Attack on Titan

Attack on Titan
Cover art of the first volume of the manga
進撃の巨人 (Shingeki no Kyojin)
Genre	Action, Horror, Fantasy, Tragedy
Manga
Written by	Hajime Isayama
Published by	Kodansha
English publisher	NA: Kodansha Comics USA
Magazine	Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine
Demographic	Shōnen
Original run	2009 – present
Volumes	10
Anime television series
Directed by	Tetsurō Araki
Written by	Yasuko Kobayashi
Music by	Hiroyuki Sawano
Studio	Wit Studio, Production I.G
Licensed by	NA: Funimation
Original network	MBS, Tokyo MX, FBS, TOS, HTB, TVA, BS11
Original run	April 7, 2013 – present
Episodes	25
Live-action film

Attack on Titan (進撃の巨人, Shingeki no Kyojin, lit. "Advancing giants") is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama, which is set in a world where the remains of the human population live inside cities surrounded by enormous walls due to the sudden appearance of the Titans, gigantic humanoid creatures who devour humans seemingly without reason. The story centers around the life of Eren Jaeger and his adoptive sister Mikasa Ackerman, whose lives are changed forever after the appearance of a colossal titan brings about the destruction of their home and the death of their mother.

An anime television series debuted on April 7, 2013. A live action film adaptation is also in production.

Setting

In an alternative, middle-ages setup, the human population is dwindling in numbers. With the advent of Titans, giant humanoid creatures that attack and devour any human on sight, what remains of civilization is protected by three concentric walls, hundreds of kilometers long and around fifty meters tall, called Wall Maria (the outermost wall), Wall Rose and Wall Sina (the innermost wall housing the capital). All efforts to expand the human territory beyond the walls have failed so far, but the citizens inside remained safe for a hundred years, until two unusual Titans, a colossal one, sixty meter tall and another one, covered with a hardened shell, break through Wall Maria, bringing the other Titans inside, forcing mankind to once again face its greatest threat to ensure its survival.

Plot

The series follows the story of Eren Jeager, a young boy whose father disappears after his mother is killed during the fall of Wall Maria. Years later he enlists into the army, accompanied by his adopted sister Mikasa Ackerman and their childhood friend Armin Arlelt. When the Titans threaten to break further through Wall Rose, Eren discovers that he possesses the ability to temporarily transform himself into a Titan. Seen as a threat by some, and a ray of hope by others, Eren joins his companions in a war to protect what still remains of mankind, making use of his newfound power while looking for answers to the mysteries surrounding the Titans, the walls, and his own existence.

Themes

The Author notes on the idea of walls and complacency in human society as opposed to independent spirit and freedom of the main character. The story also runs with the idea that the world is a naturally cruel environment where the strong survive and the weak need to fight for their place.

Time Line

• 738: The Human race is nearly devoured to extinction with the exception of those living within the walls.
• 745: The Giants are unable to penetrate the giant walls, and the human population is able to enjoy 100 years of peace.
• 844: During a trip with his father Eren Jaeger saves Mikasa Ackerman from kidnappers after they murder her family, both were nine years old.
• 845: The colossal titan, a gigantic sixty meter class Titan appears, and destroys part of Wall Maria, allowing the titans to overrun Wall Maria.
• 846: The Humans launch a failed offensive to retake Wall Maria, suffering massive casualties(out of 250,000 only 100 survive) and further reducing the population to about four fifths of its original size.
• 847: Eren, Mikasa, and Armin begin their military training.
• 850: Present Time

Concepts and terminology

Titans

Titans are the primary antagonists of the series. They are large creatures closely resembling humans with various deformities like over- or under-sized heads and limbs, ranging from 3-15 meters tall, with some exceptions(ranging up to 60 meters). The Titans appear to have no objectives other than killing and consuming humans, which they do only by instinct, as they do not seem interested in attacking animals. They survive off of sunlight and do not need to eat to survive. The Titans possess no visible reproductive organs, thus it is unknown how they keep increasing their numbers.

