In My End Is My Beginning.

SnK News: Isayama Hajime Interview/Feature in Illustrate Note Magazine No. 43 (Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3)

Writer: masaco Translation: @suniuz & @fuku-shuu Please credit and/or link back to this post if anything is used!

(T/N: Due to the extensive amount of information/pages, this interview has been divided into multiple parts)

INTRODUCTION (Image 2) Having served as sustenance for Titans, the humans living under 50-meter walls experienced a false sense of peace and security for the first time - in exchange for their freedom. This is the popular, impactful storyline of shounen manga Shingeki no Kyojin. On the one hand, the appeal of this series of course rests in the story’s originality, but it also stems from the richness of its characters. Those who appear within are not flawless males and females - rather, each person endures their own mental struggles and invests their entire being into battle. Here, author Isayama Hajime exposes the strategies behind SnK’s character designs, as well as what personal ideas he has invested into them.

ISAYAMA HAJIME & QUESTION 01 (Image 3)

SHINGEKI NO KYOJIN – Creating Unparalleled Characters

The setting is an unknown time and an unknown location. Within the fictitious world where humanity is an endangered species, a variety of characters emerge, each possessing charisma that increases the depth of the series. Regarding Shingeki no Kyojin’s character designs, we approached creator Isayama Hajime with inquiries from three directions: “Conceptualization,” “Unique Features,” “Growth.”

CAPTION: Protagonist Eren (Right). His mother was eaten by the Titans, and he is a young soldier who possesses intense anger as well as a desire for freedom. Colossal Titan (Left), designed as 60-meters tall. His black, round eyes are attention-grabbing and don’t match his rather grotesque posture.

CAPTION: Eren’s childhood friend Mikasa. Black hair, black eyes, positioned as the last of the Eastern Sea people.

CAPTION: Eren’s fellow cadets. From background to personality and unique physical traits, the ten individuals were all drawn very differently.

Question 01. How were the characters conceptualized?

– Please tell us your process in coming up with these very distinctive characters. The gist of Shingeki no Kyojin’s ending was already decided at the series’ start. The story was born first, and within the key characters many were created for the sake of expanding the plot, Eren especially. He bears the responsibility of carrying the story and wants to confront each and every obstacle straight on. If we view him from our more dominant position, Eren’s never-changing fighting spirit is what sets the foundation for his character.

– How did you visualize the personalities? Most of the time I had some actual references. Compared to me needing to think from scratch, I consider it more practical to absorb outside influences. For example, Mikasa was modeled after a customer whom I met while working part-time at a net cafe. Back then I constantly wondered, “How would I fabricate this character?” And the moment I saw that customer I thought, “Just like that!” I immediately grabbed a receipt next to me and sketched some ideas on the back. The concept for the Eastern Sea tribe, and even including how Mikasa wore her scarf, was via the details I gathered back then. Moreover, even though I would use athletes, friends from my hometown, etc. as inspiration, what I look for isn’t a well-portioned, beautiful face，but rather a strong, eye-catching face.

– How do you manage this many characters in a long-running series? I always save the original drafts from my early deliberations on a character and use them as a starting point, even if the drafts were mere scribbles that I somehow magically came up with. As this is a long-running series, the more you draw, the more your idealized version of the concept evolves. If I feel like my drawings have turned odd, I’ll refer to the original drafts again, and then attempt a return to the right track.

– At the same time, your acute illustrations of the Titans have become their own topic. The Colossal Titan’s debut in chapter one can be deemed as the symbol for the entire series - a skinless, gargantuan monster. However, his eyes remain that of a “spineless youth” - I gave him very thick double eyelids and whale-like eyeballs. The rest of his physique is frightening and artificial, but as long as there exists a dissonance, the Colossal Titan naturally becomes more realistic. Eight years ago, when I first achieved serialization, I understood very well that “No one will pay attention to a newbie’s manga, so discontinuation is inevitable.” Under such a realization, I considered the idea that, “Whenever someone mentions ‘Shingeki no Kyojin’ - they should think of THAT thing.” Thus, I decided to create an icon for the series first - and that’s how Colossal Titan came to be. To me, a shounen manga cannot survive without these more commercialized elements.

