Attack on Titan: Colossal Edition 4

進撃の巨人 [Shingeki no Kyojin] #16-20

by Hajime Isayama

Contains Vol. 16-20 of Attack on Titan in an extra-large size, on premium-quality paper!

16 and up.

Attack on Colossal Edition 4 is an oversized collection of Vols. 16-20 of the Attack on Titan manga series. Weighing in at a massive 944 pages and a 7-inch by 10.5-inch trim, Colossal Edition 4, like its predecessor last year, contains the same material as the original volumes, but bigger and on higher-quality paper.

Genres: Manga, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Horror, Comics, Fiction, Comics Manga

960 pages, Paperback

First published August 21, 2018

About the author

Japanese name: 諫山創

Hajime Isayama (諫山 創 Isayama Hajime, born 1986) is a Japanese manga artist from Ōyama, Ōita. His first and currently ongoing serial, Attack on Titan, has sold over 22 million copies as of July 2013. He has mentioned Tsutomu Nihei, Ryōji Minagawa, Kentaro Miura, Hideki Arai and Tōru Mitsumine as artists he respects, but stated that the manga that had the biggest influence on him was ARMS.

Reviews

[Mika · Rating 1 out of 5]

16-20: 1 star

Reasoning: I didn't like the anime that much but I was curious to know if the manga is better. So far it isn't and I'm more excited to read the parts I didn't see in the anime yet.

Reading duration: 25. April 2024 - 25. April 2024

[Shawna Finnigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume 16: 4 stars

Volume 17: 4 stars

Volume 18: 3 stars

Volume 19: 4 stars

Volume 20: 5 stars

[James DeSantis · Rating 5 out of 5]

So this contains the end of the Uprising Arc (Which to me is the worst arc in the series, and when I say worst it is still a 4 out of 5) and the Return To The Wall arc (Which is my FAVORITE ARC) So...this is the greatest and worst of the series, but the worst of Attack On Titan is still better than 90% of people's best.

Let me also state some of my pages were blank. There was a misprint for this collection and some key moments were missing in my copy. Luckily already seen the anime so I know what happens but it was pretty fucking annoying.

Anyway, the uprising arc ends kind of how you'd expect. Still some great human vs human moments and oh man, the reveal of Eren and his past along with Hisotria's is all great. Wasn't huge fan of walking, talking, big blob titan but that's pretty much the only negative. Even had a few comedic moments that worked well.

Then we have the return to the wall. Where it all begin. Where Eren's mother was murdered and where he lost everything. The whole basic reason this series even started. So we march forward but both the Armored and Colossal Titan along with their new Ally Beast Titan are waiting for Erwin, Eren, and the rest of the Corp...things don't go so well.

Fantastic second half, some of the BEST and BRUTAL moments of the entire series, and a shocking ending that still shocks me even when I know what would happen. This is Attack On Titan at it's peak and we still have a few more chapters of this arc in the 5th volume.

If you don't know by now, Attack on Titan is top tier, easily top 10, maybe even Top 5 Manga/anime of all time. A 5 out of 5.

[Simona B · Rating 3 out of 5]

This omnibus collects chapters 63-82 (volumes 16-20).

The final chapters of this fourth volume in the Colossal Edition series are actually excellent, definitely among my favorites. Overall, however, it seems that we are still very much in this sort of "bridging" phase of the series that I talked about in my comment to the previous volume, still waiting to get to the real substance of things. I also have some reservations about the writing of some characters, which went in directions that felt quite incoherent. Specifically: Eren that, during the underground cave episodes, completely loses faith in himself and implores for the chance to "believe in himself for once" (I paraphrase) will never make sense to me. Also, Historia just nonchalantly switching from being willing to sacrifice all her friends back to her usual friendliness needed to come with at least some sort of introspection on her part that would put this moment of utter insanity into perspective. To me, these moments in the development of both characters seem half-baked; not that they are necessarily unbelievable per se, but they certainly would have benefited much from more thoughtful writing.

[Deanna ✰ ☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

EPIC

[Alyson Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book: Attack on Titan: Colossal Edition, Vol. 4
Author: Hajime Isayama
Rating: 5 Out of 5 Stars

Now, this is how you write an action sequence. I feel like I keep saying this over and over in my reviews, but it’s so true. The action sequences in Attack on Titan are top-notch. You feel the danger that the characters are in and you have no idea who is going to make it out alive or who is not. The characters have a strong sense of understanding of what they are going to do. You can see the conflict, pain, and defeat that they are going through. However, they still do it because they know that it is their duty.

