After inheriting All Might’s One For All Quirk, Deku became U.A. High’s most successfulMy Hero Academiahero, even taking down All For One, despite his lack of a Quirk at the beginning of the story. The decision of whom topass his One For All Quirkdown to was not an easy one for the Pro Hero All Might, andhe considered other options at U.A. High before he met Deku.

Mirio Togata,the strongest student at U.A. High, was at the top of All Might’s list of potential successors before he ran into Deku by complete chance during the attack by the Sludge Villain. Although Deku is an excellent hero,Mirio would have been an even better choiceas All Might’s successor.

Deku standing in his uniform and with a shocked face. Behind him, Musutafu’s Museum can be seen.

Mirio Should Have Inherited One For All

Mirio Already Has Experience With Tough Quirks, Specifically, His Own Permeation Ability

Mirio has an exceptionally powerful Quirk, called Permeation, that allows him to travel through surfaces effortlessly. A Quirk this effective was not easy to master though,Mirio had to work extremely hard to effectively control his Permeation Quirk.It would have been very easy for Mirio to give up on pursuing a hero career, and even understandable, since he struggled more than his peers with such a hard-to-control ability. Mirio’s own father warned him that becoming a hero would not be simple for someone like him, but none of these warnings hindered Mirio.

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Mirio was always passionate about becoming a hero who helps others, with similar motivationsas All Might and Deku. Even though he was born with a Quirk that everyone told him would only hold him back, he excelled anyway, pouring hundreds of hours of practice into honing his skills and leveling up his physical strength. Mirio’s persistence inspired others around him, including his classmates, Nejire Hado and Tamaki Amajiki.All the time Mirio spent learning to control Permeation would aid him in using One For All,which is another Quirk that is very difficult to harness.

My Hero Academia: Eri on Mirio’s shoulder, smiling for the first time.

Mirio’s Strength and Control Make Him a Perfect Successor For All Might

Mirio Needs No Quirk, He Fought Effectively Without One Against Overhaul

Deku struggled immensely when One For All was first passed down to him, because he had never used a Quirk before and his body could barely handle the sheer power of One For All. Upon his first few uses of the skill, he broke multiple bones in his body, unable to control the Quirk. Since Mirio had already worked on developing his physique and practicing control over one of the most challenging Quirks in the world, he likelywould have had a much easier time than Deku and could have used the Quirk at 100% without receiving as much damageas Deku did.

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With One For All added on top of the Permeation Quirk Mirio already has, coupled with his musculature and persistent attitude, he’d be basically undefeatable. Even without Permeation, Mirio is a force to be reckoned with, as evidenced through his fight with Overhaul.Even though a Quirk-Destroying Bullet sapped his power in an instant and left him Quirklessfor multiple chapters of the story, he never left the fight and relied on his other talents to achieve success against evenMy Hero Academia’sdeadliest villains. Mirio’s drive and strength rival Deku’s, making him the ideal successor for All Might.

Feature header contrasting Gachiakuta and My Hero Academia

Mirio Could Have Been Even More Powerful Than Deku

As the Strongest U.A. High Student, Mirio’s Hard Work and Natural Skill Made Him Destined for Greatness

Although Deku achieved astounding feats with One For All that should not be discredited, Mirio could have been an even better hero, since he had more experience with demanding Quirks and was physically stronger than most other heroes at U.A. High.His rank as #1 in the class backs up Mirio’s proficiency,and Sir Nighteye, a respectable Pro Hero, saw Mirio as the best optionto inherit One For Allfrom All Might. Everyone around Mirio saw his expertise, which further contributes to the argument that Mirio should have been chosen over Deku to take on All Might’s Quirk.

Before Deku came along, All Might was strongly considering choosing Mirio as the next inheritor of his Quirk anyway, and Sir Nighteye was very much in favor of All Might choosing Mirio instead of Deku.Sir Nighteye was disappointed when All Might surprised everyone and selected Deku,since he felt Mirio was such an obvious candidate to take on the power. Although Deku did defy all odds and expectations anyway, surpassing even All Might himself, his potential was uncertain. Based on Mirio’s track record and personality, he was almost guaranteed to be a hero even stronger than Deku was.

The Big Three, Tamaki Amajiki, Mirio Togata, and Nejire Hado.

The One For All Quirk Would Have Pushed Him Over the Top, Making Him My Hero Academia’sBest Hero Ever

Mirio and Deku are similar in a lot of ways, and Deku even aspired to be more like Mirio after witnessing his heroic actions during the Shie Hassaikai arc. The older U.A. student was not just physically mighty and emotionally resilient,he was a shining example to everyone around him of how to be a hero.He took action to save Eri when everyone else was afraid to, and even when it resulted in him losing his Quirk, he refused to back down. Deku displayed this same unwillingness to give up, during the same arc and at other times, making him and Mirio surprisingly alike.

It’s Time To Admit It, My Hero Academia Mishandled What Could Have Been One Of Anime’s Greatest Comebacks

Mirio’s comeback, hyped as one of the best in the My Hero Academia series, ended up being a huge disappointment.

Considering Mirio’s strength, rare and uncontrollable Quirk that he managed to learn to control, headstrong nature in the face of seemingly unbeatable foes, #1 rank at U.A. High, and the praise he receives from other Pro Heroes like Sir Nighteye, aMy Hero Academiawith Mirio in Deku’s place could have been even more epic.Deku’s story was indeed inspiring, as he overcame the seemingly insurmountable obstacle of not having a Quirk, but with One For All,Miriocould have surpassed anything Deku achieved, since he already had a strong foundation of a strong Quirk and the right mindset to be a hero.

MHA: Mirio’s uniform falls off when he uses his Quirk.

Lemillion jumping into action in his hero suit. Behind him, Jaku city can be seen.

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