MAKING: (Image 4) A Levi Pencil Sketch Tutorial from Isayama Hajime

Levi’s appearance in pencil. “I start by drawing a cross within the facial contour. Levi always seems like he 'hasn’t slept for three days,’ but because he’s calm and collected, I’ve never drawn on him the sweatdrop motif that often appears in manga.” Isayama states. The base lining is done with a 2B 0.9mm mechanical pencil. In the actual manuscript, after penciling comes a Zebra G Pen for inking.

QUESTION 02 (Image 5)

CAPTION: Eren’s good friend, Armin. His appearance isn’t that of a soldier in order to showcase that while he isn’t well-versed in fighting, he excels in terms of intellect and brain power.

CAPTION: The soldier with arms crossed, Levi. He is conceptaulized to be 160cm tall and weighs 65KG. He is always “looking up” (T/N: As in literally) to his comrades.

Question 02. How do you apply unique traits to a character?

– What is your trick to enriching a character with distinct features? If you are referring to the characters in the manga - you don’t have to make sure every part of him or her needs to be appealing/attractive. Rather, you should draw them in a way that causes people to become preoccupied with their physiques, because this is how the reader will feel more intimacy with them. For example, Eren’s good friend Armin. Even if he has western features, I gave him a more rounded nose that inspires extra affection towards him. Levi is Humanity’s Strongest Soldier, but he has an unexpected disposition that is almost disappointing - to be frank, he is short (A chibi). However, this special attribute is just like that of Astro Boy and Ushiwakamaru, where there is a “David can defeat Goliath” type of implication. (T/N: Isayama doesn’t actually say the names David/Goliath in his answer - just the idea of a smaller figure being victorious). For Eren, I previously had him set as having eyebrows that weren’t so dense, because he is often angry and widens his eyes. However, I wasn’t able to achieve this look because my drawing skills were subpar back then (Laughs). (T/N: For the record, we aren’t sure how anger directly influences eyebrow density, either, but we think this means Isayama didn’t know how to express a character’s fury without giving him/her severe eyebrows)

– What are you especially careful about when adding unique traits? Consider the 3DMG worn by the soldiers in order to battle in the air, where they hold two swords when engaging with Titans. No matter the soldier, they use the exact same strategy to fight. In many action-based shounen manga, there are usually special skills or insta-kill moves for a key character, so I also thought that this might increase the commercial value of a series. But in Shingeki no Kyojin, I didn’t establish these elements for two reasons: first, I personally would not be interested in such ideas as a reader, and secondly, if I add these details as I’m progressing the story, there would’ve been even more information that require explanation. If an author stuffed every detail he wanted to showcase within a work, it will become less interesting overall. For SnK, I intentionally reduced some aspects that would’ve stretched out the story development too much.

– Even the supporting characters that emerge as villains are very complex. Even though various villains appear, I personally feel that being “evil” for no reason is lackluster. Even while illustrating a villain, you should portray his or her timidity and confusion, as well as the ambition only he or she possesses. You have to do your best to make others feel like, “This kind of person exists within me also.” As an artist, I think this is something you must be attentive towards.

More from this interview: Part 2 | Part 3

Looking back on Ch 90, I failed to fully appreciate this panel.

Eren’s words here echo what Levi told him back in the Female Titan arc.

Which is why the Ch 90 panel includes Levi looking thoughtful. He realises that what he told Eren back then clearly stuck with him and influenced his attempts to save Armin.

Additionally, the words ‘How can anyone know the future?’ carry an immense irony. It’s in this very chapter that Eren will see the future when he kisses Historia’s hand. From there, it is not ignorance that he struggles with, but painful awareness. Instead of trying to decipher the best option, he has to reconcile himself with a nightmarish outcome.

SnK Interviews: Isayama Hajime’s Q&A from Febri Vol. 42 (July 2017 Issue)

Translations by @suniuz & @fuku-shuu - Please give credit/link back if used!

- What is your most essential drawing tool? 9mm 2B pencil lead. As it’s both thick yet soft, it’s easy to erase cleanly, so I enjoy using it the most. I don’t really understand the differences between all the manufacturers, so as long as the lead is this exact type, I’m fine with whichever.

- What do you do when you’re not working? I play video games. My nephews have been visiting me recently, so I have them bring their controllers and play Splatoon with them.

- Who is your favorite character in Shingeki no Kyojin? Reiner. As time progresses, my favorite character keeps shifting. My favorite is Reiner at the moment - I want to draw more and more of Reiner.

