Comparison: Kurogiri vs. Hood in My Hero Academia

Status as High-End Nomu Kurogiri is the very first High-End Nomu and the original prototype for the intelligent class, created earliest by Kyudai Garaki. Hood is one of the later High-Ends out of twelve, representing a more refined and combat-focused evolution years after Kurogiri.

Base Corpse and Original Identity Kurogiri uses the corpse of Oboro Shirakumo, a teenage U.A. hero student whose body remains relatively intact beneath the modifications. Hood comes from an adult underground street fighter and thug, heavily rebuilt into a monstrous form with aggressive traits preserved.

Appearance Kurogiri has an elegant, ethereal look — a humanoid silhouette entirely composed of dark purple mist, wearing a formal suit and tie, with glowing yellow eyes and a protective metal neck brace as the only solid features. Hood embodies the classic grotesque Nomu aesthetic: massive muscular build, dark purple/black skin, exposed brain hidden under a skin "hood," jagged teeth, protruding vertebrae, and exposed shoulder muscles.

Primary Role and Purpose Kurogiri serves as a protector, caretaker, and support operative specifically designed to watch over and nurture Tomura Shigaraki while providing teleportation for the League. Hood functions as a pure frontline destroyer and battle tester, engineered to seek out and overwhelm the strongest heroes in direct combat.

Personality Kurogiri is polite, well-spoken, calm, and formal, often acting as the mature grounding force for the League while retaining subtle caring traits from Oboro. Hood speaks with a stutter and broken grammar, showing disturbing eagerness for battle, quickly growing bored after defeating opponents, and retaining his original thug's violent lust for fighting strong foes.

Intelligence and Tactics Kurogiri demonstrates high tactical intellect and strategic calm, such as cleverly reversing Thirteen's Black Hole against her. Hood possesses solid battlefield intuition and planning (e.g., summoning lower Nomu as distractions, protecting his head, self-decapitating to survive fatal attacks), but operates more instinctively than strategically.

Quirk Setup Kurogiri relies on one primary artificial composite Quirk: Warp Gate (built around Oboro's original Cloud Quirk), allowing precise, coordinate-based portals for transportation and multi-exit manipulation. Hood possesses six separate Quirks: Muscle Augmentation, Super Regeneration, Shoulder-Mounted Jets, Transforming Arms, Power, and Storage — granting overwhelming physical strength, flight, elasticity, and the ability to store/release other Nomu.

Combat Style and Strength Kurogiri focuses on long-range support, portal defense, and evasion rather than direct offense; his strength lies in utility and enabling others. Hood excels in raw destructive power, speed, durability, and multi-faceted close/mid-range assaults, capable of soloing top heroes like Endeavor and Hawks for extended periods.

Outcome and Fate Kurogiri ultimately glitches between programming and Oboro's resurfacing personality, aids the heroes in the Final War, and dies from Quirk overuse while still trying to protect Tomura. Hood is destroyed in a prolonged battle by Endeavor's Plus Ultra Prominence Burn after pushing the No. 1 Hero to his limits.

Analysis: Overhaul & Dabi as Scrapped AFO Vessels

Both Kai Chisaki (Overhaul) and Toya Todoroki (Dabi) were genuine candidates in All For One’s long-running Vessel Project — the search for a perfect, stable body that could hold AFO’s Quirk and consciousness without collapsing into a brain-dead state. They were both raised (or recovered) in the same network of secret orphanages run by Kyudai Garaki specifically to cultivate potential vessels. Yet both were ultimately scrapped for very different reasons, and their failures directly shaped the path to Tomura Shigaraki as the “final” vessel.

Overhaul (Kai Chisaki) — The Idealist Who Escaped

Why AFO chose him

Raised in one of Garaki’s orphanages explicitly intended to produce vessels.

Possessed the Overhaul Quirk — an extremely rare ability to disassemble and reassemble matter at the atomic level. This was so valuable that AFO immediately stole a copy of it and gave the incomplete “Destruction-only” version to young Tenko Shimura (creating Decay).

Young Kai was intelligent, ambitious, and already obsessed with “curing” the world of Quirks. This kind of strong, singular drive was exactly the kind of personality AFO liked to exploit and then overwrite.

Why he was scrapped

Kai developed his own grand ideology (Quirks are a disease; the Yakuza must rise again).

When the Shie Hassaikai boss (his adoptive father figure) rejected his plan to use Eri, Kai put the boss in a coma and went rogue.

He built an independent criminal empire and refused to serve anyone — including AFO.

AFO briefly considered him again during the Shie Hassaikai arc (the meeting with Tomura), but Kai’s arrogance and independence made him unusable as a mindless host. Instead, AFO treated him as a useful stepping stone: stole more of his research, let Tomura humiliate him, and ultimately discarded him.

Result Overhaul became a “scrapped vessel” because he had too much of his own will and ambition. AFO does not want a partner — he wants a blank, compatible shell. Kai was never going to be that.

Dabi (Toya Todoroki) — The Death-Seeker Who Refused

Why AFO chose him

After Toya’s “death” at Sekoto Peak, AFO personally rescued the charred boy and had Garaki rebuild him with Nomu-level surgery.

