My Hero Academia: How do Quirks function?

Quirks are what give My Hero Academia characters the ability to perform superhuman feats.

Heroes and villains alike have manifested these strange powers in the series. 80% of the entire population uses Quirks, which poses its own unique problems.

Trying to keep these Quirks under control is rather difficult. With that said, Kohei Horikoshi has created a very complex power system for My Hero Academia.

There are so many different types of Quirks in the series. Each functions very differently, but there is a way to properly categorize them.

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How do Quirks work in My Hero Academia?

This article will provide a brief overview of Quirks. It will also explore various related topics in the series.

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Quirk Factors and their heredity

The first-ever Quirk user in My Hero Academia (Image via Studio Bones)

The first chapter of My Hero Academia states that Quirkless individuals have an extra joint in their pinky toes. Those with normal joints will develop a Quirk, usually during the age of four or five.

Everybody has a Quirk Factor in their body, which is what controls their powers. Tomura Shigaraki can Decay anything he touches with his five fingers, so those are his Quirk Factors. They are absolutely necessary for their powers to function properly in My Hero Academia.

Quirks can also be passed down genetically, depending on the parent's own powers. For instance, Shoto Todoroki was born with Half-Cold Half-Hot. His ice powers are from his mother, while his fire powers are from his father.

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Quirks have three known types

Quirks are split into multiple categories in My Hero Academia. There are three known types in the series:

• Emitter: Users can somehow control and create something
• Transformation: Users can alter their physical body with new features
• Mutant: Users have permanently different body structures

For the most part, users can activate their abilities anytime in My Hero Academia. However, it should be noted that a few Quirks need to accumulate something ahead of time.

For example, Re-Destro can power himself up with his Stress Quirk. However, as the name of his powers suggests, he also needs to be stressed out.

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In rare cases, Quirks can be awakened

There are a few special cases where Quirk users can master their abilities and awaken their potential. In this case, users are granted far more powers than what they originally had.

The best example is Himiko Toga, who awakened her Quirk back in the Meta Liberation Army arc.

Normally, she can transform into other people by consuming their blood samples, such as Ochako Uraraka. However, when she awakened her abilities, Toga could also copy Uraraka's Zero Gravity Quirk. Again, this is extremely rare and doesn't happen that often.

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Only a few people can have multiple Quirks

Under normal circumstances, most people can only carry a single Quirk. Their bodies are not meant to handle multiple at the same time.

However, some people have multiple Quirks based on their powers, such as All For One and the One For All users. Their special abilities allow them to hold several different Quirks at once.

Of course, there are ways to heavily modify the body, so this can happen, such as Doctor Kyudai and his Nomu project. Otherwise, this doesn't naturally occur all that often.

Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.