Shonen anime is hands down the most popular form of anime out there, and it’s not hard to see why. These series deliver incredible storylines, memorable characters, and powerful themes that speak to everyone, hitting you right in the feels without being overly complicated. And when it comes to modern anime that absolutely master this formula, Kohei Horikoshi’s masterpiece, My Hero Academia, is in a league of its own. The anime is more than just a story about superheroes-in-training.
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While it has captured the hearts of fans all around the world with its amazing action sequences, what really makes it special is how deeply it explores the meaning of being a hero, with themes of sacrifice, identity, determination, and the blurry lines between good and evil. Sure, the fight scenes may be epic, but it’s the words that come from heroes, villains, and everyone in between that leave the biggest impact. So, without further ado, here are the 10 best My Hero Academia quotes fans will remember forever.
1) A Goal With No Plan Is Called a Delusion (My Hero Academia, Episode 65)
When the League of Villains tries to recruit Overhaul, things don’t go quite as planned. Instead of showing interest, Overhaul takes one look at their approach and dismantles it in seconds. He flat-out rejects their offer and criticizes them by saying:
“A goal with no plan is called a delusion. You need a plan in order to achieve your goal.”
-Kai Chisaki
Despite being one of the series’s most ruthless villains, Overhaul delivers these words that resonate far beyond the context of his villainous schemes. It also says a lot about his personality – he’s calculated, cunning, and always aiming to stay one step ahead. He relishes in pointing out others’ weaknesses while boasting about his own strengths. However, despite his twisted ways, Overhaul practices what he preaches – it’s a bit ironic, but some of the most valuable life lessons come from quotes from antagonists.
2) Show the World How Pitiful You Really Are (My Hero Academia, Episode 49)
All For One and All Might have been sworn enemies for a very long time, but when they face each other again in Season 3, it becomes one of the biggest fights of the series. During the fight, All For One keeps attacking All Might, who eventually gets so beaten up, his body can’t stay in its strong form anymore. Seizing the moment, All For One mocks:
“Show the world how pitiful you really are, Symbol of Peace.”
-All For One
All For One makes this cruel speech because he wants to destroy All Might’s reputation and make people lose faith in heroes. He knows that All Might has always been called the “Symbol of Peace,” someone people could trust and believe in to keep them safe. But now that everyone can see how weak All Might really looks, All For One uses that title to try and prove that heroes can’t even defend themselves, let alone anyone else.
3) What Heroes Do (My Hero Academia, Episode 37)
During the practical exam, Bakugo refuses to cooperate with Deku. He believes that real heroes don’t rely on others and have to win on their own. As he continues to try and take on All Might alone, he says:
“Stop talking. I will win. That’s… what heroes do.”
-Katsuki Bakugo
For Bakugo, being a hero is simple: you have to win, no matter what. The episode is great because it shows how Bakugo slowly learns that working with others doesn’t make him weak. When he finally agrees to team up with Deku, he’s still determined to win, but realizes that sometimes you need help to do it.
4) Recognize Your Own Weaknesses (My Hero Academia, Episode 80)
After failing the Provisional License Exam, Bakugo, along with others, is forced into taking an additional exam that involves babysitting some really difficult kids with powerful Quirks. These kids keep attacking the aspiring heroes with their Quirks, thinking they are better than the adults around them. In response, Bakugo takes a moment and gives the kids some real advice:
“If all you do is look down on people, you won’t be able to recognize your own weaknesses.”
-Katsuki Bakugo
This is a huge moment for Bakugo because it shows how much he has grown as a person. He’s basically calling out the exact same attitude he used to have. It’s a pretty ironic My Hero Academia quote coming from someone who spent most of the series looking down on people, but that’s what makes it so powerful.
5) Learning From Your Experience (My Hero Academia, Episode 17)
As The Symbol of Peace, All Might has faced many tough battles as a hero, but one of his hardest was his first fight against All For One. That battle left him with a serious injury so bad, he could barely use his powers. But All Might doesn’t let this defeat break his spirit, saying:
“Whether you win or lose, looking back and learning from your experience is a part of life.”
