Attack on Titan is one of the most popular anime series of all time, with millions of fans following the epic story of humanity’s struggle against the monstrous Titans. The series is known for its dark and gritty tone, as well as its complex and morally ambiguous characters.
One of the most controversial and fascinating characters from Attack on Titan is Eren Yeager, the protagonist who vows to exterminate all Titans after witnessing his mother’s death. Eren is a passionate and determined fighter, but he also has a dark side that makes him ruthless, violent, and unpredictable. He is willing to sacrifice anything and anyone for his cause, even his own humanity.
Eren himself seems to be conflicted about his role and identity, as he undergoes several transformations throughout the Attack on Titan series. He starts out as a naive and idealistic boy who wants to join the Scout Regiment and explore the world beyond the walls. He then becomes a Titan shifter who uses his power to protect his friends and fight against enemies.
He later learns the truth about his father’s past and the origin of the Titans, which changes his perspective on everything. He eventually becomes a leader in the Attack on Titan series, of a rebel faction that seeks to destroy the world outside the walls, believing it to be the only way to end the cycle of hatred and violence.
Eren’s character development is one of the most intriguing and controversial aspects of Attack on Titan - he's often compared to other anime characters who have similar traits or experiences, such as Naruto Uzumaki, Lelouch V Britannia, or Light Yagami.
Here are 10 anime characters who are more twisted than Eren Yeager from Attack on Titan.
Disclaimer: This list is subjective and follows no particular order.
Light Yagami, Shou Tucker, and other anime characters with twisted personalities like Eren from Attack on Titan
1. Griffith (Berserk)
Griffith is the man who leads the Band of the Hawk, a group of mercenaries serving the kingdom of Midland. His swordsmanship, intellect, and ambition make him the object of admiration and envy of both friends and foes.
He dreams of becoming a king and building his own kingdom, and he will stop at nothing to make it come true. He finds a kindred spirit in Guts, a formidable warrior who joins his ranks, and a loyal companion in Casca, a female soldier who dedicates herself to him.
He invokes the Crimson Behelit, a mysterious relic that calls forth the God Hand, a quartet of demonic entities who offer him a deal. To become one of them, he must sacrifice his entire band to them.
Griffith agrees to their terms and gives up his comrades to the slaughter, except for Guts and Casca, whom he violates in front of Guts' eyes. Like Eren in Attack on Titan, he gains a lot of power after being reborn as Femto, a member of the God Hand who wields immense power and control over fate.
2. Shou Tucker (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Shou Tucker is an alchemist who creates chimeras, which are animals that are mixed from two or more different ones. He has a special job as a State Alchemist in the State Military, which provides him with money and materials for his work. He lives in a large house with his daughter Nina and their dog Alexander.
However, Tucker is not a good father or a nice person. He is a scary and malevolent man who conducts experiments on living beings, including his own wife and daughter, to create chimeras that can speak like humans.
He transforms his own daughter Nina and their dog Alexander into a single chimera, who can only say "Big brother" and "Let's play" in a strange voice.
Shou Tucker is more deranged than Eren from Attack on Titan because he doesn't do anything for a good reason, only for himself. He also doesn't feel remorseful or understand how his victims feel, even if they are his own family.
3. Light Yagami (Death Note)
Light Yagami is a genius and bored student who finds the Death Note, a notebook that kills anyone whose name is written in it. He uses it to create a new world where only good people live, and he is the god. He is aided by Ryuk, a shinigami who dropped the notebook, and calls himself Kira - a name that the world and media give him.
The killing actions are noticed by L, a genius detective who aims to catch Kira and stop him. Light and L play a game of the mind, with each trying to outsmart and expose the other.
He is an insane person who desires to control everything and everyone with his Death Note. Compared to him, Attack on Titan is nothing. He makes Eren appear like a child in comparison to his killings.
4. Ken Kaneki (Tokyo Ghoul)
Ken is one of anime’s most tragic and intricate characters, enduring immense pain and suffering as a hybrid of two conflicting species. He is a sympathetic and relatable protagonist, as well as a dangerous and unpredictable anti-hero, torn between protecting his friends and surviving in a brutal world.
Unlike Eren from Attack on Titan, Kaneki is more unstable, with more internal conflicts and mental breakdowns, and undergoes more drastic and radical transformations that affect his appearance and abilities. He is a tormented soul who can never find peace or joy in his existence.
5. Shion Sonozaki (Higurashi When They Cry)
Shion Sonozaki is Mion Sonozaki's twin sister and the leader of the Sonozaki family, a powerful family in Hinamizawa village. Although she is the heir to the family leadership, she runs away and lives in Okinomiya city, where she attends St. Lucia Academy. Sometimes, she visits Hinamizawa and pretends to be Mion because they look alike.
Shion's life changes when she meets Satoshi Houjou, a boy who is mistreated by his aunt and uncle. She falls in love with him and wants to save him.
Like in Attack on Titan, Eren becomes Titan after feeling scared and angry, in Higurashi When They Cry, Shion becomes scared and angry at everyone, especially when Satoshi disappears.
