Kohei Horikoshi has created many great characters in his epic shonen series My Hero Academia. One of the newest ones to hit the anime adaptation is Taishiro Toyomitsu, also known as Fat Gum. He may not look the, considering Fat Gum's rather unassuming appearance, but it's the truth. This season introduced Sir Nighteye, a future-seeing hero, Bubble Girl, Ryukyu, and even further established the powers of the Big Three, introduced last season. So what does this fat guy offer that they can't?

In short, a ton. Fat Gum very quickly became one of the most compelling characters in My Hero Academia, despite very little screen-time. Without citing spoilers from the manga or his past in My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, it's time to explain how Fat Gum is the best character in the latest outing of My Hero Academia.

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The Quirk

The most obvious trait Fat Gum possesses is his quirk: Fat Absorption. Much like the Marvel Comics' Blob, Fat Gum can absorb shockwaves and impacts with his body fat. However, unlike the X-Men villain, he can also store the kinetic energy into his fat, which he can then convert into muscle, which massively increases his fighting potential. This also reverts his body from fat to slim, thus reducing his defensive abilities.

Despite his soft appearance, Fat Gum has a great deal of muscle under his chub, which makes him a physical power-house -- one of the strongest heroes in the series. According to the Ultra Analysis Book, which offers hero stats, Fat Gum's strength is on par with All Might's own strength (though, obviously, All Might is stronger).

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Additionally, when things punch him, they sink straight into his fat. This traps them in place, keeping them stuck in his belly, unable to make an attack. This, combined with his absorption abilities, makes him incredibly durable. Attacks that drove Kirishima to maximize his hardening abilities don't remotely phase him.

So he has terrific defensive and offensive abilities. You would assume that, due to his mass, he might be physically clumsy or immobile -- which is not the case at all. Fat Gum is spry on his feet, incredibly agile, and moves with complete ease despite his immense size.

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Fat Gum is an Impulsive Detective and Great Teacher

Fat Gum, however, isn't just a powerhouse. He's also a clever detective. Having worked on the police force before opening up his hero agency, he understands how the underworld works. He helps figure out Overhaul's whole scheme dealing with the quirk-damaging darts on his own, which proves an instrumental part of uncovering Overhaul and his plan.

Of course, Fat Gum isn't a Batman-level detective. His intelligence is undermined by his impatience. When someone is in danger, he needs to help no matter what. Throughout Sir Nighteye's meeting on the threat Overhaul posed, he'd just stand up and declare that they needed to do something to save Eri or stop Overhaul directly, strategy be damned. This impulsiveness is arguably his greatest weakness.

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However, at the same time, he also is arguably the best teacher and role model to his work-study interns than, say, Sir Nighteye. Sir Nighteye supports Togata and Midoriya, but also seems openly antagonistic toward Midoriya due to what he represents. The Pro Hero believes that Togata deserved All Might's One-For-All quirk, seeing Midoriya as perhaps undeserving of it. This is a somewhat problematic view to take of a kid who wants to be a hero and proves himself worthy of merit. Granted, Sir Nighteye has warmed up to Midoriya since their initial encounter, but this frank antagonism isn't the best trait for a mentor to have.

On the other hand, Fat Gum welcomes Kirishima with open arms, nurturing the talent he clearly sees in the boy from the start. He does the same with Amajiki, who is a socially withdrawn and anxious member of the Big Three. Amijiki's social anxieties make him a very difficult person to communicate with, but Fat Gum not only seems to support him but also goes out of his way to make sure he's doing alright. How many other bosses would buy you a squid lunch to make sure that both your food-centric powers are at their maximum and to make sure you are eating right? Not many! But Fat Gum is just generous and kind-hearted like that.

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His Design Makes Him Unique

But let's get right to the big point with Fat Gum, one reason he immediately stands out from the rest of the crowd: he's a fat character in an anime who isn't a joke, whose weight isn't seen as a burden to overcome, and whose primary "gag" isn't that he overeats. Many anime incorporate chubbier characters (Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, One Piece, Yuri on Ice, Accel World) but most often, the characters' chubbier traits are either presented as a joke or a burden to overcome. This reinforces harmful stereotypes about people who are heavier.

But My Hero Academia presents a far more body-positive cast of characters. Midoriya's mom is a chubbier older woman whose weight is never even referenced, despite her visually gaining some between Midoriya's childhood and the present time. Fat Gum, on the other hand, is more overt about his body fat, but, rather than presenting it as a gag or something to be ashamed of, wears it as a badge of honor.

Not only that, but he's celebrated. He's one of the best heroes around, no one talks down to him because of his appearance, people love him, and the first thought that both Ochaco and Tsuyu have when they see him is that he's "adorable." Compare this to Marvel's Blob, who, despite having comparable abilities, is shunned from society and treated like a sideshow freak. It is incredibly uncommon to find a fat character who is not only treated as heroic but also seen as valuable for the traits he possesses rather than in-spite of them. This makes Fat Gum not only one of the best characters of My Hero Academia's newest season, but also arguably one of the better superhero characters period.

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