Mikasa Ackerman

Mikasa ackerman. Quite, strong, loyal.

:Mikasa Ackerman (ミカサ・アッカーマン Mikasa Akkāman?) is one of the two deuteragonists of the series, along with Armin Arlert.

After her parents were murdered by human traffickers, Mikasa was rescued by Eren Yeager and lived with him and his parents, Grisha and Carla, before the fall of Wall Maria. She is the last descendant of the Shogun clan that stayed on Paradis Island, thereby related to the Azumabito family, and holds significant political power in Hizuru.[12]

Though she desires only to live a peaceful life, Mikasa entered into the military—where she is considered the best soldier among the 104th Training Corps. She later enlists in the Survey Corps to follow and protect Eren, becoming one of its greatest assets. She is currently serving as an officer (上官 Jōkan?) in the Corps.:

:Appearance. Mikasa is a fairly tall and well-toned woman. She is of partial Asian heritage, with pale skin, gray eyes, and shaggy black hair that was long until she cut it to chin-length. By the year 854, her hair is shorter and cut up to the back of her neck, though she simultaneously wears noticeably longer bangs. She bears a tattoo of the Azumabito family crest on the outside of her right wrist. There is a small scar below her right eye, which was due to an injury delivered by Eren's Titan during the Battle of Trost District.[13] By 857, Mikasa's hair grew noticeably long and is tied in a ponytail.[14]

Mikasa often wears the original Survey Corps uniform, whose equipment is horizontally at her hips, with a white blouse underneath and a black scarf that she almost always wears.[15] She also wears a green cape with the wings of freedom on the back during some missions.

When off duty, Mikasa's casual attire consists of a simple knee-length white dress, a light cardigan, brown boots, and her signature black scarf.

While in Marley, Mikasa wears a black Survey Corps uniform, which features a breastplate with the Survey Corps symbol; many belts to accommodate all the different gear; support rods around her chest for the gas canister; and tall black boots. She also carries guns, thunder spears, an additional gas tank, and canisters running vertically down her legs.[16]:

:Personality. Before living with the Yeager family, Mikasa appeared to be a cheerful, outgoing, and gentle child. Her innocence allowed her to push anxious thoughts to the back of her mind, continuing to live with her parents and loved ones happily. Growing up, Mikasa has become emotionally withdrawn and noticeably dangerous, sometimes intimidating her enemies or even her comrades. She is quite stoic and level headed, rarely seen to lose her cool or be at a loss of what to do, no matter how bleak the situation seems to be. Her will is remarkably strong, demonstrated when she managed to remain so outwardly calm when Eren was presumed dead; only Armin could tell that she was battling with the pain of losing him.[17]

Mikasa cares deeply for her friends and caretakers, seeing them as the last remnants of a family she cannot afford to lose.[18] She also appears to have a soft spot for children, evidenced by her bowing to a young girl she saved and her instantly saving a Marleyan soldier, despite the latter having earlier killed one of her comrades. Mikasa is not completely immune to the effects of her emotions, however: Her strong feelings for her beloved ones, particularly when they are in harm's way, does at times cloud her judgment in fury—sometimes to the endangerment of herself and others.[19] A notable example was when Mikasa briefly gave in to her grief over Eren's apparent demise and lost the will to live, forgetting her responsibility for the lives of the soldiers she took upon herself to lead in the process. However, she was reawakened by her memories of Eren and a made decision to never give up again, as her memories would die with her.

From an early age, Mikasa was unusually perceptive, aware of the harshness of nature by witnessing the manner in which predators hunt and kill weaker prey. Her peace was shattered when a band of criminals brutally murdered her parents before her eyes in a failed kidnapping attempt, only saving herself and her rescuer when she managed to abandon all inhibition and hesitation to kill one of her assailants.[20] Following this traumatic event, Mikasa would gain a generally cynical outlook on life and accept the world as a cruel place where only those who are strong are able to survive.[21] Her determination to protect her beloved ones as much as possible has contributed greatly to her phenomenal skills as a soldier. Though being among the best of the best, she remains humble and refrains from putting on airs or displaying arrogance.

