Compared to 'Ultraman Tiga', 'Attack on Titan' demanded far more effort from Jing Yu.
After all, the show featured a lot of rare and strange concepts that only Jing Yu could explain clearly.
The trickiest part was filming the omni-directional mobility gear. Honestly, replicating that anime-style high-speed aerial combat was incredibly difficult. Real humans couldn't just zip around in midair using that kind of rig, and even with wires and harnesses, it was impossible to move that fast.
So most of the fine details had to be handled with visual effects.
More importantly, since the pre-production phase, 'Attack on Titan' had remained shrouded in secrecy.
Aside from the fact that it involved Titans, audiences knew nothing about the setting or plot.
But now, alongside the official announcement that 'Attack on Titan' would air soon, Jing Yu also released character stills, basic character info, and early setting reveals for major cast members.
These tidbits finally overshadowed the two-month reign of 'Ultraman Tiga' in entertainment news.
"Wait, this one isn't set on Blue Star?"
"Walls? What kind of bizarre setup is this?"
"Titans versus humans? Flesh-eating giants, and humans build walls to defend themselves? I feel like this is just like 'Ultraman' or 'Neon Genesis Evangelion'!"
"Monsters, Titans, Angels—these three shows all just have big monsters, right? The names are different, but that's about it. Jing Yu didn't innovate at all this time!"
"Don't jump the gun. Sure, on the surface, they all involve fighting big monsters, but do Tiga and Evangelion feel the same to you? Not even close!"
"Exactly. Visuals aside, a show isn't just about its setting—it's about the story."
"I just hope Jing Yu stops making kiddie shows. Seriously, I'm not into 'Tiga', but my kid loves it. Every Sunday night, I can't even touch the TV—it's been hijacked by my son."
"The worst part is that after watching 'Tiga', they start begging for toys! Those things are ridiculously expensive. It's one thing to lose TV time, but I'm also bleeding money from all the merch."
"This one seems safe, though. Just look at the character visuals and the Titans—there's no way this is aimed at little kids."
"You've got to admit, Jing Yu is a genius. Whether it's for kids or adults, he always finds a way to make something that hits. But still, I hope he chills out on shows like 'Ultraman'. The drama market's already dry—I've been waiting on his next series. And this season, we get 'Tiga' again? I don't even get the appeal!"
As soon as the 'Attack on Titan' announcement dropped, discussion flooded every film and TV forum.
Winter season. Saturdays at 11 p.m.
Once that air time was revealed, every major TV station breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Jing Yu hadn't scheduled this for prime time on the weekend, and that alone was a godsend. Otherwise, there'd be a full-on war for the Friday night golden slot, which none of the six major networks wanted to fight over.
The 11 p.m. slot was practically a late-night graveyard. Even the big six didn't bother airing new dramas that late.
The fact that Jing Yu had chosen to broadcast his multi-billion-yuan project at this time clearly showed he was deliberately giving his peers room to breathe—not looking to completely dominate the market.
The next day, media outlets across Great Zhou eagerly jumped on the 'Attack on Titan' news. As mid-September arrived, the entire TV industry began to stir.
Sure, the six major stations had been overpowered by Jing Yu in recent years, but Great Zhou only had one Jing Yu. Even if he released two dramas per quarter, that only occupied a couple of hours per week. As long as they timed things right and didn't overlap with his broadcast slots, the impact on their mainline shows wasn't catastrophic.
At most, a drama that normally pulls in 7% ratings might drop to 6% or 6.5%, thanks to audiences gravitating toward Jing Yu's shows.
So not only was 'Attack on Titan' entering full promo mode, but the big six also began promoting their own winter season dramas.
But to be honest, the entire TV industry was still living in 'Tiga's shadow.
Everyone already knew 'Ultraman Tiga' would continue through the winter.
And now a new debate has emerged:
"Which one do you think will get better ratings—'Ultraman Tiga' or 'Attack on Titan'?"
In Jing Yu's villa in Modo City, Yu Youqing posed the question out of genuine curiosity.
Jing Yu had no plans to appear in either show, but Yu Youqing was playing a major role in 'Attack on Titan'—Queen Historia. Though her screen time in the early arcs was limited, her role would become more prominent later on.
Meanwhile, Xia Yining was cast as Annie, the Female Titan, another pivotal character.
As for other key roles—Reiner, Eren, Armin, Mikasa—Jing Yu had assigned them to new actors recently signed to his company, or to rising stars the company was grooming.
"In terms of ratings?" Jing Yu thought for a moment.
"Definitely 'Attack on Titan' will come out on top."
Even though 'Attack on Titan' didn't have the same merchandising value as 'Ultraman' or 'Gundam', if you were just comparing viewership without considering peripheral revenue, Jing Yu believed 'Attack on Titan' would beat 'Ultraman'.
In his previous life in China, during the 2010s, the anime world was ruled by Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach. And the only show that ever came close to threatening that Big Three was 'Attack on Titan', despite being banned from mainstream platforms.
People still watched it via pirated links or cloud drives—and it still trended.
But yes, even though 'Attack on Titan' was wildly popular, its actual monetization and IP value lagged behind the true top-tier franchises.
"You're really that confident in this show?" Yu Youqing asked, lounging in a chair, sunlight streaming in from the window, casting a warm glow across her profile.
"I'm just worried your fans will get scared off by episode one. It's… kinda bloody."
