Attack on Titan has unveiled a limited-edition ukiyo-e print with a hefty price tag.
Initially spotlighted by Crunchyroll, Akira Shiozaki’s “Giant Invasion” takes direct inspiration from Utagawa Kuniyoshi’s woodblock print, Takiyasha the Witch and the Skeleton Specter, replacing the giant Skeleton with a vicious Titan getting fought by Eren, Mikasa, Arwin and Levi. The piece is highly limited, as there are only 300 set for production. Starting Feb. 25, fans can purchase the print on the Akihabara Premium Collection website for a whopping 66,000 yen (equivalent to about $498 at the time of writing.) A special promotional video showcases a behind-the-scenes look at the making of “Giant Invasion.”
About the Print that Inspired Attack on Titan’s Ukiyo-e Art
Ukiyo-e is an ancient genre of Japanese art characterized by detailed woodblock prints that depict a variety of scenes, including landscapes, maiden portraits, and scenes from classic folk tales, among others. Takiyasha the Witch and the Skeleton Spectre adapts a famous scene from a novel called The Story of Uto Yasutaka, which tells the story of a rogue warlord named Taira no Masakado that tries to overthrow the Emperor. When Masakado’s rebellion gets overthrown after he dies, his daughter, Princess Takiyasha takes revenge on the Emperor’s men by summoning a giant skeleton to terrorize them.
Bessatsu Shonen Magazine serialized Hajime Isayama’s original Attack on Titan manga from October 2009 to May 2021. Set in a world where bloodthirsty giants have nearly wiped out humanity, the plot revolves around a boy named Eren Jaeger who decides the join the fight to take back Earth from the Titans after they kill his family. He and his adopted sister Mikasa join up with the Survey Corps, where they not only become stronger but start to learn how the Titans came to exist in the first place. The series became a major hit, selling over 110 million copies worldwide as of September 2022.
Released in 2013, The popular anime adaptation of Attack on Titan is rapidly approaching its end. The first cour, or part, of Attack on Titan: The Final Season Part 3, is set to debut as a one-hour special in Japan on March 3. Ahead of the premiere, a seven-part recap will start airing on Feb. 27. The studio has not yet confirmed the release window for the season’s second half. Yuichiro Hayashi (Kakegurui) is directing The Final Season and Hiroshi Seko (Jujutsu Kaisen, Mob Psycho 100) is handling Series Composition.
“Giant Invasion” goes on sale starting Feb. 25. The Attack on Titan anime is available on Netflix.
Source: YouTube, via Crunchyroll
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