Summary
Heroes are not born; they’re made,and one individual known to make heroes is Shota Aizawa. This man stands out in the world ofMy Hero Academiaas a formidable pro-hero and aninfluential teacher at U.A. High School. Known by his hero name, Eraser Head, Aizawa is renowned for his unconventional teaching methods and stern, no-nonsense demeanor. Aizawa might seem lazy and uninterested, always taking naps at odd hours but he does not let that affect his way of teaching.
When it comes to teaching, Aizawa adopts a unique teaching philosophy as he takes a more realistic approach to shaping the abilities and attitudes of his students. He does not sell the sweet idea of what it is to be a hero; rather,he sells the harsh realities that heroes face, like sudden death, life-threatening injuries, loss of a fellow hero, mission not going as expected, sacrificing a person’s life to save a multitude, and so much more. Aizawa does not sugarcoat how harsh the world is and does his best to prepare his students for the grim realities that come with being a hero. Aizawa molds young minds to not only wield their powers effectively but also navigate the ethical and physical challenges of the hero profession.
Shota Aizawa’s Journey
How The Death Of His Friend Shaped Him
Regardless of what one might think, Aizawa has been destined to be a teacher right from his early days as ahero in training at UA High. His best friend and fellow hero in training,Oboro, tells him to consider being a teacher, particularly after he helped some nursery kids during their work-study experience. Oboro comments that Aizawa is a natural when it comes to kids, and years later, Aizawa finds himself teaching just as Oboro said, but getting there is not a smooth journey.
The death of Oboropushed Aizawa to be an independent hero, training alone and starting his hero agency as soon as he graduated. Aizawa’s career as a hero was successful, but an encounter with afellow pro-hero, Midnight, opened his eyes to the gap in the teaching industry. Aizawa joked that Midnight should be a teacher because of how she dresses, and she advised that he should join her as she is going to start her teaching career at UA High, his alma mater. Aizawa expressed his disinterest, butMidnight saw his potentialand went ahead to recommend him to Nezu, the headmaster, and Aizawa was offered a teaching position at UA High, which he declined.
Aizawa enjoys his time as a pro-hero, capturing villains and pursuing justice. But his calling to be a teacher is greater, and he eventually heeds the call. Midnight calls him to inform him that Yamada is joining UA High as a teacher and he is the missing piece they are waiting for. Yamada, Aizawa, and Oboro were all friends—in fact, a well-known trio—during their time at UA High. This call from Midnight might have been seen as unsuccessful as Aizawa hung up on her, but that call set things in motion for Aizawa to make a decision. Throughout the day, Aizawa’s encounters and experiences reminded him ofhis happy days at UA High with Yamada, Oboro, and even Midnight. He goes to Nezu, the principal of UA High, and accepts the teaching position with some requests, which Nezu accepts, and Aizawa starts his role at UA High as a teacher.
Realism Over Idealism
Things changed for Aizawa after the death of his friend and fellow hero, Oboro. Oboro’s death made him understand the grim realities of being a hero, something that his teachers never prepared him for. Going into teaching, Aizawa was determined to make sure that his students understood the risks of their profession, and this was why he requested the power to expel and re-enroll students.
Being a hero is about life and death; one wrong move can lead a hero to their early grace. Aizawa’s teaching style leans heavily on realism and practicality. His philosophy is rooted in the belief that heroes must be prepared for the grim realities of their profession—not just the physical dangers but the moral and emotional challenges they will face.
Shota Aizawa’s Teaching Style
Harsh And Intense But Very Effective
Upon becoming a teacher at UA High, Aizawa quickly gained a reputation for being stern with his students. Before accepting the role, Aizawa requested that Nezu give him the power to expel and re-enroll students so they could strive harder. Aizawa’s teaching style is deeply grounded in realism, aiming to prepare students for the harsh realities of the hero profession.
His teaching style sets him apart from other teachers at UA High, especially from All Might, as All Might sells the idea of being a hero while Aizawa sells the reality of being a hero. One important thing about his style is that he has high expectations from all his students. He aims to impact each of them, pointing out their weaknesses and helping them see the need for growth and how to improve their strengths. He often sets challenges that push his students to their limits. His readiness to fail students who do not meet his standards is a core aspect of his methodology, intended to instill discipline and a strong work ethic. This is exactly why he requested the power to expel and re-enroll students; he uses it to convey the seriousness and urgency of his students’ career choices as heroes.
During the quirk apprehension test, which Aizawa brought up to replace the usual first day of school orientation, he informs his students that whoever comes in last place will be expelled. This statement made them scared and put all their strength into the activities that Aizawa had prepared for them. Aizawa was ready to fail any student he noticed was not putting in the right amount of effort, and in this case, it would have been Izuku Midoriya, but Midoriya proved to Aizawa that he could control his quirk to an extent, and this moved Aizawa a bit, and for that, Midoriya was not expelled.
