Titan Shifters are humans in possession of the "Titan's power" (巨人の力Kyojin no Chikara?), which allows them to transform into Titans. They
are able to direct the powers and abilities of a Titan with purpose,
and unlike regular Titans, retain their human intelligence.
Eren's transformation
To transform, they must suffer an injury that draws blood (often self-inflicted), as shown when Eren Yeager bit his hand to protect Mikasa Ackerman and Armin Arlert, and when Annie Leonhart
stabbed her finger with a blade from her ring, while having a solid
goal or belief in mind at the moment of injury. However, being injured
by another person is also sufficient, such as when Mikasa seriously
wounded Reiner and Bertolt. After their transformation, their human
bodies appear to be in the Titan's nape of the neck, where they control
their Titan bodies. Their human bodies are also merged with the Titan's
flesh inside, making it hard for them to move.
If a shifter's Titan form is pushed to its limit, its human form
will emerge from the nape of its neck in an unconscious state. This is
demonstrated separately by Eren, Ymir, and Annie when their Titan forms
suffer defeat. But if a shifter's Titan form is not exhausted, then its
human form can partially emerge from the Titan form in full
consciousness. Annie, Ymir, and even Eren have shown this ability on
three separate occasions.
The Titan Shifters also gain the Titan's ability to regenerate,
capable of vastly improved healing abilities and even regenerating lost
limbs even in their human forms. However, regeneration from severe
injuries such as lost limbs can strain their powers and prevent them
from transforming for a period of time. Both Eren and Ymir were unable
to transform while recovering from their injuries, though Ymir is shown
to have been able to transform within minutes of recovering.
It is also shown that they are not safe from regular Titans, and
will be attacked even while transformed. Both Eren and Ymir were nearly
devoured by hordes of Titans while transformed, and Reiner states that
traveling while in Titan-occupied territory is dangerous to any of them.
During the battle in Trost, it was shown that Titans seem to prefer to
attack transformed Shifters. The human soldiers had great difficulty
drawing away the Titans, as they were somehow drawn to Eren's Titan
form.
A notable trait of the three major Antagonistic Shifters is their
lack of skin, and special abilities unique only to their Titans. It is
unknown how this relates to Eren and Ymir, who do not share their place
of origin or purpose. In chapter 48, Ymir displays the ability to
partially emerge from the nape of her Titan form, allowing her to
interact with others while still transformed. It is unknown whether this
is unique to her or a feat that any experienced Shifter can manage.
Revelations concerning Ymir's
past in chapter 47 also suggest several important possibilities
concerning the nature of Titans and Titan Shifters, as well as the
existence of other Shifters. It is revealed that they do not age while
in their Titan form, as Ymir notes she spent 60 years in her Titan form
but has the appearance of a teenager. Although Ymir lacks complete and
clear memory of this period, she recalls enough to describe it as an
"endless nightmare." While trapped in her Titan form, she seems to have
been a regular Titan that mindlessly devoured humans. Reiner and Bertolt
do not treat this as an unusual case, and Bertolt notes that it was the
same for them. Which leads to the conclusion that the first time of
using their power they lack self decision and have only a decided goal,
in Eren's case it was to kill Titans.
It also seems, from the experiments that Hanji conducted on Eren
while in Titan form, that shifters are also vulnerable to absorbtion
from their titan body, as prolonged usage of the form slowly decayed the
mind and body of Eren up to the point where his human body lost its
eyes and started to resemble his titan's. It may be possible that, since
the titan brain is completely useless (as it can be blown off and the
body will still operate), all the motor functions of the titan are
completely carried by the human brain, greatly straining it, which in
turn, may slowly oversaturate it leading to the loss of higher brain
functions in favor of more mundane motor control, which also may lift
any control the brain projected over the titan body to avoid absorbtion.
Though Ymir is a notable exception, as even though she lost all
cognitive functions, still avoided being absorbed, the case could also
be for Reiner and Bertholdt and possibly even Annie. it may even be
possible to reverse absorbtion.
Eren Yeager is the first Titan Shifter to be revealed in the series,
his Titan being a 15m class. Its most prominent characteristics are its
elongated ears, fleshless jaws and highly muscular build.
Unofficially named as the "Rogue Titan" due to its rampaging
behavior, this form has so far been shown to have fairly substantial
physical strength, knowledge of martial arts techniques, and incredible
endurance. Prolonged and repeated use of this Titan form has allowed
Eren to gradually increase control over its initially unstable mental
state.
Its eyes are a piercing grey in the manga, and teal-green in the anime;
wherein they are often seen to be glowing bright green or blue. He also
has a rage mode when he is seen fighting the Female Titan for the second
time; this power grants him major strength, agility, and speed increase
allowing him to do even more massive damage. In this rage mode there
are distinctive characteristics, such as his eyes turning blue, his
teeth becoming sharper and most notably being engulfed in fire.
Ymir's Titan is a small Titan of unknown height with long, black
hair, very large irises and a chimpanzee-like body. This form grants
Ymir rather long arms and sharp claws. It provides her with such a great
agility that her form appears to be "dancing".
The smallest Titan Shifter yet known, this Titan form has a mouth
full of pointed teeth, as well as sharp claws that can either be used
to hang on walls or for combat. Its long arms and small muscular body
enable it to maneuver itself around with great speed and agility in the
same environments as those with 3D Maneuvering Gear, making it a
formidable force in battle.
