CATDOLL: A brief discussion on the comics "Attack on Titan" and "Tokyo Ghoul": The weak can only move forward in pain?

I remember that it was during the period when I just graduated that I came into contact with "Attack on Titan" and "Tokyo Ghoul". At that time, I was facing the dilemma of being unemployed after graduation, and the pressure on me was like an invisible mountain. I got up at 6 o'clock in the morning and washed up, and rushed to 5 interviews or 2 or 3 job fairs a day. After running, I went home after dark, took a shower, turned on the computer and started submitting resumes on major recruitment websites. After submitting the resume, I arranged the schedule for the next day. I couldn't go to bed until about 2 o'clock in the middle of the night. After nearly 2 months of such days, I finally signed a tripartite agreement at the last minute before graduation, successfully realizing the seamless connection between graduation and employment, and bid farewell to the despair and fear that was like being trapped in hell. And it was not long after that, when I was browsing the Internet, I discovered these two comics.

Speaking of which, our generation is at the tail end of the 80s and at the forefront of the 90s. We have been exposed to a lot of anime since childhood, but most of them are adventure and passion-oriented. Whether it is "Dragon Ball" or "ONE PIECE", whether it is "Digimon" or "Pokémon", the worldview presented to us is that we can save the world by relying on courage and friendship. Of course, such passionate anime is popular at all ages, but after eating too many delicacies, it is inevitable that you will feel bored.

So when I saw these two comics, I felt extremely fresh. And because of my previous experiences, I could relate to the protagonists in trouble, so I didn't need too much preparation and was directly immersed in them, unable to extricate myself.

I won't go into the general plots of these two comics, I believe everyone has heard of them. And these two comics have a very similar story structure: in a fictional world, humans have enemies at the top of the food chain, and the fighting power between the two is very different. Humans are the weaker party in the struggle between the two. And the protagonist, due to various opportunities, becomes an existence between the two, and the story follows.

However, Eren Yeager and Kaneki Ken are two completely different people: one watched his mother being killed when he was young, and when he grew up, he was full of hatred and wanted to take revenge, but after being "killed" in battle, his potential power was stimulated; while the other inadvertently became half-human, half-ghoul. And the two of them also stood on different camps: Eren stood on the side of humans; Kaneki stood on the side of ghouls. Their goals were that one was to use the power of the Titans to drive out all the Titans and liberate humans; the other was looking for a place to stay between the two races and trying his best to protect the people around him.

But there is one thing in common that determines their tragic fate: even though they have power, they cannot achieve their goals, and they still cannot change or save the world.

When Levi's team was killed one by one by the female titan, and when the antiques were captured by CCG, both Eren and Kaneki tried to do something, but in the end they could only watch everything happen. Both comics create an extremely cruel atmosphere of despair at all times, allowing readers to see the helplessness of the protagonists.

To be honest, regarding the author's behavior of openly taking pleasure in torturing readers, I can only say one thing: well done.

In fact, I can't stop watching those extremely desperate plot arrangements. Because in the face of such a tragic reality, the protagonists still work hard and don't give up. It doesn't matter if their comrades die, it doesn't matter if their companions die. As long as the giants are not driven out completely, as long as the battle between humans and ghouls continues, their battle will never stop. They are not cold-blooded animals. They will also feel sad and confused, and they will also be cowardly and retreat. But in the end, they still persevere, shoulder everything, and continue to move forward.

A simple sad drama is just a cup of strong coffee without sugar, which is delicious but hard to drink. However, the indomitable will and soul polished by countless despair are the fascinating treasures.

Unfinished works always have infinite possibilities. They may soar to the sky or be cut short. No one can tell if Isayama or Ishida will suddenly come up with a sudden change of mind and overturn everything I wrote before. But no matter what, I will continue to love these two works as always. And I am grateful for the despair and powerlessness they brought me, as well as the hope that came after.