Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan) - Manga discussion

[Vyral]

Some informations concerning Chapter 0 bundle with the first Blu-Ray :
Warning : it reveals a key information concerning the story.

Spoiler for Spoilers concerning chapter 0 and the entire manga:

人類は滅亡迎えていた
Humanity was facing its downfall.
１００年前　地球環境に危険を覚えた宗教科学団体
100 years before, a religious sciences organization took the danger of environmental ruin to heart.
彼らがとった究極の自然保護活動が。。。
They activated their ultimate nature conservation strategy...
「人類駆逐計画」
"Human Extermination Plan"
http://getworld.ddo.jp/pt/file/1373947674.jpg
http://up.null-x.me/poverty/img/poverty76172.jpg
http://up.null-x.me/poverty/img/poverty76174.jpg
http://up.null-x.me/poverty/img/poverty76180.jpg
http://up.null-x.me/poverty/img/poverty76181.jpg
http://up.null-x.me/poverty/img/poverty76182.jpg

Source : shingekikyojin.net

[chikkychappy]

^Can we take this as canon?

[desrtsku]

I had the feeling that something like this would happen, I can't believe it actually did.

[Jan-Poo]

Wait this isn't a prequel nor anything, this is a submission to the MGP of 2006, which is basically a contest for young manga authors.

It's interesting to see that Isayama had the concepts of this story already in his mind at least three years before the publication, but the current story might be completely different from what he wrote back then.

BTW these facts are confirmed in Isayama's wiki page.

[Sasukeuzi]

Originally Posted by chikkychappy

^Can we take this as canon?

I wouldn't take it as canon since the story is only a prototype/oneshot of what we have now. But it is possible that Isayama could use that plot device in the story later on. From what we've seen so far from the artificial Titans and Eren's dad, it could be very possible. JUST GOTTA FIND DAT BASEMENT!!!

[chikkychappy]

^I find this eco-weapon origin story satisfying so I'll be all right with it if it's indeed canon. I think there's enough mystery left even even if this origin story has been revealed, such as how were humans slowly decimated, how was there enough time to build the wall in the first place, who are the humans left alive outside the walls (are they all shifters?), etc?

But there are questions. If it's really about ecology, then it implies that humans have reached a point technologically-advanced enough to really f***-up the environment. But if this were the case then humans should have had advanced weapons to kill-off the titans other than canons, guns, etc.

[Jan-Poo]

There's also to consider the fact that the current year in the story is 850, we don't know what it does refers to, but supposedly it's a year count system that has been used for about 800 years. The titans however only appeared some 100 years before.

If this story is set on our Earth and 850 are A.D. then the Titans appeared long before cannons were even invented. That doesn't make much sense, moreover railroads like the ones we see on top of the walls were invented in the industrial Era.

If this story is set on our Earth but in the future, then one would wonder why the A.D. were abandoned and in favor of what. BTW there doesn't seem to be any sign of Christianity left among the humans in the walled country.

We need to consider that the walled country occupies a huge territory, so huge that it can only be in the middle of North America or Asia, if it's really on our Earth. And this huge area not only is completely devoid of any trace of technology, but it looks completely uncontaminated by pollution of any kind.
If Titans were created by eco-terrorist, they fought against something that didn't really have any consistent lasting effect.

PS: I just though of a possible solution. The land they are currently could be the Antarctica, which would explain why there are no signs of technology left and it's consistent with an ecological disaster scenario, moreover it's consistent with the fact that people had to cross the ocean to reach it. However if this is what it is, then Isayama didn't realize that Antarctica would be for the most part submerged by water if all of its glaciers melted, it would become an archipelago. Moreover 100 years do not look enough for such huge tree forest to grow, and if Antarctica became like that before the arrival of titans, it would have been surely colonized by humans

[Haigon]

Originally Posted by Jan-Poo

We need to consider that the walled country occupies a huge territory, so huge that it can only be in the middle of North America or Asia, if it's really on our Earth. And this huge area not only is completely devoid of any trace of technology, but it looks completely uncontaminated by pollution of any kind.
If Titans were created by eco-terrorist, they fought against something that didn't really have any consistent lasting effect.

