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Attack on Titan is one of the best examples of a manga and anime series with a phenomenal cast of characters. No matter who you simp over, or have as your waifu or husbando, there is one character that many fans universally adore.
That person is none other than Levi Ackerman. He is one of the strongest killers and most handsome devils, as you’ll see in this Levi Attack on Titan guide.
I’ll be the first to admit that Levi may not be my favorite character in the bunch or even my personal husbando from the series, but there’s no doubting how excellent Levi is. He is by far one of the most impressive fighters in the series, plus he has that alluring cold shoulder sociopathic killer sort of vibe that isn’t too bad.
And then there are the countless memes about him from the beginning of the series to the very end. Find out all about these and more in this Levi Attack on Titan guide.
Bottom Line Up Front
Levi Ackerman is one of the primary characters in the Attack on Titan manga and anime series. He is also one of the few that makes it from the very beginning of the series to the devastating end.
He is a cold-blooded titan killer who is easily the number one at what he does in the entire world, capable of taking out any foe in front of him. But there is also a softer side to him that is seen in his countless memes.
Levi Attack on Titan Overview
Levi Ackerman is one of the few main characters in the Attack on Titan series who isn’t part of that initial group of young trainees. The bulk of the primary cast in the renowned manga and anime series centers around the group of training soldiers who start out alongside the core three of Eren, Armin, and Mikasa.
However, unlike those three and their friends, Levi is a cold-blooded killer right from the moment that you meet him. He is famous (maybe infamous) throughout the world as the number one titan killer and one of the only Survey Corps members who are as successful as he is.
It helps, too, that he has a serious but attractive face that helps him to be one of the most popular characters in the Attack on Titan series, too. It is very well possible that Levi is by far the most popular character in the entire series, in large part due to his two opposing sides.
There is the monstrous slayer on one side and the softer side to him that involves his personal hobbies like keeping his living spaces spotless and occasionally wearing aprons. The source of countless memes of his obsessive cleaning to a creepy carnival character thinking he is a child, there is too much to love about the unbelievably serious Levi Ackerman.
To help you out, I’ve broken down everything that you need to know about this character below. From his origins that some fans may not know about to the unique abilities that he wields in combat, here are the details that you should know about the Survey Corps’ greatest killer and cleaner.
Appearance
One of the most notable parts of Levi Ackerman’s appearance is that he is quite short. Much shorter than even some of the kids in the Survey Corps when they first join, this is one of his defining traits that has led to many jokes and images across the internet.
In addition, he is also quite attractive, with a serious but handsome face that appeals to those people who like guys with that almost sociopathic vibe.
If you’re into that kind of thing, you’re in the right place, as he will seldom smile, laugh, or change his face in any way. But this one-note appearance is arguably why he is one of the most popular husbandos in the entire series.
Key Moments in Attack on Titan
Levi Ackerman is present in most of the story of the Attack on Titan manga and anime series from start to finish. There are bouts where he plays a lesser role, like the initial training arc, for instance, but that’s about it. As such, everything that Levi does in the series has massive repercussions for everything else.
Because of this, I must put a strong spoiler warning on what’s about to come up next. I will avoid spoiling some of the information regarding the other characters in the cast but some parts are necessary for Levi’s story. Plus, I will be spoiling everything there is to know about his main parts in the series. Turn away now if you aren’t caught up with the manga or the almost-finished anime adaptation (at the time of writing this).
Growing Up Underground
Levi Ackerman had a rough time as a child, growing up nearly homeless in the underground area of the Attack on Titan world. This is a place not seen almost at all in the main series, so be sure to check out the No Regrets OVA series for more details. I highly recommend this as it is arguably better than the main series in its tight few episodes.
These episodes act as a prequel and origin story for the main series and Levi, respectively. He grows raised by his deadbeat serial killer uncle, Kenny, but mainly has to fend for himself through immense hardship. He makes two best friends, and they help each other out through their early years.
In the end, they join the Survey Corps and leave the underground city tasked with the mission of killing Erwin Smith. In the process, Levi loses both of his best friends and isn’t able to kill Erwin. However, there is an excellent trade as Erwin invites Levi to join the Survey Corps as his most trusted soldier.
