Attack on Titanis one of the most popular anime and manga franchises of all time. For the better part of a decade, it seemed the landscape of anime shifted and morphed alongside whateverAttack on Titanwas doing, and by the time it was nearing its conclusion, the airing of new episodes turned into weekly events within the community.
Social media became flooded with discussion as the long-awaited finale grew nearer, with the show eventually spreading its reach beyond the boundaries of the anime community, and into Western mainstream pop culture.
Attack on Titanwas huge during its run, but one longtimeWeekly Shōnen Jumpeditor believes it could never quite match the other titans of the industry for one surprising, but simple reason.
Dragon Ball’s Original Editor Explains Why Attack on Titan Is a Step Below Other Legends
Attack on Titan Doesn’t Have the Staying Power of Other Major Titles
Kazuhiko Torishima, the editor who brought Akira Toriyama andDragon BalltoWeekly Shōnen Jump,recently sat down to discuss a number of topicswith fans and interviewers at Japan Expo. There he was asked about the state of the manga industry, other popular titles, and what makes stories likeDragon Ballseemingly immortal.
He pointed toAttack on Titan, arguably the most popular shōnen anime and manga series of the last 15 years, but also a series that has seen its sales drop dramatically since its conclusion aired in 2023. He said:
“The other day, I talked with someone from the German publishing house, and he saidAttack on Titanmade a lot of noise, but in the end, the manga didn’t sell that well. After the anime ended, the manga stopped selling. But look atDragon BallandNaruto—they keep selling even though the anime is over. So what’s the difference?”
He continued, “InDragon BallandNaruto, readers experience the world through the character’s eyes. It’s not so much about the story itself, but the fact that the reader is taken on a journey by the character. Thanks to that simple structure, both adults and children are captivated.”
Attack on Titan’s Structure Holds It Back From Lasting Success
Other Legendary Titles Have One Thing Over Attack on Titan
Torishima wasn’t insultingAttack on Titanin any way with his comments. Rather, he pointed out a key difference that allows stories likeNarutoandespeciallyDragon Ballto survive long after they’ve finished.Attack on Titanis a strong, narrative-heavy experience that clearly drives its audience from a starting point to a clear and closed ending.
Dragon Ballon the other hand follows a much more loose structure. A new villain appears, and the heroes must find ways to get stronger and overcome the threat. There are ongoing storylines throughout, but the main focus will always be the current threat at hand.The finale of Akira Toriyama’s mangafeels more like the start of a new arc than it does a natural conclusion.
That has allowed for multiple spin-offs and sequels to pick right up at any point in the timeline and run with a new, exciting, and effective adventure.Attack on Titan, however, is over. The conflict of the series has ended, its main character has completed his arc, and there’s little more for the world to offer.
The book has closed onAttack on Titan, meanwhile fans can pick upDragon Ballat any time and become lost in the wonder and speculation of what new fights their favorite heroes might face next.Attack on Titanisn’t bad in any way, nor was Hajime Isayama wrong for structuring his story the way he did.
Few other stories have accomplished whatAttack on Titanhas since its debut, but according to Torishima, that straightline narrative will forever hold the series back from the success enjoyed by the industry’s top shonen titles.
Attack On Titan
Cast
Based on the manga, Attack on Titan is a dark-action fantasy series set in a world where humanity has been corralled into walled cities from fear of monstrous human-eating Titans that exist outside of them. When protagonist Eren Yeager’s mother is killed in front of his eyes at a young age, his thirst for vengeance leads him to join an elite group of soldiers created to fight back against the Titan menace.
