Determining the names of the different characters in a story is never easy, especially when you want to give these characters special meaning. In Japan, many mangakas give special names to the protagonists they create, and the same goes for Hajime Isayama from Attack on Titan who have opted for a completely German version.
Already from Eren Jaeger and Armin Arlert, two of the protagonists of the series, we notice a tendency towards the Germanic world, which then becomes much clearer later, especially in the comparison between Eldians and Marleyans in The Attack of the Giants. There are few personalities who can boast foreign names within the walls like Mikasa Ackermann, who, however, has a different origin through her mother.
Before finally choosing his characters’ names, mangaka Hajime gave Isayama temporary names, placeholders. This certainly happened to Hangi Zoe, first an Army Reconnaissance Group researcher and then the new division commander after the death of Erwin Smith. Hangi Zoe was originally named Hanako Yamadaa quintessentially Japanese name that obviously had little to nothing to do with the Germanic universe of Attack of the Giants.
This revelation came during the Final manga exhibition of The Attack of the Giants It helps to understand the author’s way of working a little better, so it took him a little longer to decide on the name Hangi. Of course, if Isayama actually went with the Japanese name, the effect would never have been the same.
【Trivia】
A placeholder name for hanji was Yamada Hanako pic.twitter.com/nqXA9IK8Gh
— Attack on Titan Wiki (@AoTWiki) March 15, 2023
