If you wanna stop this, then stand up! Because I’ve just got one thing to say to you! Never forget who you want to become!

I’m still bummed at how they did my #bestboy in the new My Hero Academia movie. So today’s post is a Character Spotlight all about Shoto Todoroki! As you read I hope to convince you why he is undoubtedly #bestboy of Class 1-A.

Shoto Todoroki is character is the very popular anime called My Hero Academia/ Boku no Hīrō Akademia. He is one of the three main characters of the series, although most of the story is centered around Izuku Midoriya and his path to becoming the Symbol of Peace.

Todoroki is the son of the current No. 1 Hero Endeavor (due to the retirement of All Might). Todoroki was born not out of love but out of a desire for his father to surpass All Might. Because of this desire from his father, Todoroki was forced into rigorous training of his quirk which is Half-Cold Half-Hot. He was kept in isolation from his other siblings for his father to focus solely on him and his training. The abuse his mother endured from his father’s obsessive goal, caused her mental health to be compromised. She injured Todoroki leaving him with his identifiable scar.

Because of the emotional and physical abuse Todoroki suffered, his personality was both arrogant and aloof. He is talented and one of the strongest students in Class 1-A, entering the school on recommendations alone. Due to his strained relationship with his father, Todoroki spent most of his training honing his ice powers, his right side. He can completely freeze people, buildings, and create large waves of ice. His control extends to how he freezes the environment. He only freezes to immobilize as seen in Class 1-A’s first battle with the League of Villains. He also uses this strategy as his battles Tenya Iida in the Sports Festival as he freezes Iida’s exhausts.

Todoroki is a complex character that is learning that there is strength in friendships. He knows his strength, but is learning how to work with others. I think Todoroki is #bestboy because he is doing the work to fix the resentment he has towards his family. While you can argue that his father (and mother to an extent) deserve to cut out of Todoroki’s life, he knows he can’t become the hero he wants to be until this is solved. This is a character with depth and the makings of a true hero. No shade to Midoriya, but Todoroki’s growth is something we can all acknowledge and see within ourselves.

Thanks for reading! I hope to catch you in my next post. Peace!