Attack on Titan — Chapter 1

...AND THE SHAME OF BEING HELD CAPTIVE IN A BIRDCAGE.

...THE TERROR OF BEING DOMINATED BY THEM...

THAT DAY, THE HUMAN RACE REMEMBERED...

ALL PERSONNEL...

PREPARE FOR BATTLE!!

THERE'S ONE TARGET!!

KILL IT WITH- OUT FAIL!!

400 METERS TO TARGET!!

IT'S HEADING THIS WAY!!

JUST AS WE PRACTICED, SPLIT INTO FIVE GROUPS!!

WE'LL BE THE DECOYS !!

100 METERS TO TARGET !!

ALL ATTACK GROUPS!! SWITCH TO VERTICAL MANEUVERING!!

WE STRIKE AT THE SAME TIME FROM ALL DIRECTIONS!!

LET'S TEACH THIS THING...

...THE POWER OF THE HUMAN RACE!!

SEE YOU LATER...

...EREN.

EREN!!

IT'LL GET DARK IF WE DON'T GO HOME NOW.

MM...?

WAKE UP.

...HUH?

AWW, WHEN DID YOUR HAIR GET SO LONG..?

MIKASA...

NO... BUT I FEEL LIKE I JUST HAD THE LONGEST DREAM...

WERE YOU REALLY SO SOUND ASLEEP THAT YOU WERE STILL DREAMING WHEN YOU WOKE UP?

WHAT WAS IT? NOW I CAN'T REMEMBER...

EREN?

WHY...

...ARE YOU CRYING?

HUH...?!

845

DON'T TELL ANYONE...

...THAT I WAS CRYING.

...I WON'T.

DON'T BE STUPID! LIKE I CAN TELL MY OLD MAN ABOUT THIS?!

WHY DON'T YOU HAVE YOUR DAD EXAMINE YOU?

CRYING FOR NO REASON...

WHAT ARE YOU CRYING ABOUT, EREN?

M-MR. HANNES!

HUH?! WHAT MAKES YOU THINK I'M CRYING?! DID MIKASA GET MAD AT YOU FOR SOME- THING?

YOU REEK OF LIQUOR !!

WOULD YOU TWO LIKE TO JOIN IN?

WHAT THE... ?!

DRINKING AGAIN...

NO... UM... WHAT ABOUT YOUR WORK?

OH! WE'RE ON GATE DUTY TODAY.

BUT IN AN EMERGENCY, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO FIGHT DRUNK?!

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL IF LIQUOR HAPPENS TO BE AMONG THE RATIONS SOMETIMES?

WE GET HUNGRY AND THIRSTY, HANGING OUT HERE ALL DAY.

WHAT KIND OF EMERGENCY?

I'M TALKING ABOUT IF THEY BROKE DOWN THE WALL...

...AND INVADED THE TOWN!!

...!! I DON'T BELIEVE THIS! IT'S OBVIOUS!

IF THE BASTARDS BREAK THROUGH THE WALL, WE'LL BE ON TOP OF THE SITUATION.

HEY, EREN! DON'T SUDDENLY RAISE YOUR VOICE LIKE THAT...

HAHAHA... THE DOCTOR'S SON HAS SPIRIT!

BUT I TELL YA...

...THAT HASN'T HAPPENED IN A HUNDRED YEARS!

B-BUT IT'S DANGEROUS TO FEEL AT EASE LIKE THIS!

I'M NOT GONNA SECOND-GUESS DR. YEAGER, THIS TOWN'S BENE- FACTOR. BUT Y'KNOW...

WELL... YOU MAY BE RIGHT.

MY FATHER SAYS SO!!

WHEN YOU BECOME A SOLDIER, YOU GET YOUR CHANCE TO SEE 'EM, HANGING AROUND OUTSIDE THE WALL WHILE YOU'RE ON WALL DEFENSE DUTY OR WHATEVER...

...AND I JUST CAN'T PICTURE 'EM EVEN PUTTING A DENT IN THIS 50-METER* FORTRESS.

*164 FEET

W-WHAT THE HELL?! SO STOP CALLING YOURSELVES A “GARRISON” AND MAKE IT THE “WALL CONSTRUCTION CORPS” INSTEAD!

THAT AIN'T A BAD IDEA EITHER!

NOPE. THEN YOU'RE NOT EVEN PREPARED TO FIGHT 'EM IN THE FIRST PLACE, ARE YOU?!

YOU HAVE SOLDIERS ON ACTIVE DUTY WHEN THE SITUATION HAS GONE TO HELL...

