Publisher Kodansha has announced that the “Titan-Sized” Attack on Titan Manga has officially broken the Guinness World Record for “largest comic book published.” Originally published in March, the 3-foot tall manga sold out just two minutes after pre-orders opened. Attack on Titan Editor Shintaro Kawakubo also commented alongside the announcement. [Thanks, Game Watch!]
Measuring in at over 1 meter tall, 70cm wide, and weighing in at over 13kg (about 28 pounds), the initial concept for the manga was for it to be a titan-sized reader. Moreover, it was made to commemorate the recent conclusion of the manga series. While the oversized comic book cost ¥165,000 (about $1500), it sold out two minutes after pre-orders began on March 6, 2021.
Kodansha then submitted the manga to the Guinness Book of World Records. It was officially verified as “the largest comic book published” on April 13, 2021. Previously, the Brazillian comic series Turma da Mônica held the record at 99cm tall.
On the news of the world record achievement, Kodansha editor Shintaro Kawakubo recalled that the idea initially came from the marketing department. Upon hearing the idea, he replied that “Shingeki fans would easily make this world record happen.” However, Kawakubo also admitted that he was worried after learning about the manga’s price and limited run. Lala Teranishi, the world record verifier, also congratulated the team for making it through the long and arduous verification process.
Need something for scale? Check out pictures of the jumbo-sized manga below:
As of writing this article, the world-record-holding Attack on Titans for Titans is still sold out on Kodansha’s online store. There are currently no plans for a reprint.
Published: May 24, 2021 06:00 am