Key Takeaways
- Some My Hero Academia villains fail to resonate due to limited screen time, overshadowing, and lack of background or development.
- Villains like Giran and Mustard are forgettable due to their administrative roles and limited appearances.
- Characters like Curious and Deidoro fade into the background despite unique quirks and contributions to the plot.
Everybody wants to be a star, but unfortunately, not everyone can be. As much as most characters want to leave a lasting impression on viewers, not all of them can do that. My Hero Academia is known for its dynamic characters and thrilling battles, and with its vast characters, there are a lot of antagonists ranging from deeply complex, like Stain, to purely chaotic, like Toga.
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As some villains shine, there are some that fail to break through as they cannot resonate with viewers due to limited screen time, little to no background story, no character development, or being overshadowed by more prominent villains, and all of these put together, make the villain forgettable. Despite their unique quirks and occasional contributions to the plot, they unavoidably fade into the background, leaving only a fleeting impact.
9 Curious
Quirk: Landmine
- First Appearance: Episode 108
This villain had two lives: one as Chitose, a civilian journalist, and the other as Curious, a lieutenant of the Meta Liberation Army. Sticking to her new life as Curious, which was a code name given to her by the Meta Liberation Army, she made it her goal to spread the ideology of the Meta Liberation Army, which is all about creating a world where people could freely use their quirks without any form of restrictions from the government.
Unfortunately for Curious, she was just a mere stepping stone for Himiko Toga, and although she had potential, she was killed by Toga and was forgotten. Even if she were still alive, it would not have made any difference because she had limited screen time and there were other villains striving to make their presence known.
8 Giran
Quirk: Muddied
- First Appearance: Episode 31
It is an undeniable fact that there are villainous organizations in the My Hero Academia world, and as organizations, they need professionals to ensure the rise and sustenance of their company. Giran is a broker for the League of Villains, and he is responsible for recruiting members and acquiring resources for the organization. Giran is a key figure in the League of Villians, as he connects the League with potential allies and ensures they have the tools to operate effectively.
There is a lot of fighting in this anime, and Giran does not get involved in fights or combats as he plays an administrative role as a broker, and this does not make him a memorable figure. Giran is overshadowed by characters like Shigaraki and Dabi as they get involved in fights with the heroes. Although his role is very vital to the League of Villians, he is of little to no importance to the viewers, thus making him forgettable.
7 Shin Nemoto
Quirk: Confession
- First Appearance: Episode 62
Shin was a member of Overhaul’s Shie Hassaikai, where he served as one of the eight bullets of the Hassaikai. Shin is loyal to Overhaul and strongly believes in Overhaul’s vision of restoring the Yakuza’s influence. Shin’s quirk, Confession, allows him to force his victims to answer the truth after asking them a question. This would have been enough to set him apart from the vast population of villains, but he was loyal to Overhaul to the teeth.
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His loyalty to Overhaul caused him to stay permanently in Overhaul’s shadow and act as his subordinate. Other than his loyalty, much information is not given about Shin, and with limited screen time, it is understandable that most viewers of My Hero Academia do not recognize him.
6 Deidoro Sakaki
Quirk: Sloshed
- First Appearance: Episode 70
Deidoro is another one of the Eight Bullets of the Hassaikai. However, he is a reckless and unpredictable fighter whose abilities make him a unique, albeit forgettable, part of the villain lineup. Deidoro’s quirk, Sloshed, allows him to put his opponents in a disoriented state as if they were drunk. However, the strength of Sloshed might depend on how much alcohol Deidoro drinks, and this has negatively contributed to his alcoholic nature.
Being an alcoholic does not favor Deidoro, and despite his unique quirk and his amazing knife-throwing skills, this villain does not have a chance against the other and more prominent villains, allowing him to fade away into the background, becoming a distant and long-forgotten villain in the My Hero Academia world.
