Quirk Works

I have decided to end the blog. I know that this may seem sudden, but know that was not done without heavy consideration. A factor was that the series was over and I've already written so much about it. What is there left to say? However, the greater reasons are a lot more personal. I won't go into detail. Just know that I am going through a lot at the moment physically, emotionally, and mentally. It's been a steady decline for almost four years now. And it has gotten much worse in the last few months. To a worrying degree.

And, as hard as it is to say, this blog may have been part of it. I feel like there are has been a decline, both in the quality of my writing and the engagement with it. It started to feel like less people enjoyed what I was doing. If no one was willing to give it a like, then it must have been pretty bad, right? This has lead to a loop of me getting more frustrated and defeated. This tanked my motivation and my writing abilities. To the point it took hours to build up the will to write anything and it came out worse for it.

Could I change how or what I post? Yes, but I'm just worried that will be a slow death for the blog and I'll just one day stop out of nowhere. I'd rather end this on my own terms with a big finisher. Though, to be honest, I am afraid of what is to come. Is writing for this blog hurting me or is it my last refugee? Am I going to collapse the second I stop running? I don't know. But I will find out. I only hope that none of you feel like I betrayed you by doing this. Because I feel like I have let you all down. And for that, I am sorry.

I only say that because I know this blog means so much to all of you. All of the messages I get about how people tune in every night to see what I wrote. How I changed how they saw the series. How much they felt inspired by how I wrote and it made their day. All because I was doing something I was passionate about. That will always means so much to me. And I want you all to know that nothing will happen to this blog. It will stay up and you can come back to look at what I wrote whenever you want.

This whole thing has been a struggle to get finalize. I earnestly wish I had the same drive that I did before. Just know that I don't resent any of it or you. This series, this blog, and everything that has come of it, will hold a special place in my heart. I am sure I can look back at it with pride for what I have made. Not only for the dedication that went into it, but for all the joy I have brought to each and every one of you. Because even if only one person was helped by what I made, it would have been all worth it.

I am not sure if I will return to this blog. I do hope that I can keep writing and find that drive again. Someway, somehow. Even if it isn't in the same place or on the same topic. Maybe one of you will find me again some day. Or maybe I'll advertise something else I'm writing on this blog. Wherever the road my take me, I'm glad that you were all part of my life and grateful for the part you all had in making this blog what it is. Until next time my friends. I wish you all the best, both in your lives and your writing.

Plus Ultra!

Fine Tier:

This is the category of characters which I have nothing to say about. A lot of the cast are frankly not interesting enough to be worth discussing with any kind of depth or nuance. The most I can say about them is that they had one funny character trait, had a decent design, or maybe a cool Quirk. Mostly here because I felt that I needed to add them to the list rather then add anything about them.

F Tier:

Sato: What a total waste of a character. For being one of the students in Class 1-A, Sato barely gets anything to say or do throughout the whole story. His design is terrible, his power isn't interesting, and the only thing he ever offered to the plot was cake.

Stars and Stripes: I cannot bring myself to care about Cathleen. You can give her all the broken powers and melodrama in her backstory. You can shove her in the middle of the final saga and act like we're supposed to know or care about her. The fact is that she is a plot device and the centerpiece to the worst arc in the story. 

Magne: The only thing of value Magne ever added to the story was dying to advance the characters of the rest of the League. While not a problem in and of itself, sometimes characters need to be used like that. It does not change the fact that Magne was a boring nothingburger of a character who was only around to die.

D Tier:

Koda: Another background classmate. He's barely in the story, has a frankly terrible design, and has a power that could be uniquely helpful in the context of hero work, yet is never given time to shine. I liked the mini arc he had, at least. However, the conclusion to that arc felt very shoehorned into the Mutant Mini-Arc.

Denki: I know he's a fandom darling, but I'm sorry, I just cannot bring myself to care about Denki. His usage of his Quirk was frustrating and his arc was so quick and done that I found it hard to be invested in it. Even for a gag character, I don't find his gag that funny. Maybe one or two bits are funny, but that's about it.

