Summary

• My Hero Academia's most powerful characters leverage their quirks in clever ways, emphasizing tactics and strategy alongside raw power.
• Some characters, like Fumikage Tokoyami and Momo Yaoyorozu, possess remarkable quirks that have immense potential and can be incredibly useful in combat situations.
• The series showcases both heroes and villains who possess exceptional power, highlighting the different paths that power can lead to in the world of My Hero Academia.

My Hero Academia is one of modern shonen's biggest hits, and that's in large part due to its incredible array of powerful characters. With the series boasting an impressive cast, measuring the most powerful is no easy task. Quirks are wide and varied, with some having plenty of practical applications that aren't exactly suited for combat. That being said though, My Hero Academia's most powerful heroes and villains are so powerful they rank among the strongest in shonen history.

More so than just raw strength though, My Hero Academia's most powerful heroes and villains find clever ways to leverage their Quirks. This puzzle aspect of shonen power systems has always been an iconic part of the genre and gives fights a more dynamic edge than just two characters trying to out muscle each other. My Hero Academia's strongest characters are tactical threats in addition to their raw power, making for deadly villains and daring heroes.

20 Mirko's Fighting Prowess is Unmatched Among Top Heroes

Quirk: Rabbit

Mirko, the Rabbit Hero, is currently the #5 ranked hero after All Might's retirement. Mirko made a splash with her big starring role early in season 6 of the anime, where she was seen fighting against a large group of Nomu all by herself. Even losing limbs didn’t slow Mirko down in a fight, as she’s later seen back on the field of battle with new prosthetic limbs designed especially for smashing bad guys.

Mirko’s Quirk, Rabbit, gives her the attributes of a rabbit, such as ears, but most prominently insanely powerful legs, allowing her to dish out blows that would instantly take down an ordinary human. Mirko loves to fight, and can be eagerly seen rushing into battle whenever the situation calls for it. Still a young hero, Mirko likely has a promising career ahead of her.

19 Fumikage Tokoyami Wields Incredible Dark Power

Quirk: Dark Shadow

Tokoyami's quirk, Dark Shadow, is actually a spirit that inhabits his body, which he has some degree of control over. While Dark Shadow isn't too impressive in broad daylight, it's at night and in dark places where the quirk really shines, as it grows stronger in darker areas. Tokoyami has even lost control of Dark Shadow before in very dark places, such as the Forest Training Camp, and its true power is staggering.

Tokoyami's Quirk is so strong, it even attracted the attention of All for One, whose Quirk thievery only targets those Quirks with the highest potential. Since Tokoyami is still young, it may take time before he can fully control it at such levels, but the raw power alone is enough to warrant a place among the series' most powerful.

18 Momo Yaoyorozu Can Make Anything

Quirk: Creation

Momo is a brilliant girl with a tactical mind, along with one of the quirks with the greatest potential in the entire series. Her quirk, Creation, allows her to create anything she understands the molecular structure of, and for that reason Momo has spent a good deal of her life learning about how things are put together. Momo's creation Quirk is certainly the kind of ability that requires a special intellect to use, and she's fortunate enough to have the wits needed to use it to its fullest.

Momo has been able to create everything from rubber blankets to sedatives to actual cannons, and the only limit is her own fat reserves. Momo works best as the leader of a group who can help distract from her while she's actually creating things, which does leave her a bit vulnerable.

17 Eraser Head Can Negate Anyone Else's Quirk

Quirk: Erasure

While Eraser Head may be a powerful hero in his own right, it’s not necessarily his quirk that makes him so powerful. Having the ability to shut down the Quirk of any opponent sounds helpful, but he can only keep that up for as long as he can keep his eyes open. Izuku is quick to point out that Eraser Head’s quirk is best suited to taking on villains one-on-one, or while fighting from the shadows. Eraser Head is considered such a threat by the villains that Shigaraki goes to great lengths to destroy his Quirk, but even that is ultimately thwarted.

It is Eraser Head’s commitment to training and becoming better than what his Quirk can offer that makes him a truly fantastic hero. It might even be fair to say his perseverance and intelligence are his most valuable assets, instead of his useful but limited Quirk.

