#Isayama Hajime

[ainhoagm99]

This official art was draw by Manabu Akita (chief animation director). I just colored it!

[hearts4jean]

My take on the mischaracterisation of Jean Kirstein

The mischaracterisation of Jean Kirstein at the end of the Attack on Titan manga and the series as a whole has spread a wide discourse and controversy around this minor character. As he is not apart of the 3 main characters being Eren Jaeger, Mikasa Ackerman and Armin Arlert, Kirsteins upbringing and development has been severely left in the dark. Hajime Isayama’s widespread audience between both Asian and Western societies fail to take note of Kirstein’s character as he is not under the spotlight as much as other characters. This consists of the common belief that he should not be deemed to be a character that has had any development and continues to carry out the same ideals and linear thoughts and mindset; Kirstein’s relationship with Mikasa Ackerman and the sudden pairing of him and Pieck Finger.

Common misconceptions with Jean Kirstein are that fans are quick to assume how he has no type of character development all the way through from when he was first introduced at the first meeting with Keith Shadis as cadets to when he was last seen Post-Rumbling. What is made out to be fan’s perception in Jean’s character is the mess hall scene where a rivalry is introduced between Jaeger and Kirstein. Of course, the audience will side with Jaeger because he is the main character and has witnessed his ideals and trauma from the past few episodes. Kirstein, a mere outsider has not. Isayama intends to give a realistic view on Jaeger's goal of slaying every titan because the idea in itself sounds insane. The same idea would have been felt within other civilians of the past especially within the military, but it has never been done before; The people who have the same mindset as Kirstein have lost faith due to the everlasting duration of this massacre and deemed it not to be possible. This isn’t intended to be an attack against Jaeger, only because Kirstein does not wish to see him give his hopes up. That’s not saying Jean does not want the titans to be gone, in fact he wishes to live comfortably in the interior as a Military Police. For some reason this wish is seen as ‘selfish’ on Kirstein’s part by fans. Is it so bad that someone living amongst human eating monster's desires to live comfortably? Isayama erases the stereotype of Shonen characters desiring to be the saviour in Kirstein and even Annie Leonhart. It is not out of laziness; it is out of loss of faith and thinking rationally. This ideal does change after witnessing the mass casualties in Trost and loss of his implied to be ‘close friend’, Marco Bodt. From this, he creates a new belief for himself but still based off his old one. Kirstein believes every human deserves a chance at life whether they are an enemy or friend. This is why during the fight against Kenny’s squad, he hesitates to kill one of the members. This hesitation almost results in his and Arlert’s deaths. This should not be deemed to be an act of weakness, sentiment and empathy are the right terms to describe this. During Levi Squad’s evaluation of the battle fought, Kirstein speaks up about the idea of humans fighting humans and how it isn’t isn’t morally correct as he became a soldier to kill titans, to reduce the number of lost lives in the scarce number of humans left within the walls. Kirstein is written to be a symbol of realism which is not typically portrayed in Shonen characters as most tend to appear more driven by their environment (whilst in the moment) rather than logic, and instantly getting beaten by the antagonist or dilemma occuring. Kirstein is also shown to be showing this type of empathy during the Marley arc after witnessing Sasha Braus’ death. He ignored Floch Forester’s suggestion of throwing the culprits out of the airship as he still considered them to be children over the fact that they are enemies first. Evidence that confirms that Kirstein has changed as a person is during a conversation him and Forester hold together. “Go back to being the old Jean; Reckless, annoying and cheeky” In which Kirstein finds rude of him to say, showing that he has changed from his old self. Kirstein has drastically changed as a person from when he was a cadet to an ambassador from participating. in the “Battle of Heaven and Earth”; Fans must learn to understand this and to not only pay attention to the main character as minor characters like Kirstein also serve a purpose.

