Another thing that excited me about the last chapter was seeing Louise and the callback to an event I’ve talked about very recently concerning Mikasa’s development.
I’ve referred to her salute here as the beginnings of her development into a proud soldier and defender of the peace. What is especially significant about this development is that it is wholly separate to her love for Eren. So, seeing Louise give the same salute here in trying to convince her to help Eren ignites a certain cognitive dissonance within her.
She’s seeing, in an image, her duties as a soldier combined with her desire to help Eren.
So, first of all
let’s consider that in these last two chapters Eren is characterized in a
way which hides his thoughts. Isayama hasn’t let us inside his head,
exactly like we aren’t let inside Zeke’s head.
However, in
chapters 106 and 107 we are given flashbacks of two different characters
(Armin and Hange) reguarding Eren and thanks to those two flashbacks we
can start putting together several pieces that are progressively
explaining Eren’s behaviour.
Let’s see what these two flashbacks tell us about Eren’s evolution during the three years of time-skip.
It may have been instinctive on Mikasa’s part to protect Eren but what’s interesting is that it took only an instant for her to back down. She and Armin have an entire conversation with just their eyes. She remembers, he understands, she looks sad, perhaps even ashamed. In the panels that follow, Mikasa and Armin are not hovering over Eren. They are leaving him alone.
I would guess that Mikasa and Armin have gotten close these last several months. They’ve probably discussed this exact scenario. Maybe they tried to work out their anger and hurt before they arrived in Marley. Obviously, it’s still simmering.
I can’t imagine any scenario that would end with a permanent separation. He might be an idiot, but he’s their idiot. I don’t see that changing. They are disappointed, angry and hurt but still care very much. They know, too, that unless the curse of Ymir ends, Eren has only a short time left to live. That probably factors in.
As far as blame for Sasha’s death, I don’t think so. Jean is speaking emotionally and reacting with understandable anger, but I think once cooler heads prevail that will fade. Eren is likely facing desertion and insubordination, murder won’t be added to that list.
Is anyone else curious as to why Porco was able to pinpoint Levi and Mikasa as Ackerman’s the very second he laid eyes on them? Was he able to deduce their clan blood due to their skill in combat and strength or is there some kind of defining physical feature? Maybe it has something to do with him being a titan shifter and the the Ackerman’s being “byproducts of titan science”? Can they just sense it somehow?
I am more than open for discussion on this topic because it wasn’t just Porco. Zeke knew they were Ackerman’s too. Which, for Mikasa would make sense due to Reiner and Bertoldt knowing her surname. However, they didn’t know Levi’s. How did Zeke – without a shadow of a doubt – know Levi was an Ackerman without needing the proof of hearing his surname?
Maybe that’s exactly how it is. The shifters may be able to sense the Ackerman people as some sort of threat or have a hunch / feeling that they’re not a common human.
Don’t forget about the “Rogue” Titan attacking Mikasa twice in the Trost arc, when Eren lost control of his titan. That detail always seemed strange to me, because he kind of attacked her the way he was attacking the pure titans when he first transformed… but she was “just a human”? And on his very first transformation he was always ignoring people and just went on a rampage against the titans.
Just to add to this, in chapter 69 Uri knew that Kenny was an Ackerman without being told. And the panel where Annie called Mikasa a beast was another strange one.
After Zeke states that Eren is not his enemy in front of Pieck and Porco, the next panel shows their reaction:
That bubble speech, positioned right there, from my point of view seems to indicate that he just declared both of them and/or Marleyas his enemies instead in a kinda subtle?? way. Not Levi.
As some other people pointed out, the way Zeke dramatically falls after Levi cut him is not believable at all. There’s not even damage in his legs for him to fall like that, unless Levi straight-out cut him in half inside of his Titan or something for him to fall face first?
Then Levi just drops the bomb on the Beast Titan’s nape and leaves like buh-bye!
Too easy-peasy, right?
What I guess, in a complete speculative mode, is that Zeke could be wearing a 3DMG and flew the hell out of there before Levi dropped the bomb or even a bit before Levi cut his nape, for his titan to fall down like a puppet. All of this while Levi was aware (IF they’re working together in spite of everything).
The other possibility is that he escaped a few moments before Levi dropped the bomb. Now, if he’s still inside the nape, he could have used the hardening ability (if he got the upgrade) to protect his human body or he just got kinda screwed inside there but he’s still alive.
Whatever happened, we still need to know all the zekerets.
