10 Most Powerful My Hero Academia U.A. Heroes

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With numerous training arcs, spontaneous villain battles, and showcase tournaments, the audience gets a good look at each potential hero’s Quirk and how useful they’ll be in a fight or rescue situation. Not to mention, half of the U.A. heroes end up surpassing or challenging professional superheroes by the end of the manga. In this list, we’ll be taking a closer look at 10 of the top U.A. heroes who deserve extra recognition for their strength and utility, and how much that potential grew throughout the storyline.

1) Deku

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Izuku Midoriya (Hero Name: Deku) had to be on this list by nature of being the main character and the one to inherit the most powerful Quirk introduced in My Hero Academia. Born without a Quirk in a world full of naturally gifted individuals, Midoriya imagines he’ll never manage to achieve his dream of becoming the number one hero, like his idol All Might. A chance encounter with All Might leaves Midoriya as the man’s chosen successor, inheriting the passed-down Quirk, One For All. Gaining a Quirk allows Midoriya entry into U.A., with the chance to train his abilities and come out stronger than ever before.

One For All is a do-it-all Quirk by nature: the ability is transferable, meaning the previous holders of One For All passed on their unique Quirks that Midoriya can now utilize. In general, One For All stockpiles the power and will of its past and current users, granting superhuman speed, strength, and durability in a fight. Besides the initial power boost, Midoriya can also access Quirks stored in One For All, such as Blackwhip, Float, and Smokescreen. Another advantage of One For All is that the Quirk cannot be stolen by another, meaning Midoriya is one of the only heroes safe from his Quirk being stolen by All For One.

2) Lemillion

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Mirio Togata is a third-year student at U.A. (Hero Name: Lemillion). His introduction comes as a lesson for Class 1-A, easily defeating the eighteen students who attack Mirio to land a hit. Mirio is considered a member of the Big Three at U.A.— a group of the top students considered to be the strongest and the most tactically advanced. His prowess in battle is so promising, Mirio is taken on by Sir Nighteye to be mentored. At one point, he is considered a potential successor to All Might in the transfer of One For All.

Mirio’s Quirk is called Permeation: it allows for Mirio to become intangible at any given time, phasing his body through solid objects with ease. Permeation could easily be a Quirk used as a support for stereotypical offensive powers, but Mirio’s true strength lies in knowing how to best use his Quirk when fighting an enemy to tip the outcome in his or his allies’ favor. He is a key fighter against Overhaul, and comes back with his Quirk restored for the final battle. In My Hero Academia’s eight-year time skip, it is revealed Mirio has taken the role of Number One Hero in the future.

3) Dynamight

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If there’s a controversial hero in My Hero Academia, it’s got to be Bakugo Katsuki, rival and friend of Izuku. Katsuki (Hero Name: Dynamight) is the second student to be taken on by All Might as a pupil later in the anime, training alongside Izuku, whom he claims he will one day surpass in terms of strength. While he’s brash, temperamental, and occasionally downright mean, there’s no way to debate that Bakugo is an incredibly strong hero with one of the best Quirks in U.A.’s student body. More than that, he becomes a strong tactical thinker and leader as the anime goes on, learning to work in a team setting and unlocking his full potential.

Bakugo is known for his iconic Quirk Explosion, which is almost exactly what it sounds like. His palms sweat a nitroglycerin-adjacent substance that he can ignite, creating a range of explosions that vary in size. Already incredibly strong, Bakugo only advances in skill when he has his Quirk awakening during the final battle, unlocking Cluster, a technique that lets him activate explosions over his entire body at a rapid speed. In the end, Bakugo is the one to distract and delay All For One, a one-on-one fight that captivated the reader’s attention and showcased just how far Bakugo had come in his hero journey.

4) Shoto

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Shoto Todoroki (Hero Name: Shoto) is a character who easily could have been the protagonist in My Hero Academia. Todoroki is the youngest son of pro-hero Endeavor, a product of Endeavor attempting to breed a child with a dual fire and ice Quirk. Raised to one day surpass All Might, Shoto limits the use of his flames early on in the anime until Izuku inspires him to take control of his own identity and destiny. This is when we begin to see the massive potential Shoto harbors and why he’s a key player in the show.

The memorable Quirk that Shoto is known for, much like his two-toned hair, is Half-Cold Half-Hot. This means Shoto can summon both ice and fire from respective sides of his body, in vast amounts. Endeavor already put Shoto through rigorous training before he attended U.A., but it’s at school that we see Shoto begin to truly put in effort to become a better hero. Shoto’s Quirk makes him a veritable powerhouse, evident when his ice quirk is what’s the nail in the coffin against Dabi’s inferno in the final fight.

5) Tsukuyomi

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An often overlooked hero in Class 1-A is Tokoyami Fumikage (Hero Name: Tsukuyomi), especially at the start of My Hero Academia. But there’s no doubt Tokoyami deserves a solid spot on the list of strongest U.A. heroes, with considerable growth in his already overpowered Quirk. Tokoyami’s prowess on the battlefield is significant enough to capture the notice of characters like All Might, Shoto, and Hawks, with the latter taking him on as an intern to nurse Tokoyami’s potential. It’s also worth noting that Tokoyami consistently places high on U.A. exams and tournaments, such as the entrance exam or sports festival.

