In a recent interview with French radio station France Inter, Attack on Titan creator Hajime Isayama discussed the inspiration behind his hit manga series. Isayama revealed that his hometown of Hita, Japan, which is surrounded by mountains, made him feel isolated as if he lived on an island. This sense of isolation led to the inspiration for the story of Attack on Titan.
During the interview, host Léa Salamé drew a parallel between Attack on Titan and the philosophy of Thomas Hobbes, who famously stated that “Man is a wolf to man.” Isayama acknowledged that this idea was present in his work, but also revealed that his inspiration for the series came from his experiences working at an internet cafe. He talked about how he felt anxiety at how sometimes customers became aggressive.
When asked about the direction of the series, Isayama stated that when he began writing Attack on Titan, he expected it to finish in the middle. However, despite this initial expectation, he is now optimistic that people move forward by making mistakes. Isayama also stated that he believes manga is not just for Japanese people and that there is incredible competition within the industry in Japan, which results in incredible works.
Isayama also touched upon his main character Eren, whom he described as a reflection of the worst parts of himself, and that the series is about getting rid of the worst parts of himself. He also shared that he felt a bit bad right after finishing the manga, but did his best and is satisfied with it.
Finally, Isayama confirmed that he has no plans to make a sequel to Attack on Titan or to make another manga. Instead, he shared his dream project of opening his own sauna someday.
In 2021, Hajime Isayama’s epic manga series, Attack on Titan, reached its thrilling conclusion after 34 volumes of pulse-pounding action. The story, masterfully crafted by the 36-year-old writer and illustrator, captured the hearts and minds of readers around the world. The Wit Studio saw the potential in Isayama’s work and brought the story to life on the small screen with a critically-acclaimed anime adaptation. The first season of the anime premiered in 2013, but in 2018, Wit Studio faced various challenges that prevented them from continuing to animate the series. Mappa Studio picked up the manga for the final anime season. Attack on Titan’s final season 1 part 1 is scheduled to release in March 2023.
