My Hero Academia's Origin Trio overshadowed Deku's true support group

My Hero Academia is really good at showing the dynamic development of the main protagonists. Especially the Origin Trio - Deku, Bakugo, and Todoroki are the central parts of Deku's journey. But whenever these 3 are together, it tends to draw away the audience's focus from the stronger bonds Deku has with other characters.

Uraraka and Iida, even though they formed one of the most important support systems in Deku's life, were less talked about in the series than many classmates and other allies.

This resulted in the underexploration of Uraraka and Iida's character on a personal level. This imbalance leaves room to question whether the series missed the opportunity to explore these dynamics further.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the writer's opinion and includes spoilers from the My Hero Academia manga.

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How My Hero Academia's Origin Trio overshadowed Uraraka and Iida's character, explained

Ochaco Uraraka as seen in anime (Image via Studio Bones)

In My Hero Academia, the Origin Trio, Deku, Bakugo, and Todoroki, often overshadow the development of other more consequential characters in the series like Uraraka and Iida.

While the intense dynamics between Bakugo, Todoroki, and Deku provide some of the most dramatic and action-packed moments of the story, their prominence sidelines two of the earliest and closest friends Deku had.

Being the first characters on Deku's heroes' journey, their connection to Deku is emotionally important, yet the story fails to uncover deep aspects of it. Both Uraraka and Iida have limitless potential impacts on Deku's growth. The empathy side of Uraraka and the sense of justice in Iida could have been developed more in connection with Deku's problems.

Tenya Ida as seen in anime (Image via Studio Bones)

However, a focus on the flashy rivalry between Deku, Bakugo, and Todoroki leaves fewer moments in the story for the original trio and Deku to undertake meaningful interaction.

This results in problematic character development for the anime as the vast potential of Uraraka and Iida is left untapped. Their relationship with Deku, something that should be deepening throughout the show, instead becomes increasingly peripheral as the plot unfolds.

Uraraka's potential romantic connection with Deku is simply background flavor rather than a developed relationship. And Iida's turning into a sort of moral compass and good friend similarly dissolves into little more than a shallow outline, as the larger-than-life rivalries between the Origin Trio overshadow him.

This series misses further deeper bonds that should have been created between Deku, Uraraka, and Iida by taking much on the interactions between Deku and Bakugo. This leaves a gap in character exploration, where Uraraka and Iida's relationships with Deku could have filled the depth and balance of the entire storyline.

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Final thoughts

Ochaco Uraraka, Iida, and Deku (Image via Studio Bones)

The origin trio in My Hero Academia, Deku, Bakugo, and Todoroki, had such prominence that at times overpowered critical characters, like Uraraka and Iida.

As two of Deku's first and closest friends, Uraraka and Iida had the potential to offer deeper emotional support and contribute to the development of Deku's journey, but their relationships remain largely unexplored.

The intense dynamics of the Origin Trio limited the opportunity to fully realize Uraraka's empathetic sense and Iida's sense of justice.

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