Highlights
- Copy and Transform, two quirks in My Hero Academia, share similar abilities but differ in mechanisms and limitations.
- Copy allows Monoma to intuitively understand and steal quirks easily, while Toga's Transform requires more effort and emotional connection.
- While Transform has longer durations and can hold multiple quirks, Copy's ease of access and intuitive knowledge give it an edge in power-stealing abilities.
With hundreds of different quirks making up My Hero Academia's power system, it's only natural for a few abilities to overlap, giving way to differing quirks with inherently similar powers. Neito Monoma's 'Copy' and Himiko Toga's 'Transform' are a prime example of quirks sharing a similar ability, despite working on two immensely different principles.
While Toga's quirk initially only allowed her to change her appearance after ingesting the target's blood, her quirk awakening granted her the ability to use the quirks of those she transforms into, giving Monoma's Copy some much-needed competition. This sparks the question of finding out which quirk-stealing power is superior among the two meta-abilities. Although both quirks are strong in their own right, examining their strong suits can determine which quirk comes out on top.
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How Do Transform and Copy Work?
Copy's Debut | Episode 18 "Cavalry Battle Finale" |
Transform's Debut | Episode 54 "Shiketsu High Lurking" |
Before delving into the debate of which quirk triumphs over the other, it’s essential to understand the foundations of each power. Neito Monoma’s Copy needs no introduction, as this underrated quirk has proven to be Class 1-B’s trump card. As the name suggests, Copy grants Monoma the ability to duplicate the quirk of anyone he comes in contact with, though not without its fair share of limitations.
Himiko Toga’s Transform was never exactly known for its quirk-duplicating powers, as the baseline power of her meta-ability allows Toga to take on the appearance of whoever’s blood she ingests. However, her meager quirk blossomed into something much deadlier after undergoing a quirk awakening, which granted Toga the power to use the quirk of anyone she transforms into. However, this method of quirk-duplication is riddled with drawbacks.
The Deciding Factors
Transform and Copy might achieve the same end goal, yet their inherent workings are quite unique. Since their quirk-duplicating mechanisms differ, it’s only natural for factors such as duration, ease of access, and quirk efficacy to vary between the two.
In some respects, Copy has the upper hand, perhaps due to its sole purpose of stealing other quirks. However, Toga’s quirk has a few tricks up its sleeve that deem it comparable to its counterpart to a considerable extent, meaning a comparison between the two powers certainly holds merit.
Duration of Duplicated Quirks
Arguably, the most significant element of any power-stealing ability is how long the power can be borrowed for. Monoma’s Copy has a concrete time limit of ten minutes, after which the copied quirk will dissipate. While he can train his quirk to improve this duration, the time limit will remain confined to this baseline.
Your power's mine! - Monoma
Toga’s Transform, on the other hand, has a much more generous duration for its stolen quirks. Since Toga can utilize the borrowed quirk for as long as she maintains the appearance of the target, she could potentially use the quirk for hours on end. One cup of blood can last Toga an entire day, giving her quirk-duplicating power’s duration a significant edge over Monoma’s Copy.
Ease of Access
For any power that relies on stealing others’ abilities, the most crucial element is having easier access. Copy easily triumphs in this regard, as Monoma has to merely touch a few strands of hair to gain the target’s quirk. Since plenty of quirks rely on close combat, coming into contact with an opponent on the battlefield is a simple feat for Monoma.
You're bleeding already, Tsuyu, my good friend! Isn't blood cute?
The process of stealing a quirk through Transform is rather tedious, with Toga being forced to pin down her victims and draw their blood. Transform’s quirk-duplication is severely limited due to this fact, as she would need to defeat her opponent first with nothing but a sharp knife. Moreover, Toga can only use the quirks of people she bears an emotional attachment to, further limiting the amount of quirks she can steal.
Intuitive Understanding Of the Stolen Quirk
Since Copy is designed to steal others’ quirks, it naturally boasts a mechanism that endows Monoma with an intuitive knowledge of the ins and outs of the duplicated quirk. This singular aspect of Copy brands the quirk an extremely valuable resource for the heroes.
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On the other hand, Toga has to extensively study and understand the quirk herself before she can make use of the borrowed powers. This puts her at a disadvantage, forcing her to meticulously study and understand the workings of the quirk in question.
Holding Multiple Quirks Simultaneously
Both Copy and Transform grant their respective users the ability to use multiple quirks simultaneously. However, Monoma’s quirk is confined to merely four quirks at a time, and that too, with a ten-minute time limit on each one.
Transform has a considerable edge over its counterpart, as Toga can ingest the blood of multiple people at the same time, shifting her appearance between any of her victims. Since there isn’t a limit, Toga could potentially hold a large repertoire of quirks simultaneously.
Which Quirk-Stealing Power Is Better?
As the only two quirk-duplicating powers in all of My Hero Academia, both Copy and Transform are laced with limitless potential, all sealed behind the wits and creativity of the user. Between the two quirks, however, Copy clearly has an edge, either through its easier access or the ability to inherently understand the workings of borrowed quirks.
While Transform’s quirk-duplication certainly isn’t a weak contender, especially with its exceptionally long duration, the power lacks in other crucial areas. The fact that Toga needs to have a strong emotional connection with the target alone deems the quirk weaker, but with the added limitation of a lack of intuitive knowledge of the borrowed quirk, Transform can’t hold a candle to Copy’s duplication powers.
My Hero Academia is available to stream on Prime Video.
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.