Is Bakugo Dead in My Hero Academia? Answered (Updated)

Going into the final arc of My Hero Academia, it was clear that some characters wouldn’t make it out alive. Some deaths were bound to hit harder than others though, and if you’ve heard the news or seen the relevant chapter, you’re probably wondering: Is Bakugo dead in My Hero Academia?

Well, whether we like it or not, we’ve got the answer you’re looking for.

*Warning: Massive My Hero Academia Manga Spoilers Ahead. If you are behind on the manga or only watch the anime, turn back now*

Is Bakugo Alive in My Hero Academia? Answered

We’re happy to report that Bakugo is in fact alive once again, and it seems likely he’ll survive the rest of the series.

Making his reappearance in Chapter 403 of the manga, Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight returned to the fold following an emergency procedure by Edgeshot to restore his destroyed heart and body. Though he’s still heavily injured, Bakugo is at least capable of assisting Deku in his final battle by utilizing his evolved explosion Quirk against All for One until the villain’s body reverse-ages itself out of existence.

Does Bakugo Die in My Hero Academia? Answered

However, this isn’t to say that Bakugo’s death was entirely exaggerated. As was shown My Hero Academia’s manga chapter 362, Bakugo did in fact die in a heart-wrenching moment.

This came at the hands of the All for One-controlled Shigaraki, who he had been facing down in an attempt to buy time until Deku could arrive and take on the big bad in their climactic confrontation. Though he had the support of UA’s Big Three, a slew of Pro Heroes and several of his classmates, All for One proved too strong thanks to the implanting of his many gathered quirks into the younger and less worn Shigaraki’s body.

Likewise, All for One was dead set on killing Bakugo for a couple of reasons. One was to wound Izuku as deeply as possible, potentially putting him into a frenzied enough state so that he couldn’t use One for All properly. The other is that Bakugo posed a serious threat to All for One, wielding his Explosion quirk with enough skill that he may have stood a chance against him under different conditions.

Bakugo, meanwhile, wasn’t going to run away under any circumstance, and faced All for One down despite this potential outcome. He even pushed his quirk toward new levels of power, though not in a way that could prevent a death blow from All for One.

The manga doesn’t leave much room for interpretation either. Several panels from the chapter depict Bakugo in the afterlife, having his heart torn open or left in a lifeless state, with little to no glimmers of a sudden cop-out or misinterpretation.

How Did Bakugo Get Brought Back to Life?

Fortunately, there was a McGuffin that My Hero Academia brought out to revive Bakugo and pull him back from his untimely death. Not only that, but it’s through a method that literally no one else aside from Kōhei Horikoshi would have thought of.

In a strange turn of events, the pro hero Edgeshot reduced himself down to a size small enough that he could stitch, patch, and repair the damaged portions of Bakugo’s heart and body. Best Jeanist was then in charge of sewing the damaged portions of Bakugo’s body together and resuscitating him.

By doing this, Edgeshot is hinted to have sacrificed himself in some way in the process of bringing Bakugo back. Obviously, losing this hero does not carry nearly the same weight as the sting of one of the series’ most beloved characters dying, but at the very least, there is some kind of consequence for these events.

Hopefully, this clears up whether or not Bakugo is dead in My Hero Academia. For more on the series, check out any of the articles down below. For more on all things anime, we’ve got a variety of lists and features covering topics like the most popular anime series, the most OP anime characters, and the best anime rivalries.