At times one does realise that they are not very different from their enemy.
Killing or being killed cannot be the law. For if that is the way of the world, then that will be a fallen one. But what does one think of when this thought strikes their mind? What can you kill for? People, country? Or maybe just that one whom you want to protect from it all. But things aren't as simple as they seem to be. They are a spiral of whimsy and hypocrisy.
The history which inspired it: The worst of times in human history
War strikes hard and it strikes bad. People who are killed are often aware of why they are being killed. Some obliviated notion of past sin perhaps? Brains are washed and consciences are lost when the soldiers are sent to war. A feature this anime has boldly shown through its art and storylines. This anime begins with a theme of captivity followed by death. Death without reason – the truest face of all those who fall victim to the cruel fates of war.
Eren’s depiction: Hitler’s image if he actually cared
While there is no doubt that Eren Yeager’s character was actually inspired by the Fuhrer himself, it isn’t completely so. Eren is a person who actually cares about his friends and treats them like family. Furthermore, unlike Adolf Hitler, Eren never put others in jeopardy. He always strived to be the one to take the hit while his loved ones can rest at ease. Though Hitler was essentially someone who intended on pushing people around to his whims, Eren’s character tangentially escapes that feature and then in the end almost grapples it but with a setup which makes the relation so drawn, mute. And hence even though he is an anti-hero, a villain maybe, he ends up being the hero of the anime.
The political symbolism: The entire setup and progression of the story
The setup of captivity and decimation begin the series with a fantastical plot. A plot which thickens with every episode and progression of the season. And with twists around every corner. Friends become foes and foes become friends amidst politics, identity and ideals of humans who fall powerless before a slave. The slave waited and with her patience, she finally was set free by the one she drew near her. And once she was finally free, the world halted in fear.
The greatest theme this anime has wonderfully highlighted therefore is that of what it means to have freedom in one’s heart.