The "Dancing Titan" is quite similar to the Ape titan and
though Ymir spent 60 years as a titan, a soldier from Levi's squad is
mistaken for Ymir and spends most of her time communicating with the
titan until she is discovered to not be Ymir.
Annie Leonhart can transform into a 14 m
class Titan with a distinctively feminine build and short, blonde hair.
Her transformation endows her with immense strength and speed.
A Titan Shifter of athletic appearance with lean muscle and no
skin, the Female Titan is a Titan of unusual power and intellect. It has
the stamina and focus to maintain a running pace capable of keeping up
with horses over a long distance; as well as the intelligence to defend
itself from multiple 3D Maneuvering Gear attacks by prediction of the
device's movements. This Titan form also has the unique ability to
harden its skin by generating a crystalline substance across chosen
areas of its body; allowing it to simultaneously protect its nape and
fight. Combined with refined martial art techniques, it can perform
incredibly deadly and destructive attacks. When cornered, the Female
Titan's call has the ability to draw other Titans to it and drive them
into a feeding frenzy.
Reiner Braun is capable of transforming himself into a 15-meter
class Titan with a slight resemblance to his human form. Unlike the
other Titan Shifters, his Titan form has very thick, hardened plates of
skin all over his body which serves as his armor.
This type of Titan is well-built and has a hunched profile. Its
only visible weaknesses are the small areas on the backs of its joints
where there is no armor. Though not particularly fast, this form is
strong and agile, capable of destroying a fortified wall after a
sufficient running start. While he is able to communicate through roars,
it is unknown whether he shares Annie's ability to summon other Titans.
The first Titan Shifter to appear chronologically within the series, Bertolt Hoover's Titan is of 60 m
class. This grants him incredible strength like no other, capable of
causing monumental destruction with little effort or damage sustained on
his body. Due to this size its body temperature is extremely high, to
the point that it is constantly emitting steam. However, because this
Titan is so large, Bertolt can only move slowly while in its form.
It is the largest Titan seen so far in the series, four times the
height of any other known Titan. This form has shown to be able to
retain a degree of intelligence and tactical planning to go with its
sheer size and strength, despite its slow movements. It is strong enough
to break down the defensive walls surrounding humankind with a single
and very hard-focused kick to allow other Titans to move inside the
walls. It has the unique ability to "superheat" its body to produce
incredibly hot steam as a defense. The heat of this steam is so intense
that it is able to keep dozens of experienced soldiers at bay, lest they
be cooked alive.
Little is known about the place where the majority of known Titan
Shifters originated. It is said to be located somewhere outside Wall
Maria, and is alternately referred to as the "village" or "homeland" of Reiner Braun, Bertolt Hoover, Annie Leonhart, and Berwick.
It is one of the greatest mysteries of the series, with little revealed
about it. Flashbacks to Annie's childhood show the clothing styles and
housing are similar to that of the people living within Wall Maria. The
only certainty is that there are in fact humans surviving outside of the
walls, whether they are Titan Shifters or not.
The people from this land refer to themselves as being "warriors", a distinction also made when Ymir
refers to them. While it is unknown whether all those living there are
Titan Shifters, all three surviving characters from that location
possess this ability. Ymir states that they possess the "Power of
Titans", and she obtained her powers by stealing from them. As a result,
she is a fugitive and greatly fears being killed by them should they
catch her. She believes that Historia Reiss may be valuable enough to them to earn a pardon, and would not be harmed if surrendered to them.
In 845, they launched an attack against humanity and sent at least three agents into the Walls in search of the Beast Titan
and something they refer to as the "Coordinate". However, Ymir believes
that they possess influence even within humanity's lands, claiming that
no one is safe from them regardless of where they might hide. Their
agents are similarly desperate to complete their mission, going to
suicidal extremes in their quest to obtain Eren Yeager even though they have expressed doubts that he is indeed the Coordinate.
1.PASUKAN PENJAGA
PASUKAN PENJAGA
pasukan penjaga adalah yang terbesar dari Militer divisi yang melindungi
dan menjaga ketertiban dekat dinding-dinding. Mengingat tingkat
kematian dari pasukan pengintai dan terbatasnya masuknya brikade
kepolisian militer, sebagian besar tentara bergabung dengan
pasukan penjaga
. Karena mereka sering berdekatan dengan Titans dan warga sipil
manusia, mereka mahir melalui berbagai tugas seperti bertempur dengan
Titan (pertempuran bertahan),pasukan pengamanan, pengendalian massa, dan
penggunaan senapan
TUGAS
pasukan penjaga
mengurus semua pertahanan untuk Tembok apakah itu patroli, perbaikan,
atau perbaikan. Dengan demikian mereka menghabiskan sebagian besar
waktu mereka mempersiapkan serangan terhadap Tembok. pasukan penjaga
memasang meriam di dinding yang sering digunakan dalam jangka panjang
untuk mempertahankan tembok dari Titin. Mereka juga harus evakuasi
warga sipil dan memiliki rencana cadangan untuk menangani situasi ketika
Tembok di tembus.
