My Hero Academia’s core themes are hard work and discipline. In most instances, a student's ability to progress is directly proportionate to how willing they are to work for it.

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This remains one of MHA's strongest and most critical messages since it has applications in the real world. That said, U.A has hundreds of students, and only a select few can be considered the hardest working.

Updated on November 24, 2022, by Alexandra Locke: The students of U.A. High School all work tirelessly to become the best heroes possible. They train and study to remain in top shape both physically and mentally. With so many characters working as hard as possible to achieve their dreams, this article has been updated to add a few more of U.A.'s most diligent students.

15 Denki Kaminari Hones His Skills

Denki Kaminari charging his hand in My Hero Academia

On the surface, Denki Kaminari is a lackadaisical student who is more concerned with girls than he is with studying. In recent episodes, Kaminari has actually shown that he's been doing a lot of training behind the scenes.

With the addition of his support gear from Mei Hatsume, Kaminari has learned to target his electricity and has even developed a signature attack. He's shown working tirelessly while Tokoyami teaches him to play guitar in the School Festival arc. This goes to show that great progress can be made when Kaminari is properly motivated.

14 Tetsutetsu Testsutetsu Has Made Himself Class 1-B's Shield

tetsutetsu big smile in My Hero Academia

Much like Kirishima, Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu relies on a headstrong fighting style to win. Despite losing in the Sports Festival, he has become significantly more powerful in under a year.

This is proven when he collapses an entire tower during his fight against Todoroki and absorbs the hero's elements without a problem. Tetsutetsu also faces off against and helps to defeat the League of Villains when they attack the forest camp, which illustrates his fearless and tenacious nature.

13 Momo Yaoyarozu Has Increased The Capacity Of Her Creations

Momo Yaoyarozu winking from MHA

In many ways, Momo has outshone the women of U.A High. Her "Creation" Quirk is much stronger than others, though her increasing ability to apply it in battle has demonstrated even more impressive. At first, Momo can barely conjure a massive lead blanket to shield her friends from Kaminari's electricity.

Now, Momo produces entire cannons from her body. She excels as more than a simple support hero and that the limit to her potential has yet to be reached. It also makes her compatible with almost any other hero.

12 Mirio Togata Needed Practice To Perfect His Quirk

Lemillion carrying Eri In My Hero Academia

Although Mirio's "Permeation" Quirk proves an extremely powerful weapon, it's equally dangerous to learn. Permeation nearly got him killed during his childhood, as he accidentally phased through a bridge and into the unforgiving water below.

All the same, Mirio has refined his power so acutely that he manages to defeat all of Class 1-A at once. He is also a competent brawler, as seen through how he overpowers Overhaul even after losing his Quirk. Like All Might, Mirio is further proof that one does not need to retire as a hero even if they no longer have a Quirk.

11 Neito Monoma Has Honed His Power To A Science

Neito Monoma posing in his hero outfit in My Hero Academia.

Neito Monoma's understanding of his Quirk is crude at first. Granted, he could still copy and use several Quirks, but he couldn't combine them as well and only had a general estimation of when they would expire.

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Monoma has grown so familiar with borrowing opponents' powers that he is now almost as adept at using them as they are. He's learned to keep timers so that he knows the exact moment when "Copy" deactivates. Monoma's desire to succeed is mostly due to his intense personal rivalry with Class 1-A.

10 Tsuyu Asui Shines At Her Internships

Tsuyu Asui on Selkie’s ship from My Hero Academia.

Asui may not be the most powerful character My Hero Academia, but she has more practical combat experience than virtually anyone. The frog hero survives the League's initial attack, faces off against Toga at the forest camp, and has been instrumental in defeating numerous water-based villains.

Her tongue and aquatic navigation make her a fantastic counter to Innsmouth and the mist-based villain that Selkie pursues across Japan's coast. Tsuyu is a living testimony of why Class 1-A's personal experience against evildoers outshines Class 1-B's controlled and academic environments.

9 Kyoka Jiro Finds The Perfect Pitch

Kyoka Jiro singing in My Hero Academia.

Although Kyoka Jiro is not depicted enough throughout the show, she shines in School Festival Arc as she leads the class in creating a musical number. With her parents' background and love of music, Jiro works day and night to ensure the song hits all the right notes.

Jiro has honed her attacks on the battlefield to be more targeted. She's also experimented with support items that allow her to amplify and weaponize her heartbeat. Jiro's steadfast determination to make progress makes her one of the hardest-working students in U.A.

8 Ochaco Uraraka Refuses To Back Down

Ochaco Uraraka glowing with anger in My Hero Academia.