This one focuses largely on the war against the Titans, which is a shift from the previous volume. We are back to the high-stakes battles and fearing for our characters’ lives. However, this battle was not the normal cut-and-dry action sequence. The author does something I liked. He made it feel human. While we are still in the heat of battle, the way it feels is painful. These people in the battle know that there is a good chance that they are not going to come out of this alive, yet, they still go into it. The artwork displays their loss as they make what is supposed to be their final charge. This battle is not about victory, while that is important. This one had a more sombre feeling. Everything and everyone is not going to be okay. There is going to be no one to save them at the last minute. They know that if they fail that this will be the end of humanity.

This right here is the selling point for me on this series. The author has done an amazing job at making us feel and about these characters, which is why I am glad that the battle happened at this point in the series. You are fully invested in what is happening to these characters and you want them to be okay. However, in a world like this, the chances of everyone being okay are pretty slim. Taking the time to allow us to get to know the characters and form this bond with them, makes moments such as this all that much more impactful. All of the emotions and feelings running through this volume become all that much more real.

I am glad though that this is not the end of the manga. A lot of people wish that this arc was. I don’t think so. I think we need more. I am not saying because I am enjoying this series so much. I feel like the story is not done and the characters have more to do. I would like to see them try to rebuild the world and what effects this has on them. There are still so many questions that haven’t been answered that I would see to see something from.

Overall, an amazing volume and I cannot wait to read more. I am so in love with this series that I have started collecting some of the volumes instead of borrowing them, which tells you something given the cost of manga.

[Michael Sorbello · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a review of the entire series.

Attack on Titan takes place in a horrifying dystopian fantasy world that somewhat mirrors our own, like an apocalyptic Europe where the last remnants of humanity live behind massive, skyscraper-sized walls to protect themselves from the giant, man-eating monsters known as Titans lurking just beyond them. The walls have successfully protected humanity for a hundred years, yet that short era of false peace comes to an end when a colossal titan bigger and deadlier than any other of its kind brings judgement to the last survivors of the world. The story follows an ambitious and hotheaded young boy named Eren Yeager, who vows to take revenge on the titans after they break down the walls of his city, killing his mother and thousands of innocent people right before his very eyes.

The story begins with Eren having a disturbing nightmare. At first, the nightmare appears to be a senseless series of violent images that don’t seem to mean anything in particular and the images we see are quite easy to forget about when you view them without any kind of context. It’s not until a hundred chapters later that the nightmare and the events that follow it begin to come together. Incredible foreshadowing is a reoccurring thing in Attack on Titan. The most minor and seemingly insignificant characters and events always end up having major significance much later down the road. The further you get into the series, the more you begin to realize that the author had every single plot point, revelation and twist planned out before he ever even published the first chapter. Speaking of which, the name of the first chapter (to you, 2000 years from now) is a huge foreshadowing in itself, but we’ll touch on that later.

After Eren wakes up from his nightmare, we are introduced to Armin and Mikasa. Armin is Eren’s best friend and he fills Eren’s head with dreams of seeing the outside world beyond the walls, telling him stories of oceans, deserts, mountains, volcanoes and all sorts of things they could never imagine witnessing with their own eyes if they continue to spend the rest of their lives hiding in mundane safety behind the walls. Armin is frail and timid, but he’s incredibly smart and proves his worth as a brilliant tactician. He’s also very loyal and protects his friends when the going gets tough.

Mikasa is Eren’s adopted sister who watches over him and comes to the rescue whenever he’s in trouble using her superhuman combat abilities, a signature trait of the Ackerman bloodline that’s been passed down to her by her warrior ancestors. After their relatively peaceful lives are torn apart by a titan invasion, Eren, Armin and Mikasa enlist themselves in the survey corp, an organization of soldiers and tacticians that are trained in the art of killing titans and defending civilians from their wrath using a pair of swords and a device known as 3D Maneuver Gear.

The 3D Maneuver Gear was created to be able to navigate through a three dimensional space. With it, a person can travel from point to point at extremely fast speeds by firing steel wires with hooks attached on the ends so they can latch onto structures and titans. This is a very unique way of portraying tiny humans being able to stand a chance against giant titans in combat. The weakness of all titans is the nape of the neck, and the only way to reach the nape is to perform all kinds of twists and turns in midair with the maneuver gear until you can give yourself an opening.

