001 - Levi Ackerman

Isayama said that if he could say one thing to Levi, it would be: "Go to sleep quickly," because Levi suffers from mild episodes of insomnia. Furthermore, Levi doesn't change his clothes before going to sleep, as it's such an insignificant event for him. Instead of sleeping in a bed, Levi simply sleeps in his chair.
It was also confirmed that, due to having lived in the Underground in unsanitary conditions during his younger years, he longed for a clean home. This may be the reason for his obsession with cleanliness.
Levi's short stature was inspired in part by Astro Boy from Mighty Adam and in part by Kyuzo from the movie Seven Samurai.
Levi's height and personality were also partly inspired by the character Rorschach from Watchmen. Isayama noted that he gave Levi a stature similar to Rorschach's and an obsession with cleanliness to contrast with Rorschach's lack of cleanliness.
In Isayama's interview, he was asked about Levi's preferred type of woman, and he replied: "A type of woman he likes? Since he's short, short people tend to like tall people... I think he might like tall people." [citation needed]
Levi currently considers Eren the best cleaner.
During a Q&A session, Levi was asked by a fan what his type was. He replied, "It has to meet my cleanliness standards." [citation needed]
Levi's blood type is A.
Levi is known for cutting his own hair using hair clippers.
Levi knew that Oluo Bozado was imitating him and found it irritating.
Isayama stated that Levi drinks plain tea because any additives like sugar or milk are too expensive for him to afford.

Levi ranked first in the first, second, and fourth character popularity polls.
Levi came in second place in the third character popularity poll, being surpassed in votes by Erwin Smith.
He is credited with the title of Squadron Captain (兵士長 Heishichō?) within the Survey Corps. However, his comrades and subordinates generally refer to him by the abbreviated title of "Captain" (兵長 Heichō?), although the literal translation of this rank is "Corporal." This has led to the misconception that he is actually a Corporal, a rather low rank.
Its name is of Hebrew origin and means "attached" or "joining".
His name was inspired by a person from an American documentary.
Jesus Camp.
Levi's age is one of several mysteries that Isayama has hinted at in interviews. He once said that Levi is "surprisingly old," but refused to give an exact answer beyond saying that he is "older than 30 years old." In February 2016, he was interviewed again at the "The Real" Attack on Titan theme park and, when asked about Levi's age, replied that he is "in his late thirties." However, Marina Inoue (voice actress for Armin Arlert) later rectified this, saying that Isayama made a mistake due to nervousness and asked her to correct that Levi is actually "in his early thirties." This was further confirmed in the Attack on Titan ANSWERS guide.
In the character interviews with Levi, Erwin, and Hange, it was stated that Levi forcibly bathes Hange, knocking them unconscious.
Isayama said that Levi once wanted to open a tea shop.
Levi's tolerance for alcoholic beverages isn't bad. More specifically, he doesn't get drunk.
He sleeps only an average of 2 to 3 hours.

Duran
Zeke Yeager
Five merchants
Seven other members of the Anti-Personnel Control Squad
Indirectly:
Erwin Smith
Bertolt Hoover
Failed attempts:
Erwin Smith
Kenny Ackerman
Reiner Braun

Petra Ral - Petra served under Levi in ​​the Survey Corps and was later handpicked by him to be part of his first Special Operations Squad. She held a deep respect for him and was proud to be part of his team. Levi seemed to trust her and her abilities as a soldier, as she held one of the highest records for Titan kills (48 assisted kills and 10 solo kills). After Petra was killed by the Female Titan, Levi guarded her body until the Corps had to retreat inside the Wall and was horrified after his father informed him of her intentions to dedicate her life to serving him and the Squad, possibly because his father assumed she had feelings for him.

