Which Hero Academia Characters Are Inspired By Real Heroes?

I get way too excited thinking about this topic, because in 'My Hero Academia' the strongest quirks aren’t always the flashiest—they’re the ones that reshape fights and stories. Top of the list for me is All For One. Not just because it’s raw power, but because it can steal, stockpile, and redistribute quirks. That makes it a walking toolbox of broken options; when paired with a cunning user, it becomes almost unstoppable. Right behind that is One For All. It’s crazy to think a quirk whose base is pure strength ends up being one of the most complex powers thanks to inheritance and skill. Once it accumulated extra quirks like Blackwhip and Float (and others that surfaced through the series), it turned into a multi-functional force—massive output plus varied utility. Izuku’s growth shows how a quirk can scale with training, strategy, and chemistry with its user.\n\nI can’t skip Eri—her Rewind is borderline game-breaking. The ability to rewind biological states can heal catastrophic injuries and even revert quirks’ effects. Overhaul’s quirk is terrifying too; dismantling and reassembling matter at will has both combat and thematic weight. Then there’s Tomura’s Decay evolving into something intertwined with All For One quirks—suddenly it’s not just a single destructive touch. On the hero side, Endeavor’s Hellflame produces brutal offensive output, and Gigantomachia is a nightmare for anyone lacking raw durability. Personally, I’m always more interested in how quirks interact: synergy, counters, and limits make the fights feel alive. Watching a clever tactic trump brute strength is why I keep rewatching arcs from 'My Hero Academia'.

I get asked this all the time at conventions, and my take is pretty simple: it depends on which crossover you're talking about. Crossovers with 'My Hero Academia' tend to pull from the core U.A. crew and the big pro heroes first, then sprinkle in popular villains for dramatic contrast. So, the usual suspects who show up in most official and promotional crossovers are Izuku Midoriya (Deku), Katsuki Bakugo, Shoto Todoroki, Ochaco Uraraka, Tenya Iida, Momo Yaoyorozu, Tsuyu Asui, and sometimes other students like Minoru Mineta or Eijiro Kirishima. On the pro side you'll often see All Might, Endeavor, Hawks, and sometimes Fat Gum or Eraser Head. Villains who crop up frequently include Tomura Shigaraki, Himiko Toga, Dabi, Kurogiri, and Stain. If you mean a specific crossover—like the fighting-game mashups or charity doujin pages—rosters change. For example, big multi-series events tend to limit the cast to the most recognizable faces so people immediately recognize the collab. If you tell me which crossover (a game, magazine spread, or social-campaign collab), I can pull the exact roster for that one.

When I dive into popularity polls for 'My Hero Academia', the names that keep popping up are the ones you’d expect and a few that sneak up on you. Deku (Izuku Midoriya) is almost always near the top — people love the underdog story, his kindness, and those dramatic power-ups. Right behind him you’ll usually find Katsuki Bakugo and Shoto Todoroki; Bakugo for his explosive personality and raw intensity, Todoroki for that stoic cool mixed with tragic family baggage and striking design. Those three form a kind of podium in most Japanese and international fan polls I've seen. Villains and side characters also steal the spotlight sometimes. Tomura Shigaraki and Dabi pull huge votes whenever an arc gives them emotional weight or a memorable moment. And then there’s All Might — he’s iconic, so old-school fans keep him climbing in retrospectives. Supportive or fan-favorite side characters like Ochaco Uraraka, Mirio Togata (Lemillion), and even Momo Yaoyorozu show up high, especially in polls that reward likability and cosplay frequency. Personally, I vote during official magazine polls and jump into Twitter polls; the results shift after big episodes or chapters. Merchandise trends echo this too: the characters you see as figures and keychains most often are the same ones topping polls. If you want to predict movement, watch for emotional arcs, flashy fights, and character development — those always make popularity surge, at least for a while.

If you're into collecting, the parade of merchandise from 'My Hero Academia' is kind of wild — and some characters definitely dominate the shelves. In my experience hunting for figures at conventions and scrolling through Japanese shops late at night, Izuku Midoriya (Deku) is everywhere: Nendoroids, POP! figures, Banpresto prize figures, cosplay pieces, and dozens of T-shirt designs. It makes sense — he's the face of the series and gets tons of costume variations that studios can turn into new releases. Katsuki Bakugo and Shoto Todoroki follow close behind. Bakugo's explosive personality and distinctive gauntlets make for flashy statues and accessories, while Todoroki's half-and-half look gets reused a lot for art prints, clear files, and variant figures. All Might is classic merch material too: heroic poses, giant plushies, and anniversary statues. On the villain side, Tomura Shigaraki and Dabi have become big sellers because villain merch tends to appeal to older fans who like edgier designs. Companies matter: Good Smile Company, Bandai, Banpresto, and Funko push the most releases, and collaboration drops (like UNIQLO, McDonald's Happy Meal promos, or jacket collabs) often center on the most recognizable faces. If you're collecting, look for limited edition runs and scale figures for mid-to-long-term value — I once missed a Todoroki sculpt because I hesitated for a day, and that stung. Ultimately, the characters that get the most merch are the TV poster children (Deku, Bakugo, Todoroki, All Might, Ochaco) plus a couple of standout villains, and the cycle keeps repeating with each season and movie.

