Analysis of the Vessel Project in My Hero Academia
The Vessel Project in My Hero Academia is All For One's (AFO) long-term scheme to create a perfect vessel capable of housing his All For One Quirk, consciousness, and ambitions to dominate society by stealing One For All and becoming the ultimate Symbol of Evil. The project involves bio-engineering, Quirk manipulation, and psychological grooming, with Dr. Kyudai Garaki as a key collaborator. Below is an analysis of the project's components and the roles of listed characters, addressing their involvement, motivations, and outcomes, while noting potential inaccuracies in the provided list.
The Creator: All For One (Zen Shigaraki)
Role: AFO is the mastermind behind the Vessel Project, driven by his desire to achieve immortality, steal One For All, and rule as the greatest demon lord. His All For One Quirk allows him to steal, combine, and transfer Quirks, making him the central figure in engineering vessels.
Motivation: AFO seeks to overcome his physical limitations and All Might's opposition by creating a vessel that can handle multiple Quirks and his consciousness. His ultimate goal is to collapse hero society and control the world's resources, forcing global reliance on him.
Contribution: AFO provides the Quirks and strategic vision, manipulating individuals like Tenko Shimura to serve as vessels while testing prototypes like the Nomu. He orchestrates the project through psychological abuse, Quirk experimentation, and alliances with figures like Garaki.
Outcome: AFO's efforts culminate in Tomura Shigaraki as the final vessel, though his attempt to fully possess Tomura's body fails when Tomura resists and aids Izuku Midoriya in defeating him.
Collaborator: Dr. Kyudai Garaki (Daruma Ujiko) is a critical partner, providing scientific expertise to modify bodies and transplant Quirks. His work on the Nomu, Quirk Singularity theory, and Shigaraki's enhancements is foundational to the project.
The Inspiration: Unknown
Analysis: The document lists "The Inspiration" as a distinct category, but no specific character or concept is named. In My Hero Academia, AFO's inspiration likely stems from his desire to surpass his brother Yoichi's One For All and achieve god-like dominance. His fascination with comic book villains, particularly the idea of a universally feared "big bad," drives his vision for the project.
Possible Interpretation: Yoichi Shigaraki, AFO's brother, may serve as an indirect inspiration due to their opposing ideologies. Yoichi's creation of One For All as a counter to AFO's tyranny motivates AFO to create a vessel to reclaim his brother's power and legacy.
Outcome: AFO's inspiration is ideological, rooted in his egomaniacal desire to be the pinnacle of evil, shaping the project's goal of creating a vessel to dominate hero society.
The Predecessor: Gigantomachia
Role: Gigantomachia is a loyal bodyguard to AFO, serving as a model for the Vessel Project due to his ability to handle multiple Quirks and his immense strength.
Motivation: Gigantomachia's unwavering loyalty to AFO makes him an ideal prototype for a vessel, though his limited sentience and lack of ambition prevent him from being the final vessel.
Contribution: His bio-engineered body, capable of holding multiple Quirks like Endurance and Gigantification, inspires the creation of the Nomu and informs AFO's approach to building a vessel with physical durability and Quirk capacity.
Outcome: Gigantomachia remains a loyal asset but is not a true vessel due to his lack of independent will. His role is foundational, providing a template for later experiments.
The Failure: Dabi (Toya Todoroki)
Role: Dabi, originally Toya Todoroki, was rescued by AFO after nearly dying and was intended as a potential backup vessel for AFO's Quirk and consciousness.
Motivation: AFO exploited Toya's rage against his father, Endeavor, grooming him as a potential host. However, Toya's rebellious nature and focus on his personal vendetta made him unsuitable.
Contribution: AFO rebuilt Toya's body, enhancing his fire Quirk, but his independence and obsession with destroying Endeavor led him to break free from AFO's control. His role in the League of Villains aligns with AFO's goals but not as a vessel.
