When it comes to the best female characters, most My Hero Academia viewers would likely nominate Ochaco “Uravity” Uraraka as their main heroine. While there are plenty of good reasons why Uraraka deserves this title, that doesn’t mean she is the only candidate for this honor. In fact, several characters deserve to vie for the title.
One of the unlikeliest candidates is Himiko Toga. Yes, she is a villain who has done lots of bad things throughout the series. She is also part of the most dangerous villain group in the world of My Hero Academia. But when considering everything that she has said and done throughout the story, there’s an argument to be made for why she deserves to be called the best female character.
7 Unique Character Design
Himiko Stands Out From the Crowd
Let’s start with the visual first. After all, one of the cardinal rules when it comes to major characters in anime is that they have to look unique. The viewers have to be able to pinpoint these characters, even in the middle of a large angry mob.
Himiko Toga’s design may not be as loud and colorful as the heroes and their funky costumes, but she has a distinct appearance nonetheless. As a villain, her outfit is plain enough to allow her to blend into the crowd but unique enough, especially with her combat gear, to allow the viewers to recognize her instantly. Besides, anybody will recognize her wicked smile from a mile away.
6 Versatile Quirk
Great for Everything
Himiko’s quirk allows her to take on a person’s appearance after she ingests their blood. This transformation not only copies the target’s appearance, but also their outfit and their voice. After her quirk awakens, Himiko can even copy her target’s quirk as well. That’s why, when she transforms into Twice, she can unleash his signature move, the Sad Man’s Parade.
Her quirk may seem simple at first, but it is one of the most versatile in the series. With this quirk, Himiko can take on reconnaissance and infiltration missions with ease. Depending on who she is transformed into, she can use her target’s quirk to either support from afar or fight at the frontline as well.
5 She’s A Great Fighter
Himiko Can Engage in a Duel
When she has to engage in close-quarter combat, viewers see that Himiko is a great fighter. After all, in order to activate her quirk, she needs to get close to her target, most of whom are her opponents. Himiko is more than comfortable engaging in melee battles with her enemies.
Furthermore, the apparatus that Himiko uses to collect the blood (i.e. her combat gear) is a pair of giant syringes. Essentially, she is dual-wielding a pair of wired daggers as her main weapon. Not only that, Himiko also has numerous knives in her utility belt’s pockets. Considering the nature of her quirk , her main weapons of choice, and the numerous duels that she has experienced throughout the series, it’s not an exaggeration to say that Himiko Toga is one of the best melee fighters in her group.
4 Great When Solo, Great In a Team
An Independent Fighter Who Is Also Great at Teamwork
One of Himiko’s main advantages as a versatile fighter is her ability to shine when working alone, and when working with others. This is actually one of the most surprising things about Himiko. Due to her traumatic childhood, she has grown to hate other people and society as a whole. It’s difficult for her to trust other people, much less work together as a team.
However, her tenure as part of the League of Villains proves time and again that she works well with the other members of this evil group, because she considers them her family. Out of every member of the League, Himiko gets along the best with Twice, which is why their teamwork is the best.
3 Clever and Cunning
A Great Strategist and a Master Manipulator
Due to the nature of her quirk, Himiko has to carefully pick her target so she can get the result that she wants. Different people are suitable for different situations, so she can’t just pick any random target. One of the best examples of her cleverness can be seen during the Provisional Hero License Exam Arc. Since the goal is infiltration, she picked somebody who is neither popular nor has a close relationship with the people at the venue: Camie Utsushimi.
That being said, being clever is not enough for a villain. She has to be cunning as well, and viewers know how cunning Himiko can be. One of Himiko’s most impactful strategic decisions happens during the Final War arc, in which she drags Deku to her side so that he can’t get to his designated battlefield on time. This simple decision cost the heroes precious time that they didn’t have, and let to an untold amount of destruction.
2 Complicated Relationship with the Protagonist
Pure and Dangerous Feelings
Any candidate for one of a story’s best characters must have some sort of relationship with the protagonist. In this case, that is none other than Izuku Midoriya. Himiko’s relationship with Deku is way more complicated than his relationships with other characters in the series. Despite Deku being one of the biggest enemies of Tomura Shigaraki and the League of Villains, Himiko actually likes Deku.
Deku doesn’t give up and keeps working hard towards his goal — and that’s the type of boy that Himiko likes. However, what started as an admiration slowly but surely grew into an obsession. Since she has never experienced true love before, Himiko’s idea of love has become warped. Her feelings are pure, but the way she expresses those feelings can be downright dangerous. Fortunately, she finally realizes her mistakes and wishes nothing but the best for Deku in the end.
1 Outstanding Character Development
A Remarkable Arc for a Supporting Character
Usually, a shounen villain only receives a flashback to establish motivation and showcase the difference between who they were before and who they are now. That is pretty much the extent of their character development. Himiko has that and more. A tragic flashback does explain the reasons behind her actions and motivations, but more importantly, she experiences growth and development throughout the story.
She started out like any other evil villain, who has done terrible things for terrible reasons. But as she interacts more with Deku and Uraraka, Himiko begins to feel conflicted. She still supports her fellow League members, but talking with Deku and Uraraka opens her mind and warms her heart. Twice’s death nearly dragged her into the abyss, but fighting against Uraraka in the Final War helps Himiko realize the error of her ways.
In her final moments, Himiko Toga decides to do something that she has never done before. She sacrifices herself for the person who still sees goodness in her and never gives up on her. This remarkable character development and beautiful act of redemption are some of the biggest reasons why Himiko Toga deserves to be considered one of the best female characters in My Hero Academia.