How Attack On Titan redefines the concept of heroes and villains

Summary

• Attack on Titan redefined heroes and villains, blurring the lines between good and evil.

• The series showcases complex character development through flawed but relatable characters.

• The story challenges traditional hero narratives and explores deeper themes of sacrifice and morality.

Now that Attack on Titan has finally ended, half the fandom is left in awe and somewhat confused. It would be safe to say that many fans had to re-watch the series for a second time to really understand what was actually happening and catch up with all the massive foreshadowing that Isayama did. With an absolute masterpiece of a finale, Hajime Isayama really has Attack on Titan one of the best anime of all time.

While we're still crying and trying to get over this complicated ending, we can't help but think that Attack on Titan might just be a major turning point in the anime industry as it completely changes our view of heroes and villains in anime. It also made the main character, Eren Yeager, perhaps the most complex character of all time, as his shift from a hero, an anti-hero, and a villain. By using Eren's transition between roles, Attack on Titan has given us a whole new way to think about what makes a person a hero or a villain.

This article contains major spoilers for Attack on Titan. Proceed at your own risk if you haven't yet caught up on the series

How Attack On Titan Redefined Heroes and Villains in Anime

We certainly did not see that one coming

In the anime series, our protagonist longs for freedom and an end to the terror of the Titans. Humanity is forced to live within 3 walls to protect themselves from these monsters. But one day, one of these walls breaks through, ending up with the death of several inhabitants of Paradise Island, including Eren's mother.

Every time I close my eyes, I see the faces of people I couldn't save. Every time I open them I see this world full of despair – Eren Yeager

All remaining survivors of Shiganshina make their way to Wall Maria. Upon witnessing his mother's death, Eren vows to wipe out the Titans from the face of the Earth.

Eren loses humanity

After joining the Survey Corps and becoming part of the 104 Training Cadets, Eren is eaten by a Titan during the Titan's breach. But in the stomach of that monster, his Attack Titan powers awaken, and he becomes a Titan shifter himself. At first he will be executed, but the military decides to use Attack Titan's powers to their advantage.

Becoming just a weapon for the military, Eren goes through a breakdown as he becomes the thing he hates the most. When Historia becomes the Queen, and Eren kisses her hand, the glimpse of the future he saw shakes him to his core and causes a drastic change in his personality.

In addition, he discovers the truth about his world and the secrets hidden in the basement of his home. During the Marley arc, he finally realizes that the only way he can save the Eldians from the cruel world is by rumbling, a genocide that includes freeing all the Colossal Titans worldwide.

I hate this world. I hate the people in it. But… I will never stop fighting. I will never stop until I destroy this world that took everything from me – Eren Yeager

One thing that Attack on Titan established from the very beginning is the fact that Eren was super overprotective of those he loved. He would use any means necessary to ensure that his friends remained safe.

That's why when Marley and the whole world were against the Eldians, the only solution he saw to this problem was to kill everyone outside of Paradise Island. This is perhaps the part that really made viewers question whether Eren was a hero trying to save his homeland or a villain who took it too far by committing literal genocide.

Marley's perspective

On the other side of the world we have Marley. When we are introduced to the people of Marley, including Falco and Gabi, they appear to be antagonists to the story. But as time goes on, we come to see that the blind hatred the Marleyans have for the Eldians is deeply rooted in the deaths of people they have seen at the hands of the latter. In one way or another, Gabi was sort of represented as a mirror of Eren.

I don't care about the people in Paradise! I just want to protect Marley and everyone I love! – Gabi Braun

As more truths were discovered, it made it harder for us to choose sides in the Eldian-Marleyan conflict. Sure, the hatred towards the Eldians and the entire world was too extreme, but considering the history of the Eldians and how they used the Titans' power to wreak havoc across the world, the hatred the Marleyans have for them seems more or less justified.

Not your typical heroes

As the series progresses, the line between good and evil becomes significantly blurred. This is also what makes Hajima Isayama a master craftsman in his genre, as he manages to deliver a whole new perspective to viewers through the actions of his flawed but human characters.

When characters like Reiner, Annie, and Bertholdt are introduced, we are led to believe that they are trusted allies of Eren. But then the trio betray Paradis Island and reveal themselves to be titan shifters; this twist proves that no one can be trusted. We also have Mikasa and Armin, the loyal friends of Eren who helplessly watch as Eren becomes more and more weighed down by the trauma of what the future holds for them.

The truth is that the world is an endless circle of pain and suffering, and we all have our parts to play in it – Reiner Braun

Armin, who was the geek of the trio and was considered extremely weak in the beginning after inheriting the Colossal Titan, had to make some questionable decisions, including sacrificing lives for the greater good. Mikasa, on the other hand, had to sacrifice the one thing closest to her heart, Eren, to save humanity.

This character growth portrayed by Hajime Isayama really made us believe that these characters were not the typical heroes you would see in any other Shonen. With the finale of Attack on Titan, there is no doubt that the series has successfully managed to turn the tide in the anime industry by changing the way heroes and villains are viewed.

By showing us both sides of the conflict and having the protagonists make extreme decisions to survive, Attack on Titan solidifies the fact that in this war story there are no true heroes or villains but only people with their own flaws.