She is a tragic and frightening character in anime history because she does terrible things out of love and hate. She is both a kind and happy girl and a cruel and insane killer. She has two personalities, one normal and one evil. In comparison to her madness, Attack on Titan is nothing. She makes Eren seem like a child.
6. Yuno Gasai (Future Diary)
Yuno Gasai is a 14-year-old girl who participates in the Survival Game, a battle royale arranged by Deus Ex Machina. She owns the Yukiteru Diary, which predicts everything about her crush, Yukiteru Amano, another participant in the game.
Yuno’s love for Yukiteru is obsessive and psychotic, making her willing to kill anyone who gets in her way, like Eren in Attack on Titan after summoning the power of the founding titan. She is also extremely jealous and paranoid, with a dark past and a shocking secret.
Yuno is sweet and loving, but violent and deranged when in love. She is devoted and loyal to Yukiteru, but possessive and controlling. She is a twisted and dangerous girl who will stop at nothing to get what she wants, making her more unhinged than Eren. Attack on Titan has nothing to do with Yuno Gasai's story.
7. Lelouch vi Britannia (Code Geass)
Lelouch vi Britannia, the exiled prince of the Holy Britannian Empire, attends Ashford Academy and leads a double life as Zero, the leader of the Black Knights, a rebel group fighting against Britannia. He possesses the Power of Kings, a Geass that allows him to command anyone once.
Lelouch’s goal is to destroy Britannia and create a peaceful world for his sister, Nunnally vi Britannia. He is willing to use any means to achieve his goal, even if it means lying, manipulating, or killing people.
He is a complex and conflicted character who challenges the concepts of justice and morality, loved and admired by many, but also hated and feared by others, he shares the same extreme and irrational goal of Eren in Attack on Titan.
Lelouch vi Britannia is an influential and charismatic character, both a hero and a villain of his story. His radical goal involves destroying an entire empire and creating a new world order, which is Eren's goal in Attack on Titan. He has more power and influence over people with his Geass and charisma.
8. Shinji Ikari (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
Shinji Ikari is a 14-year-old boy who is summoned by his estranged father, Gendo Ikari, to pilot a giant mecha called Evangelion Unit 01 in order to fight the mysterious beings known as Angels, who threaten to destroy humanity. Alongside Rei Ayanami and Asuka Langley Soryu, who also pilot Evas, they must face the stress and trauma of their roles, as well as their own personal issues and secrets.
Similar to Eren's life in the Attack on Titan series, Shinji's life becomes increasingly difficult as he struggles to deal with the emotional and psychological challenges of his situation, including his past and present relationships, his sense of identity and purpose, and his manipulation by his father, who has a secret plan to evolve humanity into a single entity.
Shinji Ikari is one of the most realistic and relatable characters in anime history, as he represents the struggles and anxieties of adolescence and adulthood, similar to Eren from Attack on Titan.
Interestingly, Hideaki Anno, the writer, and creator of Neon Genesis Evangelion, also worked on the animation for Attack on Titan, an anime series known for its intense and complex characters and themes.
9. Lucy (Elfen Lied)
She's a Diclonius, a human mutant with horns on her head and vectors -- invisible telekinetic arms capable of slicing through anything. After being used as a weapon by a secret facility, she escapes, but not before killing many guards and researchers. She sustains a head injury, resulting in two personalities: Lucy, the killer, and Nyu, who is childlike and innocent.
Compared to Eren from Attack on Titan, Lucy is a tragic character, mistreated and rejected by both humans and Diclonii. She is a lonely and misunderstood girl who only wants to be loved and accepted. Although powerful and dangerous, she is conflicted between her two personalities and can switch between them involuntarily or intentionally.
Her experiences have left her tormented and unpredictable, making her more unhinged than Eren from Attack on Titan. Her immense power and potential to destroy humanity with her vectors make her both a friend and a foe.
10. Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto)
Naruto Uzumaki is a young ninja who lives in the Hidden Leaf Village. He is the son of Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, and Kushina Uzumaki, the second jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails, a powerful-tailed beast. He is also the reincarnation of Asura Otsutsuki, the younger son of Hagoromo Otsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths. He dreams of becoming the Hokage, the leader, and strongest ninja of his village.
Both Eren Yeager in Attack on Titan and Naruto Uzumaki in Naruto, go through challenging life stories. Naruto's life is not easy, as he has to deal with the hatred and fear of his fellow villagers, who see him as a monster and a curse. He is also targeted by various enemies, such as the Akatsuki, and Madara Uchiha.
Naruto Uzumaki is more unhinged than Eren from Attack on Titan because he has more potential and responsibility as a jinchuriki and a reincarnation. He also has more enemies and challenges that test his will and faith. He is a destined child who can change the fate of the world.
Final thoughts
These are some of the most unhinged anime characters who are more unstable than Eren Yeager of Attack on Titan. They have different motives and methods, but they all share a common trait: they are willing to go to extreme lengths to achieve their goals, regardless of the consequences.
They are fascinating and frightening, as they show the dark and twisted sides of human nature. They are also complex and compelling, as they challenge the viewers to question their own morals and values. Who do you think is the most unhinged anime character than Eren Yeager in Attack on Titan? Let us know in the comments below.