Outcome: Dabi is labeled a "failure" because he rejected AFO's manipulation, choosing to pursue his own revenge rather than serve as a vessel. His survival and actions as a villain still further AFO's chaos.
The Concept: Overhaul (Kai Chisaki)
Role: Kai Chisaki, leader of the Shie Hassaikai, is listed as "The Concept," likely referring to his Quirk, Overhaul, which allows him to disassemble and reassemble matter, offering a theoretical framework for body modification.
Motivation: Chisaki's ambition to restore the Yakuza's power through Quirk-erasing bullets aligns partially with AFO's goals, but his independent agenda makes him an unwilling participant.
Contribution: His Quirk provides a conceptual basis for reconstructing bodies to handle multiple Quirks, potentially inspiring Garaki's surgical techniques. However, Chisaki's refusal to fully ally with AFO limits his direct involvement.
Outcome: Chisaki's defeat by Midoriya and loss of his arms to Shigaraki render him irrelevant to the Vessel Project, though his Quirk's potential remains significant.
The Tests: Bombers
Role: The Bombers, from My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, are proto-Nomu created by AFO and Garaki as early tests of multi-Quirk bio-engineering, using Self-Detonation and Flight Quirks.
Motivation: As mindless drones, the Bombers have no personal motivations, existing solely to test Quirk integration and combat effectiveness under AFO's control.
Contribution: They demonstrate the feasibility of combining multiple Quirks in a single body, paving the way for the Nomu and later vessels. Their hive-mind nature tests control mechanisms for mindless soldiers.
Outcome: The Bombers are successful as proof-of-concept tests but lack the sentience or durability needed for AFO's ultimate vessel, leading to the development of more advanced prototypes.
The Prototypes
The document lists ten characters as prototypes, including both canonical vessels and calculated replacements - characters that AFO could have potentially used as vessels but chose not to pursue. Below, each is analyzed for their involvement or potential in the Vessel Project.
Anonymous (Unknown)
Role: Listed as "The First" prototype, but no character named "Anonymous" exists in My Hero Academia canon as a vessel. This may refer to early, unnamed Nomu or test subjects in AFO's labs.
Motivation: As likely mindless test subjects, they have no personal motivations.
Contribution: Early experiments likely helped refine Quirk transplantation techniques, but no specific details confirm their role.
Outcome: Unclear, as "Anonymous" lacks canonical backing. Likely failed experiments absorbed into later Nomu iterations.
Spinner (Shuichi Iguchi)
Role: Listed as "The Second" prototype - a calculated replacement candidate. Spinner is a League of Villains member and Paranormal Liberation Front lieutenant with a Gecko Quirk.
Motivation: Spinner's loyalty to Shigaraki and dedication to the villain cause could have made him a potential vessel candidate, though his loyalty is to Shigaraki's vision rather than AFO's.
Potential as Replacement: AFO could have considered Spinner due to his unwavering loyalty and position within the League. His Gecko Quirk provides physical enhancement capabilities, and his devotion could have made him malleable for vessel purposes.
Why Not Chosen: Spinner's loyalty is specifically to Shigaraki rather than AFO himself, making him less suitable for complete control. His relatively simple Quirk also offers limited enhancement potential compared to other candidates.
Re-Destro (Rikiya Yotsubashi)
Role: Listed as "The Third" prototype - a calculated replacement candidate. Re-Destro is the leader of the Meta Liberation Army with a powerful Stress Quirk.
Motivation: Re-Destro's desire to spread liberation ideology and his eventual alignment with Shigaraki's forces show his potential for serving AFO's greater plans.
Potential as Replacement: AFO could have targeted Re-Destro due to his powerful Stress Quirk, which grows stronger under pressure - ideal for handling multiple Quirks. His leadership experience and resources would also benefit the project.
Why Not Chosen: Re-Destro's strong ideological convictions and leadership position make him difficult to fully control. His defeat by Shigaraki proved his limitations, and his loyalty remains to liberation ideology rather than personal devotion to AFO.
