In Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia, the plot rotates around the battle between the young heroes of Class 1-A and the superpowered villains who target them. Protagonist Izuku Midoriya and his friends undergo painful trials throughout their journey to become Pro Heroes and are often the only thing holding the forces of All For One at bay.
What makes My Hero Academia stand out from other anime is the depth of its villains. As the series advances, viewers begin to know the antagonists of the anime a little more, understanding and relating to their motivations. In some cases, My Hero Academia’s villains actually become heroes, though in ways many would perceive as unlikely.
10 The Hero Killer Stain Saves Deku From A Nomu
Chizome Akaguro — the Hero Killer Stain — is memorable as being the first major villain Izuku has to take down himself. Considered a visionary by numerous minor villains, he boosts the rank of the League simply through his doctrine. Some darker elements of My Hero Academia’s society even see him as a hero.
Stain’s actions are far from noble and his murderous ways not a solution, but he does have a moment of unlikely heroism. After being defeated by Izuku, Shoto Todoroki, and Tenya Iida, Stain witnesses Izuku being attacked by one of the League’s Nomu. Despite his injuries, Stain saves Izuku from the creature, considering Izuku a true hero. This proves that Stain is indeed more than just a simple murderer and follows his own code of ethics.
9 Giran Gives Twice A Home By Introducing Him To The League
Many members of the League of Villains choose a life of crime because they have no one to turn to or are rejected by society, such as Jin Bubaigawara. Known as Twice, Jin experiences heavy trauma after an accident with his Quirk Double. In the aftermath, his mental state is deeply affected and he is completely isolated from everyone.
The informant Giran comes to his rescue. He guides Twice toward the League of Villains where Jin finds affection, friendship, and acceptance. While Giran’s reasons for helping Twice aren’t exactly selfless, he still provides Twice with the anchor he so desperately craved.
8 Shigaraki & Mr. Compress Avenge Magne Through Their Attack On Overhaul
Though the League of Villains may be villains, the members genuinely seem to care about each other. When Magne is killed by Overhaul, her death comes as a heavy blow. Tomura Shigaraki doesn’t let the crime go unpunished. After Overhaul is captured by the heroes, the League hijacks his convoy. Shigaraki decays one of his hands, whereas Mr. Compress claims the other with his quirk.
This act of revenge deprives Overhaul of his quirk, something he had been endeavoring to do through the quirk-erasing bullets created from Eri’s DNA.
7 Gentle Criminal Tries To Protect La Brava After Being Caught
Originally desiring to become a hero, Danjuro Tobita fails to pass the required exam. Worse still, he interferes with a hero’s mission, leading to a civilian getting badly hurt. Expelled and kicked out by his parents, he turns to a life of crime under the name Gentle Criminal. But Gentle isn’t alone, as his videos inspire the young hacker La Brava. The two join forces and form a romantic attachment.
Gentle decides to break into U.A. during the School Festival, but is foiled by Izuku. Upon being caught, he attempts to protect La Brava from the consequences of her actions. When confronted by the other heroes and investigators, he claims he brainwashed La Brava and she carries no responsibility for the crimes. While he fails to be very convincing, it’s still selfless and proves he will always be a hero, at least for one person.
6 Twice Overcomes His Trauma To Save Himiko Toga
The My Villain Academia Arc shifts focus from the actual heroes to the antagonists. As the League of Villains struggles to boost their forces and recover from All for One’s capture, they receive word that Giran has been captured by the Meta Liberation Army. Loyal to Giran for his previous aid, Twice immediately wishes to free the informant. Upon confronting the Meta Liberation Army they are badly outnumbered.
Himiko Toga only survives the confrontation with Curious due to undergoing a quirk awakening and she then runs afoul of Skeptic. Seeing Himiko in danger, Twice manages to push past his trauma and unleashes his super-move Infinite Doubles: Sad Man’s Parade. While it is ultimately Shigaraki who ends the conflict with the Meta Liberation Army by defeating Re-Destro, Twice’s actions are instrumental in keeping the other members of the League safe.
5 Dabi Reveals The Truth About The Number One Hero
From his very first appearance, Dabi birthed theories that suggested he was actually the son of the Flame Hero: Endeavor. This turns out to be true and he’s out for revenge against his abusive father. He eventually reveals the truth about his identity at the worst possible moment, shaking society to the core and making the population lose faith in heroes.
Dabi’s revenge affects the nation negatively and his actions are in no way heroic, particularly since he also attacks the rest of his family. However, bringing the truth to the surface may turn out for the better in the long run, helping the new generation build a truer society that doesn’t rely so much on fame and popularity.
4 Kurogiri Is A Former Hero Student Turned Into A Nomu
Kurogiri is among the first members of the League to appear in My Hero Academia. He seems like a terrifying presence and his Quirk Warp is a huge asset to the villains. It comes as a huge shock for viewers to learn that he is a nomu created out of the body of Shirakumo Oboro.
A friend of Eraserhead and Present Mic, Shirakumo was killed during his hero-work studies and his dead body was experimented on by Kyudai Garaki. He is brainwashed to be completely loyal to Shigaraki, but even so, when imprisoned, he manages to give his friends a clue about the villains’ plans, mentioning the importance of a hospital.
3 Lady Nagant Is Always A Hero At Heart
A villain who has yet to appear in the My Hero Academia anime, Lady Nagant is originally a hero. She is also proof of the corruption of the hero system. During her career, the Hero Public Safety Commission uses her as an assassin to eliminate the people they deem threats. When she finally snaps and kills the then-president of the commission, she is dubbed a villain and thrown into Tartarus.
Lady Nagant later returns as Izuku’s opponent, but she is still a hero at heart. During her confrontation with Izuku, she actually remembers that, though this has tragic results. The Quirk All for One secretly implanted inside her ends up making her self-detonate.
2 Shigaraki Refuses To Submit To All For One’s Schemes
Despite the heroes’ best efforts, they fail to stop Tomura Shigaraki from becoming All for One’s vessel. In this form, Tomura is more dangerous and destructive than ever. But in secret, Tomura’s own consciousness is at war with All for One. He believes he has his own path and refuses to submit to All for One’s schemes.
Shigaraki’s determination is admirable — part of him still clings to his past childhood dreams, his desire to emulate his grandmother Nana Shimura and become a hero. This certainly doesn’t seem possible now, but if things had been different, Shigaraki would definitely have had potential for heroics.
1 All For One Accidentally Creates One For All
All For One is evil; his cruelty and ambition ruin countless lives and he uses Tomura as his tool to harm All Might. However, his dispute with the users of One For All ironically starts from his own actions. He forces a stockpile quirk onto his brother Yoichi — whom he believes is quirkless.
His reasons for this are unclear, but it may have been a way to manipulate Yoichi. Either way, the stockpile quirk fuses with Yoichi’s preexisting ability, creating One For All. Indirectly, All For One makes it possible for the Symbol of Peace, All Might, to exist. It’s not exactly a heroic deed, but the results are remarkable.
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