Since the anime's first episode a few years ago, the narrative focus of My Hero Academia has undergone a significant transformation. Initially living up to its name as an anime about "school life" with superhero elements, including homerooms, midterm examinations, and cafeteria scenes, My Hero Academia has since shifted its focus to the ultimate conflict between good and evil.
This means that the story of My Hero Academia must, by necessity, center on its most significant characters and their historical conflicts. On the side of the villains, everything revolves around Tomura Shigaraki, while the primary trio of heroes, Izuku Midoriya, Shoto Todoroki, and Katsuki Bakugo, has been reduced. The majority of class 1-A has, by necessity, been relegated to the background, which may not sit well with fans of those characters.
The Golden Trio Is Needed in My Hero Academia
Many shonen anime series have a main trio, such as Jujutsu Kaisen and Demon Slayer, and now My Hero Academia has Izuku, Bakugo and Shoto as its main trio as well. These powerhouse students rose to prominence throughout the story, and their shared internship under Endeavor helped solidify their status as My Hero Academia's real big three. By necessity, MHA is focusing on its strongest and best students as the stakes reach an all-time high in the story, and most other shonen anime do something similar. On the plus side, this allows these three fan-favorite characters to shine more than ever, but it comes at the cost of class 1-A's 17 other students fading into the background.
By now, the ongoing or potential character arcs for class 1-A students such as Koji Koda and Toru Hagakure are over, and with the MHA narrative focusing on its key players in this final arc, these students won't shine ever again, it seems. For a time, class 1-A was an ensemble cast, such as when they all fought together against Pixie-Bob's earth golems in the forest or when they fought with class 1-B against the League of Villains' vanguard team. Class 1-A's other students also had a chance to shine in practice battles such as the students-vs-teachers exams and the joint training exercise against class 1-B, but that's over now.
My Hero Academia gave all 20 students in class 1-A a chance to become a superstar, and now the anime has filled the three slots for the golden trio. Izuku, Shoto and Bakugo are the winners, and by necessity, their 17 classmates must be put onto the back burner. In recent anime episodes, they do little more than make worried comments about the current state of affairs and support the main trio, though at least the clash of Izuku vs. class 1-A will give them another chance to be temporarily relevant.
However, for the conflict at large, most of class 1-A is now made up of formal support characters while the main trio takes center stage with their amazing Quirks and hardened resolve. Only Izuku, the child of destiny with One For All, can defeat Tomura Shigaraki, and only Shoto and Bakugo are strong enough to fight by his side. No one else in class 1-A is up for the task, and similar scenarios played out in classic shonen titles like Naruto. It was Team 7 that took on Obito and princess Kaguya, not the entirety of the Konoha 11 or the entire Hidden Leaf Village. Strong as they are, characters like Shino, Hinata and Choji aren't suitable for the final fight -- only the core trio and their jonin master, Kakashi, are invited to that particular party.
The School Days of My Hero Academia Are Over
My Hero Academia's shift from a high school ensemble cast to its main trio signals not just the arrival of the final high-stakes war for society but also the end of the anime's "school days" era. For the first five seasons, My Hero Academia lived up to its name as a superhero anime in a high school setting, expertly blending these elements to maximize the story's appeal. However, the harsh reality of fighting a war for society's future means that some students must acknowledge their background character status and step aside so the main trio can save the day. Of course, class 1-A's 17 other students can and will contribute something in that fight, as the battle against Gigantomachia proved, but they're definitely not the ones who will land the final blow against Tomura Shigaraki and All For One. It's the main trio -- and more specifically, Izuku Midoriya -- who will do that.
Some of MHA's best fights were carefully monitored mock battles in a school setting, such as the joint training exercise and the UA sports festival -- events where all students in classes 1-A and 1-B could show their stuff in a safe and controlled environment. The reality of war against the Paranormal Liberation Front is anything but safe and controlled, so class 1-A's weaker students such as Mashirao Ojiro and Kyoka Jiro must remember their place as support characters and let the main trio shine in a fight where lives are on the line. In a way, class 1-A's other 17 students are to the main trio what class 1-B once was to class 1-A: token support characters who may shine in school but are not ready to face the ultimate villains in this war. The innocent, cheerful UA school days are over, and only class 1-A's golden trio, with some pro hero support, can survive the crucible of war and defend the peace and justice they once knew.