Mineta: Here's the first hot take: Mineta is not that bad. He's an annoying gag character, but don't act like the manga is endorsing what he is doing. He gets punished and fails every single time he tries to pull anything. Doesn't mean I like him, but at least he has more going on with him than someone like Sato.

Itsuka: I feel compelled to include Itsuka because she has some actual character to her. Yet I struggle to think of anything that is interesting about her. I think having her as foil to Momo is neat, but nothing is ever really done with it. I like her fight with Mustard is unique in how it plays out, but that's just one fight. I guess I like her as Monoma's handler, but that is not saying much.

Sero: Sero is on par with Sato for how much I forgot he even existed. It's like he's got all the non-personality of Ojiro, but with none of the charm of that, and somehow even less of an impact on the story. The only thing that makes me like him more is that I think his power is neat. It's a fun take on Spider Man's webslinging. 

Komori: Komori falls into the same issue as a lot of her classmates. Very one-note characters that never get the chance to flesh themselves out beyond their single trait. The only thing that keeps her from "Fine" is her design. Komori has such a perfect design. The adorable mage-themed mushroom costume is so great, and I'm glad it exists.

Oboro: My perspective on Oboro is tainted. His death in the manga was very obvious, and I'm amazed anyone felt sad about it. He's more there to give context to Aizawa's character. And I wouldn't mind that as much considering what they did with his character. Him being Kurogiri is so bizarre and out of left field that I'm still put off by it even now. Because if you hadn't read Vigilantes, you'd have no idea who this guy is and now he's super important.

Rumi: Miruko is the most overrated character in this series. I honestly think she is supported entirely by her design. Otherwise, her character is very one-dimensional. And when she finally gets to be cool with the Nomu fight, all the coolness gets played out in the Tomura fight. Her appearance in Vigilantes is so much better and the only thing keeping her from F Tier.

Best Jeanist: Best Jeanist is pretty boring. He supposedly had some impact on Bakugou's character, but I couldn't tell you what that is. Because he is barely even feels like a factor. Which I think part of what frustrates me so much about him. The story tries to make him feel more important, but doesn't give him much time to do anything.

Edgeshot: Edgeshot was a character so flat that he melded with the background. He barely did anything in the story, and we know next to nothing about him. Then he comes in at the eleventh hour to be part of one of the most bizarre and unintentionally funny plot points in the story. At least his costume and power were cool.

Garaki: Mostly around as a plot device and a reverent lackey for All For One. He's either there to deliver exposition about something, give the villains some kind of resource through his mad science, or work as someone to bounce off of for All For One. He's more defined by what he offers to the other characters than what he offers as a character.

Gigantomahcia: Very much in the same spot as Garaki in the story. Only now, his job is to smash things instead of making things. I did like how he was used for Mina's and Kirishima's plots, but I can't give him much credit for that. He was the obstacle for the two of them. It's not like he was a foil to their struggles like the other villains. 

Curious: You would think a major figure in the MLA and a media giant in a story about public perception shaping things would have more to do with the story. But no. Her whole purpose is to just push Toga's development and give us her backstory. Her role feels very mechanical, and she isn't interesting enough to hide that fact.

C Tier:

Hagakure: Hagakure is enjoyable. She isn't the most complex character, but she is certainly fun to have around. A girl who can't be seen by anyone does her best to make herself stand out. It's a gimmick, but it's more of a gimmick than some of her other classmates.

Ojiro: I just think he's neat. He's bland, unimpressive, and doesn't have much of anything going on as a character, but that works to make him more endearing. He's kind of like the non-superpowered member of hero teams. The fact that he is working so much to keep up makes him more likeable. He's out here in his gi, trying to fight as hard as he can and somehow making it work.

Aoyama: I really wanted to put Aoyama higher. Because I do like a lot of his stuff in the finale. Though for most of the story, he's a gag character. And it's not a gag I find that funny. His character work in the final arcs is really doing a lot of the legwork for him here. It does a lot to make you feel for the character and doesa great job of wrapping up the arc of Aoyama trying to find his courage.

Tetsutetsu: Tetsutetsu exists for a gag. His power and personality are exactly like Kirishima's. That's the only reason why he exists. It can be funny, but it gets old quick. Still, I do like the small showings he had in the two fights. Just this relentless determination to keep on fighting even when he is utterly overwhelmed by his enemy. It does a lot to make me like him more.