Lady Nagant (Kaina Tsutsumi)
Role: Listed as "The Fourth" prototype - a calculated replacement candidate. Lady Nagant is a former Pro Hero with the Rifle Quirk who AFO enhanced with Air Walk.
Motivation: Nagant's disillusionment with hero society and her exceptional combat skills made her a prime candidate for AFO's manipulation and potential vessel development.
Potential as Replacement: AFO clearly saw potential in Nagant, as evidenced by granting her an additional Quirk. Her precise combat abilities, psychological profile, and existing disillusionment could have made her suitable for vessel enhancement.
Why Not Chosen: Nagant retained too much of her moral compass and independent thinking. Her eventual betrayal of AFO and redemption arc proved she was unsuitable for complete control, making her better as a pawn than a vessel.
Geten (Himura)
Role: Listed as "The Fifth" prototype - a calculated replacement candidate. Geten is a Meta Liberation Army member with a powerful Ice Quirk and distant relation to the Himura family.
Motivation: Geten's loyalty to liberation ideology and his connection to the Himura bloodline (related to the Todorokis) could have made him strategically valuable to AFO.
Potential as Replacement: AFO might have considered Geten due to his powerful ice manipulation abilities and Himura bloodline connection, which could provide psychological leverage against Endeavor and his family. His combat prowess also demonstrates vessel potential.
Why Not Chosen: Geten's fanatical devotion to Re-Destro's ideology makes him difficult to redirect toward AFO's goals. His powers, while strong, are more specialized than the multi-Quirk capacity AFO seeks in a perfect vessel.
Number Six (Rokuro Nomura)
Role: Listed as "The Sixth" prototype. Number Six, from My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, is a bio-engineered villain created by AFO and Garaki, making him a legitimate prototype.
Motivation: As a Nomu-like entity, Number Six has limited sentience but seeks to surpass his creators' expectations, testing self-awareness in vessels.
Contribution: His creation, combining multiple Quirks and partial sentience, directly influences the Nomu and Shigaraki's development, proving the feasibility of advanced vessels.
Outcome: Number Six's destruction confirms his role as a successful but limited prototype, paving the way for Shigaraki.
The Copier (Neito Monoma)
Role: Listed as "The Seventh" prototype - a calculated replacement candidate. Monoma is a U.A. student with the Copy Quirk, which allows temporary replication of other Quirks.
Motivation: Though a hero student, Monoma's Copy Quirk represents exactly the type of power AFO would covet for a vessel - the ability to use multiple Quirks simultaneously.
Potential as Replacement: AFO could have theoretically targeted Monoma due to his Copy Quirk's similarity to AFO's own power. A vessel with natural multi-Quirk capability would be ideal, and Monoma's existing ability could be enhanced through bio-engineering.
Why Not Chosen: Monoma's heroic convictions and U.A. protection make him nearly impossible to corrupt or capture. His Copy Quirk also has time limitations and requires direct contact, making it inferior to AFO's natural abilities for vessel purposes.
Carmilla (Himiko Toga)
Role: Listed as "The Eighth" prototype - a calculated replacement candidate. Toga is a League of Villains member with the Transform Quirk that allows her to assume others' appearances and eventually their Quirks.
Motivation: Toga's chaotic nature and dedication to her personal bonds within the League could have been redirected toward AFO with proper manipulation.
Potential as Replacement: AFO might have considered Toga due to her Transform Quirk's evolution allowing her to copy Quirks along with appearances. This multi-Quirk capability, combined with her willingness to embrace violence and chaos, could suit vessel requirements.
Why Not Chosen: Toga's emotional instability and strong personal attachments (especially to Shigaraki and the League) make her unreliable for AFO's purposes. Her powers depend on emotional connections, which AFO cannot easily control or replicate.
Nine
Role: Listed as "The Ninth" prototype. Nine, from My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising, is a villain enhanced by AFO with multiple Quirks, making him a legitimate prototype.
