My Hero Academia's fans aren't wrong to call Mineta a "good character"

Modified Oct 09, 2024 03:30 GMT

My Hero Academia is the origin of one of the biggest cast of characters ever seen within Shonen. While many of these characters have gone on to become favorites within the fandom, Camie from Shiketsu High School has managed to carve out a dedicated fanbase.

However, unlike other characters, Mineta has developed a negative reputation, making him one of the most disliked characters in the series, similar to Shigaraki. Many fans have recently expressed that Mineta not being present in U.A.'s Class A would have been better for the story, overlooking his actual impact throughout the narrative and how comic relief and gags simply ruined his character.

Disclaimer- This article contains spoilers for the My Hero Academia series and reflects the writer's opinion.

My Hero Academia- Mineta's character suffered due to comic relief

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Minoru Mineta is one of the more underwhelming Class A characters, with an equally jading quirk that just acts like adhesive without any special properties. Although his quirk and overly unserious demeanor led many fans to question how he even passed the entrance exam, his overall character was plagued by being the main comic relief and a pervert within the story.

While his comic relief status has been one of the funnier parts of the series, his perverted side has made him unlikable. Mineta has had a significant impact on the story due to being one of Midoriya's closest friends and oddly dedicated to his work as a hero.

Previously, Mineta has saved Tokoyami from becoming quirkless and helped Sero pass his final combat exams. Overall, his character is decent, but his once staple perverted side, which is common in older anime, is now outdated and unsettling.

Fan reactions to the original post

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The original post was made by a user on X (formerly Twitter) with the handle @valintinesbear. The user shared an image of Camie Utsushimi, with the caption:

"Mha au where everything’s the same but camie is in class 1a instead of mineta"

Many fans expressed that Mineta is a good character, but his potential was wasted due to the absence of any character exploration. Some fans believe the character could have been one of the best and funniest in the series if his perverted side wasn't present, while also stating that working on that flaw would have improved his character.

"You think they would actually work on that behavior with mineta and that he'd change for the better?" one fan wrote.

"Lowkey Mineta couldve been one of if not the best character if he wasnt weird 😭😭 He's so funny," another fan remarked.

Others pointed out the lack of understanding of Mineta, noting that he is a well-written character if the weird parts are ignored. Fans highlighted how he prevented Sero from failing his exams against Midnight. Mineta's odd and desperate words also stopped All For One from stealing Tokoyami's quirk.

"2024 and people still hating on Mineta smh 😔," one fan said.

"Tokoyami would’ve lost his quirk. Sero would’ve failed his Practice Exam," another fan said.

The series marked its finale with the release of chapter 430. The anime is currently ongoing and in its seventh season. My Hero Academia season 7 is currently adapting the War arc and focusing on All Might's fight against AFO.