There’s been a lot of excitement and celebration surrounding Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia ever since its debut, but it’s managed to sustain this popularity and remain at the forefront of the shonen genre. My Hero Academia never runs out of thrilling conflicts where its heroes and intimidating villains come to blows and the series effectively showcases both groups of powerful individuals.
The characters in My Hero Academia most commonly focus on Quirks and reinforcements, but a proper costume is also paramount, especially for villains. Villains need to be able to command fear in their prey, but there is no lack of costumes that foolishly trade practicality for fashion.
10 Gentle Criminal’s Flair For Fanciful Fashion Reduces His Impact
It’s always interesting to see what extremes individuals will embrace when they have to develop a costume. So many different angles can be taken and everyone has a unique understanding of what visuals command power and gear. Gentle Criminal is desperate for validation, but he unexpectedly turns into a tough threat for Deku thanks to the help that La Brava provides. Gentle Criminal has an Elasticity Quirk, but his costume looks like that of an old lord from England. It’s a fanciful, pompous look that suits his love for tea, but doesn’t serve any practical purpose for his powers.
9 It’s Hard To Tell That Curious Even Is A Villain With Her Costume Choice
My Hero Academia really allows its antagonists to shine during season five’s lengthy “My Villain Academia” arc. This stretch of episodes doesn’t just highlight Shigaraki and the League of Villains, but also the opposing members that occupy the Meta Liberation Army. Chitose Kizuki, also known as Curious, is a top-tier member of the evil organization. Curious has a fascination with interrogation, which feeds into her Quirk, but none of her interests or powers are represented in her costume. Curious’ comfortable civilian clothes and feathery boa are hardly remarkable and are even quite close to Mina Ashido’s style.
8 Dabi Represents A Black Hole Of Darkness And One Of The Most Vindictive Villains
Dabi is a special villain in My Hero Academia since the series keeps him at arm’s length for an extended period of time, only to eventually reveal that he has a major connection to the Todoroki family.
Dabi’s fire-centric Quirk is among some of the hottest powers in the series. Dabi adopts a less is more approach with his villain costume, which is a sleek trench coat that hides his body and the many burn scars that cover it. Dabi’s costume emphasizes his mysterious and terrifying nature, but it doesn’t compliment his Quirk in the slightest.
7 Re-Destro Looks Like A Corporate Figurehead And Not A Top Tier Villain
Season five of My Hero Academia introduces Re-Destro as the head of the Meta Liberation Army, a powerful organization that opposes the League of Villains and has a very specific manifesto regarding the future of society. Re-Destro largely operates in the shadow of his fallen father, Destro, which is perhaps why his villain look is so forgettable. Re-Destro commands incredible power and a destructive Quirk where he has enhanced durability abilities, yet he wears a drab suit and tie. It’s hard to tell that he’s even the one in charge, which is a stark contrast to Shigaraki’s look.
6 Overhaul Leans On Contrived Conventions For His Villain Look
My Hero Academia gets seriously more mature once Overhaul, Kai Chisaki, enters the fray. Overhaul accomplishes an incredible amount as a villain and his manipulative treatment of innocent Eri is among some of the most reprehensible activities in the entire series. Overhaul is no laughing matter and his ability to merge and co-opt powers turns him into a veritable monster. However, Overhaul’s standard look is a beak-like plague mask and a warm-collared jacket. On their own, they stand out, but there are so many villains who utilize the plague mask approach that it makes Overhaul look mundane in comparison.
5 Magne Is More Comfortable In Standard Clothes Than Creepy Theatrics
Kenji Hikiishi, better known by the villain moniker, Magne, is one of My Hero Academia’s more obscure antagonists. Magne gets eliminated relatively early in the series and doesn’t benefit from as lengthy of a lifespan as other foes. Magne, as her name indicates, has control over a Magnetism Quirk.
There’s a lot of potential in this power, but Magne squanders the opportunity in both execution and style. Magne’s villain attire is essentially just a cardigan and a shirt. Magne has a bulky body, but otherwise, it’s unclear that the character even has a Quirk, let alone operates as a villain.
4 Kurogiri’s Buttoned-Down Look Clashes With His Intensity
Kurogiri is introduced in My Hero Academia as one of Shigaraki’s most essential pillars within the League of Villains, but the individual’s past has developed in horrifying ways. Kurogiri is revealed to actually be a Nomu and the result of a morbid experiment that’s transformed a former hero into this evil abomination. Kurogiri’s essence is ethereal and supernatural, which makes his costume come as a stark contrast. Kurogiri sports a vest, tie, and professional attire, as if he’s on a job interview or working in an office cubicle. It doesn’t fit his powers at all.
3 Muscular’s Approach To Keeping It Simple Isn’t Enough To Make An Impression
Some individuals in My Hero Academia adopt obtuse names that keep their Quirks a mystery, but then there are others like Muscular where confusion over their powers is impossible. Muscular is another villain who really doesn’t put much thought into his appearance. He wears a tank top, which does effectively show off his muscles, but it’s really the bare minimum here. There are so many creative ways to convey strength or muscles with a costume, even if Muscular just turned to a more inspired pattern for his tank top.
2 Gecko Embraces Tried Ideas That Turn Him Into A Cliché
Some Quirks in My Hero Academia transform the user’s body and are impossible to hide. This is the case with Shuichi Iguchi, also known as Gecko, who is basically one big lizard. Gecko feels like a reflexive commentary on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to some degree, which is also represented in Gecko’s villain costume. Gecko wears scraps of clothes that carry a ninja aesthetic and make him look more hardened by battle, but none of it actually serves a practical purpose. Iguchi’s Quirk doesn’t benefit from how he presents himself to the world.
1 Skeptic Hides In Black And Disappears Into The Background
Tomoyasu Chikazoku is one of the more recent villains to enter My Hero Academia and he's another one of the more valuable assets that Re-Destro relies upon in the Meta Liberation Army. Chikazoku operates under the villain title, Skeptic, and has a deadly Quirk that can transform objects and individuals into obedient puppets. All of this is impressive, yet oddly Skeptic’s outfit is just black, nondescript clothes that make him seem invisible. Skeptic may want to avoid attention, but there are still ways to do this and also wear a costume that takes advantage of his Quirk.