One of My Hero Academia's most-loved characters (at least according to Weekly Shonen Jump's popularity polls) as well as one of its strongest, Class 1-A student Shoto Todoroki is a prime target for fan artists. His distinctive visual flair, calm and collected personality, and colorful Quirk all allow for various interpretations; this allows artists to try out different styles and methods of drawing the popular character without sacrificing quality as a result.
Today, we'll be looking at 10 of the coolest pieces of Todoroki fan art, everything from him as a smug villain to him as a Pokémon trainer. If you're won over by the art, make sure to check out the artists at the provided links!
10 Oretsuu
Deviantart user Oretsuu made this amazing fan art, which takes all of Todoroki's finer points and puts them together in one image, without it seeming cramped. The juxtaposition of Todoroki's fiery and icy sides is something we're going to be touching on a lot in this article, but here it's interesting to note that here, his fiery side is clearly the dominant one - whether or not that means anything is up to the viewer to decide. Todoroki himself is drawn perfectly; not even his bangs are out of place. Clean line art and powerful use of gradients both accentuate the artist's skill.
For the sake of being concise, we'll tell you that this clear-cut piece of art deserves even more praise than we're giving it here - it's just that good.
9 Miyukiko
This flashy fan art, created by Deviantart user Miyukiko, is filled with color, not just using Todoroki's icy blue and fiery red colors but smashing them together to extraordinary effect. The smoke, shadows, ice crystals, fire; it's almost too much for us. Todoroki's tired and angry disposition is converted perfectly thanks to some inspired facial details (like his right eyebrow being bolder than his left).
Overall, it's a great piece of fan art that's action-packed and filled with color; those who like good old-fashioned anime battles will particularly get a kick out of it.
8 10Juu
10Juu is an amazing artist, and all that skill and practice comes into play here as the talented Deviantart user takes on villain Todoroki. A key detail worth noting is that the frame isn't packed with action; this particular moment is played as the calm before the storm, which allows for more noticeable background details. Todoroki's sinister expression is accentuated by the fiercely contrasting greys and reds surrounding him, while his almost robotic right eye and slightly cracked smile seem to tell us that he can't help but be delighted by his own power.
What 10Juu has done for us here is create a visually stunning imagining of villain Todoroki that's as unsettling as it is impressive.
7 Faesu
Many of these artists seem to have a clear understanding of Todoroki's enormous power - and the fact that it knows no bounds. Case in point: this piece by faesu, which shows Todoroki's ability to create not just ice, but towering frozen structures, and not just fire, but an unstoppable inferno.
Artistically speaking, the background looks fantastic, with white, grey, and blue clouds placed against the yellowish sun at a beautiful angle. Todoroki, who seems to be walking away from a one-sided fight, has never looked better; majestic fire and ice, and he in the midst of it all.
6 Akeemi-Chan
Here's a little bit of a break from the action; Deviantart user Akeemi-chan's simple fan art of two quintessential My Hero Academia characters as Pokémon trainers. Clad in grayish casual wear, Todoroki doesn't need to be encompassed by fire and ice to make an impact, and he's drawn perfectly with simple shadows and a striking poise. Momo and Todoroki look great as a team, almost like proud parents. The Pokémon also fit well into the image's overall environment, particularly the Vulpix snuggling up to Todoroki and the Ditto hiding behind Momo's leg.
Overall, this art is a sweet, brightly colored combination of two popular universes that will likely delight fans of both.
5 Bronze11
Next up is another great piece of TodoMomo fanart, created by Bronze11. First off, the hair on both characters looks amazing, with each lock seeming individually styled and the crisp colors contrasting with the solid white background. The yellowish-green leaves add a layer of natural beauty to the artwork, and Todoroki's graceful manner plays perfectly to Momo's shy passion.
The lighting and shadows also look great, drawing the viewer into a world of bright, idyllic bliss.
4 Bellchaan
Deviantart user Bellchaan gets female Todoroki right in this unique and creative gender-bent fan art. It's still Todoroki, right down to the calm, determined, stare, but new details like the long, flowing hair actually work well, especially with the fiery and icy textures, which really steal the show here. Todoroki's pose is excellent, assisting in establishing her subtle demeanor, while the colors flow together with harmony, allowing the work's more artistic elements to shine ever brighter.
It's a cool, fresh, and surprisingly original look for Todoroki, fueled by the artist's supreme knowledge of the character's spirit and soul.
3 Evgesha Krasavchik
This fan art, created by Deviantart user Evegesha Krasavchik, completely ignores Todoroki's icy side, which might not be the worst decision aesthetic-wise as it actually allows the piece to obtain a more serene vibe than others while still being equally as breathtaking. Ice crystals pop off the screen, each carefully crafted with perfect shades of blue, white, and, in some cases, pink; Todoroki himself is exceptionally drawn, with top-tier lighting and shadow complementing his flowing hair and sculpted features.
Masterful brushstrokes and detail-oriented design both do their part in taking this glossy portrait to the next level.
2 S0s2
Beautiful textures are the real winner in this amazing Todoroki fan art. The piece is half decorated with snowflakes and icicles shines with sparkling blues and whites, while the half is dedicated to fire and has thousands of red, orange, and yellow sparks that beautifully accentuate the flames; both sides look like something out of a top-notch animated movie or TV series.
There aren't enough words to describe this; the aesthetically-inclined artisan behind this image, Deviantart user s0s2, understands lighting, effects, shadows, and color better than many of us ever have or likely ever will.
1 Qesque
If you thought the last entry on the list had amazing textures, hold on to your seatbelt, because one look at this amazing fan art should tell you exactly why Deviantart user qesque took the top spot on our list. There's no shortness of beauty to be found here, and well-realized color tones give this art a very distinct visual style that's unlike anything we've ever seen before. Todoroki's hair is not just white and red; instead, it's suddenly bursting with lovely oranges, yellows, reds, blues, purples, and whites.
The rest of the image - from Todoroki's mesmerizing glance to his flowing flames to even the belt on his uniform - follows this same pattern, allowing for bolder features, cleaner contrasts, and an enchanting, eye-catching overall design. Wow. Just, wow.