Kenny the Ripper

Hange rushes into Erwin's office carrying Eren's written recollections from his captivity, including Ymir and Bertolt's talk of eating someone while in Titan form. From this, Hange builds a theory: a Titan that consumes a person holding the power of the Titans regains human shape and inherits that power, which is why the Reiss family means to feed Eren to one of their own. It also reframes Reiner's behavior during Eren's rescue, when he flung Titans toward Eren hoping one would swallow him and claim the coordinate ability.

Their discussion is cut short by news that the Military Police have named Erwin a murder suspect in the death of Dimo Reeves. Before surrendering himself, Erwin designates Hange as the Survey Corps' next Commander should anything happen to him. Afterward, Hange hears the full account of Eren, Historia, and the elder Reeves from his son Flegel and begins planning how to keep the Corps ahead of the authorities.

In Stohess District, the members of Levi's squad wait in hiding, some voicing doubts about their captain that Mikasa firmly rejects. On the rooftops, Levi and Nifa shadow Military Police escorting two caskets he suspects hold Eren and Historia. Levi mentions that the Underground's fabled serial killer, Kenny the Ripper, is no legend; the man raised him for a time. At that moment Kenny Ackerman himself opens fire, killing Nifa, while his subordinates cut down Keiji and Abel. Taunting his former ward, Kenny closes in on Levi.

Hange theorizes that Titans regain humanity by devouring someone with the power of the Titans, explaining both the Reiss family's designs on Eren and Reiner's tactics during the earlier rescue battle.

The Military Police arrest Erwin over Dimo Reeves's murder, and he names Hange his successor as Commander before turning himself in.

Flegel Reeves briefs Hange on what happened to his father, Eren, and Historia.

Kenny Ackerman ambushes the Survey Corps in Stohess, killing Nifa, Keiji, and Abel, and reveals himself as the real figure behind the Kenny the Ripper legend and a man Levi once lived with.

Kenny the Ripper is the 57th chapter of Hajime Isayama's Attack on Titan, third in volume 14, released simultaneously in Japan and the United States on May 9, 2014. It belongs to the Royal Government arc, following Actors and leading into Gunshots; the anime spreads its material across the episodes Smoke Signal, Pain, Old Story, and Trust.

The chapter carries an infamous production story. A newspaper Armin reads contains a crude parody of the children's song "Gu Choki Pa" hidden in Walls writing, slipped in by an assistant without Isayama's or his editor's knowledge. Isayama publicly apologized on his blog, taking full responsibility, and the gag was corrected for the tankōbon printing.