Attack on Titan fans know that the manga and anime both feature strong characters who are forced to make very difficult decisions. But what they may not realize is how the intensity of the show affects the people who work on it. As Attack on Titan’s English dub hits the ten-year mark, English voice actors Trina Nishimura (Mikasa) and Bryce Papenbrook (Eren Yeager) stop by New York Comic Con to reflect on their characters’ journeys and the dark places the game forces them. to go to.
Papenbrook was a fan before he played the English dub, so he knew what he was getting into. He enjoyed immersing himself in a complex character like Eren Yeager because it forced him to push himself to create a great work. In the session, Papenbrook recalled that the first time Eren bit his hand to transform into a Titan, he actually bit his own hand in the booth so hard during filming that it hurt. Sometimes, he opened his jaw so that he could convey the pain that Eren was experiencing at that moment.
“This show has to go to those dark places,” said Papenbrook. “I love that I can play Eren in so many different ways.”
Nishimura and Papenbrook couldn’t film together at first so she was nervous to meet him after hearing of his great dedication to the role. But that strength has also inspired his performances. He remembered the scene where Mikasa was torn about who to save with the Titan serum. Nishimura cried the whole time, as he felt the weight of the decision his character was facing. But he felt comfortable reaching that place as a player.
“It’s the safety and comfort of the team that allows me to go to those dark places,” says Nishimura, and he’s learned a lot from his character as a result. “It is important to be strong and brave but it is also important to be vulnerable and be open and honest.”
Attack on Titan The Final Chapters Special 2 airs in Japan on November 4, 2023 but in English in 2024.
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