I'm not sure why Escha is getting D. Kali levels of votes. I expected it, because the community loves her, but I don't really understand it. D. Kali is a key sub on multiple top tier Arena 2 teams. Escha's main team, YomiDra, has long since fallen out of favor and arguably isn't all that good in Arena 2. Clearable, but there are better leads of her color. Panda has long since become the best dark lead and she really doesn't get a boost from Escha. You can't even point to a plethora of teams Escha boosts. She's pretty situational since OE has fallen a bit by the wayside once again. Akechi is far more key and versatile to every dark team at this point.
The only thing she really has is her 6* GFE status, but there are others that offer similar niche strength in that rarity. Scheat and Kanna fulfill similarly niche roles on teams as strong or stronger than Escha's and are also 6* GFE's. Escha is good, but I really don't get the 'king sub' status she's getting ascribed. The fact she's so high up and Gadius is a bubble pick is kinda shocking.
She's not an S rank sub on every team and certainly not the highest tiers but she works on pretty much every dark team. Even if she's off type in A. Pandora you can slot her in and she'll put in work by either flooding the board with dark or ensuring 100% enhance skyfall (flat ~30% damage increase). AA Luci, Yomidra, A. Yomi, and A Haku are all still solid leads and Eschamali works on all of them.
I'm also not sure the entire voting populous is gearing for Arena/2 or are aware of the 4 Gentlemen. As you said she's good (I'd say great). She's easier to use than D. Kali as well (even if not as strong). I don't agree with her spot at number 1 and certainly not by the current margin, but I can see why she's there.
Akechi is great too but lacks the stats and awakenings till he gets an uevo. He's 100% about his active (which is absurdly good).
Everyone in the top 25 is really good in their slot. If Ra makes top 25 I'm going to scream though. I have 5 I don't need any more. I'd trade for an Isis in a heart beat.
Looking at the top 25 reminds me that red won't have a super strong lead until Xiang Mei. Shiva is really good and carried me to where I can clear most things now but the Rush and high level challenge dungeons really show that he has a hard damage cap. Only Gadius really qualifies as the other red leader in the bunch and he's out classed by quite a bit.
Blue has Ryunii, Light has ADQXQ (eventually) and Thor/Saria (both missing from the top 25 interestingly enough), Dark has plenty of options (Panda, AALuci, A. Yomi), Green is in a similar rough patch to Red with Astaroth and Sylvie/Freyja holding it together. What's red's best non MP leads? Shiva, Horus, anyone else?