《进击的巨人》导演时隔7年谈MAPPA接手

WIT Studio was established in 2012, and the very first anime produced by the studio was Attack on Titan. Based on the award-winning manga written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama, the anime debuted in 2013 and didn’t take long before capturing viewers’ attention. While WIT is one of the most renowned animation studios in Japan right now, it faced major struggles during the production of Attack on Titan. For a new studio without any foothold in the industry, it was an incredibly ambitious project. However, there’s no denying that WIT Studio was probably the best choice for the series. The first three seasons are still praised for laying the groundwork for the story.

Whether it’s the visuals or the fluid movements, hardly any anime even now can compare to it. The anime had an exceptional run for the first three seasons, but things changed drastically after the time skip. WIT Studio wrapped up the second part of Season 3 in 2019, a couple of years before the manga reached its conclusion. The story took a drastic turn in the post-timeskip era, sparking several controversies and fan debates even after the manga’s finale in 2021. It’s been more than seven years since WIT Studio wrapped up Season 3, and the Chief Animation Director finally opens up about the unexpected change.

Attack on Titan Shares Thoughts on MAPPA’s Adaptation in Final Season

In an interview with Anime News Network, the Chief Animation Director, Tetsuro Araki, shared, “For various reasons, MAPPA took over the series. They continued it with a level of quality that didn’t fall short of ours. If anything, I think they achieved an even higher level of quality. When you look at the story as a whole, everything fits together. You can watch all of the episodes straight through.” He continued, “In the end, MAPPA brought the series to its conclusion, and that cultural legacy was completed. I think that’s an incredibly rare thing. I think Attack on Titan is a miraculous work, and I don’t think something like it will come along again very easily.”

While the first three seasons of the anime are still loved, WIT Studio had to wash its hands of the series for various reasons. Things changed completely around the time the manga was in its final stretch, which means the studio was under a tight deadline to wrap up the story as soon as possible. Although Araki didn’t open up about the reason behind the change in studio, he praised MAPPA’s adaptation. WIT Studio originally wanted the anime to become a cultural legacy, and while they did their part, it wouldn’t have been possible if MAPPA’s adaptation wasn’t equally as amazing. While WIT Studio initially faced difficulties over its next flagship title, things turned out for the better when Spy x Family was introduced. Spy x Family is another acclaimed Shonen Jump series, and the anime is a collaborative project between WIT Studio and CloverWorks.

MAPPA Is Planning a Major Return for Attack on Titan Fans

At this point, the anime can’t continue since the manga never returned with a new chapter or any sequel after wrapping things up. Isayama dealt with severe stress and even health issues when the manga was in its final stretch. Things only got worse due to the extreme criticism from fans, which might be another reason why he never returned with an extra or even a new story, even now. However, both animation studios often revive the anime in theatres with new versions of the already released episodes or compilations, but that’s all we can expect from the anime right now.

September 9th has been declared as the official Attack on Titan Day, which means the franchise will reveal new updates every year while commemorating this special day. Not only that, MAPPA will adapt the final storyline for the upcoming game, Attack on Titan 3. The game will be released on December 10th, 2026, which gives fans something new to look forward to by the end of the year. Additionally, the series is also listed among the MAPPA projects that will be displayed during the 15th anniversary Expo.