Summary
Since 2014, Kohei Horikoshi’sMy Hero Academiahas been captivating the entire world withits extensive cast of super-powered characters, most of whom have eventually become some of the most iconic and recognizable figures in the anime and manga industries. Naturally, some of them are more popular than others, to the point that they have even managed to amass massive fan bases.
But the real question is: Who are themost beloved characters in all ofMy Hero Academia? It’s important to clarify that Shueisha’s recent global popularity poll has been used as a reference for this ranking, but it’s still not entirely based off of it, seeing as some of its information is already outdated, not to mention that it also features characters that are very controversial but still have a lot of fans that voted for them.
8Ochaco Uraraka (Uravity)
An Adorable Love Interest With An Engaging Story Of Her Own
Like most popular shonen action franchises,My Hero Academiafeatures more male characters than female ones, and as a result, the men of the series have dominated pretty much every single popularity poll. However, there is one huge exception, and her name isOchaco Uraraka. She is universally beloved and can be easily considered themost popular female character in theMHAseries.
For starters, Ochaco has an adorable design, a bubbly personality, and a really fun and versatile quirk called Zero Gravity, which is already enough to cement her as an extremely popular character. But she also has an endearing relationship with Izuku Midoriya, especially considering that she eventually became his main romantic interest (which explains why their reunion in Chapter 431 was celebrated by most fans). That said, Ochaco Uraraka is more than just Deku’s romantic interest; she’s a complex female character with an agency of her own. This resulted in a really intriguing subplot centered on her relationship with Himiko Toga and her newfound perspective on villains who are mistreated by society.
7Keigo Takami (Hawks)
The Long Wait For The Reveal Of Japan’s #3 Pro Hero Was Definitely Worth It
When compared to other popular characters,Hawkswas a relatively late addition toMy Hero Academia’s cast. After a lot of buildup regarding the identity of the #3 Pro Hero in Japan’s Hero Billboard Chart, he was introduced during the Pro Hero Arc, when he was moved up to the #2 spot after All Might retired. Surprisingly enough, he immediately resonated with a lot of fans because of how undeniably cool he was.
Hawks has great character design and a charismatic, laid-back personality. When combined with his creative quirk named Fierce Wings (which not only gives him wings but also allows him to telekinetically control every single one of his feathers), it is no surprise why he’s so beloved by the fanbase. Furthermore, he also formed a fascinating relationship with Endeavor and contributed a lot to his character development during one of his most important story arcs, which definitely added a lot to his everlasting popularity. Lastly, during the Final War Arc, Hawks was the protagonist of a lot of epic and incredible moments, like his fierce encounter with All For One.
6Shota Aizawa (Eraser Head)
Class 1-A’s Strict But Caring Homeroom Teacher
During his introduction,Shota Aizawacame off as strict, lazy, and cruel, especially when he threatened Class 1-A to expel them if they couldn’t pass his Quirk Apprehension Test. Thankfully, he was actually bluffing. Throughout the rest of the series, it was shown that, despite his carefree attitude, he actually cared deeply for his entire class and wanted to help them grow as heroes.
Eraser Head is a vigilante-like Pro Hero who prefers to lie low and exclusively works at night, and he’s even quite popular in-universe thanks to his personality and design, to the point that even Tomura Shigaraki said he’s cool on two separate occasions. Additionally, Aizawa’s Erasure quirk is both unique and versatile. It has even led to him having crucial roles in some of the series’ most important story arcs, which further helps explain why he’s so beloved among mostMy Hero Academiafans. The moment in which he cut his own leg off to prevent the Quirk-Destroying Drug from nullifying his quirk remains as one of his biggest highlights.
5Eijiro Kirishima (Red Riot)
A Manly But Friendly Hero Who Is Impossible To Hate
Eijiro Kirishimais a very simple but very effective character, but this has actually helped him become one of the most beloved and popular figures in the entireMHAseries, and it has even led to him dominating most of the popularity polls. For starters, he’s a very friendly but passionate young man who can quickly befriend almost everyone he meets, including Katsuki Bakugo, who eventually became one of his closest friends despite his intimidating appearance and personality.
On top of that, Kirishima is the quintessential underdog. His Hardening quirk is very simple on paper, but he has actually learned to use it in many impressive ways, especially when he unlocked his incredible Unbreakable form. At the end of the day, Kirishima’s lovable personality, excellent design, and epic fight scenes have cemented him as a huge fan favorite.
