Attack on Titan (2015) is a Japanese-language superhero film adapted from Manga, directed by Shinji Higuchi and starring Haruma Miura and Kiko Mizuhara. The film is a standalone production outside any shared cinematic universe and was released by Toho. Audience rating: 5.6/10.
What is Attack on Titan (2015) about?
In a world where giant humanoid Titans prey on humans, the last of humanity huddles behind giant walls. A young man joins the military to avenge his mother's death. Based on Hajime Isayama's manga.
Released in 2015, Attack on Titan was directed by Shinji Higuchi and produced under the Toho banner. The film occupies a significant place within the Independent — telling a self-contained story outside of shared-continuity superhero franchises.
The film features lead performances from Haruma Miura, Kiko Mizuhara, Kanata Hongo, among others, anchoring a story that adapts characters first brought to life in Manga. Its source material gives the film a foundation rooted in decades of published storytelling, which Higuchi and the creative team interpret through a cinematic lens.
The film's 5.6 audience rating indicates a mixed response. Even so, it holds interest as part of the broader Independent catalogue and for how it fits into the lineage of Manga-based cinema.
What happens in Attack on Titan (2015)? — Full Plot
We open in a futuristic Japan-like setting. Humanity lives behind massive walls. Beyond the walls roam Titans — humanoid monsters who eat humans. Humanity has been confined within the walls for over a century.
Eren (Haruma Miura) — a young man — lives within the walls with his childhood friends Mikasa and Armin. He has been dreaming of seeing the world beyond the walls.
A massive Colossal Titan — a 60-foot humanoid monster — breaches the outer wall. The Titans flood into humanity's territory. Eren's mother is killed by a Titan in the resulting attack. Eren vows revenge.
Eren joins the military to fight the Titans. He undergoes intensive combat training. He discovers that he himself can transform into a Titan — a 15-foot humanoid version with combat abilities.
Eren's Titan transformation creates ethical complications. Other characters question whether he is human or Titan. The military investigates whether he can be trusted.
The film's middle act features extensive Titan-combat sequences. Eren and his military squadmates fight increasingly powerful Titans across the walls. The film's CGI is widely cited as its primary visual achievement.
The final battle is against the Colossal Titan. Eren transforms into his Titan form and confronts the Colossal Titan in a climactic combat sequence. The Colossal Titan is defeated but escapes for the sequel.
Attack on Titan (2015) grossed approximately $40 million globally on a $25 million budget — modest commercial success but a critical disappointment. The sequel — Attack on Titan: End of the World (2015) — performed similarly. The animated Attack on Titan TV series remains the franchise's defining adaptation.
Who stars in Attack on Titan (2015)?
Find Attack on Titan (2015) on Amazon
Watch Attack on Titan on Prime Video, browse the original Manga source material, and discover Blu-rays, soundtracks, and related merchandise on Amazon.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Link clicks do not affect editorial coverage — see our disclaimer.
What are some facts about Attack on Titan (2015)?
Attack on Titan released in 2015, placing it within the 2010s era of comic book cinema — a decade that saw superhero films become the dominant force at the global box office.
Directed by Shinji Higuchi, the film was produced by Toho and adapts source material from Manga.
The principal cast features Haruma Miura and Kiko Mizuhara, with key supporting roles played by Kanata Hongo, Satomi Ishihara.
The film belongs to Independent — an independent / standalone production, not tied to a shared cinematic universe.
Attack on Titan carries an audience rating of 5.6 — a mixed reception that highlights the divisive nature of superhero film adaptations.
The Manga source material for Attack on Titan has been in continuous publication for decades, giving filmmakers a rich well of storylines, character arcs, and iconography to draw upon.
Modern superhero films like this one use a mix of practical effects and digital VFX, with entire sequences often shot against volume walls or LED stages pioneered by shows like The Mandalorian.
Attack on Titan is catalogued on Movies on Comics among our collection of 162 comic book films spanning 48 years of cinema — from Richard Donner's 1978 Superman to the present day.
