Horikoshi continuing to humanize "Villains" might be My Hero Academia's greatest legacy

Modified Jul 05, 2024 02:03 GMT

My Hero Academia villains continue to be explored in recent chapters of the epilogue (Image via Bones). — My Hero Academia villains continue to be explored in recent chapters of the epilogue (Image via Bones)

My Hero Academia chapter 427 has been leaked recently and the story continues in its epilogue phase, mostly focusing on giving closure to several characters. In that regard, some of the most praised moments in the epilogue thus far have been the ones involving villains such as Dabi and Spinner, which is something that fans have always found compelling in the writing of author Kohei Horikoshi.

It is worth pointing out that most of the antagonists in My Hero Academia, particularly those who are part of the League of Villains, are very popular. This is mainly due to Horikoshi's approach to humanize them and give them riveting origin stories and motivations.

Even if these villains' motivations and tragedies don't justify their roles as downright terrorists and criminals, their backstories do make them interesting to watch and read. It is perhaps one of the author's biggest accomplishments.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a whole.

Explaining the triumph of author Kohei Horikoshi by humanizing My Hero Academia villains

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Recently leaked chapter 427 of the manga is highly praised by the fandom. It is because it shows Spinner, a member of the League of Villains, sharing his pain for the loss of Tomura Shigaraki, who is not only his leader but also his best friend. This element has resonated with a lot of people and is one of the main reasons that some villains in the series are among the most popular characters within the fandom.

Horikoshi has never tried to justify the actions of these characters, which are clearly terrorism and murder. But their origin stories and traumatic events do give them a more human and realistic feel to them, even if they have supernatural powers.

So, one can understand Spinner's loneliness or the fact that Twice was pushed aside by the world and was willing to die for the League of Villains because they gave him friendship and purpose.

There is a strong argument to be made that characters such as Twice, Himiko Toga, and even Tomura Shigaraki would have turned out very differently if they were given another path to take in life. However, it doesn't justify their actions in the series. Also, it is worth highlighting that not everyone can find redemption in the best possible manner.

More reasons for the success of villains in My Hero Academia

Shigaraki and Spinner were very good friends until the very end (Image via Bones

Another prominent element that has made the villains of the series so beloved and human to fans is the fact they all had significant connections with one another. Even at the end of his tenure in the series, Tomura Shigaraki still remembered Spinner and asked Deku to tell him that he fought until the end, with his friend also mourning him greatly in chapter 427.

The League of Villains grew and developed throughout the My Hero Academia manga, with several people citing the My Villain Academia arc as a high point in the entire franchise. So, in many ways, the majority of the main antagonists also had an arc of growth and development that mirrored the one Deku and his friends had in the manga.

Ultimately, the final war arc and the epilogue also serve to further emphasize the villains' humanity, such as Deku trying to understand Shigaraki until the latter's death or Ochako Uraraka doing the same thing with Himiko Toga. And now recent chapters have shown Dabi having a conclusion of sorts with the Todoroki family and Spinner coming to terms with the fact that Shigaraki has died.

Final thoughts

There are other villains in My Hero Academia, such as Overhaul, Stain, and All For One, but the League of Villains is often referred to as the group that fans claim is humanized the most. It is easy to see why Horikoshi spent so much time developing their origins and motivations to the point that readers and viewers connect greatly with them.

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Edited by DEEPALI