Summary
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Nomu's giant exposed brain with eyes is a chilling image that will stick with fans long after they've seen it.
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Gang Orca's human killer whale design is terrifying to look at.
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Toga's ominous smile and eerie design evoke fear in the reader or viewer as it is impossible to tell what she is really thinking.
While the wonderful world and compelling characters of My Hero Academia is what played the biggest role in boosting it to mainstream popularity, another deciding factor is the design. Writer Kohei Hirokoshi is arguably one of the best in the business when it comes to creating fun and vivid performances for his characters, but he also clearly has a knack for conjuring up some designs that are a little more eerie and terrifying as a way to highlight a character's underlying powers or evil ambitions.

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While this obviously mostly applies to the villains seen in the series, there have even been some heroes who manage to look just as intimidating due to their terrifying appearance, even though they may not intend to. With My hero series now complete and tons of characters introduced throughout its run time, it's time to reflect on those who are the most spineless from a purely visual standpoint.
8
Nomu
A Hulking Behemoth that looks like a science experiment gone horribly wrong
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First appearance: Episode 8
While there have technically been multiple Nomus throughout the series, the very first one to appear in the USJ arc would be particularly creepy when it came to its design. The most notable aspect of Nomu is the giant exposed brain that contains an eye attached to each side of it, which makes for a rather disturbing image right off the bat.
Also adding to the intensity of Nomu's design is his size, which is roughly twice the size of All Might, who is already considered a giant by human standards. His gigantic muscles and formidable frame, along with those crazy eyes that never lose sight of their next victim, make Nomu a pretty chilling villain to watch.
7
Gang Orca
The humanoid killer whale looks as terrifying as it sounds
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First appearance: Episode 57
Despite being a Pro Hero whose job it is to protect society from those who want to destroy it, Gang Orca could easily be mistaken for a villain at first glance given his intimidating appearance. As his name suggests, the Gang Orca is basically a humanoid orca that retains the head of the animal, while the rest of his body is more in line with a regular human, resulting in a slightly strange and rather eerie design that looks particularly sinister whenever the Orca becomes angry.

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The orca will expose its razor-sharp teeth when pushed to the limit, and its pupils will often turn into spirals as it stares at its prey, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce. There are many animalistic humanoid characters introduced throughout My hero story, but while most are made to look cute and innocent, the same cannot be said for Gang Orca.
6
Juzo Honenuki
Despite being a promising hero, Juzo's design is pure nightmare fuel
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First appearance: Episode 15
Many fans have compared Juzo's face design to Eren's Attack Titan from Attack on Titan series, and while they certainly look similar, it also emphasizes how spineless Juzo's appearance really is. While Juzo's body isn't that unusual in his regular academy uniform, unfortunately for him, it's his facial features that make this guy so nightmarish from a visual standpoint.
While his eyes are always shown to be wide open with single black pupils peering into the souls of his enemies, he also has fang-like teeth that are permanently exposed for all to see. In truth, the Juzo is nowhere near as terrifying as his design might suggest, but it's certainly still an effective tool for scaring away any weaklings he encounters.
5
Himiko Toga
Toga's horrified expression makes it hard to guess what's going on in her twisted mind
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First appearance: Episode 26
Very rarely is Toga, a dangerous member of the League of Villains, ever seen without an evil smile plastered across her face. In many ways, Toga's design feels like Horikoshi created a normal schoolgirl, trying to find subtle ways to make her look as cold and sinister as possible, creating a character that effortlessly scares characters from her appearance alone.
It's a design that always makes it seem like there's something slightly wrong with Toga, rather than making her look like a full-blown evil mastermind, which is why it's so creepy, especially when she starts smiling joy after stumbling upon a potential new “friend”.
4
Tomura Shigaraki
The creepy hands covering Shigaraki's body, along with his emotionless expression, make him an unfortunate fellow to watch
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First appearance: Episode 8
While Shigaraki takes on a few different looks over the course of the story, his debut design, which would see him cover his face and much of his body with severed hands, is arguably his most iconic and terrifying to behold. All that can be seen of Shigaraki's face in this design is a single eye that either appears emotionless or has a sadistic look as he sets his sights on his latest victim.
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On the odd occasion, Shigaraki decides to remove his mask during the early arcs, the menacing grin covering his face, which when he approaches Deku in the mall, makes him even more of a sinister sight. The fact that Shigaraki can come across as so intimidating, without being a physical powerhouse, is a testament to Horikoshi's masterful character design that he can evoke such emotion from readers while making him look rather weak as a hand-to-hand -fighting.
3
Spot
The sadistic hero killer has an eerie appearance that strikes fear into the eyes of anyone who dares to cross his path
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First appearance: Episode 30
Stain's disorganized and messy appearance is symbolic of his role in society. He is far from a hero, and while he can be considered a villain, he does not see himself this way personally, considering that he only tries to kill heroes who are “undeserving” of the title. Therefore, while he may have some aspects similar to heroes, such as his mask, he is also strapped from head to toe with a multitude of swords and blades, while also having long red and white rags blowing behind him.
Pair all of this with his devilish eyes, which are often seen glowing in the dark, and it results in a terrifying design that does an excellent job of emphasizing just how dangerous this guy really is. Stain would take on a slightly more casual look later in the series, but when he had his “hero killer” look, there was always an aura of intensity around him.
2
Deku (Vigilante)
Deku's horrific Vigilante design would be a stark contrast to his traditionally vibrant costumes
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First appearance: Episode 132
Late in the history of My Hero AcademiaMidoriya decides to leave the academy and his friends behind, and becomes a “vigilante” of sorts, taking on a much more stoic persona, and also a whole new look. This is a design that manages to look so absurdly powerful it's scary, with black lightning shooting around Deku as he wears a rag suit that looks like something a villain would throw; certainly not befitting a hero.
His mask, which once looked funny and innocent, is now ripped and torn, with eyes turning bright green as they peak from his dark mask. No one could have ever expected Midoriya to ever look this scary in the series, considering he is the main character and a really good guy at heart, but once again Horikoshi blew fans away with this unexpected appearance, which manages to see both crazy and incredible looking. crazy.
1
Moonfish
An edgy design that looks like something ripped straight out of a horror manga
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First appearance: Episode 41
Although Moonfish doesn't get as much screen time as some of the other villains, he really made an impression on fans due to his frankly bizarre and rather disturbing design. Because Moonfish is an escaped convict, his entire body is encased in what looks like a pitch-black straight jacket, with only his mouth exposed.
However, Moonfish can never be seen smiling or even having a grin on his face, as his mouth in stark contrast always makes it look like he's in extreme pain due to the hooks that have been dug into it, which only adds to the horror factor of this crazy villain. Even when standing still, Moonfish can be extremely terrifying to look at, but it's when he tries to squirm around in his suit, and when he unleashes the tentacles from his mouth, that he becomes pure nightmare fuel.