Tugas : Menjaga dan Memelihara Tembok Komandan : Dot Pixis (bagian Selatan)
2.PASUKAN PENGINTAI
PASUKAN PENGINTAI
Pasukan pengintai adalah kekuatan pendorong dari plot dan cerita karena
merupakan cabang dari militer yang paling aktif terlibat dalam
pertempuran dengan Titan dan pengembangan manusia. Meskipun memiliki
sedikit atau tidak ada keberhasilan, mereka masih melambangkan 'harapan
umat manusia', lencana mereka yang dikenal sebagai 'Wings of
Freedom'(sayap kebebasan), mereka berharap bahwa suatu hari nanti, upaya
mereka akan mengubah dunia yang dikenal untuk kemanusiaan yang lebih
baik, dan memulihkan apa yang telah hilang.
TUGAS
Divisi ini militer yang bertanggung jawab atas eksplorasi dan reklamasi
akhirnya wilayah manusia dari tanah yang penuh Titan.Sebelum Dinding
Maria ditembus , mereka mengeksplorasi lahan di luar Tembok, meskipun
tidak pernah mendapatkan apapun, sejauh ini yang didapatkan hanya korban
jiwa diakibatkan oleh Titans.
Saat ini, mereka telah meletakkan pasokan dari Tembok Rose Kabupaten
Trost ke Wall Maria Kabupaten Shiganshina dalam persiapan untuk menutup
penerobosan yang dilakukan oleh titan dan merebut kembali Tembok Maria.
Sebuah tugas resmi yang lebih baru telah observasi Titan dan penelitian.
Mengingat sifat aman mengeksplorasi di wilayah Dinding (karena Titans
hanya dapat memasukkan Dinding pada satu titik), banyak informasi telah
terungkap seperti daya tahan titan merasakan sakit, ketergantungan titan
pada sinar matahari, dan tingkat kecerdasan titan
Tugas : Pengembangan manusia, Penelitian titan Komandan : Erwin Smith
3.BRIKADE KEPOLISIAN MILITER
BRIKADE KEPOLISIAN MILITER
Brikade Kepoliasian Militer adalah yang paling bergengsi
karena pekerjaan mereka memungkinkan mereka untuk hidup aman dalam
Dinding Dalam, sumber daya yang melimpah, dan otoritas yang lebih tinggi
atas sektor militer lainnya. Namun, dalam kenyataannya itu adalah
sektor militer yang paling rusak karena kurangnya pengawasan
dibandingkan dengan sektor-sektor lain dari militer . Karena
penyalahgunaan wewenang mereka, Brigade Polisi Militer juga bertentangan
dengan Pasukan Penjaga dan terutama dengan Pasukan Pengintai. Hanya
sepuluh alumni dari regu peserta pelatihan dapat mengajukan permohonan
untuk Brigade kepolisian Militer. Namun, menurut percakapan antara
Hitch dan Boris, ada yang cara lain (terlarang) cara untuk masuk di
sektor ini seperti bersahabat, pilih kasih, dll
TUGAS
Militer Brigade Polisi adalah kepolisian dalam wilayah manusia. Mereka
tidak hanya menjaga ketertiban, mereka melayani sebagai penjaga raja.
Karena mereka tidak biasanya bertemu dengan Titans, mereka harus
memiliki izin khusus untuk menggunakan peralatan 3D dan biasanya membawa
senjata api sebagai gantinya. Mereka juga bertanggung jawab atas
pengumpulan pajak dan distribusi tanah seperti yang terlihat di Chapter
15 ketika beberapa polisi memantau produksi pertanian.
Dalam Episode 25, Dindialam Episode 25, Dng ,Dari menjaga Pasukan
pengintai tugas mereka berubah karena kehancuran massal yang disebabkan
oleh Eren dan Annie. mereka diperintahkan oleh Nil Dawk untuk
mengevakuasi semua warga sipil dan membawa Komandan Erwin untuk dijatuhi
hukuman karena rencananya menangkap Wanita Type Titan. Namun tugas
tersebut disalahgunakan oleh pejabat BRIKADE KEPOLISIAN MILITER
The Military Police Brigade (憲兵団Kenpeidan?) is the most prestigious due to their work allowing them to live safely within the Inner Wall,
abundant resources, and higher authority over other military sectors.
However, in reality it is the most corrupted military sector due to a
lack of oversight compared to the other sectors of the military. Due to their misuse and abuse of authority, the Military Police Brigade is also at odds with Garrison and especially with the Survey Corps.
Only the top ten alumni from trainee squads can apply for the Military
Police Brigade. However, according to the conversation between Hitch and
Boris, there are other (illicit) ways to get in the sector such as
fraternization, favoritism, etc.
The Military Police Brigade is the primary police force within human
territory. Not only do they maintain order, they serve as the king's
guard. Since they do not normally come in contact with Titans, they must have special permission to use 3D gear and usually carry firearms such as rifles instead. They are also in charge of tax collection and land distribution as seen in Ch. 15
when a couple of policemen monitored farm production. They usually
abuse these duties to exploit resources and food from civilians.
In Episode 25, Wall, their assigned duty was changed due to the mass destruction caused by Eren and Annie. From guarding the Recon Corps, they were ordered by Nile Dok to evacuate all civilians and bringing Commander Erwin on the trial to set punishment for his plan to capture the Female Titan.
However these duties were abused by the Military Police Brigade officials, as it is in their nature.
The Military Police Brigade is an organization with 2,000 members, with direct command over 3,000 additional personnel from the Garrison.
This brings their total potential manpower to 5,000 soldiers. Their
forces are divided between the major Districts, with 200 officers
assigned per District.
