Attack on Titan's Dystopia

 The Dystopian World of Attack on Titan

    In the first episode of Attack on Titan, the viewer is introduced to a society that lives behind three sets of fifty-meter-high walls. This society is called Eldia. They live in peace, standing as the last survivors of humanity. Yet, many don't remember their nation's past. They simply understand that going outside the walls would be a death wish, since giant, five-to-ten-meter, man-eating titans roam the land. There are some who want to venture out, like the protagonist Eren. He wishes to join the Scouts who attempt to fight back against the titans and explore the land outside. However, everything gets flipped on its head when titans break through the walls. A massacre breaks out as titan's shuffle in. Eren and his friends are forced to leave Eren's mother behind as they flee behind the second ring of walls.

    This episode tackles dystopian themes of isolation and genocide. The scene in the first episode has bloody, violent animation to get the brutality of the massacre across to the viewer. A third of Eldia's land is taken away. Without this land, they struggle to find the food and resources to care for those who survived the attack. Some die to famine while others are forced to join the Scouts to fight the titans. This shifts the social status, as those with more wealth can live more comfortably. This is mainly found with higher ups in the government which creates a type of hierarchy. The art style often uses bleak or darker colors which helps contribute to the hopeless, dystopian atmosphere. Many characters lose loved ones and friends which initiates this cycle of revenge. As Eren and the other Scouts fight back to retrieve their lost land, racism is brought into the equation. Those who aren't seen as a superior race often experience unfair treatment. These types of power struggles remain prominent throughout the show.

    There are many characters to keep track of throughout the arc of the show. However, this large cast is shown to be primarily male. For an example, there are three main trios. The focus revolves around Eren, Armin, and Mikasa. The two side trios consist of Jean, Connie, and Sasha and Reiner, Bertholdt, and Annie. Each of these trios has two male characters and one female. In addition, the men often have more screen time than the women do. For the female characters, Mikasa gets most of the attention. At times her and Eren swap gender roles. Mikasa is seen to fight and scare away their bullies more effectively than Eren. She also excels in the Scout training, placing at the top of her cadet group. She kills far more titans than Eren who often appears more emotional while Mikasa remains more stoic. She acts as a role model for the other characters within the story, and as an empowerment figure for the viewers. It's also important to note that even the government is a group of male figures. The leaders of this story are men. Nearly all of the military generals or leaders are male like Erwin or Commander Pixis. There is a slight shift in equaling out the gender ratio later in the show, but the first two seasons showcase primarily men. It resembles the imbalance that show in our own world.

    Attack on Titan's first episode would serve for wide in class discussion if it were required. The dystopian elements are everywhere, and the mass death and isolation could be linked to past historical events. The differences between Eren and Mikasa follow both traditional and nontraditional gender norms. As the show progresses, there are many twists that shift the power and understanding of the dystopia. Watching the first episode could inspire others to watch more episodes and seasons. 

(Side note: I would highly recommend. One of the few shows that inspired my passion for storytelling)

Works Cited

"To You, In 2000 Years." Attack On Titan, written by Hajime Isayama, directed by Tetsuro Araki, Wit Studios, 2014.