This article contains spoilers from My Hero Academia Season 8.
My Hero Academia Season 8 is nearing its finale after dropping explosive yet emotional episodes every week. Clearly, each episode stirred strong emotions in every fan as they watched Izuku Midoriya and the rest of the wounded yet determined heroes stand against All For One and Tomura Shigaraki, who remained symbols of pure evil until their last breath.
Following the victory of the forces of good, it’s about time to celebrate the strongest My Hero Academia characters in the final season. These characters deserve praise for everything they have done, from exhausting their bodies to risking their lives to fulfill their goals. Series creator Kohei Horikoshi is behind these powerful My Hero Academia characters, giving them unique quirks or meta-abilities that define their special place in the Final War arc.
This article only includes characters who showed exceptional strength in My Hero Academia Season 8.
My Hero Academia: Izuku Midoriya's New Power Has Officially Been Revealed By Kohei Horikoshi
Deku has a brand new power in MHA, as revealed by the creator Horikoshi.
Kunieda
He Defeated 31 Heroes With His Plant Growth Quirk
Kunieda, a Tartarus jailbreaker, showed excellent control of his plant growth quirk in the very first episode of My Hero Academia Season 8. Impressively, he defeated 31 heroes using his carnivorous monster plants, including the Pro Hero Fat Gum, almost as if his victims were nothing more than fertilizer for his growth. To put it simply, his plants are extensions of himself made possible by their roots.
On top of that, Kunieda’s plants are difficult to get rid of. In the event that he dies, his plants will continue to grow despite lacking his will. While it’s an annoying quirk to shake off, it covers a wide area and becomes devastating when fully cultivated. If it weren’t for Toru Hagakure, he could have taken down Yuga Aoyama and possibly many more heroes coming after him.
Toru Hagakure
She Turned Aoyama’s Lasers on Kunieda
Everyone’s favorite invisible girl showed not just impressive strength but also courage in the final season of My Hero Academia. Toru Hagakure used her Invisibility quirk to her advantage, even going so far as to protect her teammates and turn the tide in critical battles. In short, she was a game-changer whom no villain, including All For One, expected to ruin his chances of winning the fight against Deku.
In Episode 1, Toru unleashed her ultimate move, Warp Refraction: Navel Laser, channeling Aoyama’s lasers into a devastating beam that took down Kunieda. That’s not all, as Toru also refracted All For One’s massive laser attack brought about by his Omni-Factor Unleash, protecting his allies while also giving Izuku Midoriya the opening he needed to strike back.
Yuga Aoyama
His Navel Laser Quirk Evolved
Renowned as a U.A. Traitor, Yuga Aoyama fell under All For One’s influence and turned against his friends for the safety of his family. His quirk, Navel Laser, came from All For One, but he was originally quirkless just like Izuku. In the final season, Aoyama eventually betrayed All For One, but this decision almost cost him his life at the hands of the Tartarus assassin, Kunieda.
Surprisingly, Aoyama conquered his personal battles, and his quirk even evolved while Kunieda’s carnivorous plants fed off his flesh, and his power uncontrollably leaked from his body. With Toru’s help, Aoyama’s laser was able to take down Kunieda as well as clean up after his plants, which continuously thrived off the flesh of the fallen heroes.
Stain
He Stopped AFO From Killing All Might
Stain’s final moments in My Hero Academia Season 8 deserve respect, as they reveal his unwavering conviction and enduring influence he has on All Might and the villains. Even if his actions only bought a brief respite, that time proved crucial in preventing All Might’s further devastation at the hands of a much younger All For One.
Stain had the option to stay hidden after escaping from prison, yet he exposed himself and even used Bloodcurdle to stop All For One from ending All Might. Although All For One had anticipated Stain's betrayal, the fact that Bloodcurdle could halt his movements, even for a moment, highlights Stain’s exceptional skill and unwavering determination. Rest in peace, Hero Killer.
Shoto Todoroki
His Stamina and Fighting Spirit Have No Bounds
Back in My Hero Academia Season 7, Shoto Todoroki wowed fans with his Phosphor and Great Glacial Aegir attack, which ultimately secured Dabi’s defeat. In the final season, however, Shoto has little exposure, as the spotlight shifts to the showdown between All For One and All Might as well as the fight between Deku and Shigaraki.
