Horikoshi Reveals That He Hated This Version of Bakugo

My Hero Academia is returning for Season 8, which means fans should see the return of Izuku Midoriya and Katsuki Bakugo later this year. And speaking of Bakugo, he remains a fan favorite among My Hero Academia fans not just because of his explosive quirk and personality, but also for his major character development from the first chapter down to the last.

However, series creator Kohei Horikoshi once hated Katsuki Bakugo. This hate stemmed from a version of Bakugo that Horikoshi drew in the past. It’s not unusual for My Hero Academia‘s creator to reveal his sentiments about his characters, so his rants about Bakugo came across as brutally honest. Even so, Bakugo’s unlikable version ended up being the key to his fame today.

Kohei Horikoshi Hated Bakugo’s Happy Face in His Early Design

Bakugo’s Pleasant Face Angered Horikoshi

• Bakugo originally had a happy and kind face.
• Bakugo’s happy face just angered Kohei Horikoshi.

Just like any other Japanese manga artist, My Hero Academia’s creator, Kohei Horikoshi, also experienced countless revisions when creating his characters. In fact, most of his earlier concepts never made it to the serialization, while others evolved until they matched his vision. Katsuki Bakugo was no exception, as the beloved hero underwent a major transformation before he was introduced to fans.

In Bakugo’s character profile, which can be found in the very first volume of the manga, Kohei Horikoshi revealed that Bakugo’s edgy face was originally a happy and kind one. However, shortly after Horikoshi drew this kinder version of Bakugo, the outcome angered him. Not only did Horikoshi draw Bakugo with softer features, but he also gave him a big, wide smile.

Of course, Horikoshi had to go back to the drawing board and change to the unlikable version of Bakugo. While Bakugo appeared kind and approachable with this pleasant design, it did not sit well with Horikoshi, who felt the character needed more edge and intensity for his role. In other words, Bakugo’s happy and kind face did not work, so Horikoshi had to forget about it.

Horikoshi Had to Change Bakugo’s Character Design

Horikoshi Went on a Different Route for Bakugo

Bakugo’s early character design was almost unrecognizable to his final form. In particular, his face, as mentioned, lacked the edge and intensity that the current Bakugo has. In Horikoshi’s first draft, Bakugo has no sharp, piercing eyes, furrowed brows, and a scowling expression. Instead, he had a bright, cheerful expression, which made him look like an incredibly supportive best friend rather than an unlikable rival.

Clearly, this early design did not match with Kohei Horikoshi’s vision for Bakugo. If he had ended up with that happy face and kinder personality, his explosive quirk would have been less impactful. Also, he would have been a mediocre character that’s not difficult to forget. It’s probably for the best that Bakugo had to have a harsher personality to match his quirk, as well as to become a source of conflict for Deku.

In the same character profile, Horikoshi also revealed that he wanted Bakugo as a natural-born genius with a tendency to insult other characters inadvertently. However, he later found this character boring, so he had to switch things up and go for the opposite route. In the end, Horikoshi got what he wanted for Bakugo, someone who was prideful, ambitious, and brutally honest, which fans would find hard to ignore.

Bakugo Is Now a Fan-Favorite Character in My Hero Academia

Bakugo Is More Popular than Deku

It’s no secret that Katsuki Bakugo is one of the most popular characters in My Hero Academia. In fact, he has been consistent in winning popularity polls in Japan, making him more popular than the main character of the series. His wins continue to surprise many fans, even Horikoshi, considering Bakugo has a problematic and toxic behavior in most of the story.

If it were the other way around, where Bakugo maintained his happy and kinder version, the result of the polls might have been different. Just look at Deku, who finds it difficult to beat Bakugo in most popularity polls, not just in Japan, but in the rest of the world. This standing might be due to Bakugo’s explosive quirk and personality, anti-hero appeal, flaws, and his iconic design, to name a few.

Still, it’s not unusual for rude anime characters to hold immense popularity among fans. There’s Hisoka from Hunter x Hunter, Sasuke Uchiha from Naruto, and Izaya Orihara from Durarara, all of whom have become fan favorites just like My Hero Academia’s Bakugo despite their abrasive personalities.

Source: X (formerly Twitter)

My Hero Academia

Release Date

April 2, 2016

Network

TBS, MBS, Nippon TV

Directors

Shouji Ikeno, Tsuyoshi Tobita, Ikuro Sato, Takudai Kakuchi, Masashi Abe, Tetsuya Miyanishi, Kazuma Komatsu, Yoshifumi Sasahara, Masayuki Otsuki, Daisuke Tsukushi, Takayuki Yamamoto, Yohei Fukui, Takuro Tsukada, Masatoyo Takada, Naomi Nakayama, Sayaka Morikawa, Takanori Yano

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  Daiki Yamashita

  Izuku Midoriya (voice)

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  Kaito Ishikawa

  Manga Fukidashi (voice)