My Hero Academia: Did Bakugo ever apologize to Deku?

For many years, My Hero Academia fans wanted Katsuki Bakugo to acknowledge his mistreatment of Izuku Midoriya.

Despite his popularity in the fandom, Bakugo does have his fair share of detractors. In the earliest days of the series, he would relentlessly bully Midoriya.

Bakugo even told the protagonist to end his own life, which left a bitter taste in many reader’s mouths. Several years later, it's still a controversial scene.

Bakugo is also the reason why Midoriya’s hero name is Deku. It’s a short abbreviation for the Japanese word “dekunobou,” which means “good for nothing.”

Kohei Horikoshi did eventually resolve this plot thread, but it would be a very long time before that happened.

Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views and contains major spoilers from the manga.

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Did Bakugo ever apologize to Deku for his actions in My Hero Academia?

Bakugo has undergone more character development than any other Class 1-A student.

On the surface, he seems like nothing more than a heartless brute. However, he surprisingly ended up learning from his past mistakes.

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Yes, Bakugo did tell Deku that he is sorry

My Hero Academia Chapter 322 was a major turning point for Bakugo. He finally owned up to his previous mistakes. Bakugo even admitted that it might not be enough, but he still wanted to make amends.

For context, Deku ran away from U.A. High School after the Paranormal Liberation War. He wanted to protect his friends since All For One would go after him. Unfortunately, he also became very cold and distant. Class 1-A had to rescue him in a very emotional fight since Deku kept trying to run away.

Bakugo fully admitted that he was jealous of Deku when they were children. His inferiority complex eventually broke down the more time they spent together in the U.A.

Bakugo even bowed his head gracefully while he apologized. Deku then realized that his friends would always be there for him.

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He showed earlier signs of development

The cracks were beginning to show back in My Hero Academia Chapter 284. During the Paranormal Liberation War, Bakugo told All Might that he wanted to atone for his past actions. That's why he wanted to help Deku to train his OFA Quirk.

Back when Deku was a Quirkless boy, Bakugo feared that he would still be surpassed. However, it wasn't until later that he finally apologized to Deku in person. This emotional moment was a welcome relief for many fans.