My Hero Academia features a broad and diverse cast of characters, many of them being students at the elite UA school. The cast members are lovingly designed with both superhero action and classic high school hijinks in mind, with many representing archetypes for each genre. That includes the fiery Bakugo Katsuki, whose personality almost turned out to be wildly different.
Several major My Hero Academia characters underwent significant changes in the process from rough draft to published material, including Uraraka Ochaco, who was initially intended to be Mt. Lady. The original Bakugo was going to be a gentle and kind boy, but that isn't what My Hero Academia needed. Fortunately, author Kohei Horikoshi realized that too.
My Hero Academia's Kind Bakugo Prototype
Some My Hero Academia characters changed only slightly from their rough sketches to the published manga chapters, but Bakugo's personality changed completely. In the original draft, the character was still a natural genius with his Quirk and an intelligent student, but here he had an easygoing and gentle disposition, similar to Uraraka's personality in the finalized story.
A rough sketch clearly shows Bakugo looking happy about something, which is probably running into his childhood friend Midoriya Izuku. This means Bakugo's explosive Quirk and charming nature would have contrasted sharply, and there have been many fictional characters whose appearance or powers clashed with their personality. This is called "gap moe," and Bakugo almost became one such character.
This version of Bakugo would have been much more similar to Uraraka: a gentle and friendly person who's close to Midoriya at school. In fact, this less-competitive version of him might have looked up to Midoriya as a role model just like Uraraka does, which would have created a main "squad" of Midoriya, Uraraka and Bakugo as a closely-knit team. In hindsight, this is an amusing what-if take on the character, but for many good reasons, Horikoshi turned Bakugo's personality on its head while keeping his Quirk the same.
The Necessary Evil Of Bakugo Katsuki's Final Design
With Bakugo being abrasive, self-centered and dysfunctional with everyone around him -- including his parents -- it can be easy to dislike him as a person. At first, MHA fans may wish that Horikoshi had given Midoriya the original version of Bakugo, perhaps the kind and gentle childhood friend the protagonist deserved. However, character design changes like Bakugo's are necessary, and what's good for the narrative isn't necessarily good for Midoriya's happiness.
Horikoshi found Bakugo's original design underwhelming and created the more intense version fans know today. This gave Midoriya a proper shonen rival who could challenge him on a personal level and, as a budding hero, that's what he needed to reach the next level. The original Bakugo may have provided a shoulder to cry on, but that wouldn't do Midoriya much good as he already has other classmates -- such as Uraraka and even Asui Tsuyu -- for emotional comfort.
The original Bakugo would have been redundant among the cast, and that particular type is better off in a slice-of-life high school anime than a battle shonen like My Hero Academia. Naruto has Sasuke, Gon has Killua, Goku has Vegeta, and ultimately, Midoriya has the hotheaded Bakugo to push him onward -- even if it means putting up with unfortunate verbal abuse along the way. It's not a pretty picture, but it's what Midoriya needed to realize his potential.