My Hero Academia's Bakugo Katsuki boasts quite the reputation as a fiery, unstoppable hero who never gives up. His Explosion Quirk is one of the most powerful in the series by far, and watching him devise new attacks and Ultimate Moves with it is truly entertaining. Bakugo is also emotionally complex, beginning the series as a bully but rapidly transforming into a caring, selfless individual who exemplifies the term "hero."

Throughout My Hero Academia, so many of the series' most important and pivotal moments have Bakugo at the core. It took a while for Bakugo to develop self-confidence, quit comparing himself to Deku, and learn to consider others' feelings and needs. Once he began being honest with himself and others and appreciating his own unique talents, though, he blossomed into a comionate, giving person, while still staying true to the ionate and determined spirit that gives him strength.

10 Bakugo Is the Winner of the Sports Festival

Season 2, Episode 25, “Todoroki vs. Bakugo”

The U.A. Sports Festival is no ordinary school extracurricular event. It allows students the opportunity to not only show off their Quirks and display everything they have learned thus far, but also potentially catch the eye of hero agencies and Pro Heroes that may be watching. Bakugo realized the importance of this monumental event and how it might impact his future as a hero, so he tried his absolute best.

Bakugo pulled off numerous spectacular attacks with his Explosion Quirk, crushing the competition. Eventually, only two competitors were left standing: Bakugo and Shoto Todoroki. Bakugo was the winner of the final battle, but since Todoroki refused to use his left fire side due to personal family reasons, Bakugo felt cheated since he felt Todoroki was not putting in full effort against him.

9 Bakugo Battles Class 1-B and Wins

Season 5, Episode 97, "Early Bird!"

The rivalry between Class 1-A and Class 1-B has been a running gag throughout My Hero Academia. But in season five, the classes actually faced off against each other in a thrilling head-to-head fight. The competitors were split into teams decided at random, and the four-person team Bakugo was required to lead consisted of himself, Jiro, Sato, and Sero.

Bakugo has not always been the best at teamwork, often choosing to fight on his own and refusing to rely on teammates. However, Bakugo surprised the opposing team by coming up with a genius plan that caught his enemies completely off guard, securing the win for Team Bakugo. This fight was one of his best moments because it proved the often individualistic hero was willing to work with others after all.

8 Bakugo Challenges Deku to a Fight

Season 3, Episode 60, "Deku vs. Kacchan"

After failing the Provisional Hero License Exam after most of the class ed, Bakugo was reeling from the tough loss. Filled with rage, he directed it towards his classmate, Deku, who was greatly succeeding while he was struggling. He demanded to know how Deku developed a Quirk suddenly after many Quirkless years, and forced him to show off One For All in a one-on-one fight.

Deku did not want to fight back, and thankfully, All Might appeared to break up the clash before anyone got hurt. The brief fight between the pair was tense and emotionally charged, as Bakugo finally began to reveal his jealousy towards Deku. The battle was a pivotal My Hero Academia moment, forcing Bakugo to confront the insecurities hindering him from becoming a truly great hero.

7 Bakugo Feels Remorse When All Might Loses One For All

Season 3, Episode 61, "Deku vs, Kacchan, Part 2"

When Bakugo was kidnapped by the League of Villains, the Pro Hero All Might came to his immediate rescue. In the resulting fight with All For One, he was forced to use up the last embers of One For All that remained in his body, rendering him powerless for good. Bakugo found it nearly impossible to live with the guilt once he realized his favorite hero was permanently weakened due to a situation involving him.

Bakugo eventually confessed his worries and regret surrounding the incident to All Might himself, who reassured him it was not his fault. This scene offered a crucial and heartwarming glimpse into Bakugo's heart, revealing that try as he might to appear tough, he has a heart of gold underneath his abrasive exterior. Bakugo truly cares for other people, which is one of the hallmarks of any successful hero.

