Stories are the way that we as humans are able to connect in the most simplest terms. We emphasize with our favorite characters, despite the very different backgrounds we may have. Some authors choose to tell stories in conventional ways, introducing characters in worlds very, very similar to our own. Unsurprisingly, many believe that this form of writing is the most accurate way of revealing the truths of our world. However, there is a unique beauty that can be found in unconventional storytelling, or from sharing the world’s truths from unfamiliar perspectives. One of those unconventional stories is Hajime Isayama’s Attack on Titan.

This Japanese anime/manga introduces the viewer to a gruesome world where people are hunted and eaten by humanoid giants called “titans”. Society has retreated behind a set of fifty meter walls to better protect themselves from extinction. The story’s protagonist is Eren Yeager, a hot-headed young boy living in the outermost, and poorest, wall. After a mysterious “colossal” and “armored” titan destroy the wall protecting Eren’s city, a horde of titans stream in and kill large numbers of people, including his mother. Eren later joins the military with his two friends with a mission to avenge his deceased mother.

Anyone familiar with the structure of many popular animes would expect Eren to rise against the odds and suffer several losses, but prevail in the end with unquestionable victory. But the world of Attack on Titan is cruel. People continue to die. Characters that viewers adore are wiped out without mercy. No concrete solution to exterminating the titans is found. It is all burning fuel for Eren’s hatred of the titans and all that keep his people trapped within the walls, forced to relinquish their freedom. It is a simple enough story to understand, and the extinction of the human race seems inevitable. However, there are other forces more dangerous than titans that hide beneath the surface.

The time that I began watching the anime (my early teens) and the stage that it was at in development reflects my own development as a thinking individual, as well as the mindset of young Eren Yeager.  I was rather naive, believing everything in the world to be black and white, good and bad. Everything was distinct from everything, and nothing blended with anything. After continuing the manga later in my teens and learning about the true origins of the titans (they were spawned from humans by the work of other humans), I had somewhat of an epiphany. 

From the beginning, the story of Attack on Titan appears to have a set protagonist, antagonist, and motivation. But as the story continues and more is revealed, the idea of it all becomes murky. More and more perspectives are introduced besides Eren’s own; we are forced to become familiar with characters that are normally labeled as villains and learn the cause of their actions. It becomes difficult to decide who is right and who is in the wrong. All that I could do was understand that they all had some form of motivation. Under the general topics of freedom, corruption, and hatred that the manga depicts, I was able to gain my own infant understanding of the world. As humans, we tend to view the world from our own limited perspective, forgetting the billions of others that currently reside it. What determines that one is better than the other or more deserving than the other? I grew to want to understand humans more, and be more aware of the cultural and social differences that play a role in shaping our distinct personalities. 

Aside from this, I was fascinated by the storytelling of Attack of Titan. I have read multiple works throughout my entire life, and Attack on Titan is among the most special. The way the story was able to absolutely captivate me, make me empathize with every character, and lead me to question everything, was influential in the way that it affected my goals for writing. I want to be able to write something that someone can enjoy but also be influenced by enough to reconsider their outlook on the world. To be able to make connections with other human beings and realize that our similarities far outweigh our differences.

Attack on Titan, with its original storytelling, captivating characters, and epic soundtrack has set a high standard for anime and manga to come.