'Attack on Titan' Author Hajime Isayama Comments Again on Bessatsu Magazine Cover Illustration from About 3 Years Ago, Same Point Becomes Topic of Discussion: "Don't Hold It Like a Souvenir"

On the official X account for the 'Attack on Titan' 16th anniversary celebration, one image from the "Attack on Titan 16th Illustration Panel" was posted, and attention is gathering on "a certain object" held by the characters in the series, Mikasa Ackerman (CV: Yui Ishikawa) and Eren Yeager (CV: Yuki Kaji).

The image is an illustration that graced the cover of 'Bessatsu Shonen Magazine' released in February 2023. Against a backdrop of blue sky and wilderness, numerous characters including the Survey Corps are lined up as if taking a group photo in a relaxed manner, showing smiles and making peace signs. In the center foreground, Mikasa and Eren are holding together what appears to be Eren's own severed head, making it a distinctive piece with a gap between the peaceful atmosphere of the surroundings and the shocking motif of a severed head. This severed head-like object had also become a topic of discussion when Bessatsu Magazine was released about 3 years ago.

The post includes a comment from the original author, Hajime Isayama, stating: "After much deliberation as a cover following the end of the serialization, I decided to make it an illustration 'outside the story' rather than an extension of the series. As a result, it became an illustration where many characters gather together."

'Attack on Titan' is a manga work by Isayama that was serialized in Kodansha's 'Bessatsu Shonen Magazine' from September 2009 to April 2021. It has recorded a massive hit with worldwide cumulative comic sales surpassing 140 million copies. It is a dark fantasy set in a world where giants that prey on humans exist, depicting Eren, who was born and raised within massive walls, facing the threat of the Titans together with Mikasa, Armin Arlert (CV: Marina Inoue), and others.

In response to this post, reactions on SNS include: "Don't hold it like a souvenir," "It's not like holding a prop severed head and saying cheese!," "They're holding a severed head with the vibe of 'We got married!!'...?," "I feel like this lineup really reflects the teacher's philosophy," and "I like that it feels like they've finished filming and stepped out of their roles."

(C)諫山創・講談社／「進撃の巨人」製作委員会