Character Analysis:Mikasa Ackerman(Feat Kirche)

 

Introduction to the series

Attack on Titan is a highly-acclaimed horror seinen series that has been running for quite a long time. In my case, this was the series that got me to start watching anime, which should speak volumes of how important it is to me. 

The series is set in a steampunk society that lacks a lot of technological events and is held back by religious extremism, political corruption, and most importantly, the supernatural threat of the Titans. Titans are massive human-shaped monsters with regenerative capabilities.

There are various kinds of Titans, but the most relevant for this analysis are the basic ones and Titan Shifters. Regular Titans are at least 2 meters tall, and 15 meters at most. They’re generally just mindless beasts that devour humans for fun. They’re essentially the “fodder” of the series.

On the other hand, Titan Shifters are humans who can transform into Titans at will. The Titans belonging to Shifters possess special abilities and can perform feats much stronger than normal Titans, and they’re able to strategize, unlike normal Titans.

In order to combat Titans, humans require special equipment (which will be detailed below). Titans can be harmed by regular weapons, but the ones used by the army are much more effective, as they can easily slice off their limbs. Generally speaking, humans cannot stand up to Titans without those weapons, with the only exceptions involving the smallest kinds of Titans.

Given those facts, it’s logical to assume that the potency of the weapons the soldiers use does not reflect the strength of the wielders. Mikasa's case is a bit special due to her Ackrman blood, more details below.

Background

• Name: Mikasa Ackerman

• Gender: Female

• Age: 19 (Currently)

• Species: Human (Biologically engineered)

• Height: 1.76 m

• Weight: 68 kg

• Birthplace: Shiganshina District, Paradis Island

• Backstory: Mikasa was born to an Asian mother and an Ackerman father inside the walls of Paradis Island. Both of her ethnic traits were considered rare within the walls, which led her family to live in a far-off place. One day, the Ackerman household was attacked by bandits, who immediately killed Mikasa’s parents, but thanks to a young boy named Eren, who was the son of a local doctor that was visiting the Ackermans, two of the three bandits were promptly killed by the kid. The third, however, was stabbed by Mikasa, whose murderous skills were awakened by the dire situation. After this event, Mikasa was adopted by Eren’s father, allowing them to grow up together. During their childhood, the man-eating Titans breached the outermost of the three Walls, literally kickstarting a new era of terror for humankind. During the invasion, Eren’s mother was killed by a Titan, so Eren decided to enlist in the army to slay all the Titans. Mikasa, knowing how reckless Eren could be, joined alongside him to protect him just like how he protected her as a kid. Once they graduated from the military academy, they both joined the Reconnaissance Squad, whose task is to explore zones inhabited by the Titans in order to learn whatever possible about those beasts, as well as to dwindle their numbers.

Powers & Abilities

• Ackerman Blood: Mikasa is a descendant of the Ackerman Clan, a bloodline of warriors that acted as bodyguards to the King of Eldia. This bloodline possesses the Power of Awakening, which greatly enhances their physical abilities and grants them the battle experience of all previous Ackermans (Ackermen?). They are stated to possess a fraction of the Titans’ power without the need to transform into one. (Different translation, just in case.)

Equipment

3D Maneuvering Gear: A peculiar device consisting of harnesses, hooks, and propellers that allows the user to swiftly fly between elevated surfaces or structures at high speed (366 km/h at most). It works as follows:

• From the ground, the user aims the hook-wires at a building/tree/whatever, pulling one of the triggers on the operating device (the hilt-looking thing).

• Once the hooks are attached to something, the user makes use of the gas-powered propeller to travel toward that point.

In order to skillfully control the 3D MG, one requires extensive balance training and an appropriate environment. The hooks can also be used offensively against people. It should be noted that the gasoline is limited, and once it runs out, the gear’s just a fancy-looking steampunk toy. 

Ultrahard Steel Blades: A set of 12 flexible steel blades designed to be able to slice cleanly through Titan flesh. These single-edged swords can be attached to the operating devices of the 3DMG and ejected if they break or get dulled, things that happen frequently due to how thin they are. She can also eject them to use them as projectiles.