Mikasa has a strong sense of right and wrong, doing everything she can to make her most impulsive friends follow what she thinks is the right track.[22] In spite of this, she is well aware that she cannot always sway them in decisions and makes it a point to follow them wherever they go, just so that she can be around to help out when trouble arises.[23] The sole reason she enlisted in the military and joined the Survey Corps after her graduation was to keep an eye on Eren, despite the fact that she truly wished to live out the rest of her days in relative peace within the Walls alongside him.

Mikasa's bond with Eren is undoubtedly her most important relationship and the one that defines her. Her personality as a teenager was very much influenced by Eren, who told her she stood no chance of survival if she did not fight for it.[24] His words continued to stay with her, and she automatically recalled them to spur her on when she was close to death. Mikasa wears the black scarf Eren gave her when they first met, holding on to it as a source of strength and comfort when she is upset.[25] She had openly wept tears of relief at his safety and developed vengeful grudges towards those who harm him, from enemies to her own superiors. She blushed when it was insinuated she and Eren were lovers;[26] furthermore, after he insulted her and stated that he had always hated her, she was visibly hurt and eventually left behind the scarf he had given her.[27]

While she would regain the scarf from Louise,[28] Mikasa would not wear it again until moments before confronting Eren following his initiation of the Rumbling.[29] Mikasa's sacrifice of a life with her beloved Eren and choosing to defy and kill him is ultimately the reason Ymir Fritz was freed and the Titans vanishing from the world.[30] Mikasa grieves for Eren as she visits his grave,[14] and would continue to regularly visit it with her new family for several decades until passing away of old age while wearing the scarf.[31]:

:History. Mikasa was born to an Asian mother, and her father was a member of the Ackerman clan.[32] She lived peacefully with her parents in the farmlands of Wall Maria, helping them since a young age. Mikasa underwent a painful scarring ritual from her mother, who cut into her skin the mark of their family.[33].

Being the last of their race made her mother and Mikasa high value targets to robbers. When she was only 9 years old, a group of traffickers killed her parents and attempted to kidnap her for the purpose of selling her in the human-trading market of the Capital's Underground.[32] Frightened and shocked, Mikasa was rescued by Eren Yeager, the son of her family's doctor. He tricked and killed two of the kidnappers, but he was overwhelmed by the third trafficker and on the verge of being strangled. Eren desperately urged Mikasa to fight to win, who came to realize that the world can be callous and merciless before dispatching the robber from behind, who was trying to kill him.

When Grisha Yeager arrived with members of the Military Police Brigade, Mikasa was given the scarf by Eren and accepted into his family. This event awakened the fighting instincts and perfect self-control that runs in the Ackerman clan.[34] Mikasa then went to live with Eren's family until the Fall of Wall Maria.[35].:

:Story. Prologue arc. Mikasa wakes up Eren Mikasa wakes Eren up Mikasa appears for the first time in year 845 somewhere inside Wall Maria. She is seen waking Eren up, telling him that they need to return to home. She is surprised to see tears in his eyes and asks why he was crying.[36] On their way home, they meet Hannes. Mikasa watches as Eren complains about the soldiers slacking off while on duty.[37] Later, both Eren and Mikasa watch the return of the Survey Corps forces, witnessing yet another failure of their expedition.[38] After returning home, Mikasa tells on Eren, revealing to his parents his desire to join the Survey Corps. Annoyed, Eren leaves, with Mikasa following him. They save Armin, who is being beaten by local bullies and together discuss their desire to go outside the Walls.[39].

At that moment, the three kids witness the sudden appearance of an extremely tall Titan peering over the top of Wall Maria. The three are stunned to see one that large, only coming back to their senses when the Titan breaches the Wall's gate.[40][41] Mikasa and Eren run back to their home to find it crushed and Carla trapped under the debris.[42] In spite of their attempts, Mikasa and Eren are unable to free her, Hannes rescues them as a Titan devours Eren's mother.[43] Mikasa and Eren are placed on a ship just as the Armored Titan breaks through the inner gate, letting the Titans inside Wall Maria. She witnesses Eren's vow to kill all the Titans as they are transported to safety.[44]:

:104th Training Corps arc. After the events of the Wall Maria's destruction, the government's desperate attempt to reclaim the lands using the refugees leads to nothing but more casualties. This prompts Mikasa, Eren, and Armin to enroll with the army and become members of the 104th Training Corps.[45]

