Attack on Titan: Things About Historia Most Fans Missed

Attack on Titan: Things About Historia Most Fans Missed

Key Takeaways

  • Historia Reiss started as a “moe” character but evolved into a dominant role, subverting typical anime tropes.
  • Despite her self-hatred, Historia shows genuine kindness, opening an orphanage and increasing welfare for the disadvantaged.
  • Initially portrayed as a mean girl, Historia’s complex character development showcases her as a heartwarming and courageous individual.

As a dedicated fan of Attack on Titan, I find Historia Reiss to be one of the most captivating and thought-provoking characters in the series. From her humble beginnings as a “moe” character to her evolution into a dominant role that subverts typical anime tropes, Historia’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary.


In the series “Attack on Titan,” Eren Reiss is one of the main characters, though she’s not a legitimate member of the royal family by birth. However, Hajime Isayama, the creator, revealed that she was initially designed to be a typical “moe” character, and her original name was Krista.

Initially, I was the most admired among my classmates, not just for my looks but also my endearing spirit. However, as the game’s narrative unfolded, Isayama chose to redefine my character, challenging stereotypes and giving me a more powerful role. This transformation even brought Ymir, another captivating character, into the picture as my romantic interest from the beginning.

From Moe To Model

Attack on Titan: Things About Historia Most Fans Missed

Among Historia’s most memorable phrases from fans is when she proclaimed herself as “the world’s worst girl,” in exasperation after Eren insisted she consume him for humanity’s survival. This phrase has been often used by her admirers to highlight her increasing autonomy throughout the storyline. Growing up, Historia immersed herself in books and followed her elder sister’s advice to emulate a “compassionate and dependable” character akin to Krista, the protagonist of her beloved book. A popular fan speculation posits that ‘Krista’ was actually her original name.

Attack on Titan: Things About Historia Most Fans Missed

After her mother perished as Wall Maria collapsed, Historia assumed a fresh persona called “Krista Lenz”. From then on, she wrestled with self-loathing while seeking purpose in life, portraying a demure, sweet, and submissive image. It wasn’t until she met another girl named Ymir that her true self began to surface, as Ymir saw through the mask Historia was wearing. If we follow the theory suggesting “Krista” was actually Founder Ymir’s original name, it appeared that Historia was on a similar destructive path. However, it was Ymir who ultimately helped Historia break free from that dark path.

Historia showed a sacrificial spirit, but that doesn’t mean she was kind. Just before witnessing Ymir’s titan form, Ymir urged her to reclaim her name and live a life she could be proud of. From then on, Historia started living as her “true self,” which she found dull and uninteresting. However, ironically, Historia’s true self was far from being a terrible person.

A “Good” Person or a Good Person?

Attack on Titan: Things About Historia Most Fans Missed

As a dedicated gamer, I can confidently say that Historia is truly a noble soul. She values herself, yet isn’t shy about voicing her opinions, but it’s her compassionate actions that really shine. When she ascended the throne as queen, she chose to establish a sanctuary for orphans and provide aid to those living underground and families in need. At heart, she’s incredibly empathetic, though her “Krista” persona sometimes overshadows this aspect of her personality. Above all, she proves herself to be a loyal friend, always prioritizing the well-being of those she cherishes.

Attack on Titan: Things About Historia Most Fans Missed

In the world of “Attack on Titan,” I, a gamer, found Historia to be someone who claims to be a good person, rather than one who truly embodies it. Towards the series’ finale, Historia stepped up, providing special protection for Jean and Connie’s families from the Jaegerists, advocating for peace talks between them and the Alliance, and ensuring her daughter experienced a family life that she herself lacked.

In the world of School Castes, Historia adopts a snobbish and aloof demeanor, contrasting her kinder persona as Krista. While she may appear as the typical “queen bee,” it’s disclosed in the authentic Drama CD for School Castes that this is yet another role she assumes. Historia comes from a wealthy background with an absent family, leading to a lack of personal identity. She hasn’t experienced the warmth of a loving family or genuine friendships, but is obligated to maintain an immaculate image in front of her relatives.

Due to this situation, she reacts by exhibiting jealousy towards Eren whenever he forms new friendships. However, once Eren acknowledges and takes accountability for her actions (thanks to Armin), it catches her off guard. In the Drama CD, we discover that she shares a love for anime and manga with Armin, yet feels incapable of connecting with him on that level. In the School Castes manga, she steps in to save Eren from being kidnapped by a cult, but downplays it as repaying a favor. It’s worth mentioning that even though she is popular, she was willing to jeopardize her reputation to help someone perceived as a “loser”.

A Heartbreaker

In the year 2008, Hajime Isayama created two short stories for submission to Weekly Shounen Jump: “orz” and “Heart Break One”. The story “orz” was a humorous action tale about a superhero, with the title referencing a common internet slang image of someone on their hands and knees. Notably, this character, being an otaku himself, shares the name with the protagonist. “Heart Break One”, on the other hand, revolves around a cyborg and draws inspiration from the video game Ace Combat 5. The main character, who leads a squadron, bears a striking resemblance to Historia and is confirmed by Isayama himself in a 2014 blog post to be her original design. The origin of her name is also speculated to stem from the lyrics of “The Unsung War”, a song from Ace Combat 5’s soundtrack, which is sung in Latin.

Initially cast as a supporting character to meet certain requirements, she transformed into an individual with her unique identity, eventually serving as a subversion or reinterpretation of a long-standing trope found frequently in anime history.

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2024-10-03 23:34