Be it the manga or the anime, Attack on Titan is nothing short of a phenomenon. While it is difficult to compare the two versions of the iconic post-apocalyptic, multi-genre story, significant differences in plot points and stylistic choices can serve as determining factors.
For instance, the manga lacks plot points that writer Hajime Isayama himself insisted to be added to the anime. On the other hand, the manga gains an advantage by providing more perspective in a few defining scenes from the storyline. These differences might seem trivial on the surface but in retrospect, these are the elements that add a uniqueness to their respective formats.
The 104th Cadets Training
In the anime's first season, viewers get introduced to the characters one by one in the training scenes in their military school. While Eren, Armin, and Mikasa get their origin stories early on, the fan-favorite characters from Attack on Titan like Connie, Jean, and Annie debut in these training sequences.
This allows more time to explore their personality traits, unlike the manga that incorporates these scenes as flashbacks all over the general storyline. In contrast, the manga starts off with Eren, Armin, and Mikasa's younger days with a subsequent jump to adulthood that begins with their military graduation instead of training.
Pulling Eren Out Of His First Titan Form
When Eren first attains his Titan form, it's a perplexing moment for both him and the people around him. But in the manga, it is Armin who is able to recognize that Eren is still alive and in the Titan's body, eventually pulling him out of this form.
The same scene plays out in the anime, only with Mikasa replacing Armin. Both cases show how well these characters understand their childhood friend, but the makers of the anime got another opportunity to show Mikasa's undying love for Eren.
Erwin's Romantic Life
In the Attack On Titan anime, Erwin stole the show as a strict commander who doesn't have time for any romance in his life. The same can be said for the manga, but Isayama's story does point towards a hint of a former love.
In a conversation with the Military Police commander Nile Dok, it is revealed that both Nile and Erwin fancied a woman called Marie. But knowing that he couldn't offer her stability with his own violently turbulent mission, Erwin backed out and Nile ended up marrying her. It is a minor yet interesting tidbit from Erwin's past which adds to the tragic nature of the character.
Name Of The Titan-Fighting Gear
The Omni-Directional Mobility Gear (AKA ODM Gear) is how the anime christens the titan-killing weaponry that the lead characters use in combat. As is common knowledge among the anime's fans, the equipment includes handgrips, grapple hooks, harnesses, propellers, and a gas-powered mechanism.
However, in the manga, the equipment is similar in nature but carries a different name: Vertical Maneuvering Equipment. While it is just a minor change, no explanation has been offered on behalf of the anime team.
Differences In Personality
Depending upon the scenes in Attack on Titan manga, the characters seem to have way different personalities. For instance, Eren's descent into madness is evoked by his extreme aggression, the signs of which are present from the first episode itself. The manga version of the character is relatively calmer.
While Mikasa carries a lot of unconditional devotion for Eren, her manga counterpart gets more scenes that don't involve her romantic feelings. Even the usually-stone cold Levi gets more scenes in the manga where he smiles and cracks a joke or two.
The Fight Between Annie And Eren
The final duel between Eren and Annie's Titan forms ends in the latter's crystallization in both the anime and the manga. However, the manga boasts a bloodier battle in which Annie overpowers Eren by pinning him down and kicking him straight in the face.
In the anime, it's a challenging battle, but Eren eventually gains the upper hand and asserts his victory over the Female Titan, following which she crystallizes. The manga version of this arc ends with Mikasa and her allies coming to Eren's rescue and weakening Annie to this point of transformation.
Eren's Berserk Mode
In his iconic clash with Annie, Eren emerges as the victor after he unleashes his Titan's Berserk Mode (also known as Rage Mode in some dubs). Even though it is easily in the pantheon of the best Attack on Titan fight scenes, this fight sequence is an anime creation as the Attack Titan never attains such a form in the manga.
While the original source material's fans have been conflicted over Eren's transformation, it is still interesting to see fire coming out from all over the body and his extreme rage fueling him to continue the fight. It is another sign to show how far the protagonist has evolved over time; a quintessential trope in shonen anime shows.
Violence And Profanity
As it is, Attack On Titan is quite violent in its approach as compared to the best action anime in recent times. But the manga panels are way more brutal and detailed when it comes to the gore. Examples include the duel between Eren and Annie in "The Female Titan" arc as well as the scene in which Eren's mother Carla gets eaten by a Titan. In the latter's case, Carla is squeezed to death before the Titan gobbles her up.
Even in terms of profanity, the characters (especially Levi) get more leeway in the manga to swear frequently. Hence, the mature content is clearly way more intense in the manga.
The History Of The Omni-Directional Mobility Gear
Going down as one of the most powerful anime weapons, the ODM Gear plays an important role in both formats, but it is the manga that offers some history behind its creation. Apparently, the weaponsmith known as Angel Aaltonen was behind the earliest versions of the Titan-fighting machinery.
Manga writer Ryō Suzukaze gives Angel a spotlight to shine by featuring him as a supporting character in the light novel Shingeki no Kyojin: Before the Fall, which serves as a prequel to Isayama's original story.
Annie's Reveal As Female Titan
When Annie finally reveals herself to be the dreaded Female Titan in the anime, she laughs maniacally. Before she says "This is where my bet begins" and bites her finger, her cheeks are red and eyes watery with all the laughter. The scene is quite effective in adding to the viewers' discomfort, and this indeed was Hajime Isayama's intention.
Even though Isayama couldn't insert this scene in the manga, he specifically requested the anime makers to insert Annie's haunting laughter in the scene.