Summary
- Bakugo's bullying of Deku was described by the creator as being "horrible".
- Horikoshi felt Bakugo's character needed redemption, leading to a shift in his development.
- Despite his past actions, Bakugo matured and apologized, but some fans still struggle to forgive him.
One of 's most popular and beloved characters is Katsuki Bakugo. He is well-known for his fiery and explosive personality and powers, as well as his abrasive demeanor. Bakugo has really grown and developed as a character, but at the beginning of the series he committed one action that creator Horikoshi described as "horrible."
Bakugo severely bullied Deku at the beginning of My Hero Academia, calling him names and making him feel terrible for being born quirkless. Shockingly, in one of the first few episodes of the anime, he even attempted to persuade Deku to jump off a roof.
In an interview, translated by X @Color_Division, Kohei Horikoshi even itted that he "went a little overboard" with that intense moment of cruelty. Thankfully, this terrible moment was a wake-up call and led Horikoshi to begin developing Bakugo's character in a vastly different direction, making him less villainous in future episodes.
Horikoshi Described Bakugo's Bullying Of Deku As "Horrible"
The creator felt he "went a little too far" with the character's abhorrent actions
Deku stood out among his other UA classmates as the only quirkless individual, making him a likely target for Bakugo's bullying and mistreatment. It is no surprise that Katsuki chose him to demean and belittle, since Izuku seemed like an easy mark. At this time in the show, Deku lacked confidence in himself due to his lack of a quirk and felt quite hopeless and like he'd never achieve his dream of becoming a talented and helpful hero like his idol, All Might. He continued fighting for his dream in spite of those shortcomings, causing Bakugo to ridicule his efforts.
Even though high school bullying is unfortunately a common occurrence and something many fans will recognize all too well, the extent to which Bakugo tormented his classmate is appalling and really painted Bakugo in a terrible light for the first few episodes of the show, making him seem surprisingly heartless compared to the other heroes who surrounded him. It is truly astounding that he would speak such terrible words to Deku, but although it was indeed horrific, this moment inspired Horikoshi to change his angle when writing Bakugo and give him a greater purpose in the story of My Hero Academia.
"A Separate Direction From Deku" - My Hero Academia's Original Plan for Bakugo Was Much Different
My Hero Academia creator, Horikoshi describes how he initially intended to keep Bakugo as a bully throughout the series, until he changed his mind.
This Terrible Bakugo Moment Was A Turning Point For Horikoshi
Seeing the evil path Bakugo was headed down encouraged Horikoshi to give him a redemption arc instead
In the interview, Horikoshi went on to explain that he felt "like Bakugo's character had frozen," and that he was becoming too one-dimensional, defined only by hatred and rage. He elaborated, stating that he was "too much of an unlikable guy" at this time in the series. Fans certainly struggled to feel any empathy for him, since his only appearances included insults, taunting, or bursts of explosive rage. Even at this time, it was evident something deeper was going on in Bakugo's inner self, but that had not yet been revealed, giving Horikoshi an opportunity to flesh out the character.
In spite of his negative actions and horrible demeanor in the beginning of My Hero Academia, Horikoshi actually loves Bakugo as a character and is proud of the redemption he went through that allowed him to become a better individual. As the series progressed, Katsuki became more mature and thoughtful, while still retaining his fiery and edgy personality. He discussed his own insecurities and even apologized to Deku, a shocking moment that shows Bakugo's growth. Although he attempted to make amends, some fans still feel treating Izuku like that was an unforgivable step too far.
Some Fans Are Not As Quick To Forgive Bakugo's Harsh Behavior
Produced by Bones, based on the original manga by Kohei Horikoshi
Bakugo has truly morphed into a fan-favorite, as fans saw his improving maturity and ability for his actions as he grew older. However, some people still don't forgive the character for his past transgressions, and even Horikoshi has itted that Katsuki's conduct was way out of line in the first few seasons of My Hero Academia. He mentions how he had to "bring him down to the same level" and "put a dent in him" to make Bakugo more likable and to develop him beyond a stereotypical bully. This explains why Katsuki had to face struggles like being kidnapped by the League of Villains.
The hard circumstances Bakugo suffered through allowed him to develop empathy for others and a better understanding of himself and his feelings, bringing him closer to the ideal of a true hero. He is a very complex character who is not perfect and still characterized by anger and aggression, but Horikoshi has developed him into a better hero and friend. Although some of his past actions can never be fully forgiven or overlooked and still cause some people to have a negative perception of him, it is true that Bakugo now strives to be better than his past self in My Hero Academia.
Source: @Color_Division on X
In My Hero Academia, some humans have superpowers called quirks. Izuku Midoriya, nicknamed Deku, is not one of them. Deku has always idolized heroes like the number one hero, All Might, and since he was a child, he has always wanted to be a hero. However, his lack of a quirk has always held him back, but a chance encounter with All Might after discovering a classmate in danger sets Deku on the path to becoming a true hero. My Hero Academia centers around Deku and a class of heroes-in-training at UA. This school shapes young quirk s into future heroes through fake rescue missions, combat training, and other hero-tempering tasks. With young Deku inheriting the "One-For-All" quirk, he will learn what it means to be a true hero while facing off with dastardly supervillains.
- Seasons
- 7
- Franchise
- My Hero Academia
- Production Company
- Bones
- Number of Episodes
- 159
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