Shooting for Attack on Titan mentally and physically challenging: Kiko Mizuhara

Japanese model-actress Kiko Mizuhara plays the talented soldier Mikasa Ackerman in the live-action film adaptation
of the Japanese Manga Attack on Titan. (Photo: Encore Films)

SINGAPORE: Technological advances have allowed many live-action film adaptations of popular Japanese manga series such as Lupin III and Rurouni Kenshin to be made. Attack on Titan (AoT) was added to that list this year, with the second part of the two-part film scheduled to hit Singapore later this month.

In the world of Attack on Titan, humanoid giants called Titans roam the earth and feed on humans, forcing them to cower behind towering walls built to withstand their attacks. One day, the outer wall is breached by a colossal Titan and humanity struggles to cope as a horde of Titans swarm into their city through the breach.

The Survey Corps, a band of human soldiers who battle the Titans to keep humanity safe, springs into action. Among them is Mikasa Ackerman, a talented soldier who fights the Titans alongside her childhood friend and squad mate Eren Yeager (Haruma Miura), a teenager with the ability to transform into a Titan.

A rampaging colossal Titan in a scene from special effects-laden film Attack on Titan 2: End of the World.
(Photo: Encore Films)

An immense amount of special effects was used to bring AoT’s fantastical tale to life. But Japanese actress Kiko Mizuhara, who plays Ackerman in the film, revealed in an interview transcript that while all the special effects helped make this titanic project manageable, the cast still faced many challenges.

In the manga, the Survey Corps soldiers use special gas-powered devices to slingshot themselves around the battlefield and defeat the Titans with hardened blades. Unfortunately, there is a limit to what can be done with computer-generated special effects, so the cast found themselves spending a lot of time doing wirework to look believable as high-flying Survey Corps troops in the film.

“It was my first time doing wired action scenes. When I was offered the role, I immediately realised that I had to train my body because Mikasa is one of the strongest members in the Survey Corps. For two months, I went to the gym on a frequent basis, and I also went for chiropractic sessions, in order to make my body more flexible.

“I had a personal trainer who helped me to train my muscles. I also practised together with the action team members. I practised hard throughout the process, sometimes up to eight hours a day. I was hoping to achieve the abdominal muscles of Mikasa (in the manga), but sad to say, I did not have enough time to accomplish that,” said Mizuhara.

Actress Kiko Mizuhara (right) and the cast members of Attack on Titan underwent a considerable amount
of wirework training for the film. (Photo: Encore Films)

She added that acting in AoT was also mentally challenging, as the extensive use of green screens and special effects meant she often had to work very hard to imagine she was being attacked by Titans even though she could only see a green screen.

“Everything was new to me. It was the first time for me to be wired up, and it was very difficult to film with the green screen, but it was also interesting. When there was actually nothing in front of us, we had to imagine that we were being attacked by the Titans and we had to react accordingly.

“With the other cast (members), we also had to make sure that our expressions were timely together and that was very tough. However, I felt that we developed a team spirit through this enjoyable process,” said Mizuhara.

When asked what she would do if she met a real Titan, the actress said she would do her best to escape, unlike her character in the film who would probably try to slay it.

“The only thing I can think of is to run away,” mused Mizuhara in an e-mail response to Channel NewsAsia. “Maybe it will be impossible to run, so I might just give up.”

Attack on Titan 2: End of the World opens in Singapore on Sep 24.