Setsuna: I really want to like Setsuna. Because I adore her type of character and her Quirk. I cannot ignore how poorly used in the story. She's really just there for Bakugou to steamroll and to make him seem more impressive in comparison. And I wouldn't be as upset if it wasn't for the fact she was one of the prestigious recommended students. It's such a waste of what could have been a cooler character.

Mei: While not the most prominent character, mostly around to make adjustments to Izuku's already cluttered costume, I do think she is a lot of fun. She's a gag character, but I think all the gags she has land consistently enough to make her stand out to me. She's just a mad genius dropped into a high school, and it's great. Like the bit where she turns Tenya into her unwilling display partner is one of the best gags in that arc.

Nezu: Nezu doesn't really have much going on. Him being horrifically experimented on by humans is boiled down to a one off gag and never mentioned again. However, his design is adorable, and that is most of the reason he's as high as he is. And I find that concept interesting, but it's barely explored with him or any of the other animal Quirks in the series.

Kamui Woods: Another character that is hard carried by his design and his Quirk. I like them both enough to rank him in this tier, especially how it evolves as the series goes on. Though nothing about Kamui Woods going on. Because in spite of being one of the first heroes we see and one of the top heroes in the country, there is remarkably little going on with him.

Gang Orca: I kind of wish they did more with him. When the Mutant plight seemed to be a thing the story wanted to focus on, you would think that Gang Orca However, I actually like the gags around him. Just this hyperaggressive guy whose first instinct on being disappointed is to toss his wards like they're trash bags.

Rock Lock: I almost ended up putting Rock Lock in "Fine", but I do appreciate the role he has in the story. Because I think having someone point of that it's messed up that they are taking kids into a major conflict with the Yakuza. Sure, it's kind of moot given that he's proven wrong, because those kids are just that strong and impressive, but it's important to bring up in a story like this.

Thirteen: I like her design, both in and out of costume. Though I think her Quirk is appeals to me the most about her. She has one of the most dangerous Quirks in the entire series. In spite of that, Thirteen specializes in rescue work. It helps to reinforce that Quirks and heroes can have different roles outside of what their intention may be. She doesn't have much else going on, but I find it neat.

Rappa: A rather generic thug, Rappa is spared the "Fine" category for having a lot more personality. A battle-crazed fighter with a strict blue and orange morality is nothing new, but it is something unique for the setting. Plus I just like how he interacts with anyone, whether it be someone contrasting him like Fat Gum or someone that matches his crazy like Miruko.

Hood: I was tempted to put Hood in with the rest of the "Fines". Because he's not that interesting and doesn't have much personality. Yet the thing that really sells him to me is the look. Hood is just so cool. From all his powers, to his design, to the sheer menace he has during every fight he has. It's great.

Mustard: Someone that had a pretty cool design, as well as a strong foundation for a character going forward. Another kid who resents those with Quirks stronger than his. In a world where your Quirk has a lot of weight in who you are, that sounds really interesting to explore. Then he's beaten in his first out and he's never mentioned again.

Re-Destro: Re-Destro had the potential to be really cool and was when he was first introduced. He is the descendant of a powerful revolutionary. Re-Destro himself is a powerful figure, willing to kill and die for what seems like a noble cause. Then he gets beaten, and instantly folds to Tomura. He becomes a lackey who gets beaten off-screen. So much for that promise of a cool character.

Skeptic: Skeptic is able to eek out the other executives by virtue of the fact that he goes beyond a single arc. In which he's kind of interesting. This super necrotic control freak wants to free people while still treating others as subhuman. Yet he's more treated as a gag or just someone useful to have around. He's got more going on, but it's still not enough to make me like him.

Geten: I feel like I could copy what I said about Re-Destro and apply it to Geten. Cool power, cool design, and a unique perspective on Quirks and the world. He's someone who offers a unique perspective on the MLA's beliefs and goals. Yet he's even worse than Re-Destro. Because at least Re-Destro was a prominent part of the MLA Arc. Geten's role is to fight people in the background and then lose.