When it comes to training, the classroom is useless to Aizawa, as he prioritizes practical skills over theoretical knowledge. He wants his students to be ready for whatever the world throws at them, as villains are very unpredictable, and he designs his curriculum around realistic simulations that closely mimic or capture the dangers and decisions heroes must face in the field. These exercises are physically demanding and mentally challenging, as they require students to employ strategic thinking and quick decision-making.
During the final exams, Aizawa met up with the teachers to encourage them to make practical tests more realistic and intense. He wanted the practical test to be more dangerous, reflecting the current times and how villains would naturally attack. Most teachers were against it as they cared about the safety of their students, but from Aizawa’s point of view, these villains would not care about the safety of the students when attacking, so there is no reason why they should. Nezu agreed with Aizawa and changed the nature of the test so that the students can get stronger and learn to rely on others promoting teamwork and not just fully on their quirks. When the students went to the forest for training, Aizawa’s training schedule was questioned because of how intense it was, but Aizawa wants his students to develop their quirks to be strong enough to be able to defend themselves from villains.
Another thing to note about Aizawa’s teaching style is that he pays individualized attention to his students, identifying and targeting their weaknesses. Aizawa does not ignore any of his students, and his eyes are on every one of them. This ensures that each student works on the areas they need to improve the most, promoting well-rounded development. On his first day of teaching Class 1-A students, he had a quirk apprehension test in place of the usual classroom orientation to gauge his students' potential, see how good they were with their quirks, and know where they needed to improve.
It is during this test that he notices thatIzuku Midoriya lacks control of his quirk.He tells Midoriya that he is not cut out to be a hero, but this young lad does not let the harsh words of Aizawa deter him, and he proves that he can do better at controlling his quirk by channeling his quirk to his finger and throwing the ball over seven hundred meters, which impresses Aizawa.
Aizawa also noticed that Bakugo had potential, but his constant tantrums and acting like a child when he loses are what is limiting him. Aizawa would not have noticed this if he had not paid individual attention to his students. During the final exam arc, Aizawa strategically put his students in teams to help them. He noticed Bakugo and Midoriya do not get along, so he teamed them up with hopes of mending their relationship. He also putMomo and Todorokitogether because he noticed that they relied heavily on their quirks. This shows just how much he knows his students, their strengths and weaknesses.
Despite the apparent harshness of his methods, Aizawa’s ultimate goal is to ensure his students are capable of performing hero duties and are equipped to survive and thrive in their roles. His teaching methods, which may seem stern and unforgiving, are crafted with deep care for his students’s success and well-being, preparing them for the future in ways that they can only appreciate fully once they face real-world challenges.
Impact On His Students
His Students Are Way Stronger Than When They Started
Aizawa’s teaching style might be questionable, but it instills in his students the fundamentals of hero work, resilience, strategic thinking, and emotional strength.The students of Class 1-A’s growth as heroes and individuals is remarkable, as not only did they grow in strength, but they have each other’s backs, which is pivotal in the hero industry. Teamwork is important, and duringthe Dark Hero Arc, Class 1-A students displayed a great level of teamwork as they all united tostop Deku from going rogueand potentially harming himself by facing All For One alone.
There are several ways in which Aizawa’s teaching style has impacted his students, and one of them is readiness for real-world situations. Being a hero is all about always being ready to fight. Villains are not going to give the heroes time to prepare, as they like to catch them unprepared and unguarded, and Aizawa teaches his students to be aware of this fact and always be prepared. The life of a hero is harsh, unpredictable, and threatening, and Aizawa does well to make sure his students are ready. During the USJ Arc, the students see just howunpredictable the villains areas the League of Villains crashes their training course. This was a teaching moment for the students, as they realized the need to never hesitate and be always prepared for harm.
After his students faced the villains andduring the USJ arc, they all learned the importance of being quick in their decision-making to stay alive when villains show up. This was evident during the UA Sports Festival when all the pack leaders at the first leg of the race were from Class 1-A. The students' encounter with the League of Villains made them learn how to not hesitate, knowing that they must act quickly if they want to stay alive.
Long Lasting Impact On All His Students
Shota Aizawa’s approach to teaching at U.A. High School goes beyond academic or combat training. His methods foster a deep sense of duty, resilience, and practicality, crucial for navigating the complexities of life as a hero.Aizawa ensures his students are equippedto navigate the real-world challenges of heroism, making them well-rounded individuals ready for anything the world throws their way.
My Hero Academiais now available to stream onCrunchyroll.
My Hero Academia
In My Hero Academia, some humans have superpowers called quirks. Izuku Midoriya, nicknamed Deku, is not one of them. Deku has always idolized heroes like the number one hero, All Might, and since he was a child, he has always wanted to be a hero. However, his lack of a quirk has always held him back, but a chance encounter with All Might after discovering a classmate in danger sets Deku on the path to becoming a true hero. My Hero Academia centers around Deku and a class of heroes-in-training at UA. This school shapes young quirk users into future heroes through fake rescue missions, combat training, and other hero-tempering tasks. With young Deku inheriting the “One-For-All” quirk, he will learn what it means to be a true hero while facing off with dastardly supervillains.
