{"id":639718,"date":"2026-05-01T00:46:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T00:46:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/639718\/"},"modified":"2026-05-01T00:46:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T00:46:09","slug":"attack-on-titan-creator-regrets-the-series-controversial-ending","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/639718\/","title":{"rendered":"Attack On Titan Creator Regrets the Series\u2019 Controversial Ending"},"content":{"rendered":"

Despite being widely considered one of the best anime and manga series ever<\/a>, Attack on Titan\u2019s manga came to a fairly controversial close back in 2021 thanks to the unexpected fate of main character Eren Yeager. Now, its creator has said he agrees with criticisms of the conclusion, and his statement on it is quite literally set in stone.<\/p>\n

In a new plaque spotted at Japan\u2019s Attack on Titan Museum by Anime Updates on Twitter<\/a>, AoT creator Hajime Isayama revealed that he\u2019s unhappy with the way the series came to an end, saying he finds \u201ca sense of insincerity\u201d in its debate-spawning conclusion.\u00a0<\/p>\n

pic.twitter.com\/7J5kS0z30W<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Anime Updates (@animeupdates) April 27, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Spoiler<\/p>\n

AoT follows Eren Yeager, a young member of an organization set out to battle some pretty freaky humanoid giants called Titans. Eren\u2019s largely a good guy, but at the end of the series, he ends up destroying nearly all of the world in a misguided attempt to protect his own civilization (and he becomes a huge edgelord in the process). It marks a pretty quick departure from his protagonist status, and it isn\u2019t really reckoned with in a critical way, so it\u2019s easy to see why fans weren\u2019t too happy with the ending.<\/p>\n

\u201cEren became a protagonist who committed mass slaughter on a scale rarely seen in other works of fiction,\u201d Isayama said via the plaque. \u201cAs for why I conceived such a story from the beginning, part of it was my desire to create a narrative with a major twist\u2014where the victim becomes the perpetrator.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut a large factor was also my own immaturity and foolishness at the time, when I was in my early twenties,\u201d he continued. \u201cThat aspect became the core of Eren\u2019s character, leading to the point where he confesses not as someone forced into wrongdoing by circumstances, but as someone who harbored a desire to do harm.\u201d<\/p>\n

The plaque doesn\u2019t specify whether Isayama\u2019s talking about the manga, the anime, or both, but I\u2019d assume he\u2019s mainly referring to the manga here. Isayama slightly altered the plot of AoT\u2019s controversial manga for the anime\u2019s finale<\/a>, in which Eren has a short conversation where he\u2019s at least somewhat held accountable for his actions rather than basically praised for becoming a mass murderer.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, Attack on Titan had long since ceased to be mine alone, and Eren became a character loved by many readers,\u201d Isayama said. \u201cIn the end, without fully committing to portraying him as a detestable figure, I found myself depicting him with a certain closeness and sympathy. As a result, I feel there remains a sense of insincerity in the story\u2019s conclusion\u2014at least in my own assessment.\u201d<\/p>\n

I have to say that I think it\u2019s pretty funny that Isayama chalks all that up to the turmoil of being in his early twenties. Me too, Isayama. On the other hand, admitting that he isn\u2019t happy with the ending of his most famous work is pretty admirable, especially after he literally faced death threats at the beginning of the anime\u2019s massive run<\/a>. Coming to terms with it through a literal museum plaque makes it even more impressive. Good for him!<\/p>\n