Initially planned for 16 volumes, but extended plans to encompass story, characters

The October issue of the literary magazine Da Vinci published a feature on the Attack on Titan manga with an interview with the creator, Hajime Isayama, this month. In the interview, Isayama said that he initially estimated that he would end the manga after about 16 volumes, but extended his plans to properly depict the emotional narrative and the growing number of characters.

Isayama then added he personally wants to end the manga in about three more years.

The creator had said last year that he aims to complete his manga in 20 book volumes. His editor Shintarō Kawakubo said this year, "The serialization is slated to end in three to four years."

Hajime Isayama's manga depicts the battles between humans and the giants who now rule the world outside humans' walled enclaves. Isayama launched the series in Bessatsu Shonen Magazine in 2009, and the manga now has over 36 million copies in print.

Kodansha published the 14th manga volume in Japan in August, and Kodansha Comics will publish the same volume in North America this December.

Kodansha Comics publishes the Attack on Titan: Junior High, Attack on Titan: Before the Fall, and Attack on Titan: No Regrets spinoff manga in North America, as well as the original Attack on Titan manga.

Source: Ameba via Hachima Kikō