My Hero Academia: 7 Strongest Rivals of Bakugo, Ranked

Bakugo Katsuki has one of the best combat performances in My Hero Academia, thanks to his devastating Explosion Quirk, which has blasted numerous enemies on the battlefield. Even his classmates aren’t exempt from his explosive fighting style, as he often overwhelms them during training sessions.

As such, it’s no surprise that Bakugo constantly attracts powerful rivals in My Hero Academia who seek to humble him and challenge his superiority in combat. From fellow heroes-in-training who share the same dream to villains who simply want to defeat him, Bakugo’s rivals are among the most powerful fighters in the series.

7

Kirishima Is One of the Only Classmates Bakugo Treats as an Equal

Eijiro Kirishima is one of Bakugo’s closest friends in Class 1-A, with the two treating each other as equals and sharing a mutual respect for their abilities. Despite their contrasting personalities, they find common ground in their ideas of manliness and eventually develop a strong brotherhood. Whenever one of them finds themselves struggling or in trouble, the other is always willing to offer support.

Bakugo also plays a special role in Kirishima’s growth throughout the series. His words of encouragement inspire Kirishima to push beyond his limits and become a better hero and a more capable fighter, eventually leading to the development of his Ultimate Move, Unbreakable. Among Bakugo’s classmates, Kirishima is arguably the one who maintains the most consistently positive relationship with him, without any significant bad blood between them.

6

Bakugo and Monoma Have One of Class 1-A and 1-B’s Biggest Rivalries

Nearly every student in Class 1-B becomes a rival to Bakugo, and Neito Monoma is no exception. His bold and antagonistic personality constantly gets under Bakugo’s skin, as he frequently resorts to mockery, insults, and provocations to get a reaction out of him. As a result, the two rarely get along throughout most of the story.

When it comes to their abilities, Neito doesn’t consider Bakugo’s Explosion particularly impressive, despite its tremendous destructive potential. Instead, he takes pride in his own Copy Quirk, which allows him to temporarily replicate almost any Quirk he touches. Fortunately, following the Final War, Bakugo and Neito eventually put their differences aside, developing a newfound respect for each other after everything they’ve endured.

5

Bakugo and Shoto Never Stop Competing With Each Other

Before Shoto and Bakugo can get along, the two frequently clash due to their strong and equally bold personalities. Both can come across as rude and unapproachable, with a considerable amount of pride and ego, often believing themselves to be superior to their peers at U.A. High School.

As such, Shoto and Bakugo often find themselves facing off on the battlefield, with Shoto relying on his Half-Cold Half-Hot Quirk to overpower Bakugo’s Explosion. While Bakugo initially holds the upper hand in their confrontations, Shoto never stops refining his abilities, eventually learning to fully embrace both sides of his Quirk. By the end of the series, the two develop a solid bond, even as Shoto surpasses Bakugo in the Hero Rankings.

4

All Might Set the Standard Bakugo Wants to Surpass

Bakugo holds a special place in his heart for All Might, having looked up to the Symbol of Peace as his role model for years. He deeply admires All Might, even if he rarely expresses it openly, and hopes to one day become a hero like his idol or, more impressively, surpass him. Although Bakugo never becomes All Might’s successor, he continues to rise through the ranks with his own strength and determination.

By the end of My Hero Academia, Bakugo demonstrates just how far he has come, eventually reaching a level of strength that allows him to challenge All Might’s legacy. While he still falls short of the power wielded by All Might in his prime, Bakugo’s remarkable growth proves that he is well on his way to surpassing his childhood idol and becoming one of the world’s greatest heroes.

3

All For One’s Defeat Proves How Far Bakugo Has Come

All For One is an immensely powerful villain worthy of being defeated by Bakugo, who constantly seeks out increasingly formidable opponents to overcome on the battlefield. As a force of nature, All For One serves as the perfect adversary for Bakugo to test his abilities, push his body to its limits, and unlock his full potential.

As such, it comes as no surprise that Bakugo eventually faces All For One in a one-on-one duel, going up against the villain in his prime physical form. Bakugo accomplishes the seemingly impossible by using Full Body Cluster to counter All For One’s devastating ultimate move, Omni-Factor Unleash, ultimately reducing the villain to an infant before erasing him from existence.

2

Bakugo and Shigaraki Have Unfinished Business

Bakugo suffers a heartbreaking defeat against Shigaraki Tomura during the Final War, with the villain literally piercing his heart and bringing him to the brink of death. Even his Ultimate Move, powered by the Strafe Panzer mobile unit, proves insufficient to stop Shigaraki, who overwhelms him with superior strength, Quirk control, and versatility.

As such, Shigaraki Tomura is arguably the one villain Bakugo would most want to defeat on his own. After all, the two still have unfinished business, especially since Izuku ultimately delivers the finishing blow against Shigaraki rather than Bakugo. Given their previous confrontation and Bakugo’s desire to overcome increasingly powerful opponents, settling the score with Shigaraki would be a fitting way for the explosive hero to prove just how far he has come.

1

Bakugo Always Wanted to Surpass Izuku

It’s never Izuku’s intention to rival Bakugo in My Hero Academia, but the explosive hero’s constant provocations, mockery, and projection of his own insecurities eventually push Izuku to strive to keep up with him. All Izuku ever wants is to restore their childhood friendship, lend Bakugo a helping hand, and maintain the close bond they once shared.

However, Izuku’s inheritance of the One For All Quirk only intensifies Bakugo’s frustrations, especially upon realizing that he wasn’t chosen as All Might’s successor. With One For All at his disposal, Izuku gradually surpasses Bakugo in power, speed, and overall combat abilities, pushing the Quirk to new heights. Despite his lingering resentment, Bakugo eventually acknowledges Izuku’s remarkable growth and the incredible potential of his inherited power.