Attack on Titanis one of the best and most beloved manga series out there, and there are manyreasons whyAttack on Titanis the greatest anime ever. Within the story by Hajime Isayama,Mikasa Ackerman is one of the best characters inAttack on Titanand one of the most powerful members of the Scouts.In a live-action iteration, the actors have to be top-notch because they must communicate much of the internal dialogue and motivations that are written in the manga or told in voice-over in the anime. This is especially true for quiet characters like Mikasa.
Casting Mikasa would be one of the most important parts of making a live-actionAttack on Titanmovie today, asshe is almost as vital to the narrative as Eren, the protagonist.While the countries and locations inAttack on Titanare fictional, Mikasa is descended from Hizuru, which is characterized as similar to Japan in the real world. Most of the actresses considered for the part would be Japanese, though a few performers of other ethnicities match the strength of Mikasa. Though they vary in age, Mikasa should be played by someone who could pass as a young adult.
10Lyrica Okano
Known for Marvel’s Runaways (2017–2019)
Lyrica Okano’s most prominent role has been as Nico in the Hulu supernatural teen dramaRunaways,but that’s far from her only great performance. She’s had a few minor roles in crime procedurals likeMagnum P.I.andBlue Bloods, but Nico is her biggest achievement to date. As Nico, Okano quickly proved that she’s capable of handling the pangs of adolescence in addition to intense high fantasy subject matter, which makes her perfect for Mikasa.
Okano also captures the simmering tragedy of Mikasa, who had a difficult life before the events of the story.
This is becauseMikasa balances her unrequited and tragic love for Eren with her critical position in the Scoutsand her determination to destroy every Titan that comes her way. Okano also captures the simmering tragedy of Mikasa, who had a difficult life before the events of the story. InRunaways, Nico is a more angsty character, which puts Okano in the perfect position to capture the quiet sadness of Mikasa, as well as her incredible strength.
There is a 2015 live-actionAttack on Titanmovie.
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Attack on Titan’s characters are no strangers to grief and heartbreak, and that is made clear in their tragic and often violent backstories.
9Ashley Liao
Audiences have seen Ashley Liao play both a calculating antagonist and a sympathetic romantic lead in her recent works,The Ballad of Songbirds and SnakesandLove in Taipei. However, she’s been acting for much longer than viewers might realize.Getting her start as a child actress in roles for Disney and Netflix, Liao has plenty of experienceunder her belt and is ready to make the transition to more challenging lead roles like that of Mikasa.
Liao’s character, Clemensia, is aThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakescharacter who was better in the book, but she wouldn’t have this problem playing Mikasa. Additionally, tackling a speculative fiction dystopian story likeThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakesproves that she could be believable in a high fantasy narrative likeAttack on Titan. All of her work makes the case thatshe could easily portray every phase of Mikasa’s life, from her early innocence to her later disillusionment.
8Noémie Nakai
Known for Never Let Me Go (2016)
Recently,Noémie Nakai has been seen inTokyo Vicefor a short stint on the thriller series,but the lesser-known actress has also lent her talents to niche independent works. The 2016 miniseries adaptation ofNever Let Me Go, the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, also featured Nakai in a smaller role. The actress has a few director credits under her belt as well, which demonstrates her interest in film as an art form, which is critical for live-action adaptations of anime, which can go wrong so easily.
Faithfulness to the manga would be key in a live-actionAOT, and Nakai could help bring this to Mikasa.
However,Nakai has already joined an iteration of a beloved anime in the 2016 seriesDeath Note: New Generation,which is a spinoff of the original manga. There have been many attempts to bringDeath Noteto life in live-action, and while most of the Western versions have failed, some have captured the spirit of the story. Faithfulness to the manga would be key in a live-actionAOT, and Nakai could help bring this to Mikasa.
7Lana Condor
Known for To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
Though she’s come to be known for the romance genre, Lana Condor has much more to offer, and her career is only just getting started. After playing Lara Jean in theTo All the Boys I’ve Loved Beforemovies,it’s high time that Condor moved into a new genre, and action could be the perfect choice.While she’s tackled plenty of other projects since her breakout role in the first film, most audiences still associate her with the teen rom-com.
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Beforeis amovie that perfectly defines Gen Z, and Condor would doubtlessly be a big draw for viewers to watch a live-actionAttack on Titan. Though it’s unlikely that a new version ofAOTwould have trouble attracting audiences,it never hurts to have a recognizable face like Condor.Her foray into more action-packed work with the TV seriesDeadly Classhas prepped Condor for a role like Mikasa.
6Madison Hu
Known for Bizaardvark (2016–2019)
Fans of Olivia Rodrigo might recognize Madison Hu, who starred alongside the singer in the Disney TV showBizaardvark. One of the classic Disney series of the 2010s,Bizaardvarkwas a great first step for Hu, who got to flex her comedic muscles and dip her toe into actingfrom an early age. The experience of being a professional with responsibilities so young is something that Mikasa and many of the characters inAttack on Titancan relate to and adds depth to all of Hu’s performances.
The 2023 horror filmNight Shiftalso saw Hu participate in a more violent and intense project, which is good preparation for the visceral gore ofAttack on Titan.