During their training, Mikasa helps Eren as much as she can as he initially fails to grasp the basics of the vertical maneuvering equipment.[46] They manage to pass the qualifying tests, Mikasa quickly proving her skills and is praised as one of the best trainees in military history.[47] At one point, Mikasa asks Annie Leonhart, a fellow trainee with exceptional skill, to teach her a self-defense technique that she was teaching Eren, which eventually calls for a bet with the 104th Training Corps to see who is the stronger fighter.[48] At the 104th Training Corps' graduation, she is ranked first in the class.[3]:

:Captain Levi. As the Survey Corps parade through the street on its way to the gates, Mikasa, Eren and Armin stare at Captain Levi in amazement.[49]:

:Battle of Trost District arc. Before having the chance to fully apply in the Survey Corps so she can keep Eren safe, the Colossus Titan breaches Wall Rose the same way it did with Wall Maria.[50] Much to her dismay, Mikasa is assigned to the rear guard to help fend off the Titans while the civilians escape into the safety of Wall Sheena.[51] Before fulfilling her duty, she makes Eren promise her not to do anything reckless.

Later on, as an abnormal Titan approaches the escaping civilians who are blocked at the gate. Mikasa kills it, saving everyone.[53] She then witnesses why the civilians are taking too long to escape; an overloaded cargo cart is blocking the way. Mikasa asks the businessman to move the cart so that the people could escape, but when he refuses, she has to resort threatening him after knocking his guards unconscious, which scares the man enough to relent and move his goods.[54] Seeing a mother and daughter show their gratitude for saving them, Mikasa flashes back to the time she lost her own parents and realizes that Eren is the only family she has left.[55] With the evacuation of Trost District citizens complete, she heads to the front guard in order to aid her comrades.[56]

Mikasa finds that, because the supply team has barricaded itself inside the military headquarters, the surviving trainees no longer have enough gas to retreat.[57] Noticing that Eren is not present, Mikasa confronts Armin and learns that Eren was devoured by a Titan. Despite his clear regret, Mikasa calmly comforts Armin and explains that they must not get emotional in their present predicament. Mikasa rallies the remaining trainees and leads them in a last ditch effort to reach the headquarters.[58]

Because of her grief over Eren's death, Mikasa rushes ahead of her comrades and quickly expends all of her gas, stranding herself in the middle of Trost.[17] As two Titans close in on her, she contemplates giving up but is motivated to keep fighting by memories of Eren.[59] When Mikasa stands up to kill the Titan in front of her, another Titan comes running from behind and saves her.[60] This Titan, which ignores Mikasa, gives Armin enough time to rescue Mikasa and they both continue heading to the supply HQ.[61] As they watch the Attack Titan continue killing other Titans, they hatch a plan to lure it to the HQ and relieve the siege there.[62] With its help, the trainees manage to successfully refill their gas tanks and have clear access to the Wall.[63]:

:However, as they watch the Attack Titan dispose of the last Titans surrounding them, Eren appears out the nape of its neck.[64] Overcome with relief that Eren is alive, Mikasa quickly rescues and embraces him, everyone leaving for the Wall.[65] However, Jean, along with Annie, Reiner, and Bertolt are ordered to hand Eren over to superior officers under the command of Kitz Weilman and to treat the incident as something confidential.[66] Their refusal to do so causes Mikasa and her friends to be accused of treason and find themselves surrounded by Captain Weilman's men, who are prompt to execute them.[67] Mikasa attempts to defend Eren by drawing her blades and threatening to kill anyone who would try to harm Eren,[68] but witnessing Eren's Titan form fighting in Trost District, Weilman does not hesitate and orders a cannon to fire at them in spite of the latter's claim that he is a human.[69] Eren uses his power to block the cannonball and tries to think of a plan of escape. He proposes that they either try to flee over the Walls and escape into the Titan territory or have Armin attempt to persuade the soldiers to spare them, leaving him to choose.[70][71] Armin tries his best to convince the soldiers that Eren's Titan abilities could help to save humanity, but realizes the commander is far too scared to think rationally. Before the order can be given to fire upon them once more, they are saved when Commander Dot Pixis, head administrator of the southern region, intervenes.[72] They are sent on a mission to plug the breach in the Wall with a rock that only Eren in Titan form can lift.[73]

