Re-Destro’s design pays homage to The Joker, with similar features and a sinister laugh.
Deku’s Dark Hero arc resembles Batman, watching over the city from a skyscraper.
Toga’s mask is inspired by Bane, showcasing a reference to Batman’s foe through fashion.
It’s no surprise that the author of My Hero Academia, Kohei Horikoshi, was heavily inspired by Western comics when creating this now immensely popular anime series. However, while there are plenty of Marvel references to keep an eye out for, Horikoshi has also managed to sneak in a few nods to DC Comics as well. In a world made up of heroes and villains, it only makes sense that characters like Batman and the Joker would make an appearance in one form or another, but they aren’t the only DC icons who have been referenced throughout the series.
The My Hero Academia villains sure know how to show up in style, but which among them has the most eye-catching design of them all?
Horikoshi often tends to get pretty creative with these sorts of nods to classic comic book characters, so while some are very obvious and plain to see, others will only be picked up on by long-time DC fans who are very familiar with comics, TV shows, and movies. With that being said, here’s a deep dive into all the DC references that fans can pick up on in My Hero Academia.
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Re-Destro And The Joker
The Meta Liberation Army’s Commander Bares A Striking Resemblance To Batman’s Arch Enemy
While Horikoshi could have easily made Re-Destro a pretty plain-looking businessman when conjuring up his character, he instead decided to play around a little more with his design, which ends up making him an extremely memorable antagonist, especially when paired with his overwhelming strength. However, one popular villain who clearly had a big part in inspiring Re-Destro was the Joker. For example, while both of them share the same signature pointy nose, they also have extremely similar hairstyles and even the same sinister laugh.
Thankfully, though, Re-Destro still comes across as a unique character who possesses his own personal beliefs, ideologies, and abilities, so he doesn’t feel like just another Joker clone who is a complete copy of the iconic Batman villain. Still, it’s hard to deny that Re-Destro shares a striking resemblance to the prince of crime, which is far from a bad thing, considering how beloved he is among DC fans.
5
Deku Watches Over The City Like Batman
The Dark Hero Arc Saw Deku Bringing Out His Inner Batman
After Deku comes to realize that All For One and Shigaraki are aiming for him and his Quirk specifically, the hero decides to abandon UA and his friends in order to go rogue to ensure they don’t get caught up in the crossfire. This leads into what many fans call the Dark Hero arc, and the very first panel and scene that kicks off this section of the story is one that shows a disillusioned-looking Deku watching over the city while standing atop a skyscraper.
My Hero Academia may be known for its fun and vibrant characters, but these designs prove that the series can get pretty sinister every now and again.
While it’s an epic shot in its own right, it also seems very reminiscent of the classic Batman illustrations, which would show The Dark Knight keeping a watchful eye over Gotham from a high-up gargoyle. There’s an abundance of these kinds of portraits that Horikoshi could have been inspired by, but the one that seems most similar to this particular shot is the Batman #208 illustration by Jim Lee, which many fans will be very familiar with, considering how popular it has become across the internet.
4
Toga’s Bane Mask
Toga Decided To Take Some Fashion Inspiration From The Behemoth Known As Bane
When she’s not chowing down on her latest victim and consuming their blood, Toga can often be seen wearing a black and silver mask that covers her entire mouth. Upon first glance, this may seem like a pretty unusual decoration which the quirky young villain had randomly decided to throw on one day, but Batman fans will immediately pick up on the fact that this mask is a direct reference to one of the Caped Crusader’s toughest opponents, Bane.
This version of Bane’s mask first became popular when it appeared in The Dark Knight Rises movie, where it grants Bane the deep and gravely voice that he’s most known for. Though Toga and Bane are extremely different as characters, it seems they do at least share the same fashion sense, with this being yet another delightful homage to one of Batman’s most recognizable enemies.
3
Knuckleduster Is A Step-In For Batman
Just Like Batman, Knuckleduster Continues To Fight, Despite Having No Powers
Knuckleduster is a character who was first introduced in the Vigilantes spinoff series, but as someone who doesn’t possess a Quirk, it means he is essentially restricted from becoming a hero, despite having a heart of gold. As a result, Knuckleduster decides to take up the position of a vigilante, and to ensure he’s strong enough to take on any villains that stand in his way, he’s become a highly skilled hand-to-hand combatant who also has several gadgets up his sleeve any time a fight starts getting a little intense.
Despite initially seeming fairly unordinary, these heroes and villains proved that they are much stronger than many fans expected.
If all of this sounds familiar, it’s because Knuckleduster is extremely similar to Batman in the sense that they both possess no super-powers to speak of while living in a world full of them, and have both also trained their bodies to be capable enough of fighting crime. There’s also the dynamic between Knuckleduster and All Might, which mirrors that of Batman and Superman in the DC comics.
2
All It Takes Is One Bad Day
Joker’s Classic Quote Is Used For A Chapter Focusing on Twice
The Joker has let out a plethora of thought-provoking and impactful quotes over the years, but the one that is arguably the most well-known and relevant to his character is when he says that “all it takes is one bad day”. What the Joker is referring to here is how a simple incident can send a reasonable person down the path of villainy, so it seems fitting that the quote is used for a My Hero Academia chapter which focuses on Twice, considering this essentially sums up his tragic backstory.
While Twice’s Quirk is extremely powerful, the ability to duplicate anything he touches resulted in him accidentally creating an entire army of clones. After being forced to question whether or not he was even the real Twice or simply an impostor, Twice would gradually start to lose his mind, eventually becoming a full-on villain who aims to tear down the society that decided to reject him and his mental struggles.
1
Superman
The Hero Of Metropolis Makes A Quick Cameo At The Beginning Of The Story
In the very first chapter of the manga, before Deku even acquires One For All, there is a panel that introduces the idea of hero society and how it works within the world of My Hero Academia. Fans are greeted with a dazzling shot of All Might with this cape flowing in the wind, but to the right of the page is a medley of silhouettes which are clear references to well-known superheroes, and while Spider-Man and Moon Knight both make appearances, DC’s very own Superman also shows up to make a quick cameo.
With his fist aimed at the sky and a darkened-out stern look on his face, it’s clear as day that Horikoshi was aiming to provide a heartfelt homage to the legendary hero of Metropolis. While Batman and his rogue gallery of villains are referenced a lot more than Superman, at least the Kryptonian does get to at least show up in one form or another, especially so early on in the story.
