Anime merchandise can get out of hands sometimes, and recently, Attack on Titan remains a testament to that.
Just when I thought that the Levi vacuum cleaner was the craziest it could get, AOT drops the Eldian armband.
In case you don’t remember what it is, the Eldians who lived in Marley had to wear an armband that marked them as a segregated group of people.
Those who wore this band were not allowed to roam outside designated areas and were treated worse than animals.
The official website for Attack on Titan had initially listed Eldian armbands as merchandise for the upcoming final season.
After a harsh reality check, the production committee has decided to remove the product from the website.
With the second cour of the final season scheduled for release on January 9, 2022, this is not the time for the staff to make a grave mistake.
The website had already started accepting pre-orders but has canceled them at the moment. The committee apologized for the conduct and stated that
The “Attack on Titan” production committee does not intend to admit any discrimination.
Not only did the armband provoke discrimination, but it was also a close reminder of the Yellow Star badge that Jews had to wear during the Nazi era.
Attack on Titan’s previous seasons had shown us just how disgustingly the Eldians are treated. Their only fleeting hope was to sacrifice their children to become titans and die for Marley.
Considering these barbaric practices, would you want to wear something that symbolizes human cruelty?
The Eldian armband might be a fictional element, but what it represents is not imaginary. Instead, it’s the most hated truth of humanity.
After seeing Grisha’s sister, Faye Yeager, die a gruesome death due to her being an Eldian and wearing an armband, I think the committee took the right decision by removing the product.
About Attack on Titan
Attack on Titan is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama. Kodansha publishes it in the Bessatsu Shonen Magazine.
The manga began serialization on September 9th, 2009, and ended on April 9, 2021. It has been compiled into 34 volumes.
Attack on Titan follows humanity settled within three concentric walls to protect themselves from the terrifying titans that prey on them. Eren Yeager is a young boy that believes that a caged life is similar to that of cattle and aspires to go beyond the walls one day, just like his heroes, the Survey Corps. The emergence of a deadly Titan unleashes chaos.
Source: AOT official website
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