Mikasa Ackerman - Mikasa quickly developed a dislike for Levi, one of the first actions she witnesses being him beating Eren at his military trial. From then on, Mikasa harbored resentment against Levi, vowing to one day make him pay for his actions. She would later explode at Levi, blaming him for Eren's capture by the Female Titan, and her recklessness would later result in Levi needing to rescue her at the cost of injuring his leg. While on the sidelines, Levi repeatedly offers advice to Mikasa, who deeply regrets her mistake and strives to protect Eren in his place. When the Survey Corps rebels, Mikasa largely sets aside her bitterness towards Levi, choosing to trust his leadership. Levi and Mikasa share similar physical and intellectual traits. They both share the surname Ackerman, indicating they both come from the same lineage.
Armin Arlert - Armin seems to greatly respect Levi for his incredible skills and ability to fight Titans. In turn, Levi has come to recognize Armin's impressive deductive abilities and his capacity to formulate plans. Despite his general coldness towards others, Levi has given Armin emotional support whenever he doubted himself: this was first seen after Armin killed an enemy soldier to protect Jean, and although Levi admits it was still murder, he thanks Armin for ensuring that all members of his squad survived. Then, after learning that Armin received the injection instead of Erwin and wondering why he was saved when Erwin was the more logical choice, Levi tells Armin that he has powers and abilities that no one else has.

Hange Zoë - Levi was introduced to Hange during his first expedition as a member of the Survey Corps. Levi gradually became more familiar with Hange, being able to reprimand them when they got too excited. After years of working side-by-side, the two shared a strong bond of trust, and Levi didn't doubt any theory they might have about the Titans, even if he didn't like them.
Eren Yeager - As humanity's strongest soldier, Levi commands great respect from Eren. Upon meeting Eren in person, Levi treated him like an animal, distrustful of his Titan transformation power, though impressed by Eren's passion. As he gets to know him, Levi begins to treat Eren as he treats most others: dismissively and coldly. However, Levi also becomes a kind of mentor to Eren, understanding the good potential the young recruit possesses and offering advice during Eren's moments of doubt. Later, he becomes more patient with Eren, forgiving his mistakes and nurturing his growth as a soldier and as a vanguard of humanity's hope. Eren's attack on Liberio and the formation of the Yeagerists leave Levi disappointed with the path Eren has taken. When facing the Titans of the Army that Eren recreated in his Founding Titan, Levi laments that they cannot care about Eren's safety and that they must kill him, stating that there were many things he would have liked to say to him.

Kuchel Ackerman - Growing up with Levi, he had a strong bond with his mother, often having tea with her before her death when he was very young.
Kenny Ackerman - Kenny cared for Levi during his childhood and taught him the skills necessary to survive in the underground city. He told Levi that he was a friend of his late mother. However, he eventually abandoned him, believing that someone like him was unsuitable to be a father. Years later, they had an antagonistic relationship due to being on opposite sides of the coup d'état. When Kenny was finally dying, Levi found him, and the latter gave information about the Ackerman clan and revealed that he was actually Levi's mother's older brother, making him Levi's uncle. Levi was shocked to learn this and questioned his reason for abandoning him. In his last words, Kenny declared that he was unsuitable to be a father, and Levi then solemnly watched as his uncle died.
Erwin Smith - Levi and Erwin's relationship wasn't initially friendly. Erwin eventually became one of the few people Levi fully trusted, obeying all his commands and judgments. However, this didn't stop Levi from speaking in his usual gruff manner around him. Erwin was also one of the few people who could hold a casual conversation with Levi, able to exchange brief banter on equal footing. Levi was deeply angered after Erwin was killed by Zeke, and years later, Levi fulfilled his promise to Erwin that he would kill the Beast Titan.

Sword Grip Technique:
Levi has an unusual fighting stance that involves holding his sword right-handed with his palm facing upwards, the blade pointing outwards and positioned behind him instead of in front. Doing so causes the blades to cut in a "circle" around him, giving him the ability to utilize spinning attacks and other rotational maneuvers, allowing him to maintain incredible speed and agility while fighting. At the same time, this helps him maintain high energy levels without unnecessarily wasting breath and strength, allowing him to fight for longer periods and take down multiple targets simultaneously.[citation needed] This reverse grip technique may have been inspired by Kenny Ackerman's lessons on knife handling, from which Levi learned from a young age how to hold a blade with a reverse grip.
Thunder Spears:
Levi doesn't seem to favor the use of Thunder Spears, as he doesn't carry them during the attack on Liberio, unlike the other members of the Survey Corps' ground forces. However, he is proficient enough with them to blast Zeke from the nape of his Beast Titan when Zeke attempts to escape after transforming Levi's soldiers into Titans.

