My Hero Academia: All major character deaths explained

My Hero Academia may not kill characters often, but there’ve been some major character deaths that have changed the trajectory of the story.

Kohei Horikoshi’s beloved shonen manga My Hero Academia is ending soon. After finishing its final arc, the story is in the middle of its epilogue. The final chapter – Chapter 430 – will be released on August 5, 2024, ending a decade-long journey.

One thing the manga has always maintained from the start is that it’s a story of hope. Thus, it rarely kills its characters, choosing to redeem them instead. However, even then, some are bound to lose their lives in the story.

The number of deaths in My Hero Academia is significantly lower than some of its contemporaries. Maybe that’s why each death feels so impactful to the story. Warning: Spoilers ahead!

Magne

Kohei Horikoshi/Bones

Kenji Hikiishi, aka Magne, is the first major on-screen character death in My Hero Academia. She’s a member of the League of Villains and the only canon transgender character in the series. 

First introduced during the Forest Training Arc, she plays a significant villain in the following few arcs. That is, until the Shie Hassaikai Arc where she meets her end. After attacking Overhaul in Chapter 125 (Episode 65), she’s killed by the yakuza villain.

Nine

Kohei Horikoshi/Bones

Nine is first introduced  as the main antagonist in the second My Hero Academia movie. Born with an immensely powerful Quirk (Weather Manipulation), he wanted to make society a place where the strong rule the weak, instead of the other way around.

He’s also one of the most powerful villains and one of the few who die in My Hero Academia. After losing to Deku and Bakugo, he’s ultimately killed by Tomura Shigaraki in the movie’s conclusion.

Sir Nighteye

Kohei Horikoshi/Bones

If there’s someone who had a chance of defeating Deku as All Might’s fanboy, it’s Mirai Sasaki. Known as the Pro Hero Sir Nighteye, his Quirk allows him to see another person’s future. At one point, he used to be All Might’s sidekick, but he left after foreseeing the hero’s death.

In My Hero Academia, he’s introduced during the Shie Hassaikai Arc as Mirio’s mentor. He dies in the same arc while trying to protect Mirio and Eri. His death remains one of the most heartbreaking moments in the series.

Curious 

Kohei Horikoshi/Bones

My Hero Academia’s female villains are few and far between. While Himiko Toga is the most prominent of the bunch, Meta Liberation Army’s Curious also plays the role quite well. Publicly known as Chitose Kizuki, she works as the executive director of a publishing company while serving the role of a villain in secret.

The Meta Liberation Army Arc is the most unique story arc in My Hero Academia since it pits villains against villains. Curious serves as the personal antagonist for Toga, driving her to her limit before Toga’s newly awakened Quirk drops her to death.

Twice

Kohei Horikoshi/Bones

My Hero Academia’s specialty lies in the writing of its antagonists. The author has crafted his villains with detailed backstories and gut-wrenching humanity. This is first seen when the major villain Twice is killed by Hawks during the Paranormal Liberation War Arc.

Originally named Jin Bubaigawara, Twice was the victim of his own mind. After losing his sanity over his own Quirk, he joins the League of Villains, becoming a significant part of the group. Twice’s death serves a special role in the story as it blurs the moral distinction between heroes and villains.

Shimura family (Hana, Nao, Kotaro, and Tenko’s grandparents)

Kohei Horikoshi/Bones

When we first meet Shigaraki, we don’t expect to feel sorry for him after all his crimes. However, Horikoshi meticulously constructs a backstory so tragic that it changes the character in our eyes forever. After learning what created Shigaraki, we can’t help but see him in a new light.

Before he became Tomura Shigaraki, he was a little boy named Tenko Shimura. Abused by his father, he was a sorry child. But his life shattered into pieces the day his Decay suddenly awakened, killing everyone in his family, including his parents, grandparents, and sister. 

And though none of them were major characters, the impact of their demise cements their spot as some of the major character deaths in My Hero Academia.

Star and Stripes

Kohei Horikoshi/Bones

No female hero in My Hero Academia makes as strong an impression as Star and Stripes. America’s number one hero, she comes to Japan to defeat Shigaraki at All Might’s request. This leads to an epic fight between the two which ends with the brave hero dying.

However, Star doesn’t give up until the end. Using her spectacularly powerful Quirk, New Order, she makes sure to take down the villain even after her death. In the end, All For One can’t help but declare her as one of the most troublesome opponents ever.

Midnight

Kohei Horikoshi/Bones

Given My Hero Academia’s record, nobody expected a hero to die in the war. That’s until we learn the tragic demise of Midnight, one of U.A.’s most beloved teachers. But, thankfully, no other hero suffers the same fate.

Nemuri Kayama is known to the world as the R-Rated Hero: Midnight. Though her costume and general theme are pretty controversial for a teacher, she genuinely cares for her students. Sadly, she’s killed by the building debris Mr. Compress releases during the war.

Stain

Kohei Horikoshi/Bones

Introduced as the main antagonist of the Vs. Hero Killer Arc, Chizome Akaguro aka Stain is a fanatic with a very special image of a hero. Seeing All Might as the epitome of what a hero should be, he hunts down those he thinks are unworthy of the title.

Even after his defeat and subsequent arrest, Stain’s impact on society remains strong, given how major villains like Dabi and Toga are inspired by him. However, in the Final War Arc, he opposes All For One and is ultimately killed by him.

All For One

Kohei Horikoshi/Bones

Being one of the main antagonists of My Hero Academia, it’s no surprise he’s included in the list of major character deaths. Wreaking havoc on society for centuries, the villain is the fated enemy of all One For All users.

With an all-powerful Quirk that can take and give any Quirk at his will, he’s one of the strongest characters in the series. But his true villainy lies in his dark heart and sharp mind. After a seemingly never-ending battle, All For One is finally killed by the One For All users and Shigaraki.

Tomura Shigaraki

Kohei Horikoshi/Bones

Like All For One, Shigaraki, too, meets his end in My Hero Academia. After Deku’s tenacious empathy and losing his body to his tormentor, Shigaraki understands the fault in his philosophy. He finally finds peace after All For One’s death and a heart-to-heart with Deku.

In a beautiful scene full of symbolism, Shigaraki turns to dust and ceases to exist. However, his death isn’t sad. Instead, it imparts a message of hope and ends the long-going Final War Arc on a bittersweet note.

Himiko Toga

Kohei Horikoshi/Bones

Toga’s fate was kept a mystery for the longest time. But My Hero Academia Chapter 429 finally confirms her among the major deaths in the manga. The chapter reveals she didn’t survive her wounds on the battlefield after giving away her blood to Ochako.

Toga’s death was handled beautifully in the manga. It’s also poetic, given how she killed people for years by taking away their blood, and then dies for a hero by doing the opposite. She doesn’t have a redemption really since she never regrets her actions. But her last sacrifice remains with both Ochako and the readers.

These are the major character deaths in My Hero Academia so far. There’ll be more in the future since we have three chapters left until the end and still don’t know the status of many significant characters. With every new information, we’ll update this list. So, stay tuned!

For more, check out our release guide of the upcoming anime movie, My Hero Academia: You’re Next, and My Hero Academia Season 7 episode schedule. You might also like our takes on Deku’s biggest change and Deku’s new Quirk.