I'm sure you’ve been waiting for this for a long time.
What’s The Work?[]
Do I need to introduce AoT? Oh well, fine.
Attack on Titan is a 2009 manga/anime series created by Hajime Isayama and published in Bessatsu Shonen Magazine. Famed for its morally gray characters, it is widely considered the godfather of “Edgy/Dark Shonen”.
Who Is He?[]
Eren is the main protagonist of the series.
What Makes Him a Seinen Hero?[]
Basic Qualifications[]
- Anti-Heroic: Eren has stopped various threats throughout the show, but is largely portrayed as an anti-hero, and later even falls to the dark side.
- Apathetic: Eren has an apathetic side toward him, and rarely shows remorse about lives that were lost because of his actions.
- Stoical: As the series progresses, Eren would develop a stoic side to him and never loses his composure in any situation.
- Insightful: After his discovery that the Marleyans were not evil, and the fact that the Eldians caused lots of pain toward them in the past, Eren would deeply reflect on that and stumble to depression as a result.
- Sophisticated/Mature: Eren is an excellent orator who has a talent for delivering elaborate speeches, and can be rather mature despite his impulsiveness.
- Realistic: After being given a glimpse into the future, Eren would accept it fully and never do anything to change it.
- Strong Sense of Willpower: Eren is known for his determination, and never gives in no matter what.
Bonus Qualifications[]
- Has Anger Issues: Eren is notorious for his short-temper and has angry outbursts often.
- Has Killer Instinct: Even as a child, Eren is very merciless to his foes, brutally killing Mikasa's kidnappers.
- Has Bloodlust: Eren can be rather bloodthirsty and sadistic.
- Reckless: Eren is extremely reckless, and stumbles to decisions quickly without a second thought, sometimes costing many lives as a result.
- Tragic Past: As a young child, Eren had to witness a Titan raid his village and eat his mother alive.
- Hard-Boiled: Thanks to his experiences, Eren has become calmer as a result.
- Vengeful: After seeing his father's request to help Paradis civilians being rejected by the Reiss family, Eren would order him to kill all of them out of vengeance.
Verdict?[]
Mega yes for Eren.
Come to think of it, if not for his fall to villainy and grey-zoned actions barring him from the archetype, Eren might also qualify as a Stock Shonen Hero, as he is heroic, courageous/reckless, hotblooded, stubborn, and has a big-ended goal, and also shares his obsession toward freedom with a certain pirate captain.