Why Attack On Titan Is Rated TV-MA: A Parent's Guide

In a sea of popular anime series, what makes "Attack on Titan" stand out is its genuine reckoning with violence and how horrific it can often be both for those who commit it and those who have it afflicted upon them. Like with "Game of Thrones," there is no real right side in this morally complex series, just a few opposed groups doing what they think is best based on their limited choices.

The first thing that you'll want to know about "Attack on Titan" and the cruel reality that inspired it, though, is that the titular creatures regularly eat human characters alive in a bloody and gruesome fashion. While you can get a good idea of what this looks like by the end of the first episode, just know that it will also get more grisly as the series goes on, with characters being pulled to pieces or ripped apart by multiple titans. 

Even away from the horrific titan battles, the series, again like "Game of Thrones," is often a grim reminder of the terrible things that humans can do to one another when they believe it is in the interest of the greater good. Naturally, this helps to explain why "Attack on Titan" is rated TV-MA and why the recommendations of sites like Common Sense Media suggest that the show is only appropriate for teenagers who are 15 years of age or older. 

As "Attack on Titan" opens up its world over time, viewers are introduced to a fascist regime where an ethnic group of people are forced to live in ghettos and used as cheap fodder on the battlefield. While there is no sexual violence in the series, there are hints in that direction a couple of times in "Attack on Titan." Characters occasionally drink alcohol as well, and swearing is a regular occurrence, even if the worst four-letter-word offenders don't show up at all.

On top of this, the violence tends to be visceral in a way that few other anime would have the stomach for. Chances are, if you compiled a "worst ways to die in anime" list, many of the entries would herald specifically from "Attack on Titan." This should give just about any parent pause before they let their kids sit down with this one. 

Ultimately, even with the bevy of distressing subject matter on display, many parents will still want to make their own choices with regard to whether their kids can handle "Attack on Titan." After all, there's a reason why you see younger kids wearing shirts that feature the characters and events of the series. Still, this is a show that you'll want to vet pretty closely when deciding whether it's appropriate for younger viewers.