Bakugo Katsuki from My Hero Academia has earned a reputation as one of the most abrasive, hot-headed, and explosive characters in anime. This perception of him is not without foundation, since earlier on in the series, he was unkind to other heroes, arrogant, and bullied Deku severely. However, as the story progressed, more irable aspects of his personality were revealed and viewers discovered he really is a good, noble person at his core.
Kohei Horikoshi, creator of My Hero Academia, revealed in an interview that despite Bakugo’s cruel actions and evil persona at many points of the story, the character was never at risk of becoming a villain forever.
“I decided from the start that Bakugou would be a character that would never lose to the darkness. When he was taken by the villains, readers thought that he might turn evil, but I always knew he wouldn’t.” - Kohei Horikoshi
Some viewers might have worried or speculated that he would make this drastic turn, especially during his kidnapping by the League of Villains, but Horikoshi asserts that this option was never on the table. Bakugo was always destined to become a hero. The rough patches he went through contributed to building his character, and pushing him further along this journey towards becoming a hero.
Bakugo’s Character Arc Is One of Self-Reflection, Apology, and Redemption
He Had to Humble Himself and Look Inward To Become the Best Hero He Could Be
Apologizing is one of the most humbling acts a person can undertake, since it is never easy to it being wrong, but Bakugo does just that in chapter 322. Bakugo's apology to Deku marks the moment he turned over a new leaf and became a gentler, more caring person. The majority of the obstacles that hindered Bakugo's growth as a hero were problems that required him to look inward. Once he realized that his callous behavior and the insults he constantly hurled at others were indicative of his own insecurity and self-doubt, he began making positive changes in his life.
Bakugo's apology in itself is perfect proof that he was never destined to follow a villain's path. Later in the series, he even put himself in harm's way to rescue Deku from danger. This instance proves that the previous bully has been redeemed as a character, as he is now willing to help those he used to mock and torment. As time es, he even seems more secure in his own identity and proud of his own accomplishments as a hero, working through the lack of confidence that led him to lash out at others in the first place.
My Hero Academia's Bakugo isn't Just Important, He's Key to Understanding the Series' Themes
Bakugo's redemption arc in My Hero Academia is pleasantly surprising, inspirational, and highlights an incredibly important theme in the series.
Bakugo Was Never Destined To Become a Lifelong Villain With Evil Intentions
His Willingness To Own up to His Mistakes Proves He Is a Hero
As Horikoshi explained, Bakugo was never a villain or purely evil, he just had a lot of insecurities to face before he could reach his potential as a hero. He is very different from a character like Shigaraki, for example, who feels no remorse for his evil actions. Bakugo was able to confront his wrongdoings head on and apologize to those he needed to. He is now a nicer, more able person and has learned to only let out his fiery temper during battles. Bakugo's explosive personality in My Hero Academia is here to stay, but his unnecessary cruelty no longer is.
Source: Kohei Horikoshi, Cinema Today, translated by aitaikimochi on Reddit
- Movie(s)
- My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (2018), My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising (2019), My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission (2021)
- First Film
- My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (2018)
- Cast
- Daiki Yamashita, Kenta Miyake, Nobuhiko Okamoto, Ayane Sakura, Yûki Kaji, Aoi Yuki, Kaito Ishikawa, Toshiki Masuda, Marina Inoue, Yoshimasa Hosoya
- TV Show(s)
- My Hero Academia
- Video Game(s)
- My Hero Academia: Battle for All, My Hero One's Justice, My Hero One's Justice 2
- Character(s)
- Izuku Midoriya, All Might, Katsuki Bakugo, Ochaco Uraraka, Shoto Todoroki, Tsuyu Asui, Tenya Iida, Eijiro Kirishima, Momo Yaoyorozu, Fumikage Tokoyami
My Hero Academia is a multimedia franchise that follows a young boy named Izuku Midoriya, who dreams of becoming a hero despite being born without superpowers. These superpowers, known as "Quirks" are found in most people after birth, but Izuku wasn't so lucky - until a fateful encounter with All Might, Japan's greatest hero, Izuku inherits his Quirk and enrolls in U.A. High School to learn the true meaning of heroism. Alongside his classmates, each endowed with unique abilities, Izuku faces rigorous training and lethal threats from villainous forces.
