When I first started watchingMy Hero Academia,I could not stand Bakugo Katsuki. I found him to be extremely annoying and mean-spirited. Hisbullying of Deku was appalling, as he went to such great lengths to antagonize his classmate that he even told him to jump off a roof. For the longest time, Bakugo was a character I could find nothing positive or admirable in. He seemed to fit the archetype of a bully to a tee, and I assumed for a while that his only purpose in the story was to be an obstacle for Deku to overcome.
However, once I reached season three ofMy Hero Academia,particularly the Hideout Raid arc and shortly afterward, my perspective on Bakugo as a character began to shift dramatically. In this arc, Bakugo experiences his most terrifying ordeal yet: being kidnapped by the League of Villains and asked by their leader, Tomura Shigaraki, to join their despicable cause. Forced to confront his own mortality, this was a sink or swim moment for Bakugo, that forced him to choose between good and evil in the highest stakes moment he had ever experienced.Bakugo’s decisions changed everything for him, and also, changed how I viewed him.
I Previously Found Bakugo To Be My Hero Academia’s Most Annoying and Rude Character
Bakugo’s Resistance to Shigaraki’s Invitation Was His First Step Towards True Heroism
Bakugo emphatically told Shigaraki no,a tremendous act of bravery against the series' most intimidating villainat the time. This scene marked a shift in Bakugo’s mindset and behavior, which caused me to appreciate him a lot more. Previously, I had assumed Bakugo became a hero for purely selfish reasons, but he completely refused to turn his back on heroism, even when threatened with his life. His confrontation with Shigaraki provedBakugo’s solid commitment to honorand saving others even when it might risk his own life, which is one of the cardinal hallmarks of an exemplary hero.
10 Best Bakugo Moments in My Hero Academia
Bakugo Katsuki is one of My Hero Academia’s most determined and heroic characters, and these are the ten moments where he shined the most.
I was still not completely sold on Bakugo yet, but thisoneact of bravery against Shigarakiwas only the first step on his journeyto becoming a better person. Season three ofMy Hero Academiacontains some of Bakugo’s most noble sacrifices and powerful apologies of the entire series, and for me, it proved Bakugo is an honorable person deep down. Following his kidnapping, more of his genuine emotions came bubbling to the surface, in a way I had not seen previously. Bakugo often hid his true feelings, but as he became more open and honest, my love for him developed.
His Character Development in Season Three Shifted My Perspective on the Aspiring Hero
In My Opinion, NoMy Hero AcademiaCharacter’s Growth Is as Stark and Dramatic as Bakugo’s in Season Three
Another scene that changed my mind about Bakugo washis honest apology to Deku and All Might. Bakugo owned up to his own shortcomings. Admitting faults is hard to do as an adult, and even more so as a teenager, so Bakugo’s candid admittance of his faults was admirable to me and took courage and maturity. He expressed guilt for bullying Deku and remorse for causing All Might to lose his powers while saving him. This was more raw emotion than I had ever seen from Bakugo, and it helped me realize he was more self-aware and genuine than I ever imagined.
These scenes further humanized Bakugo in my eyes, helping me see him as not just a rude bully, but an insecure teenager working to do better. Seeing the full range of Bakugo’s emotions, the guilt he felt for his past mistakes, and his commitment to do better going forward made me begin to admire this character I once assumed would amount to nothing more than the wisecracking class jerk. ComparingBakugo in season one and season three is like looking at two different peopleside by side because, in such a short time, he improved more than any other character.
Seeing Bakugo’s Inner Struggles Increased My Sympathy and Understanding of His Character
Bakugo Realized He Could Never Be a Hero Like All Might Unless He Stopped His Current Unheroic Behavior
Elements of Bakugo’s personality I once found irritating, like his sassiness, fiery remarks, and constant struggle to be at the top of the class, made more sense in light of his character development, and thus, began to become endearing to me. After his heart-to-heart conversation with Deku and All Might, Bakugo was still smart-mouthed and witty, but not needlessly cruel. He stopped tearing Deku down as a person and insteadfocused on developing a competitive, mutually beneficial rivalry with Dekuthat even borders on friendship and camaraderie. He poured his energy into building himself up, not dragging others down.
Bakugo seemed to me at first glance to be self-obsessed and annoyingly cocky, but his frank discussions with his hero, All Might, and Deku shed light on his true insecurities, causing me to sympathize with him. His rude demeanor and penchant for demeaning others suddenly made senseonce I understood how deeply insecure he was. Season three was undoubtedly rock bottom for Bakugo and made him realize that if he did not stop his disrespectful and malicious behavior, he could never become a hero of All Might’s caliber, which was the lifelong dream he was fighting to achieve.
Bakugo’s Character Arc Proves That Anyone Can Become a Better Person
By Transforming From Bully to Hero, Bakugo Proved Anyone Can Improve
Bakugo was never the same after being kidnapped, but in the best way. These emotional scenes were not one and done moments of character development for Bakugo, as he continued his upward trajectory and became more of a hero in later seasons. Other noteworthy accomplishments of Bakugo’s include babysitting children with uncontrollable Quirks and teaching them important values, developingUltimate Moves with his Quirkthat astounded even the Pro Heroes, andeven being willing to sacrifice his own life to save Deku’s, injuring himself seriously in the process. I am willing to admit that I was completely wrong about Bakugo.
My Hero Academia’s Controversial Ending Was Actually Foreshadowed From The Very Start
The explosive hero Bakugo exclaimed in the very first chapter that he would do exactly what he did at the end of My Hero Academia.
I usually don’t change my mind completely about a character, but Bakugo is one of those characters it takes time to truly get to know and appreciate fully.His best character development does not occur until midway through the story,causing viewers like me to believe that he will never become more than a bully. WhenBakugodoes begin to come into his own, he becomes not only more likable, funny, and sympathetic, he also becomes living proof that anyone can become a better person if they are willing to put in the work, which is one ofMy Hero Academia’smost inspiring lessons.
My Hero Academia
Cast
Anime series My Hero Academia follows Izuku Midoriya, a boy born without superpowers in a world where most have them. Despite his lack of abilities, he enrolls in a prestigious hero academy, striving to learn the true essence of heroism and fulfill his dream of becoming a hero.
