With its fresh and slightly satirical take on a world full of heroes, My Hero Academia has taken the anime world by storm in recent years. My Hero Academia The world may seem light and airy at first glance, but it can get surprisingly bloody, with plenty of death.

In My Hero Academia, heroes are not selfless saints. Superheroism has been commercialized, and many heroes are in it more for the fame and glory than to help people. Truly selfless heroes are rare and often never make it to the top ranks. Fortunately, the writers have never gotten too jaded and have given fans true heroes to root for over the years.

10 Chiyo Shuzenji (Recovery Girl)

More than a school nurse

According to Recovery Girl's profile in Volume 8 of the manga, she has been working at UA for over forty years. This would mean she has been there for most, if not all, of her adult life. That's a long time to be the equivalent of a school nurse. With her small stature and elderly appearance, it would be easy to underestimate Recovery Girl.

Recovery Girl’s quirk, Heal, is incredibly powerful. It’s easy to imagine how a more selfish person could have used it to make money. Instead of working to heal the children of UA, Recovery Girl could have made a fortune by renting out her gift to the rich and famous. Instead, she has spent her life helping others and is loved and respected by everyone at UA.

9 Nemuri Kayama (Midnight)

Made the ultimate sacrifice

For the most part My Hero Academia run, Midnight would have been an odd choice for the most selfless hero. She is a self-confessed sadist who enjoys her fame. As one of the My Hero AcademiaOf the most charismatic characters, she takes pleasure in displaying her beauty and sex appeal. Very little about Midnight, from her personality to her character design, feels altruistic.

It wasn't until Season 6 that fans got to see Midnight's selfless side. Tasked with leading a group of students against Gigantomachia, Midnight did her best to keep the students safe while also trying to slow down the giant villain. In a bloody and prolonged confrontation, the hero sacrificed herself. Tragically, her sacrifice did little to slow down Gigantomachia, and it could be argued that her selflessness was in vain. In her final moments, Midnight proved herself to be a true hero.

8 Uraraka Ochako (Uravity)

Put your friends first

Ochako is one of the best female characters in My Hero Academia. At first, it seemed like she was destined to be little more than a love interest for Deku, but she grew to become so much more. UA is a competitive place, but Ochako always puts her friends first, even if it hurts her academic or hero career.

An inherently selfless person, she constantly worries about her friends, especially Deku. While many students dream of a hero career filled with fame and fortune, Ochako gravitates more towards a rescue career, which is much less glamorous. Still, Ochako hasn't had many chances to make major sacrifices compared to other characters, which puts her a little lower on the list.

7 Jin Bubaigawara (twice)

A villain and a friend

Twice is one of the most tragic characters in My Hero Academia. A social outcast, he only became a villain because he longed for a place where he felt he belonged. If he hadn't been driven mad by his quirk, he could have been a great hero.

Although Twice was technically a villain, he never showed any villainous tendencies. He cared deeply for his friends and would have done anything to protect them. In the end, betrayed by Hawks, that's what he did: he sacrificed himself to protect the Hero League. Although his fate was tragic, he died happy, knowing that his sacrifice could save his friends.

6 Shota Aizawa (rubber head)

The best teacher

Eraser Head tries his best to appear stern, indifferent, and apathetic, but he's not fooling anyone. He gave up a lucrative career as a professional hero so he could teach the next generation of heroes. He may be tough on them, but he cares deeply for them.

Eraser Head has proven his selflessness time and time again. Not only has he chosen to pursue a career as a teacher, but throughout the anime he has risked his life multiple times and suffered serious injuries while trying to protect his students. This selflessness has come at a great cost, with Shota losing an eye during the Paranormal Liberation War, greatly affecting his powers. Many heroes in My Hero Academia made great sacrifices, but Eraser Head's greatest act was much more personal. When Eri was left with no one to care for her, he became her foster father and guardian without complaint.

5 Mirio Togata (Lemillion)

Altruistic without regret

Mirio is perhaps the most selfless of all the students at UA. As a member of the Big Three and one of Japan's most promising young heroes, Mirio was prepared to have it all. He was even supposed to inherit One for All.

But as a truly selfless hero, he lost everything while protecting Deku and Eri from Overhaul and his Quirk-destroying bullets. Instead of holding this against Deku or wallowing in self-pity, Mirio continued to embrace Deku as a friend and refused to give up. During the Paranormal Liberation War, it was revealed that Mirio's Quirk was restored and his selflessness towards his friends was rewarded.

4 Keigo Takami (Falcons)

Sacrifice everything, even your soul

One of the reasons My Hero Academia What has been so successful is its cast of complex and well-written characters. Of all of them, Hawks is one of the best written. Ranked as the number two hero, Hawks has dedicated his life to overcoming his tragic backstory and earning his title.

At first, it may seem like Hawks only cares about being a high-ranking hero, but Season 6 revealed that to be false. Hawks helps fake Best Jeanist's murder so he can infiltrate the League of Villains, sacrificing his reputation in the process. He is then forced to get his hands dirty, killing twice in cold blood in an attempt to protect his cover. Hawks understands that sometimes heroes have to do unheroic things, no matter the cost. For Hawks, the cost was a lot of guilt.

3 Nana Shimura

Gave up on his son

Nana Shimura is a former wielder of One For All and was one of the people responsible for shaping All Might into the great hero he would become. Like other characters with more than one quirk, she was immensely powerful. But unlike some of them, she chose to dedicate her life to doing the right thing.

Nana tops this list because she made not one, but two major sacrifices during her career as a hero. Both came at a great personal cost. She sacrificed herself during her fated battle against All For One, passing One For All to Toshinori in her final moments rather than trying to continue the fight. Secondly, she gave up her role as a loving mother to be a hero. Nana placed her son, Kotaro, in an orphanage, believing that she could not keep him safe and be a hero at the same time. While she believed she was doing the right thing for everyone, this set off a chain of events that led to Shigaraki's descent into villainy.

2 Toshinori Yagi (All Might)

The symbol of peace

In his prime, there were characters who could defeat All Might. All Might spent his Quirkless youth working hard, trying to prove that he inherited One For All. After that, he dedicated himself to becoming the Ultimate Symbol of Peace.

All Might is a selfless character who only cares about being a hero. After being injured and realizing that he could no longer wield his Quirk effectively, he gave it up, handing it over to Deku. Since then, All Might has dedicated his life to training Deku, ensuring that he is ready for the fight against All For One. All Might cares deeply for everyone he meets and has spent his entire life serving the greater good.

1 Izuku Midoriya (Deku)

Altruistic to the extreme

Midoriya is living proof that a hero can be too selfless. During his training at UA, Deku constantly pushed himself beyond his limits, often resulting in serious injuries. When his friend’s life is at stake, he will risk everything to protect him. His recent actions have shown that there are few lines he won’t cross to do the right thing.

The problem with Midoriya is that he doesn't consider how his altruism affects others. He can be My Hero Academia the most selfless hero, but he is also selfishly heroic. When he becomes “Dark Deku,” it is up to his loved ones to track him down and bring him back. As he selflessly runs around fighting villains and saving people, he risks All For One finding him and taking One For All.