Attack on Titan is not just one of the most popular anime and manga of the last decade, it is one of the most popular anime and manga of all time. Known for its riveting story full of plot twists and betrayals, multidimensional characters, amazing soundtrack, high-octane action sequences, and of course the large, creepy Titans, the series has fans all over the world.
Fans have often wondered about where the ideas and inspiration for Attack on Titan came from, and series creator Hajime Isayama gave some insight into the same. He spoke about the origins of the franchise, other things related to the series, and about manga in general as well.
What was Isayama’s inspiration for Attack on Titan?
During an interview with French radio station France Inter, Hajime Isayama spoke about the inspiration for Attack on Titan. He said that it was partially inspired by his own hometown, Hita, which is located in Japan and surrounded by mountains, which created a strong sense of isolation, almost as though he lived on an island.
As the interview went on, host Léa Salamé pointed out the similarities between Isayama’s Attack on Titan and the writings of philosopher Thomas Hobbes, who is famous for saying “Man is a wolf to man.” While Isayama agreed that such themes were definitely present in his manga, he revealed an unusual inspiration for his work: his experience working at an internet café; specifically, how he felt severe anxiety while dealing with aggressive customers.
What else did Isayama say in the interview?
Elsewhere in the interview, Isayama also spoke about how he expected the series to end much earlier than it did, around the middle in fact, but realized that people can learn to move forward by making mistakes. He then spoke about how manga are not restricted to just Japanese people as a target demographic but are for everyone instead. He continued by saying that there is great competition in the manga and anime industry, and how that has resulted in great manga.
Speaking about Eren, the protagonist of Attack on Titan, Isayama revealed that he saw Eren as representing the worst parts of himself and that the series is actually about the removal of those parts. He also shared his mixed feelings at the end of the manga, where he felt bad it had finished but was equally satisfied that he had done his best with it. Lastly, he confirmed that he currently has no plans to make a sequel to the series or work on any other manga, instead wanting to open his own sauna.
Source: Anime Senpai
