Midoriya's Toughest Opponents In MHA

Summary

Midoriya had to fight powerful foes like Shoto and Muscular, pushing him to his limits.
His battles forced him to rely on One For All, even using all 7 Quirks against Shigaraki.
Despite the odds, Midoriya’s perseverance and trust in his abilities helped him come out victorious.

The journey towards becoming an exceptional hero hasn’t been a smooth one for Midoriya, the spirited main character from My Hero Academia. Not only do the exams present enough challenges, but Midoriya also finds himself battling numerous formidable villains. Although he can rely on the powerful ability of One For All to support him, managing its immense strength has proven to be a unique challenge for this budding hero.

Consequently, Midoriya finds it challenging to defeat multiple adversaries in the narrative of My Hero Academia, compelling him to delve into his burning determination to persevere and secure victory using all available means. Let’s reconsider Midoriya’s battles throughout the show, identifying which were the most demanding challenges for our hero, as well as how he triumphed against seemingly insurmountable odds.

Ah, fellow fans of “My Hero Academia”! If you’ve made it this far, you’re in for a thrilling ride as I delve into the heart-pounding climax of our beloved series. Brace yourself for some unavoidable spoilers that unfold the epic conclusion of the manga! Let’s dive deep into the final chapters together and discuss the incredible twists, turns, and emotional moments that have left us all speechless.

8. Hitsohi Shinso

Midoriya Got Extremely Lucky To Win His Fight Against Shinso

Episode 20

Characters from the world of “My Hero” tend to view Shinso with disdain due to his Quirk, which allows him to hypnotize others, appearing more suited for a villain rather than a hero. Yet, in direct confrontations with Midoriya, it becomes evident that this ability holds immense power in one-on-one combat situations.

Despite Midoriya landing some blows initially, Shinso quickly starts exerting control over Midoriya’s mind. The only means by which Midoriya manages to escape this predicament is through the past uses of One For All, which unexpectedly resurface to jolt him out of his momentary stupor. Although their battle was brief, Shinso had Midoriya at a disadvantage for most of their altercation.

7. Katsuki Bakugo

Midoriya Spots The Perfect Opportunity To Prove His Worth Against His Rival And Childhood Bully

Episode 61

At the final stage of the Provisional License Exam, Midoriya and Bakugo engage in a confrontation that essentially translates into a physical manifestation of their feelings towards each other. For Bakugo, this encounter serves as a veiled expression of his guilt for sidelining All Might, while also tacitly admitting the potential power within Midoriya. Conversely, Midoriya views this battle as an opportunity to demonstrate the growth he’s achieved through his training with One For All. Despite the challenges, Midoriya is able to maintain his ground during the fight.

In this rephrased version, we can say: Bakugo employs his swiftness and power to match pace with Midoriya, delivering several blows against his age-old rival. Despite Bakugo’s destructive ability being a challenge for Midoriya, the skirmish offered Midoriya an essential learning opportunity to gradually master his own unique powers.

6. Shoto Todoroki

Todoroki’s Fast And Lethal Ice Attacks Force Midoriya To Go All-Out

Episode 23

By the time Midoriya encountered Todoroki in the Sports Festival, he was still exploring the boundaries of One For All. However, it became clear that he would have to utilize its potential effectively to shield himself from Todoroki’s lethal ice blasts. In this confrontation, Todoroki unleashed vast expanses of ice at Midoriya, forcing the protagonist to shatter his own fingers in order to repel the attacks using his hidden power.

Instead of giving up when his arm was severely injured during the fight, Midoriya chose to persist until the very end. This marked one of Midoriya’s initial trials as a hero, and it significantly contributed to his comprehension of One For All.

5. Gentle Criminal

Gentle’s Speed Forced Midoriya To Get Creative With His Attacks

Episode 84

I’m thrilled that I mastered my mid-flight Air Force move just in time for my showdown with Gentle! His Quirk lets him transform thin air into elastic, enabling him to zip around an area faster than a bolt of lightning. In the beginning, I had a hard time keeping pace, but once I started firing bursts of air at him to disrupt his momentum, things began to swing in my favor.