Kirstein’s relationship with Mikasa Ackerman has been a wide controversy for a while as it is hinted that Kirstein takes a small interest in Ackerman; however, this was when he was still young. The only circumstance where he serves a somewhat interest for Ackerman is during the scene in the mess hall where Ackerman walks past him. He is seen to be blushing and compliments her hair. However, this is purely just admiration, not romance. Romance requires two parties that have synchronised feelings about one another. This interaction does not mirror Kirstein’s current self as he barely even hit puberty during this period when this scene occurred. It’s inaccurate to think that someone who is 12 years old thinks and acts the same as they do when they are 19 years old. A counterargument to this is how the woman in Jean’s dream resembles Ackerman. That is correct, the woman did resemble Ackerman, however it was never confirmed that Kirstein’s spouse in said dream was Ackerman herself. If it was, isayama would have made it clear. Even so, that wasn’t the purpose behind the showing of this dream. This dream depicts how much Kirstein desires to live in a state of comfort whilst disaster is striking. Isayama was smart to display this as it shows a personal depiction of what one of the characters experiencing this war would be thinking. Kirstein’s relationship with Ackerman solely as her comrade who values her existence deeply. This is where audience’s perceptions of Kirstein start to turn to the wrong direction. Kirstein values all his comrades as well as Ackerman. Kirstein manages to keep his distance and is respectful about Ackerman’s relationship with Jaeger. Yes, it is hinted that he especially loves when a woman has long black hair from when he compliments Ackerman’s locks, a portrait he completed of a woman with black hair, and the fact that Jaeger made a comment mentioning Jean about when it was mentioned that people overseas would have dark hair. “Jean would like that.” The misconception of Ackerman marrying Kirstein at the end of the manga is the most widespread misinterpretation currently. It is not like Isayama to pair two characters all of a sudden without a longing build-up to where they admit their feelings for one another. Kirstein has always been respectful of Jaeger’s relationship with Ackerman and ensures to keep his distance; It is not like him to barge into Ackerman mourning her lost lover and sweeping her up on her feet again and taking the opportunity because “Jaeger is dead now”. The scene where he suggests to Ackerman that they must kill Jaeger is not for his own personal gain so his “competition” is gone, it was a genuine suggestion that would benefit all of humanity; This would make sense considering his nature. Isayama does not desire for us to wonder if Ackerman ended up with someone else or not because that completely misses the point of what he is trying to conclude. Even if Ackerman did supposedly move on, it was unlikely to be Kirstein as they already know each other too well and their goals and ambitions would clash constantly; it would not be a healthy relationship as Kirstein would be well aware that she still loves Jaeger. The fact that Ackerman kept the scarf till she was buried may sign that she did not move on at all because nothing can make her move on from the emotional strain Jaeger’s death had on her. Inevitably, Kirstein would not desire to be a burden to her, same as anyone else.

The fanon pairing of Kirstein and Pieck Finger is sudden and way out of character. Ever since Pieck has been introduced, there was a wide discussion of who she should be shipped with as what anime fans always do because a character not just live in peace without any love interest. Initially, a popular pairing was of her with Porco Galliard, but now that he is out of the picture; Pieck is singled-out again. Attention is brought upon Kirstein, and something drives them into shipping them together. This was not out of pure connection; PikuJean is merely based off the fact that they both meet each other standards. A Reddit user states: “Jean likes women with long black hair and Pieck likes men with beards”. Quite frankly, this sentence alone depicts how ignorant anime fans are to how relationships work because this is the only argument they have. Is that saying that you can instantly fall head over heels for someone only because they have a characteristic that you find attractive? there is a difference between being attracted to someone and loving someone. Grisha Jaeger has a beard too, why not pair him with Pieck? Kiyomi has long black hair, hey, she must be perfect for Kirstein! See how ridiculous it sounds? Another argument that PikuJean shippers have is the fact that they have each other to fill the void for their “lost lovers” since Kirstein is unable to be with Ackerman and Pieck experiencing the same with Galliard who is deceased. Does that not sound downright disrespectful on Kirstein’s part? It’s the same as with Ackerman, swooping Pieck off her feet now that her “love interest” is deceased? Kirstein is always seen as the “Plan B” in these types of situations. The only thing that is driven by the pairing of Pieck and Kirstein is convenience. There is no real connection. One of the pieces of “evidence” to this pairing is the fact that Kirstein and Pieck were working alongside each other during the Rumbling and the fact that Kirstein saved her at one point. Is that not what he is supposed to do? To make sure no one else dies. This counters with Kirstein’s objective and ideals to ensure no one else losses their life because of someone he’s known for 7 years. Isayama’s audience is extremely brainwashed from other types of media that display these romantic tropes which do not apply in such a complex story as this. Attack on Titans complexity is the reason why people are quick to misinform each other.

To conclude this, the mischaracterisation of Jean Kirstein from the Attack on Titan manga and the series as a whole has spread a wide discourse and controversy around him. This is because Hajime Isayama ensures to write his characters to be complex and not 1 dimensional which is common in minor characters of a Shonen setting. This consists of the common belief that he should not be deemed to be a character that has had any development and growth, his relationship with Mikasa Ackerman and the sudden pairing of him and Pieck Finger.