Strength:
Levi possesses formidable physical strength, undoubtedly evident in his mastery of the vertical maneuvering equipment. Despite his small stature, his body is well-built with heavy muscles, making him very strong and capable of easily defeating his opponents. At one point, Levi intercepts one of the Female Titan's attacks, using her hand to launch himself towards her mouth before she can hit Mikasa. This doesn't prevent him from getting injured, however.
Intelligence:
In addition to his extraordinary fighting skills, Levi demonstrated a profound ability to quickly analyze situations and make calculated decisions in the heat of battle. This gave him the ability to save himself and his comrades on many occasions, such as when he realizes that the Female Titan cannot be easily killed because of her hardening skin and regenerative abilities, and subsequently saves Mikasa when she tries to kill the Female Titan, or when he fights Kenny Ackerman inside a bar, using chairs, a double-barreled shotgun, and even corpses to subdue his opponents. However, Levi admits that he doesn't believe a person can be right all the time, and some scenarios are beyond a person's control.
Levi Ackerman statistics in the year 850:
Combat: 11/10
Initiative: 10/10
Intelligence: 8/10
Teamwork: 2/10
Cleanliness: 10/10
Power awakened:
As a member of the Ackerman clan, Levi "awakened" a latent power within himself earlier in his life, which he describes as "knowing exactly what needs to be done." This also prevented his memory from being erased. After Eren's death, his awakened power ceased to exist.

Skills
Vertical Maneuvering Equipment:
Levi is incredibly adept at using the vertical maneuvering equipment, to the point that everyone says he's the best at it; even after losing several fingers, Levi was still able to use the equipment almost as easily as before. It's also said that he has the strength of an entire brigade, far surpassing all other soldiers. Furthermore, he was considered extremely strong even before joining the Survey Corps.
He demonstrated the ability to incapacitate the Female Titan by moving too fast for her to defend herself, something entire squads and even Eren in his Titan form couldn't accomplish. He even defeated Zeke Yeager in his Beast Titan form, one of the strongest warriors in the Marleyan army and an extremely skilled Titan. None of these attacks are without some degree of prior planning and situational advantage, as the Female Titan was exhausted from multiple conflicts in a short period of hours, and Levi attacked Zeke by surprise, getting too close to defend himself before Zeke realized it. That said, Levi's overall skill with his blades is still tremendous, capable of carving the Beast Titan's arm into multiple clean pieces so quickly that they fell in unison. Nevertheless, Levi proved capable of facing powerful wielders of Titan power in a one-on-one situation where his vertical maneuvering equipment can be used to its fullest potential. For example, as seen when Levi overtook Zeke again in a forested area where his vertical equipment could be properly employed.

Following the return of the Female Titan and the death of Levi's entire squad and the capture of Eren, he and Mikasa join forces to rescue him. Levi tells Mikasa to distract the Titan, but to avoid trying to kill her, as she is able to harden her skin. Levi then attacks the Female Titan and, after a series of successful attacks, incapacitates her. Seeing that the Female Titan is now defenseless, Mikasa disobeys Levi's orders and attempts to kill the person inside the Titan. However, the Female Titan strikes Mikasa with her hardened fist, and Levi is forced to pull Mikasa out of the way. In doing so, Levi injures his left leg. Using the momentum he gained from the last attack, Levi then cuts the Female Titan's facial muscles, causing her to open her mouth and release Eren. He grabs Eren and flees with Mikasa, whom he reprimands for risking the life of her "special friend" in the name of revenge. As he leaves, he takes one last look at the defeated Female Titan and is visibly surprised to see her crying.

As they enter Karanes after their retreat, the Survey Corps receives a hostile response from the public for their failed mission. Levi is approached by Petra's father, who reveals that she has written to him frequently. He tells Levi that, as a father, he is concerned about Petra's decision to dedicate her life to him, as she is still very young and has her whole life ahead of her. Levi continues to walk ahead silently without responding. Days later, Eren is summoned to the Capitol for a trial that will decide his fate. Before that, Levi, Erwin, Eren, and the other survivors gather at the old Survey Corps Headquarters. Armin tells them his theory about the true identity of the Female Titan. Levi, still injured, does not participate in the subsequent operation in the Stohess District; during this part of the arc, he is only seen with Erwin.