Thunder Spears: A set of highly-potent explosive rockets designed by local Titan fetishist Hange Zoë. These weapons are notably stronger than the blades, as they’re able to destroy and pierce the skin of hardened Titans, such as the Armored Titan. In order to operate them, they must first be fired at the target, to which they will tether with their sharp tip. While the shooter gets away with 3DMG, they must pull the fuse, which triggers the explosion. The user must be careful not to get in the explosion’s range, or their chances of survival are small.

Anti-personnel pistol: A small semi-automatic firearm that was incorporated into the 3DMG during the invasion of Liberio. They are based on the Mauser C96 pistol. They are normally used instead of blades in battles against other people.

Strength & Attack Potency

• As a child, stabbed through an adult man’s heart with ease.

• Easily sliced a Titan’s nape off in her first battle.

• She went on to do this many, many times.

• Sliced the Female Titan’s fingers off.

• Sliced Reiner’s arm off.

• Slit Bertolt’s neck.

• Slashed the Jaw Titan’s eye.

• Blew the Armored Titan’s face off using Thunder Spears.

• Destroyed the Armored Titan’s hardened nape with Thunder Spears.

• Slashed Bertolt’s ear off.

• Blew up the Warhammer Titan’s nape with Thunder Spears.

• Sliced the Jaw Titan’s legs.

• The Ackerman power makes her use a fraction of the Titans’ power.

• Killed Floch with the 3DMG.

Speed & Reactions

• Dodged an unexpected attack from Eren in his Titan form.

• Dodged attacks from the Female Titan.

• Blitzed Reiner and Bertolt.

• Avoided a shot from the Warhammer Titan’s crossbow.

Durability & Stamina

• Took a hit from human form Bertolt.

• Survived getting hit by shrapnel from the Thunder Spears.

• Can survive the kinetic energy of a full speed 3DMG.

Skill, Intelligence & Others

• Awakened her Ackerman powers as a kid.

• Killed her first man as a child.

• Ranked 1st during her military training.

• Mastered 3D Maneuvering Gear.

• Successfully rescued her trapped comrades in a building full of Titans.

• Contributed to the defeat of the Female Titan.

• Saved the Squad that got ambushed by Titans in Udgart Castle.

• Rescued Eren from three Titan Shifters.

• Easily took down some kidnappers along with Levi.

• Helped kill several of Kenny’s Anti-Personnel Police members.

• Survived the battle against Zeke, Bertolt, and Reiner.

• Took part in the invasion of Liberio.

• She’s the descendant of the leader of Hizuru.

• Her Ackerman powers allow her to use the combat experience of her ancestors.

• Killed Floch Forster.

• She has very hot abs.

Scaling

• Fodder Titans: Due to her Ackerman lineage, Mikasa should be physically capable of matching fodder Titans without needing weapons, although we have not seen this. Standard Titans can put holes in walls with ease.

• Levi Ackerman: Another Ackerman clan member who is consistently regarded as the strongest soldier of humanity. He has the same blood as Mikasa, so they should be comparable to one another. He’s been able to harm the Beast Titan, and stop and dodge bullets with ease .

• Eren Yeager (early Titan Form): At the beginning of the series, Eren’s Attack Titan isn’t that much stronger than any other, but it can catch cannonballs in the air while exhausted . Mikasa has dodged blows from early Titan Eren, so she’s comparable to his speed. Scaling her to current Titan Eren’s strength is inconsistent because he’s consistently on the level of the Armored Titan, whose body cannot be cut by Mikasa’s blades or even Levi’s.

• Beast Titan: Given that she’s equal to Levi, she should be able to cut through foes like the Beast Titan, who can pitch boulders at mach speed , or crush them to dust with ease .

• Armored Titan (Thunder Spears only): For reasons stated above, Mikasa’s blades cannot cut through Armored Titan level threats, but her Thunder Spears can harm them. The Armored Titan was able to destroy a massive gate , and survived getting crushed by the Colossal Titan , who can pulverize large parts of one of the Walls .

NOTE FOR TITAN SCALING

1. The blades take down the Beast Titan

2. The Thunder Spears take down the Armored Titan, even piercing the hardened skin the blades normally can’t. They also pierce the Warhammer Titan

Weaknesses

• Too obsessed with Eren.

• Limited amount of gasoline, blades, and Thunder Spears.