The League of Villains ' backstories in My Hero Academia highlight an important theme in the anime. Although most of the series focuses on the heroes, past and present, who strive to eradicate crime in any form, the villains' motivations are often just as, if not more, interesting. The League of Villains in particular have repeatedly claimed that their quirk society is far from the perfect utopia some claim it to be.
My Hero Academia's quirk society emphasized strict differences between the heroes and villains, with no gray area in between. Of course, the League of Villains are called villains for a reason — many of them have committed terrible crimes in pursuit of their goals. Inspired by the Hero Killer Stain, who proclaimed that all heroes except for one were inherently corrupt, the villains have used violence to draw attention to their beliefs.
Nevertheless, the backstories of My Hero Academia's villains prove that there is at least some validity to their words. Some of their origins have not yet been properly explored in the anime, but each of the characters' backstories originates from a place of pain and corruption. Here are the origins of My Hero Academia's League of Villains, and why their stories matter.
Twice
Twice, also known as Jin Bubaigawara, only ever wanted friends. His parents died while he was in middle school, leaving him on his own. There was no one to look after him or explain right from wrong, which led to him making a series of bad decisions with only clones of himself for company. Eventually, the clones grew tired of the original Twice being in charge of the rest, and they fought and killed each other. Having to watch versions of himself attack each other made Twice unsure of his own sanity and questioning whether he was actually the real, original Twice. That uncertainty remained until he risked his life to protect Himiko in My Hero Academia season 5. Unlike many other League of Villains , who had malicious intentions when ing the group, Twice only ever wanted companionship. He became a part of the League because they accepted him and let him be himself, something that he never experienced anywhere else.
Himiko Toga
Himiko Toga's backstory is similarly lonely. Growing up, all she wanted was to be loved by her family and classmates, but her quirk only horrified them. Such a villainous power, which required her to drink blood, made everyone treat her like a monster at an incredibly young age. Her parents only tried to enforce their ideas of normalcy and conformity on her, which backfired. Himiko Toga eventually ran away from home, and has stated again and again that all she wanted was to be able to do what she pleased, and to be loved. Anyone with a dangerous or scary power was regularly treated like a criminal even if they'd done nothing wrong. Even hero-hopeful Hitoshi Shinsou, who can mind control people, has itted to being treated like a villain just because of his quirk, even though he has never taken advantage of the ability.
Mr. Compress
Mr. Compress, or Atsuhiro Sako, has never revealed much about his backstory. The only piece of his history that has been shared was the identity of his great-great-grandfather, known as the Peerless Thief, who was known for stealing from wealthy heroes and giving to people in need. This ion for working against corruption in the extremely wealthy seemed to be something Mr. Compress shared. Despite being one of the more experienced League of Villains , Mr. Compress often relied more on dramatic monologues and putting on a performance than completing his mission, but he did help the League expose injustices in society. Mr. Compress even sacrificed himself with his compression quirk during the Paranormal Liberation War Arc in order to allow others to escape.
Magne
Magne was a trans woman who ed the League of Villains to live the life she wanted. Her last words, "We're free to decide for ourselves exactly where we belong," explained much about her character. The only part of Magne's backstory that My Hero Academia revealed before her death was her struggles as a transgender person. She never felt as though she fit in or that she was free to be herself. The anime did confirm that she was a villain long before she ed the League of Villains, since the hero Tiger claimed she was responsible for nine armed robberies, three murders, and 29 attempted murders. It was never explained if Magne's turn to villainy was connected to the prejudice she faced, but she clearly cared for her other League deeply, and after her death, Twice and Himiko were especially committed to avenging it.
Kurogiri
Tragically, Kurogiri never had much of a say in becoming a villain. My Hero Academia season 5 revealed that Kurogiri was actually an advanced type of Nomu, and used to be Shouta Aizawa and Hizashi Yamada's childhood friend, Oboro Shirakumo. Oboro was presumed dead after an accident, and his body was secretly experimented on to turn him into the villain Kurogiri. Kurogiri appeared unaware or dismissive of his previous identity when Shouta tried to get through to him, but Oboro did briefly manifest within the villain's mist. Since Kurogiri did not choose to become a villain himself, but was literally turned into one, his backstory reveals less about himself than about the scientist responsible for his creation. Whether or not Oboro is truly alive within Kurogiri remains to be seen, but his story will either resolve into one of hope, or simply a cautionary tale about villains' cruelty.
Spinner
Spinner, or Shuichi Iguchi, represented a grave injustice in My Hero Academia's hero society. Although Spinner never set out to inspire others or lead a revolution, he became a symbol of hope for many other mutant persons who were treated as villains just for existing. Before becoming inspired by Stain's message of hero corruption, Spinner spent much of his time hiding from a world that discriminated against him. Like many of his fellow League of Villains , the organization was one of the first places that gave him a sense of belonging. He could simply be himself without worrying about societal pressures. Spinner's journey as a villain molded him into an icon for other mutants in My Hero Academia who were ostracized simply for how they looked.
Dabi
Dabi's origin story has been a closely guarded My Hero Academia's villain Dabi. His hatred of heroes was a personal one, stemming from what he viewed as his father's abuse and betrayal, but when he shared his story with the world, many didn't seem to care. Dabi's backstory exposed the toxicity within hero society, but it also highlighted how quick people are to dismiss corruption when a villain was the one sharing the news.
Tomura Shigaraki
Tomura Shigaraki's backstory in My Hero Academia was one of manipulation. Born Tenko Shimura, he grew up afraid of his father's anger, which the rest of his family did little to stop. The day Tomura One for All wielder, Nana Shimura, which was likely part of the reason why All for One chose him to complete his plans. Like many of the other League of Villains , Tomura Shigaraki was ignored by society at his most vulnerable, and he wants to make the world pay for it.