Ochaco Uraraka is one of the most beloved My Hero Academia characters and a close friend of Deku. She proves to be a strong aspiring hero who trains to protect the lives of Japan's citizens. However, Uraraka possesses faults like any other person and occasionally makes selfish decisions. Her motives for becoming a Pro Hero reach beyond saving other people.
Uraraka's emotional struggles give her motivation yet inhibit her in ways that negatively impact her character. She still has room to grow within the series as a student of U.A. High School. Her connection to Deku doesn't always leave a positive impact, either.
10 Uraraka Becomes Easily Jealous
Uraraka develops a crush on Deku through the series and quickly becomes jealous when Deku interacts with other girls. While Uraraka doesn't intend anyone harm, she tends to jump to frustrating conclusions when no romance is present. She grows resentful when Deku compliments Mei Hatsume's gadgetry during the U.A. Sports Festival calvary battle despite its intention as a simple remark.
Uraraka acts on her emotions yet refuses to acknowledge them, which only increases her struggles. Her tendency to avoid any questions on the matter often confuses her classmates, which does little to resolve anything.
9 Uraraka Tells Deku She Wants To Become A Hero For The Salary
Uraraka reveals to Deku that her motive for becoming a Pro Hero is to earn money. Though Uraraka hopes to support her parents financially, her motive initially appears the kind of selfishness that vigilantes like Stain despise. However, her complex motivations don't mean that she works any less to save other people or her friends.
Uraraka's motivations move away from the idea of a selfless hero who works only for the good of others. She shows that heroes don't always have the perfect motivations that citizens expect from them. Uraraka understands how hero work benefits herself as much as other people.
8 She Doesn't Always Defend Deku From Bakugo
Uraraka is one of Deku's closest friends who stands by him even when her life is in danger. However, she sometimes fails to defend him from Bakugo's constant insults despite having the opportunity. She says nothing when Bakugo calls Deku a Quirkless small fry during the Quirk assessment test despite how Deku saves her during the U.A. Exam.
Uraraka votes for Deku as class president yet chooses to keep her support of him a secret when Bakugo demands to know who voted for him. Her hesitancy doesn't always do Deku any favors when he would appreciate it.
7 She Trusts Deku's Judgement Over Her Own
Uraraka admires Deku for his talent at thinking of creative solutions to win. However, she often asks herself how Deku would handle a given situation rather than trusting her own judgment. While having a role model can be a good thing, Uraraka needs to believe in her personal capabilities to progress as a hero.
Her goal to think like Deku causes her to hesitate, as seen when she loses her focus in her battle with Aoyama against Thirteen. Uraraka needs to work on her confidence to support her allies in the best way that she can.
6 Uraraka Rushes Into Things
Uraraka is a talented aspiring hero, yet she tends to rush into situations before she thoroughly thinks through a plan. Her impatience sometimes results in injuries that an alternate strategy could've avoided. When Deku loses control of his Black Whip Quirk, Uraraka sustains multiple injuries when she tries to restrain him.
When Uraraka battles Bakugo in the U.A. Sports Festival, she charges at Bakugo head-on and leaves herself vulnerable to Bakugo's explosions. Although she shows remarkable bravery, it causes her more harm than good in various situations. Uraraka's wish to prove herself makes her more reckless than usual.
5 Uraraka Worries About Deku Too Much
Uraraka shares a strong friendship with Deku and lends him a hand when he needs it. Though she cares for him, she worries about Deku even when he proves himself capable of handling situations alone. Uraraka tries to convince Deku to relax when she catches him taking notes during the U.A. Sports Festival, even though he uses the method to learn.
Uraraka's worries are better spent on her own progress rather than Deku's performance in an inevitably competitive environment. She lets her focus on Deku overshadow her personal goal of making it as a Pro Hero herself.
4 She Lets Her Classmate's Successes Affect Her Motivation
Uraraka commits herself to her goal of becoming a Pro Hero and supporting her parents. However, she grows discouraged when she compares herself to her classmates and doubts her ability to compete with them. When she loses against Bakugo in the U.A. Sports Festival, she calls herself a failure to her parents. Uraraka struggles with allowing herself to make mistakes and lets her frustration discourage her.
Uraraka shows an impatience to succeed that is similar to Deku's rush to master One For All. She puts the blame on herself when situations don't go as planned.
3 She Comments On Her Classmates' Financial Statuses
Uraraka has a complicated relationship with money and tries to be optimistic about her family's struggles. She uses her childhood experience as motivation to train harder and give her best effort. However, she shows no hesitation in questioning her classmates from Pro Hero families about their wealth. Although Uraraka is simply curious, she asks personal questions that put people on the spot.
When Uraraka asks Iida if he comes from a wealthy family, he admits to the fact but not without embarrassment for the title. Uraraka occasionally asks questions without considering the consequences.
2 Uraraka Isn't The Best At Direct Combat
Uraraka understands her Quirk's capabilities and uses the battlefield to her advantage, yet she still struggles with battling opponents head-on. Before she learns Gunhead martial arts, she relies on her classmates to attack first, such as when she uses Deku's All For One punch to bypass Iida during Hero Basic Training.
After Uraraka gains close-combat skills, she continues to hold a disadvantage against agile opponents, as seen when Toga effortlessly escapes Uraraka after attacking Tsuyu. She still needs to improve at combat skills outside of her Quirk to better compete against the Quirks of her classmates.
1 Uraraka Acts Carelessly When Embarrassed
Uraraka tends to act carelessly toward her friends when she's embarrassed. When Uraraka visits the mall with her classmates to prepare for training camp, she runs away from Deku without warning at the thought of being alone with him. While she doesn't mean to offend anyone, her unexpected actions are sometimes falsely taken as insults.
Uraraka repetitively panics when her classmates tease her about Deku, which endangers her friends at times. She unknowingly floats Mina into the air after Mina teases her during the joint class training, which could've ended badly. Uraraka loses focus when her emotions come into play.