After being put through years of brutal military training, Eren and his friends are prepared to lay their lives on the line to exterminate every last titan in the world and bring freedom to humanity once more. But Eren doesn’t yet realize that he isn’t prepared for the many horrors that lie beyond the walls he grew up in. There’s more than just titans out there that want him and his friends dead.

The biggest strengths of Attack on Titan are the numerous plot twists and the layers of mystery that are evident from the very beginning. Some of the twists are so massive, that they literally change the genre of the entire series because of the new perspectives they bring. It can go from survival horror, to psychological mystery, to political thriller at the drop of a hat and none of it is ever done just for shock value. There isn’t a single twist or plot point that wasn’t already planned out from chapter one. All the pieces of the puzzle are right in front of you the moment you begin reading, you just don’t realize they’re there until much later. Because of the amount of planning ahead at play here, Attack on Titan has a truly impressive level of re-readability. The constantly shifting genres and conflicts is what keeps it fresh and exciting. There are human vs titan conflicts, titan vs other titan conflicts, and finally, there’s the tried and true conflict of humans vs humans.

That’s always been a recurring theme in most dystopian fantasy and horror stories. Even when the world is destroyed and overrun with monsters, humans will still clash and tear each other to pieces. I’m happy to say that the human vs human conflict in Attack on Titan is extremely different from what you would normally expect from a series like this. It’s not like the average zombie apocalypse movie where people kill each other and cause havoc just because there’s no law and they’re free to do whatever the hell they want, there’s a much bigger twist behind the cruelty of the humans pulling the strings from behind the scenes. I won’t delve too deep into that because of spoilers, but let’s just say that there are no real winners or good guys here, morality is extremely gray in Attack on Titan and it only continues to get more complex and conflicted the longer it goes on. Near the very end of the series, I honestly couldn’t bring myself to root for or against anyone, I just watched helplessly from the sidelines as the chaos unfolded. There are so many good characters on every side that it was making my head spin around in circles because I couldn’t decide what the best outcome could possibly be. And I absolutely loved the ridiculous levels of tension this conflict caused.

All in all, I can’t believe how good Attack on Titan turned out to be. Let me just say that the early chapters of the series are extremely misleading and I don’t mean that in a bad way. Just like everything else in this series, the misleading nature of the early chapters is totally intentional. I went into this series expecting a straightforward, action-packed monster movie type of story like Jurassic Park or Godzilla, and it does start out that way to be perfectly fair. But it progresses into one of the most genius stories I’ve ever seen, that’s rich with psychological depth, human morality, countless twists and even quite a bit of intelligent commentary on the unspeakable tragedies of war. Don’t let the simple premise of Attack on Titan fool you, there’s so much more to it than I’m sure anyone could’ve possibly predicted when the series first started being published.

***

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[Dai Simwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

At this point, we should know better than to expect anything less than sheer, soul-crushing intensity from Attack on Titan. And yet it still manages to hit harder than a Titan’s fist to the gut. If the last volume was about doubt and betrayal, then this one is about something even heavier: sacrifice.

Now, let’s talk about action—because this is how you write a battle. Isayama has always been a master of tension, but here, he outdoes himself. What makes this volume stand out isn’t just the spectacle of Titans and Scouts clashing—it’s the sheer WEIGHT of every moment. Every decision feels final, every movement carries desperation, and every loss HURTS. There’s no last-minute heroics, no magical salvation. This is war, and war means people die.

And oh, do they die.

The Battle of Shiganshina isn’t just another fight—it’s a massacre. There’s no hopeful music swelling in the background, no assurance that our heroes will make it through. The charge against the Beast Titan is one of the most emotionally devastating sequences, a march of the doomed led by Erwin Smith, who—let’s be real—has been holding this entire operation together by sheer force of will. “My Soldiers, Rage! My Soldiers, Scream! My Soldiers, Fight!”—with those words, Erwin cements his place in AoT history.

Which brings me me to Levi. We knew Levi was a monster on the battlefield this is something else entirely. His assault on the Beast Titan is UNREAL. But, if Attack on Titan has taught us anything, it’s that sometimes, even your best isn’t enough.