Captain Celebrity: I'm a sucker for stories about having a character come across as a tool but slowly revealing that they may not be as bad as you thought. There's still some humbling involved, and he's definitely a glory hog, but you can see that he's a good guy underneath it. And he's got some great gags to boot. Like everything that happens with his wife throughoutthe manga.

Kota: Look, I can appreciate Kota's role as someone who was hurt by heroes. It gives us a unique perspective on how heroism can end up affecting those around them for the worse. It's cute to see him go from a rightly upset kid into one of Izuku's biggest fanboys. However, the fact that he punched Izuku in the crotch, resulting in one of the funniest bits in this series, certainly played a factor in me putting him this high up.

Eri: Not going to lie, Eri does feel like a plot device for her power a lot of the time or just someone the heroes need to protect. That just comes with the territory of being a child character with extreme powers like that. Still, the mini arc she goes on to recovery is nice. She does introduce the bit of lore about deviations, which is interesting. And I'd be a monster to put her any lower than C-Tier.

B Tier:

Jiro: I feel like Jiro is a character that survives a lot off of her vibes. She's an punk girl who has a bit of snark to her. I don't think that she does that much to warrant the amount of love and attention she gets. Granted, I started to like her more when she was getting out of her mold, such as her showing off her talent and passion during the School Festival or supporting Koda during the Final Exams. It makes me appreciate her more.

Ibara: Like some of the other characters on the list, Ibara is only as high as she is because of how unique she is and a lot of superficial stuff. I like her power, I like her design, I like her holier then though attitude and how much it clashes between the other characters. I honestly wish that she was in Class 1-A like Horikoshi originally planned her to be. I think that her perspective would have been interesting all about trying to understand villains.

Shinso: Another character I feel like is very overrated. He had an interesting premise in the Sports Festival. Someone with a villainous Quirk that wants to be a hero, yet his baggage ends up making him act like a villain. Yet I feel like that's something that's never explored as much as it should have been. And he isn't as interesting to me in his subsequence appearances. It's him slowly becoming more and more like Aizawa. I don't dislike him. I just don't think he deserves any particularly high spot on this list.

Nejire: Yes, Nejire did get shafted compared to the other two members of the Big Three. She doesn't get much of anything as far as backgrounds or motivations go. She can still be a fun character that I think is easy to like and she works great as the heart of the Big Three. The fact that I was still able to feel something for her brief backstory and her wanting to graduate, to me, shows just how endearing that I think she is.

Tamaki: Tamaki has one of my favorite Quirks in the entire series. And it leads to so much creative visuals and unique uses for him. That does bump him up a bit, but I like some of the other stuff about him. I do like his bits of character, like him slowly gaining confidence and trying to learn to stand on his own without Mirio. But he is a pretty minor character that the story doesn't do much with. So my enjoyment of him can only go so far.

Inasa: On his own, Inasa is just alright. A guy who is as intense and fickle as the wind, always shouting out his feelings the top of his lungs. Yet I like him more because of how much he's used to hold up and mirror to and develop Shoto and Endeavor. Granted, you do have to buy into Inasa's mindset for why he doesn't like Enji and how that spreads into Shoto.

Seiji: Another minor character that I find myself attached to. Again, I do like him so much because he is such a massive contrast from the other characters. He's an sneering hero elitist who looks down on anyone that can't meet his standards. And it helps that his Quirk is so unique. He can control his own flesh and turn people into meat pies.

Camie: Camie is one of the funniest characters in this series. I know that many find her Instangram style of speaking annoying, but I enjoy it a lot. And it's only made better by her ability to make illusions. That bit with the Hawks illusion actually had me laugh aloud and that is very rare for me.

Present Mic: I do not care for Present Mic's design. The hair just kills it for me. At least his overall personality is interesting. I like him as a contrast to Aizawa. He's this happy go lucky, extroverted guy, who has these bouts of extremes seriousness and anger. Like when seems to be taking real pleasure in beating up Garaki and calling his ideas stupid. And it's those bouts that make him more interesting to me. It's at least enough to get him above C-Tier in my eyes.

