“I can make these stories scarier”: Hajime Isayama was Ready to Get Out of His Comfort Zone for a Genre that Had Nothing to Do with Attack on Titan

SUMMARY

• Hajime Isayama has been a big fan of horror genre for the longest time.
• However, he feels like if there are many horror movies which could be made more scarier by him.
• If Isayama ever worked on a horror story, it would probably be one of the greatest stories of all time.

Whenever the discussion about the greatest manga creators of all time comes up, the one name that stays at the top of the list is Hajime Isayama, the creator of Attack on Titan. Isayama’s Attack on Titan is a statement to the world about the variety and complexity of the anime and manga world that keeps on growing and will soon become one of the most significant art forms.

A still from Attack on Titan | Credit: MAPPA Studios

Attack on Titan contains the themes of post-apocalyptic fiction, filled with darkness and fantasy. These are the strong suits of Isayama, and he has prevailed in them for over ten years since Attack on Titan started. However, the manga creator doesn’t shy away from dipping his toes in another genre that is far away from anything Attack on Titan portrayed.

This was revealed when Isayama went to New York City’s anime convention and talked about his love for horror movies. He even pointed out how he felt he could have made it better than they already were.

Hajime Isayama is a Fan of Horror

Last year, Crunchyroll interviewed the Attack on Titan creator during his first-ever visit to America for Anime NYC. During the interview, Isayama was asked about his love for horror movies and whether fans can expect him to create a horror piece of his own in the future. The manga creator pointed out that he won’t work on a horror manga, but he feels he could have done better with the horror movies he watched.

He stated:

As a manga? Maybe I wouldn’t go into the realm of horror. However, I do enjoy the films themselves. Maybe as like a feature film. And that’s a maybe. However, it’s not like I would want to direct the film or anything. It’s more like whenever I’m watching these films I think to myself, “I can make these stories scarier.”

According to Isayama, if he ever gets a chance to work on horror fiction, he would probably do a feature film, but he won’t direct it. It will be more related to the story as he feels he will be more connected to it rather than directing it.

Attack on Titan | Credit: MAPPA Studios

Another reason he gave for working on the stories is that whenever he watches horror movies (which is his favorite genre), he feels that the story is missing something, and he could probably make them scarier.

Hajime Isayama’s Talent For Imbuing Fear

Although horror has never been a part of Attack on Titan, Hajime Isayama has been proficient in instilling fear and terror in the minds of his fans. He has done this by including the themes of thrill, darkness, psychological aspects, and death. These themes make up for the majority of the series’ narrative and create a feeling of suspense for Attack on Titan fans.

The feeling of fear in Attack on Titan | Credit: WIT Studios

Be it the lynching of Titans or the story of Ymir, Attack on Titan manages to make fans feel sadness by frightening them with the help of some of the most gruesome stories. But in a way, it is also what makes the Attack on Titan narrative so intriguing that even after so many years, it still remains one of the best anime and manga series of all time.

Even after being so talented in terms of creating fear and terror, Isayama has never worked on something that is solely focused on horror and fiction. If Isayama ever works on something involving horror, it would surely be one of the greatest pieces of art ever created in history.

Attack on Titan is available to watch on Crunchyroll.

Written by Tarun Kohli

Articles Published: 1778

Konichiwa! With a Master's Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and a 2-year experience in Digital media writing, I am on my way to becoming one of the biggest anime content writers in my country. My passion for writing and Anime has helped me connect with Fandomwire, and share my love and experience with the world.