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The popularity of My Hero Academia characters tends to vary from region to region.
Whether it's Japan or the United States, My Hero Academia has found major success in multiple countries. International fans have grown to love the heroes and villains of this series. However, the popularity of specific characters depends on each country and their cultural values.
This article will take a look at the differences between Japan and the United States, at least in terms of character perception. These polls were done in Weekly Shonen Jump, so they will be used as a reference guide.
My Hero Academia characters that are more popular in Japan
4) Tenya Ida
With the exception of the first poll, Tenya Ida has never scored anywhere in the United States polls. By comparison, he regularly finds a high placement in Japan's polls, as seen below:
- 8th (first), 8th (second), 5th (third), 5th (fourth), 9th (fifth), 4th (sixth), 6th (seventh)
Tenya sets a very high example for U.A. students in My Hero Academia. He is very diligent, always respectful of authority, and is dedicated to studying. Tenya is the perfect role model for Japanese students, which is what makes him popular.
3) Tomura Shigaraki
Shigaraki is the driving force of conflict in the My Hero Academia series.
The leader of the League of Villains, he spreads a path of death and destruction wherever he goes. Japanese fans have certainly taken notice of him and his tragic backstory, which likely contributed to his popularity:
- 19th (first), 16th (second), 15th (third), 24th (fourth), 5th (fifth), 10th (sixth), 18th (seventh)
Shigaraki has only placed in the United States poll once. He came in at seventeenth place in the first, which is somewhat low for his standing.
2) Present Mic
Shota Aizawa has always been a popular teacher in My Hero Academia. However, his best friend is right up there with him. Present Mic placed eleventh in the sixth poll and eighth in the seventh poll. By comparison, he isn't anywhere to be found in the United States polls.
Most of his popularity stems from his outgoing personality, as well as his personal friendship with Aizawa. He's always there when he needs him most.
1) Yo Shindo
Yo Shindo is a relatively minor character from the Provisional Hero License Exam. Nonetheless, his popularity within the Japanese fanbase cannot be denied. Shindo has consistently done well on My Hero Academia polls:
- 20th (second), 14th (third), 15th (fourth), 9th (sixth)
By comparison, Shindo has never ranked in the United States polls. It's not a surprise that he's popular in Japan. A lot of women tend to like his physical appearance.
My Hero Academia characters that are more popular in America
4) All Might
The symbol of My Hero Academia itself, All Might was considered the greatest hero that society has ever seen. He entrusted his powerful Quirk to Izuku Midoriya, who would go on to carry his legacy.
All Might has performed very well in the polls, to varying degrees of success:
- United States: 4th (first), 6th (second), 7th (third), 9th (fourth)
- Japan: 5th (first), 6th (second), 7th (third), 10th (fourth), 13th (fifth), 14th (sixth), 13th (seventh)
All Might is still popular in his native country, just not as much as overseas. This makes sense, given that he invokes the classic imagery of western superheroes. He is the My Hero Academia version of Superman.
3) Eijiro Kirishima
Kirishima is a Class 1-A student with plenty of popularity in Japan, having scored fourth place in the seventh most recent poll. Over in the west, however, he managed to place second in the fifth poll.
This puts him underneath Katsuki Bakugo but right above Izuku Midoriya and Shoto Todoroki. Kirishima doesn't get to showcase much, but when he does, he makes it count. This was best seen during his fight with Kendo Rappa in the Shie Hassaikai arc.
2) Momo Yaoyorozu
Momo has consistently been the most popular female character in My Hero Academia, at least for the United States. She placed fifth in the fourth and fifth poll, putting her ahead of Ochaco Uraraka.
Meanwhile, the representative of Class 1-A only scored 14th in the latest poll, right behind Uraraka and her twelfth placement. Momo isn't a major combatant, but she does make up for it with genius-level intellect and leadership skills.
1) Mirio Togata
First introduced in the Shie Hassaikai arc, Mirio was a prime candidate for the One For All Quirk, before All Might had met Izuku Midoriya.
Mirio perfectly embodies the true spirit of being a hero, always sacrificing himself to protect his friends and family. Interestingly, his popularity in My Hero Academia widely fluctuates between regions:
- United States: 9th (fourth), 10th (fifth)
- Japan: 41st (third), 26th (fourth), 25th (fifth), 19th (sixth)
It can be argued that his non-standard character design is more appealing to Western audiences, given his similarity to Vault Boy from Fallout.
Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.
