My Top 10 Favorite MHA Characters
As soon as Hawk’s backstory and arc as a double agent began, he immediately became my favorite character for a while. He personifies the dark side of hero society so well and I was so excited to see how it would be handled. His personality was also fun and interesting since he portrays himself as a charming pretty boy on the outside who hides his trauma also added some bonus points.
However, in my opinion, his story went downhill after the Paranormal Liberation arc. I already dedicated two posts about this so I’ll be brief in my explanation. Firstly, I really wanted a moment where Keigo was stunned or shaken up about Endeavor abusing his children like how he was abused by his own father. I understand that Endeavor is different since he wanted to redeem himself and improve his relationship with his family, but it's natural to be shocked that your idol turned out to be an abuser too. Also, Hawks saying he’s a bad person for “abandoning” his family and commending Shoto for forgiving Endeavor was in bad taste because his story is depicting that you need to forgive and be there for your abuser to heal, which is not true. Lastly, I would’ve preferred Keigo losing his quirk to Dabi rather than All For One since him and Dabi were foils of each other and rivals.
Because of these issues, he dropped down to tenth place, though I still love him.
9. Tomura Shigaraki/Tenko Shimura
I will admit that I didn’t care about Shigaraki until the villain arc in Season 5 (the only great thing about that season) when he finally broke out of AFO’s shadow and became his own villain. His backstory was also amazing and made me sympathize with him. That momentum continued in the next season when Tomura used all the quirks he absorbed and was an absolute powerhouse. He truly felt like the perfect antagonist for Izuku.
What keeps him in on the lower half is AFO coming back and possessing Shigaraki and taking over as the biggest threat for most of the final arc. It felt like Tomura was somewhat regressing back to his old position of being under AFO’s thumb. I also really wanted Shigaraki and the rest of the League of Villains to be the main focus. Thankfully, the final few chapters/episodes fixed that where he was the main villain by the end of the series.
I liked Himiko when she was introduced because of her quirk and my curiosity of why she desires blood. I grew to like her even more after Twice’s death. Toga and Twice’s friendship was one of my favorite aspects of the League of Villains, and watching her grieve was palpable. Also, as a queer person, her backstory kind of resonated with me, especially now with discrimination towards the LGBTQ+ community increasing in my country. Her parents wanting to suppress her innate desire for blood is a pretty good allegory of homophobia (not perfect), which is more evident since Toga is bisexual.
The moment that made me love Toga is her final fight with Uraraka. It was so emotional and showed how Himiko wouldn’t have become a villain if she got the help she needed. Her giving a blood transfusion to Uraraka was one of my favorite moments and I almost cried. The symbolism of Toga wearing Ochaco’s hero suit during the transfusion was also great. Other than her death, I think Himiko’s story ended very well.
7. Shota Aizawa/Eraserhead
I’m a sucker for "reluctant parent” characters and it was initially what made me love Aizawa. His care towards Class 1-A was so sweet with him protecting Asui from Shigaraki being one of my favorites. Aizawa taking care of Eri was also very cute, especially the Christmas episode and him helping her control her quirk. Learning about his backstory with Oboro was great since it added an extra layer to his protective nature towards the students. I wish it was explored a little more and felt like the storyline’s ending was kind of rushed. Fortunately, Vigilantes remedied this and made me appreciate it since it’s the reason why he isolates himself from others, yet cares a lot for the next generation and doesn’t want them to experience the same pain he went through. Also, seeing Aizawa without the weight on his shoulder and smiling more often made me happy.
6. Ochaco Uraraka/Uravity
Uraraka has been my favorite female character since MHA started. Her reason for being a hero was intriguing and a breath of fresh since most of the main female characters in shonen are pretty boring. I also could relate to her. I’ve wanted to do anything I could to help better my family’s lives too. Though, I did find her kind of boring in between season 3 and 5 due to her motivations not being as well-structured and not having as much spotlight as needed.
Thankfully, she massively improved throughout the last three seasons. Her goal in understanding and helping Himiko really fleshed out her goal in wanting to help others. Their final battle was one of my favorite moments from the series because it provided a great way to develop both of them. Personally, Ochaco starting a quirk counseling center was the best ending out of all the characters. It ended her arc perfectly.
