10 My Hero Academia characters who suffered the most

My Hero Academia showcases a world where being a Hero brings prestige and the responsibility to uphold justice and protect. However, when the layers are peeled back, heroism conceals deep emotional and psychological trauma. Kohei Horikoshi's series gives audiences intense battles and unique Quirks, but also openly underscores the harsh realities characters face.

Be it childhood trauma, rejection from society, betrayal or the burden of expectation, many of them have endured hardship to become what they are known as today. In many cases, this serves as a driver which determines what path they ultimately follow - heroism or villainy. This article lists such characters in the series who have experienced the hardest of times.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the writer's opinion.

My Hero Academia characters who experienced the greatest suffering

1) Eri

Kicking off this list of My Hero Academia characters who suffered the most is little Eri. Gifted with an extraordinary Quirk called Rewind, she was left in the care of Kai Chisaki (Overhaul) who found her power quite intriguing. With goals of his own, Kai did not hesitate to subject the little girl to painful experiments to extract her ability through her Quirk.

When she first appears in the series, her arms and legs are covered in bandages which hide numerous scars. This, with a tough beginning, made Eri fearful and seclude herself, not even screaming or crying when faced with murderous intent.

2) Endeavor aka Enji Todoroki

Endeavor aka Enji Todoroki (Image via Studio Bones)

Next, My Hero Academia's Flame Hero Endeavor also finds himself counted on this list. Enji Todoroki's obsession to surpass All Might poured onto his family and particularly his youngest son Shoto. Thus, he subjected the boy to intense and harsh training, even behaving abusively and coldly to his wife when she tried to speak with him about. He ended up neglecting the very people fighting for him.

But he later realizes his mistakes and attempts to make amends. Filled to the brim with guilt and regret, Endeavor accepts complete responsibility for his misdeeds and sets out to remedy them.

3) Tomura Shigaraki

Tomura Shigaraki (Image via Studio Bones)

Probably one of My Hero Academia's most tragic characters, Tomura Shigaraki, had nothing but hardship. To begin with, his birth and Quirks were orchestrated by All For One as part of his twisted aim to steal One For All. Tomura was cleverly manipulated and turned into an agent of violence and hate. He would eventually learn the real and harsh truth about what AFO did and that his life wasn't his own.

Painful body modifications aside, Tomura suffered from a mental standpoint - an abusive and miserable childhood followed by a life of being manipulated.

4) Dabi aka Touya Todoroki

The eldest son of the Todoroki household turned to villainy due to his father's actions. Touya, later called Dabi in My Hero Academia, driven by the desire for acknowledgement from Enji ended up destroying himself. His alternative identity was the result of his father's neglect and selfish misdeeds. Physical harm aside, Dabi spent the majority of his life plotting revenge on Endeavor.

He didn't mind giving up his own life if it meant he could get back at his father. Discarded emotionally, Dabi was fueled by betrayal, loss, and a yearning to destroy the family that broke him.

5) Toga Himiko

One of My Hero Academia's most loved villains, Toga Himiko, also finds herself on this list. Like others included her, she too experienced a tough childhood, shunned by her own family due to her appearance and her Quirk. This constant rejection supressed her true self and damaged her emotionally and mentally. At one point, she decided to abandon society altogether after succumbing to the pressure.

Thus, the villainous side of Toga was born. Even with faced with imminent danger, she would smile in a twisted manner. Her suffering is focuses more on being ostracized for what she couldn't control.

6) Shoto Todoroki

Another member of the Todoroki household in My Hero Academia finds himself on this list. Shoto was dubbed to be the perfect product that Endeavor so desparately wanted. His only fault was being born with both his father and his mother's Quirks. Thus began a very tough early life of brutal and relentless training. More than a son, he was seen as a tool.

His childhood was defined by fear, resentment and the want of being loved rather than used. He spent a lot of his life hating his father and rejecting his fire side as a result. Shoto's character portrays the burden of legacy amidst a search for self.

7) Kurogiri aka Oboro Shirakumo

While unique, My Hero Academia's Kurogiri, formerly Oboro Shirakumo, hides a tragic secret. Once a bright and promising young student at U.A., he lost his life during a mission. His death was deeply mourned by Shota Aizawa and his other friends. But that is where his suffering peaked - AFO and Garaki stole his body to reanimate him as a Nomu named Kurogiri.

Mindless and with no agency, Oboro's body was being made to bend to the will of the evil he was fighting against. Worse than death itself, he wasn't allowed to rest as he lost his identity and was strung along like a puppet

8) Twice aka Jin Bubaigawara

Twice or Jin Bubaigawara was quite an emotionally devastating case in My Hero Academia. Starting out as kind-hearted and soft, his Quirk Twice soon resulted in him losing his true identity. Loneliness, psychological breakdowns and a deep desire for belonging were elevated within him, the man even fearing to remove his mask as he was unsure of himself being the original Jin.

Needless to mention, he abandoned society and his trauma compelled him to resort to villainous ways. As he passed away, he managed to embrace his true self and this served as a reminder of his suffering and longing for acceptanceHis tragic death—after finally overcoming his fear and embracing his true self—was a gut-wrenching reminder of how deeply he suffered and how badly he just wanted to be accepted.

9) Katsuki Bakugo

Deuteragonist of the My Hero Academia franchise, Katsuki Bakugo also finds himself included on this list. Outwardly, he was hot-headed, but beneath it all was concealed considerable guilt and pressure. He got a reality check when he arrived at U.A., having been praised as a child for his Quirk. This feeling was elevated by Deku suddenly "manifesting" a Quirk, which he struggled to figure out.

But Bakugo has always regretted not being able to battle the League of Villains (in their first encounter) and later due to All Might retiring after losing his power. His bullying of Deku stemmed from his own insecurities and fear of being outdone.

10) Spinner

Lastly, Spinner concludes this list of My Hero Academia characters who suffered quite a bit in the show. His pain and trauma was rooted in him being shunned from and discriminated against in society given his appearance. His heteromorphic Quirk gave him a reptilian look which did not bode well with many. Spinner found clarity in Stain's philosophy, adopting it for himself to reshape society.

His vulnerability and pain made him an easy target for All For One's manipulation, who turned him into a true beast. Spinner's pain was quite but profound and All For One leveraged his desire for belonging for hatred and destruction.

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About the author

Casey has been an anime writer at Sportskeeda since almost a year. Being drawn into the world of animanga after watching the Dragon Ball series almost a decade ago, Casey's interest in the genre, along with his love of crafting plot theories influenced his writerly endeavors. Presently pursuing a Master's degree in International Business, Casey worked for Uneake and FootballExpress for 1.3 years before joining Sportskeeda.

Casey's writings reflect his commitment to producing the most reliable content, evidenced by his flair for in-depth reporting. He places a high value on meticulous research and complete factual accuracy.

Although it was legendary Akira Toriyama’s magnum opus that influenced his love of animanga, Casey soon branched out and explored other titles. The unique ways in which mangakas express ideas, as well as their far-reaching effects, have inspired Casey in his creative pursuits.

When not busy writing, Casey enjoys working out, listening to music, strumming the guitar, and playing football.

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Edited by Casey Mendez