Hajime Isayama reveals he's now burnt out and unable to create anything similar to Attack on Titan. The 39-year-old manga artist released his best-selling manga and anime series in 2009, and since then, he's been unable to create anything of a similar caliber. Despite this sad news, it doesn't mean he isn't working, as Isayama has reassured fans that he's still keeping busy.
Oricon reported that Isayama appeared at the revival screening of Attack on Titan: The LAST ATTACK in Tokyo, Japan, where he revealed what's next for him since the anime released its final episode back in 2023. On stage, he announced that he was, "No longer working," but is doing other illustration and autograph work. He also added that he's unable to create something similar to Attack on Titan, as whenever he attempts to write something new, it ends up incorporating elements from his hit franchise, leading him to believe he poured everything into his first serial work.
"Many years have passed since the manga serialization and anime broadcast ended, but I’m no longer working," he said. "I’ve occasionally been asked to draw illustrations and sign autographs, and I’ve helped out with Kaji-san’s Breeze Project, but I no longer draw on a daily basis. However, I am by no means living a self-indulgent life; I am busy every day. Please believe me on that. My daily life is far from the NEET life I dreamed of while serializing. However, even if I weren’t so busy now, I don’t think I could write anything like Attack on Titan. If I try to write something, it will end up being a cut-out of one of the elements I drew in Attack on Titan. I think this first serialization was like that, where I poured everything out until I was completely empty."
What is Attack on Titan about?
Attack on Titan is a Japanese media franchise first released in 2009, set in a world where man-eating titans roam and humanity has chosen to live in safety behind the walls. One of its residents is Eren Yeager, a young boy who dreams of joining the Survey Corps, despite knowing how dangerous the job is, as this team is known for facing the titans outside the walls. After a breech, where the Armored and Collosal Titan destroyed parts of the outer wall, Eren witnesses a Titan eating his mother, and thus vows to kill all titans.
As the story progresses, more secrets are revealed, such as how Eren and a few others can transform into titans at will, that the people inside the walls aren't the only humans remaining, and the truth about the origin of the walls. The anime adaptation aired from 2013 to 2023, spanning four seasons, and was highly praised by fans and critics alike, earning a 96% critics score and a 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, and receiving numerous accolades, including numerous Crunchyroll Anime Award nominations for seven years in a row.
Attack on Titan is available to stream on Crunchyroll.