Isayama Hajime’s Interview on Colossal Titan

From Gekkan Shingeki no Kyojin, Volume 12

[translation: @yusenki | editing: @leviskinnyjeans | proofreading: @plain-dude ]





The Colossal Titan is the God of this (SNK) world. I must draw him to resemble God… With that in mind, I have redrawn the Colossal Titan numerous times. I think it’s not an exaggeration to say that I had bet all I had on it. The Colossal Titan’s existence is the icon [mascot] of Shingeki no Kyojin. I thought it is one of the most important things.

In order to convey my idea at that time, I must touch on The Dark Knight theory from the movie critic, Tomohiro Machiyama. According to Machiyama-san, The Dark Knight is based on the epic poem, Milton’s “Paradise Lost”. If you are able to live in heaven, you may be able to live happily; however, in the end, isn’t it the equivalent of becoming God’s slave? For example, even if you were banished from heaven, and plunged into hell, you should choose freedom. That is the theme of “Paradise Lost”. They were called Devils. Paradise Lost depicts a large scale battle between God and the Devil.

In SNK, the people who choose to go outside the wall, are the people who choose the freedom of Hell. They have chosen to cast aside their welfare for uncontrolled freedom. And their enemy, the Titans, especially the Colossal Titan, lord over the slaves from Heaven. He (the Colossal) is no other than the God of the (SNK) world. The reason why I felt the Colossal Titan needs to look like the God is because this is an important idea related to the story’s foundation. Even now, this remains one of the most important ideas for SNK.

Note: Paradise Lost is an epic poem spanning 12 books, which depicts the fall of Satan from Heaven, and the banishment of Adam and Eve from Paradise. The poem has been a cause of much literary analysis as readers and critics alike remain divided on the nature of God, the Devil, and how Milton’s views on government might affect the story.*

Satan in the novel rebels against God over who should rule. Satan believed that all Angels should have ruled the Heavens equally. Milton was against the monarchy of Charles Stuart.