10 Quirks With The Most Wasted Potential, Ranked

The world of My Hero Academia is arguably one of the best an anime fan could live. Not only is the MHA universe protected by some of the greatest warriors in anime history, it also offers most of its inhabitants a chance to develop an extremely powerful ability. These skills, nicknamed Quirks, can be virtually anything, from something as simple as making objects float to control over reality itself.

While there is no doubt that Deku’s journey gave fans a chance to see excellent heroes use their powers in creative and impressive ways, even the most hardcore fans agree that many characters and their Quirks were not given a proper chance to shine. Characters like Izuku, Todoroki, or Bakugo were able to truly develop their abilities and rise to new levels, but there are many whose Quirk usage was nowhere near their true potential.

10

Mustard – Gas Was Only Used Once

The members of the League of Villains were not only strong and ruthless, they were owners of some of the most interesting Quirks in the My Hero Academia franchise. Case in point, the young but cruel Mustard, who attacked the students of U.A. High during the Summer Camp arc of the series. His power, simply named Gas, allowed him to emit a potent sleep-inducing gas all around him.

Moreover, Mustard could use his connection to the gas field to sense any movement, eliminating the chance of any opponent using the fog to ambush him. Lamentably, this Quirk was only used once, which prevented fans from seeing more strategic battles where movement and visibility were limited. Mustard could have been a truly formidable opponent, but he was never given a proper chance to excel.

9

Snatch – Sandstorm Could Have Done So Much More Before Snatch Died

Many My Hero Academia fans likely don’t even remember Snatch, a brave warrior who quickly joined the list of pros who were killed by villains. His Quirk, Sandstorm, was a truly versatile tool, as it allowed him to transform the upper part of his body into sand at will. Snatch could also mold this material into any shape he wanted.

This Quirk was a direct counter to Shigaraki’s decay, one of the strongest abilities in the series, as it prevented the villain from placing his five fingers on a surface. Snatch could have been a truly valuable asset for the heroes during All for One’s violent and deadly rampage against Japan, helping Deku keep Tenko at bay. Lamentably, he was killed by Dabi, who brutally burned his lower half.

8

Toru Hagakure – Invisibility Could Have Made Toru The Greatest Stealth User in MHA

When it comes to the members of Class 1-A and their abilities, there is a question that often comes to their minds: how did certain students pass the practical exam? Case in point: Toru Hagakure, whose Quirk bends and refracts all light, making her invisible. At first, this skill might not seem obviously powerful, as it holds no advantage during combat.

However, by training with the right heroes, such as her Homeroom teacher Eraserhead, Toru could have become an amazing stealth combatant. Being invisible would make her the best option for any espionage or infiltration mission. As proven during the final battles in the series, her Quirk is far more complex than once imagined, and by pairing it with support items that fire lasers or light-based attacks, she could have been a true nightmare for villains.

7

Thirteen – Black Hole Can Literally Destroy All Matter

Although it is important for a hero to always be willing to fight against villains, rescuing civilians will always be the number one priority. Thirteen, one of the most useful and beloved rescue-focused heroes in the series, demonstrated this early in the My Hero Academia anime. As her spacesuit-like costume indicates, her powers are something out of this world: the ability to absorb and destroy all matter in an artificial vacuum.

This phenomenon can absorb and disintegrate any matter that touches its event horizon, leaving no trace of it behind. Thirteen herself called her powers one of the deadliest Quirks ever, explaining that she spent years training to prevent any deaths. While this is understandable, it’s a shame that her abilities were not used to their full potential during the Final War arc, as she was barely shown fighting the villains, despite having one of the most effective powers to deal with them.

6

Tsuyu Asui – Frog Made Tsuyu Far Stronger Than MHA Ever Utilized

Among Japan’s 10 Top Heroes, Mirko stands out for both her confidence and incredibly strong build. One of her kicks was more often than not enough to defeat any villain, all thanks to her rabbit-like leg muscles. Tsuyu, whose Quirk is based on the traits of a frog, should have been just as, if not more, powerful than Rumi.

In real life, the legs of a frog are considered several times stronger than those of a rabbit, seeing as they are optimized for long and fast jumps. Tsuyu’s legs should be able to deliver kicks that could completely devastate any opponent. Yet, throughout the My Hero Academia anime, she is rarely ever seen using her legs to fight, opting to utilize her tongue.

