Captain Levi is one of the strongest characters in Attack on Titan, especially when it comes to defeating titans. He's got incredible skill on the battlefield and enough strategic intelligence to make him a formidable opponent — and that's all without the deadpan, sarcastic personality that delivers dry humor to the anime's audience.
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With all of that in mind, it's really no wonder that Levi is such a beloved character among Attack on Titan fans. And even though he's not the main character, he gets plenty of time in the limelight, whether it's during epic battle sequences or flashbacks to his childhood. But even with all of the attention Levi gets during the anime, there's still plenty to learn about him. Here are ten things you probably didn't know about Levi.
Updated on August 23, 2021 by Kit Morris: It has been exactly two years since this article was first written, and a lot has happened in Attack on Titan within that time. Not only has season 4 of the anime been out, but the manga also came to an end a few months ago. Levi had one of the best endings to his arc out of all of the characters, but there are still plenty of things that fans may not know about him.
15 Levi Is A Member Of The Ackerman Clan
When Levi was first introduced, he was one of the most mysterious characters in the series, with people not even knowing what his last name was. However, after Kenny revealed to him that he was his uncle in his final moments, Levi found out that he was an Ackerman. This meant that him and Mikasa were actually related, which also explained why they were two of the strongest soldiers in Paradis.
The Ackerman Clan began as a group of people that were experimented on so they could have the strength of a titan without actually transforming into one. However, after the Eldians went to Paradis, they were hunted down since they remembered the outside world. Levi, along with Mikasa and Kenny, had come a long way, being a captain of the Survey Corps that defended those around him from the titans.
14 He Doesn't Enjoy Killing His Enemies
Levi is known by many as humanity's strongest soldier, killing many titans over the years. Because of this, it may be surprising to know that he doesn't actually like killing his enemies. There are many times throughout the series that he held back from ending their lives, even though he could have easily done so.
A couple of examples are when he left the Female Titan alone after he and Mikasa were able to save Eren or when he spared Zeke's life, which happened multiple times.
13 He Has His Own Prequel Series
Because Levi is such a popular character, he got his own short spin-off series, No Regrets. It began as a visual novel in 2013, but has also gotten a manga and anime adaptation. In No Regrets, Levi and his two friends from the Underground— Furlan and Isabel— joined the Survey Corps, though he didn't have good intentions at the time.
However, the Survey Corps ended up changing Levi just as much as he ended up helping them. Out of all of the spin-offs, it makes a lot of sense why No Regrets became so popular.
12 Levi Used To Be A Thief
Fans who have watched Levi lead the Scout Regiment with utter dedication will likely be surprised to learn that the Captain was formerly a criminal. Being raised by Kenny the Ripper certainly left its mark on Levi, and even if he never became the monster his uncle did, he did commit a lot of crimes with Isabel and Furlan before being caught by the Scouts — and then forced to atone for his crimes.
Unfortunately, Levi was the only one of the three who survived when the trio fought against the titans. Since joining, his priorities have shifted dramatically. Of course, he still has the cunning and ruthless nature that enabled him to succeed at being a criminal in the first place. But he's honed those talents for the good of humankind now, and playing the good guy looks a whole lot better on him.
11 He Once Hated Commander Erwin
In the Attack on Titan anime, Levi and Erwin have a relationship built on loyalty and respect, but it wasn't always this way between the two of them. When Erwin first caught Levi and his friends stealing and forced them to join the Scouts, Levi was less than thrilled with the arrangement. He focused most of his anger on Erwin, even vowing to kill him when the opportunity arose.
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Of course, Levi changed his mind about the Survey Corps Commander as time went on. Still, it's amusing to look back at just how vehemently Levi once hated a man who eventually became one of his most-respected comrades.
10 He Was Disrespected By The Military When He First Joined
Because he lived in the Underground, Levi was disrespected by other soldiers when he first joined the Survey Corps. It wasn't until after he proved that he was stronger than all of them that they started treating him better, knowing that he was humanity's strongest soldier.
As the years went by, there were even people that either saw him as heroic or were very frightened by him. The impact that Levi had on the Survey Corps was more than most characters had, and he proved that it doesn't matter where someone comes from, but the life they choose to lead, that makes them who they are.
9 Levi's Backstory Is Likely The Reason For His Obsession With Cleanliness
The majority of Levi's childhood was spent in the Underground City, which is essentially the slums of the Attack on Titan world. His mother was a prostitute living in poverty when she gave birth to him, and after she passed away, Levi was left with nothing. He eventually was taken in by Kenny, who taught him to become a criminal in order to survive.