But the brutality isn’t just in the battle itself—it’s in the choices that follow. Because as if watching Erwin and the Scouts get obliterated wasn’t enough, we then get the impossible decision: Erwin or Armin. It’s one of those moments that reminds you exactly what kind of story you’re reading. There are no easy choices in Attack on Titan, and no one is walking away from this unscathed.

Another five-star read, because of course it is. At this point, I’ve stopped pretending that Attack on Titan isn’t one of the greatest stories ever written. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to emotionally recover. Again.

[Lisa Yard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is for the Colossal Edition Series and not the regular volume series. First of all is the size. It ain't called Colossal Edition just for marketing. The actual size of the manga is 10" with most volumes running 1,000 pages!! That translates to each page and even the individual panels being much, much larger. I don't know if the publisher upgraded the printing, but the images are crisper to me. The MAJOR reason why you'll want this edition is for the PAPER!! It's printed on glossy higher quality paper then the regular volume. I haven't read directly from the publishers that it's acid-free paper, but some online stores are marketing that as a selling point. It is a bit
cumbersome to read because it is so much larger and so heavy. And of course there is the price with each collected edition encompassing 5 regular volumes it retails at $49..99 for each volume. But they are worth it!! I suggest use a book store membership and coupon to at least get $10.00 off or pre-order on online book sellers and you can usually get $10 to $8 off. Volumes 1 and 2 included color pages and previously unreleased material in English. I own the entire series so far in both print and digital forms so did I really need to buy it a third time? Yes, yes and yes!! If your a SnK fan this should be your #1 choice for purchasing the series. Also, the color cover art of each Titan is gorgeous. If you're still undecided check out a physical copy. Today Edition 4 with the Beast Titan on was released and I went right to the end of Volume 20. *Spoiler* " FRONTAL BOMBARDMENT!! " never looked so barbaric and horrific. You see so much more detail in the individual expressions and the movement of the panels flows better with such huge pages. Bottom line? Price vs. larger, better quality paper. I thought it was worth every dollar.

[Kieran McLoughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're at this stage of the story, I don't need to sell the series to you. Attack on Titan is one of the greatest stories out there, and this edition of the colossal series deals with the political/more-human side of the conflict, before commencing the assault fans fans have been waiting for since the very beginning - the assault for Erens basement. Overall, you can see how the art has improved as the series has gone on, while admittedly the first half of this book is way slower than the rest of the series you understand what's being set up through it, leading to one of the greatest sections of the entire series. Action and death is scattered throughout, and while I was surprised at where this chose to end I can't say that I was surprised. Answers are obviously left until the next edition, so undoubtedly you'll end up doing what I did and immediately reaching for the 4th and starting it.

[Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

As one continues into the series, we start to see the clearing of the smokescreen as truths, even if currently fragmented, begin to emerge. Yet, the narrative's curiosity to sink deeper, uncovering the past and shaping humanity's future, enlarges the scope and density of its story. No longer is the plot of our protagonist to end this cruelty enough, and neither is it truly just his story alone. Hajime Isayame has slowly, thus far, chipped away at the human mould to eventually find the soul that would justify existence. When mortality is absolute, the ultimate search for meaning remains at the forefront, and sometimes those who have faced such realities from others, carry on the search that their peers were not able to answer. This fourth edition is Attack on Titan, at least to this point, at its most introspective; disillusioning past beliefs and rules, and reshaping trajectories that are equalled with newly found threats.

[Caleb M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐ (Extremely Good)

Wow was this a good volume. I loved nearly everything about this volume. My one big issue with this one is when someone is dead, they should be dead. It get's a little tiring when it's like, Oh Dang! That dude is gone! Oh, I guess not. some excuse and then that just happens over and over again. Like c'mon guys. This is just silly. It gets to a point where it isn't even tricky or shocking it's just straight up annoying.

Anyway, Other than that I was super pleased where this one went. Some good character development. The bad guys seem to be getting more bad. Or at least I'm really disliking them at this point. I want them to just go away. I want answers to certain questions and keep reading in anticipation. I really liked it and I'm definitely ready for the next book!

[Nate Rester · Rating 4 out of 5]

This feels a lot like a series finale - in a more straightforward narrative, "Return to Shiganshina" would be the natural, inevitable endpoint: key mysteries are resolved; rivalries come to a head in a predictably violent manner; and several major characters meet appropriate fates. In every way that matters, this is the culmination of the series up until this point and the fulcrum on which everything turns before the story heads in a bolder (read: gonzo) direction.