The Central Branch operates completely separate from the main
group, with their own command structure and duties. Little is known
about them, with even Nile Dok
admitting to knowing little about them. They are involved in numerous
conspiracies, and stated to be completely above the law. They are rarely
seen outside the Capitol.
The Military Police Brigade is supposed to be an elite unit made of
the most skilled soldiers due to its rigorous standards. The reality
though, is a lazy, corrupt system that benefits from the powers granted
to it. Though they are top ten graduates from the trainee squads; they
are inexperienced since they only stay in the safety of Wall Sina and
never engaged in battle with the Titans before.
The senior officers spend all their time gambling and drinking
while leaving recruits to do all the work. They also pilfer taxes and
misappropriate land as a recruit, Marlowe Freudenberg, mentions in Ch. 31.
This corruption is well-known with many people (even to Wall Sina
citizens) criticizing their lack of care for anyone other than
themselves. Refugees and forced laborers (called producers) hold
simmering hostility against them.
However, many trainees still dream of joining the Military Police
Brigade because it will allow them to live within Wall Sina and safety.
Also, being so close to the center of human territory, most policemen
have relatively little experience fighting Titans as compared to the Survey Corps or the Stationary Guard.
This, together with corruption, loose discipline, contempt from public,
abuse of power makes this military branch the most incompetent out of
the three.
However, by Ch.45, it's revealed that the King becomes tougher on
the Military Police for their lack of diligence in dealing with
their corruption, lack of discipline, pilfering of taxes and
mismanagement of lands. He orders them to leave the safety of Wall Sina
and assist both the Survey Corps and the Stationary Guards to look for
the two other traitors in collaboration with Annie. By the end all three
factions have banded together to help rescue Eren and Ymir from Reiner and Bertolt
In chapter 47 of the manga, all their shortcomings and negligence
of trainings are brought to light; most personnel from Military police
are all too easily slaughtered by Titans even before the rescue
operation began in earnest. In episode 24 of the anime, when a Female
Titan suddenly appeared in Wall Sina and went on a rampage that caused
Wall Sina's terrified citizens to flee chaotically in all directions
most (if not all) of military police personnel, afraid and completely at
a loss of what to do, just stood transfixed and did nothing to
alleviate the problem.
The Central Branch is introduced in the aftermath of the traitors' being exposed, torturing and murdering Pastor Nick. Their organization is shrouded in mystery, and they actively seek out both Historia Reiss and Eren Yeager for unknown purposes. With the Titan Shifters uncovered and driven out, this mysterious group appears to be the new antagonists of the series.
The Survey Corps (調査兵団Chōsa Heidan?), also known as the Scouting Legion, Scout Regiment, or Recon Corps, is the driving force of the plot and story as it is the branch of the Military most actively involved in Titan
combat and human expansion. Despite having little success, they still
symbolize 'the hope of mankind', their insignia being known as 'the
Wings of Freedom'; they hope that someday, their efforts will change the
world known for humanity's better, and recover what had been lost.
A Survey Corps expedition.This
military division is in charge of the exploration and the eventual
reclamation of human territory from Titan-infested lands. Prior to the
breach of Wall Maria, they explored the land outside of the Wall, though never getting that far due to the heavy casualties suffered by Titans.
Presently, they have been laying down supplies from the Wall Rose Trost District to Wall Maria Shiganshina District in preparation to seal the breach and reclaim Wall Maria.
A more recent unofficial duty has been Titan observation and
research. Given the safer nature of exploring within Wall territory
(since Titans can only enter Wall at one point), a wealth of information
has been revealed such as their tolerance of pain, sunlight dependence,
and intelligence.
The Survey Corps are the smallest branch of the military, with a
maximum size of 300 soldiers. This already limited number is further
lowered by constant losses on expeditions.
Erwin Smith
is the 13th Commander, with 4 Squad Leaders (including Levi, Hanji, and
Mike) serving directly beneath him. A single Senior Team Leader serves
beneath them, supervising 8 Team Leaders in the field. The Legion also
has 6 specialized Medical Officers, Veterinary Officers in charge of
caring for their horses, and 5 Remuneration Officers that serve
concurrently with Team Leaders. This structure leaves 270 regular
soldiers, divided into 10 Teams.
Their stables also include a total of 600 specially-bred horses.
These horses are noted to be exceptionally valuable, and bred for great
speed, stamina, and calm temperament.
Since the Survey Corps are constantly on the front lines, fighting
Titans, its high fatality and low success rate discourages most people
from enrolling into the legion, as seen when less than 10% of the 104th
Training Squad joins them. Thus, the Legion suffers a constant personnel
shortage and the only soldiers who enter the Survey Corps are dedicated
to the cause of humanity, usually at the cost of their own lives. In
stark contrast to the Military Police, there is no laziness or
incompetence in the Survey Corps, and no corruption. Whether at their
headquarters or in battle, members of the Survey Corps have no one to
depend on but each other. This has built a strong atmosphere of trust in
the Survey Corps, and a general no-nonsense form of honesty among its
personnel. Survey Corps members tell and expect to be told of the truth,
no matter how good or bad it might be.
Prides of the individual soldiers are also very high, as they are
aware of not only they are the best of the three military branches, but
whatever progresses, victories mankind gains against Titans they are
gained at the cost of the scouters' lives and bloods. And as they boldly
go to the realm where most humanity dares not, their pride is
rightfully justified.
