My Hero Academia is filled with a wide variety of Quirks, each of which shapes the heroes and villains that wield them. Some are granted extraordinary abilities that allow them to dominate battlefields with their strength, speed, or tactical advantages. With Quirks that powerful, some characters are destined to rise through the ranks and make a difference as a hero.

However, not every Quirk offers the same level of power or versatility and is either unhelpful or uninspiring. Some abilities lack offensive power while others have major drawbacks that make the risks outweigh the reward. Whether due to impracticality, limitations, or outright uselessness, there are quite a few Quirks in My Hero Academia that don’t measure up to the overwhelming powers and astonishing abilities seen elsewhere.

8 Navel Laser

Held by Yuga Aoyama, Also Known as Can’t Stop Twinkling

Yuga Aoyama is the most flamboyant student in U.A.’s Class 1-A and is known for his dramatic personality and love for all things sparkly. He likes to stand out among his classmates and is often seen flaunting his ability in theatrical ways, topped with winks and exaggerated poses. Despite his eccentricities, he struggles with self-doubt and the need for validation, making him a more complex character beneath his silly attitude. While he occasionally steps up in battle, Aoyama often finds himself overshadowed by stronger classmates.

Navel Laser allows him to fire a concentrated energy beam from his stomach. While it may not seem terrible at first, the drawbacks of his power severely limit its effectiveness. Overusing this ability leads to severe stomach pain, making it unreliable for prolonged battles. In close-range combat, its usefulness is even more restricted, leaving Aoyama vulnerable. Navel Laser lacks versatility, and once the beam is fired, Aoyama can’t freely direct or adjust it, as it only travels in a straight line. It may be a flashy Quirk, but its limitations overshadow its uses.

7 Telescopic

Held by Tatami Nakagame, Also Known as Turtle Neck

Tatami Nakagame is a student at Ketsubutsu Academy, first introduced during the Provisional Hero License Exam. She is a determined tactical fighter who shows strong teamwork skills and is level-headed in combat. Unlike her classmates, she seems to focus on evasion and strategy rather than brute force. This is likely directly related to the fact that her Quirk is not that powerful.

Tatami’s Quirk, Telescopic, allows her to retract her head, limbs, and torso inward, much like a turtle withdrawing into its shell. While this ability can help her dodge attacks, it doesn’t offer much of an advantage in an actual fight. Judging by her stature, Tatami lacks the durability to endure any hits, which means her best strategy is to avoid damage rather than countering. Beyond combat, her Quirk has minimal applications in everyday life, making Telescopic a Quirk that falls short compared to many others.

6 Pop Off

Held by Minoru Mineta, Also Known as Grape Juice

Minoru Mineta is one of the strangest characters in Class 1-A. He's known for his short stature, cowardice, and uncomfortable perversion. Despite his questionable behavior, he is surprisingly intelligent and often uses his quick thinking to escape troublesome situations. Though he lacks the physical strength and combat power of his classmates, he has proven himself capable of holding his own in dire circumstances. Even so, much of his success stems from this reliance on strategy and his companions rather than his own power.

Mineta’s Pop Off Quirk manifests as detachable, purple spheres on his head that he can pull off and stick to anything or anyone. With this ability, he can effectively trap his opponents or scale any obstacle. While these aspects of Mineta’s Quirk are indeed useful, it lacks offensive capabilities, making it challenging to contend with powerful enemies. Additionally, the drawbacks include bleeding from the scalp, which severely limits how long it can be used. Although Mineta has found creative ways to make his Quirk useful, it remains underwhelming, visually unappealing, and ineffective for significant hero work.

5 Soul

Held by Rody Soul

Rody Soul is introduced in the movie, My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission, as a resourceful and independent young man. Unlike the students at U.A., he is not training to become a hero and instead works odd jobs that are often questionable to provide for his younger siblings. Living on the outskirts of society, Rody heavily relies on his street smarts and charisma to navigate daily life. Although his courage and ability to adapt quickly help him hold his own, his Quirk is one that most people would rather not have in his line of work.

