May 12, 2023

What was in the basement of Eren's house in the anime Attack on Titan?

During my research, I examined various sources related to the anime Attack on Titan, focusing on the contents of Eren's basement. Sources included articles from Den of Geek, Funimation's blog, Screen Rant, IMDb, Anime International, and a Reddit discussion thread. There was a general consensus among the sources on the contents of the basement and its significance to the story. The sources were directly related to the original query, and I am confident in the information gathered.

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Significance of the Basement's Contents

Grisha Yeager, Eren's father, was from beyond the walls, and the government's claims that all life outside the walls had died were a lie. The basement's contents reveal that humanity is not extinct and is prospering elsewhere, which comes as a shock to the people within the Walls who had been fed a lie about their world of hardships being the norm. Grisha sought freedom and hated Marley, a corrupt and cruel nation, for what happened to him, and so he began to sacrifice quite literally everything he had just to free Eldians from the grip of Marley. The basement had been a mystery since the very beginning of the series, and Erwin's theory about life outside the walls was confirmed.

Reactions and Discussions

Viewers of the anime who participated in the Reddit discussion thread expressed surprise and excitement at the reveal in the episode and the implications of the contents of the basement. Some users compared the situation in the anime to Nazi Germany, pointing out that the symbol on the armbands worn by some characters is similar to the Star of David. The reveal in the basement changed the course of the show and redefined the entire series.

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Research

"https://anime.international/attack-on-titan/attack-on-titan-what-is-in-the-basement/"

  • The webpage discusses the answer to the question of “What is in Grisha’s basement?” in the anime Attack on Titan.
  • The text explains that the basement contained old photographs and three separate diaries, explaining Grisha’s origin story and his journey to where he got to.
  • Grisha Yeager was from beyond the walls, and the government’s claims that all life outside the walls had died were a lie.
  • Marley, a corrupt and cruel nation, was responsible for the Titan attacks on Paradis Island, where the walled cities exist.
  • Marley infuses titan spinal fluid within a people known as Eldians, and uses them to attack Paradis Island.
  • Grisha sought freedom and hated Marley for what happened to him, and so he began to sacrifice quite literally everything he had just so he could free Eldians from the grip of Marley.
  • Grisha managed to retrieve one of the nine titans of Ymir; the Attack Titan.
  • The story then goes on to talk about how Grisha got to Paradis Island and how he himself ended up becoming a doctor just to fit into this world and give birth to a child.
  • Later it is revealed that he used the Attack Titan to steal the Founding Titan from the grip of the royal family of King Fritz.
  • He then passes both of the titans to Eren, right when he injected Eren with titan spinal fluid and let Eren consume him.
  • Erwin’s theory was that there was life outside of the walls, and the King was able to manipulate the memories of his followers, all Eldians.
  • When a young Erwin showcased his interest in these thoughts, and later passed them onto his friends, his father was killed by the Military Police on the orders of the King.
  • This in itself confirmed Erwin’s theory, however, Erwin wanted to know more and so he became a Scout, in search of the very truth that took his father’s life.
  • Eren knows that his brother Zeke was quite literally tortured and manipulated by his father, just to serve his own cause of freeing Eldians.
  • Eren has no other hope but to reconvene with him.
  • The webpage concludes by stating that Attack on Titan’s final season returns for its second and final stretch of 16 episodes that will debut in December.

"Attack on Titan - Season 3 Episode 19 - "The Basement" - Anime only Discussion Thread"

  • This webpage is a post-episode discussion thread about Attack on Titan Season 3 Episode 19, titled “The Basement.”
  • The post is marked with a spoiler-free tag and is for anime-only viewers. There is no discussion of the manga and all comments with spoilers will be deleted.
  • The post contains links to where you can watch the episode online on Crunchyroll, Hulu, and Funimation.
  • Users in the comments discuss the reveal in the episode of what’s in Eren’s basement and speculate about what it could mean. Some users compare it to Nazi Germany, pointing out that the symbol on the armbands worn by some characters is similar to the Star of David.
  • There is a countdown link to the episode being subbed and a note that new subbed episodes will be available every Sunday at 7:45pm CT.
  • Many users in the comments express surprise and excitement at the reveal in the episode and that the show may take place in Germany or a similar place.
  • Some users in the comments mention the animation style in the episode and compare it to earlier episodes, noting changes in detail and outlines.
  • One user in the comments mentions the opening sequence being back for the first time in two weeks.
  • Other topics discussed in the comments include speculation about how old Grisha is and how long he had been a titan, references to Full Metal Alchemist, and questioning why Grisha lives in the gate of Wall Maria if he is a doctor.
  • Some users reference the upcoming arc in the manga and express excitement for it.

