The Illusion of Freedom Trough Attack on Titan.
What does it mean to be free ? Is freedom simply the absence of chains, or is it something more profound, something far harder to attain ? These are the questions that Attack on Titan forces us to confront as it weaves a tale of survival, betrayal, and the desperate pursuit of liberty. But by the end, the anime delivers a stark revelation : freedom, as we understand it, is often an illusion.
From the very first season, the walls surrounding Paradis Island serve as a physical and symbolic representation of this illusion. The people within the walls believe they are free as long as they are safe from the Titans outside. But is safety the same as freedom ? Is living within carefully constructed boundaries, whether physical or ideological—true liberation ? Are we, too, confined by invisible walls in our own society : social norms, economic structures, or even our own fears ?
Eren Yeager, the anime's protagonist, becomes the embodiment of the human desire for freedom. His rallying cry, "If we win, we’ll finally be free !" resonates deeply, not just within the story but with anyone who has ever fought against oppression. Yet, as Eren gains power and learns the truth about the world—about the history of Eldia and Marley, and the cycles of violence that bind them—he comes to a harrowing realization. What he thought was freedom was merely a different form of control.
Even outside the walls, humanity is not free. They are bound by history, prejudice, and the inescapable need to fight for survival. And isn’t that the same in our own world ? Are we truly free if our choices are shaped by systems we didn’t create, by debts we didn’t choose, or by wars we have no power to stop ?
One of the most powerful moments in Attack on Titan is when Eren sees the ocean for the first time. It’s a moment that should symbolize liberation, the fulfillment of a dream. Yet, instead of joy, he feels despair. Beyond the ocean lies more enemies, more struggles, and the painful truth that freedom is never absolute. How many of us chase our own "oceans," only to find that what lies beyond isn’t the freedom we imagined but another layer of constraints ?
Even Eren's ultimate choice—to take on the burden of the Founding Titan and pursue the "Rumbling"—is a testament to the impossibility of true freedom. Every path he takes is shaped by the influences of others, the weight of history, and the crushing reality of limited options. Does his final act make him a liberator or a pawn of fate ? And can any of us claim to be different, or are our lives similarly dictated by forces beyond our control ?
Attack on Titan challenges us to look beyond the surface of freedom. It forces us to ask : who controls the narrative of our liberty ? Are we truly free, or do we live in carefully managed illusions, believing we have choices when those choices are already preordained ?
In the end, perhaps the only way to find freedom is to accept its limitations. To understand that true freedom isn’t found in the absence of walls but in the courage to question them—and the willingness to break through, even knowing what lies beyond may never be perfect. Are you ready to face your own walls ? Or will you, like so many before, settle for the illusion ?
Is the pursuit of freedom a universal human experience that we all must face at some point ? Is this process of seeking the truth a never-ending loop, as depicted in the final episode with the little boy near the tree ?