Recently, Hu has lent her talents to the TV showThe Brothers Sun, which features other prominent actors like Michelle Yeoh.This more adult and thriller-oriented drama proves that Hu is ready to make the transition out of her child actress rootsand fully embrace more complex roles like Mikasa. The 2023 horror filmNight Shiftalso saw Hu participate in a more violent and intense project, which is good preparation for the visceral gore ofAttack on Titan.
5Minnie Mills
Known for The Summer I Turned Pretty (2022–Present)
Though Lola Tung is the star ofThe Summer I Turned Pretty, it seems more likely that the role of Mikasa would fit with the lesser-known actress Minnie Mills.She played the character of Shayla inThe Summer I Turned Prettyseason 1,but audiences haven’t seen much more of Mills since her budding friendship with Belly and romance with Steven abruptly came to an end. However, this doesn’t mean she’s been forgotten or that Mills should fade into obscurity.
There’s a lot to be said for casting a relatively unknown actress like Mills in a prominent role like Mikasa. Viewers wouldn’t have previous works and characters associated with Mills and would be able to think of her purely as Mikasa. Additionally, since she’s on the younger side,Mills would have the chance to grow and change along with Mikasa,which would make the characters' evolution throughout the story all the more truthful.
4Midori Francis
Known for Dash & Lily (2020)
ThoughMidori Francis initially made waves with her breakout role inDash & Lilyas the titular Lily,she’s recently become a staple of the most recent seasons ofGrey’s Anatomy. Outside this, audiences might have seen Francis in her role as Alicia inThe Sex Lives of College Girls, a love interest of Leighton (Reneé Rapp). Though it doesn’t seem likely that she’ll return inThe Sex Lives of College Girlsseason 3, since Rapp is exiting, there are still many more opportunities for Francis in film and television.
It would be interesting if a live-action version gave Mikasa more agency and encouraged her to speak up for herself, which Francis could easily accomplish.
Of all the characters that Francis has played, they all have one thing in common: they’re strong-willedand determined. A complaint that some readers and watchers ofAttack on Titanhave about Mikasa is that it takes her a long time to realize that she needs to stand apart from Eren and not always do what he says. It would be interesting if a live-action version gave Mikasa more agency and encouraged her to speak up for herself, which Francis could easily accomplish.
3Anna Sawai
Known for Shōgun (2024–Present)
Anna Sawai is a little older than Mikasa at the start of the series, but her skill as an actress makes a strong case for including her in the running for the role.Shōgun, which starred Sawai as Lady Mariko,was an enormous hit for the star and has made Sawai a household name. However, her previous work inPachinkois just as dynamic, even if her character isn’t as fearsome as Mariko. Sawai is a rising star who has huge traction and many great works ahead of her, and being featured inAOTwould only make her star grow.
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Acting in two different period pieces,ShōgunandPachinkoprepare Sawai for the setting and intricacies of anAttack on Titanlive-action series. Even if Sawai wasn’t tapped for Mikasa, there are many other roles she could embody in the series, with some of the older Scouts, like Hange, being a fit for her abilities as well. Additionally,many of her major roles have been in works based on books,and while manga is slightly different, it still speaks to her ability to thrive in an adaptation.
2Mei Nagano
Known for The Gift of Your Heart (2024)
Mei Nagano has primarily worked in Japanese TV dramas since the beginning of her career, with her recent performance inThe Gift of Your Heartcementing her as a strong romantic lead. One of her earliest projects was the 2015 rom-comMy Love Story!!, which was based on a manga series. This wasn’t the last time that Nagano would bring a manga series to life, asshe also starred in the live-action iteration ofMy Broken Mariko, which was a much more demanding projectthan her typical love stories.
Though she’s still young, Nagano has enough experience to bring depth to Mikasa while conveying her innocence.
ThoughNagano hasn’t broken into the international market as much as other potential actresseswho could play Mikasa, her popularity in Japan makes her a great candidate for drawing audiences into a live-actionAOT. Nagano has won multiple accolades for her work in Japan and is primed to make the leap to more action-oriented work likeAttack on Titan. Though she’s still young, Nagano has enough experience to bring depth to Mikasa while conveying her innocence.
1Tao Tsuchiya
Known for Alice in Borderland (2020–Present)
Tao Tsuchiya has been involved in plenty of Japanese dramas, buther most prominent international hit has beenAlice in Borderland,the enormously popular Netflix thriller. The fight sequences and intense subject matter inAlice in Borderlandparallel the weight of the story inAttack on Titanwhile also providing humor and heart to balance some of the more bleak moments. Additionally, her character, Yuzuha Usagi, has a strong romantic arc with her costar, Ryōhei Arisu (Kento Yamazaki), which is a significant part of Mikasa’s character as well.
Tsuchiya will return forAlice in Borderlandseason 3as Yuzuha Usagi and will continue to be a strong female action hero in the series.Attack on Titanis chock full of complex and high-powered female characters who propel the story and take their fates into their own hands. Though Mikasa sometimes struggles with her loyalties and desires, Tsuchiya would be capable of showing that this doesn’t weaken the character but instead makes her more truthful and relatable.
Attack On Titan
Cast
Based on the manga, Attack on Titan is a dark-action fantasy series set in a world where humanity has been corralled into walled cities from fear of monstrous human-eating Titans that exist outside of them. When protagonist Eren Yeager’s mother is killed in front of his eyes at a young age, his thirst for vengeance leads him to join an elite group of soldiers created to fight back against the Titan menace.