"https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/attack-on-titan-season-3-episode-19-review-the-basement/"

  • The article is a review of Attack on Titan Season 3 Episode 19, titled “The Basement”.
  • The article contains spoilers for the episode.
  • The review mentions that the central mystery of the series has been the contents of Eren’s basement.
  • The reviewer praises the episode for the reveal of the contents of the basement, calling it “really good answers that make this excruciating wait absolutely worthwhile and also something which completely redefines the entire series at the same time”.
  • The first half of the episode is characterized as slow and inconsequential, with a focus on character beats and pauses.
  • The surviving members of the Survey Corps are marching through Shiganshina District to reach the Jaeger basement.
  • The review notes that Armin has recently become a Titan and has consumed Bertholdt, leading to more responsibility.
  • The focus of the episode is on Eren coming to terms with seismic news.
  • Upon reaching the Jaeger basement, the reviewer notes that it feels like the clock is ticking down until the big reveal, but it doesn’t feel rushed once it is revealed.
  • Eren’s key initially doesn’t open the basement door, leading to a fake-out, but Levi opens the door with brute force.
  • The drawer in Grisha’s basement contains three books that Eren and Mikasa open up together.
  • The article praises the music of the episode by Sawano Hiroyuki.
  • The world within the Walls is discovered to be displaced from modernity, while the rest of the world has continued to evolve.
  • This is a big deal to the people within the Walls, who have been fed a lie that their world of hardships is the norm.
  • Humanity is not extinct and is prospering elsewhere, which is revealed through a photograph of Grisha’s family.
  • Grisha comes from outside the Walls and relocated there later in life, perpetuating this lie for some unknown reason.
  • The reveal that the world is not as originally imagined is called “the most effective” twist.
  • The following episode features flashbacks to Grisha’s youth outside of the Walls, which may provide more answers.
  • The article notes that only nine members of the Survey Corps have survived.
  • The episode is called a “triumphant victory reel”.
  • The article concludes by stating that the contents of the basement have “changed the course of the series”.

"https://blog.funimation.com/2019/06/29/attack-on-titan-spoilers-the-secrets-of-the-basement-explained/"

  • The blog post is titled “Attack on Titan: The Secrets of the Basement, Explained.”
  • The author warns that the article contains huge spoilers for Attack on Titan and advises readers who haven’t caught up with the anime or manga not to read further.
  • The article discusses the contents of the basement of Eren’s house in Attack on Titan, which is a key plot point in the series.
  • The author notes that it has been six years since the basement was introduced in the story and that fans have been waiting for answers about its contents.
  • After much anticipation, the basement is finally opened, revealing Grisha’s journals and a secret keyhole.
  • The keyhole is opened using a key that has been an icon in the series for the past six years.
  • The basement initially appears ordinary, with doctor supplies and research books belonging to Grisha.
  • However, a secret keyhole is discovered, revealing Grisha’s journals and the key’s true purpose.
  • The journals hold the answers to the world’s history that had been unknown until then.
  • The author notes that the basement contains information overload and provides a summary of the key revelations.
  • Approximately 1,820 years ago, a young woman named Ymir Fritz made contact with the “Devil of All Earth,” which granted her and humanity the Power of the Titans.
  • After her death, Ymir’s spirit split into nine Titans, which formed the Eldian Empire.
  • The Titans of the Eldian Empire took over the nation of Marley, leading the continent into the dark ages.
  • The Subjects of Ymir called other races inferior and oppressed them, stealing their lands and fortunes.
  • The people of Marley plotted to subvert Eldia by bringing seven of the Nine Titans under their control.
  • The Eldian king erected three walls on the island of Paradis and fled there with his people.
  • The Eldian race subsequently lived a life of oppression under the watchful eye of the Marleyans, forced to live in separate living areas and wear armbands that mark them as Eldians.
  • A resistance group known as the Eldia Restorationists arose after years of mistreatment at the hands of the Marleyans.
  • Grisha joined the Eldia Restorationists and learned the truth about Eldia’s past, working towards the change they deserve.
  • With Grisha’s help and research, the Eldian Restorationists discovered that Ymir didn’t just inherit the Titan power, but also cultivated the wilds, built roads, and made the

