Why My Hero Academia's most hated character will prove himself during the AFO fight, explained

Modified Apr 21, 2024 15:30 GMT

Why My Hero Academia's most hated character will prove himself during the AFO fight, explained (Image via BONES)

Throughout the publication history of creator, author, and illustrator Kohei Horikoshi’s original My Hero Academia manga series, many fan-favorite characters have appealed to fans. Protagonist Izuku “Deku” Midoriya, Katsuki Bakugo, Shota Aizawa, Shoto Todoroki, and Himiko Toga are just a few of the many characters who are loved by the global fanbase.

However, despite the development they receive, a few My Hero Academia characters have struggled to maintain their popularity among fans. Endeavor is a great example of this, with many of his self-proclaimed “haters” refusing to review their personal stances following the character’s redemption arc.

However, there’s likely no character in My Hero Academia more hated than Minoru Mineta, who is typically used as comic relief throughout the majority of the series for his perverted antics. Yet with Mineta now set to get his biggest moment in the series as a part of the fight against All For One, it’s more likely than not that he’ll finally prove his worth as a hero.

My Hero Academia’s upcoming group fight against All For One is the perfect stage for Minoru Mineta to shine on

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In addition to Mineta’s off-putting personality, many My Hero Academia fans cite their hatred of the character as also being rooted in how useless his Pop Off Quirk appears to be. Essentially, the Quirk allows the user to produce sticky spheres from their head, which can be plucked painlessly and are replaced almost instantly. These spheres also adhere to any surface they contact besides Mineta himself, with the time depending on the user’s health.

In and of itself, it’s undoubtedly one of the weakest Quirks in the entire series. While the creative use of the Quirk by Mineta and others has brought it to new heights, it’s largely ineffective in one-on-one battles for the most part.

However, group battles are where the Quirk proves effective, as seen specifically during the Final Exams arc in Mineta and Hanta Sero’s battle against Midnight. While this matchup was also largely beneficial to Mineta’s Quirk and fighting style, it nevertheless highlighted that fast-paced, multi-variable battles are where the ability most definitely shines.

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Now, as the series approaches its end, Mineta finds himself in what may be the highest-stakes group battle of the series. Since he can afford to take a backseat and not concern himself with directly fighting All For One, Mineta has the ideal scenario to prove his worth in a support role with his Pop Off Quirk.

By working to immobilize All For One rather than directly confronting him, Mineta can prove himself as both a Pro Hero and a character in the series. Even if All For One finds a way to counter Mineta’s Quirk, the character trying his best will undoubtedly give him redemption in the eyes of many fans. However, this is all speculative, with Class 1-A’s exact strategy against All For One yet to be revealed as of this article’s writing.