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Anime and philosophy constantly overlap, and one anime where this is evident is Attack on Titan. While some anime fans might debate this notion, many anime and manga that attain worldwide popularity have some sort of popularity behind them.
The likes of Kingdom, Vinland Saga, and Vagabond are considered the holy grail philosophical masterpieces in anime, and are usually what fans solely consider philosophy in anime.
However, even the most benign Slice-of-life still has a philosophy it covers. For example, Naruto is a Shonen anime that has antiwar philosophies. On the other hand, the sequel of Naruto, Boruto, is a treatise on love and its origins.
In anime and manga, the philosophy that is mostly discussed is the idea of free will and Determinism. The likes of Death Note and Psycho Pass are notable for the way they speak about free will and determinism, but none of them tackle these topics like Attack on Titan.
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Attack on Titan starts off with the story trope of Man vs Monster, but by its third season, it changes to a complex story of Man vs Fate. Are we doomed because we exist? Or can we save ourselves from damnation?
These two questions form the main text and subtext around the latter parts of Attack on Titan, and affect two key groups— the Eldians and Marleyans. Here is how Attack on Titan preaches that free will is impossible.
Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s views and may contain spoilers.
How Attack on Titan makes its case against free will
Free will and determinism are two concepts that get thrown around a lot, especially when it comes to popular fiction. Various novels like Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five and Frank Herbert’s Dune are rife with this concept being tested, and in most cases.
Even movies have also had a go at these concepts. The Matrix is an example of this, and when it comes to TV Shows, no show captures the themes of free will and determinism better than Dark. Characters in Dark think they have free will, but the reality is that their actions are influenced, and if their actions are beyond your control, is it free will?
Attack on Titan also works similarly to Dark, as no action is truly taken in a vacuum. While some fans may argue that if a character can make a choice, it means they have exhibited some sort of free will, however, absolute free will requires characters to make decisions independently.
Most characters in AOT make decisions without any independence. This can be seen especially with the first titan, Ymir Fritz.
Ymir Fritz was just a slave, and when she fell into the power of the Titans, she never rid herself of the mentality of one. This is why she served King Fritz, despite him being evil, and why she bore children for him. Ymir even dies trying to protect King Fritz, and once she dies, the King commands only her daughters to eat her corpse to gain her power.
After her death, she still works for the royal family and helps them consolidate their power over Paradis Island. The first time Ymir gains free will is when she meets Eren— she finally makes an independent decision.
Despite Ymir’s decision to be independent, it is still done in service to Eren, as he needed her to release the Titans from the wall for the rumbling. Once that decision is made, Eren goes on his genocidal plan, and brings the world to its knees. Ymir’s freewill was just in service to another, and that is not free will— it is just a slave changing its master. It is also proof of how deterministic the world might be.
Even the members of the Survey Corps who think they are thwarting Eren are acting in service to an end already foreseen by Eren. They are acting with their best intentions, and they really want to save the world, but everything is predetermined.
Attack on Titan’s world is filled with characters who are constantly put in situations that are beyond their control, and that is the one reason free will doesn't exist in Attack on Titan.
Final thoughts
Attack on Titan presents one of the clearest arguments against free will. The argument is that as long as people are born, the choices they make are out of their control. Culture is one of the biggest factors in deciding one’s choices. In Attack on Titan, a lot of the racism thrown at the Eldians stems from a culture that has always put them down.
Even the people of Paradis Islands are not exempt from the hands of culture. Due to being enclosed in the walls, they adapt to just existing in the world without venturing beyond it. Despite the dilapidated conditions on the island and the impending population problem, no one asks questions.
Also read:
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- The most powerful Naruto characters, final ranking