They have hard skin and regenerative abilities, and can only be killed by causing a deep incision on the base of the neck. This weakness led to the development of the 3-D Maneuver Gear, allowing humans to navigate quickly in a three dimensional space to access the Titans' weak point.

Some humans such as the protagonist, Eren, have the unique ability to summon and control a Titan body. While in this form, the humans' normal body rests in the weak point at the base of the neck, indicating a connection between controlled and "wild" Titans.

The 60 meter Titan that damaged Wall Maria is unique among its brethren not only for its size, but also for its appearance. The 60 meter Titan lacks skin and constantly emits wisps of steam from its body for unknown reasons. The armored Titan, though about the size of an average 15 meter class, also lacks skin, instead possessing thick armored plates.

Human Soldiers

Humans are much weaker and smaller compared to the Titans. As such, most strategies center around slowing them down by using barricades and artillery. They are also capable of killing the Titans through the use of the Three-Dimensional Maneuver Gear, which operates like a grapple and rappel tool, which they use to get behind the giants, where they are able to strike their weak spots behind their necks. This process is very difficult and on average it takes about thirty human casualties to defeat a single titan (a number that can vary massively depending on Titan size, intelligence, abilities and behavior).

Three Dimensional Maneuver Gear

A set of gear developed by humans that allows great mobility when facing the titans. The gear itself takes the form of a body harness that encompasses much of the body below the neck. Though using it will allow a skilled user great mobility, it carries a large risk of overtaxing the user's muscles, thus using it demands a special physical conditioning and sense of balance. Some tools involved in the apparatus include:

• Wire and grappling hooks
• Gas powered propelling system
• "Replaceable Hardened Steel" swords and sheaths

Walls and Territory

Human territory is encompassed by three enormous walls that encompass the entirety of human civilization. The outermost wall is known as Wall Maria, the middle wall is known as Wall Rose, and the innermost wall is known as Wall Sina. To guarantee that the titans have no way to invade human territory, these three walls are all roughly fifty meters tall with the only weak spot being the gates that connect the inside with the outside area. These walls completely surround what remains of the human territory. As such, they are quite large, which makes it hard for humanity to keep watch over every inch of the perimeter. It is because of this that human populations are concentrated in towns, which focuses the giants' attention so they don't wander around the walls.

Military

• The Garrison or "Stationary Guard" are the soldiers that protect the towns and reinforce the walls. They are the first line of defense against the Titans maintaining a defensive stance.
• The Recon Corps or "Scouting Legion" is composed of expeditionary soldiers that fight the Titans in their own territory outside of the walls. Their main goal is to discover more about the origins and source of the Titans, their motives, and weaknesses; ultimately how to fight and defeat them. They are also an integral component in the military's campaign to recapture Wall Maria.
• The Military Police Brigade is the section of the military that regulates the population and maintains public order inside of the human settlements. These forces serve the king and are concentrated inside the walls and far from Titan activity.

Characters

Eren Jäger (エレン・イェーガー, Eren Yēgā)

Voiced by: Yuki Kaji

The protagonist of the series. Idealistic, violent, and impulsive, Eren seeks to annihilate the Titans and explore the outside world. As a child, age 9, he killed two of the kidnappers that murdered Mikasa's family and convinced Mikasa to fight and kill the third one after he and his father came looking for her. He was ranked 5th in his trainee class. He has no particular talent aside from his excellent close combat skills, but has been slowly but steadily improving his grades through outstanding effort and a strong sense of purpose.

He displays a strange ability to be able to summon and control the body of a 15 meter class Titan. Eren believes this ability to be the result of injections given to him by his father after the death of his mother. He initially had little control over the titan body that he summons, and would attack anything that he sees while in this form but, after increased use gained full control. When the Titan's body can no longer be maintained, Eren emerges from the nape of the Titan's neck (the common weak point of all Titans), where his body appears to be fused to the Titan's spine.

