Click on the link above to watch the original Japanese broadcast of Isayama Hajime’s recent interview with NHK Japan, the television network that will also broadcast season 3 of the SnK anime!

While the majority of the interview does not contain any new information, here are translations of some interesting tidbits:

The mountainous landscape of Isayama’s hometown, Oyama, inspired the “wall” concept within SnK. When he was growing up there, he felt safe and secure within the mountains, but later in life, he desired to “escape” from it and experience the world outside.



When he was growing up there, he felt safe and secure within the mountains, but later in life, he desired to “escape” from it and experience the world outside. An exact quote regarding the above: “I lived in my hometown until I turned 18, and that’s when I began to develop a ‘I must leave here’ type of mentality. I desired to ‘dwell in a world still unknown to myself.’”



In Isayama’s personal notebook from his middle school days, he wrote down that his future dream was to become an “owner of a scotch tape store.” If he could be reborn, he would like to be a “mammal” in his next life. His spirit animal was “shepherd’s purse” (This plant).

If he could be reborn, he would like to be a “mammal” in his next life. His spirit animal was “shepherd’s purse” (This plant). To Isayama, the overarching theme of SnK is to surpass strong repressions and break free of shackles.

When Isayama worked at the internet cafe, he encountered customers with bizarre personalities or weren’t able to converse normally with him - those became the model for his Titans. Similar to his canon creatures, they express all types of emotions on their faces but wander rather aimlessly, as if they were drunk. ( T/N: This is something he has talked about in a previous interview ).

). The character Isayama personally thinks is most similar to himself is Daz ( T/N: Another thing that he has talked about before ).

( ). On what kind of message he hopes to convey to readers, Isayama expresses that he simply illustrated his personal “frustrations” through the manga . With that said, he feels like he inadvertently transformed from victim to persecutor over the years. In terms of a story, there are always people who deem the protagonist’s actions to be correct, because the protagonist’s actions correspond to/overlap with these people’s own value systems. In Isayama’s mind, even though humans can believe that their own actions are correct, everyone can become a perpetrator/villain at some point ( T/N: He has previously talked about this idea here and here ).

. With that said, he feels like he inadvertently transformed from victim to persecutor over the years. In terms of a story, there are always people who deem the protagonist’s actions to be correct, because the protagonist’s actions correspond to/overlap with these people’s own value systems. In Isayama’s mind, even though humans can believe that their own actions are correct, everyone can become a perpetrator/villain at some point ( ). On his life before leaving home: “ Had I not [experienced that period of frustration], I would not have been able to create this manga. Not only that, there wouldn’t even have been a need to express these types of feelings. No matter what happens from now on, I will always feel like choosing the life of a mangaka was a wonderful decision.”

Not only that, there wouldn’t even have been a need to express these types of feelings. No matter what happens from now on, I will always feel like choosing the life of a mangaka was a wonderful decision.” Right now, Isayama feels like “home” is a place he can return to. As long as that place exists, no matter what experiences he had or how cruel the outside world is, he can endure the hardships. “I think this is somewhere I can escape to.”

Isayama has already schemed the series’ ending. Whether for the readers or for the work itself, he hopes to finish SnK quickly.

Some noteworthy screenshots are below.

(Above: 6-year-old Isayama in the middle)

(Above: Old space used by Isayama in Oita)

(Above: Isayama with fans and Kodansha editor Kawakubo Shintaro at his recent hometown Q&A/autograph session)

(Above: Isayama at his new studio space)

(Above: Isayama sketching the SnK manga - specifically, this page from chapter 104 with Jean & Falco)

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