My Hero Academia's villains are some of the show's most fascinating characters. Though certainly not the most impressive anime villains, the League of Villains is still a daunting force in the series. Their existence is a harbinger of harsh truths about hero society. Each member has their own motivations for their criminal deeds.
However, one thing is certain: the League has forced society to question the definition of heroism in a society where quirks are placed in a hierarchy of marketability. Being in this criminal organization would come with its downfalls, but the endeavor certainly would come with its perks.
WARNING: Major spoilers ahead for later manga chapters of My Hero Academia by Kohei Horikoshi!
10 Harsh Reality: Being In The League Means One Would Have Experienced Quirk Inequalities
One of the harshest truths about civilization in My Hero Academia is the immense quirk discrimination running rampant in society. The League understands how such discrimination would feel. For example, Twice became a victim of his own quirk. Eventually, he became unsure if he was real or not because of the havoc his quirk wreaked on his life.
Unfortunately, there were no healthcare options or institutions available to help Twice. Toga was in a similar situation when her blood-oriented quirk made her a social pariah. Heroes did nothing to help either of them before they chose the path of villainhood.
9 Perk: The League Of Villains Is Home To Many Strong Quirks
If one were to become a member of the League, it'd mean that their quirk would have to make them a pretty formidable villain. Some of the most unique quirks across the cast of My Hero Academia are wielded by members of the League. Not all of their quirks are flashy either, so everybody balances each other well.
For example, Mustard's quirk isn't the most dazzling, but the ability to have a widespread effect on opponents with mustard gas is pretty powerful. On the other hand, Dabi has a pretty powerful quirk that makes him one of the League's most essential members. His brilliant blue flames are enough to light up an entire forest. It's also versatile because it's excellent for close and long-ranged combat.
8 Harsh Reality: One Would Have To Deal With Some Pretty Unstable Coworkers
The League of Villains is certainly home to a variety of personalities. Just to list off a few, the main crew consists of a classic yandere, an edge-lord with a complicated history, a lizard, and its leader is essentially a man-child who just recently discovered his true convictions and objectives.
This is certainly not the most mentally sound group of people. Of course, quite a few members are just brutal criminals who live for satiating their bloodthirst, such as Toga and Muscular.
7 Perk: The League Tends To Take Over & Defeat Other Villain Organizations
Though Shigaraki certainly isn't the most experienced leader around, he's done an excellent job proving his recently found conviction. Because of this, the League was able to extinguish whatever was left of Shie Hassaikai after the heroes' raided it, and now Shigaraki leads the Paranormal Liberation Front.
In many ways, the League holds more influence over society than politicians or even heroes. Though numerous organizations are probably bubbling beneath the surface waiting for the League's downfall, this group of villains could easily overpower everybody else.
6 Harsh Reality: It's Unclear If Any Of The Members Actually Get Paid
While heroes are society's wealthy elite, it's unclear if the League is being compensated by All For One. There's only been one instance where the League received any money in the entire series — and Toga spent all of it on a winter coat almost instantly.
Though it would be antithetical to the villains' philosophy that heroes shouldn't receive payment for doing the bare minimum, it's unclear how the League of Villains actually sustains themselves without receiving any form of compensation.
5 Perk: Shigaraki Continues To Grow As A Leader
When Shigaraki was first introduced, he was essentially a neurotic man-child hellbent on All Might's destruction without an apparent reason. However, after his encounter with Stain, he recognized the importance of having conviction. Shigaraki is still somewhat clumsy and immature as a leader in many ways. However, he continues to prove his growth as a leader.
One of the most notable quotes Shigaraki has ever spoken in the series was when he reminded the rest of the League that their actions aren't in vain. Specifically, he told them that they weren't just working for him. Instead, they're doing it for themselves and the League. He said this when the other members were losing morale, so he had to remind them about the greater scheme of things.
4 Harsh Reality: It's Almost Certain That The League Is Going To Get Taken Down By Heroes Eventually
While it is fun to speculate about the pros and cons of joining the League of Villains, one must keep in mind that this is a fictional organization in shonen anime. Therefore, it's all but confirmed that the heroes will take down the League by the end of the series — which is rapidly approaching.
For now, The League, hand-in-hand with the Paranormal Liberation Front, has succeeded in its goal to take down society's morale regarding heroes. However, it's all but certain that the heroes are bound to regain society's trust and take down the League once and for all. While they temporarily got a piece of what they wanted, it's just not sustainable for them in the long haul.
3 Perk: Society Is Forced To Re-examine Their Perspective Of Heroes Because Of The League
After the fall of All Might, society's morale was gradually decreasing in heroes. With Endeavor taking over, people were uncertain what this meant. After all, Endeavor is nothing like the cheerful, charismatic Symbol of Peace that All Might was. Perhaps the final nail in the coffin was when Dabi revealed to the world just how awful of a father Endeavor is.
Of course, he also spoke about Hawks' background on his behalf to reveal the abuse he suffered in the name of raising the next hero. These revelations caused a lot of pain for society, but they forced civilians to realize that the people they've trusted with their peace aren't always who they say they are.
2 Harsh Reality: A Few Key Members Are Out Of Commission
The League of Villains has suffered quite a few losses in recent times. Starting with the arrest of Kurogiri, the League lost the most convenient tool in their arsenal. Warp Gate allowed the League to appear, cause chaos, and leave just as quickly. Kurogiri made it hard for the heroes to tell just how many villains were on the loose at any given point.
Additionally, a few more of their key members are out of commission or dead. Gigantomachia, Mr. Compress, and Daruma all got arrested. Twice, one of the League's most prominent members, got killed by Hawks after a brutal fight. These days, the League of Villains is in pretty bad shape.
1 Perk: Villains Aren't Confined To The Laws Regarding Quirks
In a society full of quirks, it's only reasonable to regulate the use of quirks in public. For example, someone like Shoto using his flames in public is undeniably hazardous, even if he does his best to control where the fire goes. However, the League is not confined to such laws.
They use their quirks in public and disregard the laws on the books entirely. While Shoto has shown apprehension towards letting his flames out because of the collateral damage, Dabi lets his blue flames burn entire forests. Additionally, since the League took over the Meta Liberation Army, they've adopted its philosophies.