My Hero Academia is a Shonen world that has even its Pro Heroes compete for supremacy. While there isn't as much political power as being Hokage or untold riches like the Pirate King, being the world's #1 Hero is a pretty sweet gig. It means being a representative for peace and justice, a leader to all heroes, and a reliable agent that the government and citizens can always turn to.
For a while, that spot has been dutifully been held by the Symbol of Peace himself, All Might. However, his hero days have waned, and the title of #1 Hero has gone to his hot-headed rival, Endeavor. This list will be running down a few of the reasons why Endeavor is a hero that deserves the title and a few reasons why it still belongs to All Might.
10 Endeavor: Leader Of The Top Hero Agency
While All Might was a figurehead for all heroes, he wasn't exactly known for working in a team. Endeavor is the leader of the largest and most effective hero agency in the My Hero Academia world.
For years, he's had an incredible network of sidekicks working under and learning from him, creating consistent peace and agency through organized numbers. It's a respectable achievement whose sense of intelligence and leadership speaks much louder than just strength.
9 All Might: Defeated The Top Villain TWICE
All Might has an incredible legacy behind him that includes an epic rivalry with one of the world's greatest villains, All for One. His current injuries were sustained after he defeated the faceless villain years ago.
When One for All returned to guide Shigaraki as his own successor, All Might once again fought him in one last, epic duel that would see the villain finally put in jail. While he currently can't fight that many more battles (if any), he will be immortalized for this noble war.
8 Endeavor: Has Solved Several Cases
Though All Might may have defeated the main man of all villainy, Endeavor's career isn't without its successes. As the #2 Hero, he was already renowned for solving a record number of cases within the world. While such a feat may not be as newsworthy or exciting as an entire Shonen fight, it's a success rate that bodes well for the justice system and society's recurring peace.
It's a direct response to the more intricate and complex kind of criminal activity that isn't just bad guys rampaging on the street. This requires a certain level of nuance and experience that only a truly great hero can handle.
7 All Might: Has Personally Saved Thousands
While Endeavor gets to boast an impressive checklist on his agency's walls, All Might's feats have a more impressive number. He's a hero that became legendary for jumping into the front lines of danger and saving thousands of people, whether it be in villain attacks or great disasters across the world.
He has actually maintained the very lives that heroes by design are meant to put beyond anything else. Though it's not exactly fancy police work, All Might has served a direct role in saving people's lives and securing peace.
6 Endeavor: Has Accepted His Humility
One thing that put Endeavor into villain territory during his early game and just barely into the anti-hero world within the recent chapters is the pure fact that he was a distant and abusive family man. He used his wife to try and breed a superior kind of hero; and when he finally had a child with the perfect Quirk, he'd shun him from the rest of the family.
Such obsessive behavior would tear the family apart and have all of them hating his guts. However, within the recent story, Endeavor has made considerable moves to change himself and become a much better father to his kids. This has meant accepting the error of his ways and providing a form of penance that is gracious and doesn't force himself any further within his family's lives. He really is doing everything he can to truly represent the #1 Hero spot and deserves some credit for it.
5 All Might: A Natural Symbol Of Peace
Endeavor is undoubtedly a talented hero, but that doesn't necessarily make him everyone's poster boy. Given his demeanor and especially his family history, Endeavor has had an infamous time trusting and cooperating with others and appearing as an overall nice guy. He is the type of guy to make everyone nervous about his flame powers.
All Might on the other hand, despite having his hulking form, is famously known for his confidence and smile. Beyond just his legacy, he has inspired people with his attitude, and that's something that Endeavor or any other hero can easily learn.
4 Endeavor: Became The Most Powerful After All Might's Defeat
A major factor that plays into Endeavor's current success is the pure fact that, by process of elimination, he is the most powerful and effective superhero. He's already displayed an incredible acumen for solving cases and handling critical situations with ease and is a terrifying force with his Hellflame Quirk.
While there are plenty of heroes who are strong in their own way, Endeavor has been shown to be the most trusted, versatile force. All Might, on the other hand, is at the tail end of his hero days and, given his injuries, possibly his life. If the two were to fight now, no one should be betting on All Might.
3 All Might: Is The Benefactor For One For All
A huge part of All Might's place as the #1 Hero is the very legacy that he represented and now guides. Nana Shimura gifted him One for All years ago, trusting that he would both become strong enough to finally take down All for One and portray the righteous virtues of a true hero.
He would become the leading figure in the decades-spanning battle against All for One and would later guide that legacy within his new ward, Midoriya Izuku. Everything about him, even now, screams greatness, destiny, and wisdom that was always meant to hold the entire fate of the world in some form.
2 Endeavor: Leading The Attack On The Paranormal Liberation Front
While All Might has certainly had his day in the sun, Endeavor is currently leading a new crusade that could rival All Might's crowning achievements. After the League of Villains defeated the Meta Liberation Army, they'd join forces to form The Paranormal Liberation Front and recruit new forces for a grand conspiracy to cause mass destruction and discredit the world's heroes.
With Hawk's intel, Endeavor was able to form a plan to counter their operations and is currently leading a charge to simultaneously arrest its various agents across the city. He's even directing the charge against the infamous production of Noumus, one of the biggest mysteries and bane to hero kind in the series. It's a large and delicate case that, if pulled off, would gift Endeavor with what may very well be the greatest villain bust in the history of his world.
1 All Might: Now Educates Aspiring Heroes
Endeavor may be doing a banger job with the whole hero thing, but All Might is doing his part too with possibly even greater rewards. When he went on his search for One for All's successor, he opted to become a teacher at U.A. and share his wisdom with its young and growing heroes.
While he can't fight at the front lines, he's at least nurturing the generation that will soon take over, sharing the experiences and personal know-how of the #1 Hero. It's a noble gesture that can inspire future generations in a much more direct way.