Satoshi Shiki on working on the Attack on Titan prequel Before the Fall: "We had so many meetings"
When you've got an established IP like Attack on Titan with pre-established lore, it can be tricky developing a prequel.
Attack on Titan is one of the most well-known and beloved anime/manga series we've seen to-date. Creating a unique and terrifying world, mangaka Hajime Isayama hid a lot of Attack on Titan's truths right up until the end of the series, which might have made making the prequel manga Attack on Titan: Before the Fall a bit tricky.
We spoke with Before the Fall's illustrator Satoshi Shiki at Comicon Napoli, asking him how he stepped into such a large franchise and helped make the story his own. "I worked under pressure, but before starting, together with the author, we had so many hours of meetings," Shiki explained.
"Because, for example, there was some part of the history, which is the basis of Attack on Titan. Or there are some part or features that, of course, you couldn't twist or change. So, we had so many meetings and there were so many benchmarks that, of course, I had to respect."
Attack on Titan: Before the Fall takes place 70 years before Eren Yeagar enters the story, following the invention of the omni-directional movement gear, which allows humanity trapped inside walls to fight more effectively against the giant titans wanting to eat them. It doesn't really cross the boundary of major spoiler territory, but the prequel could have clashed with some earlier events, or changed original lore from Isayama, so even if the meetings were long, they probably were for the best. Check out our full interview with Shiki-san below: