Two years after the ending of Attack on Titan manga, fans are still pointing out interesting details about Hajime Isayama’s magnum opus. A theory suggests that Isayama hinted at Mikasa’s last words to Eren in Chapter 1 and there is sufficient evidence to prove that the mangaka indeed was foreshadowing the tragic end to their love story.
Hajime Isayama did reveal that he had planned the Attack on Titan ending even before he started working on the manga. The actual task was to develop the story leading to the fated Rumbling and Eren Yeager’s subsequent demise. In order to foreshadow his fate, the mangaka made Yeager’s first and last conversation with Mikasa repeat while also making clever use of numerology.
Hajime Isyama Foreshadowed Eren Yeager’s Last Conversation With Mikasa Ackerman
Recollecting the events in Attack on Titan, Eren Yeager swore to destroy each Titan after witnessing the death of his mother. Later, it is revealed that Yeager’s father, Grisha, was an Attack Titan who had consumed the Founding Titan named Freida Reiss. Upon Grisha’s insistence, Eren eats his father and inherits the powers of both Attack and Founding Titan.
Caught in the war politics of Eldians and Marleyans, the Founding Titan decided to wipe out a significant portion of the population to save his friends from future harm. He protected Paradis Island and launched an assault on the Marleyans, killing millions with his army of Titans, until Mikasa beheaded him at the end. It was a heart-wrenching end to a character whose morals kept twisting as the series progressed.
Hajime Isyama definitely foreshadowed Eren Yeager’s first and last meeting with Mikasa Ackerman. In Chapter 1, Mikasa says “See you later, Eren” after propping an exhausted Yeager to a tree. The same lines are reiterated in Chapter 138 after Mikasa kills her beloved. Moreover, Eren’s meeting with Mikasa in the first chapter is the only numbered page that is marked 13.
Further proving the god-level foreshadowing of Hajime Isyama is the use of numbers. In the first chapter, the year is 845. Combining the aforementioned page number and the year gives the numeral 13845. A fan pointed out how Mikasa’s “See you later, Eren” lines are depicted again in Chapter 138 on page 45. This theory has been cross-checked and it is correct.
It has been a while but iirc when 138 dropped a Japanese fan pointed out that in the first ch the year was 845 and the see you later scene was on pg 13 makin the no 13845 now in ch 138 at pg 45 it is the see you later scene mystery revealed again makin 13845
— Saitama (@Saitama4610751) November 25, 2023
There are more connections that suggest Isayama was building up to the moment of Eren and Mikasa parting ways. Page number 13 might highlight the lifespan of a Titan shifter, foreshadowing how Yeager was meant to be a Titan. Keeping aside the negative connotations associated with the number 13, Ymir’s backstory till her death also spanned the same amount of pages.
Also Read: Attack on Titan Comes Full Circle as Eren Recreated Ymir’s Iconic Beginning with the End
What’s Next In The Attack On Titan Series?
Attack on Titan will get a new volume published next year. The overall 35th Volume in the series, Fly will contain an art book that consists of illustrations, storyboards, and raw sketches by Hajime Isyama and the experienced artists who work with the mangaka. AoT Volume 35 will not feature the events after the death of Eren Yeager but rather build a fan-favorite character’s backstory.
Available in Volume 35, Attack on Titan: Bad Boy will be a one-shot manga that focuses on the childhood of Levi Ackerman. His backstory will span 18 pages and give a glimpse to readers about his life in the Underground. Besides the manga, the volume will contain sketches for the Final Chapters that didn’t make it to the animation storyboards or weren’t depicted in the manga.
Attack on Titan is not truly done and dusted given that Hajime Isayama still has many character backgrounds to explore and loopholes to fix. The mangaka might even depict the life of Mikasa Ackerman following Eren’s death in another one-shot manga.
