Summary
By far, one of the most beloved things aboutAttack on Titanis its excellent original soundtrack. Composed by Hiroyuki Sawano for the WIT Studio seasons, and later by Kohta Yamamoto for the Final Season.Attack on Titan’sOST is filled with heart-pounding themes and melodies that pull on your heartstrings. For hardcore fans, a particular song has caught their attention with its poignant lyrics.
“Call Your Name"is one of many of Attack On Titan’s vocal themes. Initially sung by MPI and later by Gemmie, Call Your Name’s mostly felt like a power-ballad with a catchy melody that enhanced emotional moments. But taking a closer look at the lyrics, it shows a not-so-hidden meaning.
Call Your Name, Eren and Mikasa’s Theme
A Tragic Fate Foreshadowed by Music
Eren and Mikasa’s relationship has been both the object of debate and great appreciation. While many detractors call the pairing all sorts of things due to the two growing up together. However, most people appreciate the inherently tragic nature of their story. Eren and Mikasa are two people in love that simply couldn’t ever be together. Due to the circumstances of their lives as well asEren’s fate as humanity’s destroyer. The two only ever got a glimpse of peace during something that didn’t truly exist: their cabin dream.
When Eren spoke to all his friends through Paths, his time with Mikasa was different. He created an alternate world for them where they could be happy and at peace together. Mikasa was able to unlock this memory before Eren’s death thanks to her Ackerman blood rejecting the Founding Titan power. She saw a life where they fled together,away from the war with Marley. Only the two of them at peace.
And this is where Call Your Name comes in. The song first debuted in Season 1, during the Battle of Trost arc. Eren fully controls his Titan for the first time and plugs the hole in the wall. The first version of the song, sung by MPI, powerfully accompanies the scene. Later,the Gemmie version of the song is used as the ending themeof the Lost Girls OVA. This OVA focuses on Annie Leonhart and Mikasa. Mikasa’s episode shows how she once met a person wearing a mirror mask, and they told Mikasa how Eren’s death was inevitable and that she made this fantasy to cope with that fact.
She said she gave all her love to me
We dreamt a new life
Some place to be at peace
But things changed suddenly
I lost my dreams in this disaster
This is the second verse, and immediately it starts speaking about the two. The first line refers to Mikasa’s confession in Season 2, episode 12. But more importantly, to the confession Eren expected from her in Marley. The cabin dream comes from Mikasa’s confessing her feelings to Eren, motivating them to run away together. Which leads into the second line.They dreamed of a new life together in Paths, in their cabin. A place where they could be at peace and away from the war. But as the real story goes, Eren changed, and the war changed. Mikasa’s dreams of peace with Eren were forever lost because of the war with Marley and Eren turning into the monster he became.
I’m crying
Missing my lover
I don’t have the power
On my side forever
Oh, where is my lover?
And I got no power
I’m standing alone, no way
Calling out your name
This is the chorus. It refers to Mikasa losing Eren. The third line refers to her retiring from the Survey Corp as well as losing the power to live as she no longer has Eren by her side. The last two lines refer to Mikasa’s eventual fate. She lived on her own for years. As well as she burying Eren and being by his grave all alone. The song’s title is the most obvious one, asMikasa is known to call Eren’s name several times, in the most tragic way during the Rumbling.
We don’t know what is wrong tonight
Everybody’s got no place to hide
No one’s left and there’s no one to go on
All I know is my life is gone
This is the second chorus. The first line refers toMikasa and Armin’s confusion regarding Eren’s sudden dark turn. The second speaks of The Rumbling, an inevitable apocalypse no one can hide or escape from. The third line refers to the results of The Rumbling, eradicating 80% of humanity. And the last is the most heartbreaking of the song. Eren was Mikasa’s life, her most beloved.
It is unknown whether author Hajime Isayama had a hand in the writing of Call Your Name. But going from the lyrics and the series' ending, it would make perfect sense. Call Your Name predicted the fate of Eren and Mikasa, as well as The Rumbling. Anime soundtracks seldom have this level of detail and importance baked in. MakingAttack on Titan’smusic even more impressive.
Attack on Titan
Attack on Titan is a post apocalyptic themed anime where the world is plagued by monstrous creatures called titans. People live in walled cities to avoid the danger of the man eating titans. After they destroy his home, main character Eren Yeager swears to exterminate all titans off the face of the earth.
