Attack on Titan author felt upset that there was criticism on the last chapter: Manga Editor

It has been more than a year since the Attack on Titan manga series officially ended. Despite the author, Hajime Isayama’s best efforts, he was not able to satisfy all of his manga readers.

According to a latest interview of Shintaro Kawakubo, who is the editor in charge of Attack on Titan manga, Hajime Isayama felt upset about the criticism on the final chapter of the manga. Kawakubo also revealed that 11 years ago, when Isayama sensei started the manga series, there were stories that he wanted to draw, however, he ended up drawing what he wanted to draw at the moment.

When the final chapter released in Apirl, Kawakubo said to Hajime Isayama: “I think it was the final episode that no one would complain about.”

“Yes. The intention is that, first of all, I think it’s interesting as a major premise, but the word doesn’t mean that it’s the last episode that someone will find interesting to show. When Hajime Isayama started the series 11 years and 7 months ago, I think there were stories and emotions that he wanted to represent” Kawakubo replied.

“He started the manga because he wanted to draw that, and he ended up drawing what he wanted to draw, so I don’t think anyone has the right to complain about that, so in that sense, I told him with the words, ‘I think it’s a chapter ending that no one has the right to complain about.” Kawakubo continues.

“At that time, I only said these words to him, so it may not have been conveyed correctly, but after the last chapter was released, there was criticism and Isayama felt upset about it, so I told him again later that, as I said before, “You were able to draw what you wanted to draw how you wanted to draw it, so I’d be upset if you regretted it now, since it all ended the way you wanted. Everything is fine”

There was also one other thing that we talked about, although that was also at a later date. This is something that Isayama said himself a long time ago: If I wanted to tell people that “you shouldn’t kill people”, it wouldn’t make sense to tell them directly that “you shouldn’t kill people”. Because the seven billion people in the world know that “people must not be killed”, and since the murders continue today, making a verbal warning is pointless. If that’s the case, then the words “It’s okay to kill people” might carry more weight if you just look at the result, because there’s a chance that the person hearing it will think “What are you talking about? The right thing to do is not to kill!” So if you have a message you want to convey, perhaps the right thing to do is not to draw it exactly as society expects it

While talking about the alleged accusation of supporting genocide in the manga:

I had said I was going to do something about it. I think we were talking about this as something that has nothing to do with Shingeki no Kyojin. I remember that story. This last chapter sparked controversy, as some criticized it for “supporting genocide.” Of course, I didn’t mean to condone the on-site massacre at all, and Isayama-san was quite worried about it, but I told him, “This could be a really good thing. Compared to a real war, where a lot of people die, and only then do people think “genocide is not good”, when you read Shingeki no Kyojin and say “this is a pro-genocide manga” and feel bad about it, then the same message was conveyed to you, but without the need for anyone to die in real life

When asked about if he is planning to start a new meeting for Isayama’s next work:

Not really. At least, I don’t think we will have a meeting for a whole year. Of course, there are many opportunities to meet, so it may be said that at that time, but we do not say “Let’s make a plan” or “Let’s start a meeting”. I’m just telling you if something you want to draw comes up from Mr. Isayama, please let me know at that time.

Source: Gendai IsMedia

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19 thoughts on “Attack on Titan author felt upset that there was criticism on the last chapter: Manga Editor”

  1. Just proceed with the Manga… Mr. Isayama, you should be proud of your work… Criticisms are proof that the world in AOT is no different from the world we have…

  2. funny, that’s probably how george r.r. martin and the producers of game of thrones felt, too, when they got criticism of got’s ending.. lol

    honestly, as a writer myself, i can understand why isayama is upset. however, aot’s ending is shit, and it should’ve ended differently 😐

    1. The a very stupid comparison George rr Martin had nothing to do with game of thrones ending in fact it went against what he wanted to do so comparing aot where the ending was what the author intended to a show ruined by ignoring the author.

    2. wym? George R.R. Martin is disappointed too, his not the one wrote the rest of he story, the writters of it went to different direction that he intended, he please the HBO CEO to make GOT into 10 seasons so the writters will able to wrap it up properly, the CEO agree too but the writters themselves is the one who choose to not, a lot of people had the rights to gave critism towards the GOT ending, it’s so bad, it ended in a way that doesn’t make a single sense.

