For over a hundred years, humans have been living in settlements surrounded by gigantic walls, which prevent the Titans, giant humanoid creatures who eat humans, from entering. Young Eren Yeager wishes to see the outside world by joining the Recon Corps, as he likens living in the cities to livestock. Despite this, his foster sister Mikasa Ackerman and their mother Carla are against him in joining the Corps. Even after seeing the Recon Corps returning home with large casualties, Eren expresses his interest to join which impresses his father Dr. Grisha Yeager. After Eren and Mikasa save their friend Armin Arlert from bullies due to his views that the walls will not protect them forever, a Colossus Titan much taller than the walls suddenly appears and kicks down the gate into the District of Shiganshina, allowing smaller Titans to enter. As the city erupts into mass panic, Eren and Mikasa heads to their home in a desperate attempt to save their mother who becomes trapped under their collapsed house by the debris falling from the wall. Despite Carla begging her children to leave her and save themselves, they refuse until City Guard Hannes arrives and takes the children away against their wishes. As Hannes carries them away, Eren, picked up from behind, watches in horror as a Titan kills and eats their mother.