10 My Hero Academia characters with the most wasted potential

My Hero Academia characters have always been distinguished by their quirks, ambitions, and all the character growth that happens; however, not every character got the story fans wished to see. The events that unfolded have left behind a cast of characters, just as they are starting to show promise.

Some characters were sidelined during the last war, while others were robbed of development, and many characters were just plain forgotten after they had powerful introductions. Whether from Class 1-A, pro-heroes, or something else, here are the 10 My Hero Academia characters with the biggest waste of potential.

Disclaimer: The article reflects the opinion of the writer. The list is not ranked in any particular order.

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Tokoyami, Hagakure, and 8 other My Hero Academia characters with the most wasted potential

1) Tokoyami

Tokoyami as seen in anime (Image via Bones)

Tokoyami is easily one of the most visually interesting My Hero Academia characters, with his bird-like looks and the enigmatic Dark Shadow within him. From the outset, he was presented as a dark brooder with latent talent on par with even the best students in Class 1-A.

His quirk had solid offensive and defensive adaptability, especially at night, but those paths were never fully explored. There were moments of glory in several important arcs, but Tokoyami was mostly benched for the final war, not even the player they introduced as backup.

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2) ⁠Toru Hagakure

⁠Toru Hagakure as seen in anime (Image via Bones)

Toru Hagakure is one of the My Hero Academia characters who had every chance to serve a more significant, meaningful role. She has the quirk of invisibility and an upbeat and cheerful demeanor; she should have been a perfect stealth character or a surprise additional asset for missions that have aspects of espionage.

Hagakure was part of Class 1-A from the beginning of the series; however, she didn't meaningfully develop until a sudden reveal near the end of the manga. Once the development was revealed, the focus was quickly shifted away. She had the opportunity for commitment in exploring themes of presence and identity; however, she was ultimately always underused and underdeveloped in the final arcs.

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3) Momo Yaoyorozu

Momo Yaoyorozu as seen in anime (Image via Bones)

Momo Yaoyorozu is, without a doubt, one of the smartest characters in My Hero Academia, thanks to her elite intelligence and Creation Quirk. She’s instinctively a strategist with impressive leadership potential, and it is easy to foresee her becoming a truly formidable opponent for the top heroes.

However, in the series, she was consistently relegated to the sidelines or only used sparingly in climactic battles. Despite a few fleeting moments revealing her true potential, Momo never got the screen time or opportunities that could have made her character important.

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4) Tenya Iida

Tenya Iida as seen in anime (Image via Bones)

Tenya Iida is presented as a complete rule-follower with inherent leadership and experience of speed, but he never breaks free from self-imposed limitations. His moment of rage during the Hero Killer arc leads to the implication of deeper analytical apologies, but the story relies very little on Iida progressing, instead using him as a representative.

Among many My Hero Academia characters that had a legitimate opportunity, Iida's arc ended right when they should have naturally developed. He remains a background figure in a story where he once stood at the front.

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5) ⁠Denki Kaminari

Denki Kaminari is one of the My Hero Academia characters with wasted potential (Image via Bones)

Denki Kaminari is usually regarded as the comedic character with a dynamic quirk and silly charm, but he had the potential to be so much more. He has one of the most visually stunning quirks in the series. However, My Hero Academia characters with less combat-ready quirks often got far more growth.

Denki's intelligence in tech, social flexibility, and commitment to loyalty are seldom tested outside of group settings. By the end of the manga, Denki feels almost like background noise in a battle that needed a few more loud players.

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6) Mirio Togata

Mirio Togata as seen in anime (Image via Bones)

Mirio Togata is the current Number One Hero after the final arc. He was also the original choice for One For All. A genuinely happy and talented hero, Mirio was even respected by Overhaul! His quirk allowed him to be nearly untouchable to damage in close-range battles. However, after his emotional confrontation with Overhaul, he appeared much less throughout the narrative.

Even after getting his powers back, Mirio played a minor role in the final arcs, reduced mostly to comic relief. Among the My Hero Academia characters that had so much promise early on, Mirio's sidelining from the endgame left his potential heartbreakingly wasted.

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7) Inasa Yoarashi

Inasa Yoarashi as seen in anime (Image via Bones)

Inasa Yoarashi is introduced as an extremely strong, passionate student who was once ranked number one on U.A. High's entrance exam but chose to go to Shiketsu for personal reasons. His wind-based power had a tremendous destructive area, and his loud, proud, and overly patriotic nature shone.

He is one of the My Hero Academia characters that had the raw power and compelling nature to essentially be a force in the overall story, but after the Provisional License arc, he is sidelined, only appearing briefly without any contributions to the ultimate war or its resolution.

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8) Tamaki Amajiki

Tamaki Amajiki as seen in anime (Image via Bones)

Tamaki Amajiki, aka Suneater, is first introduced formally to the reader as one of the Big Three, who has skills equivalent to Pro Heroes. It was unfortunate for Tamaki because even with immense strength and an incredibly versatile quirk, Tamaki faded into the background following the Shie Hassaikai raid.

While My Hero Academia characters were continuing their development throughout the Paranormal Liberation War and Final War arcs, Tamaki had essentially no room to shine. His self-doubt went unresolved, and his biggest moments were rushed. For someone with so much build-up to come into the spotlight as a future top hero, Tamaki's arc was frustratingly overlooked and unfinished.

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9) Nejire Hado

Nejire Hado as seen in anime (Image via Bones)

Nejire Hado is a member of U.A. ‘s Big Three, well-known for her abilities when it comes to strength, speed, and her energy-based Quirk. Unfortunately, she’s often only used and treated as a support fighter in battles where she could have done so much more, like the others. Her character design and colorful personality made it seem like she would contribute heavily to the war arc, but she only got so little focus.

Among the many My Hero Academia characters who were underused, Nejire's sidelining is particularly disappointing given her track record and potential. She was designed for the spotlight, but barely got any.

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10) Mina Ashido

Mina Ashido as seen in anime (Image via Bones)

Mina Ashido has a positive attitude, flashy style, and strong acid-based quirk. She was one of the more confident and agile students of Class 1-A from early on, and she even displayed phenomenal mobility in battle training.

Regardless of this, My Hero Academia characters with less screen time were still able to get bigger arcs. Mina certainly had her instances that showcased a potential depth—her relationship to Gigantomachia; however, this was never fully explored. She deserved more than short-lived emotional responses to team dynamics or quick moments of bravery.

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Final thoughts

Many of the My Hero Academia characters had powerful quirks and interesting initial appearances, but, as the conclusion of the series illustrated, a lot of it was squandered. Characters like Tokoyami and Yaoyorozu appeared to make that initial promise with good powers and interesting personalities, but they had little purpose during major parts of the story.

Some others, like Mirio and Tamaki, were developed to be future legends but then got dropped from the fight when it mattered most. There were even Class 1-A fan favorites like Iida and Mina who took a back seat.

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Related links:

• 10 My Hero Academia characters who could become Hokage
• 10 My Hero Academia characters who were inspired by Marvel
• 7 My Hero Academia characters who represent the Seven Deadly Sins

Edited by Bharath S