Trust between leaders and subordinates are absolute. As Gunther
told Eren that if Erwin does not tell his men everything, then there is a
reason so Eren should trust Erwin. Even Levi with his prickly
personality, tells his crew that Erwin always is a few steps ahead of
others and follows his judgment unconditionally. Oluo chastised Eren
during the 57th expedition for questioning Levi, and Eren raised Petra's
animosity when he raises the possibility of Levi not trusting the Levi
unit. Subordinates have absolute trust and admiration for Levi even as
they are dying; and in return Levi would renew and confirm his
determination to eradicate Titans to his men. This level of trust is
necessary for a legion that has no one to rely on but each other.
While most soldiers do not survive their first expedition, each
successive expedition exponentially increases their chances of survival.
The Survey Corps's most hardened veterans each have numerous Titan
kills to their name, and far beyond any members of the Garrison or
Military Police are the most skilled soldiers in the entire military.
With its frequent expeditions outside the safety of the Walls and
regular combat engagements with the Titans, however, membership in the
Survey Corps is extremely dangerous. Each and every officer and enlisted
man, from highest to lowest in rank, lives with the fatalistic
knowledge that their next encounter with the Titans may be their last.
Despite their small numbers, the discipline and fighting prowess
of the Survey Corps are regarded as the best out of the three military
branches. There is no class-based segregation between officers and
enlisted men, with all ranks sharing equally in the work and dangers.
The Survey Corps has a well-earned reputation for toughness and
cool-headed courage in the face of extreme hardship; members will fight
on even in the smallest, most isolated of groups. Survey Corps members
are physically and mentally tough, highly adaptable, and can be counted
on not to panic even when the Garrison and Military Police personnel
around them have broken ranks.
Unfortunately, this branch is also in the most uncomfortable
position, politically and financially. Despite being the best out of the
three military branches in terms of the overall quality of its officers
and enlisted men, the bureaucrats, rich conservatives and many Military
Police members dislike the Survey Corps and view it as a waste of money
and resources due to the Legion's lack of definite, decisive successes
and high losses of lives. Only from the 'support' of the king does the
Legion still remain intact and protected from the greedy bureaucrats and
hostile conservatives. Membership thus involves little glory, and
Survey Corps members are thus arguably humanity's finest and most
sincere soldiers- not after money, glory or promotions, but truly
committed to buying humanity a better tomorrow, whatever the cost may
be.
Basic outline of Long Distance Enemy Dectection.
Due to the constant horrific losses suffered at the hands of Titans,
the Survey Corps has been forced to fight smarter to achieve their
goals.
Developed by Commander Erwin Smith,
the key to this formation is Titan avoidance. Because the Survey Corps
cannot afford to fight every Titan out in the open, the entire Legion is
spread out over a large area, maximizing visibility. Upon encountering a
Titan, a red flare indicates the danger and all soldiers who see the
flare fire a red flare of their own, allowing Erwin to quickly be
alerted to the Titan's presence. He will then fire a green flare in the
desired direction to avoid this Titan with all members firing a green
flare as well to allow the information to spread quickly.
However, there are occasionally deviant-type
Titans that understand the basic principle of this formation and will
attempt to break it apart by ignoring scouts on the perimeter and
instead, attack the middle of the formation. In this case, a black flare
indicates the danger and the Titan is disposed of as quickly as
possible.
The entire formation is in the rough shape of a circle with
Commander Erwin in front and scouts surrounding the outside of the
circle. In the center of the circle are the supply wagons which keep all
the necessary food, weapons, and other supplies for the expedition.
Connecting the outer and center of the circle are relay members who keep
fresh horses and help spread communication between everyone in the
group.
This formation has lowered the Survey Corps losses by 30%.
Although not a 'true' tactic in the sense of common battle doctrine,
the Survey Corps has been involved in two attempts at capture and are
worthy of note given their similar procedures.
Survey Corps Ambush follows this pattern:
Target is lured into area where Survey Corps forces have the maximum advantage. i.e. Leading target into a forest (where 3DMG is most effective) or underground (where Titans cannot move).
Target is incapacitated.
3DMG soldiers surround target area and prevent escape.
If target breaks free ( e.g female titan breaks free twice ) soldiers try to prevent escape and to incapitate or regroup.
Armin Arlert has been featured, meaning it was chosen as an article of interest.
Armin Arlert (アルミン・アルレルトArumin Arureruto?) is a childhood friend of Eren's
and the deuteragonist in the series. Although physically more frail
than most, if not all of the current recruits, he has proven his skills
as a field tactician and strategist with his high intelligence.
Personality
Armin ready to save the situation
Armin was very timid as a child, and coupled with the fact that he
was physically frail, often ended up an easy target for bullies. He was
so timid that he would refuse to fight back despite being taunted to do
so, always needing Eren Yeager and Mikasa Ackerman
to fend for him. As such, he grew up having very low opinion of
himself, thinking that he was useless. He enlisted only because his two
best friends, Eren and Mikasa, were enlisting. Despite being timid, he
has a variety of traits and talents that contrasts to his timid self,
which began showing as he grew older and learnt to appreciate his own
talents and develop a higher opinion of himself. He has a big dream of
wanting to venture outside the walls to see the world - a dream that he
shares with Eren. He is also a loyal person who is willing to put
himself in harm's way to defend a friend, shown when he was, along with
Mikasa, willing to defend Eren against hostile fellow soldiers despite
the very high risk of being killed. During training, despite always on
the verge of failure due to his physical frailty, he was shown to be
very persistent despite the odds, refusing to give up and did his best
to catch up with his friends. He was also shown during training to have a
sense of dignity when Reiner offered to carry his gear for him during a
drill and he refused the offer outright due to the fact that doing so
would mean that he was weak and uncapable. He is the brains of the team
and he impressed Dot Pixis, the high ranking officer in charge of the
cities defense, by his brilliant plan to attract the Titans during the
battle of Trost.