In the beginning, I didn’t grow to love Dabi’s character until there were hints of him being Toya. I suspected that twist for a while, but wasn't sure because I didn’t know if fire-type quirks were common during the early seasons. The mystery of what happened that led to his “death” and becoming Dabi, which wasn’t disappointing, kept me interested. The reveal when he removed the hair dye and his dance (reminded me of the Joker’s dance on the stairs) enhanced it and really showed Dabi’s nonchalant attitude from previous seasons deteriorating into instability fueled by unresolved trauma and pain.
Although I don’t condone his actions, Dabi’s backstory broke my heart due to his belief that being strong is the only way to receive love. Endeavor fueled that belief by neglecting him, Fuyumi, and Natsuo in order to focus on achieving his goal through Shoto. Furthermore, seeing Dabi’s “death” scene was heartwrenching as he’s calling his father for help while burning himself. I understand that Toya continuing to use his quirk despite the warnings wasn’t smart, yet that responsibility is on Enji imo. He reinforced this notion that the amount of power you have is equivalent to how much love is given.
Lastly, Dabi and Shoto’s battle was a great display of their family trauma and the missed opportunity to be brothers rather than enemies that is visually shown when you can see their younger selves as Shoto says he will force a connection. Also, seeing the visions of a happy Toya with his family and Endeavor was so sad and a great representation of what could have been. Even though I was disappointed that he died, the hospital was a great final scene for Dabi since it gave him the chance to know Shoto beyond the hatred. The moment when he cried and apologized to Shoto after he found out they shared a connection (their enjoyment of soba) gave me a little hope that those two could build a friendly or brotherly relationship before he died.
I always liked Izuku. He exemplified what a hero is and was willing to do a lot of work to achieve his goal. His training was one of my favorite aspects because it was somewhat unique. While learning his new powers, he had to figure out creative ways to escape his limits. I really enjoyed that his fighting style was more strategic and out of the box. I will admit that I was bummed that his fighting style changed after meeting the previous OFA holders but he was still strategic in his style so I won’t complain too much.
Although it is pretty typical, I really liked Izuku’s journey once he started his internship with Nighteye. He showcased his heroism with his strong resolve to save Eri and doing all he can to achieve it. His battle against Overhaul was one of my favorites because Eri helping him with her quirk represents the positive impact he gave her. His Dark Deku arc was very good too. It showed his disillusionment with current heroism and belief that isolating himself from his friends and family would protect. While I wish the arc was longer, I enjoyed it, especially the scene with Class 1A helping Izuku realize that he doesn’t need to face OFA’s burden alone.
The final arc was a great showcase of Izuku’s character. Despite everything Shigaraki did, Izuku wanted to save him from OFA and it’s showcased the most when Izuku goes through Shigaraki’s life to understand him. He succeeds in giving him peace through death, but feels immense guilt due to believing he could’ve done more. I think that’s the catalyst that made Izuku decide to be a teacher so he could help future heroes through their personal issues as their mentor. After all, Shigaraki wanted to be a hero yet became a villain since he was ignored.
Lastly, seeing Izuku being okay with losing OFA showed how much he had grown. Although I wished there was a moment where he was sad, I do understand why he was at peace since his reason for being a hero was to help people, which can be seen when he still wants to be a teacher despite returning to hero work. Izuku’s writing isn’t perfect but it was a great journey.
3. Eijiro Kirishima/Red Riot
I’ve always liked Kirishima. He’s a kind and fun guy, as well as a great representation of healthy masculinity. His friendship with Bakugo was also great and interesting since he was the only person the latter got along with at the time. However, S4 made me love him enough that he became my favorite for a while. His backstory of being more fearful like not facing Gigantomachia and resolve to reinvent himself into the person he wants to be is kind of relatable. It was also refreshing to see that Crimson Riot inspired Kirishima instead of All Might because it would’ve been boring for All Might to be the next generation’s only inspiration for heroism.
Anyways, his moments during his internship and in the mission to save Eri were what won me over. When he confronted that guy with the drug, it showed how great of a hero he would be. Initially, Kirishima tried to convince the guy to give up and use his powers for good, then pushed himself to the limit to protect nearby citizens. It’s one of my favorite moments from the series since it showed an instance of true heroism. Additionally, when he and Fat Gum fought Rappa, Kirishima pushed himself once again and got in front of Fat Gum to protect him and give his mentor more time to complete his final move. These scenes made Kirishima one of S4’s shining stars.
