Hidden detail in My Hero Academia's most beloved arc proves Bakugo's double standard

Modified Mar 09, 2025 17:30 GMT

My Hero Academia's most beloved arc, the U.A. Sports Festival brings to light a hidden detail that reveals the double standard of Bakugo throughout the series. In one of his most unstable moments, he used a wild attack that would've caused serious damage to Deku or himself. Yet, he trusted that he could control it, never intending to cause actual harm—yet this incident solidified his "attempted murder" label within the fandom.

At the same time, what Todoroki did, which was a much bigger threat, was largely disregarded. The contrast in reception of how both were treated is questionable, to say the least regarding bias, agenda, and presentation of their character within the story. This little-noticed fact shifts the whole perception of Bakugo's supposed villainous nature.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the opinion of the writer and includes spoilers from the manga.

How U.A. Sports Festival arc of My Hero Academia proves Bakugo's double standard, explained

Deku as seen in anime (Image via Studio Bones)

The U.A. Sports Festival arc of My Hero Academia validates the double standard surrounding Bakugo Katsuki, especially regarding how his behavior was judged in comparison to other students, notably Todoroki Shoto.

Bakugo's violent fighting style and intense personality resulted in charges of attempted murder, yet the same level of reckless behavior by Todoroki saw little criticism. This inconsistency displays a bias in perceptions and judgments regarding characters in-universe and within fandom.

One of the best instances of this double standard is Bakugo's last battle against Todoroki. Bakugo went at full strength, angry that Todoroki would not unleash his flames, deeming he was not being taken seriously. Bakugo was depicted as unstable, even needing to be restrained after a victory.

Bakugo as seen in anime (Image via Studio Bones)

Todoroki, on the other hand, was pitied for his internal conflict, even though he had earlier shown no concern for the safety of his opponents. Their dichotomy in their treatment implies that Bakugo's hot-headed image made him such an easy character to villainize, while the calmness of Todoroki helped him remain unscathed by criticism.

This trend follows even to the last match. Earlier, Bakugo was blamed for being too harsh in his battle with Uraraka. Even though he restricted himself enough so that she wasn't hurt badly, he was still considered too harsh. Todoroki, on the other hand, didn't hesitate to freeze Sero completely, knocking him out directly.

Todoroki freezes Sero (Image via Studio Bones)

Unlike Bakugo, Todoroki's tactics were not questioned; even if freezing an opponent solid is arguably more dangerous than attacking someone with a fully controlled and cautious explosion. The main difference was perspective: Todoroki's ice, despite its possible lethality, was perceived as exquisite, whereas Bakugo's explosions looked terrible.

Even before the tournament, Todoroki had already done dangerous things during combat in the cavalry battle. His recklessness with ice put students who were less resistant than he was in danger, but there was no punishment. Compared to that, Bakugo's ferocity and explosive personality put him in the permanent glare of negative attention, justifying the double standard in place.

Final thoughts

My Hero Academia's U.A. Sports Festival arc addresses the double standard with which Bakugo and Todoroki were judged and their perceptions. Their dangerous behaviors should have drawn an equal level of criticism, considering that they presented similar risk elements. However, while Bakugo was an open target for criticism and complaints, Todoroki got less attention from such criticism, being judged in another light despite similar risky activities.

This tension provokes questions about bias within the narrative and fanbase and highlights how the presentation of a character influences perception. The arc finally reveals how Bakugo's behavior was held to stricter scrutiny than that of Todoroki, enforcing a selective narrative that unfairly labeled him as more dangerous than he truly was.

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Edited by Bharath S