The epic invasion of scary, colossal beings has begun! Starting 19 February 2022, Artscience Museum and collaborator SPACELogic has kicked off the ATTACK ON TITAN: The Exhibition that pays tribute to the best-selling manga's creator Hajime Isayama and the series' amazing 11-year run with Japanese publishing company, Kodansha. The exhibition makes its South-East Asian and overseas debut here, with a few new additions and surprises.
Come along with Red Dot Diva as she walks through the exhibit in this feature, so you can know what to expect. Or, if you are unable to head to Red Dot Island during the exhibition's run, Red Dot Diva hopes that you will be able to live vicariously through this article and photos.
Got your ODM gear ready? Here we go!
GREEN SCREEN PHOTOBOOTH
At the pre-introduction area, you can choose to take a fun green screen photo as a keepsake. You can capture two different poses, and a few background options will be added on to your photo later. Select your favourite one at the end of your visit, and a print can be purchased at SGD 20 each.
Red Dot Diva's tip: make a horrified expression and pose as if you are being devoured by a Titan for the best photo. Red Dot Diva had no inkling what the backgrounds were, and she wished she did that kind of fun poses! You can scroll to the end of this article to see what her photo print looked like.
Surrounding this area are some visual hints about the world of ATTACK ON TITAN (Shingeki no Kyojin), including a map of Marley and Paradis Island.
OPENING THEATRE
Before you decide if you are to experience the exhibit as someone living within (Red) or outside the walls (Blue) of Paradis Island, there will be a 3-minute introductory video on the brief synopsis of Attack on Titan.
Red Dot Diva chose to enter as a person living within the walls (Red), but there is no major difference which one you choose. The converging point does not take you too far into the exhibition, and it is easy to amble and check out exhibits on the other side.
INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE WALLS
The story of Attack on Titan is about a long-running conflict between those within the walls in Paradis Island, and those beyond the walls. Many detailed and amazing drawings by creator Hajime Isayama line the walls no matter which side you choose, telling you the perspectives of some of the key characters, like Eren Yeager and Reiner Braun.
The paths of these two characters will collide which leads to the iconic battle presented in the next zone.
BATTLE ZONE - it's all about the Titans!
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| Credit: Marina Bay Sands |
This section is where the real excitement and horror begins!
Illustrations and more artwork by Hajime Isayama of the iconic battle between the Attack Titan (Eren) and the Armoured Titan (Reiner) line the exhibition panels.
The Pure Titans, grotesque versions of these gigantic creatures, appear to "fall from the sky" above you heads, threatening to gobble you up with their freaky grins.
There is an overview about the Nine Titans and their various abilities. For Red Dot Diva, the backgrounds about the different individual Titans were one of the most interesting things to explore when she watched the Netflix anime series.
And then, as you turn around the corner... Ahhhhhh! RUUUUNNNNNNN!!!!
This is the first time that the life-sized Colossus Titan balloon head is being displayed at ATTACK ON TITAN: The Exhibition.
THE GREAT TITAN THEATRE
This 10-metre screen set within the rubble and debris of a battlefield brings the Attack Titan vs Armoured Titan fight to life. The animated computer graphics are quite stunning to watch, and Red Dot Diva found this section to be the most immersive.
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| Credit: Marina Bay Sands |
Some important artefacts from the ATTACK ON TITAN universe has also been reproduced here, like Eren's key to the basement in his home, and Annie's spiked ring. Other objects include Mikasa's scarf, Armin’s book, and the Survey Corps cape.
ATTACK ON TITAN CHARACTERS
Of course, the main trio consisting of Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackermann and Armin Arlert are featured here. It is an interesting section where you can refresh your memory about each of these character's journey and their motivations, accompanied by artwork from the manga. ATTACK ON TITAN is not just a war story. It is a multi-layered narrative that brings to the surface the debates about nature vs nurture, the effects of propaganda, religion and war, as well as the concepts of freedom and inequality. Moral ambiguity is built into the plot of ATTACK ON TITAN, and you might discover more of yourself as you work out which side you tend to align with.
As in most long-running epics, there are several other characters in ATTACK ON TITAN who have made significant impact to the story. Many of these are fan favourites, like Levi Ackermann, Hange Zoe, Sasha Blouse.
You can take your time to acquire a deeper understanding of these supporting characters, like Zeke Yeager and Historia Reiss. Or maybe, as in Red Dot Diva's case, mourn for some of the characters who have sadly, met their fates.