Still, in My Hero Academia Season 8 Episode 8, despite exhausting his body from fighting Dabi and using his ultimate moves, Shoto showed up in the final ambush against All For One. Along with his father, he carved a path for Deku, assisting in any way possible. It’s not just Deku who received his help, but also Bakugo, who asked him to create an ice ramp just in time to end Kurogiri.
Armored All Might
He Accelerated AFO's De-Aging Process
The symbol of peace, All Might, nearly met his end in his final battle with All For One. But before he could throw the white towel, he nearly exhausted all his resources to create the perfect mechanical suit to stop his archenemy. All Might may have been reduced to a quirkless man, yet the fire within him continues to burn, driving him to protect his students and bring hope to the civilians.
Without Armored All Might’s intervention, All For One would have gained control over Shigaraki’s body much sooner. His final attempt to stop All For One produced a devastating showdown that not only bought time for Izuku but also accelerated All For One’s de-aging process. His mechanical suit has endured so much damage from All For One, but All Might refused to give in, pushing his body to the absolute limit.
All For One
He Is Evil Incarnate
My Hero Academia Season 8 proves that All For One is a lonely man with unmatched power and a heart consumed with ambitions that stretch beyond morality. His power is undeniable, being the culmination of countless stolen quirks, granting him the strength to overpower almost everyone in his way and bend the world to his will.
In the final season, All For One’s phenomenal display of power showed no mercy, leaving the heroes scrambling and the battlefield in chaos. It took a coordinated effort from Endeavor, Armored All Might, Bakugo, and finally Izuku Midoriya before his reign of terror ended. This basically proves why he is the most feared villain in the series.
Katsuki Bakugo
He Destroyed AFO and Kurogiri With a Broken Body
Thanks to Edgeshot, Katsuki Bakugo managed to cheat death and return to the battlefield after Shigaraki Tomura dealt him a fatal blow. His return in My Hero Academia Season 8 was one of the best highlights of the anime, as he jumped straight into the battle with the greater explosive ferocity he’s known for.
Not only did Bakugo save All Might from certain death, but he also delivered the final blow to All For One after the villain was reduced to an infant by the de-aging process caused by the Rewind shot. On top of that, he also forced himself to help Izuku Midoriya in the final battle, taking down Kurogiri, who protected Shigaraki until the end. Bear in mind that Bakugo did all of these after Edgeshot was forced to restart his heart and lungs from the inside.
Shigaraki Tomura
He Surpassed AFO
Shigaraki Tomura is an absolute force of nature, capable of stealing quirks, including the quirk factors of the vestiges of One For All. His super regeneration is insane, and his adaptability to the legion of stockpiled quirks within him makes him nearly impossible to defeat.
Beyond that, the level of hatred and darkness in his heart and mind is on a completely different level, which translates into destructive power that nearly makes him unstoppable on the battlefield. More impressively, as All For One’s vessel, Shigaraki wasn’t meant to resist his master’s control over his will, yet his consciousness remained present until the end.
Izuku Midoriya
He Is the Undisputed Hero of the Final Season
Completing this list is none other than Izuku Midoriya, who went above and beyond just to defeat All For One while trying to save Shigaraki Tomura. Of course, he wouldn’t stand a chance against Shigaraki without One For All and its quirk factors, but with the vestiges guiding him, he becomes the only one capable of matching Shigaraki’s monstrous evolution and adaptability through a combination of quirk attacks.
Although it’s still unclear whether Izuku could one-shot Shigaraki if he fought without holding back, there’s no denying that the Izuku in My Hero Academia Season 8 holds power that places him at the top of the ranks. It’s not just his strength that’s impressive, but also his relentless resolve to break through Shigaraki’s solid mass of hatred and reach the vulnerable boy buried beneath it.
- Release Date
- 2016 - 2025-00-00
- Network
- TBS, MBS, Nippon TV
- Directors
- Shouji Ikeno, Tsuyoshi Tobita, Ikuro Sato, Takudai Kakuchi, Masashi Abe, Tetsuya Miyanishi, Kazuma Komatsu, Yoshifumi Sasahara, Masayuki Otsuki, Daisuke Tsukushi, Takayuki Yamamoto, Yohei Fukui, Takuro Tsukada, Masatoyo Takada, Naomi Nakayama, Sayaka Morikawa, Takanori Yano
Cast
-
Daiki YamashitaIzuku Midoriya (voice) -
Kaito IshikawaManga Fukidashi (voice)