Toya was placed in the same “Orphanage of Love” network used to groom vessels.

He was considered an excellent backup candidate: powerful fire Quirk (stronger than Endeavor’s), massive trauma/hatred, and a body that had already survived extreme damage. Garaki explicitly calls him a “perfect candidate as a backup vessel” in case Shigaraki failed.

Why he was scrapped

Toya woke up from his three-year coma still mentally 13 years old and obsessed with one thing: making Endeavor acknowledge him (and then destroying him).

When AFO and Garaki offered to train him and upgrade his body, Toya refused. He burned down the orphanage (possibly killing other children) and escaped to pursue his own revenge.

Garaki’s final verdict: “The demon lord himself had to abandon that frenzied flame of death.” Toya’s self-destructive hatred and Death Seeker mindset made him completely unsuitable. AFO needs a body that will last and obey; Toya wanted to burn himself (and everyone else) to ash as the ultimate “fuck you” to his father.

Result Dabi became the most dramatic scrapped vessel. AFO literally saved his life and rebuilt him, yet Toya spat in their faces and ran. His survival for seven more years on pure spite impressed Garaki, but it also proved he could never be controlled.

In short: Overhaul was scrapped because he had too much of his own dream. Dabi was scrapped because he had too much of his own death wish.

Overview of Kyudai Garaki's Creations

Kyudai Garaki (also known under aliases like Daruma Ujiko and Dr. Tsubasa) is the primary Mad Scientist in My Hero Academia, serving as All For One's chief collaborator and the architect behind many of the series' most horrifying advancements in Quirk experimentation. His work revolves around the manipulation, duplication, and enhancement of Quirks, often through unethical human experimentation, bio-engineering, and reanimation. Garaki's creations are driven by his Quirk Singularity theory—the idea that Quirks will eventually become too powerful for humanity to control—and his loyalty to All For One's vision of a world dominated by villainy.

Garaki's inventions fall into several categories: Nomu (Artificial Humans), enhanced individuals, Quirk-duplication technology, and Quirk-based drugs. These are not just tools of destruction but testbeds for his research into multi-Quirk bodies, regeneration, and human augmentation. They embody themes of body horror, loss of humanity, and the ethical horrors of playing god. Below, I analyze each major creation based on their design, purpose, strengths, weaknesses, and narrative role. This draws from Garaki's history as a rejected theorist who found validation in All For One, leading him to prioritize villainous innovation over societal good.

1. Nomu (Artificial Humans/Zombies)

Garaki's signature creations, Nomu are bio-engineered monsters made from human bodies (living or dead) implanted with multiple Quirks via All For One's assistance. They represent Garaki's early experiments in Quirk overload, where subjects' minds shatter under the strain, turning them into obedient husks. Internally, Nomu are a "jumbled mass of muscle and bones" with no recognizable organs, blending organic and artificial elements. They can't be considered "alive" in a biological sense, often called "zombies" or "corpses" by characters. Nomu were initially prototypes for enhancing Tomura Shigaraki, refined over decades.

General Analysis:

Design & Purpose: Nomu are tailored for specific roles (combat, support, or testing). They expose brains for vulnerability, lack vital organs for resilience, and combine Quirks for versatility. Garaki views them as "children," showing twisted affection, but they're disposable tools for All For One's schemes.

Strengths: Multi-Quirk combos (e.g., regeneration + strength), blind obedience, and no pain response make them implacable. High-End variants add intelligence and personality retention.

Weaknesses: Brain destruction kills them instantly. Lower tiers are mindless and require orders; rushed High-Ends need stabilization time.

Narrative Role: Nomu escalate threats, forcing heroes to confront moral dilemmas (e.g., killing non-humans). They symbolize Quirk society's dark side—overpowered abilities leading to dehumanization—and highlight Garaki's genius as a foil to heroic innovation.

Specific Nomu Variants:

USJ Nomu ("Nomu"): The original prototype, designed as an "Anti-Symbol of Peace" to counter All Might. Quirks: Shock Absorption, Super Regeneration.

Analysis: A brute-force tank with All Might-level strength but no independence. Its regeneration heals limbs in seconds, but it can't act without orders—Garaki's early flaw in over-modification damaging the brain. Role: Wake-up call for heroes, showing villains' escalation. Weakness: Overloaded by sustained high-impact attacks.

Hosu Nomus: Three deployed for chaos in Hosu City. White-skinned (Absorption/Release, Muscle Growth, Tongue Web); Black-skinned (Super Regeneration); Winged (Pterodactyl Wings).

Analysis: Lower/Upper/Middle-Tier mix for distraction. White one reflects attacks but takes damage; black one regenerates but vulnerable to fire (cells can't regrow from ash); winged enables aerial assaults but brain exposure allows one-hit kills. Role: Highlight Nomu hierarchy and Stain's influence. Weakness: Predictable primal behavior.

Chainsaw Nomu: Vanguard attacker during the Forest Training Camp. Quirk: Tool Arms (chainsaws, drills, hammers via multiple arms).

