In the hero society of My Hero Academia, the only thing that's more important than Quirks seems to be the very clear distinction between good and evil. The Symbol of Peace, All Might, is the pillar of stability everyone relies on. But on the opposite side of the spectrum stands All For One, the villain who is behind the deaths of every previous user of All Might's Quirk, One For All.
With All Might forced to retire, it's up to protagonist Izuku Midoriya to handle the threat. But All For One has a successor as well, in the person of Tomura Shigaraki. Shigaraki is an incredibly intriguing character in his own right, and despite being a cruel villain, the complexity of his story has earned him his fair share of fans.
WARNING: This article contains spoilers for the My Hero Academia manga.
10 He Has A Tragic Background & A Childhood Heroic Dream
Tomura wasn't always a villain. He is in fact Tenko Shimura, the grandson of All Might's mentor, Nana. As a child, Tenko wanted to follow in Nana's footsteps and become a hero. His endearing dream tragically makes him the target of his father's abuse.
Abandoned by Nana out of the desire to protect him, Tenko's father Kotaro hates heroes and takes out his anger on his son. Tenko's family is no help and Kotaro's abuse is what leads to the violent manifestation of Tenko's Quirk, Decay. In the aftermath, he is taken in by All For One, who twists him into the villainous Tomura Shigaraki.
9 His Terrifying Quirk Illustrates The Classical Nihilism Of A Villain
From his very first appearance, Tomura Shigaraki seems like a veritable force of nature. While he seems relatively childish during his first appearance at the U.S.J., just touching Eraserhead's elbow causes a horrific injury.
He almost turns Tsuyu Asui to dust and only fails because the injured Eraserhead intervenes. But beyond a simple superpower, Tomura's Quirk is practically metaphorical, illustrative of his nihilism and his desire to destroy. He wishes to destroy the hero society that failed him, and Decay proves to be one of his best weapons.
8 He Seems To Genuinely Care About The League
Despite his brutal and malevolent personality, Tomura has moments when he displays genuine feelings toward the League of Villains. He feels immense respect for the Sensei who raised him and, up to a point, seems to care about Kurogiri. Despite treating the latter poorly during their time together, he is infuriated by Kurogiri's arrest.
After Overhaul kills Magne, Shigaraki plots revenge. One of the League's best moments involves hijacking Overhaul's convoy. Instead of killing him, Shigaraki decays one of his hands, while Mr. Compress claims the other, depriving Overhaul of his Quirk. It's a dose of poetic justice that's more than welcome.
7 His Relentless Battle Against Gigantomachia Is Admirable
In the aftermath of All For One's arrest, Shigaraki reaches out to Doctor Kyudai Garaki, who then directs him to All For One's most loyal ally, Gigantomachia. Gigantomachia refuses to accept Shigaraki as All For One's successor, and a battle breaks out between him and the League.
Over the course of a month and a half, the League constantly fights Gigantomachia. Throughout this time, Tomura barely sleeps since he's Gigantomachia's main target, but he's determined instead of fearful. Ultimately, Gigantomachia accepts Tomura as All For One's successor after witnessing Tomura's win over Re-Destro.
6 He Overcomes The Shackles Of His Past During His Fight With Re-Destro
Throughout much of the series, Tomura's memories are muddled, and he carries the hands of his family with him. As the last connection he has with his past, they're actually symbolic of the guilt he experienced over his actions. This dramatically changes during his fight with the leader of the Meta Liberation Army, Re-Destro.
Pushed to the limit, Tomura has an epiphany and overcomes the shackles of his past. His Quirk awakens, making him capable of destroying things without touching them. The evolution of his power is connected with his emotions, as he discards the previous chains of his guilt, using his past to fuel his hatred instead.
5 He's A Dark Mirror Of Izuku Midoriya
Heroes and villains are two sides of the same coin, and no character emphasizes that better than Tomura Shigaraki. He's a twisted mirror of Izuku Midoriya, who, much like Tomura, wanted to be a hero but was bullied due to his Quirklessness. Ironically, there have been theories that Tenko may have also been Quirkless.
This concept is supported by the fact that Decay manifests when Tenko is five. He also wears red shoes just like Izuku, something which the fandom speculates might be footwear oriented toward the Quirkless. Whether this is the truth or not, it's easy to see that Tomura and Izuku are just as similar as they are different.
4 He's A Victim Of All For One's Brutal Manipulations
Even assuming Decay is Tenko's natural ability, All For One still uses Tenko as a tool in his quest to destroy All Might. He takes satisfaction in turning Tenko into a villain but the cruelest part of his betrayal happens much later, after All For One is finally brought down. Tomura approaches Doctor Garaki for a supposed increase in abilities.
The operation Tomura is submitted to is practically torture. Tomura inherits All For One and, with it, All For One’s consciousness. Tomura's whole sense of self is a victim of the true villain of the series. Even if Shigaraki is an antagonist too, viewers cannot help but feel sorry for his suffering, making the story more engaging.
3 His Increased Abilities Are A Match For The Overpowered Izuku
To say that Izuku's One For All is a powerful Quirk would be the understatement of the century. Izuku may start out unable to control it but he gradually overcomes that and even awakens the Quirks of previous holders of One For All. This makes villains immensely easy for him to defeat, nearly shattering the conflict of the anime.
Shigaraki keeps that from happening through his sheer existence. After his operation, he inherits All For One's quirks, making him practically a one-man army. This means he's more than a match for the overpowered Izuku, creating an exciting balance in the anime.
2 He Attempts To Free Himself From All For One's Control
Despite his previous respect for All For One, Tomura is unwilling to accept his sensei's scheme. He refuses to be turned into a simple vessel and to submit to All For One's plans.
While All for One desires to build an entirely different entity of evil within Tomura's body, Tomura feels he has his own path and tries to take back control over his body. This determination is more than admirable and fans will most likely be rooting for Tomura's success.
1 A Part Of His Child-Like Self Still Wants Help
One of the saddest things about Tomura's history is that, underneath all the evil, a part of him still craves help. During his confrontation with Izuku Midoriya, Izuku senses the vestige of the young Tenko hidden deep within Tomura.
This detail points out the fact that there are few villains that are purely evil, making Tomura's character even more nuanced. It is also a solemn reminder of the failings of hero society. It seems unlikely that Tomura can find salvation, but watching his child-like self clutch his now dead puppy certainly makes viewers wish for it.
Source: Trendz OH
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