Rody’s Quirk, Soul, manifests as a small bird named Pino, which expresses Rody’s true emotions. Due to his Quirk, Rody is incapable of lying and offers him no combat or physical enhancement. In some ways, Pino becomes more of a liability rather than an asset, as revealing emotions can give away fear, hesitation, or deception. While it is useful for reading his intentions and conveying honesty, Soul is arguably one of the weakest Quirks and may hinder its more than it helps them.

4 Sugar Rush

Held by Rikido Sato, Also Known as Sugarman

Rikido Sato is one of the quieter students of Class 1-A compared to his classmates and often fades into the background. He has a large build, impressive strength, and is shown to be kind and ive to his friends. While he may have the physical presence of a powerful hero, he lacks qualities that could propel him into the ranks of other top-tier heroes.

With his Quirk, Sugar Rush, he can boost his strength by consuming large amounts of sugar, but it comes with major drawbacks. The boost in his power has a time limit that is directly correlated to the amount of sugar he eats in grams. Ten grams of sugar gives him three minutes of enhanced power. However, the worst aspect of this Quirk is the decline in his cognitive function after his three minutes are up, causing him to become drowsy and sluggish.

3 Permeation

Held by Mirio Togata, Also Known as Lemillion

Mirio Togata is living proof that raw talent means little without relentless dedication. As the top student among U.A.’s Big Three, he has trained harder than almost anyone to reach his level of strength. He’s a natural leader with a vibrant personality, and he has mastered his Quirk with surgical precision. However, his success is not solely due to his Quirk; instead, it stems from enduring the terrifying risks associated with it. Years of rigorous training have brought Mirio to the top of his class.

Anyone else would struggle to make this power viable, but Mirio’s relentless drive and skill make him the exception, not the rule.

Permeation grants the ability to phase through objects. While this may seem like a powerful and useful ability, the risks far outweigh the benefits. When activated, Permeation prevents Mirio from seeing, hearing, or even breathing, meaning that even a split-second mistake could cost him his life. Losing concentration mid-phase could leave him stuck inside a wall, while a mistimed activation could lead to a fatal mistake in battle. Anyone else would struggle to make this power viable, but Mirio’s relentless drive and skill make him the exception, not the rule.

2 Bubble

Held by Kaoruko Awata​​​​​​, Also Known as Bubble Girl

Kaoruko Awata, widely known by her hero name Bubble Girl, is a professional hero and Sir Nighteye’s trusted sidekick. She has a sharp, no-nonsense attitude and remains calm under pressure, making her a reliable hero. Despite her professionalism, she is also known for her reactions when faced with Nighteye’s humor. While she certainly possesses the skills to hold her own in the field, her Quirk doesn’t provide the kind of that most heroes rely on.

Her Quirk, Bubble, enables her to create scented bubbles. While this can be useful for distracting enemies with specific scents or disorienting them with strong odors, it lacks both defensive and offensive capabilities. In a battle-heavy profession, a Quirk that relies upon scent manipulation is far too situational to be effective against opponents. Outside of combat, Bubble also has minimal use in daily life.

1 Tail

Held by Mashirao Ojiro, Also Known as Tailman

Mashiro Ojiro is among the most straightforward students in Class 1-A, known for his strong sense of justice and disciplined approach to heroism. Armed with a solid foundation in martial arts, Ojiro excels in hand-to-hand combat and often relies on his physical abilities to complete any task. However, despite his martial arts proficiency, his Quirk, Tail, doesn’t provide him with significant advantages, particularly when compared to his classmates’ powers.

Tail is exactly what it sounds like: a manifestation that he can use as a weapon, a third arm, and to his body weight. Ojiro employs it as an extension of himself in combat, enhancing his agility and using it to strike his opponents with powerful swipes. While it is effective in hand-to-hand battles and aligns with Ojiro’s background, it lacks potential and is comparatively a dull Quirk to have. No matter how skilled Ojiro may be, a tail doesn’t stand out and isn’t nearly as exciting as the other superpowers in My Hero Academia.