In addition to being motivated to financially support her family, Ochaco wants to impress Deku and distinguish herself as a superb Pro Hero. Uraraka first proves her work ethic during her battle against Katsuki Bakugo at the Sports Festival.

While fully aware of her opponent's superior strength, she refuses to back down, consequently being blown up time and again. Ultimately, she has to be dragged off the arena unconscious for Bakugo to be proclaimed the winner. He may have been victorious, but he respected Uraraka much more for her attempts.

7 Tenya Iida Ambitiously Pursues Becoming Class President

Tenya Iida with shining glasses from My Hero Academia

Iida is highly ambitious in whatever he sets his mind to. Whether becoming class president or seeking to avenge his brother, he never relents until he has either achieved his objective or knows it is impossible.

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He's also open-minded in his pursuit of greatness, as seen through his willingness to test out Mei Hatsume's technology at the Sports Festival. Unfortunately, his gullibility backfires since Mei's gadgets are experimental. Iida might not always have the best judgment, but his discipline and timeliness speak for themselves.

6 Tamaki Amajiki Trains ForTamaki Amajiki holding back a member of Shie Hassaikai from My Hero Academia.

Tamaki Amajiki has always been painfully shy, but his one solace is his best friend, Mirio Togata, who helps him realize his worth. Not wanting to disappoint his friend, Amajiki now trains diligently to become the hero that Togata believes he can be.

Amajiki's encounter with several villains in the Shie Hassaikai Arc is a testament to his consistent training. While he's only a high school student, Amajiki takes out three gang members by himself. The more fans see Amajiki, the more impressed they are with his power and strength. They only wish Amajiki would begin to see it in himself, as well.

5 Eijiro Kirishima Aspires To Be "Manly"

Eijiro Kirishima Smiling in My Hero Academia

Kirishima's aspirations for manliness drive him to perform in the classroom and on the field. Despite being more cowardly than other students, he's learned to suppress his anxiety and face society's worst villains head-on. In battle, Kirishima can either serve as an unbreakable bulwark or a punishing force of nature.

He is the first person to make Bakugo bleed at the Sports Festival and endures numerous punches from Rappa, one of Overhaul's most trusted retainers. Kirishima has made fantastic strides both physically and mentally.

4 Mei Hatsume Creates Support Items

Mei Hatsume from My Hero Academia.

Mei Hatsume may not be in the Hero Course at U.A., but her creations within the Support Course are some of the most astounding, and most dangerous, in MHA. Mei is frequently shown with soot and marks on her from her projects, but it seems to be all part of the fun for her.

Mei can create so many gadgets because she practically never sleeps. When at school, she is most likely in the lab, creating some new gadget that she hopes to send to the Hero Course. Mei's tireless efforts have helped many hero students to sharpen their Quirks on the battlefield.

3 Bakugo Strives To Be The Best And Lets Everyone Know it

My Hero Academia - Bakugo in his hero costume

Bakugo has always had a single goal in mind – to become a hero unlike any other. To this end, he trains more than virtually anyone and actively goes out of his way to prove himself as the best.

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Bakugo's drive to find his limits is seen in the Sports Festival, where he tries to provoke Todoroki into using his full power and became legitimately angry when Todoroki holds back. Anyone else would have been grateful for an easy win, but Bakugo fumes as he receives his first-place recognition.

2 Hitoshi Shinso Fights His Way To The Hero Course

Hitoshi Shinso smiling while provoking Deku in My Hero Academia.

Hitoshi Shinso does not get a chance to shine during the initial U.A. entrance exam due to the nature of his Quirk. As such, he is placed in the General Studies Course rather than the Hero Course as he desperately wants.

This setback does not keep Shinso from his dream. He works relentlessly – training with Mr. Aizawa to become stronger and learn how to use a capture scarf. Shinso also gets a voice modulator to help him better manipulate his opponents in battle. At long last, Shinso's hard work pays off, as he is finally accepted into the Hero Course.

1 Izuku Midoriya Has Big Shoes To Fill As The New Symbol Of Peace

Izuku Midoriya ready to be a hero as Deku in My Hero Academia.

During his fight with Bakugo, Deku reveals that he feels a similarly charged drive to prove himself as the best. However, Midoriya has to work much harder to achieve a modicum of success since One For All is not easy to control.

In the first chapters of Midoriya's adventures, whatever part of his body uses the Quirk is destroyed. This results in increasingly frequent visits with Recovery Girl, who insists he finds a healthier way to pursue hero work. Luckily, Gran Torino helps to refine Deku's skills where All Might proved lacking.

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