6 My Hero Academia Characters Who Really Don’t Deserve The Hate

by

Shows like My Hero Academia are designed to make you root for some characters and dislike others. While fans generally agree on who’s good, like Ochaco Uraraka, and who’s clearly a villain, like Muscular, many characters fall into a gray area. It seems the creator, Kohei Horikoshi, didn’t necessarily intend for certain My Hero Academia characters to be so disliked, as the level of negativity from fans feels excessive.

It can be confusing knowing how to feel about certain characters. Usually, most fans agree on who to root for and who to criticize, but things get tricky when a character is complex or well-intentioned and still receives a lot of hate. However, if you really consider each My Hero Academia character carefully, you’ll see they all have flaws, but perhaps they don’t deserve the level of negativity they receive.

Yuga Aoyama Struggled With His Terrible Circumstances

Deku Understood Yuga’s Painful Insecurities

  • At the beginning of My Hero Academia, some of Deku’s classmates didn’t make a great first impression. Yuga Aoyama, with his flashy personality and somewhat weak Navel Laser Quirk, was one of them. While not one of the strongest students in Class 1-A, Yuga presented himself as a glamorous and powerful hero. He initially came across as arrogant, making it hard for both his classmates and viewers to connect with him. However, fans later discovered a sad reality hidden beneath his sparkly exterior.

    Yuga doesn’t deserve the negativity he receives, considering the incredibly difficult situation he was born into. He was born without a Quirk and then forced into a dangerous agreement with All For One, receiving a Quirk in exchange for reluctantly spying. He constantly struggled with feeling like a fraud, being a less powerful individual suddenly placed in a prestigious class. He tried to cope by presenting a confident, flashy exterior, wanting to appear as the hero he aspired to be. Most importantly, Yuga put aside his showy personality and courageously participated in a dangerous plan to trap All For One when the heroes needed his assistance.

Endeavor is Meant to be Morally Ambiguous, Not Hated

Some Fans Might Take it Personally, Though

Image via studio Bones.

Endeavor, the powerful pro hero from My Hero Academia, is a deeply flawed and controversial character. Many fans struggle with his past actions, particularly the abuse he subjected his family to and his self-centered pursuit of the top hero spot, motivated by his rivalry with All Might. While he’s shown significant growth and attempted to make amends, his past still casts a long shadow, and most fans acknowledge he’s far from blameless.

Look, let’s be real – Endeavor does do all the awful things fans criticize him for, and that’s not up for debate. But I think completely writing him off as a villain misses the whole point of his character! The creators intentionally made him super complex, a real mix of good and bad. He’s not just an abuser, or just a hardworking hero, or just a father – he’s all of those things, and we’re meant to grapple with that whole messy package. Now, I totally get that his story can be really tough to watch if it brings up painful experiences for someone personally, and that’s completely valid – but as a character study, he’s fascinating.

Tomura Shigaraki Was Forced Into the Role of Villain

Tenko Shimura Was Once a Totally Different Person

Image via studio Bones.

Like the hero Endeavor, Tomura Shigaraki isn’t simply a character you’re supposed to love or hate. He exists in a more complex gray area. Many villains are designed to be either cool and appealing—think characters like Esdeath from Akame Ga Kill! or Pain from Naruto—or purely despicable, like Akainu from One Piece. But Tomura is different; trying to easily categorize him as good or bad misses the point of his character.

Find all 10 pairs Results

0
—
More Games

I’ve been thinking about Tomura Shigaraki, and his story is really tragic, though complicated. He wasn’t born a villain; he used to be Tenko Shimura, a sweet kid who looked up to his hero grandmother. But All For One exploited that, essentially molding Tenko into the person Tomura is today, without giving him any other options. While Tomura is responsible for what he does, it’s clear he’s also a victim of his past, and it’s hard not to feel a little sympathy for him – though definitely not enough to excuse his actions.

There is More to Katsuki Bakugo Than His Unfortunate Bullying

If Deku Can Forgive Him, Fans Can, Too

Image via studio Bones.

I’ve noticed a lot of similarities between Bakugo and the hero Endeavor. While Bakugo hasn’t gone to the extremes Endeavor has, he still has some things to account for. He relentlessly bullied Deku for years, and it was clear he knew exactly what he was doing – there’s no excusing that. Beyond that, he was often unreasonably harsh and dismissive towards all his classmates, even those who were incredibly talented and strong.

Bakugo, like Endeavor, needs to take responsibility for his actions, and we shouldn’t overlook what he’s done. However, his apology to Deku felt genuine, showing he’s truly thought about how he’s behaved and is trying to change. If he were completely unwilling to admit fault, he wouldn’t have apologized at all, and might have even acted worse. Bakugo is complex – he wants to be a hero, but he’s also quick to anger and feels regret. Fans need to see him as a flawed character, not simply good or bad. At the very least, he doesn’t deserve to be hated, as he has a lot of potential for good that shouldn’t be dismissed.

Himiko Toga is One of the Best Examples of Unfair Quirk Perceptions

Himiko Needed Acceptance More Than Anything

Image via Bones.

Himiko Toga has become a disliked character among fans who support a relationship between Deku and Ochaco, as she repeatedly tries to win Deku’s affection. Many viewers genuinely enjoy the connection between Deku and Ochaco, so Toga’s attempts to interfere are naturally frustrating. However, My Hero Academia never guaranteed an easy romance for these characters, and Toga isn’t doing anything the story hasn’t already allowed – she’s simply pursuing her own feelings, even if it complicates things.

While Himiko often acts like a cruel and rebellious villain, there’s a reason behind her behavior. Though her actions aren’t excusable, fans should remember she was mistreated, which understandably led to her lashing out. Himiko represents the tragic consequences of feeling unsupported and ignored by those around you – she’s a victim, and so are those she opposes. Her pain doesn’t justify her actions, but it doesn’t warrant hatred either. The story wants viewers to consider why Himiko became the way she is and how her experiences might mirror real-world issues.

Neito Monoma Stepped Up When it Mattered Most

He Just Needed to Grow Up First

Image via studio Bones.

Neito Monoma often receives a lot of criticism that seems unfair, much like Yuga Aoyama. While he wasn’t malicious or broke any rules, he could be immature at school. He’s mostly remembered for his strong rivalry with Class 1-A, which he showed through constant teasing, during the UA Sports Festival, and even in training exercises. This explains why Itsuka Kendo frequently stops him from causing trouble and apologizes to Class 1-A on his behalf.

Despite his flaws, My Hero Academia fans should remember Neito’s good qualities to get a complete understanding of his character. He’s genuinely supportive of his classmates and proud of Class 1-B’s skills, and he willingly helped Eraser Head when dealing with Tomura’s powerful Quirks, proving he has what it takes to be a hero. His main issue is simply that he can be immature, but hopefully he’ll grow out of that. Considering the competitive environment at UA, it’s natural there will be strong rivalries between Classes 1-A and 1-B. It would have been better if Neito’s feelings were handled differently in the story to avoid the negative reaction he’s received.

Read More

2026-02-23 23:06