5 Mustard
Quirk: Gas
- First Appearance: Episode 31
Mustard made his appearance during the Forest Training Camp Arc when the League of Villians attacked the UA High students. There is not much to say about Mustard other than that he is very proud of his skills, intellect, and gas quirk. His quirk, Gas, allows him to emit a sleep-inducing, toxic gas that spreads through the air, incapacitating anyone, including himself, who inhales it. During the attack on the UA High students, Mustard is shown to be merciless as he shows no mercy to the students, especially Tetsutesu, whom he kicks countlessly despite him being down and unable to breathe because of Mustard’s gas.
Mustard definitely has what it takes to be a villain, but with his limited screen time, he has no chance. His appearance with the League of Villians drags attention away from him as the members of the league are more prominent. With not much information about Mustard, he is easily forgotten by his peers and viewers.
4 Innsmouth
Quirk: Octopus
- First Appearance: Episode 32
Innsmouth is another irrelevant and forgettable villain in the world of My Hero Academia. With Innsmouth in jail, no one barely remembers him and his time as an active villain. This octopus-looking individual possesses the Octopus quirk that gives him octopus-like features like tentacles, the ability to spit out black ink, and the ability to thrive in aquatic environments.
Innsmouth quickly meets his downfall after being defeated by Sirius and Tsuyu after Innsmouth and his siblings kidnapped Selkie. His fight with Tsuyu and Sirius showcases how profit-minded and greedy Innsmouth is, and he is involved in human trafficking. Unfortunately, not much light is shed on him and his unique quirk, as most of the action in this world happens on land and not in water.
3 Rikiya Katsukame
Quirk: Energy Suck
- First Appearance: Episode 62
Rikiya was one of the Eight Bullets under Overhaul in the Shie Hassaikai organization. He has features that make him stand out because he is a large, muscular man who wears a black tank top and a distinctive plague mask. His Energy Suck quirk, which allows him to take away people’s energy or stamina by inhaling, and his muscular form should have made him a prominent villain, but unfortunately, he is not able to leave the background.
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For someone who takes away energy from people, Rikiya is quite lazy, and this, along with his limited screen time, is exactly why he remains far away from the spotlight and remains in the shadows of other prominent villains.
2 Sludge Villian
Quirk: Unnamed Sludge Body Quirk
- First Appearance: Episode 1
This villain’s appearance was pivotal to the development of the plot and the beginning of Midoriya’s journey to being a hero. This villain appeared early on in the series after robbing a bank. He has a mud-like form and has the ability to possess others’ bodies by enveloping them, using their body and their quirk. The sludge villain takes control of Bakugo, using his body and his explosion quirk to wreak havoc and flee from the heroes. Unfortunately for him, he is unable to escape from All Might, and the latter is able to defeat him and free Bakugo.
Despite his important role, the Sludge villain was only a stepping stone, and after his defeat, he faded quickly into the background. He becomes overshadowed by not only other villains but also by the main protagonists, All Might, Bakugo, and Midoriya.
1 Ending
Quirk: White Line
- First Appearance: Episode 105
Ending is a minor but noteworthy villain because of his interaction with Endeavor, the No. 1 Pro Hero. Ending has an insane obsession with being killed by Endeavor, seeing it as a fitting end to his own life. This strange desire sets up a brief yet intense confrontation between him and the fiery hero. Ending intentionally positions himself to confront Endeavor by kidnapping his son, Natsuo. Rightfully so, this gets Endeavor’s attention, and he goes after the villain with anger, but he does not satisfy Ending’s obsession by killing him.
After his encounter with Endeavor, Ending is sent back to jail, and his story ends. There is not much information about him to make his presence linger. In addition, Ending served more as a narrative tool to highlight aspects of Endeavor’s personal struggles and evolution rather than standing as a compelling antagonist on his own.
- Studio
- Bones
- Creator
- Kōhei Horikoshi
- Number of Episodes
- 159
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