Man, the movies are where 'My Hero Academia' gets delightfully weird with original characters — I love that they toss in fresh faces who only pop up on the big screen. If you want the short catalogue: 'Two Heroes' gives us Melissa Shield (the brilliant, resourceful kid with tech and heart) and her dad David Shield, plus the movie's original antagonist (Wolfram and his crew). 'Heroes: Rising' introduces its own big bad, Nine, and several movie-original henchmen who fuel that film's darker plot. 'World Heroes' Mission' is where Rody Soul shows up as a lead alongside a handful of Humarise operatives and other movie-only agents and villains. Those are the headline movie-only characters — they were created to fit each film’s self-contained story. I always treat these characters like bonus chapters: Melissa especially stuck with me because she feels like she could fit into the series proper (I still hope to see her cameo in the main story someday). The movies sometimes borrow the regular cast but build whole mini-arcs around these originals, so they’re worth watching if you like seeing different dynamics — especially team-ups that wouldn’t happen in the manga timeline.

I’ve been nerding out over 'My Hero Academia' for years, and one of the things that always hits me hardest is how the manga doesn’t shy away from real, emotional losses. If you want the short list of the most notable confirmed deaths in the manga timeline (including flashbacks), here are the ones I’m confident about: Nana Shimura, Tensei Iida, Sir Nighteye, and Twice. Nana Shimura is a pre-series, flashback death — she was All Might’s mentor and was killed during the era when All For One was at his peak. That loss is a big part of the series’ history and heavily colors the present conflict over One For All. Tensei Iida (Tenya’s older brother) is another canonical death that shows up in character backstory; his fate is the emotional core behind Tenya’s drive. Sir Nighteye (Mirai) dies as a direct consequence of the Shie Hassaikai / Overhaul arc — his death had long ripples, particularly for those close to him. Twice (Jin Bubaigawara) also dies in the manga timeline during the Paranormal Liberation War storyline. His end is one of the most heartbreaking beats because of his whole arc of trauma, identity, and connection to others; it’s the kind of moment that really underlines Horikoshi’s willingness to take big risks narratively. Beyond these named losses, the PLW arc and other large battles produce many unnamed casualties (civilians, side characters, etc.), and the manga keeps reminding you the war has real costs. If you want a deeper breakdown of any specific death and how it affects the cast, tell me which one and I’ll dig into the scenes and fallout.

Man, the moment Dabi’s reveal went down I felt my jaw drop — that’s the canonical big one everyone talks about. In the world of 'My Hero Academia' a lot of characters start off with their civilian names hidden or only hinted at, and then the manga/anime peels layers back at different points. The clearest, most explosive reveal is Dabi being Toya Todoroki — that’s been a huge plot point because it ties directly into Endeavor’s family trauma and reshapes how you view the Todoroki household. It plays out across several arcs, so if you only watch the anime make sure you get to the season that adapts the Paranormal Liberation War / subsequent chapters. Beyond that, there are several other satisfying unmaskings. Kurogiri was shown to be constructed from the corpse of Oboro Shirakumo, and that revelation ties back to U.A. history and All Might’s generation in a way that feels heavy and tragic. Twice (Jin Bubaigawara) gets his real name/backstory revealed during the Meta Liberation/Paranormal Liberation threads, and it’s heartbreaking because his identity issues are core to his character. Overhaul is Kai Chisaki, Gentle Criminal is Danjuro Tobita, and Tomura Shigaraki’s origin as the former Tenko Shimura and his connections to Nana Shimura and All For One get layers of explanation as the story progresses. A few more notes because I love tracing the ripple effects: Toga’s civilian identity (Himiko Toga) and Stain’s real name (Chizome Akaguro) are exposed to varying degrees through arrests, interrogations, and battlefield reveals. Hawks’ real name (Keigo Takami) and the fact he’s been acting as a deep-cover agent is another kind of identity reveal — not a ‘who are you’ so much as ‘what role are you secretly playing’. Some villains’ faces or past names remain murky (Nomu variants, All For One’s human origins are teased but still shrouded), so the series keeps a balance between satisfying reveals and ongoing mystery. If you want to binge a list of revealed identities, follow the arcs: U.S.J./Stain, Overhaul arc, Meta Liberation/Paranormal Liberation, and the later character-deepening chapters — they’re where most of the revelations land. I still get chills rereading those moments, especially when a family secret explodes into the open.

One striking character in My HeroAcademia Huge die was Sir Nighteye. His death was a turningpoint in the story, showing the consequences and sacrifices which come when one seeks to bring about justice.He had a quirk that allowed him to seeinto the future, previously serving as All My's sidekick. When he dies, it is another poignant moment showing just what they're up against in their fight with villainy.