When Attack on Titan season one was released in 2013, the anime world was introduced to a new kind of horror. Giant humanoid beings found purpose in devouring humans. Unlike other predators who hunt and eat to survive, Titans eat humans only to regurgitate the bodies. So, why do Titans eat humans if it isn't for fuel?During the first season of Attack on Titan, the recruits learn about the Titans. Everything from their anatomy, weaknesses, and reasons why the Titans eat humans. Humanity had no idea why Titans felt the need to eat humans at this point in the anime. Some speculated that it was because they hated humanity. Except this isn't true; after learning the truth from Grisha Jeager's basement, the reality of Titans was revealed.Warning: This contains spoilers for the Attack on TItan Anime & Manga
Set Us Free
The first-ever Titan was Ymir Fritz, a young slave to the Eldian King. While being hunted down, she stumbled upon a power that allowed her to transform into a titan. Following her death, nine Titan shifters emerged; these people could control the transformation, but what would happen to those given the spinal fluid of a Titan? Mindless creatures, Pure Titans, are humans who have been injected with Titan spinal fluid.
These people have no control; Ymir, named after Ymir Fritz, was transformed into a Titan by the Marleyains. She described her time as a Titan like a nightmare that she couldn't wake up from. All she knew was that if she could devour a Titan shifter, she would turn back and inherit that shifter's power. That would mean all the Pure Titans that the soldiers fought and killed were humans trapped. They cannibalized humans so that they could be free of their never-ending nightmare. After this discovery, the horrifying revelation shook many cadets because they believed to be fighting monsters, not humans. Why do this? Why make the terrors of the show be humans?
Well, from the beginning of the show, it was clear who the enemy was; the Titans. But these lines blurred more as the series progressed. Humans meant that the once-defined world would crumble by making the Titans. Discoveries of corrupt government and outside enemies like Marley were more significant than the Titan problem, especially because Hange created the Executioner from Hell. With this gadget, humans quickly took back their lands with little fear from the Titans. Instead, the real monster was humans, both in and outside the wall.
Deeper Meanings
Besides the purpose of the plot, making the Titan cannibal have a deeper meaning for the audience. Some fans have theorized that the show reflects the treatment of animals. From the first episode, Eren compares humanity to cattle trapped behind the wall, making the Titans humans blindly devour the prey with no regard for them. This is an interesting theory, but considering that the creator Hajime Isayama was influenced by Norse mythology and the introduction of human civilizations, it's hard to make this theory stick later on.
Another theory that makes a bit more sense is that Isayama commented on war, specifically WW2. There are many allusions to this in the show, from what looks to be containment camps in Marley for the Eldian citizens, the demonization of an entire group due to their genealogy, and the need to dominate the world. Along with this, the Pure Titans can be seen as civilian casualties from the war or prisoners of war who lost their lives. Then there is Reiner, Berthold, and Annie were sent to infiltrate and steal the Founding Titan. It was common for soldiers to be molded at a young age in Germany; it was part of the Hitler Youth campaign.
However, as mentioned before, Isayama was influenced by Norse Mythology, leading some to believe that Attack on Titan is an example of Ragnarok. Ragnarok is the end of days in Norse Mythology, where the gods fight against the monsters and giants one final time. This probably sounds outlandish but hang on; in Norse Mythology, there is a Giant whose body is the Earth. This giant's name is Ymir. This is almost identical to the legends found by the Eldians, who believed that Ymir Fritz shaped their kingdom with her power.
Then again, what if all of these theories are true? What if Hajime Isayama was commenting on how humans treat animals. Showing what WWII did to minority groups and sharing his take on Ragnorak. The show is full of meaning and has so much content that it wouldn't be a stretch for it to be true.
Regardless, Attack on Titan is a fantastic horror anime that shook the world when it was first aired. Fans of the show will never forget the first moment when the Colossal Titan broke the wall, sending humanity into a panic, knowing that Titans were coming to devour them.