In theMy Hero Academiauniverse, All for One and All Might’s epic rivalry has shaped the hero society in countless ways. However, instead of staying in his mentor’s shadow forever, Tomura Shigaraki has forged his own identity by twisting the world through his ruthless ambition and hatred for heroes.
His complex character arc has been the reason for some ofMy Hero Academia’smost gripping and intense episodes. While most of them are a great watch, the following five episodes highlight Shigaraki’s transformation and his ascension as a villain.
5Season 6, Episode 10: “The Ones Within Us”
Tomura Meets His Grandmother Nana Shimura
In Jaku City, Tomura single-handedly fights heroes after undergoing treatment under Garaki’s watchful eye. His enhanced Quirk allows him to overwhelm the heroes, and when the battle spirals out of control,All for One asks his successorto lend him his body. In the struggle, Shigaraki’s brain goes blank, and Rivet Stabs emerging from his body stab Bakugo.
By this point, Tomura has been injured by Endeavor’s PLUS ULTRA Prominence Burn, but as soon as Deku is in close range, All for One, controlling Shigaraki, tries to steal One for All. In the following moments, Deku, Tomura, and All for One end up in the vestige world, where they meet Nana Shimura and Yoichi.“The Ones Within Us"focuses primarily on the struggle between the two groups as Shigaraki meets his grandmother for the first time. The episode also reveals fascinating secrets about Quirks and consciousness.
4Season 6, Episode 25: “The Thrill Of Destruction”
As Plus Ultra Tomura Awakens, Heroes Rush To Save Lives
In the Paranormal Liberation War Arc, heroes manage to infiltrate Garaki’s secret laboratory in Jaku General Hospital, where he had been helping Shigaraki enhance the Decay Quirk. Before they can get things under their control, Tomura awakens and unleashes a wave of decay that destroys the hospital and spreads to the nearby region.
“The Thrill of Destruction"captures the drama that unfolds as a transformed Shigaraki challenges the hero society with his enhanced Quirk. Interestingly, Tomura also manages to contact Gigantomachia and orders him to destroy everything in his path as he tries to get to him. Shigaraki’s power and strategic thinking dramatically shape the battle and tip the scales in the villains' favour. His all-consuming hate for the hero society is manifested through the ruthless destruction that he unleashes and its far-reaching consequences.
3Season 7, Episode 11: “Light Fades To Rain”
Shigaraki Unleashes A Deadly Attack As Bakugo Fights Back
As the heroes manage to trick the villains into coming out of hiding, they then execute the next phase of their plan by splitting them up. In order tocontain and tackle Shigaraki’s Decay Quirk, the villain, along with Bakugo, Best Jeanist, Mirko, Mirio Togata, Tamaki Amajiki, and Nejire Hado, is placed in a floating U.A. High fortress. Although the plan appears quite effective at first, Shigaraki’s rapid evolution makes it extremely difficult for the heroes to keep him under control.
Despite the presence of top heroes in the floating U.A. fortress, Tomura Shigaraki beats up Katsuki Bakugo.Since Kacchan is Deku’s childhood friend, and the latter holds a soft spot for the former, Shigaraki plans to kill him to psychologically break his adversary.
Meanwhile, Bakugo is so committed to the battle that he attacks Tomura even after being severely injured, and manages to somewhat surprise the villain with his agility. However, it does not take Shigaraki long to evolve one more time, and when he catches him with another attack, Kacchan’s heart stops beating.“Light Fades to Rain"is one of the most intense episodes of the series, and it sets the stage beautifully for Tomura and Deku’s inevitable one-on-one confrontation.
2Season 7, Episode 2: “Specter”
Tomura Faces Star And Stripe In A High-Stakes Battle
When All Might realizes that Japan is facing an existential crisis that will eventually put the whole world in danger, he appeals to foreign heroes for help. America’s No. 1 Hero, Star and Stripe, a.k.a. Cathleen Bate, immediately springs into action. Little does she know that All for One has planned ahead, and as soon as she enters Japan’s airspace, she finds TomuraShigaraki waiting to steal her Quirk, New Order.
“Specter"focuses on Tomura and Cathleen’s battle as it ascends to its zenith while the world looks on with bated breath. Star and Stripe tries to kill Shigaraki using her ultimate move, the State-of-the-Art Hypersonic Intercontinental Cruise Punch, but with strategic planning and pinpoint accurate execution, Tomura devises and successfully implements a counter tactic that saves his life. As he turns the tables on America’s No. 1 hero, she is forced to make a difficult choice that dramatically changes the fate of the battle.
1Season 5, Episode 23: “Tenko Shimura: Origin”
Shigaraki Remembers His Painful Past
In the Meta Liberation Army Arc, the eponymous villainous organization sets up a trap to snuff the League of Villains out of existence before they become more influential. This sets the two criminal groups on a collision course that eventually leads to an all-out war between them. The battle reaches its peak when Tomura Shigaraki facesRe-Destro, the commander of the Meta Liberation Army.
Shigaraki’s childhood memories, which have been buried deep in his consciousness, slowly start to surface. Watching his haunting visions spiral into insanity is gut-wrenching, as they reveal how an ordinary kid transformed into one of the most evil villains in existence. They also highlight why Shigaraki feels betrayed by the hero society and wishes to destroy it.“Tenko Shimura: Origin"is an emotionally charged journey into Tomura’s past, and is one of the most memorableMy Hero Academiaepisodes so far.