Appearance
Armin is rather short, for his age with a petite build; this lead to
his constant bullying as a child. Armin has a round face, framed by his
blonde hair and he has round blue-eyes and a pudgy nose. He, unlike
Eren, wears a calm look with his eyebrows cast downward that changes
from determined, when being strategic, or wide-eyed when shocked or
surprised.
During his childhood, he wore a long-sleeved suit-like jacket
with a collared shirt, long dress-pants and dress shoes. As a solider,
Armin wears the traditional Survey Corps uniform. Underneath his short
brown jacket, he wears a white and collared button up shirt, similar to
the one he'd worn as an adolescent. Armin also accompanies his attire
with a large green cape when assigned missions on the exterior of the
Wall.
History
Before Year 845
Armin originally lived in Shiganshina
with his parents and grandfather. He was a close friend to Eren and
used to discuss with him about the outside world with its salty oceans,
deserts and other surreal places. He inspired him to dream about being
free and explore the world beyond the Walls. He used to get into trouble
with local bullies for talking about the outside world and was regarded
as a heretic.
Armin, Eren and Mikasa see the Colossal Titan
In year 845, Armin is first introduced being confronted by local
school bullies until Eren and Mikasa come to his rescue. The trio would
then loiter around as Eren continues to muse about his desire to join
the Survey Corps. Later in the afternoon, the Colossal Titan would
appear and breach the Shiganshina district of Wall Maria, which causes
Eren and Mikasa to head in the direction of their house. Though Armin
attempts to call out to them, he holds himself back out of fear.
Unbeknownst to Eren and Mikasa, he asks Hannes
to fetch the two as they were going too close towards the Titans'
direction. He and his grandfather sit aboard a ship, waiting for Eren
and Mikasa. A year later, Armin's grandfather left with other refugees
on a campaign to retake Wall Maria. However, he died on the mission and
Armin was left alone with Mikasa and Eren.
Armin decides to join military training along with Mikasa and Eren,
because after his parents and grandfather got killed, he couldn't sit
around doing nothing. He was able to pass the basic aptitude test after
some effort and tries to help Eren with it. Armin was considered weak in
physical strength and graduated below the top ten. However, he was top
of the class when it came to theoretical courses. Although his plans
have saved Eren and Mikasa several times, he doesn't realize it and despises himself for being reliant on them.
Armin fears humanity's fate when he hears of the attack on Trost. He
trembles in fear and was having problems in fixing his gear, when Eren
tells him that not all was lost. Armin joins Eren's squad to guard the
middle of Trost and departs with him to their prescribed location. On
the way, Titans attack and eat up everyone in his squad except him.
Armin supposedly blamed himself for allowing Eren to sacrifice himself
to the bearded Titan. Mikasa tells Armin that his strategies have always saved their lives and he should have more faith in himself.
In Trost's military headquarters, a number of Titans were
attacking them and had took control of the supply depot. Armin devised a
plan, wherein the soldiers would lower themselves via an elevator and
lure the seven Titans towards them. As soon as they get close enough,
everyone would shoot their eyes with firearms, momentarily blinding them
and seven skilled soldiers, who would be hiding beforehand, would
attack and kill those Titans from behind. The plan succeeded and
everyone was able to refill their gas tanks to return alive.
Eren, Mikasa and Armin surrounded by the soldiers
After recovering Eren, he was detained by a group of soldiers and was
going to be executed. Armin and Mikasa defend him, as he wakes up and
is surprised. Eren plans to escape over the walls unless Armin was able
to convince the soldiers regarding Eren's value to humanity. Eren tells
him that his quick thinking had saved him and Mikasa before, as he was
the one who went to Hannes when Shinganshina was being attacked. Armin,
more confident than ever, walks over and tries convincing the soldiers
about Eren's strategic and tactical importance in turning the tide of
the battle in Trost. As a soldier, he passionately decides to die for
this cause and makes a grand salute. Pixis notices his determination and passion and prevents their execution.
Now with a boost in self-confidence, he tells the senior
strategists about a plan to retake Trost. He tells them that Eren could
carry the boulder over to the hole while other soldiers could lure the
Titans towards the walls. They proceed with the plan. Later, when Eren
lost control and was knocked out, Armin goes running towards Eren and
lands on his back. He remembers the position from where Eren had risen
earlier, so stabs him a little askew so that it wouldn't be fatal, but
would wake him up. He reminds Eren of his dream to go outside and his
personal vendetta against the Titans. Eren, successfully motivated by
Armin's effort, carries the boulder and plugs the breach.
After the news had spread that two Titans, Sonny and Bean
, were slain, Armin along with other trainees from the 104th Trainee
Squad are called in for inspection. Armin, Annie and Connie discuss
which branch of the military they would join, in which Armin declares
his decision to join. Unbeknownst to Annie, Armin notices that she is
possession of Marco's Three Dimensional Maneuver Gear. He realizes that Annie might have been the one who killed the two Titans but decided not to believe his train of thoughts.
