Attack on Titan Director Shares How 2001: A Space Odyssey Influenced Its Final Season

Attack on Titan season four is still making its way towards the end, so each episode brings fans closer to the series finale. It has been well over a decade since fans met up with Eren, and his turn this season has flipped the anime upside down. It fell to MAPPA to illustrate that change with help from every single animator on staff. And now, the season’s director is opening up about how 2001: A Space Odyssey influenced Attack on Titan this time around.

The revelation came from director Yuichiro Hayashi himself, the director of Attack on Titan season four. The artist did a lengthy interview about the show’s final outing over in Japan, and fans were quick to pick through its juiciest bits. So of course, their attention was piqued when Hayashi said his team drew inspiration from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

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When asked about Eren’s first visit to the paths, Hayashi said the trippy introduction borrowed from a wide array of media. It turns out Kubrick’s movie helped inspire the team by sampling imagery as well as background music. “What you hear is an ambient type of music with a mysterious tone like in 2001: A Space Odyssey and other movies from the seventies,” Hayashi said.

As you can see above, the anime’s comparison to 2001: A Space Odyssey is hard to miss. It is clear the team at MAPPA leaned into Kubrick’s use of kaleidoscope colors as Eren entered the paths for the first time. The scene’s unsettling music was also inspired by the 1968 sci-fi flick, so Kubrick’s movie is still influencing mainstream TV decades after its release.

If you have not had the chance to see this scene for yourself, Attack on Titan season four is being simulcast in the United States. Crunchyroll and Funimation have the entire show available with new episodes being added weekly. And if you want to watch the dub, the latter service can hook you up!

What do you think of this season’s nod to 2001: A Space Odyssey? Are you liking Attack on Titan season four so far? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.