5 My Hero Academia Characters Who Would’ve Made A Better Final Villain Than Shigaraki

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The story of My Hero Academia needed a main villain to bring everything together, and All For One initially seemed like that character. While he played a significant role, Tomura Shigaraki eventually took over as the primary antagonist, a change that some fans haven’t fully embraced. Though Tomura is incredibly powerful and demonstrates impressive fighting skills, many viewers don’t find him as intimidating or symbolic a villain as they expected.

Tomura’s character design is interesting, especially considering his backstory – he used to look up to heroes like Nana Shimura but ended up a villain with a disturbing appearance. However, many My Hero Academia fans found his childish and spoiled behavior annoying, and even the teachers at UA thought of him as immature. Some viewers believe other villains could have been a better choice as the series’ main antagonist, with more compelling stories, deeper meanings, and more likable personalities.

Overhaul Represented the Last Gasp of the Criminal Underworld

Quirk: Overhaul

Image via studio Bones.

  • Some viewers feel that My Hero Academia didn’t fully utilize the potential of the villain Overhaul during the Shie Hassaikai Arc. Although Overhaul and his subordinates, the Eight Bullets, provided a challenging fight for the heroes, the arc concluded relatively quickly with his defeat. After losing, Overhaul was also physically weakened, removing him as a threat to Tomura Shigaraki’s power. Some fans believe a different outcome, where Overhaul remained a strong force, would have been more compelling.

    While Overhaul didn’t have the same abilities as All For One or an awakened Decay Quirk, his own powerful Quirk was still a major threat. As the series showed, it took One For All at its absolute limit to defeat him, and Deku would have lost if Eri hadn’t been there to help. It’s possible we’ll see Deku barely survive another encounter with Overhaul in the future, perhaps facing an even more powerful, awakened version of the villain in Season 8. Overhaul wasn’t just a strong fighter; he was also a unique villain as the last of the major Yakuza leaders. His motivations were different from most villains, who typically act out of personal problems or a desire for destruction.

Flect Turn Embodied Humanity’s Frustration With its Unwanted Gifts

Quirk: Reflect

Image via studio Bones.

The My Hero Academia movies introduced Deku and his classmates to powerful new villains not seen in the main series. While some, like Wolfram, weren’t very memorable, and Nine felt too much like Tomura, Flect Turn stood out. His unique fighting style, based on reflection, perfectly challenged Deku’s strength, and Deku had to really push himself to overcome Flect Turn’s defensive ability.

Just having a powerful Quirk wasn’t enough to make Flect Turn a major villain like Tomura, so the third movie gave him a compelling personal story. He represented a harsh critique of the idea that everyone having superpowers is a good thing – a concept central to My Hero Academia. While students and heroes often see their Quirks as gifts, Flect Turn highlighted how they can be a burden or even a curse for others. He served as a stark reminder that Quirks aren’t always positive, and some people struggle with them deeply, which is a theme the main story should have explored more.

Number 6 is a Clever, Mysterious Villain With a Punk Attitude

Quirk: Overclock

Image via studio Bones.

While My Hero Academia: Vigilantes focuses on smaller conflicts and less powerful abilities than the main My Hero Academia series, some of its characters are just as compelling. Captain Celebrity, for example, is a strong hero similar to Endeavor, struggling with personal flaws and a distorted view of himself. On the villain side, the mysterious Number 6 is a truly formidable opponent and could easily be considered a more interesting final villain than Tomura Shigaraki.

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While Number 6 isn’t as powerful as Tomura, that’s not his strength. What makes him interesting is his backstory: he felt lost and without an identity until All For One gave him one. In a world where Quirks give people a sense of self, Number 6 started as truly no one, which is a compelling idea. He built a new identity by taking Quirks from others, and his rebellious personality would have made him a fantastic final enemy for Deku.

Himiko Toga Couldn’t Overcome the Pain of Rejection as a Villain

Quirk: Transform

Himiko Toga, a member of the League of Villains, presented a final battle challenge comparable to that of Tomura Shigaraki. She powerfully developed her Transform Quirk, allowing her to perfectly copy Twice’s abilities and create a dangerous situation for all of Japan. Beyond her villainous actions, Toga also had a surprisingly emotional connection with Ochaco Uraraka, as both girls shared a mutual, unspoken understanding and affection for each other.

Tomura aimed to tear down the entire social structure, believing the hero-dominated world was unjust and didn’t offer a place for someone like him. Himiko shared similar feelings, as she unnerved people with her obsession with blood, which was necessary for her unique ability. However, Himiko’s motivations seem more understandable and complex than Tomura’s outbursts. The UA teachers may have been correct in viewing Tomura as immature and simply lashing out with his power, while Himiko appeared to have a more sincere reason for her actions. This doesn’t excuse her behavior, but it makes her story more compelling to watch.

Re-Destro Made a Compelling Point About Quirk Freedom

Quirk: Stress

Image via studio Bones.

Many villains in My Hero Academia are more compelling and have more interesting ideas than the main villain, Tomura Shigaraki. For example, Re-Destro, despite appearing briefly in the anime, stood out. He was quickly removed from the story to keep the focus on Tomura, but his strong themes and engaging personality deserved more attention – he could have even been a better villain. Fans enjoyed Re-Destro as a character who was both humorous and threatening, and dedicated to enforcing his leader’s beliefs at all costs.

While Re-Destro’s actions weren’t any more right than Tomura’s, he carried himself with a level of confidence and maturity that Tomura lacked. Many fans of My Hero Academia find Re-Destro compelling because his core beliefs are surprisingly understandable. Like his predecessor, Destro, Re-Destro believes people should be free to use their Quirks and reach their full potential without restrictive laws holding them back. Even though he was a villain, his argument for unrestrained growth is hard to dismiss. No one wants to be limited from achieving their destiny, but the laws governing Quirks in the hero world might be unfairly restrictive. A final confrontation between Deku and Re-Destro could have been a powerful debate – fought with both words and fists.

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2026-02-23 02:06