For years, anime shows such as Naruto and Dragon Ball Z have focused on fighting and martial arts. However, most of these fighting sequences featured stuff that resembled karate and kung fu rather than grappling based fights. This changed in 2013 when Attack on Titan was released which has gone on to achieve great critical acclaim.
For those wondering, the plot of the show is abstract which is fairly normal within the genre of anime. Basically, there’s a teenager called Eren who is the main character. He lives in a walled-city which is one day attacked by ‘Titans’. A Titan is a giant monster without skin, who enjoys killing and eating humans. To cut a long-story short, Eren finds the spinal fluid of a Titan and uses this to grow to their size. From there, he fights them as a giant and uses the skills that he developed during combat training in the military.
It just so happens that a lot of these fight sequences feature Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. In terms of anime, this is a first and shows a cultural shift from the typical fighting methods shown in other TV shows. Like mainstream movies, BJJ is now getting shown in anime too, which further shows its growth in popularity.
Table of Contents
What BJJ submissions are used in Attack on Titan?
There are a variety of submissions used in Attack on Titan where Eren defeats his opponents. For instance, in one situation, he trips a Titan from standing whilst locking in an arm triangle which he finishes from the ground. There is also a sequence where Eren shoots a triangle choke on a Titan and switches to an armbar from guard to literally snap the arm from the Titan. Elsewhere, the is also a scene where an arm-in guillotine is used on a Titan. With this said, there are several examples of submissions used in the show, although it should also be added that striking is also included, especially from standing positions.
What other BJJ moves are used in Attack on Titan?
From standing, Attack on Titan features various Judo and wrestling moves. These include double leg takedowns as well as inside trips from Judo. There are also various sweeps and reversals when the action hits the ground. For instance, at one point Eren is in bottom half guard, where he sweeps a titan with a Kimura grip. There’s another scene where he uses a position to sweep which is similar to X-guard and at one point he mounts a Titan who reverses the position with a powerful bridge and roll.
What does Attack on Titan mean for BJJ in popular culture?
As mentioned earlier, it’s no secret that BJJ has entered mainstream culture in recent years. The likes of John Wick and other movies have used it in fight scenes that feature slick choreography. However, it seems that Attack on Titan goes further than most and really adds the fine details of BJJ to the show. With this said, it’s clear that whoever does the fights on the series is a big fan of MMA, and BJJ in particular.
What this shows is that BJJ is growing and is still on the up. It’s been nearly 30 years since UFC entered the public arena which showcased BJJ to the masses for the first time ever. Since then, the lag between mainstream understanding and BJJ’s practical uses has been catching up ever since. Because of this, Attack on Titan represents the growth of BJJ. In brief, it’s a sign of things to come and you can imagine that BJJ will only be featured even more so in future TV shows and movies. With this in mind, Attack on Titan is only the beginning, and the acceptance of BJJ in the mainstream will only continue to develop.