That's because the back end of this volume is essentially an elongated info-dump that serves to (a) recontextualize everything we've seen up until this point and (b) set up the series' final stretch. It's a thankless job that penultimate chapters inevitably get saddled with (Half-Blood Prince, Empire Strikes Back, probably Winds of Winter), but the exposition is communicated in an effective (and affecting) manner and is ultimately balanced by the seismic showcase of brutality that precedes it.

[Kyle Spishock · Rating 4 out of 5]

We return back to basics with Titan warfare in this volume. The collection follows the battle for Wall Rose, putting the Survey Corps against the Beast Titan, Colossal Titan, and the Armored Titan. Again, it’s like I’m reading an alternate world “Game of Thrones”; when all hope is lost, the company takes counter measures to save their fleet.

Only minor characters perish, with our protagonists finding the means to defeat the trio, against all odds. However, it’s difficult to feel any real suspense for the Titans’ fates, considering their near immortal evasion of death.

[Jonathan Echevarria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series. I read ahead of the anime to see how it all wraps up. To my surprise this series is still ongoing and doesn’t even have a end yet! I am surprised how this series keeps me guessing and changes who we are supposed to cheer for. It is good at blurring the lines between who is the protagonist and who is the antagonist. I love it!

[Neema · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was really starting to get let down from the last edition, was not enjoying the plot arc at all and could not find an ounce of me that cared about any of the characters other than Eren. This edition was everything I wanted and more, it contains the best volumes in the series so far and am so incredibly excited to continue because of this.

[Vojtech Sroub · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another interesting volume. In the first halfe, we do get some highly awaited answers....at least some of them and second part is again some nice action. Not so crazy as in earlier volumes, but great nevertheless. Art is getting more solid, and there is still hunger for more of the story. Only thing is, the volumes are bit unbalanced...

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A huge step forward in lore and a crazy mission that has left me in shock. What a packed edition from beginning to end. The final clash between the survey corps and the Titans was spectacular and everything I could have wished for with some deaths that I still can't believe. I can't even imagine what happens next volume.

[Grant Keegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are by far the best volumes in the entire series, no contest. (Spoilers) Everything from the conclusion of the Rod Reiss arc, the inspiring speech of the survey corps to retake Wall Maria, Levi vs Zeke, and the sad ending with Armin, and the rest of the battle. I honestly think that this is peak AoT, even though the next few arcs are something incredible in terms of quality and writing.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gosh so much happens in this compendium! People die, plans are formed and executed, and AHA! moments happen. We learn only a little more about the Beast Titan, and we learn who the real hero of the series is.

[Bartosz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The collosal editions are an overall neat addition to my collection. I love the story, art and everything about attack on titan. However these books should not be in paperback, the thickness and size of the books is simply too large for it to be in paperback.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

My jaw? Floor
My heart? Shattered

I AM NOT OK

Easily my favorite compendium so far. I was audibly gasping through some of these scenes. I love that I’m always on my toes with this series and I never have any clue what will happen next.

Also if Armin is dead for real I will RIOT

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Ilse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alright, I will admit that I put this off a little bit because I knew what would happen and I wasn't mentally ready for that haha

Those heart-breaking scenes aside, I absolutely loved all the volumes in this colossal edition! The battle is beautifully set up and the character interactions were top notch. All that's left now is readying myself for the next colossal edition and another very heart-breaking scene (or a dozen, knowing this series XD)

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

These volumes contain the culmination of the Survey Corp coup and then the battle for Wall Maria. Both are worth the price of admission alone as cathartic releases after 8 volumes of confusing table setting.

[Rebecca Cairo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was starting to think I was going to rate this volume lower than the others in the series but then I got to that battle!! So heartbreaking and unmatched — I can’t wait to see what the aftermath of this will all be.

[William Hayman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jawdropping action and suspenseful. Hajime Isayama's writing is immersive as it is powerful.

[E. G.]

Character Introductions

--Attack on Titan: Colossal Edition 4

Cover Art Gallery

[MarinePika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lisons la suite !

[Katelynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t expect this series to have such an interesting plot, it reads like a book rather then a horror manga. I’m both excited and sad to find out how it ends!

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The battle in vol 20 is just one of the greatest things I’ve ever read.