There have been few bigger names in the anime and manga industry over the last decade than Attack on Titan. The dark fantasy series by Hajime Isayama debuted in September 2009, and ran for nearly 12 years before ending in April 2021. The anime series, which wrapped up in 2023 after a decade of shaping and reshaping the landscape of the industry, quickly rose in popularity during its very first season, and remained incredibly successful until its completion.

Known for its cold, unforgiving world and tragic protagonist, Attack on Titan is not a series for the faint of heart. Its violence and cruelty cuts through the narrative and delivers gut punch after gut punch to the audience, all the way up to its apocalyptic climax. However, the original manga's editor wants everyone to know that Attack on Titan's original creator is an "amazing person".

Attack on Titan's Editor Shares that Hajime Isayama Is a Delight to Work With

Originally reported by Oricon, editor-in-chief of Weekly Shōnen Magazine Shintaro Kawakubo took the stage at a manga competition to field questions. When asked about his favorite project he worked on, he revealed that he was Hajime Isayama's editor on Attack on Titan. About Isayama, Kawakubo shared, "I met Isayama when he was 19. As his editor, what I want to tell the world is that Isayama is probably the most cost-effective manga creator in history."

He then continued, "He never said I don’t want to do this, not even once. He’s an amazing person." The life of a manga artist isn't easy, but that's high praise to receive from someone Isayama worked with every day for over a decade. After continuing on about the artist's remarkable ability to never get angry or refuse to do any kind of work, he clarified what he meant by 'cost-effective'. He said, "Maybe it's not the best wording. I mean he creates such good manga while also being a wonderful person."

Isayama Is Aware Attack on Titan's Tragic Ending Is Controversial

Despite Being a Delight to Work With, the Artist's Series Ends On a Tragic Note

Attack on Titan's final act has been controversial since initially wrapping up in Isayama's original manga series, and the artist is well aware of that fact. While appearing at Anime NYC in 2022, Isayama became emotional when fans showed their in response to his mention of the controversy surrounding the ending. Moments like these, as well as testimonies from editors about what it was like to work alongside him, should remind fans that the artists behind their favorite works are also human.

Public perception of Attack on Titan's finale has begun to flip ever since the anime adaptation of the series concluded in 2023, and Isayama again spoke about his true intentions as well as the controversy in an interview with The New York Times. However, despite how brutal the series can be throughout its entirety, and especially during its bleak final act, Attack on Titan's editor wants everyone to know that he worked alongside "an amazing person" during the manga's serialization.

Source: Oricon News