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Every creator has to confront a variety of fears. The fear of failure is very real, but so is the fear of not being able to follow up on a success. For Attack on Titan creator Hajime Isayama, he’s reached a level of zen when he contemplates his next manga project. In fact, he is pretty content with the idea that he doesn’t make anything as successful as Attack on Titan again.

During a panel to celebrate the rescreening of Attack on Titan: The Last Attack, Hajime Isayama admitted he hadn’t been working on manga for several years now. “It’s been years since the manga serialization and anime broadcast [of Attack on Titan] ended, but I’m not working now. Occasionally, I draw illustrations and sign autographs, and I’ve also helped out with Yuki Kaji’s Soyogi project, but I no longer draw on a daily basis.”

Instead, Isayama is focusing on narrative projects, like the above-mentioned Soyogi, and he’s kept himself busy. However, he doesn’t want to try to undertake something as massive as Attack on Titan again. “If I tried to write something, it would just feel like a cutout of something I already depicted in Attack on Titan. I think that first serialization was one where I just poured out all of myself until I was completely drained.”

The Attack on Titan manga ended in April 2021, which has given Isayama plenty of time to reflect on the impact it had on his life and what he wants to do next. We’re sure he’ll be back to drawing manga eventually, but it seems it will be on his terms this time.

Each week, Popverse's resident anime expert Trent Cannon runs down the latest and, dare we say "greatest," in anime and manga in Popverse Jump. Some recent columns have included... 

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