With My Hero Academia ending its anime adaptation in December 2025, longtime fans of the series have taken time to look back and reflect on all the series had to offer. The series found popularity for many reasons during its decade-long run, from its unique approach to the superhero genre to its memorable fight scenes and everything in between. In large part, its characters were the reason it gained such a strong foothold in the anime world, and its underdog story along with its somewhat nuanced ensemble cast led to its incredible longevity. The fans each have their favorites, but one in particular My Hero Academia character is still one of the most loved, and not only because of its design or quirkiness.
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Looking through both Japanese and Western popularity polls, Shoto Todoroki has remained in the top five My Hero Academia characters on the roster since the anime premiered, and AC Hero has never fallen out of favor with audiences. Despite initially appearing cold and unfeeling, Shoto slowly won over fans after his tragic backstory was revealed, with his subsequent growth over the show's many seasons cementing his story as one of the most poignant in My Hero Academia lore. The series may be over, but there's a lot to glean from Shoto's personality and approach to life.
Shoto's appearance and quirk quickly attracted fans, but they stayed for his knowledge
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Shoto is a character that needs little introduction, having first appeared in the fifth episode of My Hero Academia anime series and has been a staple ever since. At first, fans of the series likely saw him as the usual brooding, emotionless addition to the cast, with his personality as a foil to Izuku's constant enthusiasm and Bakugo's more explosive and aggressive nature. However, this sold him short, as the truth was much heavier and fuller. Shoto'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 this more than most. His father, Endeavor, briefly became the #1 hero after All Might's retirement, with the highest number of solved cases in history and seeking power above all else. Throughout the series, it becomes clear that giving birth to a child with a powerful Quirk is something to be desired, and this is how Shoto ended up, 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 lead to a hero more powerful than All Might. Shoto's burden was heavy from the moment 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, which Endeavor constantly tried to shape for his own purposes. Perfection was the goal, and any failure or refusal to train would result in severe punishment, destroying the young boy's self-esteem and preventing him from using his fire power for many years, instead of solely utilizing the ice power he inherited from his mother. This trauma was not isolated, as Shoto's siblings and mother were also forced to deal with quite a bit of abuse, leading many to wonder what kind of future awaited a character with so much baggage. Would Shoto ever become a hero in his own right, or had his future already been dictated by the events of his past?
While Shoto cracked under the pressures of his youth in some ways, thanks to 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 from harm is a common thing, but Shoto's growth in My Hero Academia reminding us of the miraculous things that could happen if we took a chance and let others in, even for a moment.
Facing one's past with dignity and acceptance is the key to creating a bright and meaningful future
Unpacking the most painful moments of our past is not easy work, and certainly not something that can be accomplished quickly. In witnessing Shoto's struggle, many viewers likely saw themselves juggling the self-loathing we feel for our perceived weaknesses with the determination and grit required to shed the victim mentality. Shoto does his best not because of the lessons his father taught him, but rather because deep down he wants to be his own kind of hero, and one who doesn't use hatred or unnecessary violence to achieve his goals. The noble side of his character was there all along, and it's a hopeful perspective—that beneath our trauma is something beautiful waiting to emerge that has simply been covered over.
Perhaps the biggest shift in Shoto's character came after his fight 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 accept his full suite of abilities without shame or fear. This causes Shoto to use fire in battle for the first time since childhood, and while his hard feelings remain after doing so, acceptance begins to blossom in his heart and the thought of cultivating his power begins to feel like less of an impossibility. It's a long road, but all journeys begin with a single step, and often it takes an outsider to show us how to move forward after spending too much time alone with our own thoughts and doubts.
Rearrange the cases in the correct US release order.
Start
Rearrange the cases in the correct US release order.
Light (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)
After eight long seasons, Shoto's incredible development as a character stands out as one of the most rewarding parts of My Hero Academia cannon. The importance of close relationships and a focus on cultivating self-love is a reminder that all viewers can use at one point or another, along with the painful truth that we are all equal parts 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 Fukui, Takuro Nayokada, Takuro Nayokada, Morikawa, Takanori Yano
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Daiki Yamashita
Izuku Midoriya (voice)
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Kaito Ishikawa
Manga Fukidashi (voice)