-All Might
Instead of feeling sorry for himself, All Might chooses to see his painful experience as something he can learn from. He understands that both good times and bad times teach us important lessons that help us grow as people. This My Hero Academia quote shows that even though he lost a lot in that fight against All For One, he gained something invaluable: wisdom about what it means to be a true hero.
6) Who Protects the Heroes? (My Hero Academia, Episode 98)
During a training session in Episode 98, Izuku loses control of his new power, Blackwhip, shooting black rope-like things everywhere and destroying buildings. Watching Izuku scream in pain and fear, Ochaco thinks back to when she was little and how heroes always seemed so strong when they saved people. In her inner monologue, she states:
“Who protects the heroes when they are hurting?”
-Ochaco Uraraka
This My Hero Academia quote hits hard because it flips the usual narrative. Heroes always save others, but who’s there when they need saving? This moment changes everything for Ochaco as she realizes that heroes aren’t just the strong people who save everyone else; they’re also regular people who can get scared, hurt, and need help sometimes, too.
7) Hero Who Saves Everyone (My Hero Academia, Episode 76)
Believing himself to be the only one who truly understands the value of Eri’s Quirk Rewind, Overhaul demands the right to harvest her body. This is when Izuku experiences a kind of awakening and realizes that all the training and power in the world mean nothing if he can’t save the person right in front of him. Leading him to say:
“If I can’t save one little girl right in front of me… Then how can I ever hope to be a hero who saves everyone?!”
-Izuku Midoriya
After this speech, Deku unleashes a barrage of blows, giving Overhaul no chance to heal himself and eventually defeating him. But this is also the moment he learns that no matter the odds, a true hero never walks away from someone in need. Even if it means risking everything.
8) I Am Here (My Hero Academia, Episode 1)
Young Izuku Midoriya is having the worst day of his life as his bully, Katsuki, destroys his notebook and mocks him for dreaming of being a hero without a Quirk. To make matters worse, he’s attacked by a Sludge villain who traps him, making it hard for him to breathe. But just when Izuku thinks he’s about to die, a gust of wind blasts the villain away, and as the dust settles, standing tall is none other than All Might, who smiles and says:
“It’s fine now. Why? Because I am here!”
-All Might
For Izuku, hearing this quote from his idol after almost dying is life-changing. All Might’s catchphrase isn’t just words – it’s a promise that as long as he’s around, evil won’t win. This is the moment that changes Izuku’s life, planting the seed for his own journey of becoming a hero.
9) Greatest Hero (My Hero Academia, Chapter 422)
In the final battle against All For One, Deku charges forward while his classmates and fellow heroes sacrifice themselves to clear a path for him. Watching from the sidelines, All Might remembers the day a young Izuku, Quirkless and afraid, rushed out to save Bakugo from the Sludge Villain. With pride in his voice, he says:
“Yes, ever since that day… you’ve been my greatest hero.”
-Izuku Midoriya
Watching Deku inspire an entire army of heroes to fight alongside him against the ultimate evil, All Might finally speaks the truth he’s known all along. He sees the boy who once admired him as the number one hero become the hero the world needs. His My Hero Academia quote draws attention to the full-circle moment My Hero Academia has been building towards all along.
10) All Men Are Not Created Equal (My Hero Academia, Episode 1)
Izuku Midoriya was born without a Quirk in a world where nearly everyone has some sort of superpower. In a flashback, a young Izuku is seen standing up to Bakugo, trying to protect another kid, only to be ridiculed for being Quirkless. As the narration returns to the present, a now 14-year-old Izuku speaks the heavy truth that describes the world he lives in:
“All men are not created equal.”-Izuku Midoriya
This quote isn’t just dramatic words; it’s Deku’s reflection on the world he lives in. Compared to others, Izuku felt like he could never achieve the dreams he had set for himself. At that point, he truly believed people weren’t equal, but through his journey, he learned that while not everyone starts at the same place, everyone deserves the chance to forge their own path.
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(Photo by Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic)
