My Hero Academia: All Might's Greatest Strength May Not Be His Muscle Form

In the world of My Hero Academia, heroes come in all shapes and sizes, each with their own quirks. But none are as iconic as Yagi Toshinori, aka All Might, the Symbol of Peace and former number 1 hero in Japan. All Might is known for his giant muscles, his ability to defeat his opponents with his many signature moves, and his catchphrase, “I am here”.

Note that even though All Might was in peak physical shape, his strength did not just come from his muscles and could have even been the least of his strengths. All Might’s unwavering will, desire to be a hero, and selflessness among others is what sets him apart from other heroes and puts him at the top of Japan and the hero society.

All Might’s Origin

From Quirkless Boy To The Greatest Hero Japan Ever Saw

Every hero has an origin story and as a young boy, All Might always wanted to be a hero. He lived in an era where All For One’s influence was at its strongest and villains did as they pleased. Because of All For One’s influence, he lost his family to villains and he was left alone in this cruel and dangerous world. Seeing All For One’s influence made him want to be a source of influence for peace. He wanted to live in a world where villains hid in the shadows because they were afraid of the consequences they would face for disturbing the peace.

All Might had the dream, he had the will and the drive to be a hero but he lacked the most important part, the superhuman ability, known as a quirk, that most people are born with. He tried to do as much good and help as much as he could but without a quirk, his impact was not as big as he wanted it to be.

But his luck would change as he meets Nana Shimura who was what All Might needed to make his dreams come true as she passed on the One For All quirk to him. After getting the One For All quirk, All Might became almost unbeatable. With his unwavering will, drive, his new powers, and his muscular body, he had everything he needed to be a hero.

The Symbol of Peace

More Than Just A Hero

All Might never wanted to be just a hero; he wanted more. He wanted his presence to be commanding, instill confidence in civilians, and put fear in villains. If All Might had not had muscles, this would not have been possible, as his muscular form established him as the Symbol of Peace in Japan, inspiring peace and confidence among the populace.

All Might’s strength was so remarkable that no other hero could stand close. They all tried to overtake, especially Endeavor, but what they failed to understand was that All Might’s strength was not just physical; it was mental. His desire to command peace and save people was what fueled him despite everything. Regardless of the distance or weather conditions, All Might always showed up to save the day, and most heroes lacked that. The other heroes lacked the sheer will to genuinely surrender themselves to their heroic duties.

A Mentor To The Next Generations

Passing Down His Philosophy

All Might get his strength from being the Symbol of Peace and being a role model to the other pro-heroes and the next generation of heroes, Midoriya, Todoroki, and Bakugo all looked up to All Might at some point in their lives. One of All Might’s lasting contributions to the hero society is his mentorship. Passing down his quirk, One For All, was not easy. All Might knew he would not be a hero forever but failed to prepare for his replacement sooner. But an encounter with Izuku Midoriya would not only kickstart his retirement but also the beginning of his mentorship journey.

Since he cannot be a full-time hero, All Might become a teacher at UA High where he uses his pro-hero experience to guide and teach Midoriya and his peers how to use their powers and what it means to be a hero—which includes the courage to make tough decisions and the selflessness to put others’ safety above their own, one thing All Might is famous for.

All Might teaches that the heart of heroism is not in the strength to defeat villains but in the resolve to protect and inspire others. This lesson shapes his students’ lives and prepares them to carry the torch of heroism forward so his legacy will live on. All Might may have lost his muscle form but he made sure he passed on his ideology to the next generation of heroes, transferred some of his power, and made most heroes follow his path.

A Strong Spirit

Never Backing Down

All Might’s story is also one of incredible resilience. His fight with All For One left him physically weak and ended his era as the number one hero. But his willingness to endure pain and his determination to save others at all costs never wavered. This resilience makes his journey more heroic than any superhuman strength.

This is what most heroes lack and fans see how public backlash makes some pro heroes hang up their capes and bow from the heroic scene. All Might got his share of backlash and what he faced after fighting All For One should have made him retire immediately, as the fight with All For One left him hanging by a thread; he was inches away from death, and even at that he never thought about himself. His second fight with All For One was another case of resilience as that made him lose every single bit of One For All, leaving him quirkless and muscleless. But in that fight, regardless of his physical condition, All Might persevere with all his might, physically and mentally.

All Might’s greatest strength is his unbreakable spirit. Even as his physical power fades, his spirit remains unbroken. He keeps smiling and reassuring the public, proof of his mental and emotional toughness. In times of crisis, it is All Might’s spirit that lifts both heroes and civilians alike, making them feel hope and security that no villain can take away.

In My Hero Academia, All Might’s true strength is being a pillar of hope and a hero for the future. While his muscle form and heroic deeds are celebrated, his lasting impact is in the hearts he touched and the heroes he inspired. All Might’s legacy is not just in the battles he won but in the hope he gives, the lessons he teaches, and his unshakeable spirit.

In My Hero Academia, some humans have superpowers called quirks. Izuku Midoriya, nicknamed Deku, is not one of them. Deku has always idolized heroes like the number one hero, All Might, and since he was a child, he has always wanted to be a hero. However, his lack of a quirk has always held him back, but a chance encounter with All Might after discovering a classmate in danger sets Deku on the path to becoming a true hero. My Hero Academia centers around Deku and a class of heroes-in-training at UA. This school shapes young quirk users into future heroes through fake rescue missions, combat training, and other hero-tempering tasks. With young Deku inheriting the “One-For-All” quirk, he will learn what it means to be a true hero while facing off with dastardly supervillains.

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Studio

Bones

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Creator

Kōhei Horikoshi

Number of Episodes

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159

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