Shonen heroes often have impossible abilities, and shojo heroines are no strangers to magical transformations. Even so, few superhero series have been so widely embraced as My Hero Academia.
There's a degree of playfulness and general zany rule-breaking that establishes the kids of U.A. High as one-of-a-kind. In most shows, a kid who's basically a human tape dispenser would have a hard time fitting in with kids with more traditional powers. But because any Quirk goes at U.A., the possibilities are endless. While many anime heroes don't match the offbeat U.A. vibe, there are certainly some characters who would fit right in.
10 Luffy Is An Obvious Candidate (One Piece)
While Luffy probably can't make the grade, his abilities make him a shoo-in for U.A. Besides, if admittance to U.A. was dependent on smarts alone, Mineta and Bakugo would be in serious trouble. Luckily, as One Piece fans know, what Luffy lacks in brains he more than makes up for when it comes to loyalty and versatility.
Gomu Gomu no Mi stretching powers feel like exactly the sort of ability My Hero Academia author Kohei Horikoshi might write into his universe. Horikoshi has said that One Piece is among his favorite manga, and his tendency to make characters' quirks as diverse as possible is reminiscent of One Piece author Eiichiro Oda's approach to creating Devil Fruit abilities.
9 Rin May Be An Actual Demon, But U.A. Wouldn't Mind (Blue Exorcist)
A pair of fiery blue horns and a long tail might be off-putting in most schools, but in U.A. they'd hardly be worth noticing. Characters such as Mina and Eri have shown audiences that having horns is par for the course, and Mashirao's tail is much harder to ignore than Rin's. While Rin's backstory in Blue Exorcist is more demonic and less Quirk-y, putting that aside would make him a fairly basic student by U.A. standards. Basic, but far from a misfit, given his blue flames, incredible strength, and kind nature that are pivotal to a hero's success.
8 Shinra Is Bakugo With A Kinder Heart (Fire Force)
Both of these pyros smile when attacking. The reasons may be entirely different -- Bakugo is largely a jerk who delights in burning it all down while Fire Force's Shinra grins like a demon out of anxiety -- but the end result is the same. There's plenty of room at U.A. for kids with elemental powers, and Bakugo isn't the only one who causes explosions. Given this, Shinra's fiery feet make him a likely candidate for Class 1-A.
7 Panda And Tokoyami Probably Have A Lot In Common (Jujutsu Kaisen)
Panda is exactly what his name implies, and while his presence in a show as dark as Jujutsu Kaisen feels jarring, Panda would feel right at home in the My Hero Academia universe. Even U.A.'s principal is an anthropomorph, and Class 1-A is accustomed to animal-type Mutant Quirks given Tokoyami's presence, so a panda would hardly register as odd.
In Jujutsu Kaisen, Panda isn't a real panda, but a cursed corpse brought to life. As origin stories go, this is hardly any darker than what My Hero Academia delves into. Panda would never be a major character, but he still has plenty to offer to the hero course.
6 The Cast Of Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid Could Give BNHA A Much-Needed Boost Of Girl Power
For the most part, My Hero Academia does a better job incorporating female characters than almost any of its shonen contemporaries. Characters like Momo and Tsuyu are fan favorites, and there are few antagonists as universally cosplayed as Himiko Toga. Despite this, at times it feels the more "serious" roles are left to male characters, and the girls are left helpless more often than the rest. Why not add the entire cast of Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid to Class 1-A's roster to even out the ratio of male to female students? Monster girls may be cute, but they aren't frail in the least, and it would be refreshing to see all that moe imagery reimagined as superpowers.
5 Gaara Really Shouldn't Be Homeschooled (Naruto)
Naruto himself isn't exactly socially adept. Often treated as an outcast and obnoxious to boot, the show's eponymous lead certainly causes a ruckus in class. But while Naruto struggles with discrimination growing up, his struggle barely compares to that of Gaara, a jinchuriki raised in isolation in the desert village of Sunagakure. Though he was kind as a boy, villagers were deeply frightened of his sand abilities, and Gaara's own mentor eventually tried to kill him.
Given all this trauma and his powerful ability to manipulate the elements, Gaara could do with a more nurturing school environment and peers who better understand his past. At U.A., Gaara wouldn't be treated as a monster, but as a friend.
4 U.A. Needs More Shape-Shifting Balls Of Slime (That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime)
It's hard to pinpoint precisely what makes a My Hero Academia character feel like they belong in the universe. Quirks are often as weird as they are cleverly utilized, and it's hard to imagine most shonen series balancing such a wide range of abilities in well-done fight sequences. There are characters with endless limbs, characters who can transform into the food they ingest, characters who turn opponents into blobs of flesh, and more.
A shape-shifting ball of slime would fit right in. Similar to Tamaki in My Hero Academia, Rimiru from That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime absorbs the traits and abilities of things he ingests. Tamaki is one of the top three students at U.A., so Rimiru would join the ranks of heroes-in-training easily.
3 Leo's Eyes And Attitude Fit Right In (Kekkai Sensen)
Granted the All-Seeing Eyes of God in exchange for his sister's eyesight, Leonardo Watch of Kekkai Sensen has his share of power and baggage, perfect prerequisites for a U.A. pupil. The eyes grant Leo the ability to see movement faster than what human eyes can follow, look into the past, and often predict the future.
Leo's eyes can see the truth more than anything else, though deciphering what the truth implies is harder for him. Leo would have been the perfect apprentice for All-Might's friend and former sidekick, Sir Nighteye, whose Foresight Quirk allowed him to see another person's future for a brief time.
2 Kurapika Needs A Stable Home (Hunter X Hunter)
While Killua might seem like the more obvious U.A. candidate from Hunter x Hunter's cast, Kurapika is the better fit. The last of a tribe ravaged by genocide, Kurapika has often been isolated, even from Gon, Killua, and Leorio, his only friends.
Kurapika's scarlet eyes signal an increase in strength that corresponds with his rage, and his ability to conjure objects out of thin air is reminiscent of Momo's Creation Quirk. Like Gaara, Kurapika would be better off attending a school that nurtures his Nen and values his intellect rather than being caught up in a quest for vengeance.
1 Haruhi Might Be A Problem Student, But Who Isn't? (The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya)
At first glance, Haruhi seems like a misfit for U.A. She looks entirely normal, and her ability to shape universes in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya at her will feels both too grandiose and too esoteric to fit the U.A. mold. But characters like Eri have shown audiences that My Hero Academia isn't afraid to introduce Quirks that can alter the established world. The latest season of My Hero Academia has felt stale to many fans; perhaps some of Haruhi's universe-altering abilities could spice things up.