Losing Too Many Squad Members
At the beginning of Attack on Titan, Levi is already known as the greatest titan killer. He always returns from expeditions even when few others do. This is seen early on when Eren, Armin, Mikasa, and the other main characters join the Survey Corps.
Levi sets out with his squad, and they are brutally murdered quickly, including the ones he cares about. Eventually, this leads to a new squad that is composed of Eren and the other main characters. They differ greatly in the opinion of how to deal with the Armored Titan, Beast Titan, and the rest.
This culminates in the tragic retaking of Shiganshina, in which everything falls apart, including the deaths of Erwin and Armin. Levi, in his desperation and the most emotion seen in the series yet fights with both Eren and Mikasa over who to revive.
In the end, though, he overcomes his emotions and revives Armin, turning him into a titan in the process. This mostly concludes the story of Levi and the rest of the cast until the major time skip that happens soon after their defeat of the Colossal Titan and nearly the Beast and Armored Titans, too.
Leading the Charge to the Future
After the time skip, Levi is one of the leaders of the Survey Corps and their darker turn. He leads the charge to the broader world of Attack on Titan, helping Eren and the others to attack the hostile nation of Marley. Over time, he helps what is effectively the villains in the series before everyone realizes the truth of the matter.
Once the truth is realized, he takes on the Beast Titan once more and defeats him but not before seemingly losing his life, too. Thankfully, he survives, recovers, and eventually plays a vital role in the final fight for the world’s fate against the surprising true villain of the Attack on Titan series.
In the end, he survives until the story’s conclusion, helping to end the titans once and for all.
Special Abilities Explained
There are many unique abilities that Levi Ackerman has. He is humanity’s greatest killer, and there is no competition, except for maybe Mikasa, but that is an intriguing topic for another time.
That said, the special abilities that Levi has are divided mainly into two key parts: his mastery of killing and his survival methods. Note that there are some light spoilers ahead.
Titan Killing Machine
Without a doubt, Levi is the greatest titan killer of all time. Even when you include Mikasa, it isn’t until near the end of the series that you can genuinely say that she competes with Levi on a close level. Up until arguably the main time skip of the manga series, Levi is unmatched in every area.
Since he doesn’t have the unique titan powers that other main characters have, he has to find his own way to slay enemies. As such, he has a master in using the Survey Corps gear to zip around the battlefield and behind the titan’s line of sight before they know what hit them.
He makes slicing and dicing up the necks of titans look like child’s play, both because of his stature and the fact that he does it with such ease and smoothness. Whereas others struggle with even getting close to taking out a single average titan, Levi can take out an entire swarm of them in a matter of minutes, if not seconds.
There is no doubting his abilities, even regarding the most powerful titans in the world. As you may know, there are titans like the Beast Titan, Colossal Titan, and Armored Titan that are prevalent throughout the pages of the Attack on Titan manga.
Levi has no problem whatsoever, even taking them on with their higher intelligence and strength. He is able to outsmart those stronger titans and even one-up them in battle. This is seen throughout the entirety of the storyline, with his expertise being the saving grace for the Survey Corps time and time again.
Survival Master
That said, while Levi is an excellent titan slayer, there is an ability that is far more central to his character and expertise. That is the fact that he is the best in the entire series at survival. In such a volatile world like Attack on Titan, all it takes is a single misstep, and a rogue titan will chomp off your head.
Levi knows this and has been outsmarting the system from the moment he stepped foot into the unknown against the titans. At a moment’s notice, he can switch gears and figure out the best course of action to stay alive and not be taken out by the enemy in battle.
This has been a source of controversy and even pain for the Survey Corps’ legendary hero since he has outlived so many of his fellow soldiers over and over. We see this in some of the most brutal and most heartbreaking moments in the series, including (quick spoiler alert) the infamous scene in which his entire squad is wiped out.
Every single person that followed him to the ends of the earth is slaughtered one by one in front of him, and he is the only survivor. The worst part is that this isn’t the first or last time that something like this happens in the Attack on Titan series, either.
He cheats death repeatedly throughout the series, including some genuinely wild moments towards the end of the story.
