The Significance Of Support Items For Heroes, Explained

My Hero Academia’s power system is based entirely around the quirks manifested by the characters. However, one significant aspect of this power system that is often overlooked are the support items that aid heroes and their quirks in a plethora of ways. From minimizing the drawbacks of quirks to enhancing quirk potential, support items work in many ways in aiding heroes in their fight against villains.

Support items come in all shapes and forms, with some merely serving aesthetic purposes, while others enhance the potency of quirks by several folds. While the concept of support items is often overlooked in My Hero Academia, these equipment serve a significant purpose for heroes and villains alike.

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Support Items Enhance Quirks

Quirks Can Become Powerful By Synergizing With Support Gear

Although support items play several roles for heroes, their most significant and crucial purpose is to enhance quirks. This can be witnessed in several forms, whether it’s increasing the potency of a quirk’s firepower or streamlining the effects of a quirk. One example is Bakugou’s Explosion quirk, a power known for its tremendous firepower and deadly effects. However, with the help of his Grenadier Bracer, he can store his sweat over time in his arms, which can be used for a colossal blast whenever he wants.

Other examples can be seen in the form of Denki Kaminari’s sharpshooter gear, which allows him to focus his electricity on the tip of his finger. This lets Kaminari shoot bolts of electricity at his opponents, essentially turning his uncontrollable electricity into a pinpoint sharpshooter. Shinso’s artificial vocal cords play a similar role, as they aid his quirk in being more effective against opponents. By mimicking the voices of others, Shinso can easily trick his opponents into answering him. Shinso’s example showcases the extent to which support gear can evolve quirks in My Hero Academia.

Support Equipment Minimizes Drawbacks

Quirk Drawbacks Can Be Reduced Through Support Gear

While support items primarily enhance quirks and their potency, another crucial aspect of these equipment is to minimize the drawbacks that are often accompanied with powerful quirks. While most quirks don’t exactly have debilitating drawbacks, a few heroes are held back by their own powers. Deku is a primary example, whose quirk renders him incapacitated after one use. With the help of multiple support items, such as the Air Force Gloves, Iron Soles, and Mid-Gauntlets, Deku has been able to minimize the debilitating effects of his quirk. It’s fair to state that without his support items, he would never have been able to master One For All to the extent that he has now.

Another example is Ochako Uraraka, whose quirk, Gravity, leads to her feeling nauseous after every use. However, her specialized wrist and headgear calms her nerves by reducing her blood pressure and eliminating the pressure on her semicircular canals in her ear, which removes the nauseating drawback of her quirk altogether. These examples show how support equipment and items have successfully minimized the debilitating drawbacks of several quirks in the world of My Hero Academia.

Support Items Offer Utility to Vulnerable Heroes

Quirks Without Offensive Capabilities Benefit From Support Items

Quirks come in all shapes and forms, and while some powers are rather versatile and can be used both offensively and defensively, others are only limited to one function. This renders such quirk users vulnerable in a one-on-one fight against villains. However, this drawback can be mitigated through the use of support equipment and items, as heroes who have minimal offensive capabilities can rely on support items to offer them aid in a direct battle.

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Eraser Head uses support equipment to make up for his lack of offensive capabilities. With his binding cloth, he can fight villains head-on and even incapacitate them without relying on his allies. Shinso also followed Eraser Head’s example and adopted the same binding cloth, since his Brainwashing quirk offered him little support in fighting villains head on. However, this use of support gear blurs the line between these equipment being deemed support items or weapons, as they end up serving similar functions for heroes.

Support Items Can Give Way to Quirkless Heroes

Quirkless Individuals Can Join the Hero Scene

Support items were initially only limited to heroes in the world of My Hero Academia, as a prerequisite for choosing these items was to have a quirk. However, the latter seasons of the series have presented another side of support items, which could potentially give way to quirkless heroes. All Might’s armored suit is proof of this very concept, as he was able to go toe-to-toe with All For One, despite possessing zero quirks. With the quirks of every single student of Class 1-A equipped inside his armored suit, Armored All Might’s strength was clearly above several pro heroes, even with no quirk at his disposal.

With such a display of technology, it’s possible to give way to heroes that were initially born quirkless. The concept is similar to superheroes witnessed in Marvel and DC Comics, such as Iron Man or Batman. With the help of gadgets, equipment, and support items, these quirkless individuals can rival their quirk-possessing counterparts and become heroes just like everyone else. The concept of quirkless heroes was unheard of, yet All Might’s display of sheer power in front of All For One presents an opportunity for support items to evolve into gear for quirkless individuals in My Hero Academia.

Support Items in the Hands Of Villains

Villains Also Utilize Support Items

Support items have primarily been tied to heroes throughout My Hero Academia. However, a handful of villains have also been witnessed using these items to support their own quirks and powers. While the channels of villains obtaining such items were never exactly revealed, it was implied that a black market exists where villains can acquire support equipment for their powers. Himiko Toga and her needles, mask, and blood storage device are notable examples of how villains can also acquire support gear, albeit through illegal means.

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Giran was the only broker shown in My Hero Academia who could supply villains with support equipment, though other such individuals are also dotted throughout Japan. However, it is worth noting that support equipment acquired through illegal means is less reliable compared to the ones carried by heroes. Still, these illegal support gear showcases how even villains rely on support gear to maximize the potential of their quirks.

The Best Support Items in My Hero Academia

A Few Support Items Are Leagues Above the Rest

Throughout My Hero Academia’s seven seasons, viewers have witnessed all sorts of new support items, be it simple gear such as Eraser Head’s Binding Cloth to more complex equipment such as Bakugou’s Heavy Mobile Unit Suit. Each gear provides a different set of utilities, making it rather difficult to pin the best ones in the series. However, some support items are clearly leagues above the rest, be it Midoriya’s Mid-Gauntlet or All Might’s Armored Suit.

Apart from these obvious contenders, some of the best support items in My Hero Academia are the ones that provide the most utility without being too overbearing. Shinso’s Persona Chords are arguably one of the best support items in My Hero Academia, as they offer support in a way that complements his power perfectly and ensures the success rate of his Brainwashing Quirk. Another frontrunner is Bakugou’s support equipment. His Grenadier Bracer offered tremendous support in the form of storing his sweat for a more explosive reaction, though his latest Heavy Mobile Unit: Strafe Panzer Suit is arguably a work of art, turning him into a one-man show capable of taking down hordes of opponents.

My Hero Academia is available to stream on Prime Video.

Studio

Bones

Japanese Title

Boku no Hero Academia

Based On

Manga

Creator

Kōhei Horikoshi