Table of contents

Highlights

  • U.A. Hero Academy's diverse and unique students, like Tokoyami, showcase power, growth, and potential in My Hero Academia.
  • Tokoyami's impressive Dark Shadow quirk and growth as a hero make him a standout character with valuable qualities.
  • With mentorship from Hawks and newfound abilities, Tokoyami's potential to become a top pro hero in My Hero Academia is undeniable.

My Hero Academia's established U.A. Hero Academy consists of multiple classes containing young students with aspirations of becoming a pro hero. Each student has their own unique quirk, suited to their character and ripe with potential. Following the story of Izuku Midoriya and his quest to master One For All, fans of My Hero Academia are introduced to a surplus of new characters early into the first season. While many anime series fall flat by handling numerous characters in a short time, mangaka Kōhei Horikoshi does a masterful job of giving each personality room to breathe and grow, fleshing out their motivations and characteristics enough to create a connection between them and the audience.

Of all the classmates in Class 1-A, none caught the eye more than Fumikage Tokoyami. While most of his classmates have a humanoid portrayal, Tokoyami has the body of a human but the head of a bird. His appearance is a main focus point at first glance, but his humbling nature and terrifying quirk make him one of the most likable characters in My Hero Academia. Introduced in Episode 5, "What I Can Do for Now", Tokoyami enters the U.A. Hero Academy with tons of potential despite his lack of good grades. What he lacks in book smarts, Tokoyami makes up for it on the battlefield with a keen sense of strategy, a willingness to cooperate with others, and a quirk that will leave villains shaking in their boots.

Related
My Hero Academia: 7 Possible Endings For The Series

It's fun to speculate how the My Hero Academia series might end. These examples are a few possible scenarios.

Fumikage Tokoyami's Introduction In Season One

What Was Tsukuyomi Like In Season One?

fumikage-tokoyami

Known as a creature of the dark, a handle he has given himself, Tokoyami is a reserved and serious character with noble traits. Despite his habit of dipping into the fantastical side of conversation and showing a preference for darker themes, Tokoyami is friendly towards others and engages in conversations with his other classmates. Though he may come off as weird at times, due to his speeches that trend more towards an archaic view, Tokoyami shows no ounce of villainous tendencies. An ongoing gag that Tokoyami takes part in early in his introduction is his sheer disregard of authorative figures that he deems unreasonable. Once, Tenya Ida shouted at him to not sit on the desk, to which Tokoyami blankly stared at the loud hero before continuing his conversation with the other classmates.

On the battlefield, Tokoyami is one of the most fierce competitors and shines with his Dark Shadow quirk. Using the surrounding shadows, Tokoyami is able to cast a dark form that resembles himself, yet comes with its own set of emotions and personality. At times, his quirk may come off as immature, but its emotions are purely based on Tokoyami's mood. Should Tokoyami become enraged by one of his classmates being in danger, Tokoyami's quirk could take over his body and become a real threat to everyone around him. This type of power and Tokoyami's personality has often drawn comparison to Raven from Teen Titans, as they both have bird-like concepts, wear a cape, and have a power that can take over their self-control.

Fumikage Tokoyami's Character Arc Analyzed

When Did Tsukuyomi Start Growing?

Tokoyami's Dark Shadow clashes with Bakugo's explosions in My Hero Academia

During the first instances of the hero field tests, Tokoyami was able to strut his feathers and showcase his value to Class 1-A. Using the Dark Shadow quirk, Tokoyami could attack and defend at any time, use it for flight to get around the area quickly, and even help his classmates escape a sticky situation. Despite his lacking grades, Tokoyami showcased a real desire to impress those around him with his quirk, finishing ninth in the U.A. Entrance Exam with the fifth-highest amount of villain points, fifth in the Quirk Apprehension Test, and third place in the U.A. Sports Festival event. His strong display of abilities and control over his quirk allowed Tokoyami to get plenty of exposure among the pro heroes observing the event, landing him 360 nominations — the third-highest total of all classmates from Class 1-A.

