When it comes to portraying love stories in anime, Attack on Titan is not an exception. Despite being a war-centered story, this popular anime features some interesting romance plots. Characters falling in love, being obsessed, or experiencing unrequited love, all give a peculiar hue to the show. Here we emerge into the tragic love stories of two Attack on Titan’s characters who never got the chance to express their feelings openly: Bertholdt Hoover and Keith Shadis.
Bertholdt Hoover and Annie Leonhart, alongside Reiner, are part of the elite Marleyan forces sent to the Paradis Island to carry on slaughter and destruction. During their time together, Bertholdt secretly harbors feelings for Annie. However, being in a war situation, Bertholdt chooses to put aside his emotions. Reiner frequently mocks Bertholdt for his love for Annie, and during a combat inside the walls, Armin outwits Bertholdt by discussing Annie’s whereabouts. Although Bertholdt soon realizes that it was a trap, he still loses focus and time for a brief moment.
Keith Shadis, a former military commander, led a failed expedition that claimed many lives. He withdrew from military services and became the head instructor for the 104th Cadet Corps. Shadis’ love story is as tragic as his failure. He meets Grisha Yeager outside the walls and brings him inside. They stop by one of the bars where Carla worked. Keith and Carla become close later since he is a frequent customer at the bar. When a pandemic spreads, Keith takes Carla to Grisha for treatment, and during their stay, they fall in love. While returning from an expedition, Keith discovers that Carla and Grisha have married. He never imagined that he would miss such a significant moment in Carla’s life. Keith attends their wedding but leaves before it ends. After Grisha and Carla have Eren, Keith meets them again and introduces himself to the child. Carla is tragically eaten up by a Titan, and Keith secretly follows Grishna, who takes Eren to a forest. Eren’s injection with titan serum and eating away his father’s remains remaining his vivid painful cries.
Despite their heroic deeds and the battles they fought, both Bertholdt and Keith remained unable to express their feelings of love. Their tragic stories encompass a host of emotions that both fascinate and pierce the viewer’s heart. Attack on Titan has made this anime a must-watch for fans of action, romance, and tragedy.