Mikasa Ackermann (ミカサ・アッカーマン, Mikasa Akkāman)

Voiced by: Yui Ishikawa

Adopted Sister of the Jeager Family. She is an orphan whose oriental race was wiped out by the Titans. As a child, age 9, she was saved by Eren from a group of kidnappers who murdered her family. Due to this incident, she is very protective of Eren, and will follow him no matter the circumstances. She was ranked 1st in her graduating class, and always maintains her composure no matter the situation. She is considered an unprecedented genius, a prodigy who excels in the most difficult courses. She is often teased about her attachment to her foster brother.

Armin Arlert (アルミン・アルレルト, Arumin Arureruto)

Voiced by: Marina Inoue

Eren's best friend, he is physically and emotionally weak. Though his strategic intuition has saved Eren and Mikasa several times, he continues to believe himself completely incompetent and hates himself for having to rely on them. Armin has sub-par physical aptitude by soldiers' standards but is an alleged genius when it comes to theoretical courses.

Hannes (ハンネス, Hannesu)

Voiced by: Keiji Fujiwara

A Stationary Guard who saves Eren and Mikasa during the prologue, who later goes on to become a Garrison commander. He owes and seeks to repay a debt to the Jaeger Family for saving his own wife and family from a deadly disease.

Reiner Braun (ライナー・ブラウン, Rainā Buraun)

Voiced by: Yoshimasa Hosoya

Ranked 2nd of the trainee class, is considered strong-willed with a solid constitution and most adept at gaining the trust of his comrades. Later it is revealed that he is the Armored Titan who infiltrated the walls as a spy.

Bertolt Huber (ベルトルト・フーバー, Berutoruto Fūbā)

Voiced by: Tomohisa Hashizume

Ranked 3rd of the trainee class. Highly proficient in various hand to hand combat styles. He seems to have great potential but lacks in self-confidence and has a tendency to leave it to others whenever it comes to showing assertiveness. Later it is revealed that he is the Colossal Titan who broke through Wall Maria and infiltrated the walls as a spy.

Annie Leonhardt (アニ・レオンハート, Ani Reonhāto)

Voiced by: Yu Shimamura

Ranked 4th of the trainee class. A stoic girl whose father trained her in hand to hand combat. She strikes with a perfect penetration angle. She is a solitary type, and solidarity does not come to her easily. She's one of the female type Titans recently found out by Armin when they attempt to infiltrate the city in Chapter 31. In Chapter 33, after defeating Eren in her Titan form, Annie continues attempting to climb Wall Shina to escape. However, she was defeated by Mikasa and she enters a mysterious, unresponsive crystal phase in her human body in Chapter 34.

Jean Kirstein (ジャン・キルシュタイン, Jan Kirushutain)

Voiced by: Kishō Taniyama

Ranked 6th of the trainee class. Extremely pessimistic about the war with the Titans. He ends up leading the people on the supply mission for gas. Jean shows feelings for Mikasa Ackerman and is jealous of Eren and his relationship with Mikasa.

From the Trost District. Highly competent at the three dimensional maneuver and is highly efficient in using it. He is good at asserting his situation at any given time, but is far too quick to unsheathe his sword. He is also prone to speak out his mind and sparking conflict.

Marco Bott (マルコ・ボット, Maruko Botto)

Voiced by: Ryōta Ōsaka

Ranked 7th of the trainee class. He joined to be part of the Police force because he wants to work for the King. From Jinae District.

Deceased.

Connie Springer (コニー・スプリンガー, Konī Supuringā)

Voiced by: Hiro Shimono

Ranked 8th of the trainee class, an upbeat and naive personality. Aims to apply to the scouting legion because he was motivated by Eren. From Ragako District. :He has good balance, and is specially good at making tight turns. He is slow to the uptake, though, and his grasp of strategy is often less than perfect.

