Many of My Hero Academia’s U.A. teachers are formidable Pro Heroes who can make quick work of malicious villains, but not one of them can knock a target out as cleanly and swiftly as Midnight. Her powerful Somnambulist Quirk lets her exude a mist from her body that, when inhaled, sends people into a fast and deep slumber. While Somnambulist seems pretty straightforward, there are some shocking facets of the Quirk that are largely veiled.
Midnight’s real name is Nemuri Kayama, which means “sleep” and “fragrance.” Among her many aliases, she’s also known as the R-Rated or “18+ Only Hero” because of the raunchy twist on her Somnambulist Quirk style. The teacher has demonstrated the utility of her Quirk and offers experienced guidance to students. While she certainly likes to “bare it all,” there are lesser-known aspects of her Quirk. Let’s dive into the dirty details of Somnambulist.
Midnight Wears Rippable Material to Expose Her Skin
To release her Somnambulist Quirk, Midnight must expose her skin – otherwise it would restrict the sleep-inducing aroma. Similar to Momo Yaoyorozu, Midnight relies on a costume that can quickly be removed to allow her Quirk to escape her body.
When Midnight was still a fledgling hero, her costume was much more revealing in order to create more surface area to generate her sleepy mist. In this costume, she only had her breasts censored by a protective plate while dressing in undergarments, her utility belt, and an open trench coat.
This early look, however, launched a movement for costume regulations that would limit the amount of skin exposed. Therefore, Midnight found a new solution: covering up with an ultra-thin fabric suit that can be easily ripped open to allow the release of more sleep-inducing fumes. The tear-away material covers up her skin to stay within limitations while quickly being removed. Some may argue that this is a subtle excuse for My Hero Academia to provide a sort of “fan service,” but Midnight certainly enjoys such provocative attire either way.
Midnight's Somnambulism Dominates Men More Than Women
It’s been stated many times that Midnight’s Somnambulist Quirk has a stronger effect on males than females. The reasons behind this mysterious element of the Quirk are not thoroughly explained, but, from her sexual theme and innuendo, it’s assumed her emission must trigger some sort of pleasure center in the brain connected to arousal.
Midnight seems to have leaned into this theme, adopting the “dominatrix” role with a whip-based fighting style and tight, collared costume. However, the powerful sexual effect of Somnambulist still does work on women, just not quite as potently. It’s unknown whether the potency is applicable to women who are more attracted to women than men.
Midnight's Somnambulist Quirk Spreads Faster Via Fan
Becoming a hero isn’t just about sharpening Quirks – it’s also about harnessing the proper equipment to make the best use of one's abilities. Those without brute force Quirks like Aizawa often rely on amplification tools and useful combat techniques.
In addition to her powerful Somnambulist Quirk, Midnight uses special equipment to complement her combat abilities. She has demonstrated her “whips of love” during My Hero Academia's First Term Final Exam against Sero and Mineta, taking out a bullwhip to pull them closer. Her flogger-style whip is her primary weapon, but she has also utilized a fan to expand the range of her Somnambulist emission clouds.
The “Feather Fan” technique is actually executed with a pair of hand fans which, when used vigorously in combat, can quickly spread the sleep-inducing fragrance to affect a large field of foes. It’s unclear whether the effect of Somnambulist would be weaker when the airborne particles are more dispersed, but considering Midnight can easily produce more from her skin, she can likely keep it generating and spreading to keep the effects potent.
The Effects of Midnight's Somnambulist Are Easily Avoidable
Inhaling Midnight’s Somnambulist leads to a quick descent into uncontrollable incapacitation. In My Hero Academia, most heroes must deal a lot of damage or inflict injuries to detain a target, but Midnight can negate a situation with few drawbacks other than a drowsy fall to the ground. That being said, Somnambulist has a key weakness that somewhat dampens her status as a Pro Hero.
It can easily be dodged by those who hold their breath or escape the aroma's range. Moreover, a gas mask would entirely nullify her sleepy cloud's effects. With her clout as a provocative Pro Hero, she likely draws much attention, meaning her Quirk is well-known and highly anticipated. Thus, Midnight must rely on the art of surprise so her opponents don’t prepare to avoid her incapacitating mist by using preventative equipment -- or simply holding their breath.
Midnight Releases Somnambulist As a Perfume
One nuance of Somnambulist that tends to go unnoticed is that the mist has a notable smell as a “fragrance.” In the My Hero Academia anime, Midnight’s Quirk is visible in a bright violet mist that swirls and engulfs her opponent. The actual scent of Somnambulist has not been described, but due to the kanji for “fragrance” literally being a part of Midnight’s last name “Kayama,” it’s certainly part of the Quirk’s power.
The chemical properties of Somnambulist put people to sleep via sensual stimulation, but this could be connected to one’s ability to perceive it through the mist’s perfume. Does this mean those with a weaker sense of smell might have a greater resistance to the drowsy gas? If the scent acts as a kind of aphrodisiac, Midnight could probably sell a diluted version for a pretty penny.