"https://screenrant.com/attack-titan-basement-reveal-eldian-origin-marley-explained/"

  • Attack on Titan’s long-awaited basement reveal provides insight into the Titans’ origin and everything needed to explain the franchise’s entire mythology.
  • Eren’s basement contained hidden desks that revealed a series of journals and a photograph that explained the entire history and truth of Attack on Titan’s fictional world.
  • Eren’s father, Grisha, had been a man of mystery until now, as Attack on Titan’s basement reveal mainly focuses on him and his journey.
  • Ymir Fritz was the first person to gain the power of the Titans by either making a deal with the devil or touching the source of all life.
  • Ymir developed a God-like following, and following her death, the power of the Titans was split among nine of her people.
  • Thanks to “the Curse of Ymir,” Titan-shifter will only live for 13 years after acquiring the power.
  • Eldians, subjects of Ymir, can become Titans, and only Ymir’s direct lineage of royal descendants can use the powers of the Founding Titan or the Coordinate.
  • The Eldians created their own nation of Eldia and set about building an Empire that covered a large part of the planet, using their Titan powers to help develop the lands they ruled over, constructing entire cities and overrunning their opponents with unmatched power.
  • The Eldian Empire was viewed as a race of invading conquerors, who used their transformations to slaughter countless innocents, and then treated the natives as slaves.
  • Marley, in the past the world’s most influential nation, found an opening within Eldian’s bickering elite. Eventually, Marley acquired seven of the nine Titans for themselves.
  • The Eldian king of the time, Karl Fritz, exiled himself to the remote Paradis Island, confining himself within three giant walls constructed entirely of Titans with other Eldians.
  • With Marley’s victory imminent, Karl Fritz made an oath that would bound both him and his successors to never trigger another war or use their powers to fight back, using his power as the Founding Titan.
  • To prevent public outcry and future battles, King Fritz wiped the memories of everyone living behind the walls.
  • Only a select few Eldians are promised a better life in exchange for taking on one of Marley’s seven Titans and fighting as part of their military.
  • Those Eldians who commit a crime or violate the rules placed upon them are taken to Paradis Island and injected with a serum that turns them into a mindless Titan. These Titans are then left to roam the

"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10023452/"

  • The webpage is an entry from IMDb, a movie and TV show database.
  • The page entry is for “Attack on Titan: The Basement,” an episode from the anime TV series “Attack on Titan” which is based on the manga series of the same name.
  • The episode aired on June 10, 2019 and has a running time of 24 minutes.
  • The episode is rated TV-MA.
  • The summary for the episode reads: “The secrets hidden in Grisha’s basement await in the ruins of Shiganshina. There, the Scouts hope to find answers to the world worth more than the price they paid.”
  • The “Cast & Crew” section lists the voice actors for the characters in the episode.
  • The “User Reviews” section contains one review by a user named “daniellelovestory” which recommends that viewers watch the post-credit scene of the episode as it contains an important plot twist.
  • The “See Production, Box Office & Company Info” section includes links to information about the production company, Wit Studio, and the distributor of the series, Funimation.
  • The page includes a “Contribute to This Page” section, which allows users to suggest edits or add missing content to the page.
  • The page also showcases a “More To Explore” section, which includes a list of titles under the categories “Related News,” “External Sites,” “Explore More,” and “Around The Web.”
  • The “Related News” section includes links to articles related to “Attack on Titan: The Basement” and the “Attack on Titan” series.
  • The “External Sites” section links to social media pages for “Attack on Titan” and Wit Studio.
  • The “Explore More” section includes links to other TV episodes, TV series, and movies from IMDb’s database that share tags in common with “Attack on Titan: The Basement.”
  • The “Around The Web” section includes links to external news articles, videos, and images related to “Attack on Titan” and “Attack on Titan: The Basement.”
  • The text on the page includes multiple abbreviations and acronyms such as TV-MA, IMDb, and AOT.
  • The review in the “User Reviews” section contains mild spoilers for the episode and mentions that the plot twist at the end of the episode changes how viewers understand the world of “Attack on Titan.”

💭  Looking into

Details about what was inside the basement and how it impacted the story

💭  Looking into

Description of the events leading up to the opening of the basement