Summary
- My Hero Academia breaks the mold by featuring transgender characters, such as Tiger and Magne, bringing diversity to a genre that often avoids LGBTQ+ representation.
- Tiger's irreverence for gender norms is subtly expressed through his preference for wearing miniskirts, while Magne's gender identity is indicated by her teammates referring to her as "Big Sis" and correcting those who misgender her.
- The inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters in the manga is a rarity, with clues to their gender identities woven into the story rather than being overtly highlighted, making it easy to overlook their representation if not actively seeking it.
With one of the largest casts of characters in manga, it should come as no surprise that My Hero Academia would have heroes, villains, and supporting characters that represent the full range of human diversity, including the LGBTQ+ community. Due to the lack of enthusiasm in the Japanese manga market, it is also not surprising to learn that creators often avoid introducing LGBTQ+ characters, especially if doing so means that they might face pushback from producers, distributors, and/or fans. To his credit, My Hero Academia creator Kohei Horikoshi has not only introduced two supporting characters in the manga who are transgender but also potentially one of the members of Class 1-A.
My Hero Academia's most obvious transgender character is Yawara Chatora (AKA Tiger). Introduced in My Hero Academia chapter 72, Tiger is a pro-hero member of the superhero team the Wild, Wild puss*cats. Not much is said about his gender identity in the story, however, his preference for wearing miniskirts makes his irreverence for rigid gender lines clear. Despite the rather tacit in-comic embrace of his gender identity for attentive readers, his transgender identity is stated outright in his character description in the manga, which implies he transitioned in Thailand a long time ago.
My Hero Academia's Transgender Heroes and Villains
In addition to Tiger, My Hero Academia’s other transgender hero is Kenji Hishiki, AKA Magne, a member of the League of Villains. The manga’s expression of her gender identity is much more finessed and not as obvious as Tiger’s, but there is still enough evidence for attentive readers to recognize that she is transgender. For instance, despite having a decidedly masculine appearance and dressing in traditionally male clothing, in My Hero Academia chapter 74 her teammates address her as "Big Sis Mag," and they take pains to correct anyone who refers to her as male. Her Quirk also has an interesting and relevant effect, as she can use her Quirk to magnetize two people of the same gender in such a way that they repel each other like magnets with different polarities.
One reason why fans might have overlooked Tiger and Magne’s transgender identities is that LGBTQ+ characters are such a rarity in the mainstream manga that any clue indicating that they are transgender is likely to have been written off as being an unlikely coincidence. Additionally, there is the fact that the clues were not presented in a manner that begs attention, such as a full-page shot Superman's historic same-sex kiss. Instead, the clues were simply integrated into the story like any other character element. Their gender identities can be hard to see if fans aren't actually looking for it.
Despite Tiger and Magne’s identification as transgender, the fact that they are supporting characters does dull a lot of impact they may have on expanding the inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters in manga. Horikoshi seems to have recognized this and taken steps to correct it via Class 1-A member Minoru Mineta. As with his subtle treatment of Tiger and Magne’s gender, there is no outright proof that Mineta is LGBTQ+, but the signs are there for him to be if Horikoshi wants. Indeed, in My Hero Academia chapter 321, while in the throes of battle, Mineta blurts out his feelings for Deku. For many fans, Mineta’s comments are a clear sign he is bisexual.
Whether this moment is an actual indication of his sexuality or a simple act of encouragement for a teammate, the fact that it is being discussed as an expression of bisexuality nevertheless puts My Hero Academia at the forefront of LGBTQ+ representation in manga.
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