Attack on Titan: Hajime Isayama breaks silence on tragic anime ending

As Attack on Titan makes its grand finale, Hajime Isayama has broken his silence on the anime ending. Here’s what he has to say about it.

The epic story of Attack on Titan ended with its anime finale on Saturday as it started trending worldwide and even caused Crunchyroll servers to crash due to high traffic. The series follows the struggles of Eren Yeager as he longs for freedom in a world closed off by walls. The manga, created by Hajime Isayama, debuted in 2009 and ended in 2021.

The ending was controversial as it divided the fandom in two. While many expressed their hatred over it, there were also those who felt the tragic ending was justified. Nonetheless, it caused the mangakaka to worry about the series’ fate.

And now, after two years, the series has officially come to a close, and it couldn’t be more beautiful. Hajime Isayama has been a part of the production team since the beginning. He even shared final drafts with MAPPA, featuring slight changes from manga. As the anime has officially ended, Hajime Isayama shares thoughts on the Attack on Titan ending.

Hajime Isayama shares thoughts on tragic ending of Attack on Titan

Crunchyroll

As per his interview with The New York Times, Hajime Isayama shared: “For this anime to be made and for that to go beyond the borders of Japan and to reach a worldwide audience is something that’s been a very happy occurrence for me. In a sense, Attack on Titan has connected me to the world, and that’s something that I’m very glad happened.”

He also reveals that he had envisioned the ending from the beginning. “That was pretty much there from the beginning, the story that starts with the victim who then goes through this story and becomes the aggressor,” he continued.

“That is something I had in mind right from the get-go. Along the way, certain aspects of the story didn’t go as expected, and I adapted and fleshed out certain aspects. But I would say the ending of the story didn’t change much.”

Isayama also revealed the real reason behind the tragic ending of Attack on Titan. “I guess there could have been an ending where it was a happy ending, and the war ended, and everything was fine and dandy. I guess that could have been possible,” he explained.

“At the same time, the end of fighting and the end of contention itself kind of seems hokey. It kind of seems like it’s not even believable. It’s just not plausible in the world we’re living in right now. And so, sadly, I had to give up on that kind of happy ending.”

Attack on Titan may have one of the most tragic endings in anime, but Isayama managed to justify it properly. The final episode was emotional in a lot of ways. 

All seasons of Attack on Titan are currently streaming on Crunchyroll and Hulu.

How to watch Crunchyroll from outside your location in 2023

Crunchyroll is the world’s best hub for streaming anime, whether it’s One Piece, Attack on Titan, or Jujutsu Kaisen. And thanks to ExpressVPN, you can access the platform’s full library even if you’re outside the US.

If you’re abroad, here’s what you need to do to access Crunchyroll’s full selection – and it really is this simple:

1. Sign up for ExpressVPN, which has ultra-fast servers and offers a secure, private connection wherever you are in the world
2.  Connect to a location anywhere in the US. Express VPN allows you to choose from 24 different spots, from New Jersey to Santa Monica
3.  Visit Crunchyroll online and start streaming all of your favorite animes – and perhaps some you’ve never watched

Accessing Crunchyroll’s US roster makes a difference. For example, Hong Kong users only have access to less than 100 titles, while the US has nearly 1,000 movies and TV shows.

You can also stream anime on Crunchyroll for free with an ad-supported plan. Or you can pay for a subscription. There’s even a 14-day free trial if you can’t quite make up your mind.

See our other Attack on Titan coverage below, and you can check out our other anime coverage here.

• Attack on Titan Season 4 Final Episode runtime explained
• Attack on Titan: MAPPA shares special message after final episode
• 10 best anime like Attack on Titan ranked
• Attack on Titan: Hajime Isayama apologizes for final episode

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