“She covered her face with a muffler late at night.” Hajime Isayama shared what inspired him to design Mikasa from Attack on Titan

Source: Attack on Titan, Hajime Isayama, Wit Studio

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The characters in it Attack on Titan are remarkably unique, although they share certain familiar traits and occasional clichés that are difficult to avoid. Said in an interview Attack on Titan creator Hajime Isayama shared some insight into what inspired him to create one of the most iconic characters in the series: Mikasa Ackerman, who plays a major role throughout the story. Interestingly enough, the mangaka revealed who (or what) inspired Mikasa’s design.

What inspired Isayama to create Mikasa?

WARNING: Some major spoilers below Attack on Titan manga and anime.

Some time ago we discussed why Isayama avoided overt romantic themes in Attack on Titan. This time though we will focus on the inspiration behind Mikasa’s character design. But first let’s look at Mikasa herself. We know that her parents were murdered by kidnappers who targeted her and her mother because of their race – a theme that becomes more central later in the story. From the first chapter it is clear that Mikasa comes from a country similar to Japan.

After her parents’ death, she moved in with Eren’s family and lived there until the ‘fated day’. During her time with the Yeagers, Mikasa became known for her protectiveness towards Eren. Later, during the training arc, we find out that she is incredibly strong (also due to her blood), proving that she is one of the best soldiers. All in all, she embodies a strong person who takes great care of her loved ones.

In the interview, Isayama said that while working at an internet cafe, he often encountered drunks who also inspired his depiction of Titans. One day he saw a woman covering her face with a muffler, and that image sparked the idea for Mikasa’s character design.. As the mangaka himself said:

Why the name Mikasa?

In the same interview, Isayama also shared what inspired him to choose the name Mikasa. Initially the choice was not an obvious one, because he wanted to follow a trend that can be found in iconic classics such as Neon Genesis Evangelion And The melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

Isayama also admitted that there’s a lot of Casca, the heroine from the cult classic crazy, in Mikasa – which somewhat confirms the fan theories. According to the Attack on Titan creator, Mikasa showed incredible courage, both physically and mentally, especially when you’re faced with making some of the toughest decisions in the entire story.

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