He was clearly waiting for Levi to get there and cut him apart. I know it may seem unrealistic at first, but it just so happens so suddenly that Zeke doesn’t even try to resist? Also, Isayama didn’t even draw some monologue of him inside his nape, screaming and so on. There is clearly something up with him. I think the plan was for Levi to cut him out and get him away from there, while they put up a play where he is actually on Marley’s side. He just… went down way too quickly for me to think this was a legitimate battle, despite Levi’s face expression. Afterwards though, if he was really trying to kill Zeke he could have just cut him out of there and ended him on the spot instead of risking the bomb not going through/killing him properly. The bomb was most likely a distraction so that the people watching (Falco, Gabi, Magath) would not realize what happens.
Plus, when he says “Come on out, Levi. Time is running.” There is this panel of Levi with the watch:
Isayama Hajime Holds Autograph & Q&A Session in Oyama, Oita on March 3rd, 2018
As announced on his most recent blog entry, Isayama Hajime held his latest autograph session in his hometown of Oyama, Oita, Japan!
The lucky fans who were able to attend shared various photos of his sketches and signatures, as seen above. Separate sessions were held with different groups of fans within a room in the onsen resort where the event took place. Each group had 30 minutes to ask him questions and receive illustrations. A total of 30 chosen participants were divided up into 6 groups of 5.
Isayama’s answers to various fan questions are as below (Note: These are fan accounts):
About Levi and the other characters’ updated looks: Levi’s cape is a new, black one. However, Levi couldn’t adapt to the other changes, so he kept his uniform and blades. Kawakubo Shintaro (Isayama’s editor) didn’t want any visual changes for the characters – he even wanted Eren to stay clean-shaven. However Isayama decided to not “shave” Eren too much.
On Older Eren: 19-year-old Eren’s height is 183cm – the same as Grisha. However, Isayama states that Eren was more like Carla when he was younger. [T/N:Grisha is actually 182cm, so Isayama may have misremembered here. Zeke however is 183cm.]
On Erwin’s Burial: The Survey Corps had to move on quickly to fight further after Battle of Shiganshina, but Levi later returned and brought back Erwin’s skeletonized body with him/buried him. Though a lot of soldiers perished, there was a special memorial service for Erwin.
On Horoscopes: Neither Eren nor Jean’s birthdays were decided through horoscope characterizations/stereotypes.
On Levi’s Father: Isayama has no plans to draw Levi’s father in the manga. He’s not anyone significant – Isayama thinks he was probably just a short guy.
On Levi’s Cape (Again): The question was what Isayama thought of fans thinking that the cape belonged to Erwin. Isayama states that there is a sense that Levi dyed the green cape into a black color. He doesn’t know whose cape it was, but if it belonged to Erwin, Isayama doesn’t think the size would’ve worked for Levi.
On New Character Designs (Again): Why didn’t Levi’s change much compared to the 104th? Isayama says he wanted to show that the 104th trainees belong to the “Smartphone Generation,” but Levi decided to stay with his “Flip Phone.” Levi doesn’t understand the younger generation, and he is turning into an old man (Literally “Oji-san”).
On Erwin: Will Erwin appear in the manga again, even if just for one panel? Isayama says he thinks there are still chances, such as in flashbacks.
Hardcore Eren: If Eren goes to karaoke, what type of songs will he sing? Isayama: “Metal.”
General Eren Facts: Besides now standing at 183cm, Eren is also a heavyweight drinker (Doesn’t get drunk easily) and good at cleaning. He is now influenced by a lot of the memories he retained, and he determinedly chopped off his own leg before entering Marley. His irises are a grey-ish color and his bloodtype is B.
“Will you be happy with developing the future plot similar to how you drew the story so far?” Isayama: “Yes! But I want to see the readers anticipating [the upcoming plot].” Kawakubo: “Like he said, I’ve been saying the same thing! Everyone is looking forward to it.” Isayama: “…Then I’ll change the story.”
Eren & Elysium: When Eren asked Falco “Is that person…a girl?”, he was under the influence of other people’s memories (Possibly Grisha in that moment). The new Survey Corps uniform was inspired by Matt Damon’s external armor/exoskeleton in Elysium (Below). When asked about the members going to the restroom, Isayama: “It would be better to open a hole in that design…”
Lots More Information: Isayama on Eren’s bloodtype – “Because this is a fantasy series, maybe there are not only 4 blood types. But then again, are they even counted as human…?” [T/N: This somewhat contradicts the earlier fan account where Isayama said outright that Eren’s bloodtype was B…].
“What will Levi think of Eren’s current look?” Isayama (Without hesitation): “Dirty.” [T/N: As in unclean, of course]
“Was it Eren’s own idea to grow his hair long?”
Isayama: “Right now he is in a state where he is no longer paying attention to how people view him, so he just let it grow out.”
