What is Skeptic's Quirk in My Hero Academia? Explained

Skeptic is a calculating and manipulative member of the Paranormal Liberation Front in My Hero Academia. His real name is Tomoyasu Chikazoku, and he is a part of the organization command tier of the PLA. Though Skeptic may be associated with the front lines, he is not a traditional front-line fighter. Rather, Skeptic is responsible for front-line strategies, propaganda, and the use and development of technology. In terms of the franchise, he is one of the most dangerous supporting villains.

Skeptic's Quirk is called Anthropomorph, which is unique and versatile. With this Quirk, he can change non-living objects into humanoid puppets he can control from a distance. The objects keep their original material but are shaped with human-like appearances and movement.

This can be done in numbers limited by the available material; the puppets can be shaped to fit different indications of a person to use against them for various purposes of deception and psychological warfare. He has also been shown to control both individual objects he manipulates as puppets and multiple puppets with precise movements to execute coordinated attacks or distractions.

While Skeptic has a calm demeanor in My Hero Academia that hides a sharp mind for outthinking his opponents and manipulating almost any situation to his advantage, this is not the case for most members of the Paranormal Liberation Front, who rely heavily on brute force. Skeptic prefers to think of different approaches by manipulating the battlefield in creative ways.

The puppets are not living and, therefore, are incapable of feeling pain and fight until they are destroyed. That makes the puppets great for swarming and for giving allies cover. The Quirk can affect a range of objects from items to buildings, so they are versatile both offensively and defensively.

Skeptic creates combinations. He often merges his knowledge of technology and tactics with his Quirk to create potent out-of-combat effects. The Quirk allows him to have an army of expendable fighters, while he himself remains unscathed. In battle, he proves that cleverness is just as dangerous as strength in battle, especially when combined with preparation.

Limitations of Skeptic's Quirk in My Hero Academia

Skeptic's Anthropomorph Quirk in My Hero Academia is quite powerful, but it does have some major restrictions that keep it from being completely unstoppable. The first restriction is its reliance on raw material. Skeptic can only make his humanoid puppets out of air, so in order to bring his puppets to life, he needs to have access to appropriate objects.

If there are no objects for him to use to build puppets, Skeptic has no real direct attack capabilities and is forced to rely on capturing an opponent's action. As mentioned earlier, Skeptic's potential depends on the environment and circumstances surrounding his planning before an engagement.

Another restriction involves the durability of the items Skeptic uses to manufacture his puppets. The puppets will have the same durability that was intrinsic to their source object, so the strength and defensiveness of the objects could vary by quite a lot.

For example, a puppet made out of tissue paper would break very easily, while one that was made from an actual bulletproof vest would be very tough. In addition, an opponent could target the puppet directly or target a reaction that destroys several puppets at once, assuming that Skeptic is unable to protect them.

Another limitation is the durability of his creations. If his intention is interrupted due to the potential of being distracted, whether it be broken focus, or overwhelmed at any point, there may be a level of efficiency lost due to precision in commands that will control his use of the machines.

Thirdly, his Quirk does not grant intelligence to his puppets; they only retain the mechanics of input from his focus. So, in a situation that involved the introduction of complex or unpredictable inputs could have skeletal consequences because the puppets do not communicate independently of Skeptic.

Final thoughts

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Skeptic is a strategic and clever villain in My Hero Academia. His Anthropomorph Quirk allows him to create and manipulate throwaway puppets. It gives him so much room for versatility, both offensive and defensive. He is able to manipulate the battlefield itself, with little risk to his own.

Like most Quirks, Anthropomorph has a few downsides. Skeptic is unable to use the Quirk with unlimited effectiveness. He relies on the materials around him, the duration of how long the puppet can hold up against composite damage, and how much focus he has to give it. Still, the unique mix of intelligence and improvisation guarantees he is a nuisance wherever he finds himself, be it in battle or as an enemy.

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