My Hero Academia: Balancing Screen Time - Characters with Untapped Potential vs. Overexposed Favorites

My Hero Academia season 7 is set to premiere in the Summer 2024 anime season, much to the excitement of fans eagerly awaiting its release.

Fans are eagerly anticipating the upcoming season, hoping that their favorite characters will have opportunities to showcase their talents and shine. However, there is a common sentiment among fans that while most Class 1-A students receive significant focus in the story, the students of Class 1-B are frequently overlooked and neglected.

The series has showcased all the Class 1-B characters and their unique quirks, but some of them still lack the spotlight they deserve.

4 Class 1-B students who deserve a bigger role in My Hero Academia

1) Juzo Honenuki

Juzo Honenuki as seen in My Hero Academia anime (Image via Bones) - 1) Juzo Honenuki - 4 Class 1-B students who deserve a bigger role in My Hero Academia

Juzo Honenuki as seen in My Hero Academia anime (Image via Bones)

Juzo Honenuki from Class 1-B possesses the Softening quirk, allowing him to soften any non-living object he comes into contact with.

This unique ability enables Juzo to manipulate the ground by softening it, transforming it into a substance resembling quicksand. The Softening quirk proves to be highly efficient, as it can impede an individual's movements without direct physical contact.

Yosetsu Awase also possessed a unique ability that could have been utilized more effectively in the anime. Despite being shown using his Quirk against villains, there were missed opportunities to showcase his skills in various situations. Therefore, Yosetsu Awase deserved more screen time to highlight his capabilities.

Yosetsu Awase as seen in the anime (Image via Bones) - 2) Yosetsu Awase

Yosetsu Awase as seen in the anime (Image via Bones)

Yosetsu Awase of Class 1-B has the Weld quirk, allowing him to merge objects at an atomic level.

To activate the quirk, he must simultaneously touch both objects. One notable instance of Yosetsu utilizing his quirk was during the Joint Training Battle, where he was able to incapacitate Katsuki Bakugo.

Manga Fukidashi

Manga Fukidashi could potentially use his quirk to incapacitate a villain, despite his own perceived weakness. The anime has the opportunity to showcase character development for Yosetsu, allowing him to shine in the spotlight.

Manga Fukidashi as seen in the anime (Image via Bones) - 3) Manga Fukidashi

Manga Fukidashi as seen in the anime (Image via Bones)

Manga Fukidashi from Class 1-B stands out as one of the most unique characters in the anime, thanks to his distinctive appearance highlighted by a speech bubble. Despite his less effective quirk, Comic, fans have expressed a desire to delve deeper into his backstory.

The anime and manga have portrayed a clear bias against heteromorphs in the series, raising questions about whether Manga Fukidashi faced similar discrimination due to his appearance. Exploring how he navigated such challenges could add depth to his character and enhance the storyline.

4) Setsuna Tokage

Setsuna Tokage as seen in My Hero Academia anime (Image via Bones) - 4) Setsuna Tokage

Setsuna Tokage as seen in My Hero Academia anime (Image via Bones)

Setsuna Tokage is one of the few characters from Class 1-B who bore no hatred toward Class 1-A.

Moreover, the character is depicted as talkative, proactive, and thoughtful with a strong aptitude for leadership. It would have been beneficial to showcase her in the anime with more leadership opportunities in situations involving smaller groups.

Moreover, her Quirk - Lizard Tail Splitter is highly advantageous, allowing her to divide her body into up to 50 parts and control them from a distance. This unique ability would be incredibly useful in scenarios where stealth and discretion are essential, making her a valuable asset in covert missions.

4 Class 1-B students who get too much screentime in My Hero Academia

1) Ibara Shiozaki

Ibara Shiozaki as seen in the anime (Image via Bones) - 1) Ibara Shiozaki - 4 Class 1-B students who get too much screentime in My Hero Academia

Ibara Shiozaki as seen in the anime (Image via Bones)

Ibara Shiozaki from Class 1-B is a decent character. However, many fans would agree that she received way too much screen time compared to the other characters who were treated poorly.

Unlike many other Class 1-B characters, Ibara not only received her spotlight in the Joint Training Battle but also during the U.A. Sports Festival. As for her quirk Vines, it isn't really interesting as a character having the capability of controlling flora is a bit overused in entertainment media.

2) Neito Monoma

Neito Monoma as seen in the My Hero Academia anime (Image via Bones) - 2) Neito Monoma

Neito Monoma, the most prominent character from Class 1-B in the My Hero Academia anime, is known for his entertaining presence among fans. However, some feel that his screen time could have been shared with other characters in the series to give them a chance to shine in the spotlight.

Monoma's quirk Copy enables him to replicate and utilize the quirks of others. Despite its intriguing nature, My Hero Academia is not the pioneer in showcasing characters with such abilities.

Therefore, the anime could have potentially spotlighted characters with even more distinctive quirks.

3) Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu

Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu as seen in the anime (Image via Bones) - 3) Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu

Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu, a member of Class 1-B, is a character in the anime who is beloved by fans for his entertaining presence. It is apparent that his character was designed to serve as a rival to Eijiro Kirishima from Class 1-A, as evidenced by his personality and quirk, Steel, which share similarities with Kirishima.

Itsuka Kendo Therefore, there was truly no justification for manga artist Kohei Horikoshi to include this character other than to create a comparison and connection between the two classes. Consequently, reducing his appearance could have allowed for the development of other Class 1-B characters.

Itsuka Kendo as seen in the anime (Image via Bones) - 4) Itsuka Kendo

Itsuka Kendo as seen in the anime (Image via Bones)

Itsuka Kendo, the class representative of Class 1-B, plays a crucial role in maintaining order among her classmates, especially when they attempt to intimidate Class 1-A. However, despite this important responsibility, her character often takes a backseat during battles against formidable opponents.

Even though her quirk, Big Fist, is considered unique in My Hero Academia, some critics argue that it bears a striking resemblance to Monkey D. Luffy's Gear Third. This similarity raises questions about the potential for her character to be more effectively utilized with a different quirk or more challenging battle opportunities.

Unfortunately, as it stands, she may have received way too much screen time than she deserved.

Editor's P/S:

The article effectively highlights the disparity in screen time and development between Class 1-A and Class 1-B students in the My Hero Academia anime. It presents a well-rounded argument for giving underutilized characters like Juzo Honenuki, Yosetsu Awase, Manga Fukidashi, and Setsuna Tokage more opportunities to shine. The author provides compelling reasons why these students deserve a bigger role, showcasing their unique quirks and potential for character growth.

However, the article also raises concerns about certain Class 1-B students receiving excessive screen time compared to their less-developed counterparts. Ibara Shiozaki, Neito Monoma, Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu, and Itsuka Kendo are mentioned as characters who could have shared their spotlight with others. The author suggests that their prominence may have hindered the development of other Class 1-B students and potentially limited the series' overall storytelling potential. This perspective adds nuance to the discussion, emphasizing the need for a more balanced approach to character development in future seasons of the anime.