Despite finding the confrontation with Gentle challenging, particularly in close combat, Midoriya was able to emerge victorious without causing extensive damage to his own body. However, it’s clear that Gentle wasn’t a pushover; it required the full force of Midoriya’s St. Louis Smash to prove it.

4. Lady Nagant

The Vestige’s Quirks Save Midoriya Numerous Times During His Fight With Nagant

Episode 134

In the anime “My Hero Academia,” Lady Nagant, renowned for her exceptional marksmanship, is a formidable opponent. Engaging in combat with her at a distance is invariably disastrous, which Midoriya learns during the Dark Hero arc. Her bullets move swiftly, almost like lightning, and can even bend around structures. To survive, Midoriya uses the Fourth’s Danger Sense Quirk and dashes rapidly through the city in a zig-zag pattern.

As an ardent fan, I found myself on the edge of my seat as Midoriya took on Nagant. To break through her formidable defenses, he had no choice but to unleash his incredibly swift Faux 100%. The path to that point was anything but straightforward for him. When Midoriya started combining all of his Quirks simultaneously to enhance his speed and strength, he managed to dodge her barrage of firepower. However, Nagant proved to be a truly formidable adversary with an arsenal of surprises up her sleeves.

3. Overhaul

Midoriya Needed To Rely On Eri To Keep His Body Stable While Facing Overhaul

Episode 76

Despite being primarily known as a strategic villain rather than a physical fighter, Overhaul has proven that he won’t shy away from violence if his nefarious schemes are endangered. When Midoriya encounters him during his rescue mission for Eri, Overhaul has already been wounded by Mirio. In a desperate attempt to annihilate the heroes once and for all, he merges with his underling, Shin, transforming into a monstrous, grotesque form.

In this transformed state, Overhaul exhibited an overpowering strength and unexpected agility that kept Midoriya at a distance. This was so challenging that he concluded his only option for inflicting damage was to unleash One For All completely. However, by using Eri’s time-reversal Quirk, he managed to prevent his body from disintegrating, even with the extreme power required to defeat Overhaul permanently.

2. Muscular

A Severely Under-Prepared Midoriya Faces Off Against A Menacing Killing Machine

Episode 42

In the initial stages of the anime series, Midoriya encounters Muscular during the Forest Training Camp storyline. This battle happened shortly after Midoriya received One For All from All Might, but he was still adjusting to his new abilities. To put it gently, Midoriya found this confrontation extremely challenging.

Muscular’s unique ability, which magnifies his muscles to an extreme level, makes him extremely tough and almost impervious to physical harm. To save Kota and halt Muscular’s rampage, Midoriya pushes himself beyond the limits of 100%, a strain so immense it could shatter his body and serve as a harsh warning about the dangers of overusing One For All carelessly.

1. Shigaraki

Midoriya Was Forced To Use All Seven Quirks At Once To Even Get Close To Shigaraki

Episode 150

Throughout the series, Midoriya wouldn’t face Shigaraki in a one-on-one battle until the very climax, but their showdown is undoubtedly one of the most thrilling and intense encounters in the entire anime. As it turned out, no other heroes could harm Shigaraki due to his regenerative powers, evolving form, and deadly Decay Quirk. Recognizing this, Midoriya knew he’d have to give One For All everything it had to put an end to the destruction for good.

In the heat of battle, Midoriya employs all seven of the Vestige’s abilities to dodge Shigaraki’s assaults, yet it’s evident that this formidable foe wouldn’t yield solely from brute force. Not even the powerful Gear attack, which pushed Midoriya to his physical limits, managed to subdue him. Shigaraki proved to be such a challenging adversary that Midoriya would eventually need to transfer One For All into Shigaraki’s body in an attempt to quell his rage and malice, effectively ending his life – but not before enduring a grueling beating.

2025-03-29 06:35

Midoriya’s Toughest Opponents In MHA