Anime Voice Actors
There are a couple of crucial voice actors for Levi Ackerman in the anime adaptation of the Attack on Titan manga. For those who have the option, I don’t honestly recommend watching the English dub. I understand that some have a hard time keeping up with the subtitles or reading them, which is fine, but it is one of the lesser dubs out there, for sure.
That said, the English dub voice actor for Levi isn’t the worst. Matthew Mercer is an extraordinary voice actor and one of the better ones in the English dub, but even his talent isn’t enough to overcome the rest of the cast and the general script.
The Critical Role star is best enjoyed elsewhere in the many games and anime he dominates. On the other hand, the Japanese voice actor for Levi, Hiroshi Kamiya, is one of the most talented voice actors today. He even shares some other iconic roles with Mercer, such as the beloved Trafalgar Law in One Piece.
In addition, he has roles as characters like Tieria in my favorite Gundam, Gundam 00, and Otonashi in the masterful Angel Beats. As you can see, he plays some central roles in some of the best anime of all time.
Key Relationships
When it comes to Levi as a person, he is strange. Unlike the other hardened killer in the series, Mikasa, he does not show the level of affection that she at least has for Eren and Armin. Levi Ackerman is cold, calculated, and almost entirely removed from all emotions.
As such, he has little to no connections with anyone that he encounters. This is mainly due to the loss of the few people he cared about growing up underground (again, go watch the OVA episodes of the anime). Outside of them, there is his father figure in his uncle, Kenny Ackerman, who essentially raised him.
They have a hateful relationship, as Kenny is everything that Levi doesn’t want to be. They may have killed in common, but Levi has no intention of following in the footsteps of his uncle, Kenny the Ripper, in murdering humans as he did.
The only truly strong relationship for Levi is with the commander of the Survey Corps, Erwin Smith. Levi looks up to Erwin quite a bit and possibly sees him as a pseudo-father for him. The few emotional scenes Levi has throughout the series generally have to do with Erwin and what’s going on with him. His loyalty is unwavering to a fault, making Levi almost obsessive with Erwin.
Lastly, there are the core three of Eren, Mikasa, and Armin. Levi has a mostly business relationship with them, as he does all of his squad mates. However, it should be noted that some rivalry aspects between those three and Levi come up later on in the series.
Even still, it is likely that Levi secretly cares for them as it is clear he cares for all of his underlings, as noted after their unfortunate deaths most of the time.
FAQs
Question: In which Episode does Levi Die in Attack on Titan?
Answer: This is a bit of a complicated question with heavy spoilers inbound. The first episode of Part 2 of Attack on Titan: The Final Season shows Levi dead.
Spoiler alert for the ending of Attack on Titan, but Levi yet again survives and makes it to the end of the entire series. You’ll have to tune in to see how he goes from seemingly dead back to the world of the living.
Question: Who does Levi End Up with?
Answer: Levi ends up with no one at the end of Attack on Titan. His sexuality is unknown, but we do know that he doesn’t have romantic feelings for anyone at the end of the series, at least.
Question: Who is Levi’s Girlfriend in Attack on Titan?
Answer: There is no confirmed girlfriend for Levi in Attack on Titan. That said, it doesn’t stop the fan base from trying to ship him with plenty of people. One of the most notable ones is Petra, a member of his squad that he seemingly cared about.
I find that Isabel is a more compelling romantic partner as the girl he grew up with. It’s possible that her (spoiler alert) death before the start of the series is the main reason we don’t see him connect romantically with anyone.
The Next Survey Corps Member You Need to Know About
Levi Ackerman is among the most vigorous Attack on Titan characters and the most popular. I wouldn’t be surprised if the cold-hearted titan killer is the most famous Attack on Titan main character of all time, and for a good reason.
Who else do you know that can slay a dozen titans in about a minute and then turn around to go full Cinderella in cleaning his room? Without a doubt, there is no one like Levi Ackerman in manga and anime. That said, he is far from the only central Survey Corps character in the massive cast of Attack on Titan.
If you want to find out more about his squad members, one of the recommended ones is Annie Leonhart. Like Levi, she is quite an effective fighter and survivor. She also holds some secrets to her that you should find out more about.