Given that Levi grew up in a filthy home and neighborhood, it's safe to assume that this is the reason behind his obsession with cleanliness. The anime often shows him insisting that the Scouts' quarters are spotless, and he can even be found with a cleaning mask and feather duster on various occasions. It's a running gag throughout the series, but it seems to have a much more sinister backstory than people give it credit for.
8 Watchmen's Rorschach Was An Inspiration For Levi's Character
Fans of both Watchmen and Attack on Titan will be excited to learn that Levi's character was actually partially inspired by Watchmen's Rorschach. The manga's creator, Hajime Isayama, revealed that Rorschach is one of the many characters that have gone into Levi's imagining, and he certainly seems to be the most unexpected and interesting.
Rorschach and Levi are both fairly short, but they both have impressive combat skills and superior physical abilities despite their height. Like Rorschach, Levi is also willing to do unpleasant — and sometimes immoral — things to achieve a more important end. The white garment Levi wears around his neck is likely a nod to Rorschach and his white scarf, and that's honestly a pretty cool detail to pay homage to the character's inspiration.
7 Levi Is Older Than He Appears
Levi's small stature and nonchalant attitude lead many viewers to believe that he's in the early years of adulthood, but Levi's age is a bit older than most would assume. After much fan speculation, Isayama confirmed that the character is actually in his mid-30s.
Given Levi's level of skill, it makes sense that he'd have more life experience than someone who's still in their 20s. Still, what can we say? The guy just looks young. May we all age like Levi Ackerman has.
6 Levi Uses An Unusual Sword Technique To Fight Titans
All of the members of the Scouts Regiment use blades to fight off Titans, but Levi's fighting style is actually unusual when compared to the others'. When using his blades, Levi shifts his stance so that he's holding his right sword backhanded with the blade facing out. This causes the blade to face behind him, allowing them to cut in circular, spinning motions.
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This technique has served Levi well over the course of the series, and combined with his speed, it even allowed him to defeat the Beast Titan in one-on-one combat.
5 Levi's Relationship With Sleep Isn't Ideal
Levi has been a member of the Scout Regiment for a while now, and the things the surviving Scouts have witnessed beyond the walls are enough to give anyone nightmares. And Levi does, in fact, have sleeping problems. Specifically, he struggles with insomnia, averaging only a few hours of sleep each night.
Because of his insomnia, Levi also views sleeping as a "nonevent" — so much so that he doesn't bother with a bed or pajamas. Apparently, he often sleeps in his chair and doesn't concern himself with changing clothes for the occasion.
4 Levi Was Born On December 25
Birthdays don't often come up on Attack on Titan, and it probably makes sense that there's little time for parties or cake when the characters are so busy fending off Titans. With the dystopian setting, it's also unclear from just watching the show whether the characters use the same calendar system we do or not. As it turns out, they do.
It's been confirmed that Levi's birthday is on December 25, meaning the Attack on Titan characters must adhere to the same monthly calendar that we do. And hey, Levi's a gift to the Attack on Titan world, so it makes sense that he was born on Christmas.
3 Levi Loves Drinking Tea
With all of the action going on during Attack on Titan, it's easy to miss Levi's drinking preferences. But viewers who pay close attention will realize that Levi really seems to enjoy drinking tea, and this was confirmed by Isayama.
In fact, Levi is such a huge tea drinker, he apparently goes to great lengths to ensure that it's part of the supply shipments sent to the military. Isayama also revealed that Levi's dream is to open his own tea shop.
2 He Became Close Friends With People Outside Of The Survey Corps
Levi was never exactly a friendly person, though he did become quite close to some of his comrades over the years. However, in the epilogue of the manga, Levi can be seen spending time with Onyankopon, Falco, and Gabi rather than the characters that were in his squad.
This was quite strange, seeing as how he barely knew these characters throughout the majority of the manga. Regardless, it's good to know that they were all able to put their pasts behind them and that they're all happy in each other's company.
1 Levi Is One Of The Most Popular Characters In The Entire Series
Although Eren, Mikasa, and Armin are arguably the main trio of characters in Attack on Titan, Levi seems to be many fans' favorite — something consistently demonstrated in the results of official popularity polls.
Levi has landed in first place more than once during these contests, even though he's not in the series as much as other characters. Not as many members of the Survey Corps can hold fans' interest for as long as Levi can.
NEXT: Attack On Titan: Levi's 10 Closest Friends, Ranked