Attack on Titann Creator Hajime Iseyama was nervous about his very first appearance at Anime NYC a few weeks ago. The source of his nervousness wasn’t the fact that he would be setting foot in the United States for the first time, but rather the backlash he feared would receive from the crowd after the event The controversial ending of the popular manga.
Before appearing on Anime NYC, Kodansha, attack on the Titans Editor, published a statement by Iseyama on his official Instagram page Ask fans to be polite to the mangaka during his panel.
“I am aware that the end of attack on Titan was quite controversial,” Isayama wrote. “I’m open to honest opinions. However, I would appreciate it if you would be kind to me.”
While most fans, like those on the splitter subreddit r/TitanFolkresigned to posting memes about the manga’s ending and the overall quality of the storytelling after it finished in 2021, other fans expressed their frustration by sending Iseyama numerous online death threats. Back then some AoT Fans speculated that the death threats were due to Isayama modeling his character Dot Pixis Yoshifuru Akiyamaa general in the Imperial Japanese Army.
Aside from the controversial ending to the manga, which I won’t spoil here for those who are waiting Attack on season The final season “Part 2” is scheduled to air next year, The fascist subtext of the final arc of the manga (which of course Isayama may or may not have consciously intended) finds itself at the center of controversy among fans. The most important among them is AoT‘s implementation of clear parallels between aspects of its central conflict with the concentration camps of World War II and the unabashed nationalism and propaganda touted by its leading man.
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Luckily for Isayama, he wasn’t met with the same hatred at Anime NYC that he received online for the manga’s ending, but instead with thunderous applause from fans that almost brought him to tears. corresponding Anime News Network.
During the Q&A portion of the panel, Isayama said he knew how the manga would end, but the details of how its main character, Eren Jaeger, would get there weren’t clear to him at the beginning. Corresponding Anime News Network, Isayama was terrified of how he would shape the manga’s ending, to the point that he only slept three hours a day and was unable to draw or smile during a number of previous Japanese television interviews. A Japanese TV show host described Isayama’s situation as the mangaka “burdened with the burden of meeting fans’ expectations but also defying them.”
“I still have my doubts about whether I did it right,” Isayama said at Anime NYC. “I’m still struggling with this point and I’m really sorry.”
When asked if Isayama had any plans to do a new series, he replied, “No, sorry.” Fair enough.
“When I was carrying these heavy feelings around and being in a rut for a long time until about yesterday, I had autograph sessions and was able to talk to fans face-to-face and many told me the ending was great,” Isayama said at Anime NYC. “Those kind words really hit me and I feel immense gratitude to come to NYC and meet you all. It was a great experience for me.”