One of the best things about My Hero Academia as both an anime show and a manga series is the friendships the characters build throughout the franchise. UA High School has challenges of its own with multiple class specialties all competing for a place in the hero world, but Class 1-A and 1-B constantly prove that even when you're rivals you can build friendships.
The villains are no exception to friendships either, and, while there is only one villain pair on this list, they are further proof that, even with a bad label like a villain, friendships are still important. The best friendships in MHA vary from childhood to newfound shared abilities, and even the most unexpected are undoubtedly powerful.
Kyoka Jiro & Denki Kaminari
Jiro and Kaminari, as most the students in Class 1-A, have been building the friendship in and out of class. One of their first moments getting to know each other was during the school festival when they built a band for their contribution. From the start, the mention of Kyoka's musical talents impressed Denki, and he even played the guitar for their class performance.
In Chapter 263 of the manga, Jiro and Kaminari are alongside heroes from all over to battle the Liberation Revolution, but they are in separate groups. Kaminari cries out about wanting to be with his friends, but he powers through, and Jiro expresses her concern about his safety only to be comforted by Momo Yayorozou. Later in the fight, Kaminari even thinks of and looks back for Jiro when Midnight tells him to think of the person that matters most to him at that moment. These seem to be some of the first hints of a potentially romantic relationship for Jiro and Kaminari.
Katsuki Bakugo & Eijiro Kirishima
Bakugo never really seems to have genuine friendships; his brazen personality and constant insults tend to keep people at a distance. But, when Kirishima is fascinated by Bakugo's brute abilities and blunt attitude, he begins to build what is becoming an unbreakable friendship.
Even when Bakugo acts as if he doesn't need or even like any of his classmates, Kirishima is there to remind him that they are friends, and Bakugo has softened since Kirishima has helped him understand that his classmates are not out to get him.
Shota Aizawa & Hizashi Yamada
The anime gives pretty good evidence as to why Aizawa and Present Mic are best buds, but, for the most part, they have just been teachers and coworkers that get along. It is revealed in the manga and in the anime that their friendship actually started when they were students at UA. They both lost their friend Shirakumo in their second year at UA and have now found out that he is the body behind the Kurogiri villain.
Present Mic is always sure to encourage Aizawa as both a teacher and friend and they provide a system for each other after suffering such a tragedy. Even when Present Mic jokingly picks on Aizawa for being a bad teacher, Aizawa knows it comes from a place of friendship and silliness.
Jin Bubaigawara & Himiko Toga
After a battle with Sir Nighteye, Jin, aka Twice, lost a part of his bandage mask that helps him keep his cloning quirk under control. While freaking out, Toga found him and helped him cover back up and regain calmness. Toga's soft spot for Twice began in that encounter.
Their friendship came full circle in Chapter 266 of the manga, as Twice died in Toga's arms after rescuing her and Compress from Food. He thanked her for her friendship and she tried to save him by reapplying a bandage mask once again, even when his death was inevitable. It was a sweet and sad moment of closure to their friendship.
Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu & Eijiro Kirishima
Tetsutetsu and Kirishima first meet when they are posed against each other in the Sports Festival, and they quickly learn that their quirks are the same just with different material bases. Tetsutetsu hardens into steel, while Kirishima hardens into rock. They battle it out for quite some time before judges determine they should just rematch later with an arm wrestle. They realize that, with similar quirks, they also both have similar tough-guy exteriors but are actually kind-hearted and loyal friends.
Itsuka Kendo & Neito Monoma
Monoma and Kendo are from Class 1-B, and Monoma has a habit of getting too competitive the moment he realizes his class and Class 1-A will be up against each other. Thankfully, Kendo is always there to reel him back in and keep him grounded.
Their friendship also qualifies as one of the best because Monoma never seems to be irritated or responsive to Kendo calming him down and apologizing for his actions. This leads fans to believe their friendship is based on respect for one another and on Kendo's ability and enjoyment of teasing Monoma. They share a dislike for being upstaged by Class 1-A, but she holds her friend to a higher standard than his taunting.
Tsuyu Asui & Ochaco Uraraka
The girls of Class 1-A have built a community all of their own ,but Asui and Uraraka became the closest so far. While Asui prefers to be called Tsu by all of her classmates, she also calls Uraraka by her first name. Asui's blunt way of communicating and Uraraka's emotional way seem to balance each other out while also benefitting one another in getting to know their fellow classmates.
Tsu comforts Uraraka during the Forest Training Camp Arc by holding her hand, and she protects Uraraka when Toga shows up to fight them. When Tsu cried and apologized to her classmates for questioning the rescue plan for Bakugo, Uraraka was there to comfort her as well. They both have become each other's shoulders to cry on.
Momo Yaoyorozu & Kyoka Jiro
The two hero students prove they work well together in the battle against the League of Villains at the U.S.J., and they continue that working relationship into their studies when Kyoka asks Momo to tutor her for the final exams.
Their friendship extends beyond helping each other in battle, and they get to go shopping together for the training camp. Once at the training camp, Kyoka even stands up for Momo when Sero makes fun of her quirk. The two often get paired up beyond this, as well.
Izuku Midoriya & Shoto Todoroki [& Katsuki Bakugo]
These three's relationship grows from some of the worst circumstances; Midoriya and Bakugo have been enemies since childhood, Todoroki and Bakugo just didn't really want much to do with each other when they met, and Todoroki internally decided that Midoriya would be his rival before he really got to know him.
When Todoroki realizes that Midoriya isn't just going to fight him over something that isn't their fight and is even going to be helpful in the recovery of his past, he decides that letting Midoriya in and being friendlier with him wouldn't be so bad. This leads them to eventually eat lunch together and Todoroki inviting both Midoriya and Bakugo to intern under his father, Endeavor.
Currently in the anime and the manga, fans have just seen Midoryia and Bakugo have dinner with the Todoroki family. This brought them closer, as Midoriya stood up for Todoroki's feelings, revealing that he understands him, and Bakugo got to see a deeper side to his two friends.
Eijiro Kirishima & Mina Ashido
They began their friendship by working well together on Bakugo's team during the Sports Festival. Later, Ashido realizes she and Kirishima went to the same middle school and that he had a complete change in his appearance between then and now at UA High. Instead of harping on this, she acknowledges that he is working on his confidence and she is almost always there in the battles to step in when he freezes up.
She reminds him to not put too much pressure on himself and even calls them horn buddies because his hair matches her horns. These two inspire each other and that is one of the best things friendships provide.
