My Hero Academia features a handful of beloved supporting characters, each of whom could be a shonen protagonist all on their own, including the talented Shoto Todoroki. But Shoto's natural talents came at a serious cost. His overbearing father, Endeavor, pressured him greatly to surpass All Might, and his distraught mother scarred his face with boiling water.
Overall, Shoto draws clear inspiration from Prince Zuko of Avatar: The Last Airbender fame, including each character's relationship to their parents and their facial scars and fire-based abilities. In some ways, Shoto surpassed Zuko, but in other regards, Zuko is truly a classic with no equal. In terms of ability, character design and more, who's the better scarred fire warrior?
10 SHOTO IS BEST: He Also Has Ice Powers
Zuko and Shoto both use fire, but Shoto has more tricks up his sleeve than that. He is the product of a Quirk marriage, in which Endeavor balanced his fire Quirk with Rei's ice abilities, and the result is a dual-element Quirk.
Shoto actually prefers his ice over his fire, to reflect his relationship with each parent. Early on, he was known for being ice-only in combat, though in the U.A. sports festival, he finally started using fire too, allowing him to defeat Izuku Midoriya in a close battle.
9 ZUKO IS BEST: He Has His Own Ship
Shoto wishes he had his own ship, or even his own car. Meanwhile, Prince Zuko first appeared with his own ship, probably a corvette or small destroyer, based on its size. It's not the biggest or scariest ship in the Fire Nation's fleet, but it gets the job done.
Unlike Shoto, Zuko can cruise around the world and explore many islands aboard this vessel, and it comes fully stocked with supplies, private rooms, and a full crew. Zuko gained serious leadership experience by commanding this vessel.
8 SHOTO IS BEST: He Always Wanted To Be A Hero
Prince Zuko spent a few years trying to be a villain, aiming to capture Avatar Aang for the selfish goal of restoring his honor. Meanwhile, Shoto aimed to be a great hero from the very start, even if his motivation was rather spiteful at first. He wouldn't dare attempt villainy.
Shoto has had this lofty goal to drive him all this time, and that means he's on par with Izuku and Katsuki Bakugo, since they too aim to become the new #1 hero. This gives Shoto a head start against Zuko, who only became a hero later in his story arc.
7 ZUKO IS BEST: He Wasn't Blindly Loyal To The Fire Nation's Cause
Even when Zuko wanted to earn his father's favor and capture the Avatar, Zuko was loyal to himself, not the Fire Nation's cause. Zuko cared little for Fire Nation dominance in the world, as opposed to his power-hungry father and sister, and he didn't help capture any enemy cities or territory.
Then, when Zuko had his transformation, he turned against the Fire Nation and its dreadful, destructive war. He correctly told Fire Lord Ozai that the Fire Nation's conquest wouldn't make the world better. Instead, the rest of the world rightfully hated the Fire Nation for it.
6 SHOTO IS BEST: He's Learning Teamwork
As of this point in the anime, Shoto's teamwork is still a work in progress, but so far, so good. Shoto used to be rather uncooperative, like Katsuki Bakugo, since he was powerful and self-absorbed. Now, he's pushing himself to new heights with increased teamwork.
Not even Shoto can win every fight alone, and his classmates are worth his respect and attention, especially Izuku and Bakugo. There was also that time Shoto and his rival Inasa Yoarashi cooperated against Gang Orca, assaulting that hero with blistering hot winds.
5 ZUKO IS BEST: He Has Ninja Skills As The Blue Spirit
Prince Zuko is almost like a costumed pro hero when he dons his Blue Spirit disguise to operate anonymously. He is impressively skilled with stealth and swordplay in this guise, and he even made a fool out of Admiral Zhao by rescuing Aang one fateful night.
Zuko undertook a few more missions as the Blue Spirit after that, with his final mission taking place in Ba Sing Se, under Lake Laogai. Zuko freed Appa from his shackles, and for that, Aang was later grateful.
4 SHOTO IS BEST: He's Giving Endeavor Another Chance
Shoto is trying to mend ties with his tyrannical father Endeavor, and while the progress is very slow and delicate, it's there, and that counts for a lot. Endeavor doesn't want forgiveness; he wants to repent, and Shoto is more open to the idea than his brother Natsuo is.
The situation is still tense, and there's no guarantee that father and son will ever fully reconcile. Still, both parties are making a sincere effort, and it's big of Shoto to give his abusive, megalomaniacal father a chance like this. Endeavor won't waste it if he can help it.
3 ZUKO IS BEST: He Became A World Leader
Prince Zuko is just that: a prince, the next in line to become Fire Lord. Due to circumstances, Ozai named his daughter Azula as the new Fire Lord while he aimed to become the first-ever Phoenix King, but Ozai's and Azula's defeats put an end to that plan. Azula was never quite crowned Fire Lord.
Instead, Zuko assumed that mantle, and he became the first Fire Lord in generations who strives not for war and conquest, but for peace and cooperation. His reign as Fire Lord ushered in a new age, though he struggled somewhat with politics, as the Dark Horse comics showed. He has to learn on the job.
2 SHOTO IS BEST: He's A Model Student
My Hero Academia is set in a special high school, so Shoto isn't just a trainee hero; he's also a student who attends lectures and takes written tests. He's near the top of his class not just in Quirk firepower, but also in academics, showing how well-rounded he is.
Shoto is in class 1-A's top five where grades are concerned, and he is a quiet, serious student who never makes a fuss during the school day. He's not terribly chatty, but he has learned to be polite and respectful to his classmates, and even make a few tentative friendships.
1 ZUKO IS BEST: His Relationship To Iroh
Shoto and Zuko both have a good relationship with their mothers, but Zuko has another family member with whom he gets along: his uncle, Iroh. Iroh may be Ozai's brother, but he is completely different from that Fire Lord. He favors wisdom, patience, cooperation, and peace above all.
Iroh is a wellspring of sage wisdom and kindness, and Zuko appreciated his uncle more and more as the series went. By the end, Zuko told his father that he'd find Iroh and beg his uncle for forgiveness, and Zuko immediately got it without even having to say a word of apology. That's incredible.