Sasha Blause (サシャ・ブラウス, Sasha Burausu)

Voiced by: Yū Kobayashi

Ranked 9th of the trainee class. A thief from the mountain Daupa District, she joined in order to find tasty things to eat. In ch.36, Sasha returns home to her village in the mountains and it's there she speaks in her normal dialect(which she was embarrassed of doing so during her military training). She is also an expert with a bow and arrow, revealed when she used it to take down a three meter Titan.

She's lightning fast, with an uncanny intuition, but her eccentricity makes her unfit for group operations.

Krista Lenz (クリスタ・レンズ, Kurisuta Renzu) / Historia (ヒストリア, Hisutoria)

Voiced by: Shiori Mikami

Ranked 10th of the trainee class. A kind girl who puts herself out for others. Later it is revealed that her true name is Historia Reiss, who is of noble blood and her family holds the secret behind the Titans' true origin and nature.

Levy (リヴァイ, Rivai)

Voiced by: Hiroshi Kamiya

Often romanized as "Levi", he's known as humanity's most powerful soldier and head of an elite squad in the Recon Corps. He is a clean-freak. While it is said that he is blunt and unapproachable, it is noted that he has a strong respect for structure and discipline. The rumors are that he was originally part of underground crime before he became a soldier.

Dot Pixis (ドット・ピクシス, Dotto Pikushisu)

Highest Ranked Administrator of the Southern Region Military.

Ymir (ユミル, Yumiru)

Voiced by: Saki Fujita

A member of the 104th graduating class and a close friend to Christa, who she is in love with. Like Eren, she has the ability to transform at will into a Titan.

Other characters

Petra Rall (ペトラ・ラル, Petora Raru)

A member of Rivaille's squad - a special operations squad formed in order to keep an eye on Eren and his Titan ability. Later, it is revealed that Petra and other squad members' duty was to protect Eren, rather than keep him under surveillance.

On the 57th expedition to the lands outside the wall, Petra dies alongside Gunter, Erd, and Auruo, while protecting Eren, leaving Eren deeply regretful.

Thomas Wagner (トーマス・ワグナー, Tōmasu Wagunā)

Nack Teaz (ナック・ティアス, Nakku Tiasu)

Millius Zermusky (ミリウス・ゼルムスキー, Miriusu Zerumusukī)

Mina Caroline (ミーナ・カロライナ, Mīna Karoraina)

Franz (フランツ, Furantsu)

Samuel (サムエル, Samueru)

Hannah (ハンナ, Hanna)

Daz (ダズ, Dazu)

Media

Manga

Main article: List of Attack on Titan chapters

The manga series began its serialization in Kodansha's monthly publication Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine in its September 2009 issue. The first tankōbon volume was released March 17, 2010. The series has also been licensed in North America by Kodansha Comics USA.

Anime

Main article: List of Attack on Titan episodes

An anime television series adaptation produced by Wit Studio (a subsidiary of IG Port) debuted on April 7, 2013 on MBS, directed by Tetsurō Araki. Both Funimation and Crunchyroll are streaming the series on their respective websites. The opening theme titled "Feuerroter Pfeil und Bogen" (紅蓮の弓矢, Guren no Yumiya, "Crimson Bow and Arrow") sung by Linked Horizon and the ending theme titled "This Beautiful Cruel World" (美しき残酷な世界, Utsukushi Zankoku na Sekai) sung by Yōko Hikasa.

Film

A live action film is in production. In December 2012, it was reported that Tetsuya Nakashima has left his position as director of the live-action film. According to film distributor Toho, Nakashima had considerable creative differences on the scriptwriting and other matters.

Reception

The series won the Kodansha Manga Award in the shōnen category in 2011.

External links

• Attack on Titan (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Attack on Titan (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Official manga website Template:Ja icon
• Official anime website Template:Ja icon