In November 2024,The Last Attackwas released in theaters nationwide in Japan, wrapping up the story ofAttack on Titan. While thefranchise itselfis still ongoing with collaborations, merchandise, and games, Isayama himself has stated that he was burnt out for the time being. However, in February 2025, he collaborated with Yuki Kaji on a manga titled,Theory of a Malicious Man and AI - I’m an AI Who Gained Self-Awareness, Is Exploited by a Black Company, Becomes a V-Tuber as a Joke, Goes Viral Which Risks Humanity’s Extinction! But Well, I’m Just an AI, So What Do I Care!- orSoyogi Fractalfor short.
Kaji came up with the concept, illustrated by Kai Noshigami, while Isayama illustrated the draft and wrote the story. Along with this small project, in an interview withNew York Times, he did state that he had ideas for a new manga and was weighing the possibility of a dark comedy. So the question arises: What kind of story is he going to tell?
The Original Idea
Dark Comedy or Heartbreak?
In another interview with Isayama beforeAttack on Titanconcluded, he was asked if he had any other ideas for future projects. According to him, he had an idea for one since high school, and hoped to see it come to fruition. While not necessarily the same idea, as previously mentioned, he had a dark comedy in mind as his potential “next project”, so those two ideas could very well become one. Also, looking at his past works beforeAttack on Titan, there wasorz, which tells the story of Yasuhiko, a high school student who lives a double life as a superhero, fighting monsters that came in from an alternate universe.
Well… I haven’t really done anything that could be called creative activity since. I had a strong commitment to finishing Attack on Titan, both for its success and to see it through to the end but after finishing it, I lost that kind of drive and now I’m in a state where I can’t do anything.
His watch manages his stress/excitement levels and triggers a transformation if it gets too high, so when his childhood friend, Aki, transfers to his school, Yasu faces a dilemma where he has tosimultaneously protect herwhile still maintaining his secret from his friends. As it’s a one-shot, the conflict is resolved fairly quickly, as Aki discovers his secret and they both decide to face the enemy head on, winning a difficult battle. The chapter ends with a group of students lamenting the possibility of the hero failing, reminding the reader of the grim reality the story takes place in.
Orzhas snippets of humor in it, as Yasu’s tendency to take off his clothing in public spaces to increase his stress levels, so he can transform, is a reoccurring theme. But there was another one-shot that was submitted to the same magazine, but never saw any published releases,Heartbreak One. Not much is known about it, aside from the title being inspired byAce Combat 5and the main character, a cyborg, isHistoria’s original design. However, withorz’s cliffhanger andIsayama’s collaboration with Yuki Kaji, he’s not out of ideas. Of course, he is human, so rest and self-care are imperative for one’s own health and to avoid burnout.
A Side Story or a Snippet?
The Potential of The Great Titan War
In an interview that was included inShingeki Fly, Isayama stated that he had planned for a one-shot based on The Great Titan War, which took place 100 years before the events of the main story inAttack on Titan. But the idea was scrapped when he decided to delve into Levi’s character more in how he “awakened” his Ackerman abilities, along with the reason he holds his teacup oddly. In the same interview, he mentioned burnout again, so it is reasonable to assume that a smaller story would be better, as it isn’t too taxing and Isayama’spassion for the serieswouldn’t shine through otherwise.
The possibilities of adaptations of other works such asBefore the FallandHarsh Mistress of the Cityare very possible, but it’s up to Isayama how he chooses to go forward with his career as an artist and storyteller.
