Attack on Titan is a series.
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama . The series began in Kodansha 's Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine on September 9 , 2009 , and has been collected into 22 tankōbon volumes as of April 2017 . The release of the anime also saw a boost in the series ' popularity , with it having received widespread critical acclaim for its atmosphere and story . Although it also gained fame in neighboring Asian countries , the series ' themes have been a subject of controversy .