Attack on Titan: 10 anime main characters with more development than Eren Yeager

Attack on Titan is known for its intense plot and the complexity of its characters, with Eren Yeager standing out as the main character whose growth has shocked fans. Yet while Eren underwent quite an incredible change in the series, other protagonists in anime have been developed much deeper or more complex than Eren has been throughout his development.

These characters are not only developed through dramatic events but also with faint emotional and psychological edges that make them different from their respective stories.

From overcoming personal struggles to finding a new meaning in their lives, these protagonists show that there's much more depth in their growth. Here are the ten anime main characters with more development than Eren Yeager.

Disclaimer: This list is ranked in no particular order and contains the writer's opinion and spoilers. Readers' discretion is advised.

Guts, Denji, and 8 other anime main characters with better development than Eren Yeager from Attack on Titan

1) Thorfinn (Vinland Saga)

Thorfinn as seen in anime (Image via Wit Studio)

Vinland Saga's Thorfinn evolves from a vengeful warrior who wanted to kill Askeladd to one who yearns for serenity and aspires to find a sense of life's purpose. On his path, he is still running on revenge but comes into contact with other people with whom he interacts, making him critically question violence as well as the cycle of hatred.

Thorfinn shows a sense of growth and resilience, but instead of vengeance, embraces the ideals of forgiveness and understanding. He demonstrates a more complex take on developing a strong sense of identity and sense of purpose than what Eren Yeager stands for in Attack on Titan.

2) Mob (Mob Psycho 100)

Shigeo Kageyama as seen in anime (Image via Studio Bones)

Shigeo Kageyama, more commonly known as Mob, has a poignant growth throughout Mob Psycho 100. He begins befuddled by his emotional and social roles and, after quite a while, becomes capable of bonding and getting along with people. He grows due to his step-by-step acceptance of psychic powers in addition to attempts at friendship, in contrast to the meandering storyline of Eren.

Mob's development reaches a peak when he learns to reveal fragility and assert his identity, highlighting that emotional intelligence is more important than muscular force. This subtlety in his character makes him one of the anime main characters with more development than Eren Yeager from Attack on Titan.

3) Natsuki Subaru (Re:Zero)

Natsuki Subaru as seen in anime (Image via White Fox)

Natsuki Subaru experiences extreme character buildup as he is thrust into death repeatedly, with emotional baggage attached to those cycles. Each cycle has forced him to confront failure, develop resilience, and learn the importance of trust and friendship in life. Unlike Eren's journey, which sees most of its plotlines spinning around external battles, Subaru's growth is highly reflective.

This inner conflict, combined with his slow coming to the realization of his function as protector, truly brings more complexity of character than the conservative growth Eren undergoes in Attack on Titan.

4) Violet Evergarden (Violet Evergarden)

Violet Evergarden as seen in anime (Image via Kyoto Animation)

Violet Evergarden undergoes deep character development as she shifts from being a soldier who cannot define or express emotions to becoming a caring person who discovers the strength of words and bonding. Her story revolves around the fact that she could not grasp the concepts of love and loss and is led to discover those aspects by her urge to figure out the last words of her master.

There is a different layer in every episode that comes out regarding her personality, showing how she grows emotionally and has her worldview affected by the circumstances brought about by those events. This subtle growth continues to resonate with audiences, making her transformation more believable and impactful than Eren Yeager in Attack on Titan.

5) Guts (Berserk)

Guts as seen in anime (Image via Netflix)

Guts from Berserk has strong character development through the miseries of his past traumatic experiences and relentless struggles. From vengeance and mindless rage, Guts evolves into an individual who requires friendship and a purpose for living.

His relationship with Casca reveals to the audience the vulnerable side of a human being who could love, in contrast to the solitary path Eren adopts in Attack on Titan.

Guts faces not just the demons outside but inner turmoil, proof of being resilient in hopelessness. This multi-dimensional path of healing and self-discovery heightens even more the aspect of depth beyond Eren's character development.

6) Lelouch vi Britannia (Code Geass)

Lelouch vi Britannia as seen in anime (Image via Sunrise)

Lelouch's character growth has been captured through deep moral dilemmas as well as strategic genius. Initially motivated by pure revenge, he soon turns into a subtle leader as he deals with the aftermath of his activities. His transition is a reflection of great knowledge about sacrifice and the burden of power coming together to culminate in a master plan for changing the world.

Unlike Eren from Attack on Titan, whose storyline mostly follows outside conflicts that fuel his growth, it's the inner battles, relationships, and personal growth that shape Lelouch.

7) Denji (Chainsaw Man)

Denji as seen in anime (Image via MAPPA)

In Chainsaw Man, Denji's character development is intense because he goes from being a desperate poor youth to learning how to cherish connections and personal desires.

Being mainly propelled by basic instincts for survival at the beginning, Denji finds experiences through his new friends and adversaries that challenge these motivations and expand on his understanding of the concept of living fully.

While undergoing loss, betrayal, and complexities in his own desires, Denji evolves to be much more complex and aware of himself than Eren Yeager in Attack on Titan.

8) Simon (Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann)

Simon as seen in anime (Image via Gainax)

Simon from Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is one of the anime main characters with more development than Eren Yeager in Attack on Titan. From an unwilling and uncertain boy, Simon grows into a confident leader, inspiring his peers.

His development can be lined up with the event of having to overcome immense challenges on both the external and the inner side, particularly the reconciliation with loss and responsibility.

Unlike Eren, whose motivations become increasingly complicated and darker, the character development of Simon, in contrast, focuses on hope, unity, and perseverance. He learns to trust his own potential and encourages the ones around him to find faith in their own.

9) Gon Freecss (Hunter x Hunter)

Gon Freecss as seen in anime (Image via Madhouse)

Gon Freecss experiences profound transformation throughout the series of Hunter x Hunter, particularly from the Chimera Ant arc. His journey reveals how greatly loss and revenge have influenced his character. From being an optimistic, determined boy to becoming someone filled with anger over Kite's death.

This development leads to a dark turning point at the end where he brutally confronts Neferpitou in a climactic ending contrasting with his formal self. The emotional compromise in his choices takes the form of showing physical and mental deterioration; there was considerable complexity in his development.

10) Shoya Ishida (A Silent Voice)

Shoya Ishida as seen in anime (Image via Kyoto Animation)

Initially, Shoya Ishida is shown as an obnoxious bully, bullying a deaf girl named Shoko Nishimiya when they were kids. As the years pass, Shoya becomes tormented by guilt, ostracized by society, and remorseful about his abusive treatment of Shoko.

His journey toward maturity occurs as he seeks to make amends with Shoko and, in the process, learns to cope with his shortcomings, find new friends, and forgive himself. This emotional complexity and character development within the narrative firmly grounds Shoya Ishida in place as one of the more developed main characters than Eren Yeager from Attack on Titan.

Final thoughts

Attack on Titan showcases Eren Yeager’s significant character transformation; several other main characters of the anime are even more dramatically developed and contribute to the story for dramatic impact. Characters like Thorfinn, Mob, and Shoya Ishida become gradually developed, relating to notions of forgiveness, inner acceptance, and emotional power.

They not only evolve from outside conflicts but also from inner turmoils, making the story more interesting. These protagonists show how character development is richly possible in anime.

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Edited by Somava