The Attack on Titan Editor Speaks: Survival Skills for the Coming Era

Based on the mega-hit manga "Attack on Titan," "Attack on Titan Consultation Room" (published by Kodansha) is a guidebook explaining strategic theory. Its author, creative strategist Takuma Kudo, joins Shintaro Kawabuko, the editor in charge of "Attack on Titan" at Kodansha, to discuss "The Art of Questioning: How to Navigate the Present."

Work, school, relationships... What mindset helps modern people struggling with all kinds of worries overcome challenges and live authentically? What kind of education is essential for the younger generation? They unraveled the key points.

Part 1: What Makes a Story That Moves People? A Conversation with the Attack on Titan Editor

If you keep striving to depict human life, it will ultimately reach the world

Kawakubo: I believe the reason 'Attack on Titan' became a global hit is because its themes are simple and universal. There's the world inside the walls and the world outside, where an overwhelming enemy must be confronted. But as the story progresses, you discover enemies exist within the walls too, or that those you thought were enemies weren't really enemies after all... This kind of structure can be applied to anything. It's not just Japan; it exists everywhere in the world. That's why I think people from various countries read it, relating it to their own situations, thinking, "Oh, I get it, I get it."

Kudo: It depicts rebellion against oppression, I suppose. That got me wondering—did Mr. Kawakubo and the author, Hajime Isayama, envision this universal theme from the start, aiming for a global perspective? Did they originally plan to reach beyond Japan?

Kawakubo: Ah, absolutely not. We weren't thinking about the world at all. To be more precise, we weren't even conscious of Japan specifically. I believe Mr. Isayama simply drew what he genuinely wanted to draw, what he felt he had to draw. My own motivation was purely to support that. However, I came to realize that when you pour your heart into depicting humanity and human existence, it naturally reaches the world. If a story created with such passion continues to exist, it will reach the Japanese person next to you, and it will also reach people around the world who aren't physically next to you.

Kudo: That's wonderful. Just as Eren and the others were constantly driven by a strong sense of purpose, you creators also possessed a pure, strong, and clear sense of purpose.

I believe that if you hold a strong sense of purpose within your heart, you can overcome various worries and suffocating pressures. Aim for something, hit it over and over, get crushed. By repeating and accumulating that process, a path will open up somewhere. I think that's incredibly important for living.

Strategy theory is the systematization of the "method of questioning."

Kudo: There's one more thing I really wanted to ask you, Mr. Kawakubo. Since I've been a huge manga fan since childhood, I'm curious about what manga editors actually discuss with manga artists. Are there things you always make sure to convey or advice you give?

Kawakubo: Yes, there is. When I meet new manga artists, I always ask, "Why do you want to become a manga artist?" When I ask this, a lot of them say, "Because I love manga." But that doesn't necessarily mean "I want to become a manga artist," right? I've loved manga since I was young too, but I never thought I wanted to become a manga artist, nor did I think I could.

If reading manga alone satisfies you, you could just get a regular job, earn a salary, and use that salary to keep buying and reading manga. If you love drawing, you could get a job with flexible hours, draw illustrations in your free time, and post them on social media. I tell them, "You need to really think about where this desire to become a manga artist is coming from right now. What kind of feeling is it?"

That's because 99 out of 100 people end up not becoming manga artists. Precisely because so many kids leave without becoming anything, I value posing the question at the starting point: "Do you really want to be a manga artist?" "Why is that?"

Kudo: Questions are important... This isn't just for manga artists; it applies to any profession. In fact, I think it applies whenever you're choosing something, starting something, or hitting a wall.

Kawakubo: I agree. This might be a bit off-topic, but I remember reading a book long ago that had this idea: "There is no answer to why murder is wrong." "If there's one thing you should be thinking about, it's why you picked up this book right now." Maybe you're struggling with a friendship, or maybe you're suffering because you can't envision your future dreams. Anyway, it said something like, wouldn't it be better to seriously confront that "why"?

I thought, "That's a really good way to think about it." Since then, whenever I start something new, I always ask myself, "Why am I doing this?" or "What am I starting this for?"

Kudo: Questions and self-reflection are fundamental and crucial—they connect directly to the strategic thinking I aim to convey in 'Attack on Consultation'. Strategic thinking is essentially systematizing how to frame questions, analytical methods, or perhaps what you might call the "art of questioning."

Kawakubo: Reading "Attack on Consultation Room," I felt the same way. I think the book's main target audience—kids around middle school age—often find themselves in a very foggy, unsettled state. They might feel vaguely miserable or not even understand why they're struggling. Kids who say they want to be manga artists might be in the same boat. When a slightly new way of thinking, a solution, or a question that shifts their perspective enters that space, the whole landscape can change dramatically. I felt this book contains survival skills like that, tailored for young people.

Setting aside my role as the editor for 'Attack on Titan,' as a person, I sincerely hope many elementary and middle school students will read this book.

Stories that resonate deeply are packed with hints for living

Kawakubo: As I mentioned in the first part, I believe not only questions but also "stories" are essential for humans. Stories are packed with hints and the essence of how humans should live.

Kudo: That's right. Currently, elementary and junior high schools are actively implementing dialogue-based education to cultivate problem-solving skills. While manga and novels are sometimes incorporated, the content often feels textbook-like and detached from reality – things like "Alright, time to solve a problem!" or "One day, a huge man suddenly attacked. What would you do?"

Instead, I want them to incorporate stories with real substance. Fortunately, Japan has a wealth of high-quality manga content, so it would be foolish not to utilize it. Rather than creating textbook-like manga or novels to "teach" life lessons, the learning comes from using beloved, high-quality stories to collectively pose questions and "think" about how to interpret them. I believe that's where the potential and future lie.