WITH My Hero Academia After the anime adaptation finished in December 2025, longtime fans of the series took time to look back and reflect on all that the series had to offer. The series has found popularity throughout its decade for many reasons, from its unique take on the superhero genre to its memorable fight scenes and everything in between. Its characters were largely the reason it found such a strong foothold in the anime world, and its underdog story coupled with a somewhat nuanced cast led to its incredible longevity. Each of the fans has their favorite, but one in particular My Hero Academia the character remains one of the most popular, and not just because of his design or Quirk.
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Looking at both Japanese and Western popularity polls, Shoto Todoroki remained in the top five My Hero Academia characters on the roster since the anime premiered, with AC Hero never falling out of favor with audiences. Despite initially appearing cold and callous, Shoto slowly gained a following after his tragic background was revealed, and his subsequent growth over the course of many seasons cemented his story as one of the most moving in My Hero Academia tradition. The series may be over, but there's a lot to be learned from Shot's personality and approach to life.
Shoto's appearance and quirk quickly attracted fans, but they stayed for his tradition
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Shoto is a character that needs no introduction as he first appeared in the fifth episode My Hero Academia anime series and has remained a staple ever since. Fans of the series likely saw him as a standard brooding, unemotional addition to the cast at first, with his personality acting as a buffer against Izuku's constant enthusiasm and Bakugo's more explosive and aggressive nature. But that sold him because the truth was much harder and darker. Shot's aloof demeanor had less to do with his innate self and more to do with the abuse he suffered as a child, which he is forced to overcome as the series progresses.
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The weight of family success can be heavy, and Shoto knew that more than most. His father Endeavor briefly became the #1 hero after All Might's departure, boasting the highest number of solved cases in history and seeking power above all else. Throughout the series, it becomes clear that fathering a child with a powerful Quirk is something we desire, so Shoto was created, with Endeavor only marrying the quiet and reserved Rei to combine his Hellflame quirk with her Frost quirk. If all went according to plan, the combination of these powers would result in a hero stronger than All Might. Shoto's burden had been heavy ever since he inherited his half-cold, half-hot power.
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For most of his young life, Shoto was less of a person and more of an object that Endeavor was constantly trying to shape for his own purposes. Perfection was the goal, and any failure or refusal to train would result in severe punishments that would destroy the young boy's confidence and prevent him from using his firepower for many years, instead of only using the ice power he inherited from his mother. This trauma was not unique, as Shoto's siblings and mother were also forced to deal with a great deal of mistreatment, leading many to wonder what the future holds for a character with so much baggage. Would Shoto ever be a hero in his own right, or was his future already dictated by the events of his past?
While Shoto somehow cracked under the pressure of his youth, with the help of a very close friend, he was able to put the pieces back together and overcome what could have easily been his end. Creating walls to keep one from getting hurt is a pretty common thing, but Shoto has grown My Hero Academia it reminds us of the miraculous things that could happen if we took a chance and let others in, even for a moment.
Facing the past with dignity and acceptance is key to creating a bright and meaningful future
Unraveling the most painful moments from our past is not an easy job, and certainly not something that can be done quickly. By witnessing Shoto's match, many viewers likely saw themselves juggling the self-loathing we feel for our perceived weaknesses with the determination and grit required to shed that victim mentality. Shoto doesn't try his best because of the lessons his father instilled in him, but rather because deep down he wants to become his own kind of hero who doesn't use hatred or unnecessary violence to achieve his goals. That noble side of his character has been there all along, and that's a hopeful prospect—that beneath our trauma, there's something beautiful waiting to be discovered that's simply been covered up.
Perhaps the biggest shift in Shoto's character came after his battle with Izuku in season 2. During the match, Izuku inspires the fire and ice user to put aside his hatred and resentment towards his father and instead embrace his full set of abilities without shame or fear. This prompts Shoto to use fire in battle for the first time since childhood, and while his hard feelings remain, acceptance begins to blossom in his heart and the thought of cultivating his power begins to seem less of an impossibility. It's a long journey, but all journeys begin with a single step, and it often takes an outsider to show us how to proceed after we've spent too much time alone with our own thoughts and doubts.
Arrange the covers in the correct US release order.
Start
Arrange the covers in the correct US release order.
Easy (5) Medium (7) Hard (10)
After eight long seasons, Shot's incredible character development stands out as one of the most rewarding episodes My Hero Academia canyon. The importance of close relationships and the focus on cultivating self-love is a reminder that all viewers can use at one time or another, along with the painful truth that we are all equally strong and vulnerable. There is no shame in a painful past when the future can be so incredibly bright.
- Release date
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2016 – 2025-00-00
- Network
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TBS, MBS, Nippon TV
- directors
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Shouji Ikeno, Tsuyoshi Tobita, Ikuro Sato, Takudai Kakuchi, Masashi Abe, Tetsuya Miyanishi, Kazuma Komatsu, Yoshifumi Sasahara, Masayuki Otsuki, Daisuke Tsukushi, Takayuki, Yamamoto, Yohei Takada Na Yamamoto, Yohei Takuka, Yohei Takuko Fukui Nakayama, Sayaka Morikawa, Takanori Yano
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Daiki Yamashita
Izuku Midoriya (voice)
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Kaito Ishikawa
Manga Fukidashi (voice)