    3. Marcus Aurelius

      Bold words coming from you, let’s see some of your works as well, dear writer. You’ll ever even be 1/1million of what Isayama achieved

    4. Then as a writer you should be able to do better, give me any other possible outcome that would guarantee the survival of Eren’s friends as Eren intended

  3. Apurva Dhairya Bisht

    Hajeme Isayama’s you should continue the Series last chapter of Manga the 8 pages that you added were making Confusion the last page When the tree you Showed and that boy or girl whatever it was Looking at that tree then the manga end. It was very depressing because we don’t know what happened next Please I am requesting you to Continue the series.#FanofAtackOnTaitan
    🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

  4. Just like the character you wrote. Be Eren and do whatever you feel and how you want to do it… Even if the story was to change and Eren doesn’t die I’d still be happy, because that’s your story and it anyone has a problem they should go write their own story. For me Shingeki no Kyojin is the best thing I’ve ever watched

  5. Leave to the woke generation to not be able to demarcate between fiction and non fiction. Sensei should not feel bad. We are sorry you have to suffer because of the present generation of idiots.

  6. I think that this is how it should have ended the story is a great fiction whuch depicts the society condition ironically . It was never meant to end on a note of happy ending or tragic one . Ending was efficiently able to represent that there is never an end to anything everything forever goes on .
    It’s an epic artwork thich the humanity may remember for 2000 years and more

  7. A truly great ending for me. People can trashtalk all they want and created drama just to pass time cause they dont do shit and they are bored, but in the facts Attack on titan is a masterpiece till the end and why would you bother with people that hate the show for bad ending or not original when these people eat the same breakfast since they young, the same clothes, the same thinking, the same peace of shit. They ask for more creativity, different end, but they cant choose between bread or eggs for their breakfast. Im glad u listen to yourself and not the dumb/hypocrisis morron who comment without any idea of what it is to created a mangaka and how much effort it take. They just can’t apprehend the big picture so let the dogs bark a little it doesn’t matter they will stop eventually.

  8. Muhammad Saifullah Bin Embok Taha

    I absolutely understand why Hajime felt upset,but wtf with the ending….Not only the MC died ,but he got NTR????

  9. While I’m not happy HOW it ended, it was fitting in a cathartic sense. Im adding a spoiler warning just in case

    Spoilers:

    With Eren becoming the villan, many people who were enemies, became allies under a common goal. With Eren’s death, all that hatred towards “eldian devils” could disappear. The truly ironic thing? Eren was a slave to his own dream, he couldn’t be free. The tragic cycle will repeat itself.

  10. If you just butcher your own character of the protagonist,then why wouldnt people get angry over your manga.The meaning he was carrying for last 138 chapters ,you just shattered him in the last chapter.Many fans were far more upset than you can even think.Well I have moved on from SNK to ONE PIECE and it also amazes me by its foreshadowing which is also on a whole another lvl.It has continued to meet our expections that I couldnt get from Isayama in SNK ending.

  11. For me I love Attack on Titan and where the ending is tragic I can live with it what I would’ve loved is maybe another 3 year time where it shows Erens friends life’s has Armin and Annie see them together, Connie reuniting with his Mum same with Jean or maybe meeting a girl, the meeting with Histora making peace all meeting Mikasa again etc to show why Erens sacrifice and acts paid off for his friends and others

  12. After a year, the author still doesn’t understand that he got the point wrong

    The author focuses on Ailian’s massacres, but doesn’t look at the Marais government’s operation of concentration camps. They have also done this kind of massacre, and they can even drag your sister to feed the dogs.

    Secondly, except for the Malai government, the world treats Parade Island as a trash can for hatred, even the people of the same race hate them

    In the end, the island’s scientific and technological strength lags behind the world. There is no diplomacy, no economy, and no military. This is very fatal in international politics.

    If the Malay government is a country of gentlemen, then I must say Alan is wrong

    However, what Allen got was a fascist country that was engaged in genocide. Allen not only experienced the nightmare of being massacred, but was about to face another massacre without any possible foreign aid.

    He gave Allen so few choices, but in the end he questioned Allen’s behavior???

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