Dark Shadow is the name of Tokoyami’s Quirk, an ability that has advantageous defense and offense capabilities. In short, Tokoyami can summon a sentient shadow that thrives on shadow and darkness. Dark Shadow can be negatively impacted by things like Tokoyami’s negative emotion or strong sources of bright light. Some of Tokoyami’s additional skills when using his Quirk include wearing Dark Shadow as armor or levitation via Dark Shadow. The Quirk is powerful enough to grant Tokoyami an edge in the fight against notable villains like Moonfish.

6) Uravity

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Ochaco Uraraka (Hero Name: Uravity) is one of the main female heroes we’re introduced to in My Hero Academia, and easily one of the few with a notably strong Quirk in U.A. Introduced as a bubbly, friendly girl at the start of the anime, we see the depth in Ochaco’s character during the “Sports Festival Arc”. Here, we learn that Ochaco strives to become a hero to support her family. Her determination to succeed has Ochaco nearly beating Bakugo during their one-on-one fight, and earns her his respect as a true fighter and threat.

Uraraka’s Quirk is called Zero Gravity— this grants her the ability to manipulate the gravity of whatever she touches, and to cancel the effects by pressing her fingertips together. During the final war, Ochaco undergoes a Quirk awakening and can make objects and people float regardless of touch. She’s also able to generate gravitational fields and bubbles with this new upgrade in power. Her abilities grant her an edge in her final fight with Toga, though the outcome of the battle is dependent more on emotional connection than an outright brawl.

7) Suneater

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Another member of the Big Three of U.A., Tamaki Amajiki (Hero Name: Suneater), is an incredibly strong fighter in My Hero Academia, with a versatile Quirk that allows him to act as both offense and support in battle. Tamaki is shown to be nervous, shy, and lacking confidence in his powers; despite this, Fat Gum, Tamaki’s mentor, believes Tamaki to be stronger than or rivaling many pro heroes in terms of raw ability. His Quirk is used as an offense in multiple battles, including the final war, where he holds an enhanced Shigaraki off temporarily with other members of the Big Three.

Tamaki’s Quirk is called Manifest: with it, Tamaki can manifest physical attributes of whatever he’s recently eaten. We see Tamaki frequently do this with things like octopus tentacles, crab claws, and bird wings. With intense training, Tamaki can manifest multiple characteristics at once, manipulating both the size and features of what he creates. His Quirk gives Tamaki a simultaneous edge in defense and attack, with a wide variation of moves he can essentially manifest from whatever he decides to consume.

8) Nejire-Chan

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Nejire Hado (Hero Name: Nejire-Chan) is another third-year student at U.A., appearing first in the “Shie Hassakai Arc” of My Hero Academia. She’s a member of the Big Three, alongside Tamaki and Mirio, viewed as one of the most powerful students thanks to her Quirk and skill in controlling it. Nejire is a bubbly, overly curious classmate who is shown to transform into a focused, fierce fighter during battle. Her skill level garners her attention from former top ten hero Ryukyu, enough to become her pupil and fight at her side in the anime.

The Quirk Nejire uses is called Wave Motion: Nejire can transform her energy into a power source that creates spiral shock waves she can release from her hands or feet. Despite her shock waves being slow, Nejire has mastered her Quirk enough to utilize the blasts for increased mobility, often attacking in close range. She’s been shown as particularly handy against large foes, such as the Nomu she helped contain during the Paranormal Liberation War. In the time jump at the end of the manga, Nejire is in the top ten pro heroes, showing her rapid climb in the ranks.

9) Ingenium

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Ida Tenya (Hero Name: Ingenium) is one of the only U.A. characters in My Hero Academia who wanted to become a hero due to a family legacy. Ida’s older brother, Tensei, formerly held the hero title of Ingenium until an encounter with Stein left him paralyzed. Tenya decides to take up the mantle after attending U.A., working to avenge his brother before realizing he must become a hero in his own right and abandon the path of vengeance. By the end of the manga, Tenya is listed as the 13th pro hero and the leader of his brother’s hero agency.

Tenya’s Quirk is similar to that of his brother— both possess Engine, an ability that grows engines on specific body parts. Tenya has his engines on the calves of his body, granting him incredible speed and mobility during fights where he utilizes his Quirk. A testament to Ida’s speed potential is the fact that he eventually can outrun Gran Torino, who is regarded as one of the world’s fastest pro heroes.

10) Phantom Thief

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If this list included characters at the start of My Hero Academia, Neito Monoma (Hero Name: Phantom Thief) would not be on the list. Monoma is introduced as a member of Class 1-B, with a vendetta against the students of Class 1-A that manifests in a mocking, rude personality; however, viewers are shown that Monoma’s personality can be competent, analytic, and even supportive when it comes to those he views as part of his team. Despite his provocative antics, multiple strong U.A. students such as Ida and Izuku recognize his Quirk’s potential as well as Monoma’s capability as a hero.

This is proven to be true during the final stretch of the manga, where Neito plays a key role in defeating Shigaraki. Monoma’s Quirk is called Copy: it essentially means he’s able to copy the Quirk of another individual after touching them, save a key few, and use the Quirk as if it were his own. While Monoma views this as a useless Quirk relying on the strength of others, he is vital in temporarily nullifying Shigaraki’s numerous Quirks by copying Aizawa’s Quirk. His ability to copy powerful abilities and know when to take advantage of them makes Monoma a useful wild card to have on any team.

Did you agree with most of this list? What U.A. students do you think had the most potential as strong heroes?