Kaminari, not Shinso, is My Hero Academia's most underrated side character
My Hero Academia inarguably has one of the biggest and most diverse casts of characters ever introduced in Shonen in recent years. This vast variety of characters has allowed Kohei Horikoshi to create and utilize a wide array of abilities and synergies. However, it has also led to the rise of underutilized and underappreciated characters.
Shinso stands as a prime example of an underrated character due to an oversight in the U.A. entrance exams. Despite this, he received proper character exploration later in the series. Kaminari, on the other hand, exemplifies a background character who often remains unnoticed.
This is despite the numerous times he has managed to make an impact in fights, even while not being particularly adept at using his powers or general combat.
Disclaimer- This article contains spoilers for the My Hero Academia series and reflects the author's opinions.
My Hero Academia: Kaminari is the series' most underappreciated character
Denki Kaminari was introduced in chapter 5 of the manga and episode 5 of the series. Although much of his earlier appearances did not fully establish his character, he was clearly built up as a comic relief character. His intellect was portrayed as falling behind almost every other person in the anime.
Shinso, on the other hand, made his debut during the U.A. School Festival arc, with his battle against Midoriya being the main highlight of his character. Shinso was built up as a victim of circumstances. He ended up being inducted into the Department of General Education despite his power being well-suited for the hero course.
This was eventually rectified, and he was promptly transferred to the hero course while also becoming a direct pupil of Eraserhead. Shinso later received many integral roles, including his feat of controlling Gigantomachia, which was one of his most prominent contributions.
Although Kaminari was easily inducted into the hero course, his electrification quirk was not used to its full extent due to the drawback of short-circuiting his brain. This limitation, paired with his role as comic relief, caused most of his feats to go unnoticed.
Kaminari was the sole reason behind Yaoyorozu Momo and Jiro's survival in the USJ arc. He also served as one of the most important lines of defense during the War arc and U.A.'s fall from the sky.
Although his electrification quirk developed considerably, it did not receive a focus comparable to Shinso's. Shinso received much more training and development around his quirk. While the lack of appreciation for Kaminari can be attributed to his limited appearances and status as a comic relief character, it might also stem from the general expectations of electricity users.
Electricity or lightning manipulation is a fairly common power seen across different media, including anime. Within anime and manga, lightning users tend to be brash and memorable, often characterized as battle junkies with loud personalities. Kaminari not exhibiting these qualities might also be one reason behind his lack of appreciation.
Final thoughts
My Hero Academia manga ended with a total of 431 chapters, with the last chapter being exclusive to volume 42. The anime recently concluded season 7, with season 8 already announced and an expected release window sometime in 2025. Although Kaminari did not receive any character exploration or focus throughout the main series, it is possible that he may receive a spin-off dedicated to him.
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