Highlights
- Kirishima's hardening quirk allows him to protect himself from physical threats and enhance his strength in combat.
- The more damage Kirishima's hardened skin sustains, the weaker it becomes, and it provides no thermal protection.
- Kirishima continually trains to strengthen his hardening ability, refining his body into an impenetrable shell and improving his control and durability over time.
Eijiro Kirishima is one of the top students in Class 1-A at UA Academy and aspires to become a heroic and strong pro-hero. His signature quirk, hardening, plays a key role in helping him achieve his dream. Hardening gives Kirishima the ability to harden his skin, which has proven very useful for both defense and offense in his My Hero Academia hero studies. While a relatively simple quirk at first glance, Hardening becomes more powerful through Kirishima's intense training and acts as a cornerstone for his heroic ambitions and bravery in combat.
Kirishima first manifested his hardening quirk at the young age of 3 years old. He accidentally cut himself while rubbing his eye after waking up, leaving the signature scar around his right eyebrow. At the time, his quirk could only slightly harden his skin. But through years of training to control and strengthen it, hardening has evolved into a formidable asset for Kirishima.
My Hero Academia: Shinso's Brainwashing Quirk, Explained
Shinso's Brainwashing quirk is one of My Hero Academia's darkest abilities, as it can turn opponents into mindless slaves with no effort at all.
Kirishima's Quirk: Hardening
Hardening allows Kirishima to harden any part of his body, protecting him from most physical threats. When activated, his skin becomes as tough as stone, rendering him almost impervious to harm. Even something as dangerous as an explosion leaves no scratch. Hardening makes Kirishima an invaluable close-range fighter, taking hits without injury as he fights back using his now rugged exterior. His skin hardens to the point that bullets struggle to penetrate it.
However, Kirishima's quirk goes beyond mere defense; it grants offensive capabilities as well. His hardened body becomes rough and sharp, boosting his strength so that grazing opponents with his skin can cut them. This blend of durability and power from a single ability shows why hardening is so effective for hero work involving confrontation. When pushing his quirk to the limit, Kirishima takes on an invulnerable yet monstrous appearance that maximizes both protection and striking force for a limited time.
As Useful As It Is, Hardening Has Some Drawbacks
No power is without weakness, and hardening has its limits. The dense outer layer Kirishima generates to defend himself loses potency the more damage it sustains. Prolonged battles wear down his reserves as he struggles to maintain activation. Should it fail, his regular skin leaves him vulnerable once more.
Additionally, while hardening guards against physical blows, it provides no thermal protection. Kierishima can still feel intense heat, like from flames, even if they cannot burn him. His quirk also only works at close range, lacking versatility for distant combat. Relying so heavily on withstanding attacks allows opponents to potentially drain Kirishima's stamina and overwhelm his protection.
My Hero Academia: Endeavor’s Hellflame Quirk, Explained
Endeavor's Hellflame Quirk has helped him become one of Japan's strongest heroes, but it's all come at a great personal cost.
Kirishima Has Been Able to Grow Stronger Through Plenty of Training
Ever striving to improve, Kirishima has trained relentlessly to strengthen the effects of his hardening. Originally, the ability merely roughened his skin slightly. Now, he can refine every inch of his body into an impenetrable shell. His classmate Tetsutetsu, who shares a similar steel quirk, notes how hits Kirishima endures actually boost the power and density of hardening for future use.
This displays itself during the Finals of the U.A. Sports Festival, where Kirishima continuously activates and maintains his quirk against attacks. By the end, he reaches an unprecedented level that grants him an unmatched defense. His match against Bakugo demonstrates his ability to reset hardening after it breaks down and intensify it further. Regular sparring with Mashirao Ojiro has also improved Kirishima's control and durability over time.
How the Quirk Has Helped Kirishima In Action as "Red Riot"
With experience under his belt, Kirishima unleashes Hardening to its full potential as the aspiring hero Red Riot. He uses his sturdy body to valiantly charge into combat, protecting allies with his hardened skin while doling out fierce punches and grazes. This straightforward approach makes Red Riot a formidable front-liner.
Two notable techniques have emerged from Kirishima sharpening his quirk. His Red Counter maneuver impacts with fortified arms before immediately striking back. The ultimate move, Unbreakable, transforms his body entirely into an indestructible wall for brief periods, at the cost of lost flexibility. Both capitalize on Hardening's blending of offense and defense.
During internships and real fight scenarios, Red Riot fulfills his role as vanguard exceptionally, deflecting blows meant for others and not backing down even against Villains leagues above his power level. His gritty courage and refusal to regret past weaknesses perfectly encapsulate the hardened hero Kirishima strives to be.
What Does The Future Have in Store For Hardening?
Though already a formidable ability, Hardening continues to evolve as Kirishima does. After pushing his limits against tough opponents like Rappa, Red Riot displays renewed control, freely activating sections of protection rather than his entire body. This amplifies his efficiency and versatility in combative situations.
As the My Hero Academia story progresses, fans eagerly anticipate what new extremes Hardening may reach. Perhaps Kirishima discovers means of reinforcing his durability beyond current limits or implementing his property-enhancing skills in creative offensives. Only continued training under top heroes can unlock Hardening's unseen depths. No matter the future developments, one thing is clear: Kirishima and his unwavering resolve will only grow tougher like the stone-hard skin of his quirk.
Eijiro Kirishima's Hardening provides a brilliant example of mastering one's natural gifts through diligent effort. Starting as a merely useful power, he has shaped it into a dynamic asset through tireless training as a hero-in-training. Kirishima embraces Hardening's cooperative balance of fortification and striking without regret for past deficiencies. His courage and determination to become indomitable as the Red Riot hero inspires everyone. With more improvement ahead, fans can't wait to see how far Kirishima will take the limits of his hardening quirk.
My Hero Academia is available to stream on Prime Video.