Most students in My Hero Academia, whether in U.A., Shiketsu, or any other school, are technically underdogs. Their skills and experiences are constantly put to the test against enemies who are leagues above them, but these teenagers rarely fail to rise to the occasion—saving people with a smile, to quote All Might.
While Deku, Bakugo, Todoroki, Uraraka, and a few others begin their arcs as underdogs, their character arcs have turned them into highly dependable heroes in any given situation. On the other hand, there are those who most people would bet against (or remain neutral) when it comes to tackling villain problems. Many of them are nice people, too, at least after one gets to know them.
10 Yo Shindo Masks His Strength With A Façade Of Amiability
Yo Shindo from Ketsubutsu Academy is two years senior to U.A.'s Class 1-A, and it shows. His intense strength is slyly masked by an outward show of amiability that very few people are capable of seeing through (Bakugo being one of them).
Shindo combines his Quirk with delicate strategy, allowing him to take on villains like Muscular without instantly dying. However, his lack of honesty in revealing his true personality is a bit concerning.
9 Hitoshi Shinso Is Beginning To Manifest His Inner Potential
Hitoshi Shinso's Brainwash is mocked by his middle school peers because it seems like a Quirk that villains might have. As such, his initial bitterness is a direct result of being unable to justify his heroic ambition.
Thankfully, Eraserhead's mentorship helps Shinso break out of his self-loathing to truly manifest his inner potential and unleash his full power without being concerned about others' bigoted opinions.
8 Fumikage Tokoyami Rarely Refuses Help When Offered
Tokoyami Fumikage, by his own admission, is a "creature of the dark," a concept he rigidly maintains is core to his Dark Shadow. That said, he is one of the most humble characters in My Hero Academia, rarely refusing assistance when offered, even if it means accepting his weaknesses.
Fumikage's Quirk is overwhelming, especially in total darkness, but he's slowly learning to control its unruly behavior through a series of controlled experiments, proving that he wants to be a Pro Hero as much as anyone else in his class.
7 Aoyama Yuga Willingly Sacrifices His Chances At Becoming A Pro-Hero
Although Aoyama Yuga's original behavior reeks of arrogance, the truth is that he's entirely insecure about his Navel Laser Quirk. He gradually learns to lower his barriers and allow people access to his emotions, which naturally helps him become stronger and more confident than ever.
Further, Aoyama places his future at stake when he draws "enemy" attention during the Provisional License Exam just so Ida would be able to escape.
6 Koji Koda Is On The Path To Becoming A Fine Hero
Koji Koda seems like the strong, silent type, but his reticence is actually due to his timidity. He's intrinsically peaceful, which isn't surprising given that his Quirk revolves around interacting with animals and other creatures.
Koji still hasn't found his voice, so to speak, but it's clear that he's on the path to becoming one of the finest student heroes in U.A. All he needs is some encouragement, and perhaps some attention from his peers.
5 Eijiro Kirishima Works Harder Than Most Students In U.A.
Kirishima might refer to everything through the lens of masculinity, but he's incredibly sensitive and compassionate when it comes to his friends. He never rejects a cry for help, regardless of how life-threatening the situation might be.
Kirishima wears his heart on his sleeve without the slightest hint of shame—it's the main reason that Bakugo, a thoroughly belligerent character, warms up to him. More importantly, there are few students in U.A. who work as hard or with as much dedication as Kirishima.
4 Kyoka Jiro Is As Talented As She Is Friendly (Even If Occasionally Deadpan)
Kyoka Jiro is known for her deadpan delivery, making her appear slightly unsympathetic in social scenarios. On the contrary, she displays an inordinate amount of friendliness when the whole class hangs out together.
Kyoka's hidden talents as a musician are revealed during the School Festival performance put on by Class 1-A, which leads to an uptick in some much-deserved popularity. In addition, she has an exceptional Quirk that has considerable room left to grow.
3 Tenya Ida Displays A Paternal Level Of Affection Towards His Classmates
Tenya has a penchant for discipline and respecting authority that irks his classmates, but all of them adore him for the quasi-paternal affection he exhibits.
He contravenes his established personality on several occasions, regularly breaking the rules he loves so much for the friends he loves even more. Tenya's Engine Quirk is in a state of continuous evolution, as well, making him one of the fastest developing characters in the series.
2 Tsuyu Asui Is Dedicated To Achieving Her Dreams
Tsuyu's habit of insisting that everyone refer to her with the "-chan" honorific endears her to her classmates, her teachers, and her fans. However, her diminutive appearance belies her limitless dedication to achieving her dreams.
Tsuyu has refined her Quirk to impressive levels, effortlessly maneuvering it during combat. She even behaves like an adorable frog, responding to events with "kero" (or "ribbit" in Japanese).
1 Eri Is Arguably The Cutest Character In My Hero Academia
Eri is arguably the cutest character in My Hero Academia, especially after Mirio and Deku manage to make her smile (probably for the first time in her life). She is also more of an underdog than anyone else, considering that her Rewind has enough power to strip society of all Quirks, and maybe even destroy humanity itself.
Although her lack of control over her Quirk is a problem in the beginning, Eri is currently capable of impressive feats such as restoring Lemillion's Permeation without any complications.