Eren Yeager, the main protagonist of Attack On Titan, presents himself as a passionate,
impulsive, and daring young man filled with rage against Titans, human devouring beings. His hatred was further fuelled by the memories of his mother eaten by a Titan right before his eyes. After this tragic event, he made it his mission to join the Survey Corps and kill every single Titan off the face of the earth with his best friend Armin Arlelt and adopted sister Mikasa Ackermann.
Character Background
Eren’s story starts in the year 845 in Shiganshina District, disaster struck as a Titan, the Colossal Titan towering at 60 meters (197 feet) tall appears and destroys the 50 meter walls that protected the city he lived in. The destroyed walls allowed a rush of Titans to follow and devour more than 10,000 people causing chaos and destruction.
In the midst of the chaos, this was a turning point of Eren as he witnessed the saddening event of his mother being eaten by a titan. Forever affected and set on revenge he joins the Survey Corps with his friends Mikasa and Armin.
Attack On Titan follows this Eren Yeager as he holds a special power that gives humanity a fighting chance against the Titans: The ability to turn into a powerful Titan. Throughout Attack on Titan, Eren Yeager discovers the mysteries of why Titans exist and why he holds such powers.
Shortly after, Eren is left with hazy memories of his father Grisha, passing Eren a key to the basem*nt and goes missing. His father tells him that the answers lie in the basem*nt of his abandoned home in Shiganshina District.
Profile
- Name: Eren Yeager
- Gender: Male
- Height: 170 cm (850) Attack on Titan Guidebook
- Weight: 63 kg
- Date of Birth: March 30th
- Birthplace: Shiganshina District
- Assignment: 104th Training Corps to the Survey Corps
- Voice Actor: Yuki Kaji
Family
- Grisha (Missing)
- Carla (Deceased)
- Mikasa (Adopted sister)
Personality
Eren Yeager, holds a strong-willed zeal that propels him into the story to beat formidable opponents. Bravery or stupidity comes into question with Eren as the protagonist he blindly runs into danger to save the ones he loves, especially Mikasa and Armin. He disregards the risk and harm he brings unto himself. However, is it obvious from the beginning that he is fueled by his powerlessness to save his mother as a young child in the first Episode of Season 1.
Within the series, Eren is often fighting until exhaustion and often times near death to save the lives of others. He holds a strong sense of justice, but sometimes this interferes with his ability to read simple situations and openly display kindness, which Mikasa and Armin help him throughout the Attack on Titan series.
In Episode 6, Volume 2, his extreme sense of justice is portrayed as Eren had gone to the extent of killing Mikasa’s kidnappers to protect himself and Mikasa. It also showed that he has a big heart, especially toward his friends.
Even from a young child, Eren exhibited curiosity which led him to dream about the world and what it was like beyond the walls. When being asked by Eren’s father, Grisha Yeager, “Why do you want to venture outside?”, he responds with: “I want to know...what’s become of the outside world. I don’t want to simply live out my life within the walls like this”.
While Eren excels in combat, initiative, and temper, he lacks teamwork and wits. While being skilled at one-on-one combat, his lack of fear triumphs throughout the series.
The Power of a Titan
Eren one day realizes that he holds the power to transform into a Titan during the second Attack of the Colossus Titan. In the Defense of Trost, while he was badly injured losing his hand, and being eaten by a Titan, something turns the tide of the battle - Eren transforms into the Attack Titan and cheats death.
The power to transform into a Titan needs two things, self-harm and purpose. Later, Eren learns that inflicting physical damage to himself, often biting into his hand to draw blood allows him to transform on command. If he holds a weak sense of purpose or is hurt, transforming becomes very difficult. This power, revealed later is a power given to him by his father, Grisha Yeager through an injection of a Titan Serum.
With the ability to transform into a Titan, Eren Yeager plays a pivotal role in the survival of humanity. He holds the power to fight back against the Titan race. This inspires many others around him to fight with hope. This ability however also results in Eren also becomes a subject of research.
Eren has the ability to transform into a 15m Titan which is physically fit, powerful, and has regenerative abilities. While even badly injured, Eren transforming into a titan has saved his life countless times as there are times he has been able to recover lost limbs and teeth.
Challenges
“I’m sick of being treated like a monster” - Eren, Episode 26, Volume 6.
After publicity of Eren’s powers, Eren was put under high suspicious as officials believed that he was a Titan spy. A power unknown to the world, he was treated like a monster and criminal.
Written in the Attack on Titan Guidebook: Inside & Outside Chapter 1 page 32, “Losing control when he gets mad is his fatal flaw” as Eren is blinded by rage and cannot see what’s around him. Eren is someone who is easily controlled by his emotions which he learns throughout the series.
However, Eren with his strong sense of justice and protecting the weak shines through as he saves lives and defends the city from the Titans.