“Did Eren consider the fact that he will be infiltrating Marley when he grew out his hair?” Isayama: “Since he was supposed to be a hospitalized patient, he actually should’ve kept a cleaner hairstyle.” [T/N: A little vague, but this basically sounds like Eren didn’t mean to grow his hair out as a disguise]
“Were there any cases of when you let the characters’ behavior and dialogue develop organically?” Isayama: “In general, I let the characters evolve on their own. I don’t remember things after I draw them. I can’t look at my storyboard calmly right after I finish them, so Bakku-san (Kawakubo) is the one who reads them objectively.”
“Following up on that answer: Bakku-san will immediately read your storyboard (In less than one day) after you submit them to him?” Isayama: “Since he has been waiting for the storyboard to arrive, in most cases he will read them in one or two hours after I give them to him.”
“Did they (Eren and Levi) resolve the confusion of when Eren said ‘midget old man (chibi oyaji)’? Or did Eren apologize?” Isayama: “Levi is not concerned about being referred to that way. But after Eren said it and Levi thought about the moniker by himself later, he seemed hurt. He probably thought “So Eren sees me like that….”
“Any plan to draw the four-year period back on Paradis island?” Isayama: “That’s something I can’t tell you for now. (Kawakubo also chimed in here and said: “Isayama-sensei won’t tell you anything, but please look forward…”)
“Kenny said he will never go to a brothel. Does Levi think the same way?” Isayama: “Because it’s an environment that Levi had been part of since childhood, it seems like he considers prostitution as just another ordinary job.”
“What is Eren’s current body weight?” Isayama: “If I have to answer that now – he indeed gained some weight because he has grown taller. However, he has a rather slender body.”
Chef Levi: “When the characters lived in the castle [T/N: Not sure if this meant Utgard or the SC headquarters], who made the meals?” Isayama: “Everyone. Everyone knows how to cook, because they are soldiers.” “So it doesn’t matter if someone is a new cadet or not?” Isayama: “Ohhh. In that sense, maybe those who are in higher ranks don’t cook.” “Then can Levi cook?” Isayama: “I think he can.” “Does he hold the knife in a reverse fashion?” Isayama: “He holds it the normal way. If he holds a cooking knife in reverse, he would just seem like a cocky person (Laughs}.”
Bloodtypes (Again): “Please tell me the blood types of Shingashina Trio.” Isayama: “If we are talking in the sense of normal blood types, then Eren is B, Armin is O, and Mikasa AB.”
Anime Changes: “At the end of Season 1′s OP, Eren’s eyes turned red. Was it an effect of him turning into his titan form?” Isayama: “It’s because the anime was completely at director Araki’s discretion. In the original work, it was not designed like that.”
Eren, Levi, & Cleaning: “I feel that Eren has been together with the Captain for a long time. Will their actions or language be influenced by one another?” Isayama: “For Eren, [the thing that influences him the most is] the cleaning. It is not because he likes cleanliness, but more that he has to do it – otherwise he will get scolded.” “Does Eren have a cleaning skill he is very good at?” Isayama: “It would be that — dusting. [T/N: Isayama’s original word here means “beating/knocking and dusting”. It can mean dusting general objects or dusting a futon, during which you hang the material outside. Judging from his next sentence saying Eren could make a stick for cleaning, Isayama was likely referring to him beating a futon and dusting it that way.] Maybe he would make a stick from tree branch and then wrap it with clothing or cotton.” “Then how will Levi react to it?!” Isayama: “Ohh, wouldn’t Levi want to see it (Laughs)? Although he wouldn’t consider it as good work, he would be quite surprised [T/N: There is a sense of “caught off-guard” in his feeling].”
Another Character Death: “There have been a lot of character deaths up to now. Is anyone going to die in the future?” Isayama: “I don’t even know, but I’ve decided for one person to die. It’s like when I draw the storyboard and I suddenly realize – ‘Huh? [This person] just died?’ But for other characters, I still don’t know.”
High School AU:“The High School AU is very popular among fans. Will you make it into a complete story?” Kawakubo: “Isayama-sensei is very into the idea of doing a spin-off.” Isayama: “I’m very concerned about its quality. I think I can only do that if I have the chance to learn about American culture in-depth, and draw it in a detailed fashion.”
Levi in the High School AU: “What’s the color of janitor Levi’s jumpsuit in SnK High School AU?” Isayama: “Deep blue. I based its model on the game Life is Strange.”
“Have there been times where you came across ‘secondary creations’ of your work (e.g. Donjinshi and/or fanart)? If so, what perspective do you have of them?” Isayama: “There are times when I have come across them. That alone has already made me happy. Like, people are creating new types of ‘fun’ out of Shingeki. I don’t mind no matter how you are having fun with it.”
