Ilse's Notebook: Notes from a Scout Regiment Member

"It spoke... The Titan spoke."

- Ilse Langnar encounters a Titan

Iruze no Techō -Aru Chōsa Heidan'in no Shuki- (イルゼの手帳 ―ある調査兵団員の手記―), is the first OVA episode of the Attack on Titan anime. It was produced by Wit Studio and Production I.G. It is included on DVD with a special edition of volume 17 of the manga.

Overview
In the year 850, the Scout Regiment soldiers head outside the Walls for the 49th time. Squad leader Hange Zoë, however, is not satisfied with their plans this time and argues with Commander Erwin Smith about how important it is to resume Titan capture operations within the Scout Regiment for research purposes. In spite of Erwin's orders, she eventually heads into a forest to follow a Titan that exhibited strange behavior. The capture attempt, however, fails and the Titan is killed by Captain Levi.

Near the same location, Petra Rall finds the corpse of a soldier while Levi finds the soldier's notebook which serves as the diary of that soldiers time outside the Wall on her own. After reading it, Hange learns that the soldier, Ilse Langnar, encountered a Titan who spoke to her. However, after an enraged Ilse continues questioning the Titan, it shows panic and then kills her but does not eat her body. Later, Hange writes a document of proposal to Erwin for the resuming of the Titan capturing operations. Eventually, much to her joy, Hange gets an approval and a few days later successfully captures some Titans, with no casualties.

Summary
In the year 850, the Scout Regiment forces are readying themselves to go outside the Walls once again. Hange Zoë tries to speak to Captain Levi, but before she can say anything, Levi rejects her thought, knowing that Hange wants him to assist her with capturing a Titan. After Miche Zacharius also refuses, the gate opens and the soldiers head out, starting the 49th expedition, much to Hange's enthusiasm. Later, while the soldiers are taking a break, Hange argues with Commander Erwin who refuses to approve of the Titan capture operation as setting up a base is their priority. Hange then leaves the tent and angrily confronts Oruo Bozad after he annoys her, using Levi as an example of how knowing one's opponent is important to defeating them.

On the look out, Miche notices a Titan in the nearby forest. While all other soldiers are to be on guard, Hange rides a horse to the Titan's direction, with Levi being ordered by Erwin to follow her. Eventually, she reaches the Titan and while attempting to talk to it, the chase begins. She leads it out of the forest. However, the Titan suddenly stops chasing Hange and heads back to the forest. Hange goes after it, with Levi and his squad following them. Eventually, the Titan reaches a certain tree and begins bumping its head into it. Hange, wondering what is going on, tries to approach the Titan, however, it attacks her, with the Squad Leader barely dodging. Suddenly, Oruo appears, attaching the hook of his omni-directional mobility gear onto the Titan's neck in an attempt to kill it. Hange yells at him to wait. The moment of hesitation cause Oruo to be caught by the Titan. Levi cuts off the Titan's arm to free Oruo and then kills the Titan. Enraged, he then confronts Hange for endangering other soldiers. At that moment, Petra notices a corpse inside the tree that the Titan approached. After learning that the soldier is Ilse Langnar, who died a year ago during the Scout Regiment's 34th expedition beyond the Walls, Levi finds a notebook lying nearby.

During the 34th expedition, Ilse is seen running through an unknown land, noting down everything that is happening around her. Her squad has been killed by Titans and her gear is broken, but in spite of that, she continues advancing in hopes of reaching home without encountering Titans. However, while running through a forest, noting down the events, she suddenly encounters a Titan. She continues writing as the Titan is not attacking. Thinking it is over, she writes down her last regrets, but suddenly, the Titan speaks a few words, calling Ilse "a subject of Ymir". Much to Ilse's shock, it bows down, while saying "Lady Ymir Well met,", which Ilse writes down. She then tries to ask questions, without getting any response. Enraged, Ilse yells at the Titan for its species eating humans without any reasons, which causes the Titan to tear the skin off its face, much to Ilse's horror, she tries to escape to no avail, as the Titan runs after and catches her. It clamps down on her head and Ilse hurriedly writes down any information she can before her demise. The Titan then crushes her head between its teeth and bites it off. After killing Ilse, it stores her corpse within the a tree.

Hange, after reading the notebook, begins writing a document of proposal to Erwin for the resuming of the Titan capturing operations within the Scout Regiment. Using the diary as a base of her arguments, Hange wants to continue what Ilse has started. She then visits Ilse's family, showing them the notebook. During this time Levi, Oruo and Petra are seen shopping. Some time later, Hange is approached by Oruo, who wants to apologize, however, Hange is the one to do so. Her, Oruo, Levi and Petra then walk through the town, with Hange expressing her joy for being given a permission by Erwin to continue her research. Eight days later, Hange, along with the help of Levi's Special Operation Squad was able to successfully capture a Titan since the fall of Wall Maria. A new capture method proposed by Hange was used in the operation, and not a single casualty was taken.

Trivia

 * In the OVA, the events of the expedition in which Ilse Langnar's body is found are set in the year 850. However, in the Attack on Titan Guidebook, these events are instead placed a year earlier in the year 849.

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