Gender Transformations: 3 Male Characters that Became Female in My Hero Academia

My Hero Academia features a diverse group of characters, providing author Kohei Horikoshi with ample opportunity to showcase his talent for designing unique and varied individuals. It has also been noted that certain characters have evolved significantly from their initial conception in the manga.

Over time, it has come to light that three female characters in My Hero Academia were originally intended to be male. This decision was made in order to bring a greater balance to the cast and introduce more female characters, as revealed by Horikoshi himself.

The three female My Hero Academia characters who were originally meant to be male

Kohei Horikoshi, the author of My Hero Academia, revealed in the author's notes of the second volume of the manga that the characters Tsuyu Asui (Froppy) and Toru Hagakure (Invisible Girl) were initially planned to be male. However, he decided to make them female because he felt that the class needed more female representation.

This decision could have had a significant impact on the two characters. Tsuyu Asui, for instance, is a fan favorite, despite not being very prominent in the plot. Her design is often adored by many fans and she even had her own filler episode in the anime's second season. It's possible that her appeal wouldn't have been the same if she had been portrayed as a male.

Hagakure's situation is more complicated, as the running joke in the series is that she can't be seen and is often depicted as being naked. However, Horikoshi has faced criticism in the manga for revealing her appearance, with some feeling it was unnecessary given her status as an underage naked girl.

The case of Mei Hatsume

Mei Hatsume in the My Hero Academia anime (Image via Studio Bones)

Mei Hatsume is another example of a character originally intended to be male. For those unfamiliar with her, Mei is part of the Support Class at UA. She made a strong impression on many fans because of her quirky and assertive personality, always trying to come up with new gadgets no matter the circumstances.

Kohei Horikoshi revealed during the fourth volume of the My Hero Academia manga that he found the gender switch interesting for the character. It has to be said that it worked, as the combination of Mei's design and her personality made the character all the more endearing to the rest of the fandom.

It's worth noting that characters involved in mechanics and gadgetry are often portrayed as male, so Horikoshi's decision to make Mei a female was likely a refreshing choice. Although she may not be a prominent character, Mei's creation of new gloves for Deku stands as her most significant contribution to the plot. Many fans would have enjoyed seeing more of Mei.

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z fan of My Hero Academia, I find the gender transformations of these three characters to be fascinating and thought-provoking. It's clear that Horikoshi put a lot of thought into these changes, and I think they ultimately made the series stronger.

I especially appreciate the way Horikoshi handled the transformation of Mei Hatsume. By making her a female character, he challenged the stereotype that characters involved in mechanics and gadgetry are always male. This made Mei a more unique and interesting character, and I think it also made her more relatable to female fans. Overall, I think Horikoshi's decision to change the genders of these three characters was a positive one. It added diversity to the cast, made the characters more interesting, and challenged gender stereotypes.