The following contains spoilers for My Hero Academia Season 6, now streaming on Crunchyroll, Funimation and Hulu.
Shortly after they both enrolled in the UA school for heroes, My Hero Academia protagonist Midoriya Izuku promised to one day make the Quirk he was gifted -- One For All -- his own and finally beat Bakugo Katsuki with it. It’s a boast he hasn’t been able to back up yet since Bakugo has come out on top every time the duo has sparred.
However, Bakugo's winning streak might be coming to an end. In Season 6 of the MHA anime, Deku has managed to unlock new depths of power within One For All -- and it’s finally enough to outmatch his old friend.
Bakugo’s Natural Talent Made Him Class 1-A’s Best Fighter
Bakugo believed himself to be the strongest because, for the most part, it was simply true. His Explosion Quirk was regarded as top tier when he was still a child and had only strengthened with age. Out of everyone who had applied to UA in his year, he received the highest marks in the entrance exam. While many of the other students had Quirks suited for a single specialty, Bakugo’s Explosion was incredibly versatile. Combining speed, mobility and raw power, he was already on the level of the average Pro Hero during his first year at UA.
Bakugo’s last real bout with Deku was shortly after the Kamino Incident that forced All Might to retire in Season 3. Fueled by his conflicting emotions, Bakugo narrowly edged out a win against the maximum amount of power Deku could squeeze out of One For All at the time. His Explosion Quirk was able to easily keep up with Full Cowling at 5%, but that was about his limit. Deku’s ever-so-slight shift to 8% took Bakugo entirely by surprise, and he struggled to keep up with Deku afterward. His eventual win was earned not because Bakugo was more powerful, but because his will to win was stronger than Deku’s.
Deku’s Power Spike in My Hero Academia Season 6 Makes Him Unbeatable
Compared to his Season 3 self, Deku’s power level has risen astronomically in Season 6 of My Hero Academia. For starters, he’s now able to use up to 45% of One For All’s full power without any ill effects. Deku achieves this by only activating One For All’s effects at the moment of his hit’s impact, minimizing the risk of injury to himself while maximizing the force he can use safely. Bakugo had never been able to match the brute force Deku was capable of, and that’s even truer now.
Another area in which Bakugo previously triumphed over Deku was mobility. Using finely-tuned explosions to control his movements, Bakugo was able to confuse his enemies by zipping around the battlefield at impossible angles. His incredible mobility played a large part in his previous victories over Deku, but after the manifestation of Quirks like Blackwhip and Float, Bakugo can no longer compete. When both characters were attempting to escape Shigaraki, Bakugo was having slight difficulties keeping up with Deku hopping along with just Full Cowling at 30%.
Given Bakugo’s innate talent for combat, he might’ve been able to best Deku even with the huge disadvantage One For All’s strength placed him in. However, he loses all hope of victory once Deku’s newest Quirk comes into play. Danger Sense automatically alerts the protagonist to any hostility directed at him. Currently, it’s impossible to sneak up on Deku. Any attack Bakugo directs at him -- no matter how speedy or stealthy -- would be perceived by Deku before they even launched and instantly evaded or countered. Being unable to beat his rival doesn’t make Bakugo any weaker or a pushover as a hero. Against One For All, no other Quirk stands a chance.