- Favorite music as of late? Kiyoshi Ryuuji. Even though my all-time favorite is Shinsei Kamattechan, who sang the SnK S2 ED, my favorites as of late are Creepy Nuts and Kiyoshi Ryuuji. For Kiyoshi, every single one of his songs has been a hit - even those he produced for others - which is an incredible success rate. I feel like he’s like Hyadain-san (T/N: Famous Japanese composer and lyricist), only he can also sing and dance.

- Favorite manga as of late? Boku-tachi ga Yarimashita (T/N: We Did It). The author, Kaneshiro Muneyuki (T/N: The artist for the title is Araki Hikaru), is my contemporary at Bessatsu Shonen. It’s just such an incredible piece of work. Initially I already had good feelings toward him because we started out together, and when I reached the middle of the story I suddenly went, “Eh? This manga is a masterpiece…?” I even got goosebumps. He created an unbelievable story, so I’m thrilled as his contemporary.

- Favorite video game as of late? Wii U’s Splatoon. Even though the game has been on sale for two years already, I’m still playing it consistently. It has been a long while since I started, but I still feel like I’m terrible at the game. Nonetheless, through my personal efforts, I experienced what it means to “achieve” different degrees of success for the first time. I can’t get enough of it!

- When did you start drawing manga? 2nd year of high school (T/N: That’s equivalent to junior year). But if you count just single illustrations, I already started when I was in daycare. But I remember that it wasn’t until 2nd year of high school when I actually organized drafts and began to create manga.

- How much do you sleep on average? About 8 hours. When I first started serialization, I had a little less sleep. But lately if I don’t get enough sleep I can’t do anything else.

- Recent interests? Watching foreign drama series. I’m currently anticipating the 7th season of Game of Thrones, which will start in July. Other than that, I’m hesitating on whether or not I should watch House of Cards (T/N: YES YOU SHOULD). When I watch something exciting, the amount of energy I use up is similar to if I read all of One Piece in just a week. Hence, I’m actually becoming a little scared about doing this (T/N: Committing to another show) [Laughs].

- If you lived within the Walls? I would be a farmer. Because I want to avoid all responsibilities [Laughs], so I want to live on the border and just plant crops. Though I can imagine that this kind of lifestyle has its own hardships, I would never be a soldier.

- What’s the best thing about being a mangaka? Everything. If I didn’t become a mangaka, I feel like I would’ve descended into poor health - to the extent where I couldn’t even go to the convenience store. I am totally serious [Laughs].

- Favorite movie as of late? It Follows. It was probably my first time watching such a scary film. Of course, the storyline is exciting, but on top of that, the actual elements of horror were fantastic. Because this movie describes something that happens at your own household, I felt jumpy and scared in my apartment for two weeks after I watched it.

- If you weren’t drawing manga? I would become an average member of society. But if possible, I would probably become a craftsman. Before when I worked at an internet cafe, no matter how dirty the cubicles became, I always bet my entire life on making it spotless again. It was almost like Nietzsche’s “Sublimation” psychology [Laughs]. Thinking back, I guess that could just be part of an artisan’s personality, too.

- What do you do when you experience writer’s block? I dive into other creative works. Basically other films, drama series, and manga - and I search for elements I enjoy. But because this world is filled with so many incredible works that I’ll never fully experience - even if I spend my entire life trying - as long as I commit to the ones I enjoy the most, my life can progress with inspiration. Sometimes, I almost feel like there is no actual need for me to draw manga [Laughs].

- The best thing about your hometown (Oita prefecture)? Delicious plum wine. When I think of what’s most appealing about my hometown, plum wine immediately comes to mind. My family back home are plum farmers, so even though I sound like I’m self-promoting my relatives’ business, please do give our Yumehibiki plum wine a taste! [Laughs]

- Your first impression of Tokyo? Surprisingly warm/familiar. At the railroad crossing of Egota, my head somehow got knocked by the crossing gate there, and I thought, “So Tokyo isn’t just all about tall buildings…” My memory contains moments of calm like this [Laughs].

We’re working on the highlights/new information from the main interview between Isayama and editor Kawakubo as well - stay tuned!

What might have been and what has been Point to one end, which is always present. Footfalls echo in the memory Down the passage which we did not take Towards the door we never opened Into the rose-garden. My words echo Thus, in your mind.

