In the first scene of My Hero Academia, young Midoriya shares a sentiment with the audience which continues to be prevalent throughout the show in numerous ways: All men are not created equal. While this was Deku's reflection on his lack of a quirk in comparison to his peers, the unfair balance of powers in the MHA universe affects even the students who have made it to the top hero school.
We see this following the Sports Tournament arc as class 1-A is quickly established to be the superior of the two hero classes following their complete domination of the top rankings. However, those that brought that reputation to class 1-A were among the strongest in the class itself, so what about those much weaker than their counterparts in the "inferior" B class? While the classes are split seemingly arbitrarily with strong heroes on either side, in this list we'll be looking at the 1-A students less deserving of their class reputation and 1-B students fit to replace them.
10 Undeserving: Yuga Aoyama
We start off this list with Class 1-A's very own student no. 1. Yuga Aoyama may shine more than any other student in the class (or UA as a whole, for that matter), but does his skillset match that of the other students?
While Aoyama's quirk is quite powerful if it weren't for its restrictions, the Shining Hero simply doesn't twinkle bright enough in comparison to his peers. In fact, many fans have found his lacking capabilities quite suspicious prior to the latest season, and many theorized he might be the traitor in UA. From what we can see, however, his current state would barely make him of any use to the League of Villains unless he was indeed more powerful than he lets on.
9 Replacement: Ibara Shiozaki
One student who is more deserving of a seat in class 1-A is none other than Ibara Shiozaki. Our introduction to this character quickly establishes her as being on par if not better than some of the other class's students; which is more than Aoyama can take claim for.
While she may not have a blindingly shiny persona, Ibara makes up for it in her own unique and interesting character that oddly has some religious undertones. One thing's for sure, between the two Aoyama's brilliance would only help Ibara's vines grow.
8 Undeserving: Koji Koda
Though it's difficult to say it given Koda's kind personality and wholesome quirk of commanding animals, there isn't much about the guy which makes him seem like impressive hero material in comparison to some other candidates. Though his quirk might be powerful in rural settings or forests, Koji also needs to address the problem of his shy and reserved nature in a field in where mass communication is essential for a Pro Hero's image and work.
In fact, until the Final Exam arc, many fans alongside his classmates believed the student to be mute due to his lack of communication through anything other than sign language. While his shyness is something he can definitely work on, the presence of more remarkable quirks in the other class makes for more favorable student candidates.
7 Replacement: Pony Tsunotori
While Pony may not be able to control horses, her quirk is arguably more versatile than if she did. We haven't had much of a chance to see her in action in the anime, but Pony's quirk proves to be remarkable as it allows her to shoot out her horns and instantly grow out a new pair. Additionally, she is able to control up to 4 horns at a time in the same manner as Hawks' control over his feathers.
With such powers, we're sure that Tsunotori would have plenty of chances to prove herself even up against a villain with the rest of class 1-A. Admittedly, though, communication might be a minor issue with this character as well as she seems to be more well-versed in English rather than Japanese.
6 Undeserving: Hanata Sero
Many fans have used just one word to criticize how deserving Sero might be of his seat in class 1-A, and so we'll simply echo those complaints: tape.
While the things which Sero does with his tape are impressive for such a quirk, a large portion of viewers have found it justifiably underwhelming when his training only yielded the ability to produce double-sided tape. While it's at least not exactly cellophane tape as his name would suggest (as it's more opaque and a lot harder to tear off than cellophane), Sero's quirk still doesn't quite clear the bar when compared to his classmate's quirks.
5 Replacement: Togaru Kamakiri
Another character with a limited appearance in the show is Togaru Kamakiri. This class 1-B student has an appearance similar to that of a mantis which earns him the befitting hero name of Jack Mantis.
Of what we see in the manga, Kamakiri has a hot temper and an aggressive nature comparable to that of Bakugo. While his personality may not be enough to earn him a spot in class 1-A, his quirk definitely surpasses that of Sero. Known as "Razor Sharp," this quirk allows Togaru to produce large blades from any body part. These blades have been shown to be capable of cutting through steel and withstanding point-blank explosions, so there's no doubt they'd be able to cut through some tape.
4 Underserving: Mashirao Ojiro
While Ojiro has shown that he possesses the just and honorable nature of a hero in his refusal to claim credit and participate in the third round of the tournament arc, his chivalry is not enough to stand up to stronger contenders of the other class.
Additionally, Ojiro may use his Tail quirk creatively, but there is a limit to what he can do with martial arts and an additional appendage. All in all, this Tailman has earned Deku's title as the "Hero Department's King of Normal," and for that it might be better to make room for someone with more potential.
3 Replacement: Setsuna Tokage
One of only four UA first years to receive enrollment through a recommendation, Setsuna Tokage has a better mastery of combat skills as well as her quirk than Ojiro does at the current time. In fact, Tokage is arguably one of the most powerful students at UA.
Her quirk, "Lizard Tail Splitter," allows her to split her body up to fifty pieces with the ability to control each in midair. Not only that, but she is also capable of regenerating any part after destruction. Such a versatile quirk combined with her intellect and strategic combat makes Tokage a better class 1-A student candidate.
2 Undeserving: Minoru Mineta
There are very few anime characters as unanimously despised as much as Mineta. While very few people might argue against his immediate removal from the class and UA as a whole, there are more reasons to make room for other students other than his perverse nature.
From his cowardly nature to his shallow reasons for wanting to become a hero, all that could have been ignored in the face of a powerful quirk or one who's mastery would offset the balance. Instead, Mineta's "sticky balls" come across as rather weak in comparison to what we've other characters offer. While he may possess a high intelligence according to the MHA Ultra Archive, we rarely actually see it put into good use - the Final Exam Arc being a rare exception.
1 Replacement: Itsuka Kendo
While class 1-B may be extremely worse off without its class president or anyone to put a stopper on Monoma's superiority complex, Itsuka Kendo has displayed on multiple occasions her great heroism which makes her a perfect fit for the favored class 1-A.
With intelligence stats as high as Mineta's, a far braver and more heroic personality, and an arguably more powerful quirk which she uses far more creatively, Kendo's spot in class 1-A should be a guaranteed one.