[theartofperishingslowly]

Wrote a 3k word essay on Eren from Attack On Titan, which is a philosophical debate on morality and influence. I think that man will become my final thesis topic in 4 yrs.

Let me know if yall wanna read 🫡

[tamarahtalkstv]

Eren’s Locket Of His 3 Emo Girlfriends, Mikasa, Annie, And Historia

Eren’s 3 Emo Girlfriends Were All Sad In Different Ways After His Death.

With Mikasa Being The Most Sad.

Later That Day She Was Comforted By Both Annie And Historia.

This May Sound Like The End Of Their Story, But Really It’s Only The Beginning Of It For These 3 Gothic Girls.

I Really Hope To Write And Draw This Story Idea One Day.

[seineko]

i had no idea about the journey that i was about to get aboard on when i started attack on titan after literally going in blind.

i admit, i was one of those who taught that it was another mindless shounen anime which is all about flashy fights and over the top ass whopping. and i'm glad i gave season 3 another chance after my friend begged me to watch it.

and yea, i'm probably writing this with very emotional head after all the videos youtube recommended to me.

this show was with me when my life was at it's lowest and also at some of the highest. i can't thank it enough for the memories both in anime and out in the real world.

regardless of what you feel about the ending, be it love or hate or a complicated mess of emotions, no one can deny the fact that it had one if not the biggest impact in the anime industry. something that isn't easy to forget.

to annie leonhardt, to reiner braun and to bertolt hoover, thank you for showing that there is never a world where everything is black and white. to keep living on with the guilt eating you from inside but also cannot help but do what was told to you is a life i wouldn't wish upon the worst of my enemies.

to hange zoe, thank you for pushing forward in pursue of your knowledge and showing how important the smallest of researches are. thank you for pushing forward not for revenge, but for the pursuit of knowledge you so admired.

to erwin smith, thank you for being the greatest commander ever known to people. whether you pushed forward for entirely selfish reasons or the sake for humanity, you were the commander that humanity needed at it's lowest and you were the one who dug out the path for your successors.

to levi ackerman, thank you for bearing the burden of being the humanity's strongest. what good is being as strong as an entire brigade if you can't save those dearest to your heart? you fought despite losing everyone who meant something to you just so their deaths would have a meaning. that is what makes you humanity's strongest.

to jean, thank you for being the breath of fresh air in between, somewhere deep down, everyone is a suicidal maniac. thank you for being honest about how you feel at every turn and sticking with everyone despite how dire things turned.

to connie, thank you for being the most relatable. in this world not everyone can be extraordinary and you fought despite that. thank you for showing your fear, your cowardice and your embarrassment and that they are emotions too. it is okay to want to live inside the innermost wall and enjoy comfort and it is also okay to decide to want to do something bigger than yourself because someone else inspired you.

to sasha braus, thank you for making the world so much more bearable and so much more humane. thank you for stealing that potato that day and pushing forward to fight against all odds despite the sheer dread you felt. thank you for making me laugh when i felt like there was no option but to cry. thank you for teaching kindness in a world where cruelty is seeped deep into the bones of almost every person.

to armin arlert, thank you for teaching me that you can't change your life if you refuse to change yourself. that there's always something you need to lose to win. thank you for showing that strength isn't only physical, that that kind of strength means nothing if you don't have the means to utilize them in an efficient way. thank you for being empathetic when it's the hardest to do. empathy is simultaneously one of the biggest curse and boon humanity has ever known.

to mikasa ackerman, thank you making me realize the importance of loyalty and love. thank you for showing me that i am not alone in the struggle of emotions, that emotions can run just as deep in someone who shows out indifference as in someone who lets theirs out easily. to the one that introduced me to the concept of 'still waters run deep', mikasa ackerman, thank you for showing that love isn't one where you watch someone destroy themself but rather one where you gain the courage to stand up against when you know they're wrong. thank you for always being a home to eren.

to eren jaegar. thank you for becoming the devil to let your loved ones live without a tag of one. i haven't felt this conflicted about a character, to want to cry seeing someone i grew up with change with the war waging around him. but also not help but feel the anger at the way in which you went about to do what you said was inevitable. i hope you find your best friend in the hell you both promised to meet in and i hope you get to love mikasa in another life as you wished you could.

to every character of this absolutely cruel but beautiful story that i want to talk about but am not in a headspace to even think much, thank you for playing a role that connected to at least one person in this world.

to isayama-sensei, thank you for continuing on with attack on titan despite everything stacked against you. it is now not just a story but an emotion that an entire generation cannot help but feel in them. thank you for giving what you thought was your best even against the fear of regrets.

to attack on titan/shingeki no kyojin, thank you.