T.S. Eliot, from section I of “Burnt Norton,” Four Quartets (Mariner Books, 1968)

Mikasa au Interview

Translated by plain-dude and fuku-shuu

______________________________

She sits upright in a chair as I visit her at the barracks of the Scouting Legion. She gives a small nod when she notices me, but our eyes never meet. She is Mikasa Ackerman, an unprecedented talent in humanity’s history.

“Nice to meet you”, I say. She answers “Ok,” and the interview begins.

Keep reading

Thank you! I'm glad I was able to help. What you've said about never seeing Eren as a bad person really resonated with me, the best way I can describe him and his story is that of a boy born a monster. I really like how you talked about those ideas, it felt like you were expressing something I struggled to, so thanks for that as well!

“They were just there wherever I looked from the day I was born. Those miserable walls.”

I think this is the most important line we need for understanding Eren. From the moment he was born Eren felt caged no matter what he did and he longed for release.

This desire was unconscious at first, but seeing Armin dream so passionately brought about the realization that Armin was seeing and believing in something that Eren couldn’t, and this brings about the realization in him that he’s restrained/caged from doing something.

He initially believes that this indignation from a sense of being caged is because of the Titans or oppressors but as time goes on and the circumstances change, Eren realises that this is something internal and the fact that it’s something that no one else experiences is one of the sources of his tragedy: he can’t communicate/share this desire.

(There’s probably some symbolism in the fact that Eren confessed his truest desires to a child that didn’t speak the same language)

At first, Eren associated release with the “sight” of the things in Armin’s book. He believed that seeing those things will give him the release and liberty he’s been longing for, though it should be noted that Eren says he doesn’t care what the particular sights *are* just that he sees them so I think he cares much more about the feeling of liberation that those things stand for than the sights themselves.

So I think that even though Eren might say that he’s disappointed that the world wasn’t what was in Armin’s book I think what he’s really sad about is that he didn’t feel liberated by the world beyond the walls, but because he associated those feelings with the sights in Armin’s book he uses them interchangeably(I think this is supported by the fact that Eren still feels caged and empty when actually seeing those sights in 139).

The reason Eren slaughters humanity beyond the walls is because from his perspective, *they* are walls/barriers obstructing his freedom. “That Scenery” is one of the most important motifs with Eren, it’s the liberty that comes with transcending or breaking a wall, but one of the ironies in 131 is that Eren is deluding himself to think that it’s freedom. Eren’s very nature demands that he cannot see beyond the “walls” and this is testified to by Eren looking unfulfilled immediately after the freedom panel and the fact that he still needs Armin’s approval. Besides Isayama deliberately contrasts Eren and Armin by saying that Armin still believes in a world beyond the walls, with a panel of Eren’s eyes closed.

Eren’s tragedy is that of a man born with the inability to look past the repression of life(or you could say he was born with the ability to see restraints everywhere). I think this solves all the contradictions I thought I saw in Eren’s character and addresses the “Problem of being a Slave” that Isayama once brought up.

Before I go there’s one last thing I have to say about the final chapter and this motif, Eren can’t see the dream Armin enjoys and he can’t see the future that lies ahead, but his love for his friend(s) let’s him transcend that nature by putting his hopes in them at the end. He won’t ever be able to see beyond the walls, that’s just how he is, but he can be at peace with the fact that his friends will.

Edit: I made this post mainly because I was tired of people rooting Eren’s actions in trauma or an ideological mistake or lack of development. Eren has developed enough as a protagonist, especially by chapter 100, his “mistakes” in the Final Arc are a result of his nature, I think that’s what Isayama wanted to convey.

I think he sacrificed both in some way. He was able to experience the sight of freedom at the expense of most of humanity, a grave act of injustice, but in the end he also gave up his liberty and his life to rid the world of Titans and open an avenue for peace with the remaining civilisation, an act of justice in keeping with his desire to be judged referenced in chapter 99.

Eren and his Id: Some Further Observations

Since publishing my meta on the idea of the ‘id’ in SNK, I’ve noticed some more examples of it manifesting throughout the series.

Mikasa

What Eren attributes to Ackerman mind control is really just the nature of Mikasa’s id. She acts without seeming to realise she does so, with vacant eyes in the first panel and confusion in the last. This is just like Eren’s experience in defending Ramzi: not being mentally present in the moment, his id takes over his body like an alien and controlling force.

Keep reading

Commission for @neezuko - A fanart Eren and Historia .

never thought I would do manga colourings for this but here I am