Universal Studios Attack on Titan Ride - Attack on Titan

Although the Osaka-based Universal Studios Japan (commonly known as USJ) may share some similarities with the other Universal theme parks and resorts, there is one thing that makes it stand out from the rest: its inclusion of anime and video game series. Incredibly popular franchises like Dragon Ball, Final Fantasy, One Piece, My Hero Academia, and many, many more have all been featured in the park at some point, making it a very desirable stop for international anime fans. In December 2019, however, a new Attack on Titan ride was announced and is currently available to park guests until June 28th, 2020.

Attack on Titan XR Roller Coaster

The Attack on Titan XR Ride was announced as a part of USJ’s 2020 Universal Cool Japan, a yearly event that aims to bring in more customers during the slower winter season with new temporary attractions. This year, a number of rides were announced and include popular franchises like Detective Conan, Monster Hunter, Lupin the Third, and, of course, Attack on Titan. While the Attack on Titan ride is not the only “XR” attraction announced for the winter event, it is the only XR ride listed. While the ride was announced for the 2020 Universal Cool Japan event, it was also created to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the original manga written by Hajime Isayama.

According to a news release from USJ that was released in November 2015, the first XR ride was announced for the 2016 Universal Cool Japan. The document continues on to explain that these rides blend the use of intense roller coaster rides with virtual reality to create an entirely new experience. Since the first XR ride in 2016, all XR rides to date have been held in USJ’s “Space Fantasy - The Ride”. Since the XR ride changes at least once a year, guests can keep coming back to ride what is essentially the same ride multiple times, but have a unique experience every time -- something that can greatly increase the longevity of the ride.

Guests preparing to be seated on the ride are shown an introduction video and led through a room where they are each given virtual reality headsets, then seated on the ride. Guests keep the headset on throughout the entire duration of the ride. This allows them to see a virtual 360-degree view of the Attack on Titan world that also matches up with the physical coaster that they are riding on.

Story

Like many theme park rides, the Attack on Titan XR Ride is given a simple story for its riders to follow. Riders are treated as survivors of a recent Titan attack that left them needing to evacuate to another part of the walled city. The introduction video opens with Armin, who introduces himself and tells the guests the Survey Corps’ plan to evacuate them safely. The guests are told that they are to be transported to the inner walls via a special horse-drawn cart that is supposed to lead them to safety via an underground passage. Other characters like Eren, Hange, and Mikasa also show up and introduce themselves, but are eventually cut off by Captain Levi, who tells the characters to hurry up and begin transporting the guests because the Titans are on their way. The guests are then led to a seat on the coaster and the ride begins. The original plan quickly falls apart after the underground passage collapses due to another attack led by the Titans. After this point, the roller coaster begins moving at full speed and shows a variety of different Titans and characters moving incredibly quickly. As the riders narrowly miss being eaten by Titans, music from the anime adaptation of the series plays, adding to the intense, desperate feeling of the original series.

Survey Corps Mess Hall

Along with the Attack on Titan XR Ride, a new themed restaurant was created as well. This restaurant attempts to recreate the mess hall from the Attack on Titan series. The hall itself temporarily takes the place of the Jurassic Park themed “Lost World Restaurant”. It is circular in shape and has dozens of tables and chairs scattered about. Banners displaying the “Wings of Freedom” symbol of the Survey Corps cover all of the windows, leaving the hall to be lit by a large overhead ceiling lamp. The hall also has a “clone-oid” of both Captain Levi and Hange. The Japanese USJ page describes “clone-oids” as recreations of fictional characters that use the best technologies and methods in the world to make them appear as they would if they actually lived in the real world.

As a restaurant, the Survey Corps Mess Hall also includes food that is available for customers to purchase. Some of the options available include the following: a beef steak plate for 2,500 yen, a roasted chicken plate for 2,300 yen, a roasted pork plate for 2,300 yen, and an “apprentice” kid’s hamburg steak plate for 1,200 yen. Each plate includes a whole baked potato, grilled vegetables, lentil and sausage rolled oat salad, mushroom soup with crackers, and bread. Souvenir cups are also available for purchase as well.

Links

Details of the 2020 Universal Cool Japan event from USJ’s official site
USJ news release from November 2015 that details XR Rides
Details of the Survey Corps Mess Hall from USJ’s official site (Japanese Only)