MANGA TITLE: Attack on Titan Character Encyclopedia
YEAR: July 2018 (US RELEASE)
BY: Hajime Isayama
FIRST PUBLISHED IN JAPAN: Kodansha
PUBLISHED IN USA BY: Kodansha Ltd.
RATED: T for Older Teen
Back in 2006, Hajime Isayama wrote a 65-page one-shot of “Shingeki no Kyojin”. Inspired during an encounter with an irate customer while working at an internet cafe, the encounter would eventually be the basis of his hit series which is known internationally as “Attack on Titan”.
In 2009, “Shingeki no Kyojin” began serialization in Kodanasha’s “Bessatsu Shonen Magazine” and is currently on its 26th tankobon volume. With three light novel volumes, multiple video games, manga spin-offs two live-action films, many would discover “Attack on Titan” thanks to its 25-episode anime series which began airing in April 2013. A 12-episode second season would be released in 2017 and now in Japan, a third season has begun airing.
What is “Attack on Titan”?
“Attack on Titan” is set in a world that was besieged by giant humanoid creatures over a hundred years ago. These humanoid creatures nearly wiped out all humans and want nothing but to devour humans.
Humanity has no answer to defeat the Titans but to protect what is left of humanity, the country of surviving humans now live within three enormous walls which include the outer wall Wall Maria, the middle wall known as Wall Rose and the inner wall known as Wall Sina.
And for 100 years, despite having a team that ventures out to confront the Titans, humanity has had no such luck.
We are introduced to three children which includes the impulsive and hotheaded Eren Yeager, his friend that always protects and cares for him, Mikasa Ackerman and the often scared but very smart Armin Arlert.
One day, while these three children were together in what was supposed to be a peaceful land where Titans are unable to enter, lightning has struck and born was a 200 ft. Titan who is taller than the walls that were constructed. The titan breaches the outer wall, allowing the smaller Titans to enter the village and devour humans. While Eren tries to find his mother, he finds her pinned under the house.
While a family friend named Hannes is able to rescue the two kids, Eren’s final memory was seeing his mother devoured by a Titan and from that point, he has dedicated his life to defeat and destroy the Titans.
Eren, Mikasa and Armin survives the attack by the Titans and have no choice but to retreat behind Wall Rose. But he has these nightmares of his father injecting him with something and reminding him about his key and for him to go into the cellar.
As the food shortage hits the country and refugees are forced to work in farms or fight to reclaim Wall Maria, Eren vows to destroy the Titans and to do that, he must join the army in which Mikasa and Armin follow their friend.
Fast forward five years later, Eren, Mikasa and Armin are training in the army and each meets new friends and rivals but just when they thought there was some semblance of peace, the Colossus Titan returns once again. Mikasa is set to a different squad to backup the front lines, while Eren and Armin must prepare to attack and fight the Titans, learning that the weakness of a Titan is cutting a piece of their flesh from the nape of the Titan’s back neck.
With nearly 25-volumes released in America, Kodansha is releasing the “Attack on Titan Character Encyclopedia”. A primer for those who are later in the manga/anime series and may be a bit confused with the characters, the “Attack on Titan Character Encyclopedia” helps understand where the story is currently at and the characters featured.
By no means, should anyone read this if they read less than 22 volumes or only watched the first season of the anime series. That is unless you don’t mind wanting to be spoiled.
There are spoilers in this book as it is meant for loyal readers, in fact, this encyclopedia features spotlights on nearly every major and minor character and key scenes.
May it be focusing on the Survey Corps, the Military Police Brigade, the Garrison, the Training corps, The Royal Government and its Associates, the Citizen of the Walls, the People Beyond the Walls and more.
The “Attack on Titan Character Encyclopedia” also features a guide to the Titan-inhabited areas, who the nine titans who gave power to the Eldians and also Hajime Isayama revealing how his characters were born.
Also, a long interview with Hajime Isayama is also featured!
Overall, the “Attack on Titan Character Encyclopedia” is recommended reading for “Attack on Titan” fans who are further ahead in the manga and anime series.