Attack on Titan has not only the most dedicated fanbase but also one of the most loved readers. From manga to anime, there has been a beautiful series of perfection that has been presented by Hajime Isayama. The vivid storytelling quite literally blurs the lines between what is black and what is white. Things take a turn and heroes become villains.
With such exquisite storytelling, there is no doubt that the final season has a much bigger uproar than other anime fans would imagine. Even with the changing of animation studios, there was a touch that was never lost. Building something so beautiful should definitely have come with some inspiration. Isayama too must have had some inspiration. However, it is not what many might think.
Attack on Titan’s Hajime Isayama’s Real Inspiration
When it comes to the inspiration of the Titans, many could think Hajime Isayama took reference from Gulliver’s Travels, Jack and the Giant Beanstalk, or even Greek Mythology. However, that is not the case. In fact, the inspiration for Titans was something much more peculiar. Before becoming a legendary mangaka, Isayama worked at an internet cafe. There he encountered a drunk customer and he was very quickly filled with ideas.
“He was inspired by the lack of the ability to communicate even though the person was of the same species, and thought at that moment that the most familiar and scary animal in the world is actually the human.”
He saw his Titans in drunk men and perhaps that realization would make a lot of sense. Oftentimes the beasts can be seen flailing their arms and running around aimlessly, as if in a daze. That is a trait rather similar to that of drunk men. Since then he created every Titan keeping in mind the reaction and conversation that comes into being when interacting with drunk individuals.
The Inspiration For The Walls Came From Mountains
Inspiration can be both good and bad. That is when the phrase comes into being, ‘separate the art from the artist.’ However, that does not necessarily mean that what the art is portraying is right. A similar problem is faced by both Attack on Titan and Mushoku Tensei. While Mushoku Tensei suffers from its controversial stance on slavery; Attack on Titan has a completely different angle on what Nazism and the effects of World War II were.
Hajime Isayama used to live near the mountains and would always try to go beyond them to explore. He used a similar imagery with the walls and Eren Jaeger. However, for the rest of it, things weren’t as simple. The series has often been accused of being Anti-Semitic and fascist, having ties with both Nazism and the Holocaust. Its take on political agendas has made it a rather controversial series.
Also Read: Attack on Titan: 7 Cruelest Plot Twists That Made Fans Shudder Before Upcoming Series Finale
Source: Nihon TV via Anime News Network
