12 Saddest Backstories in My Hero Academia, Ranked

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In many anime, a common theme is the heart-wrenching past of characters, which significantly influences their development. The main character often endures hardships in their youth that mold them into who they become, whereas the villain frequently struggles to cope with the pain they’ve experienced.

My Hero Academia stands out as an anime series brimming with characters who bear a tragic history, and various episodes within each season underscore their suffering. What distinguishes the protagonists from the antagonists is how they deal with their past hardships or struggle to let go of them.

This list concentrates on a dozen fictional characters who experienced a heart-wrenching past, examines how their history impacted them, and ranks their stories based on how emotionally intense they are, ranging from melancholic to deeply disheartening.

12.
Mezo Shoji

Facing Discrimination Due To His Appearance

Transforming a peculiarity isn’t merely about gaining power; for certain characters, both heroes and villains, their entire physical aspect can undergo a dramatic transformation in a single night. These individuals are known as Heteromorphs. Mezo Shoji is one such character who exhibits this type of ability, boasting an unusual appearance with multiple arms and a reptilian visage.

Although many Heteromorphs are accepted in urban centers, they’re generally shunned in suburban areas due to their unique appearances. Sadly, this was the environment where Shoji spent his childhood years. Despite his dreams of being a professional hero, he was consistently viewed as an oddity rather than embraced for his potential.

Initially, Shoji bravely rescued a child from drowning during a flood, yet his own village refused him. Fortunately, this ordeal and other similar incidents didn’t lead him astray, but rather fueled his determination to carry on with kindness in the hope that one day he could win them over with his good deeds.

11.
Izuku Midoriya

Born Without Any Quirks

In the world of “My Hero Academia”, it’s a common aspiration among growing kids to uncover their special skill and nurture it with the hope of becoming a renowned professional someday. The one thing you should definitely steer clear of is being born without a quirk, which would make you an ordinary individual vulnerable to both heroes and villains.

In essence, Izuku Midoriya found himself in a challenging situation as he yearned to emulate his hero, All Might, with extraordinary powers. However, learning that he wouldn’t be able to obtain a quirk left him crestfallen. As the word about this predicament spread within the school, Midoriya unfortunately faced bullying not just from strangers but also from his close friend, Katsuki Bakugo.

It was a curious turn of events that seemed like fate knocking, as Midoriya forged a bond with All Might and eventually inherited the One For All ability. Now equipped with his own powers, this inheritance also marked him as one of the world’s mightiest heroes, thanks to the potent quirk he received from All Might.

10.
Lady Nagant

A Prisoner Of Body And Mind

When you transition from a revered professional hero, to being imprisoned for taking the life of the Hero Public Safety Commission’s chairperson, you encounter a fellow inmate named Lady Nagant – a former hero embroiled in a scandal and undercover operations.

In Tartarus, the high-security facility for quirk users, Lady Nagant once more found herself in a tricky predicament when All For One stirred up trouble to liberate all the inmates. To collect his due from her for freeing her earlier, All For One enlisted the services of Lady Nagant.

Lady Nagant’s primary task from All For One involved locating Midoriya and neutralizing him using her Gun-quirk. Constantly bound by her responsibilities, Lady Nagant also carried a bomb within herself, which would detonate instantly if she dared to defy All For One’s orders.

9.
Himiko Toga

Her Parents Hated Her

At times, a past can be so heartbreaking that it seems impossible to become a professional hero. Unfortunately, for Himiko Toga, her fate was sealed by her unfortunate looks and cruel disposition, causing even the entire city and her own parents to reject her.

Toga had an appealing exterior, yet concealed within was a chilling psychopathic personality. This inner darkness drove her to commit cruel acts at a tender age, which left her family in shock. They constantly reprimanded her for her actions and begged her to keep her unusual fangs hidden.

After hearing repeatedly from her parents and friends that her smile was unattractive, a girl eventually lost it. Later in life, Toga found acceptance among villainous quirk users when she joined the League of Villains, marking the first time she felt accepted.

8.
Shoto Todoroki

Born Into A Life Of Expectations And Abuse

I’ve always found the Todoroki family to be quite complex in my personal experience, as there are two intriguing chapters in their history that I’ve come across. One of these narratives revolves around Shoto Todoroki, a remarkable individual who possesses the unique ability to manipulate both fire and ice, an inheritance from his fiery father and icy mother respectively.