Midnight: Midnight's death is one of Horikoshi's worst mistakes of the story. I don't really see why he felt the need to kill her off, especially with how little is done with her before or after her death. That aside, I still find a lot of reasons to like her. Because she's great in Vigilantes. She's like this fun aunt who is constantly giving good advice and teasing the people around her. Yet she still puts everything she has into being a hero and helping others.

Mount Lady: A minor character I've grown to like a lot. Her outfit and power are pretty basic, but her personality is where she shines. She seems to start out as the "bad hero" that everyone seems to talk about. A lazy gloryhog that uses cheap appeal to garner attention. Then she slowly starts to act more like a real hero. And she has such an amazing moment of giving her all against Gigantomachia and the other villains. It's rewarding to see how much she has evolved.

Nana: Nana wasn't around for much of the story, acting more as motivation for All Might, but I do think that the few moments she had were solid. She did a great job of showing the weight that came with being the user of "One For All", including the potential need to take a villain's life. I really liked how everything ended in the vestige realm for her. She finally got to make some peace with her son, even if it was only an apparition.

Gran Torino: Gran Torino is good for the role he has. He's the secretly powerful mentor who acts like a senile old man. He does a good job of teaching Izuku and he works well as a confident for All Might. And he gets his fair share of cool moments. However, after All Might steps down as a hero and Izuku starts working under Enji, Gran Torino kind of loses all point in the story. I kind of wish he was killed by Tomura.

Tensei: I originally thought Tensei was just a guy who got got as a way to advance Tenya's character. But man, does Vigilantes do a lot of leg work to make that feel more like his own character. Like he's the cool big brother to everyone in that manga, willing to bend the rules in order to do the most good possible. He really does seem like a great guy. So by the time you head back to the manga proper, it feels like something was really lost.

Mr. Compress: Easily the League member I had the most interest in when the group first came about. His power is one of my favorite in the whole series, he's got an amazing design with the changing masks, and he's got a unique personality of being this showman character whos has a flare for the dramatic. What I can't ignore about him though is just how little he impacts the story. His biggest contribution is capturing Bakugou and saving Tomura. Then there is his backstory, which throws me for such a loop. It doesn't line up with the rest of the League, or even Mr. Compress as a character.

Kurogiri: Full transparency: Kurogiri is only as high as he is because of how cool he is. His design is simple, but fantastic. This mysterious smoke monster with glowing eyes. And "Warp Gate" is such a cool power too. I say this as someone who doesn't really care for Kurogiri as a character. He never got much character when he was around at the start. I didn't find anything with Oboro compelling, tragic, or whatever else the manga wanted me to feel about him. So looking cool does help, but it'll only get you so far.

Muscular: In a world full of complex villains, having someone just be an unapologetic psycho like Muscular is kind of refreshing. However, I put him this high because how he's used in the story. He's only used twice, but I think that both of those moments are strong moments. He's a great bench mark for Izuku, whether it be testing his will or new mindset on villains. Plus having a cool Quirks like his helps in these rankings.

Kuin: I like how much more subtle Kuin is as a villain. She's much more in the background. Spying on people with her bugs, luring in victims as a honeypot for her plans, manipulating people to do what she wants. All while effectively holding some poor girl hostage. It makes for someone who is wonderfully unique yet still easy to despise. It's helped by how unique her Quirk is, being far more suited to support and utility rather then out and out combat.

Inko: I don't care what anyone says: Inko is an amazing mother. She could have handled the Quirk thing better, but what was she supposed to say? Otherwise, she cares for and supports her son so much throughout the series. And I like that a lot. It also helps that she can be pretty funny with her various reactions. She's a good fluff character, around to be caring and funny. Sometimes, that's just all you need.

A Tier:

Bakugou: Bakguou is one of the characters I have the most complicated feelings on. This is where the subjective side of it comes in. Because most of the time, he is such an unbearable tool. I know that's the point, but he's not even fun to hate. He's just hard to like. Yet the objective side of me can't deny how strong of a character he is. It's so interesting to see him change in both major and minor ways. And I appreciate the subtlety in which he changes over time rather than having it be a drastic shift.