Analysis: Middle-Tier combat specialist, blending Quirks for weaponry. Eight arms make it a close-range nightmare, but restraint in mouth suggests biting urges. Role: Small but impactful—defeats Ragdoll, enabling All For One to steal her Quirk. Weakness: Mindless pursuit allows evasion; uncertain fate post-capture.

Kamino Nomus: Army of Lower-Tier deployed during the Hideout Raid.

Analysis: Mass-produced mooks with variations (e.g., slime, long arms, headless). Immune to bullets, but lack individual power. Role: Cannon fodder showing Garaki's scaling production. Weakness: Conservation of ninjutsu—quantity over quality, easily overwhelmed.

Fukuoka Nomus: Nine Lower-Tier distractions during Hood's fight.

Analysis: Basic fodder with odd features (e.g., throat eyes, power fists). Role: Support High-End tests; quick defeat by Hawks shows Nomu degradation. Weakness: No regeneration, easily dispatched.

Johnny: Small support Nomu. Quirk: Warping (teleports via black ooze).

Analysis: Utility-focused, armless biped for non-combat. Ooze smells bad, implying gross mechanics. Role: Villainous rescue (e.g., warps Dabi). Weakness: Squishy; killed accidentally by Mirko.

Mocha: Small support Nomu. Quirk: Double (Twice's duplication).

Analysis: Doppelgänger creator for subterfuge; spine-tail and dual noses add horror. Role: Sacrificial distraction in lab raid. Weakness: Poor combat intellect; destroyed protecting Garaki.

Jaku Nomus: Mix of tiers in Garaki's lab, released during raid (e.g., whale-drill hybrid).

Analysis: Hybrid designs (e.g., cetacean with drill tongue) for chaos. Role: Delay heroes; most die in Shigaraki's decay. Weakness: Mooks against pros; no High-End smarts.

High-End Nomus: Advanced subclass with up to six Quirks, intelligence, and violent personalities from criminal bases. Need stabilization; all have Super Regeneration.

Hood: First High-End; Quirks: Muscle Augmentation, Regeneration, Jets, Transforming Arms, Power, Storage.

Analysis: Blood Knight with speech/thought; stores Nomu inside body. Role: Arc villain testing Endeavor; killed by fire. Weakness: Sanity slips in battle; decapitation vulnerability.

Woman: Feminine High-End; Quirks: Regeneration, Liquification, Rupture.

Analysis: Strategic leader; explodes liquid form. Role: Lab defender; killed by Endeavor. Weakness: Needs time to stabilize; close-range exploitable.

Chubs: Obsessed with Crust; Quirks: Regeneration, Mouths, Enlargement.

Analysis: Obese cyborg grows/swells; multiple mouths. Role: Gate guardian. Weakness: Stout but slow.

Robot: Helmeted; Quirks: Regeneration, Spatial Distortion, Laser Vision.

Analysis: Ranged fighter; twists space. Role: Quick kill by Mirko. Weakness: Squishy up close.

Ribby: Skinny psycho; Quirks: Regeneration, Tentacle Head, Bone Manipulation.

Analysis: Bone armor/tentacles; Nyarlathotep-like. Role: Attempts hero kill; dies in decay. Weakness: Lean frame fragile.

Eleph: Elephant-like; Quirks: Regeneration, Muscle Growth.

Analysis: Stout strength; extra eyes. Role: Least developed; minimal impact. Weakness: Quiet, flat character.

2. Enhanced Individuals

Garaki's experiments on living subjects to create multi-Quirk vessels or successors for All For One.

Kurogiri (Oboro Shirakumo): Reanimated corpse with Warp Gate Quirk.

Analysis: Garaki's early zombie work; loyal but pained. Role: League transport; exposes Garaki's cruelty. Weakness: Erasure nullifies.

Number 6: Blank-slate child enhanced into villain; led to Nomu prototypes.

Analysis: Test for Quirk limits; self-destructed. Role: Data for Nomu. Weakness: Mental instability.

Nine: Quirk-stealing experiment; gained All For One duplicate.

Analysis: Weather Manipulation + eight Quirks; body deteriorated. Role: Movie villain; killed by Tomura. Weakness: Cellular damage.

Tomura Shigaraki (Tenko Shimura): Enhanced with Decay (modified Overhaul) and later All For One.

Analysis: Garaki's "masterpiece"; multi-Quirk vessel. Role: Series antagonist. Weakness: Incomplete procedure causes glitches.

Dabi (Toya Todoroki): Revived with regenerative tissue.

Analysis: Failed restoration; senses dulled. Role: Independent villain. Weakness: Body breakdown.

3. Quirk-Duplication Technology

Garaki's core innovation: Extracting/duplicating Quirks without All For One.

Analysis: Revolutionizes medicine but used for evil (e.g., Regeneration copies). Purpose: Mass-produce powers. Role: Enables Nomu army. Weakness: Time/resource-intensive; duplicates may be weaker.

4. Quirk-Based Drugs

Quirk-Destroying Drug Replicas: Based on Overhaul; includes Rewind variant.

Analysis: Destroys/rewinds Quirks; last-resort for All For One. Role: Backup plan. Weakness: One-use; erases user.