Although the Attack on Titan series has ended finally after a ten-year run, fans of the series still can’t get over the enchanting storyline and brilliant actors of the series. Among those, one of the most popular and loved characters of Attack on Titan was Mikasa Ackerman and she is probably the most important character of the series after Eren Jaeger.
Throughout the series, Mikasa has been distinguished by her unwavering resolve and fierce loyalty. To put an end to the Titans’ despotism once and for all, Mikasa is forced to face Eren in a fight to the death in the manga’s epilogue. Mikasa bids farewell to the former Eren, defeats the Titans, and ultimately finds herself forced to murder the person she loved probably the most.
However, the Mikasa Ackerman shown in Attack on Titan anime is quite different from the Mikasa manga fans read about or saw. There are some changes done to the character of Mikasa in the anime that in hindsight did not do justice to her character as compared to the manga series of Attack on Titan.
1. Mikasa is Much More Vocal in Manga Than in Anime
For most of the anime, Mikasa was limited to being obsessed with Eren; however, her character was enhanced in the manga by having a little more dialogue that wasn’t related to Eren. Her character seems to be centered entirely around him, instead of having any motivation that is intrinsic to her own.
In the anime, her fixation on Eren was intensified much more than it was depicted in manga. She is frequently seen in the manga conversing with other people about unrelated topics to Eren. She becomes a lot more interesting as a result. Whereas Mikasa is very unconditionally devoted to Eren, her manga counterpart has more scenes where she isn’t feeling romantically involved.
2. Mikasa Discovers The Wall Titans in the Manga
The Wall Titans were Abnormal Titans that resembled the Colossal Titan, one of the Nine Titans, in appearance. Within the three Walls, they numbered in the millions and could solidify. The first evidence of their existence was found when the Female Titan attempted to scale Wall Sina in an attempt to flee from the Scout Regiment and the enraged Attack Titan.
In the manga, Annie Leonhart tries to climb the Wall to escape during the fight between Eren Jaeger and her Titans in Stohess District, but Mikasa Ackermann stops her. But it breaks a portion of the Wall, and when the fight is over, a sizable portion is ripped away, exposing the face of an enigmatic Titan. However, the scene of the Wall Titans was used as a post-credit scene at the end of season 1. This snatched the chance to see Mikasa’s reaction after discovering Wall Titans.
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3. Mikasa’s Motivation For Defeating Annie Changed in Anime
Mikasa’s motivation for fighting Annie in the anime is to win Eren back, which essentially skips over a lot of the manga’s development where Mikasa has to accept responsibility for her past actions. According to the manga, Annie’s lack of self-control in the Titan Forest caused Levi’s injury, so her main motivation for defeating Annie is to atone for her actions (and exact revenge on her fallen allies).
There are numerous scenes in the first two seasons where Mikasa simply says “Eren,” which have either been added or altered showing her obsession with Eren. A lot of the subtleties in her character are gone. When viewed in a broad context, Mikasa in manga exhibits far greater mental independence than she does in anime.
4. The “See You Later” Phrase Said By Mikasa
Eren is set to embark on his military training in the first chapter, which takes place when he and Mikasa are still young. In his dream, Eren witnesses Mikasa saying, “See you later,” before leaving. The connection between Eren and Mikasa, as well as hope and longing, are symbolized by this line.
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Mikasa also says similar words “See you later, Eren” in Chapter 138 as her way of bidding farewell to the person Eren once was. Mikasa still treasures their memories and their relationship, despite Eren’s physical passing. Because it alludes to the manga’s opening chapter, this line has special significance. That being said, the anime omitted this scene entirely, cutting out the full-circle moment for Mikasa.