While Tokoyami is confident in his abilities and can jump into action without hesitation, he is humble enough to take criticism and advice from fellow students and pro heroes alike. During a conversation with All Might, the once-renowned number-one pro hero suggested an ultimate move using his quirk's power to the fullest extent. Taking this advice to heart, Tokoyami stretched his quirk's limits to create the Dark Abyss attack, which sees his quirk envelop him and create a menacing appearance that allows him to attack from close range. This openness to take in constructive criticism allowed Tokoyami to close up one of his weaknesses, which was a reliance on long-ranged attacks. With a new weapon in his arsenal, Tokoyami grew as a fighter and became more versatile as a result.

Related
My Hero Academia: The Dark Hero Arc, Explained

The Dark Hero Arc sees Deku's story take a tragic turn, as the idealistic young hero decides to shoulder her society's burdens on his own.

Assessing Fumikage Tokoyami's Growth And Development

Tsukuyomi's Growth And Impact On My Hero Academia

Black_Fallen_Angel_Dark shadow_MHA

My Hero Academia is known for a number of characters striving in combat and basing their decisions off emotion. Sometimes, this can result in poor results, so it's always helpful to have someone of calm mind to jump in and give their feedback. Tokoyami's noble nature has often allowed others to take a step back and re-think their strategy, while the bird-like hero provides his own thoughts in a calm manner. Tokoyami's refined strengths also allow him to fly at faster speeds, which often gives heroes with a lack of flight abilities a way to get across the map quickly, thanks to the help of Tokoyami. His quick-thinking has also saved many of his classmates at times, as Tokoyami uses his powers to both attack and defend against villains, which often helps put his comrades at ease, knowing they have someone of Tokoyami's strength by their side.

During instances of Tokoyami's emotions getting the best of him, his Dark Shadow quirk became uncontrollable, resulting in the heroes of Class 1-A and 1-B facing a new threat. Thanks to his many lessons and advice to the students, they were able to subdue Tokoyami and talk him down, bringing his emotions to a neutral status and reducing the effects of his Dark Shadow quirk. This wouldn't have been possible had it not been for Tokoyami's many conversations with the other students, and the times he spent helping them with their own insecurities. Tokoyami isn't the perfect hero with no weaknesses, but his strengths far outweigh the negatives and have helped those around him grow exponentially.

What Fans Can Expect From Fumikage Tokoyami's Ceiling

When Will Tsukuyomi Reach His Peak?

Hawks_and_Fumikage_fly_over_NYC

Of all the secondary characters making up Class 1-A, Tokoyami may be the hero with the most latent potential of the bunch. His power has drawn the interest of Hawks, the number-two Pro Hero, which is no easy feat. Thanks to his bird-like appearance and abilities, Hawks took a liking to Tokoyami, offering him the training he requires to strengthen his quirk and inch closer to becoming a pro hero himself. Thanks to Hawks' training, Tokoyami was able to manifest his quirk in a way that allowed him to fly alongside Hawks, something he had considered before but could never harness enough power. This ability may not be as useful during the day, when there is a lack of darkness to power up his Dark Shadow quirk, but this doesn't stop him from living up to his nickname of creature of the dark.

Thanks to his enhanced reflexes and durability, and a myriad of ultimate moves, Tokoyami appears to have one of the highest potential of all Class 1-A to become a pro hero some day. During the Final War, he was selected to join the front line with Hawks in the event of a stalemate, which was received as a high honor for the young hero. During the fight with All For One, Tokoyami landed a monstrous blow on the villain, shattering his protective helmet and escaping without a scratch. This shocking event allowed the hero side to get the advantage over the Demon Lord, and turn the tables on the villains. Given the fact that Tokoyami now has full control of his quirk and can maintain his emotions, there is no stopping Tokoyami in battle and his quest to become one of the best pro heroes in My Hero Academia.

Related
My Hero Academia: How are Nomus Created?

Nomus are some of the League of Villains' most useful assets. How did these monstrous artificial humans come to be?

My Hero Academia
My Hero Academia

In My Hero Academia, Young Deku is born into a world where people commonly have something called quirks, also known as superpowers. He himself is born without any, but circumstances lead to that changing. He enrolls at the UA High School, a prestigious academy where the worlds future heroes learn how to use their powers.