[i-jou]

[levi4mikasa]

he just wanted to get his mother's belonging back 😭

And Yams really giving us extreme pain with this.

[quiveringdeer]

Y'ALL!!!!! Isayama really said, FUCK THAT PIG!

He drew deadbeat parents but no Porco. 😂😭😂😭😂😭😂😭😂

[zekejaegerchoked]

Isayama's draft manga panels for Bad Boy, a story about Levi's childhood

[engshoujosei]

Attack on Titan: No Regrets

2 volumes

Licensed by Kodansha

The young Erwin Smith is a rising star in the Survey Corps, humanity’s only hope of defeating the man-eating monsters known as Titans. Ruthless and dispassionate, Erwin’s mind is devoted to strategies and intrigue. But beneath Erwin’s feet is another world, the Underground, where humans are born and die surrounded by the garbage the Capital throws away. Here, the criminal Levi survives on his wits and agility. But when these two ambitious men cross paths, who will prove himself stronger? The long-awaited origin story of Levi and Erwin, two of Attack on Titan’s most beloved characters!

Related Series:

Attack on Titan (Adapted from, Shonen, licensed by Kodansha)

Status in Country of Origin

2 Volumes (Complete)

Tags:

Adapted to OVA / OAV

Apocalypse

Conspiracy/ies

Criminal/s

Death of Loved One/s

Dystopia

European Ambience

Experiment/s

Friendship

Hidden Past

Melancholy Atmosphere

Military

Poverty

Revenge

Soldier/s

Sudden Death/s

Survival

Teamwork

Underground

Violence

[kai-lynchan]

don't tell me hajime Isayama was foreshadowing bandaged levi in Attack on titan: junior high school

[ainhoagm99]

Thanks to all those privileged people who have been able to buy the official merch and published the poster photo in full and sorry for having lowered the quality of the image by cropping it, it's the only thing I can do. 🙏🏻😔

My Twitter(X): Ainhoagm99

[darth-eagle]

Reposting this again

Isayama Hajime Holds Autograph & Q&A Session in Oyama, Oita on March 3rd, 2018

As announced on his most recent blog entry, Isayama Hajime held his latest autograph session in his hometown of Oyama, Oita, Japan!

The lucky fans who were able to attend shared various photos of his sketches and signatures, as seen above. Separate sessions were held with different groups of fans within a room in the onsen resort where the event took place. Each group had 30 minutes to ask him questions and receive illustrations. A total of 30 chosen participants were divided up into 6 groups of 5.

Isayama’s answers to various fan questions are as below (Note: These are fan accounts):

About Levi and the other characters’ updated looks: Levi’s cape is a new, black one. However, Levi couldn’t adapt to the other changes, so he kept his uniform and blades. Kawakubo Shintaro (Isayama’s editor) didn’t want any visual changes for the characters - he even wanted Eren to stay clean-shaven. However Isayama decided to not “shave” Eren too much.

On Older Eren: 19-year-old Eren’s height is 183cm - the same as Grisha. However, Isayama states that Eren was more like Carla when he was younger. [T/N: Grisha is actually 182cm, so Isayama may have misremembered here. Zeke however is 183cm.]

On Erwin’s Burial: The Survey Corps had to move on quickly to fight further after Battle of Shiganshina, but Levi later returned and brought back Erwin’s skeletonized body with him/buried him. Though a lot of soldiers perished, there was a special memorial service for Erwin.

On Horoscopes: Neither Eren nor Jean’s birthdays were decided through horoscope characterizations/stereotypes.

On Levi’s Father: Isayama has no plans to draw Levi’s father in the manga. He’s not anyone significant - Isayama thinks he was probably just a short guy.

On Levi’s Cape (Again): The question was what Isayama thought of fans thinking that the cape belonged to Erwin. Isayama states that there is a sense that Levi dyed the green cape into a black color. He doesn’t know whose cape it was, but if it belonged to Erwin, Isayama doesn’t think the size would’ve worked for Levi.

