Attack on Titan: Leaks That DESTROYED The Fandom?!

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Summary

  • Fake leaks about Attack on Titan finale divided fandom and caused conflict
  • Extremist side projected bigoted ideologies onto characters, leading to harassment
  • Studio MAPPA’s adaptation improved on original manga ending, disproving theories.

In stories like Attack on Titan, with its heavy political undertones, it’s inevitable that some viewers align character traits with their personal political ideologies. This was particularly noticeable during the rumbling arc of Attack on Titan. The split between Mikasa Ackerman and Armin Arlert’s group and their former allies, who became a genocidal army, mirrored a division among fans as well.

In the heated debates, contrasting viewpoints collided during the intense storyline, with the destiny of the world hanging in the balance, thanks to Eren Yeager’s actions. Unfortunately, this situation was exacerbated by the widespread practice of leaking content in anime and manga, leading to a downward spiral. It’s fascinating to explore how bogus leaks about the Attack on Titan finale caused an irreparable split and strife within its fandom. This misinformation made the series ending far more divisive and contentious than it should have been.

The Fake Leak That Started It All

A fake finale that divided the fandom

As the final chapters of Attack on Titan manga unfolded, fans eagerly anticipated the outcomes for the main characters and the world’s destiny. When Armin transformed into a Colossal Titan to obliterate the Doomsday Titan, halting the rumbling, the chapter ended in suspense, sparking wild speculation and theories. By then, fans had grown accustomed to catching sneak peeks of upcoming chapters on Reddit or Twitter.

This tradition is deeply ingrained in the anime and manga world, particularly noticeable during the production of popular series like “My Hero Academia” and “Jujutsu Kaisen”. The fandom for “Attack on Titan” has shown an excessive reliance on this practice, which may be due to their eagerness to know the fate of their cherished series. However, it’s also important to note that this anticipation has led to internal conflict within the fandom, arising from differing perspectives on the story.

One segment of the fanbase has aligned themselves with Eren Yeager and his supporters, advocating for the rumbling as retribution against a world that has oppressed the Eldians. Conversely, a significant portion of the community is hoping against hope that Eren will spare his friends and halt the rumbling, thereby preserving the world beyond the Island.

Give up on your dream and die!

In addition to the debate, there was a hint of rivalry over shipping (pairing characters together), with some fans favoring Eren and Historia and developing intense dislike for Mikasa Ackerman and her voice actress, Yui Ishikawa. This division within the fanbase intensified, causing real-life tensions that mirrored the complex ethical and political struggles depicted in the story.

Subsequently, a rumor surfaced on Reddit suggesting an upcoming plot twist: Eren was said to utilize the power of the Warhammer titan to return to his actual body on Paradise Island, approach Historia’s baby (rumored to be his), touch her, and thereby restart the rumbling. This action would supposedly lead to the deaths of all his friends, the global genocide, the destruction of remaining civilization outside Paradise Island, and Eren’s return home with Historia. However, in actuality, none of these events occurred as depicted in the subsequent chapter released a few days later.

In simpler terms, some fans believed that the actual conclusion of Attack on Titan showed Eren’s companions overpowering him and ending his life, thus halting the destruction and preserving the world from their beloved comrade. However, this rumor was debunked when the chapter was published. Instead of accepting the official ending, those who supported the rumbling scenario started speculating that the events described in the leak represented the original intended conclusion by author Hajime Isayama for the series. They claimed he altered it at the last minute due to fan criticism and editorial pressure, opting for a more optimistic finale instead.

After the series concluded in the manga, fans who followed Studio Mappa’s adaptation began to strongly advocate a theory known as “anime original ending”. This theory suggested that the anime would significantly deviate from the original manga ending and follow the conclusion implied by leaked information instead. These enthusiasts started carefully examining numerous hints and scenes in the WIT studio anime, along with additional materials such as opening sequences, closing sequences, and songs, all in an attempt to support their belief in this alternative ending for Attack on Titan.

In the end, you choose what you choose.

