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My Hero Academia characters come in a lot of shapes and forms especially how author Kohei Horikoshi gives them variety in terms of characterization, designs, motivations, and abilities. However, there is no denying that the results with many of them were very subpar and divisive to fans out there.
In that regard, there are a lot of My Hero Academia characters who deserve a lot of attention. They need attention either due to them being the brightest spots of the series or them being one of the series' biggest disappointments. This article will look at, in no particular order, five characters of the series who were misused and five who managed to reach their true potential.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the My Hero Academia characters on this list and the series as a whole. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda.
5 My Hero Academia characters who were horribly misused
1) Ochako Uraraka
Ochako Uraraka is one of the most frustrating My Hero Academia characters to a lot of fans, mainly because of the way she has been handled throughout the series. She is well-liked as a person and her initial premise was very compelling, but is hard to look at how her journey was written by author Kohei Horikoshi and not think that she was wasted.
Uraraka was initially introduced as not only Deku's first real friend and possible love interest but also as someone with her own motivation to provide for her family. Most people loved the way she was handled in the Sports Festival arc, giving a solid performance during her battle with Katsuki Bakugo. Even though she lost the battle, people still wanted to see more of her.
However, Uraraka was pushed to the background afterward. Her goal to provide for her family wasn't addressed again in the series and she didn't have any prominent role in the subsequent arcs. Her rivalry with Himiko Toga had some development but most people disagreed with the resolution as Ochako seemingly showed an unjustified amount of empathy to a serial killer.
2) Fumikage Tokoyami
Tokoyami is one of those My Hero Academia characters who show what author Kohei Horikoshi could do at the best of his game. From his character design to his personality and Quirk, Tokoyami is a fan-favorite who had a lot of room for growth but was utterly wasted throughout most of the series.
Tokoyami was seemingly pushed to the background despite having one of the few sentient Quirks in the series in Dark Shadow. He also had a very clear obstacle to overcome, which was controlling this power at night. His issues with Dark Shadow were solved overnight and was never given a chance to properly influence any major plot point.
It could be argued that his role was never to be a main character and that is perfectly fine. However, supporting members of the cast such as Kirishima or Mirio got their moment to shine in some arcs. He is one of the most original characters in the series and was never given a moment to grow and develop for the audience to see and read.
3) Tenya Iida
It could be argued that Tokoyami was meant to always be a supporting character without much influence on the plot. However, the character of Iida definitely got the short end of the stick when it comes to the main cast. It can also be argued that he is one of the worst-handled cases regarding My Hero Academia characters.
Iida was introduced as one of Deku's first friends and first rival, and even had a prominent role during the Stain arc, with Tenya trying to avenge his brother. However, once that arc is resolved, Iida is pushed to the background and doesn't have any moments to shine beyond helping Deku go back to UA and assisting Shoto Todoroki in the War arc.
4) Eijiro Kirishima
Eijiro Kirishima is a very good example of those My Hero Academia characters that Horikoshi never fully knew what to do with. It seemed that the character was initially going to be in the background for some comedic moments but then the mangaka gave him a much more prominent role in the Overhaul arc. That is where he shined the most... which, in a weird way, led to more problems.
Kirishima had an amazing battle against Rappa and his character was fleshed out considerably, especially regarding his motivations and why he is so obsessed with masculinity. All of this made him a fan-favorite, which made his subsequent decrease of relevance in the story even more puzzling.
5) Spinner
The League of Villains has had a lot of varying results when it comes to the way they were handled. That has made them some of the most controversial My Hero Academia characters out there. However, when compared to the way someone like Spinner was handled, it is fair to say that the rest of the League got a much better deal.
Spinner was introduced as the man who believed the most in Stain’s ideals of the false heroes but that element is not explored a lot during his time in the series. He is also shown as Tomura Shigaraki’s best friend but their connection is never developed in the manga. Spinner is ultimately defeated as he turns into a hulking monster by the drugs he consumed during the War arc, ending as a mere afterthought.
5 My Hero Academia characters who lived up to their potential
1) Endeavor
Very few My Hero Academia characters are as controversial as Endeavor because of his actions to his family and it makes a lot of sense due to the nature of his actions. It is understandable that a lot of fans might not warm up to the character but Horikoshi did work hard to redeem him and give the Number 2 Hero a redemption arc.
Endeavor grows from a very unlikeable and selfish individual to a man who understands the sins he has committed and tries to make up for his mistakes. His redemption arc doesn't undermine the bad things he did and constantly tries to confront his past, making him one of the best journeys in the entire series.
2) All Might
All Might is one of the most known My Hero Academia characters in the entire anime community and one of the most beloved characters in the franchise. His characterization, growth, and representation as the Symbol of Hope is something that has remained one of the most compelling elements of the entire series.
Horikoshi did something very interesting by not making All Might go the typical shonen anime route of having him die as every sensei does. Instead, he made him lose his powers and deal with being incapable of acting. While his final battle with All For One was definitely handled poorly at the end, he is one of the best-written characters in the series.
3) Shota Aizawa
Shota Aizawa was never meant to be an extremely prominent character in My Hero Academia. He was clearly established to be a sensei who, despite appearances, cares deeply for his students. The Kurogiri arc, while not having the most organic of developments, added a bit more depth to his character and his friendship with Present Mic.
Among My Hero Academia characters, Aizawa is a very good example of a simple but enjoyable character who had a clear function and was executed well. The use of his Erase Quirk was given the importance it deserved, although the Kurogiri situation created the plothole of why All For One didn't steal Aizawa's ability at any point in the series.
4) Overhaul
There have been a lot of My Hero Academia villains throughout the years but is fair to say that Overhaul was one of the best handled in the entire series. That is saying a lot when considering that he didn't have as much screen time as the likes of the League of Villains and All For One.
Overhaul was a very good villain because of his character design, motivations, leadership abilities, and the consequences of his actions. He is also the one villain among My Hero Academia characters who actually took the life of a hero, killing Sir Nighteye in the events of his own arc.
5) Stain
Much like Overhaul, Stain didn't have a lot of screen time in the series but his impact was felt throughout the story. It is also worth pointing out that, just like Overhaul, he is one of the few villains who has a motivation that goes beyond just destruction or hurting others.
Stain also has a moral compass that never changes in the story but the situations led to him switching stories. That is something that makes him very compelling and his journey, including motivating All Might, was enjoyable to watch and read. Perhaps the only area worth criticizing was how he was handled in the All For One fight but here is hoping that he gets a resolution after the War arc ends.
Final thoughts
My Hero Academia characters come in all shapes and forms and that has been part of the series's appeal throughout the years. However, there is no denying that some characters were handled better than others and that is bound to happen in any manga series.
