The shonen genre has been the home for some of the most popular anime and manga series of the past few decades and it’s exciting to see all of the modern classics that continue to be developed. My Hero Academia is a series that capitalizes on the current superhero trend and is able to apply an unconventional look at these individuals’ journeys.
My Hero Academia is full of powerful characters, but Katsuki Bakugo is someone who’s typically at the forefront of the series. Bakugo’s struggles and development carry a lot of weight and his Explosion Quirk feels like an appropriate manifestation of his fiery personality. However, there are a number of other abilities that would be unusual fits for the hero.
10 Wouldn’t Suit: Zoom
There are some Quirks that are just so immaculately suited for specific characters that they seem like they’d be useless in the use of someone else. Mei Hatsume is a hero that’s focused on the support and equipment side of the field and she’s helped many heroes out with costume upgrades.
Hatsume’s Zoom Quirk gives her magnified vision, which is a huge asset when working on equipment, but it doesn’t seem like Bakugo would have much patience for the Quirk. Bakugo is far too impulsive to rely on a Quirk of this nature and it leaves his physical strength impaired.
9 Would Suit: Erasure
Many of the teachers and faculty at U.A. High have some of the more impressive and enviable Quirks in My Hero Academia. Shota Aizawa is a helpful guardian to Midoriya and company, but he’s also incredibly strong when he’s forced to defend himself. Aizawa’s Erasure Quirk allows him to temporarily disable someone else’s Quirk, simply by looking at them.
It’s a crafty move and it feels like a tactic that’s very Bakugo’s style. Bakugo is guilty of becoming jealous over other heroes and this Quirk helps combat this and neutralize those that make him feel threatened.
8 Wouldn’t Suit: Invisibility
Toru Hagakure is a hero in Class 1-A that’s easy to overlook due to how her Quirk makes her invisible. Hagakure’s concealing ability is used more for the source of comedy than a powerful battle skill, which is likely why Bakugo wouldn’t be very excited with this. Bakugo is someone who likes to stand out and be in the spotlight.
An Invisibility Quirk robs him of that and it’s also an ability that doesn’t do anything for his physical strength. An invisible brooding Bakugo seems like a very depressing combination.
7 Would Suit: Hellflame
There are several characters in My Hero Academia whose Quirks are all fire-based in nature. It’s such a basic skill that it’s not surprising that there’s some overlap in this department. Bakugo’s Explosion Quirk isn’t exactly a fire skill, but it uses a lot of the same principles.
As a result, it feels like it wouldn’t take Bakugo very long to acclimate towards Endeavor’s Hellflame Quirk. It’s a powerful ability that still properly represents a lot of the seething rage that can fill Bakugo at times.
6 Wouldn’t Suit: Tail
There are a number of Quirks within My Hero Academia that are clearly powerful, but also plenty that come across as more mysterious. There are even some that really just serve more aesthetic purposes. Mashirao Ojiro’s Tail Quirk isn’t very deep and it’s basically just a giant prehensile tail that he can control.
It’s a flashy ability, but Ojiro is really never an asset in battle. Bakugo would be crushed to be saddled with such a useless Quirk and likely struggle as he attempts to make it helpful in battle.
5 Would Suit: Dark Shadow
Fumikage Tokoyami has the potential to be one of the most powerful characters in My Hero Academia, but he’s an individual that’s only been used sparingly rather than getting to stay in the spotlight. Tokoyami’s Dark Shadow Quirk is one of the more creative abilities in the series and it lets him control a dark entity that thrives in shadows.
The sinister and surprising nature of this skill feels like a natural fit for Bakugo. He’d perhaps even be able to do more with the Quirk and help bring out its true potential.
4 Wouldn’t Suit: Gecko
Shuichi Iguchi has the honor of being one of the members of the esteemed League of Villains, but he comes across as more of a joke than a legitimate threat. Iguchi’s Gecko Quirk turns him into a giant Ninja Turtle parody. He’s a big lizard with a sword and not much else.
Bakugo would surely resent having this reptilian appearance to contend with and the Quirk’s ability to stick to surfaces is really a minimal benefit for Bakugo. All of this would only alienate the character and likely be enough to push him over to the dark side.
3 Would Suit: Decay
A handful of villains have risen to the top in My Hero Academia, but despite the power that’s been encountered, it’s Tomura Shigaraki who is the persistent threat that looms in the shadows. Shigaraki’s Decay Quirk is one of the few abilities in the series that’s genuinely terrifying.
Shigaraki can disintegrate individuals purely through touch. It’s the perfect Quirk for a villain, but it also seems like Bakugo would be able to do a lot with it. It may be difficult for Bakugo to keep that degree of power in check, but it feels fitting for his darker impulses.
2 Wouldn’t Suit: Pop Off
My Hero Academia does a good job with how it covers most of the bases when it comes to conventional superpowers. All of the big elemental abilities are featured, but then My Hero Academia gets a lot more experimental when it comes to some of the Quirks on display.
Minoru Mineta’s Pop Off Quirk is definitely on the weirder side of the spectrum. It allows him to create a bunch of malleable balls that he can use to his advantage and stick together. The ability fits Mineta’s neurotic personality, but it feels like it would seriously embarrass Bakugo.
1 Would Suit: One For All
A lot of time in My Hero Academia is devoted to whether Izuku Midoriya is really the best successor to inherit All Might’s One For All Quirk. The second My Hero Academia movie, Two Heroes, takes some big risks with the Quirk and Bakugo briefly becomes in possession of the power.
It’s a deeply satisfying experience to see Bakugo and Midoriya fight together, both with this amazing Quirk at their disposal. Bakugo handles this honor so well and doesn’t let down All Might or Midoriya, so he’d be worthy to have the skill full time.