The final chapter of the TV anime series "Attack on Titan, " based on the popular manga by Hajime Isayama, "The Final Season," will be shown again in theaters from January 16th. Following the screening, Ayane Sakura , who plays Attack on Titan Braun, spoke about her thoughts on the series and Gabi.
-- " Attack on Titan" continues to be a work that continues to be supported worldwide, with the movie version scheduled for re-release. What do you think it is that fans love about it?
I think it's because it's a story that forces you to think about it as if it were your own. The situations the characters find themselves in are extreme and cruel, but the choices themselves are very human, and at some point everyone will think, "What if it were me?" The film continues to pose this question to the viewer until the very end. I think the reason it has been loved for so long is because it doesn't simply define good and evil. The emotions you receive from it change depending on the age at which you watch it, where you were born, and how long you've lived. I think the fact that it has room to be revisited over and over again is the reason it continues to be so popular around the world.
--In a past interview, Sakura-san said that when comparing Gabi's position to Kaya's, she felt more empathy for Kaya. Looking back at where Gabi is now and her journey so far, has your perspective changed in any way?
Although it seemed as though Gabi had chosen her own world, in reality she had very few options. In her desperate attempt to "be right," she ended up destroying many things and even destroying herself. But now I see with great importance and admiration that she chose to continue living even after realizing her mistake. My perspective has changed, little by little. I feel that Gabi taught me the importance of "trying to understand" before deciding whether to forgive or not.
--After surviving the battle between heaven and earth, Gabi and Falco return to their seemingly peaceful daily lives. What are your thoughts on the ending of the story?
I felt that this is what humanity is all about. Not everything is saved, and not everything is rewarded. Whether humans make foolish choices or move towards the right future, the world still goes on, which I thought was a fitting ending for this work. However, we still have the choice to live. I felt that this itself was one of the answers to this story. It's not a work that you can immediately sort out your feelings after watching, but rather the meaning begins to emerge as we, living in the present, move forward in life. I think that's the kind of ending it is.
-Finally, please give a message to all the fans who love "Attack on Titan."
Thank you so much for walking alongside this work for so long. I'm sure "Attack on Titan" was not an easy work for the viewers. But I believe it has become so big and strong because of all of you who stuck with it until the end. I hope you will watch it again any day, as "your current self." I'm sure you will encounter different emotions than before. I hope this work will continue to remain in each and every place and in each and every life.
"Attack on Titan" is a manga that depicts humanity's desperate battle against giants with overwhelming power. It is Isayama's debut work, and began serialization in September 2009 as the inaugural title of "Bessatsu Shonen Magazine" (Kodansha), with the final episode airing in April 2021. The comic has sold over 140 million copies worldwide.
Season 1 of the TV anime aired from April to September 2013, Season 2 from April to June 2017, and Part 1 of Season 3 from July to October 2018. Part 2 of Season 3 aired from April to June 2019, Part 1 of the final chapter, "The Final Season," aired from December 2020 to March 2021, Part 2 from January to April 2022, the final episode (Part 1) aired in March 2023, and the final episode (Part 2) aired in November 2023.
"Attack on Titan: The Final Chapter - The Last Attack" was released on November 8, 2024, and was a hit, attracting over 1 million viewers.