On SnK’s Manga’s Ending Date: “Have you decided on when to finish this series? Have you ever considered timing its completion with the Tokyo Olympics (In 2020) somehow?” Isayama: “I’m now working on the manga without any decision about the ending date. But [Kawakubo and my] shared idea is to finish it quickly. Five years ago, we decided to finish the series in three years (Isayama and Kawakubo laugh together).”
Erwin as a Character: “What’s the role of Erwin in the work Shingeki no Kyojin?” Isayama: “For the protagonists, it is necessary to have a charismatic superior, and that ;person is Erwin. I think he never broke into cold sweat. It would be wrong for him to get that nervous/anxious.”
Revisiting Erwin and Bertholt in Flashbacks: “I find it hard to draw Erwin in flashbacks, because I feel there was already a perfect ending for him. But for Bertholdt, I haven’t finished drawing him…”
Bertholt’s Family: “To be honest, I didn’t think much about his family. If I’m going to consider it right now, he is probably performing his tasks (e.g. Being a child warrior) for the sake of his father.”
Why Bertholt was Chosen for Colossal Titan: “He had his own hidden opinion towards the fact that he was asked to take on the most important responsibility. Well, I think [it’s because] he could do anything [physically], so [he might think] ‘I can also grow mentally stronger in the future [by doing this].’”
On Character Deaths: “But I don’t think the characters literally ‘died.’ Even if they died in the story…well…they still often appear somewhere else. [T/N: We’re not sure if he meant they would appear in the story again or appear in another form, such as in the anime or merch]
Kawakubo is Nervous About these Q&As (LOL): “Things like this… I… I am not remembering all the things Isayama-kun is saying here. There is going to be trouble for me later when we make guidebooks for things like birthdays or other stuff.”
Janitor or Thief?: In the High School AU where Levi entered Eren’s room, he entered through the window.
Eren & Alchol (Again): “Does 19 y/o Eren drink alcohol?” Isayama: “I think he drinks, but how should I put this…there is ‘compliance’ in the manga industry regarding adolescent law [T/N: To prohibit mangaka from drawing illegal situations. In this case, the legal age in Japan to drink alcohol is 20]. Maybe it would be fine to draw alcohol? As long as it is not in the anime.”
On Spin-Offs(Also combining this Tweet): “How should we consider the relationship between SnK spin-offs and the original manga?” Kawakubo: “Kyojin Chuugakkou (Jr. High)’s author had creative freedom.” Isayama: “Regarding ACNWR, I talked roughly in advance with the author about things that could happen in the underground world.” [T/N: OP mentioned her memory was not clear and she could be wrong] Isayama’s own design was that Erwin noticed thug Levi in the underground and decided to draw him into the Survey Corps.
On Levi’s Return: “Recently I haven’t been drawing Levi in the manga. Sorry that I drew a far too smooth/straightforward return for him when I finally made him appear again.”
On Mike’s Death: “What were the feelings of Levi and Erwin and others when they heard of Mike’s death? It was necessary to have their feelings depicted in the manga, right?” (Kawakubo smiled bitterly) Isayama: “Why did I rush that back then and not draw it properly?” Kawakubo: “It was too early for a good person to die.”
On Erwin and Levi Touching Hands: “When entrusting the syringe and serum, was there any meaning behind the scene when Erwin and Levi’s hands touched each other’s?” Kawakubo (Laughing): “Are you asking about Isayama-san’s meaning or Erwin and Levi’s meaning?” Isayama: “There is no particular meaning. In reality, if this were two real people, it would also be normal for them to touch hands…”
On Erwin’s Mom: When asked about Erwin’s mom’s story… Isayama: “I’ll start thinking about it from now on.“
Kawakubo: “We need to have a memopad here [for him to help Isayama keep track of all his responses/new ideas].”
PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANT, this was Isayama’s Disclaimer at One of the Sessions: “Ultimately, the story resembles a living creature in the way it evolves. My answers during this autograph event are just some of all the possibilities that can happen. I hope you can ask questions while having this idea in mind.” [T/N: Isayama, forever the King of Vagueness]
i know we haven’t seen hange yet and i know the kids grew up but i like how levi is the only one without a major makeover, he’s the only one with a cloak (the cloak which was always pretty symbolic, so i feel like there’s something more that can be derived from this) and blades and pieces of the old gear – maybe its preemptive to say this but it seems to me like erwin’s corps are figuratively dead with the exception of him.
this bitch is still living in the past, he looks hard and rougher, like he’s been staring in the mirror for 4 years thinking about killing zeke. he stood up high pretty much that whole time until he had to, like he was waiting/looking for him to show up. the two panels where they were shown together are significant, cus the promise is alive, lads. honestly i was worried about seeing levi but i am Pleased so far.
midnight-in-town 