Did Horikoshi nerf Overhaul in My Hero Academia? Explored

The My Hero Academia universe has one of the most extensive casts of characters, each interesting in their own way. From heroes to villains, each character stands out through their unique powers and personalities. Among them is Kai Chisaki, also known as Overhaul, with the quirk of the same name.

Given the nature of Kai's quirk, many fans have asked the question, based on his usage in the series, "Did Horikoshi nerf Overhaul?" While it is ultimately speculative to reach a definitive conclusion, it is apparent that his abilities were limited based on the circumstances and story progression.

Disclaimer: The article may contain spoilers from the My Hero Academia anime/manga and reflects the author's opinions.

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The Overhaul quirk from My Hero Academia, explored

Deku fighting Kai fused with Shin from My Hero Academia (Image via Bones)

Featured during episode 62 of My Hero Academia in the Shie Hassaikai arc, the quirk Overhaul was first explored in the anime. The quirk Overhaul, as described by Sir Nighteye in the anime, gives the user the ability to disassemble and reassemble matter with their bare hands. He also revealed Kai Chisaki as the user of this quirk.

Upon disassembling any target, both living and non-living, Kai can leave it in the same state or choose to reassemble it. He even has the capability to reshape it as well. Kai only requires to make the slightest contact with his target to activate his quirk, even the tip of his finger, as shown in the anime when he disassembled Mr. Compress's left arm.

Kai fusing with Rikiya from My Hero Academia (Image via Bones)

Furthermore, Kai can recombine two different objects or entities if he wishes to, making them a single unit. The extent of his Overhaul quirk works on other quirks as well. By holding both the elements in separate hands, he can do the recombination. He can even further evolve the entity as long as he recombines it with something else, making it an endless chain.

The Overhaul quirk also provides regenerative powers when used on humans. If used on a human being, Kai can heal injuries and ailments of the body by simply reconstructing the affected area back into a perfect biological state. However, despite having an extreme healing capability, Kai himself has noted that the prior deconstruction process tends to be painful.

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Overhaul's defeat and weakness in My Hero Academia

Kai Chisaki, after being defeated in the anime (Image via Bones)

The most glaring weakness of the otherwise overpowered quirk Overhaul is the simplest. The whole quirk could be neutralized if Kai's hands were restrained, as they are the focal point for activating his quirk. In the anime, after Mr. Compress and Tomura Shigaraki destroyed his arms, Kai's Overhaul quirk became useless.

Other weaknesses to the Overhaul quirk mentioned in the anime include the inability to use it in the air and the quirk's short cooldown. For Overhaul to work, Kai needs to touch something physically. Even then, due to its cooldown factor, the Overhaul quirk cannot reassemble or disassemble things in a short time frame.

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Final thoughts

Because of the lack of concrete information provided by the mangaka, Kohei Horikoshi, a definitive answer cannot be given. Rather, this article focuses mostly on the powers and weaknesses of the Overhaul quirk from My Hero Academia. Saying it was "nerfed" in particular would be too opinionated.

However, based on the author's personal opinions, there could have been more creative applications of the quirk. Overhaul, as a quirk, has the potential to become one of the strongest, given its abilities. It could have received more focus, as it might have posed a greater challenge to the heroes.

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