On New Character Designs (Again): Why didn’t Levi’s change much compared to the 104th? Isayama says he wanted to show that the 104th trainees belong to the “Smartphone Generation,” but Levi decided to stay with his “Flip Phone.” Levi doesn’t understand the younger generation, and he is turning into an old man (Literally “Oji-san”).

On Erwin: Will Erwin appear in the manga again, even if just for one panel? Isayama says he thinks there are still chances, such as in flashbacks.

On Levi’s Eyesight: Levi’s vision is measured at 2.0

Hardcore Eren: If Eren goes to karaoke, what type of songs will he sing? Isayama: “Metal.”

General Eren Facts: Besides now standing at 183cm, Eren is also a heavyweight drinker (Doesn’t get drunk easily) and good at cleaning. He is now influenced by a lot of the memories he retained, and he determinedly chopped off his own leg before entering Marley. His irises are a grey-ish color and his bloodtype is B.

Toying with His Editor:  “Will you be happy with developing the future plot similar to how you drew the story so far?” Isayama: “Yes! But I want to see the readers anticipating [the upcoming plot].” Kawakubo: "Like he said, I’ve been saying the same thing! Everyone is looking forward to it.” Isayama: “…Then I’ll change the story.”

Eren & Elysium: When Eren asked Falco “Is that person…a girl?”, he was under the influence of other people’s memories (Possibly Grisha in that moment). The new Survey Corps uniform was inspired by Matt Damon’s external armor/exoskeleton in Elysium (Below). When asked about the members going to the restroom, Isayama: “It would be better to open a hole in that design…”

Lots More Information: Isayama on Eren’s bloodtype - “Because this is a fantasy series, maybe there are not only 4 blood types. But then again, are they even counted as human…?” [T/N: This somewhat contradicts the earlier fan account where Isayama said outright that Eren’s bloodtype was B…]. “What will Levi think of Eren’s current look?” Isayama (Without hesitation): “Dirty.” [T/N: As in unclean, of course] “Was it Eren’s own idea to grow his hair long?” Isayama: “Right now he is in a state where he is no longer paying attention to how people view him, so he just let it grow out.” “Did Eren consider the fact that he will be infiltrating Marley when he grew out his hair?” Isayama: “Since he was supposed to be a hospitalized patient, he actually should’ve kept a cleaner hairstyle.” [T/N: A little vague, but this basically sounds like Eren didn’t mean to grow his hair out as a disguise] “Were there any cases of when you let the characters’ behavior and dialogue develop organically?”
 Isayama: “In general, I let the characters evolve on their own. I don’t remember things after I draw them. I can’t look at my storyboard calmly right after I finish them, so Bakku-san (Kawakubo) is the one who reads them objectively.” “Following up on that answer: Bakku-san will immediately read your storyboard (In less than one day) after you submit them to him?” Isayama: “Since he has been waiting for the storyboard to arrive, in most cases he will read them in one or two hours after I give them to him.” “Did they (Eren and Levi) resolve the confusion of when Eren said ‘midget old man (chibi oyaji)’? Or did Eren apologize?” Isayama: “Levi is not concerned about being referred to that way. But after Eren said it and Levi thought about the moniker by himself later, he seemed hurt. He probably thought “So Eren sees me like that….” “Any plan to draw the four-year period back on Paradis island?”
 Isayama: “That’s something I can’t tell you for now. (Kawakubo also chimed in here and said: “Isayama-sensei won’t tell you anything, but please look forward…”) “Kenny said he will never go to a brothel. Does Levi think the same way?” Isayama: “Because it’s an environment that Levi had been part of since childhood, it seems like he considers prostitution as just another ordinary job.” “What is Eren’s current body weight?” Isayama: “If I have to answer that now - he indeed gained some weight because he has grown taller. However, he has a rather slender body.”

Keep reading

[tamarahtalkstv]

She’s Such A Pretty Girl.

I Wanna Kiss Her, Hug Her, Hold Her Hands, And Have Her Hold Me And Vice Versa.

[parkvcrs]

levi “my friends think i like to fight, but it's just not true. sometimes i lose my temper and blow off a little steam, but i’ve never enjoyed it. i’m not a violent dog. i don't know why i bite” ackerman

[wingedwhitelioness]

New Hange Zoe illustration by Isayama!

🥹🍜😍💜

Source: @/aotwiki on twitter