Shortly after, Levi separates from his squad. He reunites with Erwin and prepares to extract the human controlling the Female Titan from the nape of her neck. He and Mike attack her and attempt to cut off her hands, only to discover her ability to harden her skin. After Erwin orders the cannons loaded with explosives and aimed at the Female Titan's wrists, Levi, standing on her head, taunts her with threats of violence, saying he would like to face her in her human form over the deaths of countless of his soldiers. In response, the Female Titan begins to roar. Shortly after, Titans come towards her from all directions and devour her. On Erwin's orders, Levi and the rest of the elite Lifting Corps attempt to protect her from them, but fail due to the sheer number of Titans. Erwin orders the Corps to retreat back to the Karanes District. However, Erwin notes that the steam from the Titans' bodies will make it difficult for the rest of the Lifting Corps to see the beacon. He then realizes that the human inside the Female Titan may have escaped and orders Levi to replenish his gas canisters and blades.

During the 57th Expedition Beyond the Walls, Levi and his team receive orders to walk through the safest area of ​​Erwin's formation. When the formation is suddenly attacked by a horde of Titans coming from its right flank, they change course towards the Titan Forest, and Levi's squad takes the central route.
As soon as the Female Titan appears, her squad implores Levi to give them orders, but he continues to ride forward and look ahead. Eren desperately wants to transform and fight the Female Titan, but Petra and his comrades urge him to trust them, and Eren hesitates. Levi tells Eren that he's not wrong for wanting to transform and that no one can know the right choice until after they've made it. Whatever Eren chooses to do, Levi says he should do it and believe he won't regret it. Eren then declares that he completely trusts his squad's victory, and they continue through the Forest. This allows the Survey Corps to capture the Female Titan.

The Female Titan arc:
After Eren issues a verbal challenge to the audience during his trial, Levi violently beats him on the spot, mockingly observing that, chained to his knees, Eren is perfectly positioned for his kicks. Armin has to restrain an enraged Mikasa from rushing to Eren's aid and killing Levi. She stares at Levi after the trial, seemingly unsettling him. Unknown to Mikasa, the beating was an act of self-defense for Eren that gave the impression that, despite Eren's fearsome Titan powers, Levi (and, by extension, the rest of humanity) could still control him.
Following the trial, Levi hands Eren over to his Special Operations Squad for the following month. They move into the Survey Corps' former headquarters inside Wall Rose. Levi orders Eren to sleep in the castle dungeon so that if he accidentally transforms, it won't cause problems. During this month, Hange conducts experiments to try and make Eren transform. If Eren goes out of control in Titan form, Levi intends to sever him at the nape of the neck in a way that would sever his human limbs, which would grow back anyway. However, Eren fails to transform, and his hands don't heal from his bites. The Squad decides to postpone any further experiments.
One day, while having tea with them, Eren leans over to pick up a spoon and accidentally generates a partial Titan body. The alarmed Squad threatens him, and Levi has to calm the situation. Levi tells Eren not to take their actions personally and that they have good intentions. Later, after Hange explains why Eren activated his Titan form, Levi's entire squad reprimands themselves and apologizes to Eren for acting on assumptions.

Ilse's Notebook:
While on an expedition beyond the Walls, Levi and Hange recover the notebook of a soldier named Ilse Langnar. After reading the diary's contents, Levi is shocked and remarks that it's what Ilse died for.

Arch of the Wall Sealing:
Levi is seen leaving the Trost District, along with the rest of the Survey Corps, on the 56th Expedition Beyond the Walls — on the same day that the Colossal Titan attacks the district.
While on the expedition, Levi sees a soldier trapped in the jaws of a nearby Titan and kills him. As more Titans approach, Levi orders Petra Ral to tend to the wounded soldier while he deals with the remaining Titans. After clearing the immediate area, Levi checks on the wounded soldier, who is rapidly succumbing to his injuries. In an attempt to comfort the scout in his final moments, Levi assures him that he has done his duty well. As the soldier dies, Erwin arrives and informs Levi that they are returning to Trost. Levi is unwilling to return so soon, but is forced to relent when Erwin informs him that Wall Rose has possibly been breached.
Levi arrives back in Trost in time to find two Titans attacking four soldiers at the base of the Wall. He quickly kills the Titans and demands that the soldiers report what happened.
Three days later, after Eren wakes up in the dungeon beneath the courthouse, Levi assures him that his superiors will let him join the Survey Corps—and that he himself will ensure Eren doesn't get out of control. If that happens, Levi says, he won't hesitate to end Eren's life.