16 Muscular's Strength is Only Topped by All Might

Quirk: Muscle Augmentation

A villain who enjoys killing heroes, Muscular is the definition of all brawn and no brains. His quirk coats his body with thick layers of muscle fiber that can regenerate rapidly, making it extremely difficult to actually deal damage to him. Deku nearly died trying to bring him down at the Forest Training Camp the first time, as he knows exactly how to handle physical fighters. In a match of raw power, there are very few heroes who could come out on top, with All Might likely the only character physically stronger.

Muscular's return in the Dark Hero arc showed, however, that he's much more susceptible to unconventional attacks, and Deku was able to dispatch him quickly as a result, showcasing how far the young hero had come since their original faceoff months earlier.

15 Thirteen Can Destroy Anything

Quirk: Black Hole

Thirteen's Quirk is the terrifyingly named "Black Hole," which is used through the fingers of her gloves. Having the power to create a vortex that can absorb anything and turn it into dust is a pretty amazing ability, but it comes with some downsides. While it certainly has its uses—like when it comes to saving the lives of people trapped in debris after some sort of natural disaster—there are definitely some drawbacks.

It appears as though Thirteen needs a special suit to control and contain the power of her Quirk, as she's almost never seen outside of it. Plus, it seems like Thriteen's vortex could turn into a serious hazard for her allies in some circumstances. Still, a valuable asset to do-gooders, Thirteen seems to have earned her place among Japan's hero elite.

14 Katsuki Bakugo

While Bakugo has always been one to boast about how powerful and naturally gifted he is, once he begins attending U.A., his world opens up quite a bit. His Quirk allows him to secrete nitroglycerin from his hands and ignite it on command, creating explosions that can propel him through the air. Bakugo's fiery temper betrays his incredible discipline and undeniable skill as an up-and-coming hero.

Though hot-headed and jealous, he's eager to keep up with his classmate and lifetime rival Izuku Midoriya. Part of Bakugo’s power comes from the confidence he has built up from childhood, and, while that may be enough to get him to U.A., he'll have to learn to control his temper and further hone his skill to remain as one of My Hero Academia's most powerful characters.

13 Shoto Todoroki is Unmatched in Fire or Ice

Quirk: Half-Cold, Half-Hot

Much like Bakugo, Todoroki has had a strange relationship with his power from a young age. While Bakugo began to view his power as a pedestal that would lift him to star status like his hero, All Might, Todoroki learned to view his Quirk, the suitably named Half-Cold Half-Hot, as more of a burden that linked him to his estranged father, the number 2 hero, Endeavor.

For most of his young life, Todoroki has struggled to unite with the part of his power that connects to Endeavor. However, in the second season, Izuku helped Todoroki begin to move past that inner conflict and understand that his powers are his own. While he remains a bit too pensive, he's undeniably one of the strongest U.A. students, and has the makings of a true hero.

12 Best Jeanist Turned a Weak Quirk into a Top-Tier

Quirk: Fiber Master

Best Jeanist is the #3 pro hero, and it's a title he truly deserves. His quirk allows him to manipulate fibers, but even things like braided steel ropes count as fibers, giving him a lot more power than one would expect. Best Jeanist's ability is applicable in a number of ways, as he can control a villain's clothing to impede their movement, or control ropes to help tie them up.

In the Paranormal Liberation War arc, Best Jeanist's presence almost singlehandedly saves the heroes from defeat, and he's clever enough to pack his own materials to use his quirk on. While his power may seem silly on the surface, it's actually a real powerhouse in the hands of a skilled user, and no one is more skilled with their Quirk than Best Jeanist.

11 Kurogiri's Teleportation is the Ultimate Means of Travel

Quirk: Warp Gate

While the My Hero Academia's storyline abounds with tragic villains, few antagonists experienced as much agony as Kurogiri. First introduced as a close compatriot of All For One and Tomura Shigaraki, it's later revealed that he was once a friend of Eraser Head known as Oboro Shirakumo, who had been transformed into a Nomu-like beast by the experimentation of All for One and his mad scientist minion Dr. Garaki.

