“People got a kick out of it”: There Was Only One Way to Make Hajime Isayama Love Attack on Titan’s Art

SUMMARY

• Over the years, Hajime Isayama has improved his art style for Attack on Titan but his art borders on realism and depicting the terrifying nature of the titans.
• The author admitted that people got a kick out of his art and i caught on, but he remained skeptical.
• He also stated that he preferred having memorably bad art than being forgotten.

Attack on Titan is a megahit manga and anime series, but its theme isn’t really the lovely and wholesome type. The series focuses on gore, the cruel nature of humans, and the disasters they create, and fans love the touch of realism. But over the years Hajime Isayama has received a lot of criticism for his art.

Yet, the mangaka has produced one undaunting chapter after another. As time went on, his art improved considerably, and it has been admitted by fans as well. But what does the author himself think about it?

How Hajime Isayama’s art in Attack on Titan caught on

Hajime Isayama’s art in Attack on Titan is unconventional. He does not romanticize reality, and his art relays his thoughts. The designs of the Titans are ugly, as they are meant to provoke fear and disgust in the minds of readers. In fact, they are terrifying in a way that people have rarely seen before.

In an interview, the author was asked how he came upon his art style, and Isayama answered that it is somewhat of a habit. Ever since he was a kid, he has been doodling ugly stuff. By the time he was in junior high, it got to the point that he was exclusively drawing ugly things

The art of Attack on Titan was criticized by fans in the beginning due to its awkwardness. However, throughout its serialization, it has improved by leaps and bounds. Towards the finale, Attack on Titan has delivered some of the best panels.

Better to have memorably bad art than to fade out in the background

Attack on Titan chapter 100 | Credits: Kodansha

Attack on Titan‘s art has improved significantly. However, the mangaka himself was never pleased with it. His confidence in his art began to lower the more the manga progressed, which is completely opposite to what his fans felt.

As the manga progressed, the author began to see more and more works with higher quality of artworks. This made him realize how much he is yet to improve. There have been plenty of moments where the Titans or characters look awkward, or the angles are not done well, but fans have learned to take it as a boon.

Isayama further states his fears regarding the manga:

Thus, Isayama accepted his artstyle, even though he realized it wasn’t perfect. The same can be said about Attack on Titan fans, who have come to love the manga despite its imperfections and sadistic nature. But eventually the manga received its hit anime adaptation, which has received rave reviews.

Attack on Titan manga is available to read on Viz Media, and the anime is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Written by Aaheli Pradhan

Articles Published: 752

Aaheli is an anime content writer at FandomeWire. With four years of experience under her belt, she is a living, breathing encyclopedia for anime and manga. She believes in living a slow life, surrounded by incomplete art projects and her beloved cat.