my hero academia features a dazzling cast of characters, and it’s more than just protagonist Izuku Midoriya who gets substantial character development in this anime. Many of Izuku’s classmates are well-rounded characters with their own strengths and weaknesses, and that includes the talented Shoto Todoroki.
There’s a lot to love about Shoto Todoroki, from his quirky ice/fire quirk to his determination to escape his father’s long shadow. However, there is also a lot to dislike about Shoto, and the worst aspects of him can be a real problem for this character. Some of Shoto’s worst things are actually pretty minor or not even his fault, but they still count and they all hold him back.
10 Shoto Todoroki’s hero name is mediocre
This is one of the minor hits against Shoto’s character. At one point, the students of class 1-A had to decide on the names of their Pro Heroes, and Midnight, the R-rated hero, was there to evaluate the names before approving them. Most of the students came up with big names like Froppy, Uravity, and Grape Juice, but Shoto fell short.
Shoto simply chose his first name as his hero’s name, and wrote it in the katakana writing system, which makes it look even more straightforward. Surely he would come up with something catchier than just “Shoto”.
9 Shoto Todoroki’s first costume looked ridiculous
Students in Classes 1-A and 1-B were asked to design their own hero costumes, which had to not only look cool, but also include accessories to help the students fight. Some costumes look cool, like Yuga Aoyama’s shiny armor and cape, while Shoto’s first costume was pretty lazy in design.
Shoto’s initial hero costume included white clothing, boots, and ice covering the left half of his body, which lacked the visual impact of most other hero costumes. Good thing Shoto then changed into a slightly better costume.
8 Shoto Todoroki mistreated Inasa Yoarashi
A flashback revealed how Shoto met the wind-based student Inasa Yoarashi. This flashback showed Inasa and Shoto competing during a physical to get into UA, but it was pretty one-sided. The boys had similar abilities, but Shoto coldly ignored Inasa and even snubbed him, even though Inasa just wanted them to be friends.
Inasa was understandably offended by Shoto’s terrible behavior, and he and Shoto soon became hostile rivals who crossed paths once more during the provisional hero license exam. This unpleasant situation is entirely Shoto’s fault, no doubt about it.
7 Shoto Todoroki stops for bad reasons
Shoto Todoroki refuses to use the fire half of his Quirk, all in an attempt to spite his father and act independently. No one can blame Shoto for having negative feelings about the power he inherited from his father, but he took it too far and Izuku couldn’t accept it.
For a time, Shoto was fighting with one proverbial arm tied behind his back, and Izuku called out to him during their battle at the UA sports festival. It took Izuku’s heartfelt words to finally convince Shoto to take things completely seriously and use all of his power.
6 Shoto Todoroki refused to make friends
Shoto Todoroki certainly has a lot of personal baggage, at least more than most of his classmates. Understandably, this made it hard for him to make friends with people his age, but then again, he didn’t even try to make friends. Simply making an effort would have been better than nothing at all.
Shoto kept everyone at a distance and didn’t try to make friends with anyone, which was the last thing he needed. Shoto could gain a lot from making new friends, but he refused to make any, and he can definitely be blamed for that.
5 Shoto Todoroki takes his enemies too lightly.
No one can fault Shoto for being overconfident or even a little arrogant in battle, given his powerful Quirk and extensive training. On the other hand, he tends to take his opponents too lightly, which insults them and sabotages his chances of victory. Looking down on the opposition never helps.
Shoto took Izuku too lightly in their duel and that was what led to Izuku giving his impassioned lecture. Shoto then took the class 1-B team too lightly in the Joint Training story arc and ended up getting eliminated, despite being the strongest student in the entire battle.
4 Shoto Todoroki has limited teamwork skills.
Over the course of five seasons, Shoto slowly learned how to be a true team player. That said, Shoto still had a great sense of teamwork and didn’t usually properly coordinate his quirk with those of his allies. At best, he would simply follow his instructions, like when he and the brilliant Momo Yaoyorozu fought Eraserhead.
Shoto’s lone wolf attitude tends to cost him money and even if he’s won a handful of solo battles, he can’t keep it up for much longer. Shoto has more weaknesses than he would like to admit, so he needs teammates to make up for those shortcomings, but only if Shoto learns to play well with others.
3 Shoto Todoroki has minimal charisma
Not every professional hero needs a dazzling smile like All Might’s, but it’s still important for student heroes to have a strong charisma and inspire others with their very presence. Shoto Todoroki may not be a pervert like Minoru Mineta or an aggressive punk like Katsuki Bakugo, but he still needs to work on this.
Shoto has a cold and aloof exterior as a kuudere and the kuuderes certainly lack charisma as professional heroes. Shoto hardly ever smiles or cracks jokes, nor is he quick to support others when they need a friend. He had better get rid of this kuudere exterior quickly or it may cost him later.
two Shoto Todoroki is self absorbed
Shoto is almost entirely focused on himself and his own needs. This self-centered attitude directly leads to many of his other flaws, such as his poor teamwork and difficulty making friends. Shoto certainly has some baggage to deal with, but he needs to realize that it’s not all about him.
Shoto is only a student out of twenty in class 1-A, but he still acts like he’s the tragic star of the show, which he’s not. If Shoto can learn to expand his mind and take the entire 1-A class into account, that should give him a healthier perspective and help him stop thinking about his own problems. That might also increase his empathy.
1 Shoto Todoroki represents the abuse of peculiar genetics
This particular problem is not Shoto’s own fault. Instead, it’s about what he stands for, and it’s encoded in his own DNA, so no one can do anything about it. Shoto is the product of a peculiar marriage between Enji Todoroki and Rei, designed to be the ultimate hero from birth.
In-universe, quirky marriages are highly controversial and it’s easy to see why. The super babies born from those unions could hasten the dreaded Quirk Singularity, and if children like Shoto succeed, that will encourage more people to have Quirk marriages and turn society into a giant arms race. That trend could tear civilization to shreds. Shoto is a part of this, whether we like it or not. The very existence of him is scary.
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