Momo: I feel like I rank Momo a lot higher than most people would. Yeah, I like her power, and she has some nice moments, but I wouldn't say she's a fan favorite. I think it's because of how much I relate to her storyline. Of putting this absurd amount of pressure on yourself. And that you shouldn't let failure hurt your faith in your abilities. It's nice to see her regain her confidence, deal with failure in a healthier way, and learn to be the leader the team needs. And I would put her higher. Yet I feel like her usage in the final left me wanting.

Kirishima: Kirishima is simple, but fun. His basic personality is enjoyable enough. Just being a rough-and-tumble man who's fixated with this ideal of manliness. Then we see more layers of him and just how much he doesn't believe in himself. I like how his story plays out as well. It's a more unique take on being confident in who you are and what you do. Yeah, Kirishima can't do what everyone else can given how his Quirk works, but can still help others and be a great hero.

Mina: Mina is a character very much in the same vein as Kirishima. She's very simple but still great to have around. Though instead of having more story going on, as she doesn't have much there, she instead makes up for it with being a more fun character. She's got this infectious energy that is hard to describe, but it makes her a delight to have on the panel. Her design is great too. Her Quirk is great as well, leading to some cool evolutions and applications as the story goes on.

Tokoyami: Tokoyami is a character I like. I like her drama club personality. It gives him more flexibility, either being a huge dork or legitimately cool. His power is amazing, and it's great to see it grow throughout the story. What makes Tokoyami suffer in my eyes is how much his arc is underdeveloped. He's treated like a prominent side character, yet we don't get the clearest idea of what his arc is until the very end. I think that I do like what he has to offer, but it's handled clumsily.

Tsuyu: Tsuyu is just so easy to like. She's a weird little frog girl that says kero. She's blunt, she's observant, and she's Tsuyu. Though I appreciate her just as much as a foil to other characters. Whether it be working as the straight man to a comedic pair or keeping her friends heads in the game, she is a good complement to whomever she is around.

Shoji: Shoji is just cool. Cool design, cool power, cool moments in the story. He's so simple, yet so likable. And it helps that he has one of my favorite Quirks from the entire heroics course. Again, he is a character without much complexity to him. Granted, the Anti-Mutant both helps and hurts him. He is given more character and backstory, but it's attached to a pretty poor storyline.

Juzo: Juzo is my favorite character in Class 1-B. He's showings were few, but they left a big impact on me because of how unique he was. His design is distinct, both in and out of costume, and his personality is interesting. He's not a very traditionally heroic figure. He can be underhanded and more of a supportive orient as a fight. Yet it was that that let him go toe to toe with some of the strongest people in Class 1-A.

Monoma: Monoma is just so fun to hate. He just comes into the series and acts like the biggest instigator in the series, and it is so much fun to see what he does. Yet I think it pays off well in the latter half of the series. When all that bravo was meant to cover for a massive inferiority complex. Which in turn pays off with everything that happens in the story, with him being an integral part of the heroes' plans. It's nothing major, but I still like him a lot for it.

Mirio: I do like Mirio. A lot, actually. He's likable, funny, and has one of the coolest uses of a power from anyone in this series. And narratively, he does a great job as a foil for other characters like Tamaki and especially Izuku, perfectly contrasting him as a potential user for All For One. He makes a big impact for such a small role. Yet what keeps me from putting him higher is a lack of real development for his character. He feels static throughout most of the story. He works as a complementary character but doesn't have much going on on his own.

Fat Gum: Fat Gum is a character that is hard to dislike. He's just a giant marshmallow of a man who acts as a good mentor for those under him. He didn't have any particularly memorable fights or moments, but he didn't need them. He's like the pro-hero version of Tsuyu. You just throw someone in who is vaguely friend-shaped, and everyone in the fan base will die for them.

Aizawa: I find Aizawa hard to talk about. I think it's because he's such a fandom darling already. So many people like the hobo teacher that I struggle to think of much to add. I'll just say that I like Aizawa. I think he's interesting with how out of place he is as a pro hero, being equal parts cool and a total bum at the same time, and works well as the hard hammer to keep the students in place. Granted, I think he goes too far in a lot of places, and I find him frustrating at times, but he's still enough to put him this high.