It occupies a area roughly the size of Texas, can't it fit on Eastern Europe?

[Jan-Poo]

Originally Posted by Haigon

It occupies a area roughly the size of Texas, can't it fit on Eastern Europe?

You need to consider that the sea is unheard of for the people in the present day, and that means you cannot see it not even standing on the 50 meter tall wall Maria.

That makes the area of land necessary for that to match even larger.

You need to go further east in Russian\Asian territory.

However according to the deciphered writings the people in the walled country crossed a sea before reaching that place.

If this is Earth, considering they all have German names, then this can't be Europe nor Asia, unless they are Nazi refugees from America.

I have actually omitted Africa as a possibility because the climate and the vegetation doesn't match.
But to be honest, trees that huge should only exist in America that I know of. I could be wrong though, I'm not a botanical expert.

[Casshern]

So, this is completely irrelevant, but I saw the add for the new smurfs film and remembered watching the cartoon when I was a kid, and how Gargamel always tried to catch them and eat them. I thought luckily the smurfs didn't have 3D gear or Gargamel would be fucked.

[Darkpony]

im pretty sure being up 50 meters you still wouldnt be able to see the sea in europe o-o

[chikkychappy]

@Jan-Poo:
Really like your Antarctica theory, but this can't be since Antartica runs on a 6-month daylight/6-month night cycle rather than the usual 24-hour day.

Anyway, SnK is probably a sort of an alternative past given the technological limitations. Probably right in the middle of Europe because of the characters' ethnicities. How far can a really tall human see (say, 6'6") from atop Wall Maria anyway?

edit:
Based on this page you can see less than 30km. Not very far...

Originally Posted by Jan-Poo

However according to the deciphered writings the people in the walled country crossed a sea before reaching that place.

Where was this written?

[Jan-Poo]

Originally Posted by chikkychappy

@Jan-Poo:
Really like your Antarctica theory, but this can't be since Antartica runs on a 6-month daylight/6-month night cycle rather than the usual 24-hour day.

Good point. So unless the axis shifted it can't be Antarctica.

Originally Posted by chikkychappy

Anyway, SnK is probably a sort of an alternative past given the technological limitations. Probably right in the middle of Europe because of the characters' ethnicities.

I'm in fact against the theory of this story being set in our Earth, but it's always a good idea to evaluate various possibilities I think.

There can be various hypotheses anyway about this world

1) It's a completely unrelated planet, just as in your average fantasy story. Proper names and other cultural similarities are just coincidences (quite common in fantasy setting).

2) It's planet Earth but in an alternative universe.

3) It's planet Earth but in a what if scenario that changed the course of history (kinda similar to number 2, just without the overused many worlds interpretation)

4) It's planet Earth but in a distant future.

Originally Posted by chikkychappy

How far can a really tall human see (say, 6'6") from atop Wall Maria anyway?[

edit:
Based on this page you can see less than 30km. Not very far...

A little less than I thought. There's also the explorations of the recon squad to consider, but they probably never went farther than 30 km.

Originally Posted by chikkychappy

Where was this written?

here:
http://forums.animesuki.com/showthre...45#post4700845

[hyper_oats]

Originally Posted by hyper_oats

Here's something cool I just noticed after a bit of rereading. Remember the scene where Irwin gives his speech and everyone but Annie decides to join up for the Scouting Legion? Check out this picture here: http://www.batoto.net/read/_/21416/s...ch21_by_tdx/28

Notice something? Bert isn't in there. The mangaka could have just forgotten to draw him in, but that seems a bit silly and random. He's been very good with details so far. Go to the page right before it. Irwin welcomes the recruits into the Scouting Legion, thanks them for their bravery and asks everyone to dedicate their lives to the cause. Notice it now?

Bert's the odd one out. He's the only one that was completely insincere. That's why he wasn't included on that page. Everyone else there really meant it on some level. What about Reiner? We now know as of chapter 46 that Reiner started deluding himself into believing he really was a soldier of humanity. And Ymir? She may not seem to be on anyone's side at the moment. But then again, she risked her life to save other trainees. She also formed relationships with Christa and Sasha, maybe more. Clearly stated that she was there (on humanity's side) for her own sake and was going to help Eren until she got threatened.

