Tribute to 'Attack on Titan': The Series that Changed Anime and Manga History
With “Attack on Titan Season 4 Part 1 finale released on Sunday, and the upcoming final manga chapter 139 set to be released on April 9, 2021, the second part of Season 2, scheduled to be released in Winter 2022, which will conclude the Attack on Titan manga series, fans all over the world are hanging onto the edge of their seats in this very important and definitive time for the series as many crucial and concluding events are happening all at once this Spring.
But what is it about this manga and anime series which are causing fans to completely be overcome with many emotions as the series is ending? Before diving into the world of “Attack on Titan” and everything surrounding it from plotlines, theories, possible plot twists, products, exhibitions, etc, it is important to first know how this all started. Shingeki No Kyojin or more commonly known in English as “Attack on Titan” manga series by Hajime Isayama and published by Kodansha comics debuted on Sept. 9, 2009. The impact that this specific manga had on the world of entertainment was so major, that on April 7, 2013, “Attack on Titan’s”” anime adaptation by Wit Studio was released.
The story speaks of humanoid-like giants, hungry for human flesh who threatened humanity to extinction. As a solution, to keep humanity from perishing, three walls were built which separated humans from the outside world which was thought to be full of these horrifying creatures. Inside these walls, district Shiganshina is where everything started, the place where young Eren Yeager, and his two childhood friends Mikasa Ackerman and Armin Arlert were born and raised.
Young Eren, unhappy with the idea of humanity being trapped inside walls lit up a fire and a desire for freedom in him that only sparked after the Colossal and Armored titan broke through the wall, letting the bloodthirst titans inside devour a huge portion of the humans living inside these walls, one of them being Eren’s mother. Upon witnessing his mother’s death, Eren pledges to avenge his mother by destroying every titan in the world and finding true freedom, along with his two childhood friends, Mikasa and Armin, eventually the three joining the Survey Corps, a military branch regiment commanded by the 13th commander of the regiment, Erwin Smith and supported by Captain Levi and Section Commander Hange Zoe.
Creating a masterpiece that will cause a strong impact that will never leave people’s hearts is very difficult.
As the story progresses, we learn that Eren Yeager is the holder of the “Attack Titan”, which is one of the nine original titans originally held by Ymir Fritz, the first-ever titan, and that in Eren’s home basement in Shiganshina where Grisha Yeager, Eren Yeager’s father has the truth of the outside world. season one through season three’s main goal for our beloved trio, the 104th cadets, as well as the Survey Corps is reaching the basement and retaking Shiganshina with Eren's titan abilities, however, the journey is filled with many heartbreaking and surprising moments, such as discovering the true identity of the true Queen of the walls, who is revealed to be Krista Lenz’s true identity, Historia Reiss, and many other plot twists that the series offers. We see our favorite characters whom we grew attached to, be betrayed and others become the unexpected traitors, especially once the true identity of the female, Colossal and Armored Titan is revealed. Moments like these are what made Attack on Titan have a strong impact in the world of manga and anime, because though every moment is fictional, we as viewers and readers can feel as well.
Anime and manga have a very special emotion in each season: hope, determination, anguish, perseverance. These emotions are especially highlighted during the first, second and the first part of the third season. However, with the reaching of the basement and our beloved characters learning the truth that we as readers and viewers hoped would solve the conflict carried through these seasons, We learn a truth much harsher than the one expected. That outside of the walls, there is no freedom….
Instead, there exist enemies who have purposely created titans to devour the people inside the walls. In the second part of season three and season four We also learn that Eldia, a nation located in Paradis island where walls exist and where most of our beloved characters are from, has a major enemy nation called Marley, whose sole purpose is to eradicate Paradis Island due to years of war history between both nations.
Unlike the other seasons, Season 4: The Final Season has a very different feel to all the other seasons, in this season we learn that the characters whom we called traitors such as those to have been revealed to be the titan shifters that broke the wall in season one are just victims of repeated and brainwashed history. One of these characters is Reiner Braun, the armored titan; we even receive a brand new cast who will eventually meet and fight our first beloved characters, creating a clash between Marley and Eldians, or commonly known as subjects of Ymir, the first-ever titan, holder of all nine titans.