ON THE OTHER HAND, WHEN THE GUYS AND I ARE MOCKED AS GOOD-FOR-NOTHING SPONGES, THAT TELLS YOU WE'RE ALL LIVIN' IN A TIME OF PEACE, AM I RIGHT?

BUT EREN...

!! HELL... I CAN'T UNDERSTAND THOSE GUYS IN THE SURVEY CORPS WHO WANNA GO OUTSIDE THE WALL!

IT'S JUST LIKE HANNES SAYS.

BUT IF THEY WANNA HAVE FUN PLAYING WAR, LET 'EM, I SAY!!

WE DON'T HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE THE WALL FOR OUR WHOLE LIVES...

...ISN'T THAT...

... LIKE BEING A CAGED ANIMAL?

WE CAN EAT, SLEEP AND SURVIVE JUST FINE HERE... BUT...

DON'T TELL ME...

PFFT...

WHAT A CRACKPOT...

...HE WANTS TO JOIN THE SURVEY CORPS?

EREN...

YOU SHOULD CHANGE YOUR MIND ABOUT JOINING THE SURVEY CORPS...

YOU GONNA LAUGH AT THE SURVEY CORPS TOO?!

WHAT...?!

WHETHER I'M LAUGHING AT THEM...

...ISN'T THE ISSUE.

THE FRONT GATE'S OPENING!

THE SURVEY CORPS IS COMING!!

...THE HEROES ARE BACK...!!

LET'S GO, MIKASA!

SHIT! I CAN'T SEE WITH ALL THE PEOPLE!

ARE THESE THE ONLY ONES WHO MADE IT BACK?

LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER MASSACRE THIS TIME...

...THERE ARE LESS THAN 20 PEOPLE HERE... DID THE REST... GET EATEN?

EVEN THOUGH OVER 100 OF THEM SET OUT ON THE SURVEY...

WHERE IS MY SON ?!

EXCUSE ME... MY SON... I DON'T SEE MY SON, BRAUN, HERE...

BRAUN !! BRAUN !!

BRING IT HERE...

IT'S BRAUN'S MOTHER...

...EH?

...WE WERE ABLE TO GET BACK.

THAT'S ALL...

W A A A G H !

W A A A A G H !

..BUT...

...MY SON...

...WAS USEFUL TO YOU, WASN'T HE?

HIS DEATH... BROUGHT HUMANITY ONE STEP CLOSER TO BEATING THEM BACK, RIGHT?!

EVEN IF HE DIDN'T ACHIEVE ANYTHING DIRECTLY...

OF COURSE!

OUR SURVEY THIS TIME...

THIS TIME, TOO... WE...

N O T H I N G !!

WE ACCOM- PLISHED

ALL I DID WAS GET MY SOLDIERS KILLED ...!!

BECAUSE OF MY INCOMPE- TENCE...!!

...TO FINDING OUT WHAT THOSE THINGS REALLY ARE !!

WE DIDN'T GET ANY CLOSER

IF ONLY THEY'D STAYED INSIDE THE WALL, THEY'D ALL BE SAFE AND SOUND...

THAT'S JUST AWFUL...

SOLDIERS ARE NOTHING BUT A WASTE OF OUR TAXES...

SO BASICALLY OUR TAXES ARE BEING USED TO FATTEN UP THOSE BASTARDS BY PROVIDING THEM WITH “SNACKS.”

IT'S RIDICU- LOUS...

?!?

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, YOU LITTLE SHIT?!

HUH ?!

THAT'S ENOUGH!!

HEY... !!

UNF!!

WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?! NOW THE FIREWOOD'S ALL OVER THE PLACE!

EREN...

HAVE YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT JOINING THE SURVEY CORPS...

...CHANGED?

HELP ME PICK THE WOOD UP...

WE'RE HOME!

YOU TWO ARE LATE.

WELCOME BACK.

YEAH... WELL...

SOME STUFF HAPPENED.

HUH? DAD, YOU'RE GOING OUT NOW?

YEAH. I HAVE TO SEE A PATIENT TWO TOWNS UP.

...EREN SAID...

M-MIKASA!! I TOLD YOU NOT TO TELL THEM!

...HE WANTS TO JOIN THE SURVEY CORPS.

EREN!!

DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE DIED BECAUSE THEY DARED TO VENTURE OUTSIDE THE WALL?!

WHAT ARE YOU THINK- ING?!

Y- YES, I KNOW !!

WHY DO YOU WANT TO GO OUTSIDE? EREN...

I HATE THE IDEA OF SPENDING MY WHOLE LIFE...

...INSIDE THE WALL, IGNORANT OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD OUTSIDE!!

AND BESIDES...

...EVERYONE WHO DIED UP TO NOW WILL HAVE DIED IN VAIN!

