“He’s someone I put a lot of thought into creating”: Hajime Isayama’s Favorite Attack on Titan Character is the Most Unexpected One (It’s Not Eren or Mikasa)
The anime adaptation of Attack on Titan reached its shocking conclusion in November 2023, while the manga serialization concluded in April 2021. Although the story reached its emotional conclusion, fans are finding it difficult to move on from the series. The characters played a huge role as they heavily contributed to its success.
Hajime Isayama, the creator of Attack on Titan, revealed that his favorite character was not the protagonist despite how much of himself he put into building Eren Yeager. In a recent interview celebrating K-Manga’s launch, he was asked about his favorite Attack on Titan character and his response was quite unusual.
Isayama’s Most Memorable Scene In Attack on Titan
Isayama’s response when asked about his favorite character was neither Levi Ackerman nor Mikasa. While Isayama initially said Jean Kirstein, after thinking for a few seconds, he changed his answer to Reiner Braun. He explained:
“He’s someone I put a lot of thought into creating. He turned out completely different from what I expected. I really enjoyed drawing him.“
Isayama has gone back and forth between Jean and Reiner in the past few years, but it seems like he has settled on Reiner for now.
Also Read: 5 Best Characters From Attack on Titan, Ranked
Isayama also mentioned why Reiner’s big reveal to Eren became one of the most memorable and emotional scenes for him. He said:
“I was in Kodansha’s storyboarding room when that scene came to me after thinking at my desk for hours. I was very excited when I came up with that scene. I have a deep attachment to how I made that great scene.“
While Eren Yeager has a heartbreaking backstory, Reiner stands out as well as he can be viewed as the protagonist from another perspective. Reiner is an incredibly complex and well-developed character in Attack on Titan. As someone who is stuck between two warring personalities, Reiner struggles with serious internal conflicts throughout the series.
Hajime Isayama Already Envisioned The Ending Of Attack on Titan
A one-shot written when Isayama was 19 years old later spawned into a legendary anime called Attack on Titan. The ending of Attack on Titan still remains controversial to this day. Isayama already envisioned the ending when he began the story, believing that the story would reach its conclusion within two volumes. However, as the popularity of the manga grew, the mangaka started to question the direction of this series.
【Hajime Isayama K Manga Interview】
Hajime Isayama's current favorite character is back to Reiner pic.twitter.com/TbQAx7Y1lA
— Attack on Titan Wiki (@AoTWiki) June 23, 2023
Season 4 of Attack on Titan has brewed some controversy among fans, but the series has been recognized as a masterpiece that captures elements of fascism, war, friendship, and love.
Attack on Titan is available to read digitally on the K-Manga app.
