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Shonen animes like My Hero Academia, although mostly tame with their narratives, have at some point been subjected to one or the other controversy.
Despite the massive following that My Hero Academia enjoys in the anime community, some of the characters have come under intense scrutiny for reasons including, but not limited to, predictable story arcs, mishandling of gender roles, and downright questionable actions.
Here, we will look at some characters from the My Hero Academia universe and discuss what makes them so controversial.
Disclaimer: This article expresses the author's personal views on the subject and contains spoilers for My Hero Academia manga/anime.
Endeavor, Bakugo, and other controversial characters from My Hero Academia
1) Mineta Minoru
It is only fair to begin the list with the most unanimously hated character of the series, Mineta Minoru. This little creep is the embodiment of inappropriate behavior, consistently inserting a s*xual connotation in his every action. Not to mention the fact that this pervy attribute of his is portrayed in a very casual way in the series, garnering criticism since his first appearance.
The bane of existence for every female character in the series, he has managed to annoy people universally. Additionally, it is widely agreed that he doesn’t have what it takes to be a pro hero and doesn’t deserve the same footing as his peers.
2) Midnight
The subtle misogyny in the mangaka’s portrayal of female characters in the series has not escaped the fandom - the starkest example of that being Midnight. Besides the wildly inappropriate character design for a shonen anime, she has not been treated fairly and respectfully in her narrative sketch.
Fans have been quick to point out how her death did not get even half the attention and the intensity of reactions like that of Sir Nighteye, both high-ranking pro heroes.
S*xualizing female characters in anime has been a problem for a long time and is yet to be eradicated. Still, being a part of the new generation of shonen anime, My Hero Academia should have been more responsible and aware of the contemporary social and cultural arena.
3) Ochako Uraraka
You would think that Ochako Uraraka could never be labeled as controversial, and although that is true to a large extent, even her character has been criticized by some fans.
They argue that Uraraka’s story arc was ruined the moment she was started to be treated as the generic love-struck female character in a shonen anime, serving largely as the romantic counterpart for the male protagonist and straying from her initial character development as an independent persona.
Even her backstory, which revealed that her motivation for being a hero was monetary gains, has divided the fandom. While one faction supports her zeal to provide for her family and considers being in a profession to earn money reasonable and pragmatic, the other faction believes that being a hero with monetary gains as their sole motivation is morally and ethically wrong.
4) Dr. Daruma Ujiko
My Hero Academia recently made headlines when Dr. Daruma Ujiko’s real name was revealed. The reason for that is the name itself and its connection to the sensitive history of China. One of the most diabolical villains in the show, Dr. Kyudai Garaki, aka Dr. Daruma Ujiko, received even more hate after his name was announced as Maruta Shiga.
The reason for the outrage is that the name Maruta is associated with unethical science experiments, referred to as Unit 731, conducted by the Japanese during WWII for the sake of researching bioweapons. Over 3000 Chinese and Korean people were killed due to that evil, and the victims were referred to by the term ‘maruta.’
This connection, probably as an allusion to the character being a doctor too, instantly garnered widespread criticism.
5) Endeavor
Despite his supposed redemptive nature in the latter parts of the series, fans have not decided to forgive Endeavor just yet. The fact that he is revered and respected while completely overlooking his deeply flawed character does not sit well with the fandom, and quite rightfully so. He constantly abused his wife and blamed her for not giving birth to a perfect offspring whose power he wanted to take advantage of.
He even beat his children, and he was the reason why Todoroki’s face was scarred. He was single-handedly responsible for the trauma suffered by his wife, which led to her being admitted to a psychiatric hospital. It is pretty self-explanatory why he made it on this list.
6) Katsuki Bakugo
Bakugo’s personality has split the fandom in its opinion of his constant disregard for others and his mammoth of pride. He is too full of himself, which has invited explicit criticism on online platforms, and the fact that he still manages to get the crown for the most popular character in the series doesn’t sit well with many.
This unamiable demeanor had sparked controversy from the beginning, and the final ball was dropped when he asked Izuku to jump off a building. This moment became one of the most controversial moments in the series and contributed to Bakugo’s character being considered beyond redemption. However, Bakugo owned up to his mistake and apologized to Izuku in the manga, so there might be hope for him after all.
7) Hawks
The perpetrator of one of the most controversial moments in the series, Hawks’ reputation was stained when he killed Twice. It was a polarizing move by Hawks as some fans despised him for killing a favorite, while others believed it was a necessary evil.
Twice, despite being a villain was recognized as a good person deep down, and the relationship between him and Hawks eventually grew. So, when he was forced to kill Twice, the guy who always advocated for him, it made quite the impression, though a negative one.
8) All For One
With a look reminiscent of Darth Vader himself, All For One has showcased the attributes needed to make the perfect supervillain. Still, his recent return to the narrative has thrown off fans who say that stealing the spotlight from Shigaraki is unfavorable.
Shigaraki had the potential to be the ultimate successor as the antagonist, further enhancing the dramatic element of the arc, given his connection with All for One. That potential was wasted when he was sidetracked all of a sudden as just a stepping stone for All For One’s master plan.
9) Mei Hatsume
It is debatable whether she belongs on this list, but there have been circumstances where Mei Hatsume’s actions have been questionable. Fans have stated that her strategy for advertising her inventions is way out of line, and her overly enthusiastic disposition can sometimes render her annoying and self-centered. She also shows no regard for personal boundaries when she is in her creative zone.
10) Mount Lady
Here we go again with the s*xualization and misogyny when it comes to the female characters in My Hero Academia. Mount Lady and her quirk is an innuendo in itself, but what caught the fans' attention was when she used her charm and s*xual prowess to get free snacks from a vendor.
Portrayed as typical and lighthearted, it did not escape the critics. Although mostly unproblematic, Mount Lady definitely lost some good points for that action.
