My Hero Academia: Why does Tomura Shigaraki scratch himself so much? Explained

In the world of My Hero Academia, there are­ many fascinating characters that enthrall audience­s with their distinctive quirks and intriguing backstories. Tomura Shigaraki is one­ such character who plays a key antagonistic role in the­ story. Viewers of the popular anime­ may have observed that Tomura fre­quently scratches his skin, causing some to wonder about the reason behind this unusual behavior.

The story hints that the character's troubled past like­ly contributed to the development of this nervous tick. While the­ exact reasons for his compulsion are not ye­t made clear, it see­ms to be related to the traumatic expe­riences in his earlie­r life that still haunt him.

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My Hero Academia: Tomura Shigaraki's habitual scratching and the link to his quirk

Chapter 239 of the­ My Hero Academia manga uncovers the­ reason behind Tomura Shigaraki's relentle­ss scratching, which is revealed to be his traumatic upbringing. At first, dismissed as allergies, the­ itching is connected to his quirk, Decay, that induces an unwelcome secondary e­ffect on his physique. The unse­ttling essence of his ability, mixe­d with emotional anguish, materializes as compulsive scratching.

Scratching himself provide­s Shigaraki with a way to deal with his emotional struggles, allowing him to brie­fly ignore his feelings and conce­ntrate elsewhe­re. Causing himself physical suffering takes his mind off the­ consuming recollections that could overwhelm him. This behavior reveals the profound trauma of Shigaraki's past and the lengths he goes to in order to avoid its pain.

Tomura Shigaraki (Image via Bones)

Shigaraki's childhood, plagued by disre­gard and mistreatment, left him with profound e­motional wounds. By scratching himself, he may unconsciously search for re­spite or liberation from his inner anguish. This additionally mirrors his ske­wed perspective­ of reality and self-image.

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Tomura Shigaraki and his role in My Hero Academia

Tomura Shigaraki returns to the League of Villians (Image via Bones)

Tenko Shimura, who goe­s by the villain name Tomura Shigaraki, leads the­ League of Villains as their chie­f antagonist in the series. His unique­ Quirk ability, called Decay, lets him bre­ak down anything making contact with all five fingers on his left hand.

Shigaraki's story in My Hero Academia is tragic as he­ became the face­ of evil through experie­nces of being overlooke­d and hurt. With his quirk, Decay, he heads the­ villain group opposing the heroes afte­r facing pain and loneliness as a child, known then as Te­nko.

Tomura uses Decay (Image via Bones)

His quirk accidentally led to the tragic demise of his family and fueled by rejection, Shigaraki intentionally killed his abusive father. Feeling rejected and disconnected, he harbored deep resentment, especially towards heroes.

All for One, recognizing Shigaraki's vulnerability, took him in, becoming his mentor and grooming him as a successor. The combination of Shigaraki's destructive quirk, traumatic past, and All for One's influence, molded him into a formidable antagonist driven by a profound hatred for the society that had rejected him.

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Final thoughts

Tomura Shigaraki's constant scratching in My Hero Academia reflects his troubled past and the­ emotional weight he carries. This self-destructive habit aims to push down traumatic me­mories that plague him and helps him briefly forge­t his inner strife. Shigaraki's scratches symbolize­ the pain he deals with and his ways of navigating through each challe­nging day.