Synopsis
Attack on Titan: No Regrets is a prequel side story set before the events of Attack on Titan. It follows Levi, long before he earns a reputation as humanity's strongest soldier, when he lives as a criminal in the underground city beneath the Walls. There he survives alongside his two closest companions, Isabel Magnolia and Farlan Church, in a place the surface world would rather ignore.
The central conflict begins when Erwin Smith, a commander of the Survey Corps, approaches Levi and his friends with an offer that could change the course of their lives. Accepting it pulls them out of the underworld and into the war against the Titans, where trust is scarce and every decision carries a heavy price. Levi must weigh loyalty to the people he grew up with against the possibility of a different future.
As the story moves between the underworld and the Survey Corps, it examines how a street criminal and a calculating military leader come to be bound by a shared purpose. The tale was told as a manga written by Gun Snark and illustrated by Hikaru Suruga, based on a visual novel, and was also adapted into a two-part original animation.
Trailer
Should You Watch It?
Watch it if you enjoy
- For Attack on Titan fans who want Levi Ackerman's pre-Survey Corps backstory, set in the underground city with Isabel and Farlan.
- For viewers and readers curious about how Erwin Smith's offer pulls Levi from a criminal life into the Survey Corps and shapes their bond.
- For those who enjoy a compact action-drama-fantasy with military, anti-hero, tragedy, gore, steampunk, and swordplay themes.
It may not suit you if
- Those seeking the main Attack on Titan storyline may find this side-story prequel limited; it does not retell or replace the parent narrative.
- Viewers sensitive to gore, tragedy, survival violence, or bleak military conflict may want to approach with caution, as these themes are listed.
- It lands hardest for audiences already familiar with Levi and Erwin, so newcomers without that context may get less emotional payoff.
This automatic starting point balances the series length, pacing, time commitment, and available Volluble research data. Editors can override it when firsthand knowledge suggests a better entry point.
Why It Connects With Audiences
Why people love it
- Levi's journey from underworld criminal to the Survey Corps' strongest soldier gives fans the backstory of a pivotal franchise figure.
- The relationship between Levi and Erwin Smith, and how trust forms between them, gives the prequel its dramatic center.
- Isabel Magnolia and Farlan Church add personal stakes by representing the companions Levi must weigh against a different future.
Common criticisms
- As a two-part OVA running about 28 minutes per episode, some may find the format too brief to fully develop its supporting cast and conflict.
- Because it is a prequel side story outside the main storyline, it may feel optional to those wanting major plot progression or Titan-scale revelations.
- Some audiences may wish the underground city and Survey Corps transition had more room beyond this compact adaptation.
Volluble DNA
A quick profile of the title’s dominant storytelling ingredients.
Characters and Voice Actors33 characters
Levi
Main character- Japanese: Hiroshi Kamiya
- English: Matthew Mercer
Eren Yeager
Main character- Japanese: Yuuki Kaji
- English: Bryce Papenbrook
Erwin Smith
Main character- Japanese: Daisuke Ono
- English: J. Michael Tatum
Mikasa Ackerman
Main character- Japanese: Yui Ishikawa
- English: Trina Nishimura
Furlan Church
Main characterArmin Arlert
Main character- Japanese: Marina Inoue
- English: Jessie James Grelle
Isabel Magnolia
Main characterMike Zacharias
Supporting character- Japanese: Kenta Miyake
- English: Jason Douglas
Sasha Blouse
Supporting character- Japanese: Yuu Kobayashi
- English: Ashly Burch
Hange Zoe
Supporting character- Japanese: Romi Park
- English: Jessica Calvello
Reiner Braun
Supporting character- Japanese: Yoshimasa Hosoya
- English: Robert McCollum
Keith Shadis
Supporting characterConnie Springer
Supporting character- Japanese: Hiro Shimono
- English: Clifford Chapin
Moblit Berner
Supporting characterBertolt Hoover
Supporting character- Japanese: Tomohisa Hashizume
