In September 2009, then-new manga artist Hajime Isayama published the first chapter of his critically acclaimed dark fantasy manga, Attack on Titan, in Bessatsu Shonen Magazine. In a 2021 interview that has recently resurfaced online, Isayama and Attack on Titan editor Shintaro Kawakubo discuss how they met and how their collaboration created one of Japan's most iconic shonen works.
Febri's interview, which has been trending on the site once again, was originally published shortly after the final chapter of Attack on Titan was released in Bessatsu Shonen Magazine. The story began as a 65-page one-shot that Isayama created while attending a vocational high school. As part of his curriculum, Isayama was required to submit his work to several different publishers. Eventually, his manga found its way to rookie manga editor Shintaro Kawakubo, who was immediately captivated by Isayama's work. “The story itself was interesting, but more than anything, I felt the passion in the drawings… there was something that drew me in strongly from every frame, page, and line—dramatically speaking, like a 'grudge.' That left a strong impression on me,” Kawakubo explained.
Attack on Titan originated from Hajime Isayama's love of giants, dinosaurs, and Jurassic Park.
Attack on Titan is set in a bleak post-apocalyptic world where the remnants of humanity are constantly threatened by giant monsters called Titans. After their home is destroyed, protagonist Eren Jaeger, his adopted sister Mikasa Ackerman, and their friend Armin Arlert join the Survey Corps – a group dedicated to uncovering the mystery behind the existence of Titans. According to Isayama, Titans were born from the artist’s childhood fascination with giants. “… I’ve loved giant creatures since kindergarten, and I’ve always drawn pictures of dinosaurs. However, even though I liked drawing giant creatures, I also felt scared at the same time,” he explained. “I think this was influenced by the movie Jurassic Park. An old man is scared of a dinosaur and runs into the bathroom, but his hut is destroyed and eaten… it's a powerful scene, and I felt a strange sense of humor, even though it's very scary.”
As Kawakubo explains, manga artists traditionally have to win a new manga award before their work is published regularly. Before Attack on Titan went into serialization, Isayama created Orz and Heart Break One, both of which won new manga awards. Isayama began plotting three entirely new manga stories before Kawakubo suggested the possibility of continuing AoT. “I had completely forgotten about Attack on Titan,” Isayama admits. “… For the first time in a long time, I remembered its existence.”
Isayama wanted a story with giant fights, mixed martial arts, and “rational killing techniques.”
While Isayama's other suggestions interested Kawakubo, the editor believed there was great potential in Isayama's original one-shot. “The Attack on Titan I read before just stuck with me and wouldn't let go. So I asked him, 'Is there a plot for that one-shot that could be serialized?' He said, 'Actually, I'm thinking about it,' and gave me some context on the spot,” Kawakubo said. On the train ride home after this meeting, Isayama developed more plans that would serve as the basis for future chapters. Through that process, he also realized what kind of battle he wanted Titans and humans to engage in. “I like mixed martial arts, so I wanted to draw a battle between titans,” Isayama explained. “And I didn't want to draw a wrestling-style sword fight like in Ultraman, but a serious battle that made the most of proper killing techniques.”
According to Isayama, his conversations with Kawakubo played a key role in helping him craft the compelling — yet controversial — plot of Attack on Titan. “Basically, Kawakubo-san asked me a lot of questions about the plot and the manuscript I submitted, and as a result, issues and angles that I hadn't fully thought about were fully unearthed,” Isayama says. “However, I tend to overestimate myself right after coming up with a story, so even if someone points something out, I don't really understand it on the spot. *laughs* But when I read it again after a day has passed, I often think, 'Ah, right.'”
While manga editors are not co-authors, their input directly influences how a story is shaped and refined throughout its serialization. Towards the end of the interview, Kawakubo explains why this aspect is one of her favorite parts of the creative process. “… There’s no equation that says, ‘If you put A in, B will come out,’ and it’s not necessarily what I put in that has an impact from the start. However, some kind of story will come out. For Isayama, it was a terrible pain to create, but for me, the process is fun and surprising no matter how much time passes.”
Attack on Titan
Attack on Titan follows Eren Yeager, who, after witnessing his homeland fall to the Titans, joins the military to avenge his mother's death. Unraveling complex political and existential mysteries, Eren uncovers the truth about the Eldians, the Titans, and the island of Paradis. The series culminates in a tragic and transformative conflict involving Eren's plans for the Rumbling, the eradication of the Titans' origins, and the pursuit of peace and freedom for the Eldians and the world.
Author Hajime Isayama
Artist Hajime Isayama
Release date September 9, 2009
Chapter 141
Book 34
Publishing house Kodansha
Extend
Source: February
