We Review The First Attack on Titan Exhibition At ArtScience Museum
Attack on Titan: The Exhibition’s Southeast Asian premiere, makes its debut at ArtScience Museum, coinciding with the screening of The Final Season Part 2 anime adaptation now on Netflix.
Whether you're a huge fan or simply curious about the rage of this anime series, Attack on Titan: The Exhibition will take you on an exploratory journey that introduces you to the rich characters, themes and intricate worldbuilding of this global cultural phenomenon, where you’ll get pulled into a world where humanity is on the brink of extinction.
When ArtScience Museum announced that they will be premiering Attack on Titan: The Exhibition, the anime’s first presentation in Southeast Asia, I knew I had to go. I mean, Eren Yeager literally whispered to me to go and get ‘em tickets.
Let me bring you through the exhibition from the beginning to the end chronologically, giving you glimpses on what you can expect and prepare before you visit the Survey Corps!
All You Need To Know About Attack on Titan
Attack on Titan
originated from a manga. Created, written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama, the series began serialisation in 2009 and concluded in April 2021. It has spawned live-action film adaptations and has over 100 million copies sold in print.
The best-selling dark fantasy manga and anime series is set in a post-apocalyptic world world where humanity lives in a walled off city, constantly in fear of giant grotesque man-eating humanoids (titans) invading and consuming them.
The fantastical theme, distinctive plot, nuanced characters and arresting visuals have made this anime a global cultural phenomenon. The anime series of Attack on Titan started in 2013 and its fourth and final season coincides with the Attack on Titan: The Exhibition premiere.
Where it all begins.
Concept Art, Sketches and Storyboards
You can look forward to checking out over 180 artworks (concept drawings and storyboards) by Hajime Isayama ranging from the manga’s earliest days to the present, as well as exclusive new pieces (drafts and sketches from his archives) that have not been displayed anywhere else in the world!
Now moving on the exhibition itself. At the start, you are prompted to pick a path to start the exhibition following an introductory video. The two paths reveal parallel lives led by characters in the manga where the left (blue) points to life outside of the walls, putting them with the Marleyans (Titan Shifters such as Reiner Braun) while the right (red) leads them inside the walls with the Eldians (Eren Yeager’s side).
Each doorway plays out the stories of the characters through manga panels, with the two opposing sides viewing the other as the enemy. You can view the epic action-packed panels of the fight, and take pictures at a backdrop featuring some titans as well as a huge sculpture of the Colossal Titan’s head!
The paths converge in the middle, on Eren and Reiner’s first meeting in the Survey Corps, before a recap of the iconic battle between the Attack Titan and the Armoured Titan in the anime is shown.
A close-up of a wall where you can also snap some pictures against. It tells the powers of each of the 9 unique titans.
Well, hello there Mr Colossal Titan. Probably the most Instagrammable backdrop.
The Great Titan Theatre
The next highlight of the exhibition is The Great Titan Theatre, where you will witness and experience an immersive CGI battle sequence set – an EPIC clash between the Attack Titan and Armoured Titan across a 10-metre screen and among scattered debris on the ground that have been deliberately arranged to mirror the environment as shown in the manga!
Some manga artifacts are also on display such as Eren’s basement key, Annie’s ring, the Survey Corps cape, and Mikasa’s scarf.
Further down the lane, there are individual panels dedicated to telling backstories of the main characters. Here’s one of them, Mikasa Ackerman...
…and a glimpse of another section.
The Final Interview Room with Hajime Isayama
My favourite room and best personal highlight! On top of being aesthetically pleasing, you get to actually see 11 years’ worth of drafts and manga sketches that were almost thrown out, with the editor’s comments (from Kodansha) highlighted in red.
There’s also a video interview with Hajime Isayama framed by the walls of these original concept drawings and storyboards. He spoke about his reflections on the manga and the decade he spent creating it.
Merchandise
Source: Geek Culture
Source: ArtScience Museum
Like any exhibition, merchandises are a must-stop destination after the exhibition ends. No really, you’ll literally be lead to the retail station. These are exclusive merchandises by the way! Some of them include mangas, character keychains, figurines, t-shirts, and a Survey Corps jacket. Well, goodbye money.
Conclusion
There’s more to the Attack on Titan: The Exhibition than everything that I’ve shared here of course. To get the full experience, you have to immerse yourself in the physical exhibition itself.
I’d rate this exhibition a 6/10. I wished there were more interactive displays, original size standees and some light & sound shows. If you’re a huge fan of Attack on Titan, you’ll highly likely love this I suppose. I mean, huge fans naturally love anything and everything about their favourite anime right? Though if you’re a casual visitor, it will be an eye-opening experience.
Attack on Titan: The Exhibition is organised by SPACELogic and presented at ArtScience Museum. Running from 19 February to 3 July 2022, it marks the overseas debut of the exhibition in its latest form and serves as the culmination of Hajime Isayama’s master storytelling and artistic vision over the past decade. Book your slots directly here!
Share this article with your friends to let them have a glimpse of what they can expect before visiting the exhibition ╰(◡‿◡✿╰)
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