Armin encounters the Female Titan
After joining the Survey Corps with Eren, Mikasa and the other graduates (excluding Annie Leonhart),
they went outside Wall Rose for the Survey Corps's 57th expedition,
when they were confronted by the sudden appearance of the Female Titan,
seemingly knowledgeable about military
formation. She attacked Armin while he was wearing his hood, under the
impression that he was Eren. However, once it was removed, she realized
she had the wrong subject and left him aside. Armin noticed a few things
regarding the female Titan: she avoided killing Jean and him even
though she had the chance, and it seemed as though Reiner had carved
letters onto her palms, after which she directly charged towards the
rear of the middle flank. Furthermore, she reacted to Eren's nickname
when Armin deceptively called on Jean to "avenge the suicidal
bastard." Adding the knowledge that Annie had used Marco's gear during
the checkup, Armin realized Annie was, indeed, the Female Titan.
Annie confronted by Armin
Armin asks Annie for her help in hiding Eren because she was in the
military police and they needed her to let them pass through Wall Shina
without suspicion. Annie accepts and Armin explained that he wanted to
take advantage of the geography there rather than use the 3DMG to bust
through. As she was leading them to a hiding place, Annie refused to go
inside to help them escape and asked him why he was looking at her with
suspicion. Armin then took the time to ask her the reason she was in
possession of Marco Bott's
3DMG. He recognized it not too long ago because he and Marco would
often do routine check-ups to make sure they were in pristine shape.
Annie confessed that she found it after Marco died and that she used her
own 3DMG to kill the two captured Titans. She then asked him if he had
already come to all those conclusions, why hadn't he taken action
earlier. Armin reasoned that he didn't do so because he wished to
believe that there was still something wrong with his train of thoughts.
It was when Annie refused to kill him that things turned out the way
they did.
Armin attempts to capture Annie by firing the signal from his
flare gun letting the townspeople capture her. As the people tried to
restrain her, she managed to injure herself with a sharp metal
projection hidden in her father's ring. Noticing this, Mikasa grabs both
Eren and Armin and takes them further underground as Annie in her Titan
form attempts to capture them. When Armin learns his plan had failed he
attempted to start plan B, trying to encourage Eren to fight Annie.
Eren tried to transform into his Titan form, but he was unable to do it.
It was only then Mikasa and Armin learned why, he was reluctant to
fight Annie again because he still couldn't believe that Annie was
indeed their enemy. And he didn't want to fight against one of his
comrades. Having no other option, Armin tells Eren that he and Mikasa
would go out through each of the two openings. Annie would go after one
of them and Eren should utilize the opportunity to escape via the other
opening. Realizing that his friends were in danger, Eren finally
transforms into a Titan and fights Annie.
After Annie's capture, Armin tells Jean Kirstein
that Eren's summonings to the King were cancelled and that Annie is the
Female Titan. She's been detained underground after encasing herself in
a crystal to avoid interrogation. Armin couldn't understand how the
walls were built in the first place because there were no stones or
bricks around. He hypothesizes that the Titan's hardening capabilities
were employed to build the walls. He believes it could explain how Annie
was able to encase herself in a crystal.
Armin's hypothesis was confirmed when the rock sample Lt. Hange had picked up from Annie's body matched the crystal properties of the Walls. He and the others learn from Lt. Hange that the only way they could repair the walls is if Eren can use his hardening abilities to help fix Wall Rose. Pastor Nick
tells them about a girl in the Survey Corps knowing more about what's
going on and it's up to her to decide if she'll talk. Armin then
recognized Krista because she was often seen with Ymir.
Once the Survey Corps had rescued the others from the South Squad, Armin learns that Krista's real name is Historia
and how heavily injured Ymir was during her fight with the Titans. He
immediately learns of Reiner and Berthold's secret correspondence with
Annie. Like Mikasa, Armin was very angry to learn about their betrayal
after overhearing the confession about them being responsible for Wall
Maria being breached.
During the battle with Bertolt and
Reiner, Armin states that the Colossal has very slow movements and that
they should exploit it. However, they were taken by surprise when
he uses his vapors of heat to keep them off him. Realising that Berthold
is just as desperate to stay alive, Lt. Hange orders Armin and the
other members of the Survey Corps to go after Reiner. Armin discovers a
weak link to Reiner's line of defense when he saw his armor break.
Giving Mikasa and extra set of blades, he tells her to go ofter the back
of his knee caps. Soon Berthold took everyone by surprise by falling
off the wall.
With Eren and Ymir now kidnapped by Bertolt and Reiner, he
focuses his attention in helping Mikasa and the others until help
arrives. Armin tells her the news that she had been dreading and
wrapping her lower face in the scarf, she cried. She asks him why he
always has to leave them behind when trouble rises. As Armin tries to
console her, Hannes arrives to give out rations to everyone in the
Survey Corps. He tells them that Eren has always been like that, running
into fights despite knowing the odds are against him. Hannes even
mentions that although he won't admit it, he always knew Armin and
Mikasa were there to help him out. Reinvigorated and determined to
rescue both Eren and Ymir, he takes his stance with the Survey Corps,
Wall Guards and Military Police. Armin wants Historia to stay within the
walls, but she refuses and decides to join them.