4Shoto Todoroki
A Quiet Hero With An Impressive Dual Quirk And A Tragic Family History
In theMy Hero Academiauniverse,Shoto Todorokiis considered a good-looking young man with a powerful dual quirk that allows him to generate and manipulate both fire and ice at the same time, which is already enough to explain why he became so popular, especially among female readers. But that’s obviously not all, because Shoto has arguably one of themost fascinating and engaging arcsin the entire series.
He suffered the physical and mental abuse of his father, Endeavor, throughout his entire childhood, leading him to act distant and cruel at the beginning of the story, until his encounter with Izuku Midoriya during the Sports Festival completely changed his mindset and kick-started his incredible character arc. From that point on, Shoto’s story and development (which were tied to the complex relationship he had with the rest of the Todoroki Family, especially his father and his long-lost brother Touya) became one of the series’ most popular sub-plots, and it made many fans like him even more than other relevant characters, like Deku, Bakugo, or All Might.
3Katsuki Bakugo (Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight)
There’s no denying thatKatsuki Bakugois one ofthe most polarizing characters inMy Hero Academia, as his abusive tendencies, aggressive personality, and mistreatment of other people (especially Deku) have made countless readers and viewers severely dislike him. But the truth is that he’s actually one of the series' most popular and beloved characters, seeing as he was ranked #1 in 8 out of 9 official popularity polls, including the recent worldwide one.
The thing with Bakugo is that he’s like an acquired taste. It has actually taken the audience a long time to enjoy his presence, and it was definitely worth it. Yes, he could be quite annoying at first, but that’s precisely why his eventual character arc and development, in which he realized that he was being a lackluster hero and that he should have treated Deku better, is so incredibly satisfying. On top of that, Bakugo was shown to be surprisingly intelligent and creative, since he’s a multi-talented boy who (despite his aggressive personality) can cook, clean, play instruments, and even use his excellent Quirk, Explosion. Unfortunately, he didn’t star in many solo fights like other prominent characters, but at least his final clash with One For All is one of the most beloved ones in the entire series.
2Izuku Midoriya (Deku)
A Very Kind Boy Who Wants To Become The Greatest Hero And Improve Society
Similarly to his friend and rival, Bakugo, the protagonist of this story,Izuku Midoriya, can also be quite a polarizing figure among fans, because he initially came off as whiny and weak. But, truth be told, that was only true at the very beginning of the story, because Deku eventually became a great superhero who engaged in many intense battles and looked really cool while doing so. His backstory, about a kid who was bullied because he was born without a Quirk in a superhero-centric society, is surprisingly touching and relatable, and it made his eventual friendship with All Might all the more satisfying.
While he may not have been as strong as his mentor, he knew how to use One For All in many clever and creative ways. This led to the moment he unlocked the other six Quirks residing inside One For All, which made him an even stronger and more versatile Pro Hero. But the most important thing about Deku (and what sets him apart from other action shonen protagonists) is how incredibly kind and friendly he is, despite all the hardships he had to endure throughout his life. Not only did heform unbreakable bonds with many of his friends and allies, but he also tried to empathize with the villains and tried to change Japan’s society for the better. A good-spirited hero like him is almost impossible to dislike.
1Toshinori Yagi (All Might)
The #1 Pro Hero, In Both Japan And In The Hearts Of Countless My Hero Academia Fans
My Hero Academiafans may often argue about who’s the best character (with Shoto, Bakugo, and Deku having some of the most passionate fan bases), butthere’s no doubt thatAll Mightis the most universally beloved character in the series, since it’s almost impossible to find someone who doesn’t like him. After all, he was Japan’s #1 Pro Hero and the Symbol of Peace, meaning that he’s also extremely popular and influential in-universe.
Nowadays,Supermanparodies can be too edgy or cynical, but Kohei Horikoshi took what made that superhero so iconic and beloved and perfectly implemented it into his own Superman analog. As a result, All Might is incredibly charming, friendly, kind, and even a little bit funny. He also inspires others (both in his world and in the real one) to work hard towards becoming better people and never hesitate to help others. Of course, both of his battles against One For All are among some of the absolute best moments in the entire series, but Toshinori Yagi managed to maintain his popularity even after he retired: His father-son relationship with Deku was incredibly endearing, and he eventually learned how to be a better hero from him. Not killing him off by the end of the series was a great decision from Horikoshi, because his actions during the Final War Arc helped further cement All Might as themost beloved character in all ofMy Hero Academia.
