My Hero Academia has some of the best anime characters in the shonen anime genre. They are loved around the world so much that even the creator isn’t immune to having a favorite. Though Kohei Horikoshi has publicly said that he likes All Might the most, his true favorite is the resident hothead, Katsuki Bakugo.
From a storytelling standpoint, Bakugo is an engrossing character. Although he follows a familiar “villain to hero” plot line, there is so much more to his character than a simple arc. Bakugo is heavily featured throughout My Hero Academia’s story to where he has his own incredible fighting moment, featured in one of the spin-off films. Horikoshi may claim that he likes other characters more, but Bakugo’s writing, presence, and character development say otherwise.
Horikoshi Had Vastly Different Plans For Bakugo Initially
Bakugo Was Originally Supposed To Be Dim-Witted & Then An Outright Villain
When Horikoshi initially created Bakugo, he was supposed to be a smart but clueless boy who was always smiling. There are even sketches of Bakugo with an unsettlingly happy grin. However, Horikoshi found this boring and made Bakugo an antagonist instead. In trying to make Bakugo an out-and-out villain, he seemed much more diabolical than Horikoshi intended. Rather than just being a bully, his actions went too far over the top.
Things get so out of hand in the first volume that Bakugo makes a comment about suicide to the protagonist, Deku, soon after he’s introduced. Many fans found this too harsh — even in a story that ends up having a lot of gore. Audiences were worried about how villainous Bakugo would truly become after such a remark.
There is speculation that Horikoshi changed Bakugo’s character because he felt guilty about Bakugo having such a harsh introduction. However, there is more evidence that Bakguo’s relationship to Deku and their antithetical characteristics were a better opportunity story-wise. Since there are already plenty of villains in My Hero Academia, it only makes sense that Bakugo and Deku’s relationship would focus more on their journey to understand each other rather than being a strictly “good versus evil” dynamic.
Bakugo’s Character Design & Flashy Powers Were Too Good To Pass Up
Bakugo Is Too Memorable To Be Relegated To The Background
Another reason Horikoshi focused more on Bakugo in My Hero Academia is because of his character design. Not only does he have an instantly recognizable look normally, but his costume design is one of Horikoshi’s and fans’ favorites. The entire ensemble has a militaristic feel that speaks to Bakugo’s combative nature, while his headpiece is supposed to represent a specific type of butterfly that references fire. Since Bakguo’s parents come from the fashion industry, it seems logical that he would put so much thought into his Hero costume.
Bakugo also has one of the coolest and flashiest powers in the series. While other Quirks may seem more inspired, Bakugo’s Explosion Quirk guarantees visually epic battles both on the page and on-screen. Explosions always make for a spectacle in any visual series, so it’s only natural that Bakugo and his powers would be featured more.
Bakugo is an explosive character. Even disregarding his Quirk, his personality all but leaps off the page. If Horikoshi had kept him as a villain, there would not have been as many opportunities to feature Bakugo. Now that he is a Hero, and because of his relationship with Deku, Bakugo is featured much more prominently. His many quips and rude remarks may be brash, but they embody everything that Bakugo is as a character.
Bakugo’s Relationship With Deku Is At The Heart Of My Hero Academia
Bakugo & Deku Are Inextricably Linked
Another reason fans speculate Bakugo is Horikoshi’s favorite is that Bakugo’s relationship with Deku is the heart and soul of the story. Their journey from childhood “frenemies” to bully and victim to friends is a full-circle, evolutionary plot. Everything Bakugo achieves affects how Deku sees himself. Likewise, anything Deku does annoys Bakugo into becoming a better person. They are inextricably linked. Therefore, if Deku is the protagonist, then Bakguo has to be the deuteragonist.
Bakugo and Deku’s relationship is still somewhat strained, but they have come such a long way since Bakugo’s insinuation from the first season. Both Bakugo and Deku are driven by jealousy of each other’s lives and finally realize that they are fighting for the same thing. They are not opponents so much as each other’s biggest fans. Deku learns what it means to be relentless, yet strategic, in battle to win.
Bakugo learns that winning means saving others. In the end, the two teens have, essentially, both become the greatest Heroes they always wanted to be. Bakugo has to be featured for these story aspects to work. If he wasn’t, a lot of Deku’s character arc would seem disingenuous. Because he looks up to Bakugo and is determined to be better than his rival, Deku is spurred on toward greatness. Bakugo is shown more because he is a driving force in Deku’s journey towards his true, heroic ending.
Bakugo Is MHA's Emotional Center
Bakugo Is More Of An Inspiration Than Deku
Bakugo is not only a character foil for Deku but is much of the emotional focus of the entire series. Some say that he is an allusion to typical, cocky anime main characters who always seem to skate by. But, rather than doing that, he is challenged at every turn. When everyone thinks he will easily get his Provisional License, he fails because of his poor attitude. When he is kidnapped, he is frightened and incapacitated. Normal shonen anime protagonists would have had the plot armor to set themselves free.
Bakugo represents more factual storytelling where consequences are real, and they can even the strongest and the brightest. Bakugo is at the center of the debate about winning versus being a true Hero. Deku embodies this phenomenon a bit, but Bakugo’s braggadocio makes for the perfect canvas to teach about empathy. The point of My Hero Academia is to showcase that anyone can be a Hero with the right determination and attitude and that it takes more than talent and strength to be among the greats.
Bakugo is also one character who sacrifices the most throughout the anime. He not only loses his sense of self after failing several times, but he has many physical sacrifices as well. He keeps Deku from getting kidnapped by the League of Villains during the Summer Training Camp. Bakugo jumps in front of one of Shigaraki’s attacks. He even dies for a time while fighting against augmented Shigaraki as he waits for Deku. He also makes personal sacrifices, like publicly apologizing to Deku and giving advice to a kindergartner with a bad attitude.
Despite his nearly constant anger, Bakugo is one of the most emotionally mature characters in the series and has proven his worth many times as a great Hero. Bakugo is the true inspiration for many of the characters in My Hero Academia. Though they attribute their inner strength to Deku, Bakugo is the one who is doing most of the maturing. Deku remains relatively stagnant compared to how Bakugo changes as a person. It is no wonder that people believe Bakugo is Horikoshi’s favorite character.
Bakugo has all the development, all the best sacrifices, and almost all the failures. Deku is too much of a typical protagonist to face any consequences. Therefore, the honor falls to Bakugo. Due to how much care is put into Bakugo’s design and story arc, he could easily become the protagonist of My Hero Academia. The stakes are much higher for him both emotionally and physically. Even though Deku faced the stigma of being Quirkless, Bakugo faced the much more terrifying prospect of being an angry “has-been”.
Bakugo’s story is more interesting overall because Horikoshi is not afraid to make Bakugo fail. Horikoshi allows Bakugo realistic consequences and achievements. No other character seems to get the same treatment, except for Endeavor. Bakugo’s story is heartbreaking, triumphant, and poignant. His ultimate realization that empathy matters is a lesson that almost everyone can learn.
