With the Paranormal Liberation War in full swing in the manga and the League of Villains accumulating power in the anime, Shigaraki has never been in a better position in the franchise of My Hero Academia and it’s time for the villain to take his rightful place by eliminating his mentor, All For One. Even with the villains in a place of strength, All For One is still rotting away in the prison created by the professional heroes of the world, and Shigaraki has been given a serious power up thanks in part to the science of Dr. Garaki!
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With All For One’s battle against All Might causing the former Symbol of Peace’s retirement, we’ll break down why the young leader of the collective of villains should step up and become the new big bad of the My Hero Academia universe!
A New Generation
If anything, the story of My Hero Academia is about a new generation overtaking the old. With Class 1-A, the aspiring heroes at UA Academy such as Midoriya, Bakugo, Todoroki, Froppy, and the rest are looking to bolster their strength not just to become professional heroes, but to take the roles of heroes that they will one day replace. With All Might losing the majority of his power, the heroes of the world both young and old have had to step up in order to protect its citizens, and it’s time for Shigaraki to do the same.
The decaying antagonist has managed to heights that All For One could never dream of and Shigaraki has essentially made his mentor redundant in doing so. With Shigaraki even getting powers that will seemingly be similar to his teacher, it’s clear that All For One’s time is done.
Shigaraki IS the Boss
The League of Villains essentially started out as a passion project for All For One, molding it with villains that were screw-ups or simply looking to not have anyone hassle them in the use of their Quirks. Following the defeat of Stain, Shigaraki helped in growing the League even further by connecting with those that were looking to follow in the blood licking villain’s pathos. However, Shigaraki didn’t stop here, and continued to grow the team to levels that weren’t even thought possible.
In the events of the manga, Shigaraki fights, and defeats, the leader of the Meta Liberation Army, a group of super powered individuals who didn’t want the government, or anyone for that matter, telling them how to use their Quirks. With Destro’s defeat, Shigaraki merges his League with the Army, creating the Paranormal Liberation Front. With Shigaraki’s new group topping numbers of over 100,000, it’s clear that his leadership has paid off more than All For One’s ever did.
Power Shift
All For One has been absent from My Hero Academia since his defeat at the hands of All MIght, stuck beneath a prison alongside the likes of Stain and many other villains. During his absence, Shigaraki hasn’t just empowered the League, but also his own abilities thanks to the mad scientist Dr. Garaki. While we haven’t see Shigaraki’s new powers put into practice yet, the good doctor has mentioned just how powerful the young villain is soon to become and even touts him as a being that will be able to surpass All For One.
With all that Shigaraki has accomplished and his powers far surpassing the already insane levels of his own Quirk, it’s clear that the League no longer needs All For One to lead them, or to even be a part of them.
All For One’s Role Is Done
Let’s be real, the biggest thing that All For One could do has been done with him causing the retirement of All Might. With an amass of several Quirks under his belt, the all powerful villain simply didn’t have the might to take down the current Symbol of Peace but he certainly helped pass the baton from All Might to Midoriya. Though Deku hasn’t become the new Symbol of Peace, with Endeavor currently acting as the number one, All For One’s role has been relegated to being locked in a basement and twirling his none-existent moustache.
Shigaraki has taken front and center for some time now, and it’s clear as day that the young villain’s time has come. What better way for the baton to be passed in this case than with Shigaraki killing his teacher in traditional villain fashion?
Shigaraki Is Just Cooler
I can remember watching through the first season of My Hero Academia’s and being instantly drawn to the terrifying design of Shigaraki, strewn with detached hands all over his body. When you eventually learn just what those hands are and where they came from, it makes the design that much cooler. With an origin that mimics that of Deku’s, Shigaraki also has a sadistic personality that makes him jump off the screen or page. All For One’s design was fine and his power certainly made him a menace, but there’s just something about Shigaraki as a character that makes him easily one of the best villains within the My Hero Academia franchise!
