The Untold Truth Of Attack On Titan

The manga was going strong when the anime first aired in 2013, and the reaction to the series only increased Attack on Titan's popularity. WIT Studio has since developed a reputation as a solid anime house, but back then, it was in its infancy—and overwhelmed by the demands of its first major project. In April of that year, with the series still ongoing, Chief Animation Director Kyoji Asano sent out a plea for help. "Is there any active animator who is interested in the Attack on Titan anime?" he tweeted. "If you are, please make contact with WIT Studio. Please lend us your strength, everyone."

Whoever they hired, they chose well, as the finished product was hailed by critics at the time and stands second only to classic psychological thriller Death Note on My Anime List. Before long, western audiences were introduced to the Titans, with Adult Swim picking up the show as part of their Toonami block. Before long, Attack on Titan was must-watch anime on both sides of the Pacific.

In the end, the show became so popular that it wound up impacting its own source material. "The anime influenced the characters in the manga," Isayama admitted. "When the characters move and come to life with actors' voices, that helps me understand the characters in more detail when I'm drawing the manga."