Motivation: Nine seeks to create a world where the strong rule, aligning with AFO's ideology but pursuing his own goals.
Contribution: His Weather Manipulation and other stolen Quirks test the limits of multi-Quirk stability, but his physical frailty makes him an imperfect vessel.
Outcome: Nine's defeat by Midoriya and Bakugo confirms his role as a failed prototype, unable to match Shigaraki's potential.
Wolfram
Role: Listed as "The Tenth" prototype. Wolfram, from My Hero Academia: Two Heroes, is a villain enhanced by AFO with Metal Manipulation and Muscle Augmentation Quirks, qualifying as a prototype.
Motivation: Wolfram's greed drives him to steal the Quirk Amplifier for profit, but his enhancements align with AFO's experiments.
Contribution: His augmented body tests Quirk transplantation, but his lack of loyalty and limited sentience make him unsuitable as a true vessel.
Outcome: Wolfram's defeat and minor role confirm his status as a failed prototype.
The Final Vessel: Tomura Shigaraki (Tenko Shimura)
Role: Tomura Shigaraki, originally Tenko Shimura, is the culmination of the Vessel Project, groomed by AFO to inherit the All For One Quirk and serve as his perfect vessel.
Motivation: Initially driven by rage from his abusive childhood and AFO's manipulation, Shigaraki's Decay Quirk and hatred for hero society make him ideal. Later, he seeks autonomy, resisting AFO's control.
Contribution: Shigaraki undergoes extensive bio-engineering by Garaki, enhancing his body to handle multiple Quirks and Simple Growth, a power tested through Nomu. His connection to Nana Shimura makes him a symbolic tool for AFO's spite.
Outcome: Shigaraki achieves immense power but resists AFO's possession, aiding Midoriya in defeating him. His death marks the project's failure, as AFO cannot fully control him.
Other Potential Involvements
Kurogiri (Oboro Shirakumo): A Nomu created from a U.A. student's corpse, Kurogiri is an early success in Quirk combination (Warp Gate) and sentience, serving as a prototype for vessel autonomy.
Tsubasa (Winged Nomu): Implied to be Bakugo's childhood friend, transformed by his grandfather Dr. Tsubasa (likely Garaki), Tsubasa is a minor prototype testing Quirk integration.
Humarise and Other Groups: AFO's influence extends to groups like Humarise (Beros) or the Giollini Crime Family, but their members are not vessel candidates, serving as operational allies instead.
Clarifications on Calculated Replacements
Anonymous: The lack of clarity around "Anonymous" indicates a possible placeholder for early, unnamed test subjects, but no canonical character matches this description.
Understanding Calculated Replacements: The characters listed as "incorrect" prototypes (Spinner, Re-Destro, Lady Nagant, Geten, Monoma, and Toga) are actually calculated replacements - individuals that AFO could have theoretically pursued as vessels but chose not to for various strategic, practical, or timing reasons. Each possessed qualities that could have made them suitable vessel candidates under different circumstances.
Conclusion
The Vessel Project is AFO's attempt to create a perfect host for his Quirk and consciousness, driven by his desire to dominate society and steal One For All. Gigantomachia, the Bombers, Number Six, Nine, Wolfram, and the Nomu are legitimate prototypes, with Shigaraki as the final vessel. Dabi and Overhaul contribute indirectly as a failed candidate and conceptual inspiration, respectively.
The calculated replacements (Spinner, Re-Destro, Lady Nagant, Geten, Monoma, and Toga) represent alternative vessel candidates that AFO could have pursued but chose not to, either due to timing, accessibility, psychological unsuitability, or inferior capabilities compared to his chosen path with Shigaraki. Dr. Garaki's scientific expertise and AFO's manipulation are central to the project, with early tests like the Bombers and Nomu paving the way for Shigaraki's transformation. Despite its ambition, the project fails due to Shigaraki's resistance and the heroes' efforts, particularly Midoriya's.