Tems Proves Anime Loyalty With “Attack On Titan” Rankings

Key Takeaways:

• Tems named Mikasa, Eren Yeager and Armin as her top three “Attack on Titan” characters — in that order.
• She explained her rankings by analyzing each character’s personality and strategic mindset.
• Tems also talked about the creative inspiration behind her surprise EP, Love Is A Kingdom.

Tems is many things — a Grammy Award winner, an alté R&B powerhouse and a cultural touchstone — but during her new appearance on BBC Radio 1Xtra, she proved she’s also a certified anime lover. During a chat with host Remi Burgz, published on Monday (Dec. 8), the Nigerian superstar broke down her all-time “Attack on Titan” favorites — and confidently placed No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 on the podium.

“Yes, I am. Very much so,” she said when asked if she’s really an anime fan. Tems didn’t hesitate when it came time to rank the show’s central trio — Armin, Eren Yeager and Mikasa — characters from a story set in a world where humanity fights for survival behind massive protective walls. Her explanations came straight from the perspective of someone who knows the universe well.

“Armin third … because he’s cool. But, you know… it’s the aura. He doesn’t have that. He’s not there,” the “Free Mind” singer explained. Then came her unexpected pivot: “But funny enough, I would put Eren Yeager second… he’s the mastermind. He thought about the end from the beginning … But, I would put Mikasa first because she’s just the realest. She’s so genuine and yeah, maybe I’m biased ‘cause I’m a woman, but I just feel she should be on top.”

Elsewhere during the conversation, Tems also opened up about releasing Love Is A Kingdom, a seven-track EP she dropped with no announcement in late November. When asked about the mindset behind it, she shared, “I was feeling a bit stiff. I was feeling a bit stuck. I wanted to challenge myself, actually.” She added that the project captures “things I experienced in my last year that I’ve now gotten over. I’ve moved on. I wanted to share with my people before, you know, the next chapter.”

And to anyone comparing her surprise drop to Beyoncé’s, Tems was clear: “Actually, I’m not [trying to be like Beyoncé], I’m just trying to be human. I just wanna be different, real and authentic. I just want to be able to wake up and do anything, you know?”