As the mission commences and Eren goes into Titan form, he loses control and attacks Mikasa before eventually knocking himself out.[74][75] The elite team, led by Ian Dietrich, Rico Brzenska and Mitabi Jarnach, designated to defend Eren as he carries the rock quarrel among themselves about what to do next.[76] Mikasa is on the verge of attacking them until Ian orders everyone to continue protecting Eren until he recovers.[77] Thanks to Armin's intervention, Eren eventually regains his senses and successfully places the rock down, albeit with many casualties. At that moment, they are saved by Levi as he kills the Titans approaching them.[78]:

:The Female Titan arc. After the battle of Trost District is over, Eren is brought before a military tribunal to decide his future.[79] Despite Mikasa's best efforts to defend him, she is forced to testify against Eren as his reckless actions have frightened many people in the courtroom.[80] She is also forced to watch helplessly as Eren is assaulted and humiliated by Levi.

Some time later, Mikasa and everyone else have their vertical maneuvering equipment inspected in order to find out the culprit who killed the two captured Titans.[81] Later on, Commander Erwin Smith comes to recruit new members for the Survey Corps which is scheduling an expedition within a few months.[82] Many leave except for Mikasa, Reiner, Armin, Sasha, Krista, Ymir, Connie, Jean, Bertolt and a few others.[83]:

:Mikasa is then seen to be a part of the 57th expedition.[84] Shortly after leaving for Wall Maria, the Female Titan appears and defeats numerous Survey Corps members. The formation eventually reaches the Titan Forest, with Mikasa being stationed at its outskirts, making sure that no Titans enter the forest.[85] As the Corps is preparing to return to Wall Rose, Mikasa hears the roar of Eren's Titan and abandons her post to go and help him.[86]

Mikasa finds Eren just in time to see the Female Titan defeat and devour him.[87] After overcoming her initial shock, Mikasa begins an enraged assault on the Female Titan, cutting it up to try to rescue Eren.[88][89] Her attacks prove to be ineffectual against the Titan until she is joined by Levi. Mikasa insists that Eren is still alive and Levi agrees to help rescue him. With Levi coordinating their attacks, they quickly overwhelm the Titan but Mikasa becomes reckless and attempts to kill the Titan against Levi's orders. Levi is wounded saving her from the Titan, but manages to cut open its jaw in the process. Mikasa retrieves Eren from the Titan's mouth and the group retreats.[90].

Following the Survey Corps's failure, Armin manages to convince Annie to help them out until they can gather evidence to prove to the King that the Walls need to be protected better.[91] During that time, Mikasa takes a notice of the lack of diligence and honor in the Military Police.[92] She prepares for battle when she gets fed up with Annie's games and excuses. She takes off her disguise and draws out her sword to fight her, promising to "cut up the Female Titan one more time."[93]

When Eren is unable to initially transform and shows some hesitancy in fighting Annie, Mikasa berates him and decides to go with Armin to distract Annie until Eren is able to transform.[94] Eventually Eren arrives and starts to fight Annie, but it is made apparent that he is not powerful enough to defeat Annie by himself. Being the strongest and most powerful soldier herself, she decides to take the fight to her.[95] Despite being ordered to pull away by Hange Zoë, Mikasa manages to make it to Annie as she attempted to climb over Wall Sheena to escape to the flat lands. Since Annie had already climbed more than halfway towards the top of the Wall, Eren throws Mikasa upwards so she can catch up with the Female Titan, and cut off all her fingers. She then proceeds to push Annie off to fall to the ground.[96] Annie is therefore captured, but encases herself in a crystal to avoid interrogation.[97] However, it was far from over as Mikasa has just taken noticed of a Titan inside the Wall.[98] As both the Survey Corps and Military Police take an encased Annie underground to detain her, Mikasa realizes the Titan hiding in Wall Sheena is alive, but is too weak to move due to a lack of sunlight.[99] Mikasa remains at Eren's bedside as Armin and Jean head down to a meeting involving Erwin and the Military Police.[100].:

