The Most Underrated Villains In My Hero Academia

My Hero Academia is all about heroes and villains. With such a comic book plot to it, it’s easy to forget that some villains have extremely good quirks that were never used at their full capacity.

Villains like Twice have a well-established plot, perhaps even as beloved as heroes like Hawks, but they’re still arguably underrated, especially because their abilities are often overshadowed by the likes of Tomura Shigaraki, Dabi, or All For One.

8 Kai Chisaki

Quirk: Overhaul

We know, we know. Overhaul was the main antagonist of the Shie Hassaikai Arc, and yes, Kai Chisaki was well-established as a strong villain, even having his prime moments when he fought against Lemillion and Deku. So why do we consider him underrated? If you take a closer look at Chisaki’s quirk, it becomes evident that despite the screen time the villain received, it was quickly sidelined in later seasons, especially when All For One breaks free and Overhaul is left moving with Lady Nagant, broken in spirit.

Overhaul’s quirk, in essence, is the ability to construct or deconstruct matter (if you’re getting a feel of alchemy, you wouldn’t be too far off). The irony is that Shigaraki, the main antagonist of My Hero Academia, has an identical quirk. In fact, it wouldn’t even be wrong to say that Overhaul’s quirk is superior to Shigaraki’s Decay. Unlike Decay, Overhaul can reconstruct matter according to the user’s intention. Due to the plot and storyline, Kai was quickly removed from the script after the end of the Shie Hassaikai Arc, but if you look at his abilities and potential, he still remains underrated.

7 Twice

Quirk: Double

Twice may not be the strongest villain around, but he is relentless. Well, at least his quirk is. Due to the tragic backstory of how Twice doubted whether he was the real Jin or just a copy, his mental state never truly allowed him to make full use of his power. This is one of the reasons why he slowly became one of the most beloved characters in My Hero Academia, especially when he grew close to Hawks.

However, beyond that, Jin’s quirk is second to none in the series. He can create infinite copies of himself, and honestly, what can you even do against a foe like that? This is why Hawks was so scared of the consequences that he ended up tragically finishing off Jin.

It’s worth mentioning here that although Toga did make use of Jin’s quirk and demonstrated just how monstrous his power truly was, it’s important to note that it was Toga, not Jin, who ultimately used it.

6 Re-Destro

Quirk: Stress

Rikiya Yotsubashi, better known as Re-Destro, is the leader of the Meta Liberation Army, and his quirk, Stress, allows him to channel all his anxiety into raw physical power. One of the more amusing aspects of his quirk is that it also means that Re-Destro is pretty much stressed out the moment the fight starts. If you’re fighting against him and gaining the upper hand, well, let’s just say it’s about to get much more stressful for you.

Unfortunately, Rikiya’s character was never explored beyond this. His role was quickly overshadowed after his loss to Shigaraki, reducing him to a servant for the cause. While this shift in the narrative made sense, Re-Destro’s quirk had so much more potential, particularly during the Final War Arc, where it could have been utilized in more impactful ways.

5 Kurogiri

Quirk: Warp Gate

Kurogiri was initially thought to be just another villain installed by All For One to serve as a guardian for Tomura. However, it was later revealed that he was actually a former UA High student and part of a close trio with Shota Aizawa and Hizashi Yamada.

Unfortunately, Kurogiri’s character has been largely limited to his teleportation quirk. Despite being considered a trump card, even during the Final War arc, his primary use tends to be transporting people rather than actively fighting on his own. This is highlighted further when even Toga becomes a mass-level threat after injecting herself with Jin’s blood, while Kurogiri’s role remains confined to transporting the copies of Twice.

4 Geten

Quirk: Ice

Geten is a member of the Meta Liberation Army with the ability to manipulate ice, much like Shoto. In fact, many suspect they’re related due to Geten being part of the Himura family. However, his powers give him a clear edge, thanks to his greater proficiency and experience compared to Shoto.

Even during the Meta Liberation Army arc, he quickly establishes himself as a formidable fighter. After the Meta Liberation Army and the League of Villains join forces, he is promoted to lieutenant. Nevertheless, his role beyond that was minimal after he was arrested in the Paranormal Liberation War. Geten was undeniably one of the strongest villains, second only to Dabi. However, due to the series’ focus on the main villains, he was quickly overshadowed.

3 Moonfish

Quirk: Blade-Tooth

We won’t lie. One look at Moonfish, and you’re vaguely reminded of Batman Who Laughs. Whether it’s just a coincidence or intentional that they share some similarities, the fact remains that Moonfish is a terrifying villain, to say the least.

His personality and appearance are disturbing, but his quirk, Blade-Tooth, is even more terrifying. It allows him to extend his teeth into sharp, deadly weapons that can be devastating at close range. Now, we’re not saying he could go up against the likes of All Might or Bakugo with more screen time, but Moonfish was one of the more unique characters in the series, with the potential to create a far more intense atmosphere on-screen, much like Stain.

2 Mustard

Quirk: Gas

Mustard is one of the most underrated villains in My Hero Academia. A member of the League of Villains, he appeared during the Forest Training Camp arc. Although he was quickly forgotten after this arc, his threat level was immediately recognized.

Mustard’s Quirk, Gas, allows him to release toxic fumes that not only incapacitate enemies but also enable him to track their movements. The catch, however, is that he’s also susceptible to his own gas, which is why he wears a mask. Despite the irony, Mustard caused plenty of issues in the forest, and it leaves us wondering just how much more damage he could have done if he had been involved in the Final War arc.

1 Gentle Criminal

Quirk: Elasticity

A villain doesn’t need to be underrated because they aren’t evil enough or strong enough to cause significant destruction. In Gentle Criminal’s case, it’s actually quite the opposite. Gentle Criminal, in many ways, is similar to Deku, who wanted to be a hero but, due to societal failure and repeatedly failing entrance exams, eventually shifts into a villainous role. Even then, it becomes clear that Gentle’s true nature is often overshadowed, especially as he’s often portrayed as a character for comedic relief rather than a serious threat.

The reason he’s underrated isn’t just due to the lack of display of his Quirk; it’s because the show portrays him as someone who tragically, at heart, wanted to be a hero. Thankfully, fans get to see his redemption in Season 7, when he and La Brava single-handedly save U.A. from crashing, with Shigaraki and many others fighting nearby.