Sir Nighteye: I know that people kind of despise Sir Nigtheye, but I don't get it. He is someone who is pretty rightfully upset at being slighted by All Might. And he thinks that Izuku can't handle being the successor to All Might. He works as a good alternative perspective for Izuku. Even without that, he's an interesting character. A man who can see the future and has a fatalistic approach to life, yet is still someone who lives in the past and is obsessed with something as small as people smiling.

Dabi: Dabi, for most of the story, is not interesting. He's got a cool design and the promise of something happening with him. Otherwise, he's very flat. That's what keeps me from putting him higher. Because during the last fourth of the series, he is amazing. He's this fantastic mix of snarky and sociopathic. Dabi is completely devoted to making Enji's life miserable and enjoying every second of it. It's not complex, but it doesn't have to be. It's such a joy to read whenever he's on the panel running his mouth.

Overhaul: Overhaul was close to being my favorite villain. Amazing design, impactful role as an arc villain, good foil for Tomura, and easily has one of my favorite powers in the whole series. He's great... for his own arc. After that? He really starts to decline. I get wanting to make him suffer, but man, it really does degrade his character to just have him be this broken mess for the rest of the story. I still like him to put him this high, but not any higher.

Gentle: Listen, I would have put Gentle pretty high for the comedy alone. Then there is how much I like his costume, his Quirk, and the fight between him and Izuku. The reason why he goes so high is because of just how much I like his story. Seeing him go from this high school dropout and streamer villain wanting any kind of validation to becoming the hero he always wanted to be was great.

La Brava: Obviously, Gentle wouldn't be as good of a character as he was if it wasn't for La Brava. I don't think that Gentle or his story would have worked as well had it not been for La Brava supporting him. You think that she's just an obsessive fangirl, but it goes to show just how much the two mean to each other. She really helps to sell the idea of villains as hurt people that still need saving. Plus, her outfit is just adorable.

Knuckleduster: Knuckleduster is a total psycho, and he's great for it. He's such a wonderful contrast from the other heroes. No powers, extremely violent, and only able to beat up the lowest tiers of street thugs. It's what makes him and his fights so interesting. And when he's able to pull a fast one on people, whether through their better planning or sheer determination, it's so much fun to read.

Pop Step: While my least favorite of the Vigilante Trio, she's still pretty great. Seeing her try and struggle to be an idol is surprisingly endearing. And I never would have expected the story of a raising idol would have been so engaging, but here we are. Plus her dynamic with Koichi is great to read as well.f

S Tier:

Shoto: Another fandom darling that I find hard to say anything on. Shoto is so good at every part of the story he is in. Whether it be as an enemy to Izuku, a reluctant ally to his father, a social awkward friend to the cast. And seeing him slowly grow into his own person is so cathartic. He's got some of the best and coolest looking fights in the series. And somehow through it all, he manages to be one of the funniest characters in the class. How does he manage to do it?

Tenya: Tenya is great. He's equal parts hilarious and heroic, but its drastic shifts in character makes from a interesting storyline. Going from a straight laced student, to would be murderer, to being the hero and leader figure that all of his classmates need. The only complaint is how underused he is in the finale, but that feels like small potatoes with how strong I think he is in the rest of the story.

Uraraka: Uraraka is one of the most unfairly represented and overhated characters in this entire series. She has one of the best storylines in the manga, perfectly fitting in with the greater themes of the story about heroes helping everyone, including the villains. She's able to be a strong character, both in her own right and how good of a job she does of enhancing the other characters around her. Uraraka is more then just the "love interest". And before that, she was an adorable, but fierce addition to the main cast. She is a good character in her own right and the story is better for having her around.

All Might: I struggled so much on whether or not he was my favorite pro hero. I enjoy his character so much and I doubt the series would be as good as it is without him. He's great as a larger then life monolith, but he's just as good as a retired hero that is still figuring out his life. Only to learn that he truly still has what it takes to be a hero people need. It's a good take on the traditional mental figure you see in these kinds of stories. The only issue is that I just like the top spot's story more.