:Clash of the Titans arc. Following the supposed breach of Wall Rose, Mikasa, Eren and the other members of the Survey Corps come to rescue Reiner and the others from the other Titans. She is among the others who learn of Krista's real name being Historia.[101] After they reach the top of the Wall, Mikasa is outraged when she overhears Reiner confessing that he and Bertolt were the Titans responsible for the attack on Wall Maria and wanted Eren to join them. She takes them by surprise, attacking them with her swords and tells Eren to run. However, she fails to kill them as Reiner stops her from doing so, transforming afterward and attempting to kidnap Eren.[102] While Eren transforms, and engages in battle with Reiner, Mikasa faces her own troubles and regrets for not cutting off both his and Bertolt's heads when she had the chance.[103] During the fight with Reiner, she sees Eren in trouble and tries to fight him off. However due to the thickness of the armor, Mikasa has a hard time slicing the nape of Reiner's neck.[104] Eventually, Armin sees a weak link in Reiner's line of defense in which his armor is breaking and gives Mikasa extra blades to replace her own. Taking advantage of the information, she cuts him at the back of the knee caps. However, Bertolt manages to save Reiner thanks to his abilities of the Colossus Titan, knocking out most of the soldiers in the process.[105]

Later, Mikasa along with Hange and others from the Survey Corps are injured from the heat blast from Bertolt's Titan form. While Armin helps them recover, he gives Mikasa the news that she was dreading to hear: Eren along with Ymir was kidnapped by both Reiner and Bertolt.[106] Taking the scarf that he gave her, Mikasa covers her face with it and asks why Eren always runs off on them like that. She feels like she has failed in keeping her promise to Eren's mother to always protect him and weeps.[107] As Armin tries to console her, Hannes arrives to give out rations to the Legion. It was him who reminds her that despite him running off the way he does and often losing fights, he never gives up on them. Even though the odds are stacked against him and he is unwilling to admit it, Hannes always knew that Eren relied on both Mikasa and Armin when he needed them. His words and his assistance reinvigorated them and are more determined to rescue Eren. Mikasa lowers her scarf and begins eating.[108]

She joins the joint military operation to rescue Eren and heads to the forest of giant trees where they hope to find Reiner, Bertolt, and their captives. Once they arrive she joins Hannes and a number of her fellow soldiers in searching the inside of the forest where they encounter Ymir in her Titan form. Ymir kidnaps Historia and flees while Mikasa and the others chase after her. At the forest's edge, Reiner transforms into the Armored Titan. Ymir jumps on his back and Bertolt, carrying an unconscious Eren, rides on his shoulder.[109].

The soldiers follow the group on horseback and try to free Eren from Bertholdt, but Ymir interferes with their attempts. Realizing that armor was protecting Reiner's joints this time, she instead targets Ymir and slashes into her face.[110] Historia jumps in the way, saying that Ymir does not have a choice but to help Reiner and Bertolt. Fearing that Ymir will be killed, Historia convinces her to back down, leaving the rest of the 104th free to try talking Bertolt into letting Eren go, though Mikasa is considerably less forgiving than the others.[111] Jean and Connie try to speak to Bertolt and coax him into surrendering, but Mikasa coldly states that their reasons do not matter.[112] She is momentarily stayed by Bertolt's apologies for what he and Reiner have done,[113] but when she requests again that Eren be returned, Bertolt refuses. Before the group can argue further, Hannes shouts a warning to them that a huge group of Titans is being led straight towards them by Erwin Smith.[114]

Mikasa retreats, but it is not long before Erwin orders them to attack one more time, claiming this to be the key moment for humanity's survival.[115] Mikasa makes a dash to reach Eren and launches herself at Bertolt, but she misses and sees Eren watching her in panic. Her trajectory carries her straight into another Titan that grabs her hard enough to crush her ribs. Jean, who had been riding just behind her, attacks the Titan, burying his blade in its eye and allowing Mikasa to get free. However, he gets grabbed by a Titan and in spite of their initial shock, the soldiers, along with Mikasa, follow Erwin's orders and continue advancing.[116]

With Armin's help, Erwin is able to cut Eren free from Bertolt and Mikasa catches him in the air. The two of them flee on horseback but are knocked to the ground when Reiner begins throwing Titans at the retreating soldiers. As they look up, they see the smiling Titan which ate Eren's mother approaching them. Mikasa is unable to defend Eren due to her injury, but Hannes buys them time in an attempt to avenge Carla. Eren shouts for Mikasa to free his arms so he can help fight, but when he tries biting himself to transform nothing happens.[117]

As Hannes is killed and the battle turns against the soldiers around them, Eren falls into despair, feeling that he has never had the power to do anything. Mikasa asks him to listen to her. He showed her how to live with purpose and he wrapped his scarf around her, and for that she is grateful. She smiles, with tears in her eyes, and Eren vows to wrap that scarf around her as many times as she wants.[118] He punches the smiling Titan, triggering something that causes all the other mindless Titans to attack it. In the resulting confusion, he carries Mikasa away on his back and also sends the Titans after Reiner and Bertolt. They escape with the rest of the surviving soldiers and return to Trost District.[119].:

:Omni-directional mobility gear (ODM GEAR).

