My Hero Academia’s new No. 1 Hero was teased long ago, we just didn’t notice

Anamika Das
All Might and Deku in My Hero Academia

My Hero Academia’s ending revealed Mirio Togata to be the new No. 1 Hero, but this isn’t as unexpected as we previously thought.

Chapter 430 finally wrapped up the story of My Hero Academia for good. The finale has many surprising revelations, including Deku losing One For All forever and becoming a teacher at U.A.

But the rest of the Class 1-A students all become Pro Heroes like they wanted. Ochako, Iida, Tsuyu, and Momo are a Hero team, with Ochako introducing the very significant ‘Quirk Counselling Expansion Project’. Bakugo and Shoto, on the other hand, are among the top Heroes of the country.

While Bakugo is hilariously losing his approval rating because of his personality, Shoto is doing very well. Deku says soon he’ll even surpass top Heroes like Mt. Lady and Kamui Woods, and maybe even match Mirio, the current No. 1 Hero.

Though it’s sad Deku couldn’t fulfill his dream and become the No. 1 Hero, Mirio’s future still makes sense. In fact, if anyone deserves the spot other than Deku, it’s Mirio. Not only is he a very powerful individual but he also has a heart of gold.

Also, we knew Mirio was special from the get-go. Before All Might met and passed One For All on to Deku, Mirio was the chosen candidate for the Quirk. He later showed his strength, courage, and selflessness when he sacrificed his Quirk to save Eri.

Another clue to Mirio’s future No. 1 status was provided by Sir Nighteye. On his deathbed, he revealed how he saw his protégé become the top hero in the future. Turns out the man was accurate in his foreseeing.

Many fans are also pointing out how Mirio’s new status is meant to be. As one X user commented, “We knew this would happen the moment he was introduced in the story.”

Another joined, “Very fair. Even before all that happened, it was said that Mirio was the closest to being Number 1 and he had a two-year head start.”

A third shared, “Honestly kinda makes sense. He has like, a REALLY good Quirk lol.”

While Mirio is the current No. 1, it may change in the future. My Hero Academia’s ending sees Deku joining his friends as a Pro Hero with a new hero suit funded by Class 1-A. Maybe he’ll eventually surpass his senior and fulfill his dream.

Now that the superhero story is over, check out our explainer on the My Hero Academia manga ending. You can also go through the best My Hero Academia fights and the major character deaths in the series.