In a traditional union aimed at blending their unique abilities, Shoto’s parents were married. They made several attempts to conceive a child who inherited both of their extraordinary talents, but most of these pregnancies resulted in offspring bearing only one ability. Eventually, Shoto was born, inheriting the quirks from both his parents.

What’s hard to bear when watching his story is the persistent mistreatment and rigorous training he endured under his father, Endeavor, and his mother accidentally scarring his face. The unreasonable demands set upon him at a young age were harsh and unjustified, yet Shoto somehow persevered, carrying a significant burden of resentment.

7.
Spinner

His Reptilian Appearance Was Rejected

Among the members of the Villain League, there’s a unique individual known as Spinner, who possesses the trait of being a Heteromorph, transforming completely into a lizard. His hair is purple and his demeanor is detached, making him stand out further. In a city filled with quirk users, many find him unsettling despite this being the norm.

In his teenage years, Spinner frequently experienced bullying from his peers and struggled greatly to form friendships. Growing up with a sense of rejection and loneliness, he yearned for any sign of belongingness, which he eventually discovered within the League of Villains.

Committed to improving the world, Spinner strives to create a more inclusive environment for Heteromorphs, using methods some might deem questionable. It could be reasoned that his assumption of Stain’s traits is a means of hiding his true identity while embracing a role he can take pride in.

6.
Twice

His Quirk Made Him Lose Control

In “My Hero Academia”, Twice possesses an unusual characteristic that distinguishes him from all other members of the League of Villains. His special power enables him to create multiple copies of himself, yet his unique skill comes with a significant drawback.

Over time, Twice honed and strengthened his unique ability, but this mastery led him to grapple with an identity dilemma so profound it threatened his mental stability. With the power to generate duplicates of himself, each copy firmly believes they are the genuine Twice, sowing seeds of self-doubt in his mind about his true identity.

It’s unfortunate to be in a situation where you have a remarkable talent that could flip any battle in your favor, but instead, it consistently causes you pain. Despite using his quirk to aid the League of Villains, Twice’s life became a wreck as he got lost among the clones he produced.

5.
Hawks

Isolated And Abused By His Father

Despite the hardships of living in poverty, Hawks found a way to thrive by discovering means of amusement for himself and bringing joy to others. Tragically, there was no one more difficult to bring a smile to than his harsh and combative father.

Regardless of Hawk’s actions, I knew for a fact that my dad wouldn’t hold back his anger, often resorting to physical violence. His harsh words, laced with cruelty, would echo in the room, eroding my emotional wellbeing and fostering a desire for retaliation against others.

For Hawks, his unadulterated heart and faith in the goodness within everyone propelled him towards a path of heroism. With All Might’s retirement, Hawks ascended to the position of second-in-command among the pro heroes, assuming responsibilities including covert operations within the League of Villains.

4.
Toya Todoroki

Nearly Destroyed By His Father And His Quirk

As a devoted fan, I must confess that the enigma surrounding the second Todoroki family member was one of the most captivating secrets in “My Hero Academia”. Initially presented as Dabi, a charcoal-haired pyrokinetic with facial and neck scars, few could have predicted the revelation of his true identity and backstory.

Raised as Toya Todoroki, Dabi became the elder sibling of Shoto Todoroki and was one of the Todoroki family members who were discarded due to his sole quirk use. Owing to his weakness in controlling his quirk and being overlooked by his father, Dabi frequently felt dismissed. The hurt caused by his father’s indifference could not be healed by the affection of his mother.

Following a fiery display that indicated his demise, Toya was thought to be deceased, but later emerged as a member of the League of Villains. His traumatic past inflicted pain and resentment towards those bearing the Todoroki surname, leading him down a path of animosity.

3.
Kota Izumi

A Child That Grew Up Hating Pro Heroes

Originally, Kota Izumi lived as a cheerful and vibrant child, fully embracing life and aiming to become a beneficial citizen. However, this all shifted dramatically after the unfortunate demise of his parents, who were taken by an individual with a peculiar ability.

It was the abrupt change in Kota’s life circumstances that set him on a path filled with resentment towards those who possess quirks. Regardless if it was a villain wreaking havoc on the city or a hero bound by duty to thwart them, Kota harbored strong disdain for both parties.

In me, the heart-rending tale of his past and his response to the tragic loss of his parents left an indelible mark. For such a long time, Kota harbored resentment towards quirk users, but through my friendship with Midoriya, he began to see things differently and found faith in those who safeguard our world.

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2025-06-11 00:13