'Attack on Titan' statues devour tourists at Universal Studios Japan
The gigantic human-chomping statues, based on the popular "Attack on Titan" anime series, are part of a new exhibit in the Japanese theme park.
The bumbling, humanoid Titans in hit anime "Attack on Titan" may be the stuff of nightmares -- but stick them in a theme park and they're an instant hit.
Statues depicting the grisly monsters, which regularly chase down and devour the human protagonists of Wit Studio's popular series, have been constructed for a special exhibit at Universal Studios Japan. In the video above, uploaded to YouTube by MAiDiGi TV, you can get a look at the macabre amusements on show, including a long line of tourists eager to have their photo taken in the artificial fist of a ravenous Titan.
You can also see a towering pair of Titan statues, depicting a brawl between Eren Titan and the mysterious Female Titan. The twin statues stand at an impressive 15 and 14 metres (49 and 46 feet) tall respectively, while a "Clonoid" exhibit features eerie waxworks of the series' main characters, and a food kiosk sells you a Survey Corps ration pack. Kotaku has photos of both, if you're curious.
Dubbed "Attack on Titan: The Real", the statues are part of a Universal Studios Japan showcase that features similar attractions for three other "popular brands from Japan that are renowned across the world." Visitors can also check out Monster Hunter, Resident Evil and Evangelion exhibits.
"Attack on Titan" started life as a manga comic book series in 2009, with its angst-riddled animated incarnation proving popular around the world. The series -- available on Netflix -- depicts a grim world in which humanity hides inside walled cities, beset on all sides by enormous humanoid titans that eat humans, apparently for no reason at all. As the anime's 25 episodes progress, viewers follow protagonist Eren, whose mother was eaten by a Titan, and learn more about the mysterious, perennially hungry beings. A second series is scheduled for 2016, while a live-action movie is also in the works.
