Hajime Isayama apologized to fans for the controversial ending of his acclaimed series Attack on Titan in his first-ever appearance in the U.S.Attack on Titan's mangaka held a panel at Anime NYC on Nov. 19, where he answered questions regarding the series. One of the questions asked, "Did you know how you wanted to end Attack on Titan from the very beginning?" Isayama answered, through a translator, that he still had doubts in himself about how he wrote the ending for the series. "I still struggle on this point." He said, "I'm very sorry about that."
Fans met Isayama's display of vulnerability with an enormous wave of support, clapping and shouting that they loved him. The show of kindness was so overwhelming that it nearly brought Isayama to tears. The Attack on Titan creator thanked fans for their support at the end of the panel. The mangaka said, "Carrying heavy feelings, I was down for a long time until yesterday when I met fans during the signing. Fans told me the ending was great and that they loved the ending, and it made me happy, and coming to New York was a great experience for me."
Fans Were Disappointed With Manga’s Ending
Isayama created a 65-page one-shot version of Attack on Titan when he was 19. He originally pitched the one-shot to Weekly ShÅnen Jump, but when the department recommended that he change the story to fit the magazine, he moved to Weekly ShÅnen Magazine, where it began its serialization in 2009 and ended in April 2021 after 11 years. Fans met the ending of Attack on Titan with a hostile reception, with many readers frustrated with how it seemingly contradicted the characterization of the protagonist Eren Yeager and negated the development of the other characters. Some fans criticized the finale due to the number of plot holes it had, how it canceled out everything that happened prior to the ending, and the unsatisfactory plot twist.
Isayama Asked Fans To Be Kind
The vitriol was so intense that Isayama wrote a message prior to his appearance at Anime NYC, asking fans to be kind to him. He and the staff had received numerous death threats due to the ending of Attack on Titan. In an interview in May 2021, the mangaka addressed the criticism the ending received. Confessing that the climax was challenging for him to draw, he said he regretted not being able to express it properly and apologized for disappointing fans. Following the final chapter in the magazine, Isayama added eight additional pages to Volume 34, although the ending will remain the same.
Attack on Titan follows a young boy named Eren Yeager who witnesses the tragic death of his mother after watching gigantic cannibalistic humanoids called Titans eat her. Eren and his childhood friends Mikasa and Armin train to become the Survey Corps, an elite group of fighters whose mission is to kill the Titans and finally free humanity. As Eren works toward his goal to eradicate all the Titans, he soon discovers a dark secret about his past that will change the trajectory of his journey.
Attack on Titan is available in select retailers and online platforms. The anime adaptation will air its final part of the fourth season in 2023.
Source: Twitter