5

Koda Koji – Anivoice is Downright Overpowered in Theory

A large majority of My Hero Academia fans might remember Koda as Deku’s kind but meek classmate, who preferred not to speak for most of the series. Koji is by far one of the most selfless souls in the series, desiring to become a hero who would protect those without a voice. His power, Anivoice, fits his profile perfectly, as it gives him a chance to speak to animals and command them if needed.

At first glance, this ability might not seem as broken as it truly is, but when one takes a moment to ponder its implications, it becomes a horrifying idea. Koda could control all living beings, besides humans or plants, on the surface of the planet. He could acquire powerful partners, such as gorillas, wolves, cheetahs, or any dangerous predator, to swiftly take down most villains.

4

Ibara Shiozaki – Vine Never Gets Time to Shine

Class 1-B and its incredibly talented and strong students tend to be forgotten by My Hero Academia fans, and the series, due to their status as support characters. However, this does not mean that these children are less worthy of being called U.A. students, and Shiozaki is the best example. Her Quirk, Vine, is simple yet terrifyingly effective in both combat and defensive situations.

Her hair is made of plant-like tendrils, covered in spikes, that can grow and move as she desires them to. These vines can be used to immobilize opponents, take cover against sudden attacks, and could, in theory, be used to deal heavy impacts and cause severe damage to an opponent. Shiozaki could have been a true monster, easily rising to the top of the new era rankings, if not for the lack of screentime she received.

3

Denki Kaminari – Electrification Was Never Used Properly

Denki is a character who needs no introduction, as almost all My Hero Academia fans are familiar with Class 1-A’s resident jokester. Despite the fact that Kaminari does have the heart of a true hero, his carefree attitude pushed him to be less inclined to take his training seriously, and the control he had over his Quirk was a direct result.

Electrification gave Denki a body capable of conducting large amounts of electricity, as well as releasing it through any surface he came in contact with. Woefully, this often resulted in his brain taking the full brunt of the damage, taking him out of commission. If Denki had been able to properly utilize his powers or had been given one of the amazing pieces of support gear to channel them better, he would have been unstoppable.

2

Momo Yaoyorozu – Creation is Held Back By MHA’s Story

Momo Yaoyorozu is not only one of the most popular members of Class 1-A, but she is objectively the smartest of them all. Unlike most of her classmates, she was accepted as a recommendation student, meaning she was able to impress a pro hero with her knowledge and abilities. Those who know her Quirk, Creation, are not surprised about this, as it is one of the most useful and versatile abilities one could have.

By learning the molecular composition of any substance or object, Momo can create it by using her lipids as a base material. She mostly used this skill to create weapons, defensive gear, or traps. While necessary in the field, her straightforward thinking was limited to these few options. Momo’s power is virtually limitless, only hindered by her imagination; from copying Quirks like Bakugo’s by secreting nitroglycerin, to creating weapons from materials unable to be manipulated by human hands, Yaoyorozu could do it all.

1

Star and Stripe – New Order is the Most Wasted Quirk in the Series

All Might is without a doubt one of the most powerful and beloved fighters in the My Hero Academia universe, but this by no means implies he was alone at the top. In America, the strongest warrior of all time was none other than Star and Stripe, a brave and selfless woman whose Quirk, New Order, could easily reshape reality.

While this ability did have severe limitations, such as only two rules being allowed to be active at the time or the Quirk not being able to surpass human limitations, New Order could have been used in extremely ingenious ways. Star would often offensively use this ability, enhancing her body or creating weapons, but this skill could have been able to manipulate the laws of physics to create atomic weapons, manifest solid matter to take the space of an opponent, and so much more, only limited by her mind.

Release Date

2016 – 2025-00-00

Network

TBS, MBS, Nippon TV

Directors

Shouji Ikeno, Tsuyoshi Tobita, Ikuro Sato, Takudai Kakuchi, Masashi Abe, Tetsuya Miyanishi, Kazuma Komatsu, Yoshifumi Sasahara, Masayuki Otsuki, Daisuke Tsukushi, Takayuki Yamamoto, Yohei Fukui, Takuro Tsukada, Masatoyo Takada, Naomi Nakayama, Sayaka Morikawa, Takanori Yano

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  Daiki Yamashita

  Izuku Midoriya (voice)

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  Kaito Ishikawa

  Manga Fukidashi (voice)