In an anime that centers around a group of teenagers learning to be superheroes, one naturally finds plenty of teachers and mentors. The Pro Heroes of My Hero Academia are in charge of the young students of U.A., influencing the lives and education of their charges. They teach the budding young heroes everything they know about hero life and share their priceless experiences.
Of course, some mentors are better than others. Some internships and hero work-studies don’t provide much value to the students, whereas others fundamentally change their outlook on their Quirks. It all depends on the mentor, their skill, personality, and motivation.
10 Endeavor Has The Experience To Share, But Not An Appropriate Temperament
As the newest Number One hero, Endeavor may seem like an exciting pick for many students who are searching for a teacher. Izuku Midoriya, Katsuki Bakugou, and Shoto Todoroki all join his agency for their hero work-studies. Unfortunately, Endeavor isn’t the best teacher. In his youth, he is very harsh in his son’s training, and Shoto's childhood is a nightmare.
He later has a change of heart, but he only has a real interest in Shoto. In his time with Izuku and Katsuki, he does share important advice with them. The three students learn a lot from Endeavor's experience as a Pro. That does have worth despite his less-than-appropriate temperament.
9 All Might Isn’t Really Prepared To Be A Teacher
The most iconic figure in MHA, All Might is the Symbol of Peace, a legendary hero, and a pillar of societal stability. Impressed by Izuku Midoriya’s heroism, he offers Izuku his Quirk, One for All, making the originally Quirkless boy his successor. But All Might isn’t really prepared to be a teacher, and the advice he gives Izuku often does more harm than good.
Izuku often badly injures himself while using the Quirk, particularly toward the beginning of the anime. To give All Might credit, he makes an effort to improve as a teacher and he provides Izuku with a lot of emotional support. He still could have done a little more as Izuku’s mentor.
8 Sir Nighteye Mentors Mirio Togata In His Quest To Find A Successor For All Might
Izuku Midoriya isn’t the only person who could have inherited One for All. All Might’s former sidekick, Sir Nighteye, discovers U.A. student Mirio Togata and considers him the perfect successor. Mirio originally has trouble with his finicky Quirk, Permeation, but he becomes an unstoppable force under Nighteye’s tutelage
Nighteye may have helped Mirio improve for his own self-interest – or rather for All Might’s sake. Regardless, he makes a huge difference in Mirio’s career as a hero. His expertise helps Mirio become the strongest of U.A.’s Big Three. He isn't nearly as kind with Izuku, who he treats very poorly due to his belief that Izuku doesn't deserve One for All. His unprofessional behavior with Izuku loses him a lot of points.
7 Best Jeanist Is Unable To Reform Katsuki Bakugou
It’s no secret that, despite having an excellent Quirk, Katsuki Bakugou still has a lot to learn before he can become a fully-fledged Pro Hero. His anger issues and aggressive behavior aren’t anything new, as the younger Izuku was always the target of his bullying. The U.A. Sports Festival draws a lot of attention to it. Seeing Katsuki as a troubled youth, Pro Hero Best Jeanist attempts to take Katsuki under his wing and teach him the value of providing a positive social image.
Despite being a highly charismatic individual and having apparently dealt with similar cases before, Jeanist runs into a dead end with Katsuki. His explosive temperament is simply impossible to tame, and Jeanist’s approach may have been a little too much for Katsuki to accept. Even so, some of Jeanist’s words stick with Katsuki, and they make a difference. It is later revealed that Katsuki respects the Pro Hero and wants to impress him.
6 Hawks Is Hard To Keep Up With But Teaches Fumikage Tokoyami To Fly
Katsuki isn’t the only one who has an unlucky first internship. Fumikage Tokoyami’s internship also goes poorly. The then Number Three Hero Hawks is more interested in finding out information about the League of Villains and is much too fast to keep up with. But Fumikage perseveres, refusing to give up despite Hawks’s apparent dismissiveness.
Impressed by the student's potential, Hawks invites Fumikage to return as an intern. It's because of Hawks’s help that Fumikage learns how to fly, devising the new Super Move Black Fallen Angel. Hawks grows to deeply trust Fumikage, and the 1-A student ends up saving Hawks’ life when he is attacked by Dabi.
5 Gunhead’s Martial Arts Training Serves Ochako Uraraka Well
After the U.A. Sports Festival, Ochako Uraraka interns with Gunhead. Her fight with Katsuki Bakugou teaches her that she needs more attack skills. It is an excellent approach, as her Gunhead martial arts training perfectly complements her Quirk. The hero is a great teacher and Ochako’s new skills shine more than once throughout the anime, including her fights with dangerous villains like Himiko Toga.
4 Ryukyu Is Fond And Encouraging With Her Interns
At the recommendation of Big Three member Nejire Hado, both Ochako and her friend Tsuyu Asui join Ryukyu for their following internships. Ryukyu’s Quirk, Dragon, makes her look very fierce, but in reality, she has a very caring demeanor and she is very fond of her interns – particularly of Nejire.
She recognizes Nejire’s talents, encourages her potential, and appreciates her contributions. Ochako and Tsuyu also learn a lot from Ryukyu during their time at the agency, their battle skills and teamwork rapidly show improvement.
3 Gran Torino Helps Izuku Make A Breakthrough With One For All
Izuku may have struggled a lot under the mentorship of All Might but fortunately, he finds guidance in Gran Torino. All Might’s former teacher is familiar with the secret of All for One, and despite his advanced age, he’s still a highly skilled and dangerous Pro. During his time with Gran Torino, Izuku is able to discover his Full Cowling technique – something which could have prevented the serious damage to his hands had he come across it sooner.
2 Nana Shimura Still Remains A Role Model For All Might
The seventh user of One for All, Nana Shimura shows true faith in Toshinori’s dream of becoming the Symbol of Peace. She teaches Toshinori to smile, to protect not only the people’s lives but also their hearts. She gives her life in battle, ensuring All Might and Gran Torino’s escape. Even after her death, she remains as a vestige within One for All.
She shows concern for Izuku’s tendency toward pushing himself too hard and argues that she doesn’t want to burden him with the weight of her own failures. Despite being grief-stricken by Tomura Shigaraki’s true identity and fate, she tells Izuku to kill her grandson. Izuku wishes to try to save Tomura first, and a tearful Nana promises to support him, alongside the other users of One for All.
1 Eraserhead Is Class 1-A’s Staunchest Protector
Class 1-A’s homeroom teacher come across as a harsh taskmaster, particularly after threatening to expel his students on their first day. In reality, Eraserhead always has their best interests at heart. He seeks to teach them the true dangers of life as a hero so that tragedies like that of Oboro Shirakumo’s never happen again.
He also recognizes potential in students who are discriminated against because they don’t have flashy Quirks. He takes Hitoshi Shinsou under his wing, training the young student in a combat style similar to his own. With Eraserhead’s help, Hitoshi is on his way to achieving his dream and joining the hero course.