"Don't underestimate Great Zhou's audience," Jing Yu chuckled.
"But that death scene with the protagonist's mom in the first episode…" Yu Youqing grimaced.
"You haven't even seen the plot twist," Jing Yu almost let it slip.
He almost spoiled the whole thing—how Eren's mother was eaten by a Titan he himself would control in the future.
Obviously, in the version airing in Great Zhou, Jing Yu planned to tweak parts of the original story that he felt were... unnecessary.
To be honest, that particular manga twist annoyed him.
Sure, if the author wanted to subvert expectations or go out with a bang, fine—but did he really need to draw a special panel where Eren, using the power of the Founding Titan, manipulates the past and causes his own mother's death?
That plot point didn't even change anything. But once revealed, it completely undermined the protagonist's motivation. Everything Eren had done—all the bloodshed—started to feel like a cosmic joke.
"Alright, time to head to the office," Jing Yu said, getting up.
September 21st.
Blue Star Media & Film finally released the first trailer for 'Attack on Titan', much to fans' anticipation.
"Guys, stop what you're doing! Jing Yu just dropped the 'Attack on Titan' trailer!"
"No way!?"
"I'm serious! It just dropped five minutes ago, but it's lagging like hell. I've been staring at a loading screen for two minutes now."
"Ugh, same here. Qingyun Video always does this. And honestly, they're better than Jixun Video and Qiezi Video. Those sites are worse."
"I was taking a nap and literally bolted out of bed to open my laptop."
"Still buffering. This is torture."
"YES! I'm in!"
That's how hot Jing Yu was right now. Anything he released caused millions of fans to immediately swarm the site.
Blue Star Media & Film averaged over a million daily hits, with fans checking in regularly just to see if anything new had dropped.
And so, in the first few minutes after the trailer launched, Qingyun Video's servers almost crashed.
After a brief moment of chaos, the site stabilized—and fans were finally able to see it:
The first-ever live-action footage of 'Attack on Titan' in Great Zhou.
Unlike the anime, the live-action version had to aim for realism.
Outside the city walls, the world was filled with giant trees and wandering Titans that lumbered through the open plains like zombies.
These battle scenes couldn't be shot on location, so most of the backgrounds were VFX composites.
That's why the budget for 'Attack on Titan' was so much higher than 'Ultraman Tiga'.
'Tiga' could get away with rubber suits and model cities—cheap stuff.
But with VFX, every second costs serious money.
In film, especially when it comes to special effects, you get what you pay for.
Even though the backgrounds were fake, the visuals felt completely immersive.
Lush forests, galloping horses, the sound of blades cutting through flesh, the high-pitched whoosh of cables launching…
The screen lingered on green leaves in a forest, but the background audio—screams, roars, steel clashing—instantly pulled viewers into the tension.
After a few seconds, blood sprayed onto the leaves, and a severed arm dropped into view. The screams grew louder.
The camera pulled back to reveal a team of soldiers on horseback, wearing strange gear at their waists.
Some weren't riding horses—instead, they used the omni-directional mobility gear, shooting grappling lines into trees and zipping through the forest like birds in flight.
It was awesome.
Just as viewers were losing themselves in the beauty of the scene—
One of the soldiers was suddenly grabbed midair by a massive hand—
CRACK!
His body was crushed.
Then, raised high into the air—
Next shot: a gaping Titan mouth, wide enough to swallow an elephant, teeth dripping with saliva and bits of flesh.
CHOMP.
The trailer didn't show every detail, but the sounds—the chewing, the screams, the squelching of mangled bodies—painted a vivid picture.
"This is gorgeous."
Thirty seconds in, and viewers were completely stunned.
"What the hell is this?"
"Am I really seeing this?"
"They're eating people!?"
"Jing Yu actually went this hard?"
"Oh god—I was eating fried chicken! How am I supposed to finish now!?"
"Okay, I told him to stop making kiddie shows, but I didn't mean make something this real! Even for adults, this is intense!"
"So bloody… But why is this trailer so… hypnotic?"
"Am I a psycho? Because I find this show absolutely fascinating."
Some fans began joking in chat.
Although the trailer only showed a skirmish between the Survey Corps and a few Titans, the production value alone showed how much money had gone into making it feel real.
Honestly, the live-action 'Attack on Titan' already had more impact than its animated counterpart.
The anime could show gore through stylized art—but live-action came with props, makeup, and blood packs. The shock factor was on another level.
Plus, in Great Zhou, audiences didn't have any prior exposure to the manga.
So for them, Jing Yu's cast was the definitive version.
They wouldn't nitpick character likeness or casting differences like in that disastrous film adaptation from his past life.
That movie had two main issues: garbage VFX and a cast that didn't resemble the manga at all, breaking immersion.
This trailer, though?
It didn't even feature the main trio. Just a few Survey Corps soldiers getting absolutely demolished by Titans.
That sense of helplessness, of humanity being crushed—it hit hard.
Until finally—
One key character made an entrance.
A figure not even 1.6 meters tall.
In less than two seconds, he saved a comrade, then sliced up a 15-meter Titan like a butcher breaking down a carcass.
His movements, wire-assisted and speed-ramped in post, were seamless and fluid. Combined with background VFX, the whole shot was flawless.
And just like that—trailer over.
Inhuman. Badass.
Is this the protagonist? He's insane.
That one scene alone made millions of hearts skip a beat.