Attack on Titan: 10 anime characters who are better leaders than Erwin Smith

Attack on Titan has many memorable anime characters, but few surpass Erwin Smith's leadership skills. Known for his tactical brilliance and inspirational power to soldiers, Erwin led the Survey Corps with unyielding resolve, often sacrificing personal morality for the sake of the survival of his species.

Even though he possesses exceptional leadership qualities, there are other anime personalities who surpass him in general attributes of leadership. These characters lead by strategic valor to inspire others and deliver the message beyond any means bounds to change entire worlds or societies.

This article lists ten anime characters who have superior leadership skills than Erwin Smith from Attack on Titan.

Disclaimer: This list is ranked in no particular order and reflects the writer's opinion.

Edward Newgate, Yami Sukehiro, and 8 other anime characters who are better leaders than Erwin Smith

1) All Might (My Hero Academia)

All Might's leadership in My Hero Academia exceeds mere tactical skill. He is the epitome of hope, getting the title of Symbol of Peace for an entire society. While Erwin's leadership runs on sacrifice and hard decisions, All Might leads by hope to further uplift other people so that his students and the public can believe in the better future ahead.

His inspiration-based leadership is founded upon mentoring and emotional support, which proves him to change people, unlike sacrifice-based anime characters. All Might is more impactful than Erwin Smith because he focuses on mentoring the next generation of heroes.

2) Kakashi Hatake (Naruto)

Kakashi Hatake (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Kakashi Hatake's leadership is characterized by delicate levels of compassion and wisdom. Compared to Erwin Smith, who often leads by sacrificing himself in a dangerous mission, Kakashi ensures the well-being of his team before trying to accomplish challenging goals. He encourages the development and trust of subordinates because he understands the strengths and weaknesses of each person.

His potential to lead Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke, the three most powerful ninjas into the future shows his lifelong effect as a leader. Kakashi's concern with emotional intelligence and flexibility in most situations goes beyond anime characters with mere battle strategy.

3) Roy Mustang (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)

Roy Mustang's leadership evolved from the will to create a better world while protecting his subordinates. Unlike Erwin Smith, who is willing to sacrifice his soldiers, this is quite different for Mustang since he upholds the life of the people within his team and tries to minimize unnecessary loss.

He has charisma and the power to inspire loyalty, which makes his subordinates follow him not only for order but also because they believe in his vision. Mustang's inner compass, combined with his emotional intelligence, helps him navigate complex geopolitical landscapes. He remains focused on his personal goal of eliminating corrupt systems, which adds depth to his character compared to others like Erwin.

4) Edward Newgate (One Piece)

Edward Newgate (Image via Toei Animation)

Edward Newgate, or Whitebeard, leads with a fatherly sense of care and loyalty that goes beyond that of Erwin Smith. He considers his crew to be his family in terms of their well-being and growth rather than concerning himself with how to gain strategic victory.

His huge strength makes him not only powerful but also able to protect those under his command without asking for reckless sacrifices on their part to achieve his own dream of becoming the King of the Pirates.

Many One Piece fans believe that becoming the Pirate King was not his dream. Instead, he wanted to create a family. His legacy isn't about conquest but inspiring loyalties and unities. Whitebeard's benevolent leadership nurtures and protects, whereas a colder, more risk-heavy style characterizes Erwin.

5) Lelouch Lamperouge (Code Geass)

Lelouch Lamperouge's leadership is influenced by his ideals to free the oppressed and deconstruct tyrannical systems. Unlike Erwin, who often works with stiff structural frames, Lelouch works to dismantle all the existing power infrastructures to bring about lasting change.

He can unite different factions of elements toward a common cause through manipulation, strategy, and inspiration. With his willingness to sacrifice even his reputation and life for the greater good, Lelouch manifests much deeper elements of selflessness and long-term thinking. His leadership reshapes an entire world.

6) Integra Hellsing (Hellsing)

The leadership commanded by Integra Hellsing is characterized by unshakeable resolve and high moral grounds. While Erwin Smith will compromise on ethics for strategic advantage, Integra upholds her values even in the face of overwhelming danger. She commands the Hellsing Organization with a firm yet fair hand that induces loyalty and respect from her human soldiers and supernatural forces such as Alucard.

The real strength of Integra lies in her order and authority, even at the worst of times, never losing focus on her mission as a protector of humanity. Such leadership from an individual of integrity and conviction would certainly be more balanced than that of anime characters like Erwin and his ample amount of risk-taking tactics.

7) Kyojuro Rengoku (Demon Slayer)

With a shining spirit and strong faith in justice, Kyojuro Rengoku leads with an example that is so powerful that people can stand up for justice. Unlike Erwin, who sometimes gives motivations from calculated sacrifices, Rengoku gives inspiration from his boundless positivity and a sense of responsibility to protect the weak.

His selflessness and compassion towards his comrades create a narrative environment where individuals feel valued and driven. Rengoku's leadership is personal since he connects emotionally with his subordinates and motivates them to grow stronger without encouraging them to make reckless sacrifices.

8) Yami Sukehiro (Black Clover)

Yami Sukehiro (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Yami Sukehiro’s leadership is grounded in his ability to foster growth and loyalty among his squad, the Black Bulls. While Erwin Smith depends mainly on stringent discipline and calculated risks, Yami leaves much leeway to his subordinates to learn from their mistakes and push them beyond their limits.

His approach to leadership is farfetched, combining tough love with deep trust, whereby individuality is promoted while still being held together as a cohesive team. Yami's laid-back yet firm approach enables him to connect to his squad personally, building loyalty through mutual respect rather than through fear or sacrifice. This makes Yami one of the anime characters with better leadership than Attack on Titan's Erwin.

9) Satoru Gojo (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Satoru Gojo leads by empowering the next generation of sorcerers, placing immense trust in his students to surpass him one day. Unlike anime characters like Erwin Smith, whose emphasis was on tactical sacrifices, Gojo is all about growth and development, so his students are capable on their own.

He balances strength with mentorship, knowing that true leadership fosters independence in others. Confident and disruptive within the system, Gojo shows proof of his stand towards long-term change rather than mere survival as he develops opportunities for another person to rise in that medium, shaping a future where individual potential thrives and remains without constant sacrifice.

10) Levi Ackerman (Attack on Titan)

The leadership of Levi Ackerman can be seen best as a personal stake in every mission and valuing his comrades' lives by actually fighting alongside them. In contrast, Erwin Smith often commands a strategic distance. By leading through action, the soldiers learn to trust and love Levi as much as he does because they share a common risk.

His emotional intelligence allows him to make hard decisions in knowing the emotional toll of war. Levi also shows complete respect for the lives he is in charge of, and all he has is a momentary want to squander the lives of his men unless it is more than sufficient. It's the aspect of balancing empathy with brutal efficiency that gives him leadership, something to which Erwin cannot compare.

Final thoughts

Though Erwin Smith is the powerful leader in Attack on Titan, a few anime characters are greater than him in terms of leadership qualities. All the others include All Might and Edward Newgate, who can lead compassion with the hope of creating a family bonding and inspiring perception without asking for extreme sacrifice.

Both Lelouch Lamperouge and Roy Mustang exemplify long-range planning in their bid to revitalize their worlds through the collapse of degenerated society. Even at the higher level, such as Kyojuro Rengoku and Levi Ackerman, leaders are spurred on personally by how important it is that their friends and comrades be all right.

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Edited by Rachith Rao