As readers and viewers, the season four takes a drastic turn when it comes to our main trio: Eren, Mikasa, and Armin. Their strong friendship is now hanging by a dangling thread in the hands of Eren. Eren seems to have taken his role as the hero of the series switched with the antagonist role that Reiner Braun had in Season 2-3. Season four depicts Eren Yeager as the antagonist of the series, with very unclear goals and motives, the people in Marley and the rest of the world referring to him now as the enemy. While it is true that Eren’s personality and overall appearance changed from a boy who believed that true freedom lies outside the walls into a man with shattered dreams who knows that the outside world did not promise freedom, but it promised more suffering and bloodshed, leading to heart-wrenching moments and tragedies that will be caused by Eren himself. Season 4 showed us that the real enemy is not Eren nor Marley Warriors, but repeated history that seems unending. What will happen to our favorite characters? No one but Hajime Isayama knows, and on April 9, 2021, manga readers will know the truth of how this story ends.
Another beauty that “Attack on Titan” has given fans throughout the years is uncertainty. One may wonder, what is so good about not knowing? Well, with every chapter and episode released during the past 11 years, fans from all over the world have used their critical thinking skills and have created many theories, most of them coming true with the release of official chapters, so even when Attack on Titan was on hiatus or chapter being made, fans always kept their time invested in coming up with possible outcomes of how a future episode or chapter might play out which is incredible to me because one chapter can be interpreted and discussed in many ways which not only creates a sense of community in the fandom but it also demonstrates that Hajime Isayama has managed to write his series in very unexpected and innovative ways, which has always left fans wondering what his next move will be for the past 11 years.
Hajime Isayama is a very talented and unpredictable artist and writer and his ability to keep fans wondering is another factor that contributes to “Attack on Titan’s” success. Besides Isayama’s talent contributing to Attack on Titan’s success, fans from all over the world have been a powerful key to this unstopping rise to fame. Social Media pages dedicated to “Attack on Titan”, fan-artists who have created wonderful works for the world to see and known of these world-rumbling series, designers creating garments inspired by “Attack on Titan” and their characters, and overall fans who have purchased licensed products, the fans have set a strong impact for “Attack on Titan” and have kept the popularity going for 11 years, and will continue to do so even after the series ends.
“Attack on Titan” has also had a strong impact in the world of marketing, tourism, fashion, gaming and media and overall shopping with the created merchandise, exhibitions, collaborations, conventions, theme parks, and distribution of officially licensed products such as clothing, accessories, figures, posters, stationery, phone accessories, keychains, plush dolls, video games,etc.
The success was so great that in 2015, Universal Studios Japan opened the “Attack on Titan” theme park and became a huge success due to the high quality of the rides and presentations which has led many fans from all over the world to make it their dream goal to visit this theme park, creating a strong revenue for the park. Recently, a museum dedicated to “Attack on Titan” was inaugurated in the Oita Prefecture in Japan, which is Hajime Isayama’s hometown. The museum showcases Hajime Isayama’s original drawings along with other unique and exclusive material. It is undeniable that Attack on Titan’s success has been huge, not just in Japan but all around the world, so much that the manga has been translated to several languages for many fans to enjoy.
Though the series coming to an end will leave a bittersweet emotion for every fan who has grown up with our beloved characters, or even new fans, most wonder, how will it really end? Many theories involving possible time-loops, unexpected plot twists centering around our beloved characters, especially around Eren Yeager and his connection to the rough sketch of the final panel revealed by Hajime Isayama during an interview, have been strongly debated. At the end of the day, there is plenty of room open for theories and possible outcomes but no one can really tell the outcome or have a clear and accurate idea for the ending that Isayama has planned, even if the release date is only a few days away. Whichever way the series culminates and ends, the unique and complex characters and the story will forever stick with every fan and in each and every heart of those who loved the series.
“Attack on Titan” leaves with many important messages that are very relevant to our own world, lessons that could change history. The main lesson is to never let the mistakes of the past be repeated in an endless cycle of hatred; that bloodshed and massacre could many times have been avoided if history had been learned from and not repeated. That every person is special, for the simple fact of existing, and that if more people pushed hatred aside and chose to love and respect, many tragedies could be avoided. Creating a masterpiece that will cause a strong impact that will never leave people’s hearts is very difficult, however, Hajime Isayama and “Attack on Titan” taught fans that no matter how difficult something truly is, it is important to move forward and never give up.
