Annie Leonhart(アニ・レオンハート Ani Reonhāto) is a highly skilled graduate of the 104th Cadet Corps and a former member of the Military Police Regiment, where she ranked 4th due to her exceptional abilities in both swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat. Despite her talents, Annie is known for being a solitary figure who finds it difficult to work with others.

Annie possesses the power to transform into the Female Titan, one of the Titans under Marley’s control. Trained from a young age by her father, she was selected as one of Marley’s elite Warriors. In 845, Annie was dispatched alongside Reiner Braun, Bertholdt Hoover, and Marcel Galliard to infiltrate Paradis Island and retrieve the Founding Titan.

As the Female Titan, Annie became a major antagonist in the early stages of the series. However, after her true identity was uncovered by the Scout Regiment, she was defeated and encased herself in a hardened crystal to avoid capture. She remained in this crystallized state for about four years, imprisoned underground, before breaking free during the chaotic battle between the Jaegerists, Marleyan forces, and the Military.

Annie Leonhart is a highly independent and reserved individual, preferring isolation and rarely forming close bonds with others. She tends to keep an emotionless and somber expression, seldom smiling and appearing indifferent to most situations. Annie has little interest in activities she deems meaningless and focuses primarily on achieving her goal of joining the Military Police Regiment, seeking an easy and stable life. Despite her aloofness, Annie holds a certain respect for individuals who display strong convictions and are willing to sacrifice themselves for noble causes.

Annie’s humor is sharp, sarcastic, and often deadpan, sometimes surfacing in tense situations. She can express truths through her humor, even when cornered, as seen when she was exposed by the Scout Regiment. Beneath her cold exterior, Annie can show intense emotions, especially in moments of stress or conflict. When angered or frustrated, she reacts violently, such as when she lashed out at Reiner Braun after the death of Marcel Galliard and when he mocked her during training.

Though Annie can appear detached, she feels guilt and sorrow over the lives she has taken. Her distress was evident when she tearfully apologized after disposing of Marco and expressed regret at her failure to capture Eren Jaeger. Her emotional depth is revealed in moments like this, contrasting with her otherwise cold and pragmatic nature. Annie takes pride in her combat skills, particularly her proficiency in hand-to-hand combat, though she downplays her abilities.

Annie is highly intelligent and a skilled tactician, often handling the spy work for the Warriors during their mission in Paradis. She can think critically and quickly adapt to situations, but she struggles with lying. Both Eren and Kenny Ackermann have pointed out her poor lying abilities, though she excels at recognizing dishonesty in others, as seen when she called out Armin Arlelt and Reiner for their deceptions. Annie is practical and honest about her flaws, openly acknowledging her faults without self-loathing, though she does harbor a sense of guilt for her actions.

Despite her ruthless nature and detachment, Annie’s primary motivation is her desire to return to a normal life with her father. She has little love for Marley but pursues her mission with the hope that completing it will allow her to reunite with him. This desire drives her throughout her mission, even as she expresses doubts and urges Reiner to return to Marley before her eventual capture. Her emotional breakdown in her Titan form, after failing to capture Eren, highlights her inner conflict.

After escaping her crystallized state, Annie undergoes a noticeable transformation in character. She becomes more willing to cooperate with her former comrades to stop Eren and the Jaegerists, and she openly acknowledges her past sins. Her confession to Hitch and her heartfelt admission to Armin—that she appreciated his visits during her years of confinement—reveal a deeper, more vulnerable side of Annie. Despite this, she continues to see herself as a “monster,” haunted by her past actions.

Annie Leonhart was born to a Subject of Ymir mother, although it is unclear what became of her. She was adopted by Leonhart, a man who hoped to gain a privileged life by training Annie to become one of Marley’s Warriors. From a young age, Annie underwent grueling combat training, enduring harsh conditions under her adoptive father’s relentless supervision. Eventually, Annie became incredibly strong, but the emotional toll of her upbringing caused her to lash out, crippling Leonhart in retaliation for the years of suffering she endured. This harsh training made Annie emotionally distant and callous, unable to care whether others lived or died.

At some point during her youth, Annie was chosen by the Marleyan government to inherit the Female Titan. She, along with other Warrior candidates, was deployed in battles that allowed Marley to crush their enemies using Titan power. Annie proved herself in these conflicts, helping to ease Marley’s concerns about sending the young Warriors on the Paradis Island Operation.

