@Alalic  
literally.

@RIG  
It’s a giant conspiracy!

@Background Pony  
so someone is making sure their war tech doesn’t advance?

@Background Pony  
True. I kind of worded it wrong. I surmised it was the case, and you worded it better than I did.

@Background Pony  
Thanks, I kinda already said that, plus it’s confirmed to be the case in one of the little sketchbook pages that pop up during the anime.

@Background Pony
 
I swear those swords are modeled after box cutters. Something that is used often in Japanese schooling (while banned in many American schools) so the influence is probably that.

@Stricken  
Basically, all the military’s equipment is made of some sort of vaguely explained, super-light alloy that won’t weight them down too much while building swinging. The swords are ridiculously sharp but brittle, I think the box cutter indents are explained as letting soldiers make a fresh point if the top section gets too worn. Resource scarcity, conspiracy among the military top brass and noble financial backers, discouragement from stories of Titans resistance to what should ave been “game breaker” weapons in the pass, and general defiant stubbornness in the ranks led to outright stiflement of all possible advancements to military tech; with every piece of background revealed, it becomes increasing obvious someone is actively making sure Humanity is screwed in their war efforts.

@Alalic  
You assume correctly. Also there’s the minor matter of only having a finite amount of the metal they use for them, and any notion of improving the weaponry being seen as some sort of heresy. I dunno, it’s odd.

@RIG  
I assume that the skin on the titans are so tough that even specially designed swords dull very quickly after a few cuts.

someone can explain what’s up with those swords? seems to be designed to break easily…

I’m Really enjoying this show.