Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia immediately made waves upon its release for the clever ways in which it subverts typical shonen and superhero genre stereotypes. The anime has only found more success as it continues on, which has allowed the series to expand in compelling ways that add depth to My Hero Academia’s growing universe.
Some of the biggest mysteries of the series center around the circumstances of Izuku Midoriya’s One For All Quirk and the previous heroes who have wielded the power through the years. There’s still more to learn about this ability, but My Hero Academia has provided some helpful information on the past One For All vestiges.
10 Who Were The Previous Users Of One For All?
Nearly the entirety of My Hero Academia chronicles Izuku Midoriya’s evolving relationship with the One For All Quirk, but he’s actually the ninth individual to gain access to its power. It takes some time for the anime to fully reveal the history behind this Quirk, but Toshinori “All Might” Yagi digs into its roots as he grows cautious over the Quirk. The other individuals to control One For All are Yoichi Shigaraki, Hikage Shinomori, Daigoro Banjo, En, Nana Shimura, Toshinori Yagi, and ultimately Izuku Midoriya. The names of the second and third One For All users remain unknown.
9 Do They All Manifest Their Quirk In The Same Manner?
My Hero Academia hasn’t had many opportunities to demonstrate if the same Quirk always manifests in a set manner or if the individual in control makes a difference. One For All appears to be a Quirk that adapts to the user’s body in unique ways each time. For instance, All Might’s body experiences a drastic muscular transformation whenever he employs the power. Midoriya, on the other hand, exhibits glowing red veins and One For All takes more of an Emitter Quirk route with him. Past users don’t exhibit either of these symptoms when they use One For All.
8 Which Of The Users Has Kept The Quirk For The Longest?
Considering that One For All is a Quirk that’s moved through nearly ten people, it’s possible that there could be some unspoken rule that each bearer can only possess the Quirk for a certain time until they need to pass it on. This isn’t the case and previous users have had the Quirk for wildly varying timeframes.
All Might has had it for the longest, with 40 years, and Hikage comes in second place with his 18-year tenure. This brief period of ownership also likely speaks to the Quirk’s side effects and how it can drain its user.
7 Is There A Set Way That The Quirk Is Transferred Between Users?
One of the factors that makes One For All such a significant Quirk is that the user is able to pass it on to another worthy recipient. Rather than a set gesture or ceremony, the transfer process is much more open to interpretation. Genetic material needs to be shared between the past and future One For All user, but different individuals have engaged in this in contrasting ways. Daigoro gives En some of his blood to transfer the Quirk, but En goes on to pass One For All to Nana through his hair.
6 Do They All Have History With All For One?
There’s been an eternal connection between One For All users and All For One due to how the initial bearer, Yoichi Shigaraki, is actually All For One’s brother. In many respects, the privilege of One For All also becomes a responsibility to take on All For One. The villain targets each user with the hopes of acquiring the ability, with this pattern continuing to this day with Midoriya. Several past One For All users have met their ends by All For One. Hikage is the one exception, who specifically avoided All For One because of the vast power discrepancy.
5 Are They Consulted For Future One For All Successors?
It’s a serious responsibility to become the new bearer for One For All, but this role isn’t something that’s just casually decided upon by the current user. My Hero Academia gives the impression that the previous One For All users need to weigh in and voice their support when a new bearer is under consideration.
All Might initially faces pushback when he wants to make Midoriya the next user, but they eventually come around to him. However, it’s possible that All Might wouldn’t have been allowed to make the transfer without everyone else's blessing, out of respect to the Quirk’s past.
4 Are All Of The Previous Users Deceased?
The burdens that accompany the One For All Quirk might make it easy to assume that there have been so many previous users because it’s a transfer process that’s initiated when the previous user passes away. This is not the case and the previous One For All user doesn’t need to pass away from a new one to arise, yet the majority of previous bearers are in fact deceased. Yoichi, Hikage, Daigoro, En, and Nana have all met tragic ends, with the fates of the second and third users being more nebulous. However, All Might and Deku are still alive.
3 Are They Able To Still Communicate With Each Other?
Season five of My Hero Academia really leans into One For All’s history as Midoriya begins to receive more power, but the end of season four teases this growth when the past One For All users make their first subconscious contact with Midoriya. It turns out that the One For All vestiges can speak to Midoriya through dreams and visions, which in turn better equip him to utilize their previous Quirks. It’s still a mysterious process, but one that makes sure that a One For All user remains connected to their roots.
2 Can There Be Temporary Users?
There are nine official One For All users, but there’s technically a tenth member who briefly gets to wield the power. The second My Hero Academia movie, Heroes Rising, features a thrilling climax where Midoriya imbues his friend Bakugo with One For All so that they can deliver a tandem attack on the villain, Nine. When the battle is over, Midoriya retains One For All, and it looks like Bakugo merely temporarily shares his stockpile of energy so that he can gain access to the Quirk, but not permanently take it.
1 Is There Always A Mentor & Student Relationship In Place With Users?
Hero and villain narratives often benefit from teacher and student relationships, but some make them essential aspects of the storytelling, like how Star Wars approaches the Jedi process. My Hero Academia isn’t nearly as stringent with its rules. It certainly seems like there’s a mentor and student dynamic between One For All users, like in the case of Nana and All Might, and then All Might and Midoriya, but it’s not a necessity. It’s unclear if En was Nana’s mentor, for example, and it’s not mandatory even if it makes sense for past talent to properly prepare the next generation.
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