In the year 845, Annie joined Reiner Braun, Bertholdt Hoover, and Marcel Galliard on a mission to infiltrate the Walls and retrieve the Founding Titan. Before leaving, her adoptive father, feeling regret for how he had treated her, apologized and made Annie promise to return home alive. During their mission, the group was ambushed by a Titan, and Marcel was devoured after saving Reiner. Traumatized, Annie and the others watched in horror as Marcel was killed.

Afterward, Annie took out her anger and frustration on Reiner, beating him for his cowardice during the attack. She argued that they should abandon their mission and return to Marley, but Reiner, fearing the consequences of failure, manipulated her into continuing. Annie, still bitter but knowing they had no choice, reluctantly agreed to press on with their mission to secure the Founding Titan.

Annie Leonhart is one of the most formidable fighters from the 104th Cadet Corps, standing out alongside Mikasa and Eren. Ranked 4th among the top cadets, her abilities reflect her remarkable combat skills, though her ranking is often attributed to her tendency to slack off rather than her actual potential, which matches the best.

Annie Leonhart’s Female Titan is one of the most formidable of the Nine Titans, possessing a unique array of powers and combat abilities that set her apart from others. Her Titan form stands at 14 meters, making it the third shortest among the Nine Titans, yet her skills and abilities make her a fearsome opponent in battle.

Like all Titans, Annie can regenerate her injuries. However, she has shown advanced control over this ability, focusing her healing on specific parts of her body to speed up recovery. This tactic allowed her to selectively regenerate an eye while in battle to gain an upper hand against the Special Operations Squad by surprising them with her vision restored faster than expected.

Annie can harden parts of her Titan’s skin at will, a skill similar to that of the Armored Titan. She uses this to block attacks or strengthen her punches and kicks, allowing her to damage Eren’s Titan significantly while protecting herself. Despite this, her hardened skin cannot be maintained indefinitely and will chip under sufficient force. Annie also used her crystallization ability to encase herself in a protective crystal cocoon after being captured, similar to the War Hammer Titan’s structural hardening.

Annie’s Titan form possesses the ability to summon nearby pure Titans with her scream, though her range is limited. This skill was used strategically during the 57th Exterior Scouting Mission, where she lured Titans to her position to break up the Scout Regiment’s formation and attempt to capture Eren. Later, when captured by the Scouts, she used her scream to attract Titans, who devoured her Titan form, allowing her to escape unnoticed in her human form. While not as powerful as the Founding Titan’s control, Annie’s ability still proved highly effective.

The Female Titan exhibits exceptional mobility and endurance compared to other Titans. Annie can run long distances while engaging in combat, as seen during the 57th scouting mission, where she fought off numerous soldiers and the Attack Titan. She also demonstrated the ability to transform multiple times in quick succession without needing an extended recovery period.

Annie’s Female Titan has the rare ability to incorporate other Titans’ traits. This adaptability is an important feature that allowed her to quickly learn and master Titan abilities, as seen in her usage of Titan powers in complex and strategic ways during her missions.

• Anime vs. Manga:In Episode 23, Annie’s smile differs from the manga. In the anime, she starts smiling slightly before laughing out loud. Creator Hajime Isayama explained that the laugh expresses multiple emotions: sadness, shyness, sincerity, guilt, loneliness, and fear. Annie is portrayed as a human being rather than a villain.

• Goodbye, Wall Sina:In the visual novelGoodbye, Wall Sina, it is revealed that Annie cleans her room daily because her roommate, Hitch, messes it up within half a day.

• Hairstyle:Hajime Isayama based Annie’s hairstyle on a photo of singer Avril Lavigne.

• Name Meaning:

  • Anniemeans “grace” and is a Germanic diminutive of the Hebrew name Hannah.
  • Leonhartis derived from the Spanish wordleónand the Dutch wordhart, meaning “Lionheart,” a fitting name for someone who strives to be a great warrior.

• Fighting Style:Annie’s fighting technique is similar to Muay Thai.

• Limited Wardrobe:Annie owns very few clothes, mostly hoodies.

• Character Song:Annie has a character song in Linked Horizon’sShingeki no Kisekialbum titledKanojo wa Tsumetai Hitsugi no Naka de(She Lies in a Cold Coffin).