Armin and the others reach the Forest of Giant Trees
where Reiner and Bertolt were resting. While inside the forest on their
3D gears, they notice Ymir's Titan form. Armin suspiciously notices
that she was surveying everyone and wasn't responding to anyone. His
suspicions were confirmed when she captures Krista and escapes. He
realizes that Ymir was definitely working against them.
A short time later, he joins the other former members of the
104th in confronting the traitors. He remains silent during the initial
confrontation, and is forced to briefly retreat when Erwin Smith
lures a swarm of Titans into attacking the Armored Titan. When his
commander is wounded and carried off by a Titan, Armin remains focused
on the mission and joins the second attempt to retrieve Eren. Using his
gear to climb onto the Armored Titan's head, he desperately attempts to
think of what can be "sacrificed" in order to change their situation.
Remembering Bertolt 's concern when Annie joined another branch alone,
Armin informs her accomplices that she has been captured. Taking his
bluff a step further, he inquires whether they intend to leave her
behind in the Northern District, and cruelly describes how she is being
tortured. This has the intended effect, shocking Reiner and driving
Bertolt into a rage.
This allows Erwin, now missing an arm, to wound Bertolt and free Eren.
With their mission accomplished, Armin and the others attempt to retreat
as quickly as possible. However, their path is blocked when Reiner
panics and begins to throw Titans to prevent their escape.
This horrifies Armin, and he wonders why Reiner would do this
when it endangers Eren. At some point during the battle, a Titan lands
near him and knocks Jean unconscious. With no where to run, Armin drags
Jean towards a small cluster of trees and prepares to face an advancing
Titan with only one sword. He looks towards where Eren and Mikasa are,
seeing them in just as desperate a situation. The friends exchange
teary-eyed glances, preparing for the end.
He is saved when Eren's power as the Coordinate manifests, causing the Titans to attack first the Smiling Titan
and then the Armored Titan. This allows Armin to retrieve a horse, and
carry a wounded Jean to safety. They retreat from the battlefield,
mourning for the loss of Hannes and remembering their childhood with him.
A week later, Armin would be recruited by Levi to form a new
Special Operations Squad alongside the remaining members of the 104th's
top 10 trainees. During their first official operation, Armin serves as a
body double for Historia, and is eventually captured by the
organization that wishes to take possession of Eren and Historia.
Abilities
Armin discusses the plan of retaking Trost
Being one of the physically weakest soldiers there are, he is rarely
assigned to the frontlines and rarely seen using his 3DMG for fights.
His main strength however, lies within his intelligence - an innate
abilities in deduction and forming strategies, be it in a war room or on
the fly, as well as an eye for obscure details, making him a remarkable
field tactician, a trait that only he displays among the current
recruits. His strategies helped save his fellow soldiers numerous times
and more remarkably, he is the key person who deduced the identities of
all hostile Titan shifters among the current recruits. He wasn't able to
display his remarkable intelligence earlier due to a serious lack of
confidence in himself. After acknowledging that he is actually far more
useful than he thought he is, his genius as a tactician began to show
and thus far, even commanders are shown to take his opinions in matters
relating to Titans seriously.
Eren Yeager
- Eren is Armin's closest friend. Armin has always looked up to Eren as
he was always trying to save him from local bullies. He used to discuss
with Eren about the outside world and gave him dreams about exploration
and freedom. Armin initially felt that he was worthless and incompetent
in front of him. Eren, on the other hand, believed that his reasoning
abilities had saved him and Mikasa a number of times and trusted him
deeply. Eren gave him enough confidence to face a group of soldiers to
convince them of his strategical value to humankind.
Mikasa Ackerman
- Mikasa is a close friend of Armin's. Whenever Armin got into trouble
with local bullies, Mikasa would come and save him. Armin looked up to
Mikasa's strength and courage and felt inferior to her. Mikasa, however,
believed in Armin's abilities to reason out the best solution in a dire
situation and trusted him deeply. She was responsible for boosting
Armin's confidence and shaping his character.
Jean Kirstein
- While Armin was initially not that close to Jean due to the latter's
rivalry with Eren, their relationship has changed considerably since
joining the Survey Corps. Armin's growth as a strategist has aligned
with Jean's growth as a leader, and the two often share insights or
opinions with one another.
Annie Leonhart
- The two are shown to share a mutual respect for each other,
expressing admiration for each others' hidden qualities. This causes her
to hesitate when attacking in her Titan form, a mistake which allows
Armin to discover her true identity. He then uses emotional blackmail in
order to lure her into a trap and facilitates her eventual capture.
Reiner Braun
- Reiner is shown to have been protective of Armin, helping him during
physical training exercises and carrying him to safety during dangerous
operations. Armin initially defends him when he is suspected of being a
spy, but quickly realizes the truth and provides evidence of Reiner's
guilt.
Marco Bott
- Armin notes that they were friends, and did maintenance of their gear
together. This later allows him to recognize Marco's stolen gear when
it is presented by Annie as her own.
Trivia
Armin's character design for the animeThe name "Armin" may have multiple meanings, either from an old German word meaning "whole", or "Herman", meaning "soldier".
His birthday, November 3rd, is celebrated in Japan as Culture Day. This holiday promotes academics, culture, and the fine arts.
In sideart for Volume 11, Armin, along with a few other
characters, was depicted
Survey Corps
