Interview: Isayama Hajime x Horiguchi Kyoji for Gong Kakutogi August 2016

Translation: @suniuz & @fuku-shuu

The vast majority of this interview only discusses mixed martial arts, but here are the few portions where the two featured subjects discuss Shingeki no Kyojin/Attack on Titan specifically!

Page 3 - For Isayama, drawing manga and the sport of mixed martial arts have significant connections: there is the mutual search to have all-around versatility, but you can excel in specific aspects as well. MMA emphasizes the power of coordinating three elements: strike, toss, and joint control, while manga production, according to Isayama, involves four areas: artistry, script composition, direction, and production efficiency. If one can excel in just one of these areas, it’s already quite an extraordinary feat. Isayama is aware that his artistic skills are lacking compared to others, but he is confident in his writing skills.



Page 3 - Horiguchi to Isayama: “Did you admire people with strong physiques when you were younger?” Isayama responds that throughout his childhood, he was always about 10 kg lighter than other boys of his age - even now, he only weighs 46 kg (~101 lbs). Back in his home region of Kyushu there exists the tradition of youth sumo competitions, and most kids are required to participate in matches held at local shrines. From the get go, Isayama already felt enormous pressure from those in his age group, and even after the matches ended, the competitors would line up together to toss envelopes stuffed with 10 yen to 100 yen coins (A matsuri custom) in an unofficial contest for who can throw the furthest. The experience has practically become his strongest and earliest childhood memory, and as such, Isayama has always understood his physical inferiority, in addition to recognizing the need for him to excel in other areas. To date, Isayama has drawn a few other storyboards outside of SnK, and every time he eventually realizes that the plot is always about the protagonist becoming some sort of powerful entity. Even if the main character is weak, he can become a Titan like in SnK. However, Isayama says he wouldn’t draw Horiguchi as a manga character in the same manner, because Horiguchi is closer to the Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece) type of protagonist.

For page 10 (The final page), Isayama discusses the future plot and even the ending of SnK, so here is a direct translation of the entire segment:

Mr. Horiguchi shared with us his expectations for the future, so now, Isayama-san - please let us ask you what your mind has planned for the future.

Isayama: Tankobon Volume 20 will be released on August 9th, and it will approach the climax of the story. So everyone: please keep reading until the epilogue.

Horiguchi: So we will know the truth behind SnK’s world? I really want to know the answer. (Laughs)

Isayama: Since I don’t want to expand the story any further than my current plan, I will hurry up and reveal the answer soon!

Horiguchi: No no no, wait a second, I didn’t mean to push you. (Laughs) I still want to enjoy the manga for a while longer. That being said, my own wish is that there can be a happy ending where people can live freely with no walls. To me a sad and dark ending is, well…

Isayama: Until recently, I used to fully take the stance of creating a dark ending. Before, I wished I could shock those who have been following the manga. And all I thought about was to somehow betray the readers who are enthusiastic about the work. But now, as I am turning a little bit older, my mindset has shifted. I am still not sure how the manga will eventually turn out.

“What decisions will Eren and his friends make?” We are looking forward to figuring it out along with Isayama-san’s changes.

Isayama: Even though I’ve already designed the upcoming plot, I will still keep all possibilities open and see how the characters react by themselves when I draw the draft organically. That means nothing has been settled down yet.