That's some very nice attention to detail.

Looks like they included Bert in the anime version of that scene, what a pity.

[battle22]

Does anyone know when can we expect the next chapter (RAW) to come out?

[Sasukeuzi]

Originally Posted by battle22

Does anyone know when can we expect the next chapter (RAW) to come out?

The scanned version should be out in about a week, so I'd say give or take a couple of days. Maybe in a couple of days, like August 2 or something. Just a hypothesis, idk when Bessatsu Shonen Magazine usually comes out.

[Ruben7227]

Hi everyone. Loooooong time lurker, and just signed up to get into this discussion.

With that out of the way, I've been reading the board, and everyone has some really good info/theories. Something has been bugging me all month though and Christa/Historia.

Can she be a titan also???

I wondering because of here background. Pretty much all of the humanoid titans know about her, by the conversations from that last few chapters. So one theory I came up with is that one big reason to breach the walls was to find Christa/Historia. I don't think it was the main reason, but they knew what was going on at the time in Historia's family.(Her being disowned.) And it seems like the freedom fighters are looking for people who can join their cause. Someone like Christa, with her knowledge of whatever she knows, may have been the key, until Eren showed up.

In fact, her family was in power within the country, they could be a long line of former humanoid titan fighters that fought with humanity 100+ years ago.

I know some people might think this is crazy talk, but think out of the box,(Or walls...heh) and there is some logic to it. I'm just curious if anyone can add to it and make it more plausible.

[Jan-Poo]

Welcome to the discussion.

Regarding your theory the possibility that Christa is a Titan at this point cannot be excluded, actually we are pretty much certain that anyone can become a titan at this point, the question is whether Christa can transform and remain in control or that she is aware of that.

I'd say that she probably isn't aware, because she had many situations she could have used her power before and she never did. The only alternative is that she'd rather die than using her titan powers (which cannot be excluded I guess).

On the suggestion that Christa might have been Reiner and Co. original objective, I'd say that it's more likely false.

In the latest chapter Reiner explains to Bert why Christa is important and why she could be useful. He wouldn't need to tell him that if Christa was the very reason they killed thousand of people.
Moreover Reiner in his explanation seems to imply that Christa might be useful for her knowledge and not for some kind of titan power. Reiner mentions some "coordinate" as the thing that they are looking for and the possibility that Eren might not be that "coordinate".
I that case Christa is implied to be useful to locate that "coordinate" and not as the coordinate itself.

[StrikeFreedomV2]

I hope itd okay to ask this here, but I only watched the Anime so far and just started with Vol. 1 of the manga. Now my question: I know Eren fights the Titan Shifters in his Titan Form, but does he ever fight in his human form against the regular Titans, with the swords? I'm curious about that

[Breimoon]

Originally Posted by Jan-Poo

Welcome to the discussion.

Regarding your theory the possibility that Christa is a Titan at this point cannot be excluded, actually we are pretty much certain that anyone can become a titan at this point, the question is whether Christa can transform and remain in control or that she is aware of that.

I'd say that she probably isn't aware, because she had many situations she could have used her power before and she never did. The only alternative is that she'd rather die than using her titan powers (which cannot be excluded I guess).

On the suggestion that Christa might have been Reiner and Co. original objective, I'd say that it's more likely false.

In the latest chapter Reiner explains to Bert why Christa is important and why she could be useful. He wouldn't need to tell him that if Christa was the very reason they killed thousand of people.
Moreover Reiner in his explanation seems to imply that Christa might be useful for her knowledge and not for some kind of titan power. Reiner mentions some "coordinate" as the thing that they are looking for and the possibility that Eren might not be that "coordinate".
I that case Christa is implied to be useful to locate that "coordinate" and not as the coordinate itself.

could this cordinate thing be what it allows titans to return humans? As in a special genome of royal family?It could explain how Eren's father managed to turn his son in a titan shifter