My Hero Academia: The Significance Of Support Items For Heroes, Explained

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Summary

  • Support items enhance quirks by increasing firepower and streamlining effects.
  • Minimize drawbacks of powerful quirks to aid heroes like Deku and Uraraka.
  • Support items offer utility to vulnerable heroes with minimal offensive capabilities.

In the world of My Hero Academia, the power system revolves around unique abilities, or “quirks,” possessed by the characters. But what’s interesting to note is the role of auxiliary items that bolster heroes and their quirks. These items can lessen the disadvantages of quirks, amplify their potential, and offer numerous benefits in helping heroes combat villains effectively.

Support items take on various shapes and functions, some primarily for aesthetic reasons, while others dramatically boost abilities. Although the importance of support items may be underestimated in the context of “My Hero Academia”, these tools play a crucial role for both heroes and villains.

Support Items Enhance Quirks

Quirks Can Become Powerful By Synergizing With Support Gear

Despite support items having multiple functions for characters, their primary and vital function is to amplify abilities, or quirks. This boost can manifest in various ways, such as boosting the strength of a quirk’s power output or improving the efficiency of a quirk’s effects. A clear example is Bakugou, who uses his Explosion quirk, renowned for its immense power and devastating impact. However, with the aid of his Grenadier Bracer, he can accumulate his sweat over time in his arms, enabling him to release an enormous explosion whenever desired.

Other instances demonstrate how characters enhance their abilities using additional equipment, such as Denki Kaminari’s sharp-shooting gear that enables him to focus his electrical energy at the tip of his finger, allowing him to shoot electric bolts at enemies, essentially converting his uncontrollable electricity into a precise weapon. Similarly, Shinso’s artificial vocal cords serve a similar purpose, as they help improve his quirk’s effectiveness against adversaries by imitating other people’s voices, making it easier for him to deceive his opponents. Shinso’s example illustrates the ways in which supportive gear can augment abilities within the universe of My Hero Academia.

Support Equipment Minimizes Drawbacks

Quirk Drawbacks Can Be Reduced Through Support Gear

Support equipment plays a vital role in both amplifying the strength of quirks and mitigating the potential disadvantages that often come with powerful abilities. Although not all quirks have crippling drawbacks, some heroes are limited by their own powers. For instance, Deku’s quirk leaves him incapacitated after a single use. With the aid of various support items like the Air Force Gloves, Iron Soles, and Mid-Gauntlets, Deku has effectively reduced the detrimental impact of his quirk. It could be argued that without these support items, Deku would not have been able to develop One For All to the level he has achieved today.

One more instance is Ochako Uraraka, whose ability, Gravity, often leaves her with a queasy sensation following each activation. However, her unique wrist device and headgear alleviate her anxiety by lowering her blood pressure and relieving the strain on her ear’s semicircular canals. As a result, the unpleasant side effect of her ability is completely eliminated, demonstrating how supportive equipment and items in the world of My Hero Academia have effectively mitigated the crippling drawbacks of numerous quirks.

Support Items Offer Utility to Vulnerable Heroes

Quirks Without Offensive Capabilities Benefit From Support Items

Characteristics, or ‘quirks’, present themselves in various forms, and some abilities are multi-purpose, serving both offense and defense. On the other hand, certain quirks are confined to a single function, making their users potentially vulnerable during one-on-one confrontations with villains. Nevertheless, this weakness can be reduced by employing supportive gear and items. In situations where a hero lacks offensive prowess, they can lean on these support items for assistance in a head-on fight.

Eraser Head compensates for his weak attack abilities by utilizing auxiliary tools. With his wrapping fabric, he can confront villains directly and even disable them without needing backup. Following suit, Shinso adopted the same wrapping cloth since his Mind Control quirk wasn’t much help in direct combat against villains. However, this use of support gear makes it difficult to distinguish whether they are considered support items or weapons, as they both serve similar purposes for heroes.

Support Items Can Give Way to Quirkless Heroes

Quirkless Individuals Can Join the Hero Scene

In the universe of My Hero Academia, support items were originally exclusive to characters who possessed a unique ability or quirk. However, as the series progressed, it became apparent that these items might also empower quirkless individuals. The armored suit worn by All Might, despite him having no quirks, demonstrated this idea effectively since he could match strength with All For One.

Notably, All Might’s armored suit was infused with the quirks of every student from Class 1-A, making it stronger than many professional heroes even without any personal quirk. This suggests that support items may provide a path for quirkless individuals to become heroes as well.

In a stunning demonstration of advanced technology, ordinary individuals without inherent powers could potentially emerge as heroes, much like the characters from Marvel and DC Comics such as Iron Man or Batman. By utilizing gadgets, tools, and supportive items, these powerless individuals can match their counterparts who possess abilities and become heroes just as everyone else. The idea of quirkless heroes was previously unknown, but All Might’s powerful display before All For One in the anime “My Hero Academia” offers an opening for support items to develop into equipment specifically designed for quirkless individuals.

Support Items in the Hands Of Villains

Villains Also Utilize Support Items

In the world of My Hero Academia, it’s been mostly heroes who use support items to enhance their abilities. But interestingly, some villains have been observed using these items too, to bolster their own powers. Although the specific ways villains get hold of these items isn’t always clear, it seems there might be an underground market where they can buy support equipment for their quirks. Characters like Himiko Toga, with her needles, mask, and blood storage device, are examples of how even villains can acquire such supportive gear, although usually through illicit means.

In the anime “My Hero Academia,” Giran was the sole broker depicted who provided villains with necessary equipment for support, though there are others scattered across Japan as well. It’s important to mention that equipment obtained illegally is less dependable than the gear used by heroes. Nonetheless, these illicit support tools demonstrate how even villains utilize such equipment to fully exploit their unique abilities or quirks.

The Best Support Items in My Hero Academia

A Few Support Items Are Leagues Above the Rest

Over seven seasons of “My Hero Academia”, viewers have seen a variety of helpful gadgets, ranging from basic tools like Eraser Head’s Restraining Cloth to sophisticated equipment such as Bakugou’s Heavy Mobile Armor Suit. Each tool offers unique functions, making it challenging to rank the best ones in the show. Nevertheless, some gadgets stand out significantly, such as Midoriya’s Mid-Gauntlet or All Might’s Armored Costume.

Beyond the obvious top choices, some outstanding support items in “My Hero Academia” excel by offering versatile functionality without becoming overly dominant. For instance, Shinso’s Persona Chords are highly regarded as exceptional support items due to their seamless integration with his Brainwashing Quirk, enhancing its effectiveness significantly. Similarly, Bakugo’s equipment stands out; his Grenadier Bracer was instrumental in amplifying the power of his explosions through stored sweat, while his Heavy Mobile Unit: Strafe Panzer Suit is a marvel, transforming him into a formidable force capable of subduing numerous enemies.

My Hero Academia is available to stream on Prime Video.

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2025-01-09 19:06