The omni-directional mobility gear (立体機動装置 Rittai kidō sōchi?) is a type of equipment developed by humans that allows great mobility when facing the Titans in combat. It allows the user to fight in a 3D space as opposed to a 2D one. The equipment itself takes the form of a body harness that encompasses much of the body below the neck.

Although the equipment can grant a skilled user tremendous mobility, it is a demanding art that requires both strength and skill, both of which must be honed through constant practice.

Some tools involved in the apparatus include:

*Hand grips *Piston-shot grapple-hooks *Gas-powered mechanism *Iron wire propeller with plug-in blades.

USAGE-

The simplest move possible with the ODM gear is simply aiming and firing the grapple hooks at an object and then activating the gas mechanism to reel oneself toward the said object. They can then disconnect the hook and continue moving forward.

Usually however, soldiers must be able to move around in order to navigate in general. Therefore, they tend to use their momentum in order to swing around targets, not only in rectilinear patterns, but also slaloming between objects and Titans. The gas mechanism is so powerful that it can stop a person from falling without using the hooks.[1]

The ODM gear tends to be less efficient in open spaces because the user does not have too many spots where the hooks can be reeled. However, the hooks are able to pierce Titan flesh and ODM gear can be as fast or even faster than a Titan.

More advanced techniques include changing directions while still being reeled in as demonstrated by Jean Kirschtein.[2].

The bladed anti-titan omni-directional mobility gear has been largely superseded by its anti-personnel counterpart in 854. In addition, a newer version with different scabbard position, lower blade count and different straps has entered service. Older gears are still in service with Cadet Corps members.

Main Housing — The winch resides inside a housing, located on the wearer's lower back. There are two independent shafts, with spools of steel wire.[4]

Controller Grip — The system is control via a pair of hand held controllers which also serve as hilts for the wearer's swords. The inner workings of the controllers are a closely guarded secret. The technical department manages and improves this system under strict security.[4] The top trigger fires the anchor with the bottom trigger firing compressed gas. Pulling the lever reels the wire back in, letting go makes it stop. The hammer switch located at the back releases and locks the blades in place. The switches on the sides adjust the angle of fire for both anchor mechanisms. The control grip is approximately 18cm in height.

Compressed Gas Cylinder — Two cylinders, one on each sheath, store compressed gas which is used to both fire and retract the grapples.[4]

Blades — The blades are made from an Ultrahard steel, which is both supple and strong, capable of rending Titan flesh. It can only be manufactured in the blast furnaces of factory cities.[5] Soldiers usually carry more blades in boxes built at the sides of their thighs.

Turbine — Gas from the cylinders is blown directly into the turbine powers the winch to retract the grapple cables. The pressure of the gas is regulated to control how quickly the cable are retracted.[6].

TRAINING-

ODM gear training is a rigorous process that allows humans, which are limited to two-dimensional movements, to adapt to movement in the third dimension.[7]

Great physical strength, particularly in the legs, coupled with spatial recognition abilities, as well as the mental strength to not waver in the midst of a panic, are crucial qualities.[7]

One of the first things done after enlisting in training is the ODM gear aptitude evaluation. Those unable to remain upright are dismissed.

“Those incapable [of staying upright] aren't suited to even be used as decoys!”[8]

Three years of training are needed before officially becoming a soldier. Many run away or are driven out before graduating. The training is so intense that some people actually die during the process.[9]

The training strengthens the soldiers' muscles to a degree far greater than any normal civilian when you consider the requirement of force of acceleration, shock of landing, performing consecutive quick leaps repeatedly and accelerating at extremely high speeds. This leads to the soldiers acquiring a low body fat percentage.:

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