A walk through the morally ambiguous conflict of Attack on Titan: The Exhibition

Based on the critically-acclaimed manga series and anime adaptation of the same title, Attack on Titan: The Exhibition will be held at the ArtScience Museum from Feb 19 to Jul 3, as The Final Season Part 2 of the anime is currently being broadcasted on Netflix.

Organised by SPACElogic and Marina Bay Sands, the exhibition makes its debut in Southeast Asia and will showcase 180 artworks from creator Hajime Isayama from the manga’s earliest drafts to never-before-seen pieces. 

The Attack on Titan FINAL Exhibition was previously held in Japan in 2019, where Isayama hoped for readers to feel glad that they kept reading the manga. 

“Since then, the series has come to an end, but I’m not sure if everyone here is thinking ‘I am glad I have been reading this’,” he said in a press release on Feb 17. 

“However, my feelings have not changed. Today I hope you enjoy Attack on Titan: The Exhibition and I would be happy if you continue to immerse yourself in the world of Attack on Titan and engage with the characters as you like.”

MBS promised visitors a look at the behind-the-scenes of one of the world’s most successful manga stories, learning about the creative direction of the manga’s story and character developments that has earned it its international acclaim. 

As a long-term fan of Attack on Titan, the exhibition did not fall short of expectations and only made me fall in love with the series even more.

At the start of the exhibition, there is a green screen photo booth where guests can take a photo such as posing next to Captain Levi or being eaten by a Titan. The photo can be purchased at the end of the exhibition.

Following the photo booth, visitors can select from two rooms to begin their journey in the exhibition – one from within the walls in main character Eren’s perspective, the other from beyond the walls in Reiner’s perspective. 

The journey from Eren’s perspective will follow the events of the first few chapters of the manga, where he loses his family to the Titans and swears to kill all the Titans to avenge them one day. The journey from Reiner’s perspective, on the other hand, begins with Reiner training to become a warrior for the military but begins experiencing multiple emotional dilemmas with himself along the way.

As like in the show, when Eren and Reiner eventually meet each other when they join the Survey Corps, the two journeys in the exhibition eventually merge into one in the exhibition.

Before moving on to the next zone, visitors will be greeted with a life-sized Colossus Titan Balloon Head peeking over the walls just like it did in the series, giving them a good gauge of what it is exactly like facing the Titans in real life.

After bidding goodbye to the Colossus Titan, guests will arrive at the Great Titan Theatre, where they can take a seat and witness the Attack and Armoured Titan’s fights come to life, as well as Eren’s attack on the Marley after they officially declare war on them.

At the back of the Great Titan Theatre, significant objects from the manga are also brought to life, such as Mikasa’s scarf that she wears endearingly throughout the series, as well as a torn and tattered Survey Corps cape.

After witnessing the spectacle in the Great Titan Theatre, visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about their favourite characters through some of their most iconic manga panels. Some of the characters include Eren, Mikasa, Armin, Reiner, Erwin, and, of course, fan favourite Levi.

As guests approach the end of the exhibition, they’ll have the chance to witness three more original artworks from the manga’s ending which have never been exhibited before. These new artworks contain major spoilers from the manga’s ending. 

The exhibition will wrap up with a six-minute interview with Isayama speaking about the manga and reflecting on the decade he spent on his work. In this final zone, early concept drafts and storyboards will be on display to show how far the manga artist has come in his journey.

At the end of the exhibition, there will be a 20-minute anime screening to recap the story of Attack on Titan, as well as an exhibition store for guests to purchase limited-edition merchandise including apparel (from $59) and a book about the exhibition ($85). 

Attack on Titan: The Exhibition will be open from 10am to 7pm, with the last entry at 6pm. 

Tickets cost $18 for adults and $14 for children, and can be purchased here.