My Hero Academia ended this year after a successful run of ten years. Kōhei Horikoshi weaved the story around a huge cast of characters with interesting quirks. While it can be said that he couldn’t focus satisfyingly on most characters, besides the main ones, it’s safe to say that he tried to give most of them their moments to shine. One such moment is also Gege Akutami’s favorite fight in My Hero Academia.
Akutami spoke at length about one of the best female characters, Rumi Usagiyama aka Rabbit Hero: Mirko, and her best fight in the series. Compared to many other characters, Mirko had less screen time. Yet she managed to create an excellent impression on fans with her one fight. All her skills were on a great display and she justified her rank as the number 5th hero, and Akutami seemingly appreciated that.
Gege Akutami’s Favorite Fight in My Hero Academia
While we were properly introduced to most heroes in the series, not all of them could justify their presence in the story. This was simply because there were too many characters, and exploring all of them equally wouldn’t have been possible. Mirko was one such character, but Kōhei Horikoshi excellently portrayed her complete potential in one scene during the Paranormal War Liberation Arc, where she fought multiple high-end Nomu simultaneously.
This fight is also Gege Akutami‘s favorite fight from My Hero Academia. Akutami spoke about Mirko’s brilliance and how she made it apparent even with the limited screen time. From her agility and tenacity to her quick thinking, Akutami mentioned several reasons that made the fight stand out to them.
At this point, Mirko is a character we’ve only met once, but Mirko’s tenacity and down-to-earth nature as she uses a simple quirk to counter the Nomu, whose powerful quirks keep popping up one after the other, immediately captivated readers.
It’s interesting how Akutami’s favorite fight didn’t involve any of the main characters. Mirko definitely deserves a shoutout for the fight as she was phenomenal in it. It wasn’t just her strength or her skills that were impressive but her attitude throughout the fight was admirable. She was passionate about taking on the opponents. She enjoyed the fight without getting overexcited, and also calmly analyzed her opponents.
She was able to understand that the Nomu probably struggled in close-range battles and managed to take advantage of that fact. She was quick on her feet and achieved her goal. As the Nomu got more time to transform into their true forms, Mirko was clearly overpowered. However, for as long as she was in the fight, she stood her ground even with severe injuries. Mirko’s perceptive abilities, her focus on her objective, and her excitement to fight made it appealing to fans.
Kōhei Horikoshi’s Female Characters
Gege Akutami is among the few mangaka who have the ability to draw compelling and interesting female characters. Horikoshi, on the other hand, often misses the mark. His ideation behind his female characters is often great. There’s immense potential in her female character like Momo or Jiro, but he fails to utilize it.
Many characters like Mirko and Lady Nagant shine during their brief scenes, but immediately after, something happens that shows that their efforts didn’t have much effect on the grand scheme of things compared to their male counterparts.
At the same time, there’s no denying that Horikoshi has given them memorable fights and moments that showcased their unique and fascinating skills. Especially Mirko, whose expertise and compatibility with her quirk, made a simple quirk so powerful and interesting to follow.
All seasons of My Hero Academia are available to stream on Crunchyroll.
