Attack on Titan vs. Death Note: Who was more justified, Eren or Light?

When discussing morality in Attack on Titan and Death Note, it’s difficult to find a definite answer. Even some of the popular philosophers believe that there could be more than one truth for the same situation. That’s why when we talk about two anti-heroes in their own right, it’s hard to point the finger at just one.

These two, Eren Yeager from Attack on Titan and Light Yagami from Death Note, are special because each had god tiered powers and wanted to use the tool to balance the world.

Somewhere along the line, they both went off the deep end with no way back. That is why, if we look into the root of their actions, it starts with looking into their motives and backgrounds.

Eren from Attack on Titan started his journey as a child with a normal life, but one fateful day, he lost everything because a titan decided to break a wall that was keeping civilians safe from monsters that would literally eat humans.

From that day on, a child had one goal, and that was to find freedom and liberation from a life of hiding. Once he uncovers the truth about the world outside the walls, Eren decides to become the shield and sword of Paradis Island.

He sees the rest of the world as a ticking time bomb that will never accept the Eldians. In his eyes, the only way to secure freedom is to destroy the rest of humanity via the Rumbling. While Eren did not enjoy killing and saw it as an action that needed to be taken to achieve his goal, and also took responsibility for his actions. It does not make it less horrifying.

On the other hand, Light Yagami from Death Note had everything he needed to succeed in life. But when he came across the Death Note and decided to kill someone to test if it was a hoax or not shows us that maybe there is something sinister in him.

Soon, his goal was set that he wanted to create a world where crime did not exist. But somewhere along the lines of just killing criminals, the lines blurred, and he took out anyone who posed a threat to him. This means that where Eren acts on behalf of his people, Light acts for an abstract ideal.

Attack on Titan vs. Death Note: Comparing their methods and their legacy

It is one thing to have a motive and another to actually set it in action. Both characters kill many people, but their methods show a lot about them. Eren from Attack on Titan started the rumbling. That act killed 80 % of humankind. He had to take this big step as talks did not work. The world viewed Eldians as devils. His method is blunt, brutal, and total. It is utilitarian evil: kill billions to save millions.

Meanwhile, Light’s method was more surgical. He had to write the name of the person he wanted to be killed. He first killed only criminals, but then, when L or anyone questioned him found themselves dead.

Furthermore, his obsession evolved into paranoia and narcissism. By the end of his life, no one cared about him, and even he was so astray from this initial goal that Light was nothing but a hardened criminal.

Finally, while Eren's actions let the world of Attack on Titan create short-term peace. Still, the story implies that his sacrifice allows for the possibility of peace, something that seemed impossible before.

On the other hand, under Kira’s rule, crime rates drop due to fear. But the cost is the loss of free will, civil liberties, and human dignity. A world ruled by Light would not be just; it would be a dictatorship disguised as moral order. His world is one where justice is whatever he says it is.

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Final thoughts

It’s easy to hate both Eren and Light. It’s also easy to admire them. They’re interesting because they challenge our morality. But after comparing both of them, we can conclude that Eren Yeager’s actions in Attack on Titan were more justified than Light Yagami’s. Neither is innocent. Both are monsters by the end. But only one became a monster to protect others.

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