In an impressive new collaborative project on X, Attack on Titan fans have joined together to document each pop culture reference they noticed in the series. Every fan knows that no detail was spared in Attack on Titan. From out-of-this-world foreshadowing, to incredibly detailed character backgrounds, to incomparable worldbuilding, the manga’s author has proven to be one of the best storytellers of all time. However, the depth of details in AOT goes much deeper than fans think.

Hajime Isayama is known to be a lover of pop culture, which played into the success of his series, Attack on Titan. The story is undeniably funny, relatable, and thrilling, often referred to as, “The Walking Dead” of anime. Furthermore, AOT is one of the best-selling manga of all time, with over 140 million copies in circulation as of November 2023.

Isayama has also expressed his appreciation for pop culture on social media. During the peak season of Game of Thrones, the author stated that he was an avid fan, would often post fan art on his blog, and regularly recommended the series to his viewers. Additionally, he mentioned that the series would inevitably influence his own work. In more ways than one, Isayama has proved that he is a huge fan of pop culture, and fans recently took it upon themselves to document each reference in Attack on Titan in a hilarious new fan project.

Meme References in AOT: A Thread

Lengthy Fan Project Proves How Many References Fans Missed on the First Watch

In early July, the thread was originally started by @jai__in4k on X. As fans dug deep into Attack on Titan, more and more references were discovered until the post reached 17.7 million views. The first meme posted to the thread was of the“stressed scribbling boy” found in the manga.

Another iconic meme that fans found was in the anime. Everyone remembers the classic “man checks out another woman” meme. This time, they are replaced with Bertholdt, Reiner, and Annie in a hilarious comparison.

Finally, Isayama also poked fun at America’s most popular TV show, Breaking Bad. Saul Goodman from Better Call Saul’s official X account posted about Chapter 124 back in 2019. An image of an AOT manga panel was shared, depicting Saul Goodman as a Titan.

Isayama Has Always Been the Master of Hidden References

From Pop Culture to Foreshadowing, Attack on Titan is Filled to the Brim

Hajime Isayama’s hidden references run deep within his story. For example, one pivotal moment of foreshadowing happened within the first few episodes of AOT: Armin predicts Eren becoming a villain. However, while Attack on Titan fans may be aware of Isayama’s masterful foreshadowing, the pop culture references in his series may be news to most. Hidden references are the perfect way for artists to pay homage to their inspirations, and AOT’s creator does it best. Just as Isayama has taken inspiration from Western media, he has also encouraged American artists to do the same for Japanese media.

In pop artist Billie Eilish’s newest album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, she references Spirited Away in her song, CHIHIRO. In celebration of its success, Isayama sent Eilish a personalized drawing alongside his iconic characters from AOT. Isayama isn’t only the master of hidden references, he encourages other artists to honor their inspirations in their own work.

The impressive new fan project on Twitter, documenting the number of pop culture references in Attack on Titan, isn’t only hilarious, but also proves how Isayama has brilliantly incorporated his inspirations into his stories and thus kept his it relevant years later.