Time passed, and eventually, Kenny taught Levi everything he knew. However, he didn't consider himself a good father. One day, in the underground city, Levi started a fight which he easily won. At that moment, Kenny decided to leave him behind, satisfied that he had taught Levi the skills he needed to survive.
Later, he became a notorious gangster in the underworld, but eventually left that scene to join the Survey Corps. Although at one point he was at odds with Erwin Smith, he eventually became one of his most trusted men.

Levi was born the son of Kuchel Ackerman, a prostitute who worked in the Underground and became pregnant by one of her clients. One day, Kenny Ackerman, Kuchel's older brother, came to town to see her, only to discover she was dead. There, he found a young and dirty Levi sitting in front of his mother's bed.
In a rare display of compassion, Kenny decided to take care of him. He raised Levi as best he could: teaching him knife skills, how to get along with people, and how to behave violently. Levi also learned to use his own inner power that he possessed as a member of the Ackerman clan.
After his mother's death, Levi attempted to steal back a tea set she had sold to buy food. He was caught in the act, and the merchants, after detaining him, considered selling him into slavery. Disgusted by their behavior, Levi tried to resist and was nearly beaten to death. However, before the merchants could finish him off, his Ackerman blood awakened, and he killed them all in a moment of blind rage. After calming down, he was confronted by the sole surviving merchant, who tried to blackmail Levi into sparing him, arguing that his friends would hunt Levi down and kill him in retaliation unless he left the merchant alive to appease them. Levi simply retorted that no one would believe a child had killed them before throwing the merchant from a great height to his death.
Returning home, Levi made a cup of tea using her tea set. However, when he tried to drink it, the handle broke, causing him to drop and shatter the cup. From that moment on, Levi refused to hold cups by the handles, choosing to hold them by the rims instead.

Although Levi demonstrates loyalty and empathy towards his comrades, he shows no mercy towards the Titans, indiscriminately slaughtering them with obvious indifference. However, when the Titans are former friends and subordinates, Levi may briefly hesitate and wonder if they are still aware of their actions while trapped in their Titan forms; regardless, Levi has shown no qualms about killing them. When dealing with individuals he perceives as enemies of humanity, Levi is capable of sadistic, even vengeful, behavior. For example, when the Female Titan was captured, Levi expressed his pleasure in seeing her suffer and described in gruesome detail how he intended to mutilate her human body. He also tortured Djel Sannes with Hange Zoë, punching him and twisting his already broken nose. After defeating Zeke Yeager for the second time, he made it clear in a sadistic way that he was going to torture Zeke for his crimes against Paradis and the Survey Corps, impaling him with a Thunder Lance. Levi shows no emotion in these moments, except for his bloodlust, shown by his methodical way of cutting off Zeke's legs.

Levi is occasionally known to lose his composure and resort to threats or violence to make others listen to him, even if they are members of his own corps. An example of such behavior was shown when he directly ordered Historia Reiss to assume the role of queen when the matter was presented to him. When she tremulously says it is unsuitable, he grabs her and lifts her off the ground, choking her and telling her to fight back if she doesn't like it. He then releases her and yells at her to make her decision, but calms down again when she complies with his demands.

Because of his dangerous profession and personal values, he cares deeply about the well-being of his subordinates. This is seen several times: when ordered to retreat early to Wall Rose at the end of the disastrous 57th Expedition, Levi was visibly distressed that so many of his soldiers had died on a fruitless mission. Later, he risked his life against the Female Titan to rescue Eren from its jaws and also to protect Mikasa, who had recklessly gone after her seeking revenge. When they re-entered the gate, Petra's father approached him, speaking cheerfully about his daughter and her unwavering devotion to the Survey Corps. Unbeknownst to him, his daughter had just been killed; Levi remained silent, too overwhelmed by grief to respond. Levi was visibly affected by the loss of his entire original Special Operations Squad at the hands of the Female Titan, stating that he carries the will of his fallen comrades, and that their collective anger against the Titans further strengthens his resolve to continue fighting.

