in this exposé i will
Isayama talks about his drawing in way too humble a fashion. but this is especially true when it comes to emotions and expressions - especially in aot where emotions and the nuances of character emotions are portrayed outside of dialogue.
but - especially wit - went about doing a disservice to Levi in particular when putting his character to screen. i don't think it's too controversial to say that most aot fans are anime onlys right? and it's much less controversial to remember the very bad take that throughout aot Levi is emotionless.
obviously, this is clear enough in the anime. but the manga really brings the emotional spectrum of his character to all new horizons. it's been stated by Isayama that Levi is the most emotional character in aot. and if you cross-examine scenes in the manga vs the anime, this is unmistakable.
so i want to give a few examples of where the anime - mostly wit - miss these nuances in Levi's show of emotions.
thank you to this person on twt for giving me this idea with examples!
i'll start with what i consider the greatest offender of all (from the moments on my mind for now):
right as Midnight Sun starts, Levi has just managed to get back to Wall to find that Zeke is escaping and Armin is half-dead. he failed in carrying out Erwin's order.
i mean WOW, right? in both, Levi looks exhausted yes, but in the manga he looks frantic. on the verge of tears almost.
this is going to be a trend, where the anime portrays Levi in a much more hardened and determined manner compared to, arguably, how he really is. i think that there's a balance that the manga depicts much more equally.
later, Floch is recounting how he found Erwin. he found him alive, and considered putting him out of his misery, but decided that Erwin didn't deserve mercy.
this scares the shit out of Levi - much, much more clearly in the manga. in the left 2, he looks afraid in both, but in the manga, that fright is just. so much more intense. you know how strong Levi's feelings are.
right after RtS, Levi and Hange have come to let Eren and Mikasa out of jail.
understandably, Levi is neck deep in mourning. not just Erwin, but every life that was sacrificed just so he could fail; the two veteran squads that died when Bert transformed; Moblit; and of course Hange was badly injured too.
his depression is TANGIBLE in the manga. the anime doesn't convey it as well... (if at all i would argue)
in season 3, when Kenny has given his speech about how everyone is a slave to their own vice, and he's just retorted to Levi, "what're you, a hero?!"
clearly in the manga, he's much more exasperated. his head is hanging more and he looks pleading instead of angry.
the anime didn't even include this panel.
he feels sorry for him.
the attack on Liberio. Levi is cutting Zeke from his Titan.
in the manga, it's so INTENSE. i'm sure he's experiencing the same exact feelings as he did 4 years before. this moment is supposed to be his triumph - when he completes his promise to Erwin. you can clearly see the longing and disappointment, but along with forced determination, because putting on a show of killing Zeke is torturous for him, but it's his duty.
(i posted about this earlier but) Levi has just cut Zeke out of his Titan and needs to put down a grenade in order to give the impression that Zeke is dead. then he notices Magath, but most importantly that two kids are directly below him.
in the manga, his head is more downturned as opposed to above them, which is important in the scope of getting across that Levi doesn't see them (or Marleyans for that matter) as below him.
in the manga it's clear that he finds absolutely no satisfaction out of it, which is seen in the anime version too, but like i've said, not like Isayama gets it across.
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Omgggg hear me out!!!
Vampire au!! Levi who’s never bitten a human before!!!
He’s always eaten animal blood or gotten bottles / bags of blood from a blood bank or even had to rely on Mammon’s somewhat ‘shady friends’ for blood!!
But now here you are right in front of him, neck bare and he simply can’t hold back, shaky hands hold your waist so you can’t pull away and his teeth just barely brush your skin before he jerks away, “I- I can’t…I’ve never….” you grab one of his hands and give it a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t worry Levi, I want you to bite me. I promise it’ll be fine.” and your eyes meet his and he can tell you really mean that. You want this, you want him.
So taking one last deep breath, he leans in and bites your neck. He almost pulls away when you gasp in pain, but can’t when you’re blood hits his tongue! It’s warm!! And you taste so good!! He can’t stop drinking, hearing your little whines of his name only make it better!! Eventually you’ll have to grab his hair and tug to get him off, but you can’t blame him! You wanted this and he just couldn’t help it!!
As Levi pulls away from your neck he’s carful to make sure he gets every drop of blood off of your neck and his own lips before he speaks,
“F-fuck…so that’s what your blood tastes like~ I can’t wait to have more.”
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I have decided to write a fic about being in a secret relationship with Levi and having a family together because I really need some extra self indulgent fluffy domestic fluff with a side of angst.
Our daughters name is Lily, after Lilith.
I'm to in love with Leviathan, how dare he not be real.
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Petra's adoration of Levi can come across as her 'liking him romantically', but more importantly, it's her devotion as a solider that drives her loyalty and admiration ; it's not mediocre feelings of a crush. It's a weighing sense of hope she see's in Levi for all he is, wings black and white. The idea of marriage isn't a plausible one for any of them. When she writes to her father, that loyalty she has to Levi, and only him, comes across so strong and passionate that her father thinks she wants to marry. She wants to support him, not to be burdened by the weight as humanity's hope by himself, to offer her soul and service not just to the cause, but to him. In ways, I think his entire team feel exactly that; Petra doesn't idolise him as someone on a pedestal, she is aware of all his traits, see's the man passed the title, and his compassion, and his strength. It's everything that he is that she wants to be standing by his side, so his wings never break, so that he has people he can depend on by his side to share his burdens. That's the original Levi Squads main goal ; none of them would let him face that alone. They are just that devoted that Petra's feelings can be misunderstood. Whether it is romantic or not, it's that loyalty to him will never falter.
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