TV-Series
Description
Levi Ackerman serves as squad captain of the Special Operations Squad within the Survey Corps and is widely regarded as humanity's strongest soldier, possessing exceptional combat skills.
He has short, straight black hair styled in an undercut, narrow steel blue or dull gray eyes with dark circles, and a deceptively youthful face. Despite his short stature, he maintains a well-developed musculature from extensive use of vertical maneuvering equipment. His common attire consists of the Survey Corps uniform with a light gray button-up shirt and a white ascot, though he omitted the ascot after the coup d'état. During expeditions beyond the Walls, he wears the Corps' green hooded cloak. After a close-encounter explosion from a Thunder Spear set off by Zeke Yeager, Levi sustained several facial scars, including one across his right eye, and lost the index and middle fingers on his right hand. Following the Battle of Heaven and Earth, he uses a wheelchair.
Levi is notoriously fastidious, insisting on spotless cleanliness in his environment and person. He is known to wipe blood off his blades even during battle, though he will touch filth if necessary. His personality is generally abrasive and unapproachable, marked by a lack of emotional expression, blunt and often insulting speech, and a dark, vulgar sense of humor. Nevertheless, he places great value on human life and feels profound responsibility for his subordinates' welfare, often distressed by their deaths. He demonstrates loyalty and empathy toward comrades but behaves sadistically toward enemies, such as when he threatened to mutilate the Female Titan or tortured Djel Sannes. Levi operates independently and does not view himself as a leader like Erwin Smith, though he shows high obedience to those he respects, particularly Erwin.
Levi was born to Kuchel Ackerman, a prostitute in the Underground City. After her death, he was raised by his maternal uncle, Kenny Ackerman, who taught him survival skills, knife fighting, and violent behavior. In childhood, Levi attempted to steal back a tea set his mother had sold and was nearly beaten to death by merchants. This event triggered the awakening of his Ackerman powers, causing him to kill the merchants in a blind rage. When the handle of his mother's teacup broke as he tried to use it, he vowed never to hold a cup by its handle again, explaining his particular way of drinking tea.
As an adult, Levi became a notorious criminal in the Underground, leading a gang with friends Furlan Church and Isabel Magnolia. They used stolen vertical maneuvering gear for heists. A mysterious man from the surface, later revealed to be Nicholas Lobov, offered them citizenship in exchange for assassinating Erwin Smith and stealing a document. During a heist, they were captured by the Survey Corps, and Erwin offered to clear their crimes if they joined the Corps. While pretending to comply with Lobov's mission, Levi and his friends participated in an expedition beyond the Walls. Furlan and Isabel were killed by Titans during the mission. This loss deeply affected Levi, who unleashed his rage on the Titans and abandoned the assassination plot. He chose to follow Erwin and join the Survey Corps permanently, carrying the will of his fallen comrades.
Levi's backstory was further detailed in the "Bad Boy" spin-off, which showed how his Ackerman powers awakened during a life-threatening struggle and revealed that his love for tea stemmed from memories of his mother.
Throughout his service in the Survey Corps, Levi became a key figure in many battles. He played a significant role in the coup d'état and the events leading to the revelation of the Titans' true nature. His commitment to Erwin's vision remained steadfast, even after Erwin's death. During the conflict with Zeke Yeager, Levi was severely injured by a Thunder Spear explosion but survived. He later recovered and joined the alliance to stop Eren Yeager's genocide, ultimately fulfilling his promise to kill Zeke during the Battle of Heaven and Earth. Following the battle, Levi was confined to a wheelchair but continued to serve as a symbol of resilience and strength.
Levi's character is also explored in other media, such as the "No Regrets" OVA, which details his early criminal life and induction into the Survey Corps, and the "Lost Girls" OVA, which features scenarios involving female characters but does not focus primarily on him.
He has short, straight black hair styled in an undercut, narrow steel blue or dull gray eyes with dark circles, and a deceptively youthful face. Despite his short stature, he maintains a well-developed musculature from extensive use of vertical maneuvering equipment. His common attire consists of the Survey Corps uniform with a light gray button-up shirt and a white ascot, though he omitted the ascot after the coup d'état. During expeditions beyond the Walls, he wears the Corps' green hooded cloak. After a close-encounter explosion from a Thunder Spear set off by Zeke Yeager, Levi sustained several facial scars, including one across his right eye, and lost the index and middle fingers on his right hand. Following the Battle of Heaven and Earth, he uses a wheelchair.
Levi is notoriously fastidious, insisting on spotless cleanliness in his environment and person. He is known to wipe blood off his blades even during battle, though he will touch filth if necessary. His personality is generally abrasive and unapproachable, marked by a lack of emotional expression, blunt and often insulting speech, and a dark, vulgar sense of humor. Nevertheless, he places great value on human life and feels profound responsibility for his subordinates' welfare, often distressed by their deaths. He demonstrates loyalty and empathy toward comrades but behaves sadistically toward enemies, such as when he threatened to mutilate the Female Titan or tortured Djel Sannes. Levi operates independently and does not view himself as a leader like Erwin Smith, though he shows high obedience to those he respects, particularly Erwin.
Levi was born to Kuchel Ackerman, a prostitute in the Underground City. After her death, he was raised by his maternal uncle, Kenny Ackerman, who taught him survival skills, knife fighting, and violent behavior. In childhood, Levi attempted to steal back a tea set his mother had sold and was nearly beaten to death by merchants. This event triggered the awakening of his Ackerman powers, causing him to kill the merchants in a blind rage. When the handle of his mother's teacup broke as he tried to use it, he vowed never to hold a cup by its handle again, explaining his particular way of drinking tea.
As an adult, Levi became a notorious criminal in the Underground, leading a gang with friends Furlan Church and Isabel Magnolia. They used stolen vertical maneuvering gear for heists. A mysterious man from the surface, later revealed to be Nicholas Lobov, offered them citizenship in exchange for assassinating Erwin Smith and stealing a document. During a heist, they were captured by the Survey Corps, and Erwin offered to clear their crimes if they joined the Corps. While pretending to comply with Lobov's mission, Levi and his friends participated in an expedition beyond the Walls. Furlan and Isabel were killed by Titans during the mission. This loss deeply affected Levi, who unleashed his rage on the Titans and abandoned the assassination plot. He chose to follow Erwin and join the Survey Corps permanently, carrying the will of his fallen comrades.
Levi's backstory was further detailed in the "Bad Boy" spin-off, which showed how his Ackerman powers awakened during a life-threatening struggle and revealed that his love for tea stemmed from memories of his mother.
Throughout his service in the Survey Corps, Levi became a key figure in many battles. He played a significant role in the coup d'état and the events leading to the revelation of the Titans' true nature. His commitment to Erwin's vision remained steadfast, even after Erwin's death. During the conflict with Zeke Yeager, Levi was severely injured by a Thunder Spear explosion but survived. He later recovered and joined the alliance to stop Eren Yeager's genocide, ultimately fulfilling his promise to kill Zeke during the Battle of Heaven and Earth. Following the battle, Levi was confined to a wheelchair but continued to serve as a symbol of resilience and strength.
Levi's character is also explored in other media, such as the "No Regrets" OVA, which details his early criminal life and induction into the Survey Corps, and the "Lost Girls" OVA, which features scenarios involving female characters but does not focus primarily on him.