Despite his obedience to Erwin, Levi operates fairly independently. Many of his Titan kills are solo, carried out with little direct cooperation from other soldiers (due to him usually assigning them to hunt other Titans nearby). Although admired by many, and he doesn't hesitate to give orders when necessary, Levi doesn't see himself as a leader in the same way Erwin does. He doesn't seem to have much use for hierarchy in general, and he leaves decisions to his subordinates as much as possible.
Although Levi is aware that his combat skills are in a league of their own compared to almost any other living human soldier, he is not arrogant about it, as he knows from experience that no human soldier is invulnerable. Few will argue with his claims that only he can handle certain difficult tasks, because he has proven his ability to accomplish them.

Levi's obedience is strictly limited to individuals he respects, and he has no problem showing open disdain for the authority of anyone outside that circle. At Eren's trial, he insulted the merchants by calling them "pigs" and told the Military Police that they weren't competent enough to handle Eren, mocking several MPs by observing that they had never fought or even seen a single Titan. He even sarcastically suggests they join the Survey Corps, which caused them to recoil. He openly resents most MPs for their continued attempts to undermine the Survey Corps, and also presumably because of the criminal life he led before joining the Corps.

Although he rarely shows it, Levi has a strong sense of morality and empathy. One of his most striking characteristics is the great value he places on preserving human life; this is especially shown when it was revealed that all Titans could have been human at some point. The idea that he was unknowingly killing humans all along greatly disturbs him. Although Levi harbored no malice towards Eren, he was willing to resort to violence to save his life at his trial, eventually asking Eren if he resented him for the beating. Levi himself stated that he hates unnecessary casualties and tells his subordinates to use their judgment so they can avoid mistakes that could cost them their lives.

As a result of his early childhood, Levi is described as a "clean freak" by those who know him personally, as he prefers his surroundings and himself to be impeccably clean. He is averse to having himself or his equipment dirty and is known to clean his blood-stained blades right on the battlefield. However, he will not hesitate to get his hands dirty if he deems it necessary.
Despite his concern for cleanliness, Levi is not very approachable. He rarely shows emotion, giving a cold impression to others. His manner of speaking tends to be very direct, even insulting, and his comments are often rude or inappropriate. He doesn't hesitate to provoke or belittle those who contradict or irritate him. His sense of humor tends towards the vulgar, insulting, and dark. All of this makes him unsettling to a large number of people.
In his criminal life prior to joining the Survey Corps, when he lived in the Underground City, Levi refused to take orders from anyone (as Petra Ral tells Eren), although he trusted his comrades greatly, something he would later extend to his subordinates. However, after joining the Survey Corps, he came to greatly respect Commander Erwin Smith, whose orders he willingly follows because he trusts Erwin's vision for the Corps.

Levi has short, straight black hair, styled in an undercut with a parted fringe, as well as narrow, intimidating, dull gray eyes with dark circles under them and a deceptively youthful face. He is quite short, but his physique is well-developed in musculature due to extensive use of vertical maneuvering equipment. He is usually frowning or expressionless; this, along with his extremely calm demeanor, often makes it difficult for others to guess what he is thinking.
He is most often seen in his Survey Corps uniform, with a light gray button-down shirt underneath, along with his characteristic white scarf around his neck. When embarking on expeditions outside the Walls, he also wears the Survey Corps' green hooded cloak. On one occasion, when forced to take leave from his duties due to an injury, Levi was seen in a black suit, simple white shirt, scarf around his neck, and dress shoes.

Levi Ackerman (リヴァイ・アッカーマン Rivai Akkāman?), often formally referred to as Captain Levi (リヴァイ兵長 Rivai Heichō?), is the captain of the Special Operations Squad within the Survey Corps and is widely known as humanity's strongest soldier.

Solo: At least 89
Team: Unknown
Total: At least 89

A++

Bandit

Exploration Corps
Special Operations Squad

Squadron Captain (兵士長 Heishichō?)

Soldier

Paradise Island

Underground

December 25th

Ackerman Clan:
Kuchel Ackerman (mother, deceased)
Kenny Ackerman (uncle, deceased)
Unnamed great-grandfather (deceased)
Mikasa Ackerman (relative)
Ackerman (relative, deceased)

65 kg

160 cm

30

Human

"Humanity's Strongest Soldier" (人類最強の兵士 Jinrui Saikyō no Heishi?)

Levi Ackerman
リヴァイ・アッカーマン
Rivai Akkāman