FINAL DRAWINGS - Warning: SPOILERS
This small room features three new original artwork by Hajime Isayama from the manga's ending. As the Netflix anime adaptation has yet to air the finale, Red Dot Diva has not posted a pic of this room. The artwork have not been displayed at a ATTACK ON TITAN: The Exhibition before!
HAJIME ISAYAMA INTERVIEW ROOM
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| Credit: Marina Bay Sands |
ATTACK ON TITAN'S creator Hajime Isayama started working on the manga when he was 19 years old. The fresh-faced artist reflects about his personal thoughts and processes during the manga's run in a 6-minute interview featurette.
Surrounding the interview room are his concept drawings and sketches with red annotations by Shintaro Kawakubo, the first editor of ATTACK ON TITAN'S. Red Dot Diva found these storyboards fascinating, and she could identify some of the characters that were worked on before they appeared on a printed page. It is too bad that she does not know the Japanese language, which would have made some of these draft ideas even more illuminating.
During the virtual press conference, Shintaro Kawakubo mentioned that usually rough sketches are thrown away, but Hajime Isayama had a gut feel that these drawings carry significant impact and collected thousands of such pieces. Kawakubo-san said that to lead Isayama to a certain direction in story-telling, he will consistently ask the questions, 'how', 'why' and 'what'.
More interestingly, Kawakubo-san also revealed that the only character that went through a major change from the original concept was Sasha Blouse. She was supposed to die much earlier in the story, but they felt that she had something important to do, and so, in the end, her untimely fate was delayed in the manga.
ANIME SCREENING ROOM
The exhibition's displays skews heavily on the manga, so for those who have not watched the popular Netflix anime adaptation yet, this screening room is for you. There is a 20-minute summary video of the anime for you to enjoy as a conclusion to the exhibition.
Netflix is currently streaming all seasons of the anime, so you are still able to catch up on this exciting adaptation, if you haven't already. The Final Season is scheduled to conclude with its last episode available on 7 March 2022.
GIFT SHOP
Unlike the previous Star Wars exhibition held at ArtScience Museum, the ATTACK ON TITAN gift shop is very well stocked with loads of cool merchandise! There are books, postcards, buttons, t-shirts, bags, key chains, toys... there is definitely something that will catch the eye of an avid AoT collector.
The tote bags were very tempting to Red Dot Diva, but she was not able to afford them. So was that Attack Titan pillow. Hahaha.
Here is where you can also choose your green screen photobooth print, so do not forget to collect and purchase it from the counter. (Scroll up to the first section above if you cannot remember what this is about.) Each print costs SGD 20.
MY PHOTOBOOTH PRINT
Red Dot Diva wishes she had done a goofier pose so that she could choose a background with a Titan eating her up, but since she was going for grouchy bad-ass, she chose her one of her character faves Levi instead. The photo comes with a nicely printed folder, so it is a lovely souvenir to remember about the exhibition.
ATTACK ON TITAN: The Exhibition is a deftly designed space that will please many of the manga and anime fans due to the familiar visuals and beloved characters. However, as an entry point for newbies, Red Dot Diva felt it may be a bit too much to take in at one go, due to the artwork-driven displays of the complex timelines and character journeys. Visiting with a friend who is already a hardcore AoT fan will help in this scenario.
The exhibition is also rather traditional in its approach, and Red Dot Diva wished it was more interactive. She was expecting audio cues or effects in certain zones, and also thinks that engaging cosplayers/ costumed guides to greet visitors would enhance the experience. Having these guides warn that "danger is eminent" before stepping into the battlezone theatre would definitely give visitors a boost of adrenaline. But she also understands that some concessions have to be made due to the ongoing pandemic.
It is still a worthwhile visit though, so don't miss it if you are an ATTACK ON TITAN fan. Through the exhibition, Red Dot Diva gained a deeper appreciation of Hajime Isayama's creative journey, and was able to marvel at the hundreds of gorgeous original artwork.
Shinzou Wo Sasageyo!
ATTACK ON TITAN: The Exhibition
Dates: 19 February 2022 to 3 July 2022
Opening Hours: 10 AM to 7 PM
Where: Artscience Museum
Tickets: As far as possible, please pre-book your tickets, as there are covid restrictions and social distancing measures still in place. To buy your tickets and get more information about the exhibition: click here - https://www.marinabaysands.com/museum/exhibitions/attack-on-titan.html
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