Warning: the following article contains spoilers for chapter 408 of the My Hero Academia manga.
A lot of fan theories surround the characters of My Hero Academia, and while some have been proven true with time — yes, I’m talking about Dabi — that’s not always the case.
One of the longest-standing theories pertains to Katsuki Bakugo and his possible connection to the second user of One for All, Kudo. As soon the character was introduced as one of the vestiges residing inside the quirk, fans couldn’t help but notice his resemblance to the U.A. student. They have a similar spiky hairstyle and similar features, which quickly led to the idea that the two may be related.
In fairness, sometimes anime and manga characters just look the same and there’s nothing more to it. In this case, however, the similarities feel intentional, especially considering that My Hero Academia is a series with some truly bizarre character designs. So, does this mean that Bakugo is Kudo’s descendant? Well, after much theorizing, we finally have a conclusive answer.
Are Kudo and Bakugo related in My Hero Academia?
Despite their strikingly similar appearance, Bakugo is not related by blood to the second user of One for All. This was confirmed in chapter 408 of the manga by All for One after he noticed their resemblance in chapter 406.
As Bakugo attempted to stop the antagonist from reaching Shigaraki, he began to question why the student was angering him so much. Quickly enough, he realized that it was due to him looking so much like Kudo, the person All for One hates most in the world. It’s not until two chapters later, though, that the villain thinks to himself that Bakugo may be Kudo’s descendant, before dismissing that theory as impossible.
As it turns out, All for One killed every member of Kudo’s family, as well as any women and children that may have been close to him, destroying any chance that his bloodline may have continued. Besides, the antagonist is certain that if the two were related by blood, he would have noticed it in Kamino. With that settled, it’s still natural for both All for One and fans to wonder why the two characters look so much alike.
Why do Bakugo and Kudo look so similar?
As All for One eventually realizes, Bakugo’s eyes during their confrontation are what make him resemble Kudo so much. Or, most accurately, the unyielding determination the villain sees in them, sparked by the will to defeat him. It probably also helps that they both have red eyes, but maybe that’s just me.
From a storytelling standpoint, it makes complete sense for these characters to look alike even though they’re not related. If we take a second to consider Bakugo and Kudo in regard to the battle of wills between All for One and One for All, we realize that they play similar roles thematically. In the manga, Bakugo is currently the person standing in the way of the villain, impeding him from reaching Shigaraki and Deku, and getting what he perceives as his. In the past, Kudo was that person, reaching out a hand to Yoichi and helping him flee.
While some may have liked to see their theory bear fruits, there’s no denying that this is a nice plot subversion. Kudo and Bakugo being relatives would’ve been too expected of a twist (which is to say that it wouldn’t be a twist at all). Besides, we’ve already had enough family revelations as it is.