The popular anime My Hero Academia focuses on Izuku Midoriya’s journey to becoming a hero, alongside his classmates, the fellow students of 1-A. The constant villain attacks engineered by All Might's nemesis, All for One, and his successor, Tomura Shigaraki, make accomplishing his dream difficult.
While the main participants in the battle between good and evil are the heroes and villains, they aren't the only ones who get involved. It's expected for the weak to be injured first. However, there are notable occasions where civilians stand their ground against great threats. They've acted heroically while frightened, with weak Quirks, or without training.
10 Yoichi Shigaraki Creates One For All
The younger brother of All for One, Yoichi Shigaraki is forcibly given a stockpile Quirk by his villainous brother. Unbeknownst to All for One, Yoichi already had an ability, one that allowed him to pass his Quirk onto another. Despite being under All for One’s constant psychological abuse, Yoichi didn’t give up.
When the opportunity arises, he offers his Quirk to the next wielder of One for All, encouraging him to defeat All for One. The vestige of his soul still lingers within the Quirk, quietly encouraging Izuku on his quest.
9 Kota Izumi Is Brave Enough To Confront Muscular
The life of a hero is dangerous, and can sometimes be lethal. No one knows this better than Kota Izumi. His parents – the Water Hose hero couple – are both killed by the villain Muscular. Feeling abandoned and hating hero society, Kota lashes out at Izuku Midoriya, who attempts to befriend him during his stay with the Wild Wild Pussycats.
When the Vanguard Action Squad attacks, Kota is faced with his worst nightmare. His parents’ murderer corners him and is moments away from killing him. Deku intervenes, but One for All has trouble keeping up with the villain’s Muscle Augmentation. Kota doesn’t have a chance against Muscular, but even so, he uses his Quirk Water Gun on the villain when Deku is down, in an attempt to help the young hero.
8 Melissa Shield Teams Up With The Students Of Class 1-A To Defeat Wolfram
Appearing in MHA: Two Heroes, Melissa Shield is the daughter of All Might’s former sidekick and close friend, David Shield. She is also Quirkless. That doesn’t stop her from working to achieve her dreams. She aims to support heroes through her inventions just like her father. When I-Island is attacked by villains, Melissa joins the students of Class 1-A in their quest to free the hostages. They scale dozens of floors and face numerous villains.
After reaching the control room, Melissa learns her father David is involved in the villains’ attack, although he only intended to retrieve an invention he had created. Together with Izuku, she deactivates I-Island’s defense system, freeing it from the villains’ control. This allows All Might to finally intervene. He and Izuku take down the villain Wolfram. Melissa later has to face the consequences of her father’s actions, but she remains a hero at heart.
7 Mahoro Shimano Is Always Her Brother’s Protector
In My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising, the students of Class 1-A travel to Nabu Island for a Hero Work Recommendation Project. Their mission isn’t easy, as civilian Mahoro Shimano plays pranks on them, simulating villain attacks. Highly protective of her younger brother, Katsuma, wants to show him heroes aren’t worth his admiration.
Things take a dark turn when the villain Nine attacks the island, seeking to take Katsuma’s Quirk. Faced with a powerful villain, Mahoro remains her brother’s protector. Her Quirk Hologram can’t hold Nine back, but she uses it to the best of her ability, calling for reinforcements when Izuku is injured while helping her. In the end, with Class 1-A working together, Nine and his underlings are defeated. Mahoro learns that true heroes exist, and she's a hero for her brother too.
6 Tomoko Shiretoko Is Still A Wild Wild Pussycat Even After Her Career Ends
The Forest Training Arc brings trauma for more than just Kota. Tomoko Shiretoko – known as the Pro Hero Ragdoll – is kidnapped by the villain team. She loses her Quirk Search to All for One. While she survives the experience, she is forced to retire. Even so, Tomoko remains with the Wild Wild Pussycats and supports them in a civilian capacity. She may no longer be a Pro, but Tomoki hasn't given up on saving people and on helping her friends.
5 Taneo Tokuda Keeps All Might’s And Deku’s Secret
All Might’s retirement leaves behind a hole in the fabric of society, but also endangers the secret of his Quirk. Freelance journalist Taneo Tokuda begins to suspect All Might has been raising a successor. He investigates Class 1-A, and through a detailed analysis, discovers Izuku is most likely the Symbol of Peace’s chosen successor.
The information would have guaranteed his rise to fame as a reporter, but Taneo chose not to reveal it. He is also a fan of All Might, as All Might had rescued his father during an incident eighteen years prior. He promises Izuku that he'll keep the information a secret – until he finishes the book he’s writing about him.
4 Eri Assists Deku In Defeating Overhaul
The central character in the Shie Hassaikai arc, Eri believes her Quirk Rewind is a curse. When her power first appears, she accidentally Rewinds her father out of existence and is subsequently rejected by her mother. Later, she is used by Overhaul for the creation of his Quirk-erasing bullets.
Taken apart over and over by her captor, Eri is highly traumatized. When the heroes arrive to rescue her, she is brave enough to take Deku’s hand. As Deku stands against the monstrous form of Overhaul, she uses Rewind. This allows Deku to use One for All at its full power. It’s a scary moment for Eri, but she is able to help Deku defeat Overhaul, making her as heroic as the students of Class 1-A.
3 Natsuo Todoroki Stands Up To His Abusive Father
All-Pro Heroes aren't shining examples of good. Endeavor is the clearest case. The Flame Hero was so determined to surpass All Might that he abused his wife and children. His behavior leads to his eldest, Touya, becoming the villain Dabi. His other children take a different approach.
His youngest Shoto wishes to defy him by becoming a hero without using his flames, and his daughter Fuyumi hopes for reconciliation within the family. When Endeavor shows regret, his third son Natsuo refuses to accept it. He stands up to Endeavor, calling him out for his actions and Touya’s fate. It's heroic, and Endeavor had it coming.
2 Hiroshi Tameda Defends Endeavor During The Battle With Hood
Endeavor may not be a great person but he is a great hero. Though, he doesn’t provide the same amount of comfort All Might was able to as the Symbol of Peace. During the fight with the High-End nomu Hood, the people panic, not reassured by Endeavor’s stand against the creature.
There is one notable person who provides Endeavor with support. Hiroshi Tameda, known as the ‘Can’t you see?’ kid, points out Endeavor’s efforts, pain, and determination. An ardent fan of Endeavor, Hiroshi stands up for his hero at a moment when he should have been worried about himself.
1 Rody Soul Stops The Humarise Bombs
One of the main characters in MHA: World Heroes’ Mission, Rody Soul is accidentally thrust into a dangerous conflict. He grabs a suitcase previously owned by a Humarise member and becomes the target of the terrorist organization. He later learns that the secret hiding in the suitcase is a code engineered by his own father to disarm the bombs created by Humarise.
As Izuku, Shoto, and Katsuki Bakugou, infiltrate Humarise’s secret base, he ends up joining them. Rody is only a civilian with a Quirk that isn’t that useful for combat. Still, he stands his ground against Flect Turn. In the end, he is the one who stops the bombs, saving hero society despite being severely injured.