Unleashing the True Potential of Tomura Shigaraki in My Hero Academia

My Hero Academia has faced criticism for its premature character deaths, preventing them from reaching their full potential. Despite the wide range of characters, mangaka Kohei Horikoshi excels in setting them up. While not every character reaches their full potential, the development of certain characters is crucial for a captivating narrative and to attract fans' attention.

One of the primary antagonists, Tomura Shigaraki, has one of the most unique character development arcs in anime, and fans eagerly anticipate his full potential being realized.

Does Tomura Shigaraki manage to live up to his villain role in My Hero Academia?

As My Hero Academia's manga continues, numerous fans are disappointed with the development of Tomura Shigaraki's character.

Shigaraki endured a difficult childhood, facing abuse from his father and neglect from his mother. Struggling to understand and control his Quirk (decay), Shigaraki inadvertently killed his entire family, intentionally killing his father. Scarred by this traumatic event, he was taken in by All For One, who instilled in him a nihilistic ideology.

Shigaraki's resemblance to Deku is one of the most intriguing aspects of My Hero Academia. Despite Deku's growth as a responsible hero, capable of protecting his loved ones, Shigaraki fails to live up to his initial promise of being a menacing and disruptive force. He was meant to carry on All For One's legacy, sharing its ideology and using its vast resources to achieve their common goal. However, much to the disappointment of fans, he falls short of this intended purpose.

In the end, when Shigaraki is defeated by Deku and his allies, he succumbs to the increasing influence of All For One, ultimately surrendering his body. This outcome is the complete opposite of his original ideals, making him appear as a character with undefined motivations.

Shigaraki's betrayal of his comrades could be seen as a stark contrast to the foundation of absolute freedom on which the Paranormal Liberation Front was built. Fans, who had seen him as a character with strong convictions, were surprised by his actions.

Shigaraki's character stands out for being set up as a villain despite a tragic past, unlike most heroes in other shonen anime. Despite having an overpowered Quirk, Shigaraki has never been able to inflict lasting damage on Deku. With all 50 students and important teachers still alive and Shigaraki's failure to achieve his original objective of killing All Might (One For All), it can be said that he has largely underperformed in his role as a villain.

Concluding Thoughts

Despite being a key villain in the My Hero Academia manga, Tomura Shigaraki often took a backseat to other villains and failed to make a significant impact. Unlike characters such as Mahito from Jujutsu Kaisen and Madara Uchiha from Naruto, Shigaraki did not live up to the potential fans believed he had, leading to disappointment in how the mangaka utilized his character. Some speculate that Shigaraki's lack of substantial actions may be due to a potential redemption arc, while others are eager to see how his character will evolve and whether he will fulfill fans' expectations.

Editor's P/S

As a passionate fan of My Hero Academia, I share the sentiment that Tomura Shigaraki's character development has been a missed opportunity. Despite his intriguing backstory and potential for growth, Shigaraki's actions and motivations often fall short of expectations. His defeat by Deku and his subsequent surrender to All For One's influence felt anticlimactic, undermining his initial promise as a menacing villain.

Shigaraki's underperformance as a villain is particularly disappointing when compared to other compelling antagonists in popular shonen anime. Characters like Mahito from Jujutsu Kaisen and Madara Uchiha from Naruto left a lasting impact on fans due to their well-executed character arcs and significant contributions to the overall narrative. In contrast, Shigaraki's lack of substantial actions and inability to inflict lasting damage on Deku make him appear as a rather underwhelming adversary.