Though his backstory may be upsetting, he's an invaluable asset to the League of Villains. Able to teleport his allies to and from their hideout and break them into otherwise secure areas, he helps to facilitate many of the group's operations. His Quirk can also be used offensively, like when he intended to close the portal with All Might trapped part-way through, although this kind of usage makes a terrible mess.

10 Overhaul Can Restructure Anything He Touches

Quirk: Overhaul

The primary antagonist of the first half of My Hero Academia's fourth season, Kai Chisaki, better known by the name of his Quirk as Overhaul, becomes the leader of the Shie Hassaikai and plans to rid the world of Quirks by manufacturing bullets imbued with Eri's powers of reversal. Overhaul's Quirk allows him to disassemble and reassemble any matter he touches, a wildly powerful ability that can even allow him to fuse with other people, taking their Quirks for his own.

Though he comes across as relatively unimposing, when angered or threatened, Overhaul is capable of going to extreme lengths to maintain and protect his operation. Welding a terrifying body-morphing ability and seemingly able to kill with the mere brush of a hand, Kai Chisaki is easily one of the most intimidating villains in the My Hero Academia anime.

9 Hawks' Wings are For More than Just Flying

Quirk: Fierce Wings

The current number-two pro hero in the My Hero Academia anime, Hawks incredible skill and intelligence are at odds with his devil-may-care persona. His quirk, Fierce Wings, allows him to fly and launch razor-sharp feathers at his enemies, though it has its limits. The feathers are particularly vulnerable to fire, and while they'll eventually grow back, losing many of them at once can leave Hawks almost completely defenseless.

Hawks' place in the anime is a bit convoluted; at first thought to be a traitor, Hawks is eventually revealed to be a triple-agent of sorts, masquerading as a hero while serving as an informant for the bad guys... while actually serving as an informant for the heroes. His true allegiance is to the heroes, and he proved himself invaluable in the Paranormal Liberation War.

8 Tomura Shigaraki Can Disintegrate with a Touch

Quirk: Decay

While being able to turn anyone into dust with a simple touch of all five fingers may seem like a powerful quirk, it’s also quite flawed. This Quirk can only be utilized in very close quarters, and it appears that Shigaraki doesn’t have much control over the Quirk, at least initially, which would understandably make living a normal life difficult.

Shigaraki's character is fleshed out quite a bit during his battle against Re-Destro in Season 5, and his terrifying power makes his role as a villain feel as if it were inevitable. Shigaraki's Quirk undergoes an awakening, allowing it to affect anything that touches an object he Decays, causing it to spread from object-to-object and create a chain reaction of destruction. In season 6, Shigaraki receives the All for One quirk from his master, increasing the threat he poses hundreds of times.

7 Eri Can Turn Back Time on Any Injury

Quirk: Rewind

When in the care of Kai Chisaki, Eri was put through countless abuses as the villain used her incredible powers to further his plot for domination. She was almost saved by Izuku Midoriya and Mirio Togata early on in Season 4, though her recapture only came after a hard-fought battle at the Shie Hassaikai hideout.

Later brought to live with and be rehabilitated by the students of U.A.'s Class 1-A, Eri possesses the power to return a person's body to a previous state. With it, she was able to instantly heal Deku as he pushed One For All far beyond the normal limits, but it could also potentially be used to rewind a person out of existence. Eri's power is very dangerous if used improperly, but it also takes a long time to power up, and its power level is revealed by the size of the horn on her head.

6 Gigantomachia is a Titan With Multiple Quirks

Quirks: Mole, Dog, Gigantification, Endurance, Pain Blocker, Energy Saver, Fierce Gains

Though eventually defeated and imprisoned, Gigantomachia was perhaps All For One's strongest and most loyal acolyte. A gargantuan beast of a man possessing multiple Quirks, the villain's incredible strength and remarkable endurance made him a terrifying force for the League of Villains. Gigantomachia was created by All for One and Dr. Garaki's experimentation, and his success ultimately served as the inspiration for the creation of the Nomu.

