Essential Insights
- Some of the most notable Abnormal Titans include the Smiling Titan, Jumping Titan, Talking Titan, Chasing Titan, Gluttonous Titan, and Portly Titan.
- Wall Titans and the Rod Reiss Titan exhibit extraordinary strength, devastation, and unsettling features.
The Titans are central to the narrative of the Attack on Titan anime and manga series, as suggested by the title. Though the Nine Shifting Titans are widely recognized, it’s essential not to overlook the Abnormal Titans—rare variations that display peculiar behaviors, intelligence, and distinctive appearances.
Throughout the saga, numerous Abnormal Titans have captivated audiences due to their terrifying characteristics, leaving a lasting impression. Below are some of the most unforgettable examples.
Revised on October 26th, 2024, by Julián Fernández Loyarte: The universe of Attack on Titan is brimming with bizarre, creepy, and outright grotesque Abnormal Titans, leading to the exclusion of several from the initial article. This updated list now highlights some of the most infamous Titans, such as the Smiling Titan, the Portly Titan, and the Wall Titans, each terrifying in its own unique way.
Warning: Spoilers for Attack on Titan ahead
1 Smiling Titan (Dina Fritz)
An Unsettling Smile That Haunts Fans
- Initial Appearance: Chapter 1 (Manga) Episode 1 (Anime)
The notorious Smiling Titan is perhaps one of the most recognizable entities within Attack on Titan, albeit for grim reasons. Her haunting, perpetual smile is eclipsed only by the horrific moment she devours Eren Yeager’s mother, a poignant scene that sets the harrowing tone of the series.
Notably, the origins of the Smiling Titan are fully revealed; she was once Dina Fritz, Grisha Yeager’s first spouse, transformed into a Titan by the Marleyan government. This tragic twist reveals that Grisha’s first wife ended up consuming his second wife.
2 Jumping Titan
Capable of Astonishing Jumps to Reach Soldiers
- Initial Appearance: Chapter 4 (Manga) Episode 5 (Anime)
Initially, Titans were perceived as mindless beasts that could be easily handled despite their surprise attacks on humanity. This assumption made audiences eager to see Eren Yeager and the Cadet Corps wipe them out.
However, the Jumping Titan was the first pure Titan that shifted the narrative’s tone dramatically. Its ability to leap as high as the Cadet Corps to reach them highlighted a concerning level of intelligence. As Thomas Wagner was devoured, the soldiers began to grasp the true difficulty of their predicament.
3 Talking Titan
Able to Communicate with Humans, Torn Between Speech and Cannibalism
- Initial Appearance: Ilse’s Notebook Special Chapter (Manga) Ilse’s Notebook OVA (Anime)
Before the truth behind Titans was revealed, they were largely seen as mindless monsters. However, there were various hints pointing to their true nature, with the infamous Talking Titan serving as a prime example. Upon encountering Ilse Langnar, its large, expressive eyes can evoke fear in viewers.
Even more chilling is the Titan’s ability to speak like a human, referencing “the subjects of Ymir” while simultaneously struggling against its killer instincts, attempting to tear off its own flesh, ultimately failing to resist and consuming Ilse. This haunting Titan leaves a lasting impression.
4 Chasing Titan
Incredibly Fast and Unyielding
- Initial Appearance: Chapter 22 (Manga) Episode 17 (Anime)
During the Scout Regiment’s 57th Exterior Mission, Sasha Braus found herself ambushed by an aggressive Abnormal Titan that lurked behind a structure, pursuing her and her team with relentless fervor, despite the soldiers’ efforts to lure it out.
It is rare to see Titans on all fours in Attack on Titan, making the Chasing Titan particularly distinctive. Its remarkable speed, combined with its unyielding drive to hunt and kill Sasha, marks it as one of the most fearsome predators in the series—one no soldier would wish to confront on the battlefield.
5 Wall Titans
Concealed Instruments of Mass Destruction Integral to The Rumbling
- Initial Appearance: Chapter 33 (Manga) Episode 25 (Anime)
In the climax of the Assault on Stohess Arc, it is revealed that the three walls surrounding Paradis Island harbor dormant Titans within them, referred to as the Wall Titans. This revelation is deeply unsettling, yet for a majority of the series, they remained inactive.
This changed dramatically in the series’ final act when Eren Yeager activated the Wall Titans using the Founding Titan’s powers, unleashing the cataclysmic Rumbling event. The Wall Titans are colossal in stature and as powerful as the Colossal Titan, meaning their relentless advance can eliminate countless lives in mere moments, not to mention their near invincibility.
6 Gluttonous Titan
Its Giant Eyes Are Disturbing, and It Obeys Zeke’s Commands
- Initial Appearance: Chapter 35 (Manga) Episode 26 (Anime)
It is confirmed that all Titans created from Zeke Yeager’s spinal fluid classify as Abnormal, as they can function effectively at night and follow his explicit commands. Among these eerie creations, the Gluttonous Titan stands out most prominently in viewers’ memories.
The Gluttonous Titan features freakishly large eyes reminiscent of a bug, making it an unsettling sight. Its design is considered one of the ugliest in the series, with its demise at the hands of the Beast Titan being grotesquely memorable.
7 Portly Titan
Its Disturbing Actions Set It Apart
- Initial Appearance: Chapter 35 (Manga) Episode 26 (Anime)
The Gluttonous Titan is infamous for its role in the tragic death of Miche Zacharius; however, it wasn’t the sole Titan present. The Beast Titan also controlled another Abnormal Titan, whom fans have dubbed the Portly Titan.
While the Gluttonous Titan is notable for its grotesque appearance, the Portly Titan stands out due to its unsettling behavior, lurking and observing Miche from a distance rather than closing in on him directly.
8 Connie Springer’s Mother
Condemned to Endless Agony, Yet Still Sentient
- Initial Appearance: Chapter 37 (Manga) Episode 27 (Anime)
While many Abnormal Titans are frightening because of the imminent threat they present, Connie Springer’s mother represents a different kind of horror due to the possibility of her own tragic fate. She was transformed into a Titan, rendered immobile and trapped in a position where her ribcage is starkly exposed.
Even more disturbing is the fact that Connie’s mother retains the ability to communicate and exhibit intelligence in this state, welcoming her son back to their village through spoken words, all while being acutely aware of her suffering.
9 Red-Eyed Titan
- Initial Appearance: Attack on Titan: No Regrets (Manga) A Choice with No Regrets: Part Two (Anime)
Like the previously discussed Chasing Titan, the Red-Eyed Titan gained notoriety for its remarkable speed, making it one of the few quadrupedal Titans. Adding to its menacing presence were its vibrant red eyes, an attribute not seen in any other pure Titan.
This terrifying Abnormal was not merely fast and visually intimidating but also displayed a cunning intelligence, using environmental elements like rain to its advantage while hunting humans, leading to the demise of Isabel Magnolia and Furlan Church before Levi Ackerman ultimately defeated it.
10 Rod Reiss Titan
Enormous, Disgustingly Designed, and a Catalyst of Destruction
- Initial Appearance: Chapter 66 (Manga) Episode 44 (Anime)
When Rod Reiss, Historia’s biological father, consumed the Titan fluid, he transformed into the most colossal pure Titan in the series. His immense size, raw power, and the ability to emit destructive steam created fires in his vicinity, akin to a smaller version of the iconic Colossal Titan.
Due to his transformation occurring while lying on the ground, Rod Reiss’s Titan form could only traverse by dragging itself along, resulting in horrific injuries that left the giant without a face and spilling its internal organs. A truly unsettling sight!
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