Hawks: There are a lot of superficial reasons to like Hawks. Cool power, cool design, all that stuff. Yet I think what makes me like Hawks so much is just how fun he is to analyze. Everything from his arc, to his actions, to even the small bits of dialogue he has through out the series. He's a character that I can think about a lot, but not in a negative way. Hawks is just endlessly interesting.

Lady Nagant: Lady Nagant's stint of the story is nearly perfect. A story of a women constantly used by others and betrayed at all points of her life. She was nothing more then a weapon, as shown by her simple but cool literally turning her into a weapon. Yet she is able to find hope in the one person who was willing to treat her as a human being. Someone she choose to use her weapon for good, nearly costing Lady Nagant her life, and

All For One: All For One vs All Might does a lot to get All For One this high. It's easily the peak of his character and one of the high points of the series. And while he doesn't reach the same highs, I still think he's pretty good. I don't think that All For One regressing regresses his character, if that makes any sense. Still, there are so missteps with the final arc that keep him from the top.

Spinner: I almost put him as my favorite. For the first half of the story, I think he was a good comedic elements to the villains. He didn't add much beyond that. Yet as the story grew, it was interesting to see him become apathic to the villain cause as a whole. That the only thing pushing him forward even after he was questioning everything that is happening. The same thing that ruined him in the end. Because all he got out of this was all his friends dying and mentally damaged from the additional Quirks. He's a good cautionary tale of getting into extremism like this.

Twice: Ah, Twice. The clown of the villain team. Then we get his back story and he becomes one of the most tragic characters of the group, if not the series. A guy who was always by himself and just wanted to people to like him. Yet he was constantly taken advantage of by people he called friends. You admire him because of just how dedicated he is and how much he has to fight his own condition in order to help those same people. That same dedication that ended up costing him his life.

Toga: I do not care for the "cutsey killer" archetype. I find it more annoying then scary and very played out. I tell you that because I want you to know how much I like Toga to rank her this high in spite of that. It took a while to get her going, but I grew to appreciate her and what she means to the story. Even if she was a villain, she is just as victim of a condition that no one was willing to help her with.

Stain: While I don't think that Stain was the game changer everyone said he was, I have to give him his props. He does such a good job of being this imposing threat to the heroes and a stark contract to then more immature. He's the first villain we get with real principals, ones he'll stick by with his life. And do I even need to mention the speech? However, what ultimately keeps me from putting him any higher is his death. It was a cheap and disappointing way to end someone like. He certainly deserved better.

Koichi: While the comedy of the character and cool Quirk do factor into his ranking, it is once again his story that makes me like him so much. Koichi has one of the most satisfying arcs in this entire franchise. As he and his Quirk grows, he goes from being this cowardly vigilante that can't even throw a real punch to a real hero willing to put his life on the line to stop the villain and save the day. From playing at being a hero to being a real hero. And he is working for it every step of the way.

Number 6: Again, like Kuin, it's interesting to see a villain take such a unique route to villainy. Subterfuge, manipulation, and covert ways of dealing with problems. That doesn't stop him from throwing hands when he needs to. And it helps that he has one of the coolest power sets in the entire series, leading so many incredible fights. What makes it even better is just how much of a petty tool he is. This man is going to ruin your life in ways you can't imagine. He's like a mix of Dabi and Tomura. He's great.

Favorite Tier:

Izuku: Yeah, this isn't a surprise. Izuku is my favorite student and character in this whole series. What is there even to say? I find him both admirable and relatable. He's this amazing guy who wants to save everyone he can because that's what being a hero is to him. Yet he's someone who struggles so much with his sense of worth and value out of just being another holder of "One For All". His arc of learning more about being a hero and the villains is stellar and ties into the themes so well. I don't think the story would be anywhere near as good as any other character. He's everything you want in a Shōnen protagonist. 

Endeavor: This is probably going to be my most controversial placement. Yes, Endeavor is my favorite pro hero. And that's because of how well he is written. It is a testament to Hori's writing that he was able to handle Enji's story as well as he did. I haven't seen an abuser atonement story done this well. It did a lot of work to make him sympathetic and even understand his mindset, but it never excuses his actions. He keeps getting rightfully punished for all the things he did, but you can't help rooting for him whenever he enters the fray. It's so fascinating seeing where the story is going to go with him.