Despite not being a main focus anymore, his arc continued when he went through fire to save Mina from Gigantomachia’s attack. It was basically him repaying Mina’s bravery and growing beyond that impactful memory. This scene was great and made me more interested in Class 1A’s part in the war. Additionally, Mina protecting him later on and calling him her hero was so sweet (I love KiriMina!)
Finally, seeing how well-known Kirishima became during his hero years made me ecstatic and proud of him since that’s what he truly wanted- to inspire others.
2. Katsuki Bakugo/ Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight
My journey with Bakugo is basically growing to tolerate it throughout most of the seasons. I truly warmed up to him after he apologized to Izuku since he didn’t give excuses for his behavior. His redemption definitely revved up after this. As it progressed, I grew to love him and Izuku’s relationship since they are two halves of All Might (“save to win,” “win to save”).
I will admit that I cried when he died. His usually bombastic voice became so soft and he wondered if he could reach Izuku’s level, which showed a rarely seen aspect of himself. Beyond his demeanor, Bakugo is someone who wants to be by his childhood friend’s side and actually deserve it. Bakugo regretting not getting All Might’s autograph also showed the little boy who idolized so much yet hid it from his idol. I was sad for a bit until it was revealed that Edgeshot could bring him back.
The final season really solidified Bakugo being my second favorite. His battle with OFA was amazing because it represents Bakugo’s “repaying” All Might for sacrificing his power. My favorite moment was between both of them when All Might gave Bakugo part of his armor to compensate for his severely injured arm. It definitely paid off in showing Bakugo’s importance in the dual narrative since most of the series focused on Izuku and All Might’s relationship. Additionally, Bakugo taking over the fight visually represents All Might finally releasing that self-imposed burden.
Another scene I loved was the one in the hospital when Bakugo cries after learning that Izuku lost OFA. It was shocking but I loved it for showing how much being a hero with Izuku truly meant to him. It weirdly added some sweetness to the sad reveal. When it comes to the time skip, I was happy to learn that Bakugo paid for most of Izuku’s suit and that they remained close during the years.
At first, I was mostly intrigued by Shoto’s quirk since he was one of the first characters shown to have more than one ability. However, like most fans, his heartbreaking backstory and goal to be a hero in his own way caught my attention and made me invested in his journey. Seeing Shoto’s growth throughout the series was one of my favorite parts of the series, especially becoming friends with Class 1A like Izuku and building/repairing his relationships with his family (mostly his siblings and mother). Also, Shoto slowly learning to accept the fire side of his quirk was a great moment and represented how inheriting parts of your bad parent doesn’t mean that you’ll become them. The scene of him showing Great Glacial Aegir to Izuku showcased this acceptance the best. It made me tear up because of how it went full circle with Shoto creating this ability and the first person witnessing it is Izuku- the one who helped Shoto begin this path. Plus, I love that Shoto is smiling more after everything he has gone through.
Another aspect I enjoyed was his strained relationship with Endeavor, notably that he didn’t instantly forgive his father and set boundaries. For example, while he was kind of giving his father a chance when interning with his agency, Shoto made it clear that his priority was to strengthen his abilities to be the hero he wants to be. Furthermore, after the Dabi/Toya reveal, his resolve to connect with his older brother really showed how much Shoto grew into his own person and hero. His fight with Dabi was one of the series’s best fights as it’s Shoto confronting what he could’ve become if he hadn’t grown beyond Endeavor’s abuse and the falling action of the Todoroki family arc. It was action-packed and deeply emotional.
Lastly, I felt a weird sense of pride towards Shoto after the time skip. He shedded out of Endeavor’s legacy and showed people what kind of hero he is and wants to be where he’s the No. 2 hero. I was also happy to see that Shoto was doing activities beyond his ambitions like learning how to make bowls because he loves eating (same). Ultimately, what makes Shoto my favorite is I can relate to him. While my experience is vastly different, my life negatively changed and caused identity issues due to someone else’s actions (medical-related). I was a pre-teen and am still affected by this mistake, so it took a long time for me to move on and relearn who I am. In a way, Shoto’s ending kind of represents who I want to be.
