Horikoshi’s Missed Opportunity: The Underappreciated Quirk in My Hero Academia

As Kohei Horikoshi’s critically acclaimed work, My Hero Academia, draws to a close, fans are reflecting on the beloved series and its influence on the shonen genre. The series has left a lasting impact and is being celebrated for its generational run.

Despite My Hero Academia being centered around Deku and his friends’ journey to becoming great heroes, it also delves into the significance of Quirks in Hero society and humanity. Each individual possesses a unique Quirk with different types and abilities. However, among the most intriguing Quirks is Fumikage Tokoyami’s Dark Shadow – a rare and sentient Quirk that has yet to be fully explored in the series.

Why Tokoyami’s Dark Shadow Quirk Deserved Its Own Spotlight in My Hero Academia

Over time, Quirks, also known as distinctive superhuman abilities, were accepted into society in My Hero Academia after facing years of discrimination. As the population of individuals with powers grew, the range and diversity of Quirks also increased.

It is reasonable to assume that the diversity of powers and abilities will continue to increase, as around 80 percent of the current population in the series possesses Quirks.

Despite detailing a wide range of Quirks, such as Half-Hot-Half-Cold, Pop Off, Creation, Decay, and Erasure, Kohei Horikoshi, the mangaka of My Hero Academia, has given less attention to other aspects due to the major focus on Izuku Midoriya’s One For All Quirk. However, many fans believe that Fumikage Tokoyami’s Dark Shadow Quirk deserved more spotlight.

Tokoyami's Dark Shadow Quirk as seen in the anime (image via Bones) — Tokoyami’s Dark Shadow Quirk as seen in the anime (image via Bones)

Fans feel that Tokoyami’s Quirk, Dark Shadow, deserved more attention due to its unique nature. This rare Quirk manifests as a sentient creature that resides within Tokoyami’s body, making it one of the most distinct abilities in the series.

Fumikage Tokoyami’s Quirk, Dark Shadow, manifests as a creature resembling a monster and can be summoned or dismissed at his discretion. It serves as Tokoyami’s protector and typically obeys his instructions. Nevertheless, Dark Shadow possesses its own consciousness and distinct characteristics, possessing the ability to think and speak for itself. At times, it may even defy Tokoyami’s wishes, as it has its own preferences, establishing itself as a separate entity.

Nevertheless, it is clear that it is not an individual entity, but rather composed of “dark energy”which allows for its interaction with the physical world and others, albeit with limitations.

Upon observation, it is evident that Tokoyami’s Dark Shadow Quirk is truly unique. What sets it apart from other Quirks is primarily its sentience and capacity for autonomous thought. A similar instance of a sentient Quirk is seen in Rody Soul’s Soul Quirk from My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission, as it materializes into a small bird called Pino.

It can be inferred from the series that Rody Soul and Fumikage Tokoyami are among the few individuals who possess sentient Quirks. This suggests that this type of Quirk is uncommon in the world. However, it also makes them stand out as one of the more intriguing Quirk varieties, as they are not solely seen as an extension of the user’s physical abilities.

Sentient Quirks can be perceived as a distinct entity with a unique thought process separate from their users. Similarly, they can also be likened to the popular Stand ability from the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure series, which adds to the intrigue of fans towards these Quirks.

Despite this unfortunate fact, Kohei Horikoshi has yet to give sentient Quirks, specifically Tokoyami’s Dark Shadow, the recognition it deserves, making it one of the most underdeveloped concepts in My Hero Academia.

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