My Hero Academia Explains How Its Hero and Villain Names Began

My Hero Academia has been captivating fans with its thrilling depiction of the ongoing battles between heroes and villains in the latest chapters of the series. The most recent chapter of the My Hero Academia manga sheds light on the origins of the code names used by both heroes and villains. The series delves into the intricacies of its criminal justice system, where heroes work under the Public Safety Commission, villains oppose them, and a traditional police force maintains a more realistic approach to law and order.

In the My Hero Academia: Vigilantes spin-off series, it is revealed that individuals are designated as "villains" when the crimes they commit using their enhanced quirks reach a certain level of severity. The latest chapter of the main My Hero Academia manga series provides insight into how this labeling system was initially established. As conflicts escalated among those with quirks in the past, the concept of code names emerged to identify adversaries and preserve their anonymity.

My Hero Academia: How Hero and Villain Names Began

My Hero Academia Chapter 393 opens with a flashback showcasing the League of Villains engaged in a discussion about the significance of villain names. Tomura Shigaraki reveals a theory suggesting that in the early days, heroes and villains were practically indistinguishable. It all began when a combatant needed to assign a name to an unknown adversary, and eventually, these nicknames became tools to further conceal their true identities. In the world prior to the emergence of heroes, adopting code names was a survival tactic, but eventually, everyone embraced this practice.

As individuals started publicly proclaiming their code names, it became an integral part of the world—a phenomenon Shigaraki refers to as the "world of comic books" within the context of My Hero Academia. This sheds light on why figures like All For One experienced their own golden era, as the distinction between heroes and villains became more defined. This clarity likely allowed them to amass significant influence. However, in this new era of heroes, there are individuals like Deku who wholeheartedly dedicate themselves to opposing the other side, irrespective of the intricacies involved in the battle.