Attack on Titan has established itself as one of the most legendary anime of all time, with the work of both Studio Wit and MAPPA being absolutely exemplary and bringing the quality of the anime to a whole new level. There are many reasons why the anime has become so popular, and its stellar animation is just one of the many reasons.
Of course, Attack on Titan's characters is also what makes the show tick as well. From the main trio to the host of secondary characters that have appeared – Attack on Titan has many likable and annoying characters scattered throughout the show that have become memorable in their own right. However, certain important characters that should've received way more screen time have been left in the mud, with the following examples being particularly notable in this regard.
5 Hannes
Hannes is the only character on this list to be present in the show from the very first episode. He doesn't give off a great initial impression, with his drunkenness and callous attitude being reflective of how complacent he has become with living life in the confines of the walls. However, all of this changes once the Titans breach Shiganshina and wreak havoc, with Hannes futilely trying to save Carla from the jaws of a Titan only to succumb to his fear and run away with Eren and Mikasa instead.
After this moment, Hannes doesn't really appear in the series for the longest time. He does end up making an appearance once again, but this is short-lived since he gets eaten by the same Titan that he ran away from all those years back.
4 Annie Leonhart
Annie is easily one of the most interesting and engaging characters on the show when she makes her appearance as a military recruit. Her stoic mannerisms and penchant for hand-to-hand combat made her a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately, any scope of her being a hero was completely wiped out when it turned out that Annie was actually a member of the Marleyan invading party that was under strict orders to bring the Founding Titan back to the glorious country.
Her identity as the Female Titan was revealed near the end of the first season, culminating in a brutal battle against Eren which almost decimated the entirety of the inner city. After losing this battle, she encases herself in crystal and doesn't really appear in the series. Of course, the last season is bound to bring her back, and fans can't wait to see how that will happen.
3 Keith Shadis
There was a time when Keith Shadis seemed like nothing more than a run-of-the-mill military instructor who would be incredibly hard on potential recruits and let them know that the military is no laughing matter. His introduction certainly made him seem like a tough instructor with a no-nonsense attitude...although this facade is uncovered later on to reveal a pathetic man who lived in the shadow of Grisha Yeager and could never compare to the greatness of this man.
Keith doesn't make too many appearances in the show, which is odd given how close he was to Eren's father. He does play a central role in a rather pathetic moment where he's beaten down by the recruits who decide to defect to the Yeagerists instead of serving the military as they should've.
2 Historia Reiss
The woman formerly known as Krista Lenz definitely had some major screen time throughout the series, with the arc where the royal family was unmasked for what it truly was pretty much cementing her as a main character who would play a pivotal role in the events to come. As a result, some people might find it odd as to why she's on this list in the first place.
The major reason why Historia makes this list is that she pretty much becomes a background character after becoming the rightful ruler. It's a shame, but this is understandable – after all, Historia wasn't exactly going to be the most riveting watch after ascending to the throne, and the Survey Corps was always going to take center stage in the events of Attack on Titan. It's just sad to see how far Historia has fallen off the map when it comes to her screen time.
1 Darius Zackly
Most people would assume that a man who heads the three important military divisions of Paradis Island would've been featured heavily across all seasons of Attack on Titan. However, Darius Zackly just ends up being a generic no-nonsense military leader with a psychotic spree of his own that is barely shown throughout the series.
The fact that Pixis ends up enjoying way more screen time than Zackly shows that Isayama wasn't really keen on showing this character in a major capacity in the first place. While it makes sense to keep Darius in the background given his immense responsibilities, it's still a shame that he never really gets the time to shine all that much in Attack on Titan barring a few sparse scenes. Perhaps the final part of Season 4 will change this notion...although it seems highly unlikely.