Able to defeat Tomura Shigaraki and the League of Villains in battle, few could stand in Gigantomachia's path and live to tell the tale. In fact, he even managed to kill Pro Hero Majestic, and his only downfall stems from his simple-minded devotion to his master. Without instructions, Gigantomachia will sometimes cease moving entirely, becoming almost unreachable while he waits to hear what his master demands of him next.

5 Izuku Midoriya Uses the Power of Generations' Past

Quirk: One for All

Izuku “Deku” Midoriya was born Quirkless, but was given the Quirk “One for All” by All Might after proving his bravery. One for All is an ability that’s been passed down through the generations, gathering power all this time, and now that power is in the hands of young Deku. Aside from immense power, Deku is able to access other Quirks stored within One for All, including Blackwhip, Float, Danger Sense, Smokescreen, Fa Jin, and Gearshift.

While Deku struggles initially with breaking his very bones due to the power’s strength, he eventually gains a mastery of the power, and is nearly able to fight on par with his mentor, All Might. With such a history behind it, One for All puts Deku near the top of the power rankings, and given his enemies, he’s going to need it.

4 Star and Stripe Can Set the Rules of Battle

Quirk: New Order

America's #1 hero, Star and Stripe is a bold warrior who modeled herself after All Might. Her quirk, New Order, is exceedingly powerful, as it allows her to create rules which both her opponents and the world at large must follow. She could use this to grant herself extra abilities like super strength, create massive constructs that can fight on her behalf, and restrict her opponents at the same time.

New Order did have some weaknesses, but exactly how the quirk worked was a closely guarded secret, to prevent villains from taking advantage of it. She proved herself worthy of the status as America's #1 in her fight with "Shigaraki," knowing exactly how best to use her Quirk to take down the villain, even at a great cost to herself.

3 Endeavor Stokes the Flames of Justice

Quirk: Hellflame

The de-facto number-one hero following All Might's retirement, Endeavor wields Hellflame, a powerful quirk that allows him to launch large blasts of fire from his body. Endeavor spent years in All Might's shadow, and his resentment was such that he selectively bred and raised his children so that they might one day overtake the Symbol of Peace. This eventually led to the birth of Shoto Todoroki, Endeavor's "masterpiece" child, who wields both ice and fire powers with his Quirk.

While Endeavor's pride was his greatest weakness, he begins to make amends with his family in the series' fifth season. Endeavor's redemption arc has been controversial, as many feel like his treatment of his family is a bridge too far for a self-proclaimed hero. Though he's made plenty of mistakes in the past, Endeavor's incredible power and potential as a hero is unmistakable.

2 All Might was the Number One Hero for a Reason

Quirk: One for All

All For One stood nearly unopposed when he first rose to power, but he engendered a fatal flaw when he chose to force upon his meek brother a Quirk. His brother was then able to pass this ability on, beginning a lineage of One For All users who dutifully opposed All For One. All Might, also known as Toshinori Yagi, is the eighth person to have held this power that's been cultivated over the generations, and wielded it for an incredible time, almost 40 years.

Though Izuku Midoriya is the current holder of the power, he has yet to live up to the reputation of his mentor, All Might. The Symbol of Peace is able to restore order in a world of chaos, All Might fought All For One to the near-death twice, something no other hero could manage.

1 All For One's Power is Nearly Unlimited

Quirk: All for One

Undoubtedly the most powerful antagonist in the series, and overall the strongest character in My Hero Academia, All For One has the ability to steal the quirks of others and transfer them to either himself or to other people. A walking stockpile of stolen power, All For One has lived for hundreds of years and still reigns as one of the most dangerous men on the planet. Though he operates from the shadows, he's a major part of the League of Villains and the Paranormal Liberation Front, and he's likely the only villain capable of taking All Might on in a one-on-one confrontation.

The nature of quirks in My Hero Academia means that anyone could find themselves wielding tremendous power, but what's important is how they decide to use it. The most powerful characters in the series are split between heroes and villains, showing the two paths that power can lead to. But power isn't everything, and a clever mind can turn even a seemingly weak quirk into a powerhouse under the right circumstances. By combining tactics and strategy with their raw power, these My Hero Academia characters have proven themselves the best of the best.