IF THERE'S NO ONE TO CARRY ON...

WELL, I'D BETTER BE GOING. THE BOAT LEAVES SOON.

WAIT... HONEY!

...I SEE...

TALK SOME SENSE INTO YOUR SON!!

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT ANYONE SAYS. THERE'S NO HOLDING BACK AN INQUISITIVE MIND.

!!

KALURA...

WHEN I GET HOME... I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT'S IN THE BASEMENT...

...THAT I'VE BEEN KEEPING SECRET ALL THIS TIME.

EREN...

R- REALLY?!

...WHAT?

EREN...

...DO ANYTHING AS FOOLISH AS JOINING THE SURVEY CORPS! WHAT ?!

I WON'T LET YOU...

"FOOLISH" ...?!

...ARE THE REAL FOOLS!

EREN...

THE WAY I SEE IT... PEOPLE WHO ARE SATISFIED LIVING LIKE CAGED BIRDS...

THAT BOY IS FOOLHARDY...

...SO HELP HIM OUT IF HE GETS IN TROUBLE.

I WILL!

MIKASA...

IF IT HURTS, HIT ME BACK!

WHAT'S WRONG, HERETIC?

THAT'S WHY THE ONLY ANSWER YOU HAVE FOR ME IS YOUR FISTS!

N-NO WAY! I'M NOT GOING TO STOOP TO YOUR LEVEL!!

IT'S BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING IS RIGHT...

WHAT'S THAT?!

A-AND THAT'S AS GOOD AS ADMITTING DEFEAT!

S-SHUT UP, YOU TRICKY BASTARD !!

KNOCK IT OFF!

WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GUYS DOING?!

NOW'S OUR CHANCE TO KICK THE LITTLE BASTARD'S ASS!! IT'S EREN!!

F-FORGET IT! MIKASA'S WITH HIM!!

AH !!

HEY! YOU OKAY, ARMIN? ...THEY SAW MIKASA AND RAN. OW...

M- MORE LIKE

TH-THEY TOOK ONE LOOK AT ME AND RAN AWAY!

I-I CAN STAND UP ON MY OWN.

MM? YOU SURE...?

SO WHEN I SAID THE HUMAN RACE...

...HE PUNCHED ME...

...SHOULD EVENTUALLY GO TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD...

...AND CALLED ME A “HERETIC”.

DAMN IT, WHY DO PEOPLE FROWN ON EVEN THE SLIGHTEST MENTION OF WANTING TO GO “OUTSIDE”?

WELL... IT’S BECAUSE WE’VE LIVED HERE PEACEFULLY INSIDE THE WALL FOR 100 YEARS NOW.

PEOPLE ARE AFRAID THAT IF WE GO OUT CARELESSLY, THEY COULD GET IN.

BUT I WONDER IF THAT'S THE ONLY REASON...

ROYAL GOVERNMENT POLICY SAYS THAT EVEN HAVING AN INTEREST IN GOING TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD IS TABOO.

...YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT THAT.

IN OTHER WORDS, THE KING IS A COWARD!

WE CAN DO WHAT WE WANT WITH THEM, RIGHT?

THEY'RE OUR LIVES!

AB- SOLUTE- LY...

...NOT!

I DON'T REMEMBER AGREEING TO KEEP IT A SECRET.

THAT REMINDS ME, THANKS A LOT FOR RATTING ME OUT TO MOM AND DAD!!

NO WAY.

SO... HOW'D THEY TAKE IT?

...THEY WEREN'T PLEASED.

...NATURALLY...

...BUT COME ON, IT'S DANGER- OUS. LOOK, I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL...

W-WHAT THE HELL?! ARE YOU TELLING ME TO GIVE UP ON IT TOO?!

I MEAN, FOR SURE, I THINK THE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE WE'LL BE SAFE INSIDE THIS WALL FOREVER HAVE A SCREW LOOSE.

JUST BECAUSE THE WALL HASN'T BEEN BREACHED IN 100 YEARS...

...THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT THEY WON'T BREAK THROUGH IT TODAY, FOR EXAMPLE.

?!?

W- WHAT WAS THAT?!

AN EARTH- QUAKE?!

WHAT?

HUH... ?!

LET'S CHECK IT OUT!!

ARMIN, WHAT IS IT...?!

H-HEY... WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU LOOKING AT?!

IT CAN'T BE... !!

TH-THAT WALL'S 50 METERS HIGH...

...ONE OF THEM...

THAT DAY, THE HUMAN RACE REMEMBERED...

...THE TERROR...

...OF BEING DOMINATED BY THEM...

...AND THE SHAME...

...OF BEING HELD CAPTIVE IN A BIRDCAGE.