The true hero of Attack on Titan is not Eren Yeager or Levi Ackerman. Mikasa Ackerman earned this title by sacrificing her own desires and facing the combined might of the Founding, Attack, and Warhammer Titans.
Mikasa has never had trouble winning fights or fans' hearts. Since the very first episode, she has carried her weight as a captivating side character and a canonically strong woman. Her contributions to the world of Attack on Titan are so great that narrowing them down to the best of the best is a difficult task to undertake.
9 Mikasa's Ackerman Blood Makes Her An Incredibly Reliable Soldier
A crucial part of any Shonen anime character’s popularity is their combat ability. For the best example of this, take a close look at another new-gen hit, Jujutsu Kaisen. Everybody loves Yuji from JJK, but Gojo became a star because of his confidence and strength in combat.
Mikasa Ackerman is no different. She may not share Gojo's outgoing personality, but she is loved by all because of her strength. This strength is partially earned from years of hard work but largely comes as a result of Mikasa's Ackerman lineage.
8 Mikasa’s History Makes Her Sympathetic To Oppressed People
As the descendent of both the Ackerman clan and the Hizuru, Mikasa knows what it means to be the victim of persecution. Her ancestors were hunted down by the royal Eldian family ruling over the Island of Paradis, making her an outcast among outcasts.
Because of her history, Mikasa is able to stay open-minded when she was approached by disenfranchised characters like Onyankopon and Kiyomi Azumabito. There isn’t a single character who Mikasa can’t empathize with, making her a powerful and reliable ally.
7 Mikasa Inherited The Same Stoic Personality That Levi Has
Mikasa’s Ackerman blood makes her a true force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. Even when faced with the might of an Intelligent Titan, Mikasa stays strong both physically and mentally.
The mental side of Mikasa’s strength stems from her stoic approach to life. By the end of the series, there is no pain that can derail her sense of justice. Even losing Eren is just another hiccup that she is able to overcome.
6 Mikasa Never Shies Away From The Truth
Mikasa’s honesty is both entertaining and admirable. In the very first episode, she speaks over Eren so that Carla and Grisha are made aware of their son’s future plans. While Eren would rather keep his plans secret, Mikasa brings them to light so that the truth has room to breathe.
Despite her loyalty to Eren, Mikasa chooses truth. This moment foreshadows Mikasa’s future where she's able to stay loyal to herself while the organizations she was once a part of fall into darkness.
5 Mikasa Is One Of The Most Loyal Characters In Attack On Titan
Mikasa’s loyalty is easily one of her best attributes. Throughout the series, Mikasa helps Eren by lending her blade to him. Mikasa even stays loyal to her peers when she's approached by the head of the Azumabito family.
As Queen, Mikasa would have been guaranteed a life of luxury. Still, she denied her right to the crown for the sake of staying beside her friends. Regardless of the situation she finds herself in, Mikasa manages to fight for the right cause because she stays loyal to truth and justice rather than her own desires.
4 Mikasa Is Queen Of The Hizuru
One of Mikasa Ackerman's best moments comes in season 4 of the anime when she finally meets the head of the Azumabito family. During this encounter, Mikasa finds out that her ancestors were a part of the royal Hizuru family who settled on Paradis with the Eldian King Fritz.
This revelation makes Mikasa the sole heir of the Hizuru throne. While this may not mean much in terms of AoT’s plot, it is nice to know that Mikasa is both a literal and figurative queen.
3 Mikasa Fights For The People
Mikasa Ackerman is a woman of the people. While the majority of the characters in AoT ignore the lives of the bystanders killed by the selfish and greedy, Mikasa never misses the chance to stand up for these people.
When faced with Dimo Reeves' greed during the Battle for Trost District, Mikasa drew her sword in defense of the people of Trost. Even Mikasa's friendship with Eren can be explained as the result of her boundless empathy for those who need protecting.
2 Mikasa Always Puts Justice and Truth Above Her Own Self-Interest
Attack on Titan is a unique anime in that it prioritizes realism over emotions when plotting out its war. Anime series like Naruto and Black Clover work hard to give fans a sense of hope. On the other hand, Hajime Isayama spends all of his time figuring out how to destroy his fans' hope.
Still, despite all the despair that runs rampant through the pages of Isayama’s critically acclaimed manga series, there is still Mikasa Ackerman. Mikasa is the stoic beacon of hope and justice that fans needed when all hope was lost. She may not be All Might, but she is the closest thing fans will get in a show like Attack on Titan.
1 Mikasa’s Timing Is Impeccable
Mikasa may not be perfect, but her timing is. When Eren invades Marley, she manages to coordinate an attack against the Warhammer Titan without ever speaking to Eren about their plans. Many fans chalk this up to anime's dramatic nature, but Mikasa deserves some credit.
If it weren’t for her impeccable timing, Eren would have been captured, killed, or defeated more times than fans could keep track of. Her one mistake was not taking care of Eren before his brain was lost to the idea of global revenge. That's an error she carries the full weight of throughout the series' final arc.