Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia creates a world that manages to be both charming and dystopian, where ideas like worth and identity rotate around power. Because of that, most character names mimic the people that use them. The protagonist’s name, Izuku Midoriya, references the color green. While connected to physical attributes like his hair, his name is also related to the light crackling around him when he uses One for All.
Izuku isn’t an isolated case. Pro Heroes and villains are in a similar situation, with one good example being Sir Nighteye, whose first name ‘Mirai’ means future. In some cases, this unique MHA feature is actually very useful. The often-overlooked students of Class 1-B may benefit from it, as fans are more likely to remember their names if they understand their meaning – and the connection to their Quirks.
10 Neito Monoma’s Name Reminds Him That He’s A Mimic Of Others
Neito Monoma is easily the most memorable student in Class 1-B, simply because he constantly tries to antagonize Class 1-A. During the Joint Training Battle, he even fights Izuku. As it turns out, however, his Quirk Copy doesn’t work on Izuku’s One for All.
Neito’s name comes from the Japanese word for mimicry monomane, with the added kanji of ‘to’ which means person. It’s no wonder that he has such an inferiority complex. This is one student who can never escape his Quirk or the fact that he’s only a mimic of other people.
9 Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu’s Name Is Iron Four Times Over
A more amusing addition to Class 1-B’s roster, Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu is incredibly similar to Class 1-A’s Eijiro Kirishima in both Quirk and personality. Their resemblance is used on more than one occasion for comedy purposes, and even the name of the character echoes that.
While it is made out of four individual different kanji, they all sound the same – like the kanji for iron ‘tetsu.’ Maybe it’s just another way to point out how repetitive the character is and to poke fun at it. With all that iron, it’s no wonder he could withstand the high heat emitted by Shoto Todoroki.
8 Itsuka Kendo Is Meant To Be Martial Artist
Class 1-B’s representative, Itsuka Kendo is the only one who can hold Neito in check, often using her Quirk, Big Fist. Her confrontation with Momo Yaoyorozu ends in a draw, but her technique and level-headedness are impeccable. It makes sense that her last name echoes the martial art of kendo. The kanji for ‘ken’ also means fist, a clear reference to her Quirk. Her first name is just as telling, as it contains the kanji for ‘best and ‘excellent.’
7 Ibara’s Name References Both Her Faith And Her Name
Shiozaki Ibara was originally meant to be part of Class 1-A, but her thorny hair proved too difficult for the creator to draw on a regular basis. As such, she was relegated to Class 1-B, replaced by Toru Hagakure. It’s a shame, as she is a very interesting character. Her first appearance in the U.A. Sports Festival displays her making short work of Class 1-A’s Denki Kaminari.
Their rematch in the Joint Training Battle goes in Class 1-A’s favor, specifically because Class 1-A creates an elaborate plan to take her out. Her Quirk Vine matches her Christian faith, the idea of the crown of thorns worn by Jesus on the cross. Unsurprisingly, Ibara also means ‘thorn.’
6 Shihai Kuroiro’s Name Involves The Color Black
Neito Monoma may hold a grudge against Class 1-A, but he’s not the only one who feels this way. The Joint Training Battle Arc reveals a rather interesting rivalry between 1-B’s student Shihai Kuroiro and Class 1-A student Fumikage Tokoyami.
The approach makes sense, as both students have Quirks that relate to darkness. Shihai can merge with anything that is black, including Fumikage’s sentient Quirk, Dark Shadow. It is suitable that his last name stands for the color back, whereas his given name contains the kanji for ‘branch’ and ‘distribution.’
5 Manga Fukidashi Is A Comic Brought To Life
One of the best things about MHA is the fact that superpowers can be incredibly unusual. While regular super strength and elemental mastery are prevalent, there are also plenty of Quirks that baffle the viewer through their creativity. Class 1-B’s Manga Fukidashi is an excellent example.
His Quirk Comic allows him to materialize words in thin air, and the onomatopeia can manifest the effect they regularly describe. It’s suitable that Horikoshi chose to name this character ‘Manga,’ a well-known Japanese word that means ‘comic.’
4 Setsuna Tokage’s Quirk, Last Name, And Hero Name Are All Lizard-Related
One of the five recommended students at U.A., Setsuna earns her place on the list with an incredibly versatile Quirk. Lizard Tail Splitter allows her to split her body into up to fifty pieces and manipulate each piece remotely. The pieces regenerate if destroyed or if they are away from Setsuna for too long. It’s a very powerful Quirk, and Setsuna would have doubtlessly won her match in the Joint Training Battle if she’d been up against anyone other than the explosive Katsuki Bakugou.
She has excellent mastery over the Quirk and has embraced its unusual nature. It makes sense that both her last name and hero name would be lizard-related. Tokage is homophonous with the Japanese word for lizard, and she uses ‘Lizardy’ as her hero name. Her first name also references her Quirk, as Setsuna contains the kanji for ‘cut.’
3 Juzo Honenuki’s Name Is All About His Softening Quirk
The second recommendation student of Class 1-B, Juzo Honenuki is known as Mudman. His deceptively powerful Quirk, Softening, allows him to soften any non-living thing he touches. This has proven to be an incredibly effective tool, as it hinders the mobility of his opponents. Juzo is even able to turn the ground into something akin to quicksand.
He is seen using his power both against Team Midoriya during the U.A. Sports Festival, and to help his teammate Tetsutetsu during his confrontation with Shoto Todoroki. Considering his high skill with the Quirk, it’s natural that his name would reference his ability. The kanji characters of his first name stand for ‘soft’ and ‘structure,’ whereas ‘honenuki’ means debone.
2 Pony Tsunotori’s Flying Horns Are Mentioned In Her Name
The foreign student of Class 1-B, Pony may look adorable, but she can be quite formidable. In the Joint Training Battle, she is able to hold her own against Mezo Shoji and ends up forcing a tie when a win for Class 1-B becomes impossible. She doesn’t always understand Japanese phrases, which makes her name a little ironic.
Her first name ‘Pony’ is easily understandable for any viewer, as its meaning in Japanese and in English are identical. Her last name, Tsunotori, also references her Quirk, Horn Cannon. It contains the kanji for ‘horn’ and ‘to take,’ echoing her ability to propel the horns on her head.
1 Kinoko Kimori’s Passion For Mushroom Is Obvious Even In Her Name
A mushroom-oriented Quirk may not sound very dangerous, but Kinoko Kimori proves the students of 1-A differently during the Joint Training Battle. Her Quirk, Mushroom, allows her to emanate spores from her body, which rapidly grow into mushrooms that can suffocate an opponent.
Even if she is defeated in her confrontation with Fumikage Tokoyami, she ends up doing quite a lot of damage to him. The incident is in part due to Kinoko’s huge enthusiasm for mushrooms. She enjoys using them a lot and even knows all the names of the mushrooms she uses. It comes as no surprise that her first name, Kinoko, sounds exactly like the Japanese name of her Quirk.
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