For quite some time, I’ve witnessed this theory sparking heated debates within the fandom. On one side, supporters of the original manga ending who were convinced that the anime would stick to it, and on the other, those who disliked the ending and hoped for a change in the anime version. They often pointed to scenes adapted by WIT studio and even referenced promotional materials, the soundtrack, and any other evidence they could find as indications that the anime was diverging significantly from the manga’s path. It seemed like they were fueling their theory with every piece of information they could get their hands on.

Over time, a collective of fans who are artists started an initiative to visually depict their preferred conclusion for this series. There were two ventures, one in comic book style (manga) and another animated. The manga segment published several chapters before halting production, while the animation project merely unveiled a promotional trailer prior to the team dissolving due to creative and personal disputes.

On that particular fanbase’s side, they migrated to Reddit, setting up a specialized subreddit serving as an echo chamber for discussing the possibility of an original anime ending. However, this discussion often took a dark turn, targeting members from the opposing faction with harsh memes involving the Attack on Titan universe and real-world events. These memes sparked concerns within the other side of the community, who suspected that these proponents of the anime original theory harbored extremist ideologies. They were particularly hostile towards Mikasa Ackerman, frequently using a derogatory nickname for her, “Dogkasa.” This term, often laced with racial and misogynistic connotations, was applied not only to Mikasa but also to her voice actress. Mikasa is a Japanese character known for her tomboyish appearance and demeanor.

In certain online settings showcasing Yui Ishikawa, a segment of fans persistently flooded chat rooms with dog emojis and derogatory remarks aimed at Mikasa Ackerman, her voice actor, and by association. This hostility also reached Onyankopon, one of the rare black characters in Attack on Titan, who was often depicted in manipulated images that mimicked real-world tragedies. It became evident why this faction passionately endorsed the rumbling and its genocidal consequences, as they harbored deeply prejudiced views in reality, which they transferred onto the series’ characters. This conflict escalated dramatically on social media platforms, with both fan groups consistently clashing. Numerous incidents of cyberbullying and harassment from the extreme faction were observed at various points.

In various online spaces, an aggressive segment of the Attack on Titan fanbase frequently posted disturbing fanart depicting violent scenarios involving main characters like Eren, Historia, and the Yeagerists killing their allies in gruesome ways. What made matters worse was this radical group’s strong presence and vocal advocacy on social media, leading many to believe they represented the majority of Attack on Titan fans. This misperception resulted in a negative and divisive reputation for the series and its fanbase on social media platforms for quite some time. However, the positive reception of studio MAPPA’s adaptation of the Attack on Titan ending helped improve the series’ image over the years, as many found the polarizing manga ending less divisive in the animated format.

As I watched the adaptation of the final episodes by studio MAPPA, it became evident that a significant portion of the fandom had a massive emotional response when their theory about the series’ conclusion proved to be unfounded. In actuality, this passionate group tended to focus more on Western viewers, as most Japanese fans accepted and appreciated the ending of the manga. Although alternative endings in anime are not uncommon, it was not due to dissatisfaction with the manga’s ending but rather creative decisions made by the studio responsible for the anime. Consequently, regardless of how you analyze the situation, it was highly improbable that studio MAPPA would alter a series’ ending to please a vocal yet still minority segment of the fanbase that primarily catered to the Western audience, as the anime industry will always prioritize its Japanese audience.

Ignoring the controversy surrounding the leak and its impact on the Attack on Titan fanbase, the anime adaptation by studio MAPPA significantly enhanced the original manga ending and managed to persuade numerous critics of the ending that didn’t align with the anime-original theory. Many viewers were dissatisfied with the series finale, and in hindsight, the MAPPA adaptation greatly surpassed the ending penned by author Hajime Isayama. The authenticity and motives behind the Reddit leak are uncertain, as is its origin, but what cannot be denied is the lingering influence it had on the Attack on Titan fan community, which remains vibrant to this day. Essentially, this serves as a reminder for anime and manga enthusiasts not to overly depend on leaks when following their favorite series. Always support the official release and stick with trusted sources.

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2025-04-01 16:56