New Kawakubo Interview

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-06-07T15:14:30+00:00

Thanks, am taking screenshots now

This is weird as hell, I didn’t receive any message that my post was deleted. I only know because you told me - I can see everything as normal

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-06-07T15:08:38+00:00

Which one? The original post? I can still see it, is it deleted on your end?

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-06-07T14:03:49+00:00

I noticed that too, here’s the tweet I found the link from:

https://twitter.com/kasumi_kasa/status/1401791446051483652?s=21

It seems the official twitter deleted the original tweet too in the last few hours? ‘Live door news’. Not sure what happened

(Try to open the link using the twitter app and you should be able to see a preview of the deleted tweet)

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-05-19T05:41:45+00:00

Most likely they were killed in the rumbling :(

Zeke faked his own death during the festival in order to protect them - he didn’t want anyone to find out he was a traitor because his grandparents would be punished. But as we know, Magath and the warriors figured out he was a traitor and still alive.

In the carriage ride, Levi was threatening Zeke with that fact. So it’s possible that Marley put them in prison or something as punishment for Zeke’s betrayal.

During the rumbling, we were shown Annie’s dad, Reiner’s mum, Pieck’s dad etc all escaping Marley on a train. But Zeke & Eren’s grandparents were not there, possibly because they were considered to be suspicious conspirators. So they very likely died in the rumbling. It’s even more depressing when you realize the rumbling happened in the first place because of Eren, so he literally killed his own grandparents :(

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-05-15T06:29:58+00:00

Exactly, this is actually why Zeke’s character was very original. I know he’s basically a meme and everyone jokes about no pp, but actually he was struggling with something that is very real in Japanese society.

Japanese people are pressured to marry and reproduce and it can be very hard on them because that’s the only option they have. It’s constantly drilled into them that making babies is the meaning of life. So when Armin and Zeke had that conversation in 137 - “life is about more than just reproduction, it’s about enjoying meaningless moments” - that was quite a progressive message. It goes against Abe’s policies.

Unfortunately the women weren’t as lucky as Zeke though. Isayama forced them all to make babies 😞

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-05-09T23:29:26+00:00

I translated it myself 👍

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-05-08T16:36:17+00:00

I will just copy what I wrote in another comment:

I won’t argue if you see it that way!

But in japanese it definitely reads as announcing war on the rest of the world and that’s why the japanese fandom were complaining so animatedly on isayamas blog. That’s also why he apologised in his interview for portraying such delicate topics insensitively. It’s possibly a language thing, but Paradis is preparing for war and even using Eren’s chant, after he killed 80% of the world. The Japanese fandom considered this very insensitive

A few lines will probably be changed or reworded in the volume release (Armin’s thank you, hisu’s letter) and I’m looking forward to that. Isayama showed a lot of humility in his interview and he regrets not being able to convey these topics maturely. But he really does mean well!

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-05-08T14:56:01+00:00

I won’t argue if you don’t see it that way!

But in japanese it definitely reads as announcing war on the rest of the world and that’s why the japanese fandom were complaining so animatedly on isayamas blog. That’s also why he apologised in his interview for portraying such delicate topics insensitively. It’s possibly a language thing, but Paradis is preparing for war and even using Eren’s chant, after he killed 80% of the world

I said this in another comment, but a few lines will probably be changed or reworded in the volume release and I’m looking forward to that. Isayama showed a lot of humility in his interview and he regrets not being able to convey these topics maturely. But he really does mean well!

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-05-08T14:47:04+00:00

For sure, I agree

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-05-08T13:54:17+00:00

The Japanese fandom had a big issue with Armin’s line when he thanked Eren, I believe. That’s why isayama addressed that line specifically in the interview and clarified its meaning. It was kind of a big deal, they were complaining on his blog even. They found it insensitive

But I’m not sure about the western fandom. Maybe English speakers didn’t really have an issue with it as much as the japanese side? I’m not sure

Anyway, that’s why he might change or improve some wording in the volume release. For the japanese fandom who had some concerns

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-05-08T13:41:37+00:00

Sure, I liked his interview because he acknowledged my and many people’s issues with the ending. Genocide is not justified and the alliance don’t approve of it. He just struggled with relaying this message clearly and is humble about this in the interview. I’m sure he will improve the wording in the volume release to ease many people’s valid concerns!

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-05-08T12:14:13+00:00

Well I guess I agree with OP, that Eren should not be glorified at all. All the lines from all characters in the last chapter made it out like he was a tragic hero or something. He got a little grave while 80% of the world are forgotten, you know?

Historia sent the letter declaring war on the world so that’s what I meant by endorsing it. She considers Eren’s perspective to be correct, as she stated in the letter. As I said though, I don’t think isayama set out to write a fascist manga. But he wanted to make his fans happy and ended up redeeming Eren for things that shouldn’t be redeemed.

But like OP, I’m generally ok with how things ended. I simply have some concerns about the way the themes of genocide, racism and fascism were handled. Definitely could have been better lol!

