Overview
- Many supporting characters in My Hero Academia receive minimal development, overshadowed by main protagonists.
- Underrepresented figures such as Ojiro, Koda, and Sato often blend into the background due to a crowded cast.
- Class 1-B members, especially Nejire Hado, highlight significant missed opportunities for narrative expansion.
While anime frequently introduces a wide array of characters to enrich the universe, this practice can have a significant downside. As the narrative progress, certain characters naturally gain prominence, leaving many side characters to obscure their shine.
This phenomenon is particularly evident in character-driven stories like My Hero Academia—the series boasts an extensive lineup of heroes whose depth may become neglected as the stakes escalate.
8 Mashirao Ojiro
Martial Arts Hero: Tailman
- Debut: Episode 5 – “What I Can Do for Now”
Mashirao Ojiro presents one of the more lackluster Quirks in the series, raising questions about his place in Class 1-A. Possessing martial arts skills paired with an extra tail feels insufficient when compared to the remarkable talents of his peers.
This has led to unremarkable combat encounters involving Ojiro, relegating him to a background role in later episodes. His comparatively mundane Quirk diminishes his ability to captivate in a class filled with more captivating abilities.
7 Koji Koda
Petting Hero: Anima
- Debut: Episode 5 – “What I Can Do for Now”
Despite Koji Koda’s distinctive appearance, he lacks substantial presence within the My Hero Academia universe. Although his Quirk enables him to communicate and command animals, it frequently fails to be showcased adequately in the storyline.
Instead, other characters usurp the focus, leaving Koda with limited opportunities to demonstrate his potential. His abilities could indeed lend themselves to exciting sequences but remain overshadowed.
6 Rikido Sato
Sweets Hero: Sugarman
- Debut: Episode 5 – “What I Can Do for Now”
Rikido Sato’s unique ability requires him to consume sugar to enhance his physical power, opening avenues for humorous but intense battles. However, his character development has largely stalled, rendering him a shadow of his potential.
As a result, Sato rarely enjoys moments in the spotlight, finding himself often outshined by other characters vying for significance in the story.
5 Mezo Shoji
Tentacle Hero: Tentacole
- Debut: Episode 4 – “Start Line”
Equipped with multiple arms and notable close-combat abilities, Mezo Shoji stands as one of Class 1-A’s more potent heroes. However, his contributions frequently go unnoticed, robbing him of narrative significance.
Consequently, his role often relegates him to inconsequential battles, overshadowed by contenders who receive substantial focus and acclaim.
4 Hanta Sero
Taping Hero: Cellophane
- Debut: Episode 5 – “What I Can Do for Now”
In My Hero Academia, innovative Quirks can yield compelling tactics, as seen with Hanta Sero’s Tape ability—ideal for support and combat. Regrettably, his character often fails to evolve on-screen.
With minimal exposure, he struggles to cement his place within the ensemble, doing little beyond providing background support as other heroes capture the spotlight.
3 Sekijiro Kan
Blood Hero: Vlad King
- Debut: Episode 13 – “In Each of Our Hearts”
As the instructor for Class 1-B, Sekijiro Kan, or Vlad King, possesses a powerful Quirk centered around blood manipulation. Despite this ability, he suffers from a lack of meaningful screen time, which limits the potential of his character.
This insufficient exploration leaves him an underwhelming figure, embodying the overall neglect faced by many Class 1-B members in contrast to their Class 1-A counterparts.
2 Nejire Hado
Wonder Hero: Nejire Chan
- Debut: Episode 62 – “A Season for Encounters”
Despite being part of U.A. Academy’s elite trio, Nejire Hado remains tragically underutilized. Her Quirk, capable of generating formidable spiral shockwaves, contains significant potential.
However, compared to her peers like Lemillion and Suneater, Nejire has yet to receive ample narrative focus, highlighting her status as a character with unrealized possibilities.
1 The Entirety of Class 1-B
Equally Irrelevant, with Few Exceptions
- Debut: Episode 15 – “Roaring Sports Festival”
While some Class 1-B students have made their mark, the majority lack impact, often seeming redundant within the context of the narrative. Their existence primarily serves to elevate Class 1-A while remaining largely inconsequential.
Moreover, the shift of a highly relevant character like Hitoshi Shinso to Class 2-A further marginalizes Class 1-B, making them appear as mere footnotes in the broader story.