Summary
What setsAttack on Titanaside from other franchises is how more than one theme is addressed. Moreover, similar to theNieRfranchise, philosophical ideals are incorporated in both the characters and narrative alike. Because of this conflict in ideals, character progression, and interaction is more intensive.
Characters such as Eren embody themes discussed by Niccolò Machiavelli, who believed that there cannot be virtue with leadership, and leadership cannot have virtue. Armin on the other hand, followed the rules of Friedrich Nietzsche, a firm believer that the meaning of life is defined by our own actions.
Unseen Character Progression
to further understandAttack on Titan’s message, we must first look at the characters. Armin is a humanist, but Eren is an existentialist. Polar opposites, but both pieces of a larger puzzle. As stated previously, at the start of season 4, Eren’s philosophical motives matched those of Machiavelli’s theory, that there is inherent cruelty in leadership. However, Eren is not that person, as seen when he breaks down in regret over his actions. Delving deeper into his actions and the ideals of existentialism, it’s important to define its placement inAttack on Titan.
Eren from the beginning, is desperate to find a purpose in life, always wanting more and setting his expectations high. Of course, there is merit in wanting to explore the world and having ambitions, but rather than searching within himself, he instead looks for a purpose. In season 4, it’s revealed thatEren purposely made Dina’s titan ignore Bertholdt, so it would target his mother, and thus give him the motivation to do something. But because of his personality in general, Eren could never see what was in front of him. This is further emphasized when he partially activates the Founding Titan’s power - he constantly sees the past and future simultaneously, weighing him down over things that he can’t control and what he will be unable to change.
This is aperfect representation of someone who takes what they have for granted; but that’s just everyone in general. We don’t constantly tell those we’re always around how amazing they are, and how much we love them. But those that we aren’t as close with, we’re more likely to give compliments to and observe their traits - similar to how Eren is with Historia and Connie.
But with Armin and Mikasa,he knows that they’re strong, and he knows they love him unconditionally. Additionally, with that knowledge, it’s easier to mistreat loved ones as well. You don’t think you’re going to lose them, and it isn’t until you do that you remember how much you love them. At the end of the day, Eren was truly just a selfish and ignorant kid.
Expectations vs Reality
Armin follows the rules of Nietzsche, simply enjoying the present and entertaining the thought that perhaps the meaning of life was just to experience a moment of peace. In his conversation with Zeke in Paths, Armin tells him of a memory from his childhood, when he, Eren, and Mikasa all raced to a tree. Mikasa would purposely lag behind Eren, so he could win, and Armin would reach it last. Though despite him “losing”, just seeing his friends in front of him was enough. Another instance was when theSurvey Corps visited the beachfor the first time. Armin found a shell and wanted to give it to Eren, yet the latter could only stare off into the horizon, asking himself if they killed all their enemies, would Paradis truly be free?
This is a crucial moment, as it shows Eren’s disappointment that there were other humans outside the wall. But in a way, this wasbrought on by himself; disappointment is a part of life, and things won’t always go according to plan - but it wasn’t until the end that Eren was able to accept his defeat. And finally saw the shell that Armin was trying to give him all those years ago. Obsession was his own downfall.
The Silver Lining
Out of the three,Mikasa embodied both ideals. With the phrase, “the world is cruel, but also beautiful”, she accepts that in life, there is always a balance. What’s more, she understands that the past cannot be changed, no matter how many times she thinks about it. When Eren showed her that he was ready to elope, should she confessed her true feelings, come his death in Paths, Mikasa told him, “see you later”.
Whatever happened, happened - but she knows that patience is a virtue. To love someone is to not enable them, Mikasa had told Eren many times in the past that he was being reckless and even stopped him from making (what she thought) were bad decisions simply because shecared. One of the most difficult decisions to make is to do the right thing, and though she still wanted to be with Eren, she had to let go and put him out of his misery. Unlike life,death is a constant, and for Eren to have that, he needed to die.
However, with every dusk, there’s always a dawn that follows. In the final ED ofAttack on Titan,Mikasa is seen reuniting with Erenin the afterlife: no past, no future, just the present. An eternity that they earned after an endless battle.
The Timeloop Theory
“The snake ate its tale”, this is the first lyric ofArc of the Ashesby Kohto Yamamoto, a reference to the cycle of hatred and uroboros, an eternal death and rebirth. At the beginning ofAttack on Titan, Eren wakes up from a dream, which we will later on learn is from an alternate future. If there are multiple futures, does that mean there are multiple pasts as well? Almost like: atimeloop…?
Does this mean thatEren’s goal is not just to rid the world of Titans, but to stop the cycle of hatred altogether? We know that if Eren completed the Rumbling, that meant all his friends would die, as they opposed him and he’d be left alone, and if he ran away with Mikasa, the curse would stay. The only way to end both the cycle of hatred and the Titan’s Curse, is if he could accept defeat. While bittersweet, this leaves room for more uplifting speculation. Isayama’s ultimate message isn’t always about what freedom is, but what it means to be alive. To live and find your own purpose, that’s true freedom.
Peace 20000 Years Later
Paradis inevitably gets destroyed in the future, either by itself or by opposing nations, but there is one line in the final episode of interest:
Even if the Titans disappear, the fear will not. Even if the number of people decreases, conflicts will not. Still, someone must wish for it someday. There should be a world where we can join hands with each other. There should be a future where we can respect and talk to each other. That future is just around the corner.
In the epilogue, the boy at the end approaches the tree that Eren’s buried under, a boy who is living in the present, a boy who is “free”. What will he wish for?
Attack On Titan
Cast
Based on Hajime Isayama’s widely popular manga, Attack on Titan is a dark fantasy anime set in a world where humanity lives behind walls to protect themselves from massive creatures known as Titans. Over the course of four seasons, the story takes plenty of unexpected twists and turns, almost evolving into a different type of series in the process.
