My Hero Academia: How did Tomura Shigaraki get his name?

Tomura Shigaraki is perhaps the most powerful and tragic villain in My Hero Academia. But he was not born with that name—All for One gave it to him. Formerly known as Tenko Shimura, Tomura has a scarred backstory. Regrettably, his parents were unable to nurture him in the way they had hoped. His childhood was marked by tragedy and filled with pain—especially because of his father, who hated heroes.

What Tenko didn’t know was that his grandmother was Nana Shimura, a former user of One For All and the mentor of All Might. To protect her family from those hunting her, Nana had left her child—Tenko’s father—behind. This led to his hatred of heroes, a trauma he passed on to Tenko.

Unfortunately, this turbulent home life, coupled with his evolving quirk, caused catastrophe. All it took was one day for Tenko’s decay quirk to manifest itself for the first time, and in that tragic moment, he accidentally killed his whole family. Tenko was lonely, scared, and broken—walking the streets until he met the man who would forever change his life. This was a turning point for him in My Hero Academia.

Tenko was adopted by All For One, the primary antagonist of My Hero Academia, after being abandoned by society. All For One recognized Tenko's potential and decided to cultivate him as his successor. It was during this time that he gave Tenko a new name: Tomura Shigaraki.

Tomura comes from the Japanese word, 'Tomurau,' which means “mourning.” It reflects the deep sadness and destruction that follows Shigaraki wherever he goes. It symbolizes his loss, pain, and the grief he carries from his past.

Shigaraki is the surname of All For One. This indicates that Shigaraki is like a son to him. By giving him his own last name, All For One claimed him as a kind of family, something Tenko from My Hero Academia was craving.

In short, the name Tomura Shigaraki represents both his inner pain and his connection to All For One. It marks the death of Tenko Shimura and the birth of a new, darker identity.

Shigaraki’s Transformation in My Hero Academia

Getting a new name wasn’t just a change in words—it was a turning point in his life. From the moment he became Tomura Shigaraki, Tenko stopped being a scared child and started down the path of becoming a villain. All that had been holding him back from becoming evil after what he had been through was acceptance. And in the care of All For One, he got exactly what he needed.

He let go of his past and embraced the anger and chaos inside him. With his new name, Shigaraki gained purpose. Instead of keeping all his pain within, he channeled those emotions out into the world. He joined the League of Villains, allied with some other villains, built his power, and challenged the entire hero society in My Hero Academia.

As the series progresses, the name “Shigaraki” becomes a symbol of fear. It becomes synonymous with evil and villainy. This was not just because of his powers, but because of the destruction and ideology he represents.

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Tomura Shigaraki's name is more than just an alias—it is a symbol of his tragic past and the dark path he chose. Given to him by All For One, the name reflects his transformation from a lost and broken child into a powerful villain with a clear purpose.

In My Hero Academia, names often carry meaning, and Shigaraki’s is no exception. It connects him to his pain, his mentor, and the destruction he brings. At the end of the story, the name "Shigaraki Tomura" is a memento of the great villain that once was.

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