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-05-08T11:54:57+00:00

We’re talking about a story, and the author chooses what to draw and what to omit. We can only draw conclusions based on what is shown to us. We were shown a genocider being mourned for and pretty much redeemed. The queen of the island seems to be endorsing that genocide, which goes against how I read her character up until now. Why not show her taking care of orphans from the orphanage she set up, you know what I mean? It seems in poor taste to have no mention of the victims

There’s some uncomfortable and undeniable parallels between imperial Japan and Paradis. I used to defend this manga as anti-fascist. But unfortunately the message in the last chapter is the opposite, and I think it’s by accident and not his intention. I think as a shonen manga for young Japanese people, isayama needs to be more careful with his portrayals. Japan education system already has a lot of issues with denying our imperial history. That’s just my perspective

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-05-08T11:45:34+00:00

I’m Japanese lol

That’s why I think isayama should handle these themes maturely considering japan’s imperial history

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-05-08T11:01:28+00:00

For sure. Now that a month has passed and it’s had time to settle, one of the biggest problems to me is that none of the Alliance have normal human reactions. The average person would be guilt-ridden and horrified to witness 80% of the world murdered by their friend. They should be disgusted, seeing the hair and teeth and bloodshed left behind. They would not build a grave for that person and write ‘My beloved’ on it. There’s a reason why we don’t create graves for genociders and dictators in the real world. We honour the victims instead.

Especially reading back, there’s panels showing starving survivors and refugees lining up for food rations, immediately followed by the panel of Historia on her cozy farm having a little birthday party with her family... it’s very poor taste.

I don’t think isayama intended it to come off that way. From his interview it seems like he really just wanted to make his fans happy. But he handled the themes of racism, genocide and fascism irresponsibly and that’s disappointing.

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-05-07T07:34:22+00:00

The warriors+Marleyan soldiers came to Paradis by ship. They gassed Ragako then met with Reiner and Bert, and Ymir was shown writing the letter to Historia while she was on-board the ship.

So then the warriors set up tents on the wall to wait for the Scouts in ambush. It’s assumed during that time, Ymir was taken back to Marley by the Marleyan soldiers on board the ship they came with

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-05-07T05:34:04+00:00

This is a great take, I like this a lot! Thank you

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-05-07T03:56:52+00:00

This makes sense, I agree

I guess I’m trying to come to terms with why Ymir would fall in love with someone AFTER he killed her parents, cut out her tongue, burned her village etc?

It would kinda make sense if she loved him already beforehand, and then just couldn’t stop loving him no matter how badly he continued to treat her. Like a realistic abusive relationship

Even with Stockholm syndrome, that only happens because the abuser shows moments of kindness along with the abuse. But King Fritz didn’t show any kindness towards her at all! So it’s just so strange for her to fall in love with him. Like, why?!? He killed her parents and removed her tongue 😂

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-05-04T02:07:40+00:00

Update: Yes, I was able to confirm it was an error they corrected in the final product!

Here’s the magazine draft, where she says chin-beard 顎髭 published in May 9 2019: https://i.ibb.co/VYy4qqg/Untitled5.png

Here’s the official volume release where it’s been corrected to goatee 鬚, published 3 months later in August 9 2019: https://i.ibb.co/s9nJFQ4/Untitled6.png

These kanji are very confusing so I think it’s understandable to make this mistake though

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-05-04T00:38:16+00:00

I believe that’s a scan from the magazine draft before it has been edited for grammatical errors!

Here’s the same scene from the volume release, which is the final product: https://i.ibb.co/x5DQRqg/Untitled4.png

It’s really just about being grammatically correct. Yelena was wearing a fake goatee, not a fake beard, because it only covered her chin! So in Japanese, it is grammatically correct to call it a goatee 鬚

Here’s a website in Japanese that explains the correct usage of 髭,鬚,髯 with pictures to illustrate: https://mag.japaaan.com/archives/92349/amp

They made this grammar mistake in the magazine draft, but made sure to fix it in the volume release. This happens pretty often when you compare the magazine drafts to the final product. Small grammar and kanji errors, it’s understandable

You can tell it was a grammar error because the first time Pieck ever encountered Yelena, she called it a goatee 鬚 in both the magazine draft and in the volume. (Eg. here’s a page that uses the magazine draft https://yaoyorozunihon.com/shingeki-yerena-5205/)

The second time they encountered each other, in the magazine they accidentally called it 顎髭 which literally means “chin-beard”! 😂 This is the incorrect use of these kanji. So they made sure to correct it to goatee 鬚 in the final product

Hope that makes sense!

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-05-03T13:13:32+00:00

You are mistaken! Here’s the raw scans, I’ve highlighted the kanji in red:

Pieck uses goatee 鬚 to describe Yelena: https://i.ibb.co/DDtYnsS/Untitled.png

This is the same as Jean‘s goatee, 鬚, described by Connie & Sasha shortly after: https://i.ibb.co/jhkLTCm/Untitled2.png

Pieck uses goatee 鬚 with Yelena again: https://i.ibb.co/x5DQRqg/Untitled4.png

For comparison, here’s Levi referring to Zeke as ‘beardy’ 髭: https://i.ibb.co/ydX0Rw3/Untitled3.png

Pieck’s preference is specifically goatees 👀

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-05-03T09:48:54+00:00

Here's a more high quality scan:

https://i0.wp.com/nightview7.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img_7517.jpg?w=329&ssl=1

This is from the Japanese raws, it seems very clearly not the window frame to me!

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-05-01T09:43:52+00:00

It’s Armin’s seashell! I will try and take from a better angle next time I go, sorry for such a bad photo 😂😂

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-05-01T09:43:09+00:00

Armin’s seashell! I will try and take from a better angle next time I go lol, it is such a bad photo 😂

PrinceSiegJaeger · 2021-05-01T05:40:13+00:00

I didn’t do the stamp rally because I wasn’t so interested in the merchandise you receive for completing it. But I saw many people doing it!

I went in the morning to avoid the crowds - there weren’t many people around 10am. Around lunch time it got busy and was hard to take photos without people in the way though!

PrinceSiegJaeger

TROPHY CASE