A Choice with No Regrets: Part Two

Kuinaki Sentaku (悔いなき選) is an OVA, episode 0.5B, of the Attack on Titan anime. It was produced by Wit Studio and Production I.G, and it is the continuation of A Choice with No Regrets (Part 1).

Both episodes are anime adaptations of the spin-off manga Attack on Titan: No Regrets, illustrated by Hikaru Suruga and written by Gun Snark; and based in turn on the visual novel A Choice With No Regrets, by Gan Sunaaku.

Overview
Levi, Farlan and Isabel have joined the Survey Corps and are put under the command of Squad Leader Flagon, much to the latter's displeasure. As the Survey Corps begin preparations for the 23rd Expedition beyond the Walls, the former thugs plan to kill Erwin Smith and steal some documents during the expedition, as this was the job they were assigned to. Levi worries for his friends' safety, but they convince him to trust them and they join the expedition. The trio demonstrate their abilities in 3D Maneuver Gear and quickly kill some Titans. That day, the Survey Corps are caught in a heavy rain, and Levi takes advantage of this and leaves his friends to try to kill Erwin on his own. However, the soldiers are attacked by a Deviant Type Titan which kills Farlan and Isabel. After Levi kills the Titan, Erwin reveals he knew all along of the true intentions of the trio, and encourages Levi not to regret his decisions. Levi decides to stay in the Survey Corps and follow Erwin's orders.

Summary
The leaders of the Survey Corps discuss Erwin's proposal to accept Levi, Farlan and Isabel into their ranks. Squad Leader Flagon opposes it, believing that accepting thugs will taint the morale of the soldiers, but Erwin points to their skill with Three Dimensional Maneuver Gear. As they comment on Erwin's plan to avoid the Titans instead of battling them and thus reduce the soldiers' causalities, Commander Keith Shadis accepts the trio into the Survey Corps.

The next day, they are introduced to the other soldiers and assigned to Flagon's squad, much to his displeasure. He leads them to their rooms, with Isabel being sent against her will to a separate section for women. Levi's "clean freak" behavior almost makes him have a fight with Flagon when he finds the room dirty, but is stopped by Farlan.

As Flagon leaves, it is revealed that the mysterious man had already warned them that the Survey Corps were after them, and their capture was a facade to infiltrate the military.

Keith informs Erwin that the expedition budget was suddenly approved after a long hold, since the leader of the faction which was opposing it, Nicholas Lobov (who turns out to be the same mysterious man that Levi and his friends are working for), changed his mind, and suspects that Erwin had something to do with it.

Erwin reveals that Lobov has dealings with the Lang Company, which was planning to redirect the funds of the expedition to the Military Police, and that he has found evidence of that. It is revealed also that Lobov's orders to Levi and his friends are to steal that evidence and kill Erwin. Keith warns Erwin of the danger but he replies that the expeditions must continue at any cost for the future of humanity. As he leaves, he crosses paths with Levi, and the latter comments to himself that he will be the one to kill Erwin, still angered for the treatment received during his capture.

Levi and Isabel are then seen training and showing their abilities with 3D Maneuver Gear and riding, respectively, despite none of them having formal education in those matters. Even Flagon is impressed, though he complains about Levi's weird style of holding the blades, while Hange Zoë is excited by his originality.

Farlan infiltrates Erwin's office in search of the documents, but is forced to leave at Erwin's arrival. He then joins Levi and Isabel and they conclude that Erwin should be carrying the documents with him, and plan to steal them and kill him during the expedition, when he will be focused on the Titans. Levi accepts but decides to do the job on his own and orders his friends not to join the expedition, concerned for their safety since none of them has faced the Titans before.

However, they refuse to go back to the underground, preferring to stay in the freedom of the surface even if that means risking their lives, and after Farlan asks Levi to believe in them, he finally agrees.

The 23rd Expedition begins and they are fascinated by the look of the sky outside the Walls. However, moments later a 15-meter class Titan and two 10-meter class appear and chase them. Flagon kills the 15-meter class and Levi one of the 10-meter class. The other Titan captures Isabel but she manages to free herself and the Titan is then killed by Farlan. Flagon comments he now understands Erwin's motives for recruiting them, though the latter scolds them for using too much gas. After Levi asks if he expects him to take priority of his equipment over the lives of his friends, Erwin questions if he is beginning to have doubts, leaving Levi shocked.

Soon after, the Survey Corps are caught in a heavy rain which limits their vision. Knowing that they are vulnerable to the attacks of the Titans in these conditions, Erwin orders them to reduce speed and seek refuge. Levi decides it's his chance to kill Erwin and steal the documents, and goes alone to avoid suspicion. Isabel and Farlan agree and the last thing Levi sees before leaving is his friends wishing him good luck.

As Levi rides through the storm, he remembers Erwin's words about making choices and not having doubts. However, he then discovers a large number of soldiers' bodies attacked by a Deviant Type Titan which is heading towards his friends' direction. Levi comes back at full speed but falls from the horse, and finds Isabel's severed head and the Titan biting Farlan's body in half.

Levi freezes in horror at the scene and then savagely cuts the Titan from all directions at high speed, infuriated by the loss of his friends. Erwin's squad arrives and finds Levi crying next to the corpse of the Titan. Erwin comments how pathetic it is that he was the only survivor, angering Levi even more, who attacks Erwin and reveals his true intentions. However, Erwin reveals he knew it all along, and that the documents he was carrying are false, while the real ones were already sent to Darius Zackly.

Levi scolds Erwin for letting them join the Survey Corps despite that, but he advises Levi not to regret, since this will dull his future decisions. He tells him that nobody can foretell the outcome, and that each decision he makes holds meaning only by affecting his next decision. He expresses his hope that Levi will continue coming with them in the following expeditions. As Erwin leaves, Flagon's corpse is seen among the victims.

Some time later, a new expedition begins and Levi is among the Survey Corps. He thinks about Erwin's words and believes that he is able to gaze up at something he can't see, and decides to follow him. As he admires the sky once more, he decides that he will never regret this decision.

E​xternal Links

 * A Choice with No Regrets (Part 2) on IMDB

Anime and Manga Differences
There were a number of changes made between the manga and anime. The most notable being:
 * Nicholas Lobov's appearance
 * Their first Titan encounter outside the Walls
 * Farlan, Isabel, and Flagon's death scenes
 * Erwin's speech