- English: David Matranga
Flagon
Supporting characterAnnie Leonhart
Supporting character- Japanese: Yuu Shimamura
- English: Lauren Landa
Nicholas Lovof
Supporting characterHannes
Supporting character- Japanese: Keiji Fujiwara
- English: David Wald
Yan
Supporting characterNarrator
Background characterJean Kirstein
Supporting character- Japanese: Kishou Taniyama
- English: Mike McFarland
Darius Zackly
Background character- Japanese: Hideaki Tezuka
- English: John Swasey
Carla Yeager
Supporting character- Japanese: Yoshino Takamori
- English: Jessica Cavanagh
Grisha Yeager
Supporting character- Japanese: Hiroshi Tsuchida
- English: Chris Hury
Marco Bott
Supporting character- Japanese: Ryouta Oosaka
- English: Austin Tindle
Krista Lenz
Supporting character- Japanese: Shiori Mikami
- English: Bryn Apprill
Thomas Wagner
Supporting character- Japanese: Shigeyuki Susaki
- English: Duncan Brannan
Dot Pixis
Supporting character- Japanese: Masahiko Tanaka
- English: R. Bruce Elliott
Petra Ral
Supporting character- Japanese: Natsuki Aikawa
- English: Caitlin Glass
Nick
Supporting character- Japanese: Tomohisa Asou
- English: Francis Henry
Keiji
Supporting character- Japanese: Shuuhei Matsuda
- English: Orion Pitts
Marlo Freudenberg
Supporting character- Japanese: Tomokazu Sugita
- English: Todd Haberkorn
Production and Staff26 credits
View all 14 additional credits
Production Background
Attack on Titan: No Regrets originated as a manga written by Gun Snark and illustrated by Hikaru Suruga, based on a visual novel of the same name. It is a prequel spin-off of Hajime Isayama's Attack on Titan and was published in Japan by Kodansha, with Kodansha USA handling the North American release.
The work was adapted into a two-part original animation DVD. The installments were released between December 9, 2014 and April 9, 2015, and the production is listed with two episodes running about 28 minutes each. An English dub was produced, and the OVA has been available through Crunchyroll.
As a prequel, the production focuses on Levi's earlier life, following him during his time as a criminal in the underground city alongside Isabel Magnolia and Farlan Church before Erwin Smith recruits him into the Survey Corps. This places the work's production context in the period before the main Attack on Titan narrative, with the source credited as a visual novel.
Franchise Context
Attack on Titan: No Regrets sits outside the main storyline of Hajime Isayama's Attack on Titan, functioning as a prequel spin-off rather than a continuation of the central narrative. Its events precede the main series, so it can be approached independently, though its weight lands hardest for audiences already familiar with Levi Ackerman and Erwin Smith.
The work exists in several linked forms. It originated as a visual novel, then became a manga written by Gun Snark and illustrated by Hikaru Suruga, published by Kodansha. A two-part original animation DVD followed, released in 2014 and 2015, representing the anime side of this entry's record.
Because it is a side story, it does not replace or retell the parent Attack on Titan story. Instead it supplies character backstory for figures who matter greatly to the wider franchise. Readers and viewers can treat it as an optional but rewarding companion piece within the broader Attack on Titan catalog.
Franchise Path
- Attack on Titan: No Regrets is a prequel side story set before Attack on Titan, focused on Levi's life in the underground city and Erwin's recruitment of him.
- Treat it as an optional companion piece: it can be viewed before the main story for backstory or after for added context, but it does not replace or retell Attack on Titan.
After You Finish
Continue with
- After No Regrets, continue with Attack on Titan, the main franchise entry, to follow the Survey Corps war against the Titans and Levi's later role.
- There is no direct sequel to No Regrets; the parent Attack on Titan story is the natural continuation.
Community Verdict
Quick reader and viewer signals from the Volluble community.
Would you recommend this?
Did the ending satisfy you?
Would you watch it again?
Report an issue
Spot something wrong on this page? Tell us what needs attention.
0 Comments
Be the first to comment.

