Eren! Eren! Eren! Mikasa screamed “Eren” so much that the name is now permanently etched into our memories. Mikasa’s obsession with Eren, Armin’s blind trust in Eren, and Erwin’s unwavering faith in Eren hammer home the fact that Eren is the protagonist, so much so that words can’t even describe it. Whether you’re an anime watcher or someone who’s only heard some things about anime, everyone knows who Eren is. As the main character of the famous series Attack on Titan, he managed to deliver an absolute disaster. Yes, you heard that right. Eren is a terrible character, and as the title suggests, I’m going to explain why he’s such an idiot.
What Makes a Series Great?
Many factors make a series good—or even a masterpiece. If only one aspect of a series is strong, it might be entertaining or slightly above average, but it can never be legendary. For instance, a story might have great characters, a solid plot, a deep philosophy, or captivating pacing. If it’s an anime, we can also add voice acting and animation to the mix. If all of these are excellent, then the series is already perfect. Some cult-classic or legendary series remain watchable even if their animation is lacking. Sometimes, we even watch something just for the visuals and animation alone. But how far can animation and voice acting carry a series? In my Solo Leveling review, I criticized it for having weak characters and a lackluster plot despite its fast pacing, which only made it slightly above average at best.
For me, the most crucial element is the depth of the characters. The more detailed and well-developed the main and side characters are, the higher the quality of the work. Sometimes, I even continue reading or watching a series just because I love the characters. Attack on Titan excels in this regard—its characters, plot, and originality are fantastic. On top of that, it’s an incredibly gripping series.
“Why Does Eren Ruin the Viewing Experience?”
From the very beginning of the series, Eren has been an irritating character. As a brat, he was constantly spouting nonsense like, “I’m gonna kill all the Titans! I’ll join the Survey Corps! I’m gonna be a hero!” We tolerated it because he was a kid—we chalked it up to his age. However, when he became a teenager, he became an even more unbearable mess. Unnecessary rage, aggression, rebellion—the list of his annoying traits goes on and on. He’d throw a tantrum the second someone questioned how they were supposed to defeat the Titans. He was constantly butting heads with Jean, the most realistic character in the series.
Now, don’t get me wrong—Eren was a competent soldier, despite being an idiot. But good God, he was the living embodiment of “act first, think never.” In Episode 5, after the second time Thomas got taken out, Eren charged at the Titan like a madman. Dude, just wait a second. Stay calm. Think. But Eren doesn’t have patience. He flailed around like a wasp-stung lunatic and promptly got his leg bitten off. Oh, well. It serves you right, you reckless moron. And let’s not forget how he once challenged the Colossal Titan solo. The guy had the audacity of a madman—what else can you even say?
And let’s not forget how beautifully Captain Levi put him in his place during the trial, smashing his face in. This idiot deserved every single beating he got. As our boy Jean rightly said, he’s nothing but a suicidal moron. For the first three seasons, he was practically useless anyway. The only time he did anything worthwhile was when he plugged up the hole in Trost. Other than that? Every other character was more interesting and better developed than Eren. Watching Levi, Erwin, Hange, or Jean was infinitely more entertaining than suffering through Eren’s nonsense.
And let’s be real—we already knew exactly what Eren would do in any situation: scream at the top of his lungs. Oh, and don’t even get me started on his little breakdown in Season 3. Our queen Historia dragged him, and that moment was a chef’s kiss—perfection.
We Thought He Was Cool, But He Was Just a Loser
The final season gave us a completely different Eren. The angry, impulsive brat was gone, replaced by a composed, calculating, and cold young man. What the hell happened to our suicidal idiot? Did a rock fall on his head or something? Now he was willing to do anything for his ideals, even if it meant debasing himself. He became the ultimate “sigma male” that edgy teens would worship.
He told Mikasa, “I’ve always hated you.”
He beat up Armin.
He teamed up with his brother.
And to protect his people, he came up with the most extreme solution possible: The Rumbling.
He unleashed the Wall Titans upon the world, crushing everything in their path—and I mean everything. Plants, animals, civilizations—wiped out in a full-blown genocide. And yet, some people still run around screaming, “Eren was right!” How can someone who exterminated 80% of the planet be “right”? “He had no other choice!” “His people came first!” Blah blah blah. And what was the result? Paradis got annihilated in the future anyway.
Then, in the manga’s final chapters, we saw what a pathetic loser Eren was. Turns out, he was acting the whole time and was madly in love with Mikasa. So much for the cool, ruthless mastermind—he was just a simp in the end.
He started the series as an idiot and ended it as an idiot. Zero character development. If he had any, it was microscopic. Meanwhile, Jean had one of the best character arcs in the series—an absolute king who never got the respect he deserved.
Eren spent his whole life chasing “freedom,” only to become a slave to it. And with that, I rest my case.
