost 10 years since the first season debuted). They have been calling this the “Final Season” for the past two cours.

Speculation is abound online about as to why Attack on Titan is splitting the final part of the final season. Some believe that the split may be due to a need for more time to animate the final episodes, while others suspect that the creators may be planning to change the ending of the series, which has been met with controversy in the manga.

Additionally, some fans speculate that the split is an attempt to stretch out the last season and give more time for the action to unfold. This could potentially be a way for the creators to milk the anime for a little longer.

The March 3rd release date may hold some clues as to the extended final part. It is pretty atypical for a show to begin a season or cour before the beginning of a season. Most anime release in and around the first/second week of April if they plan on coming out for Spring. A March 3rd release could put us at a 4 episode count and a full cour of 12/13 later in the year. However, until an official episode count for the Final Part is released, it remains unclear exactly what the reason for the split is.

[Sources & Further Reading]
[Info via Official Tweet]
[News via IGN]
[Image via Crunchyroll]