6 Bakugo Babysits Misbehaving Elementary Schoolers

Season 4, Episode 80, "Relief for License Trainees"

Since Bakugo and Todoroki did not receive their Provisional Hero Licenses along with the rest of Class 1-A since they failed the exam, they were tasked with completing extra training in order to catch up to their classmates. Their most difficult job was to calm a group of boisterous elementary schoolers with very powerful Quirks who refused to listen. Because he can have a temper, Bakugo may seem like a bad match for working with children.

However, during this assignment, Bakugo excelled and earned the iration and trust of the children. Working together with Todoroki, he built a playground to entertain the energetic young students. Bakugo also dispensed some of his most profound advice to one of the children, stating that, "if all you ever do is look down on people, you won't be able to recognize your own weaknesses."

5 Bakugo Uses One For All

My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising

Although One For All was ed down to Deku, he was not the only character to wield it in the series. In the My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising film, Bakugo actually took on the mighty Quirk as his own for a brief period of time. While they battled Nine, Deku heightened Bakugo's skills by sharing One For All with him temporarily.

The power Bakugo received from the Quirk allowed him to defeat Nine impressively. Watching Bakugo wield a new Quirk other than his own was truly incredible, revealing his ability to adapt to any situation and emerge victorious. Part of being a hero is dreaming up new, innovative ways to take down a difficult villain, which is just what Bakugo accomplished in this scene with Deku's assistance.

4 Bakugo Apologizes to Deku

Season 6, Episode 136, "Deku vs. Class 1-A"

Early on, Bakugo was not one to humble himself and was often too proud to it his own failings. Eventually, though, he apologized genuinely to Deku, the person who bore the brunt of his bullying and lashing out. In season six, Bakugo itted he was envious of Deku and his awe-worthy skill in battle.

Bakugo had been comparing himself to Deku and feeling inadequate, causing him to try to hurt the very person he was jealous of. He realized his behavior was unnecessary and damaging, stopped treating his classmate that way, and even offered Deku an apology that truly came from the heart. Bakugo's cruelty was one of his greatest flaws, but the fact that he took ability by saying sorry in this moment is commendable.

3 Bakugo Refuses to the League of Villains

Season 3, Episode 47, "All For One"

During summer training camp, tragedy struck when the League of Villains discovered the group of students and teachers. Everyone fought boldly to protect one another and mitigate the harm the villains caused, but they still escaped with one student held captive. Bakugo was the kidnapped individual, and once the League of Villains got him alone, they invited him to the League.

Bakugo's decision at this pivotal moment determined the trajectory of the rest of his career. He was disgusted by the villains' proposal and refused their offer, boldly restating his goal of becoming a hero. Even when faced with some of the most terrifying villains in the world, Bakugo did not waver, showcasing his bravery and his commitment to fighting for good, no matter the personal risks.

2 Bakugo Rescues All Might From All For One and Beats the Villain

My Hero Academia, Chapter 404

All Might defeated All For One once, but his second attempt was not as successful. He was gravely injured and nearly died, but Bakugo was courageous enough to leap into action to save his beloved hero's life. Bakugo had almost died himself after being hit by Shigaraki, but with help from other Pro Heroes, he mustered up the strength to defend his idol.

Bakugo and Deku collaborated to pull off an effective attack that left All For One defenseless. As the battle raged on, Bakugo even eventually won against All For One, killing the villain. Considering his humble start as an inexperienced U.A. High student, it is a tremendous accomplishment that Bakugo was able to defeat such a menacing villain.

1 Bakugo Boldly Protects Deku From Shigaraki's Attack

Season 6, Episode 123, "The Ones Within Us"

Bakugo's most valiant moment that revealed just how much he had changed for the better was when he saved Deku without a second thought. The villain, Tomura Shigaraki, was about to hit Deku with a devastating blow, when Bakugo threw his own body in front of him. This action is one that he may not have taken earlier on in the series, so his willingness to sacrifice his own safety shows how heroic he has become.

Bakugo did not walk away unscathed and was seriously injured by the attack. For a while, it was unclear if he would survive the powerful hit at all. Thankfully, Bakugo did live and continue to fight, but his readiness to give up his life for Deku is a testament to how much he actually cares for the fellow hero.