Attack on Titan is a popular anime and manga series that has captured the imagination of audiences around the world. It tells the story of humanity’s struggle for survival against giant humanoid creatures known as Titans, who devour humans without reason.
However, when and where does Attack on Titan take place is still unclear among some viewers. So, worry not since this article will delve into the world of Attack on Titan and explore the timeline and setting in which the story unfolds.
Where Does Attack on Titan Take Place?
The Attack on Titan world is depicted geographically on page 6 of Chapter 93 of the manga. The story takes place on a small island called Paradis, Island of Paradis, or Paradis Island, whichever you prefer to go by. It is the island where most of the plot of Attack on the Titans takes place (where Eren and the Titans reside).
If we cross-reference the manga map with the actual world map, the Attack on Titan Earth is not the Earth we inhabit. It is more of an alternate universe Earth. The regions shown on the manga map are Marley, Paradis, and Mid-Easy Allies.
The people in the first two regions are known as Marleyans and Eldians in Attack on Titan manga and anime. So, it further solidifies that the AoT Earth, while similar, is more likely an alternate-universe Earth.
Since the Earth is not the same as our Earth, we cannot use our timeline to judge and identify when Attack on Titan takes place. So, it is a different world, albeit with many similarities.
However, if we compare the location where AoT takes place, it looks like it takes place in Germany, or at least in Europe, where the remaining survivors of the Titan catastrophe are concerned.
The architecture shown in AoT anime and manga looks very similar to the architecture of Germany and Europe, and some names used in anime and manga are German or European. Jäger (Eren Yeager) is a German word for hunter, and Armin, a Germanic name, comes from Arminius and Herman.
When Does Attack on Titans Take Place?
However, chapter 87, pages 146-147, depicts the possession of airships and military technology during Grisha Yeager’s childhood. The airships, military technology, and uniforms look similar to the technology and uniforms from the 1900s to the 1930s or 40s era of our time.
The Attack on Titans takes place on an alternate Earth similar to Europe in the early 20th century. The anime and the manga story begins in the year 845 in the town of Shinganshina, and the main characters join the military in their quest to eradicate the Titans.
The anime and manga show that they use the meter-class metric system to calculate the size of titans. The meter-class metric system was invented following the French revolution in 1789, and the French Academy of Science accepted it on 26th March 1791. So, the story takes place after 1791.
During the trainee corps arc, Eren speaks about artisans who make the 3d maneuver gear and look after the city’s general development (no trains and steamboats). It suggests the industrial revolution (~ 1840) has not yet happened.
Titans appeared (year 743 in the story) between 1791 and 1840 (and because of that new-found enemy, the industrial revolution never took place). The story starts with the colossal titan after 102 years (year 845 in the anime and manga storyline), which means that Attack of Titans takes place between 1893 and 1942 in our calendar.
If we compare it with our timeline, the events of AoT might have happened between the mid-18th and mid-19th centuries.
However, some AoT fans, readers, and watchers think it is set/based in the 1920s to 1940s. So, it might be possible that its events might have happened between the 1920s to 1940s of our timeline.
In the end, we recommend reading the manga for precise information on the backstory of Attack on Titans to gain more information on the timeline, place, and technology of the AoT universe.
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