My Hero Academia: All For One is an Excellent Villain, and here's why

All For One
All For One (Image Credit: Studio BONES)

My Hero Academia has many strong characters, both heroes and villains. But All For One stands out as one of the best villains in the anime. He is not just powerful—he’s also smart and dangerous, managing to stay ahead for much of the series.

In My Hero Academia, All For One has a quirk that lets him take powers from others. He can also give those powers to anyone he wants. The condition for his ability to work isn’t complex; he just has to make physical contact. This makes him very powerful and scary to approach carelessly. He has many quirks stored in his body and can use them during battle.

That is why he is difficult to defeat. He does not rely on just one quirk. Many of his stored quirks work simultaneously, giving him a huge advantage in battle. Just when the heroes think they’ve found a weakness they can exploit, he pulls out a new quirk to close that door. This makes him a serious threat to any hero—even an entire team.

All For One also makes other villains more dangerous. In My Hero Academia, he gives power to those who agree to follow him. He gives those who are ready to sacrifice for him powers and takes them from those who stand against him. This raises the level of danger for everyone.

All For One showing his multiple quirks (Image Credit: Studio Bones)
All For One showing his multiple quirks (Image Credit: Studio Bones)

What also makes All For One scary is his presence in the show. In My Hero Academia, he controls things from the shadows. All For One finds people who are angry or lost and turns them into villains. Case in point is Shigaraki Tomura, the leader of the League of Villains.

He raised Shigaraki and gave him all he needed to be the next big villain. There were also Kurogiri, Gigantomachia, and other Nomus. The League of Villains would not be as strong without him. His support helps them grow. That means every wrong thing they do is also partly his doing.

Setting all these people in place makes it possible for him to remain hidden. He rarely shows himself unless it is absolutely necessary. This is shown when the heroes attack the League of Villains' hideout to rescue Katsuki Bakugo. It wasn't until the battle was almost at its peak that he appeared to save his underlings.

In the wildest, most chaotic moments, All For One is always calm. Even though All For One is evil, he is not loud or eccentric like other villains in the show. He talks in a soft voice while remaining calm and collected. This quiet attitude makes him more dangerous. He always knows what he’s doing and doesn’t let emotions guide him. This kind of villain is harder to deal with.

All For One not showing himself fully (Image Credit: Studio BONES)
All For One not showing himself fully (Image Credit: Studio BONES)

All For One is the kind of villain who plans ahead. In My Hero Academia, he is not just fighting with strength. While he is very powerful, he uses his brain just as much, if not more. He thinks about the future and sets his plans in motion with his future self in mind. This makes him different from many other villains who exist in the moment and just want to fight to cause chaos.

In battles, All For One shows how deadly he is. In My Hero Academia, his fight with All Might is one of the most intense moments in the series. In the Hideout Raid Arc, All Might and All For One have their long-fated rematch. Even when he is losing, he still fights with skill, power, and a touch of underhanded tactics.

He tries to break All Might’s spirit. He uses words as weapons, not just punches. This shows how complete he is as a villain. Instead of just attacking the physical body, he tried to penetrate his mind. It took All Might using the remaining burning embers of One For All left in him to win the battle. But somehow, that felt like a plan from All For One’s end.

After his defeat at the hands of the Symbol of Peace, he was locked up in Tartarus Prison. My Hero Academia then uses this moment to show that All For One is difficult to stop. Even when he is locked away, he still finds ways to control events.

All For One and Shigaraki, as seen in the anime (Image Credit: Studio BONES)
All For One and Shigaraki, as seen in the anime (Image Credit: Studio BONES)

There were instructions for Gigantomachia to cause Shigaraki to evolve. There were instructions for Dr. Kyudai Garaki to follow to take Shigaraki to a whole new level. His plans keep moving forward even when he cannot leave. This shows how much control All For One has. He is not just a person. He is like a system that keeps running.

One of the most interesting parts of All For One in My Hero Academia is his bond with Shigaraki. He treats Shigaraki like a son. But he is also using him. This strange mix of care and control makes his character more intriguing. He wants Shigaraki to be strong. But he also wants to keep him under control.

In My Hero Academia, All For One’s goals are big. In plain words, and according to him, he wants to be the greatest demon lord of all. He is the complete opposite of the Symbol of Peace. Where All Might embodies justice and freedom, All For One is about control and service.

He does not want a simple win. He wants to change the whole world. He wants a society where people depend on him. He wants heroes to fall and villains to rise. This goal gives the story a lot more weight. While this might seem a little generic, the way he goes about it makes his arc more compelling. The heroes are not just fighting a man. They are fighting a whole idea, a whole plan to rebuild society in a dark way.

All For One, as seen in the anime (Image Credit: Studio BONES)
All For One, as seen in the anime (Image Credit: Studio BONES)

My Hero Academia also makes it clear that beating All For One is not just about power. It is about spirit, belief, hope, faith, and, most importantly, teamwork. Heroes like All Might and Deku must work hard and stay true to their values. They must believe in hope and justice. This makes the fight against All For One feel more real and meaningful.


All For One and One For All in My Hero Academia

In My Hero Academia, All For One also plays a big role in the past of the number one hero. Throughout the series, we hear of feats of the Symbol of Peace. How he saved people time and time again. How he stopped villains multiple times. But when he went up against All For One, he emerged from the fight with a permanent injury that altered his life forever.

To put a man as powerful as All Might out of commission is a huge testament to his power. It is also important to note that All Might’s quirk, One For All, has been passed from hero to hero to stop All For One. He has survived multiple generations of heroes trying to stop him since the days of his brother, Yoichi Shigaraki.

Another reason All For One is such a strong villain is that he believes he is right. In My Hero Academia, he thinks he is helping the world by taking control. He believes people are safer when he is in charge. This makes him even more dangerous. He is not just doing evil for fun. He thinks his way is the best way. This belief drives him forward, no matter the cost.

All For One squaring up against All Might (Image Credit: Studio BONES)
All For One squaring up against All Might (Image Credit: Studio BONES)

Conclusion

In conclusion, All For One was a great villain. In My Hero Academia, he is a force that shapes the world. His defeat was necessary for the world to remain safer and habitable for most. His power level, abilities, and impact on the world of My Hero Academia are things that will be talked about for a very long time.

Edited by Sezal Srivastava