As well as heroes, My Hero Academia also has an impressive cast of diverse villains, each of them possessing distinctive Quirks, character traits and various levels of malicious intent. The penal system in the series' hero society hasn’t been explored much as of yet and most villains, once captured, are sent straight to Tartarus.
The maximum-security prison isn’t a one size fits all solution though, as some villains are less dangerous than others. Should any rehabilitation system exist in the hero society, these five villains definitely deserve a shot at redemption.
Twice
One of My Hero Academia’s many subplots points out the inability of its Quirk-based society to take care of the unique complications an individual may suffer as a result of their Quirk. No character illustrates this better than Jin Bubaigawara, aka Twice.
His mental health issues, which could be linked to his Quirk “Double,” give Twice an almost split personality. In public, he’d frequently contradict himself, making a statement or observation and then almost immediately follow it up with the opposite thing, but in a different sounding voice. His double-speak made socializing with the general public an almost impossible task.
To make matters worse, Twice had a unique phobia. He was constantly in fear of accidentally creating a double of himself by splitting into two. The only way he could convince himself he wasn’t splitting was to wear a mask. This solution worked but hiding his face only made the gap between him and society wider.
Jin’s phobia developed after clones he made to ease his daily life turned on him and began to fight amongst themselves about who the original was. That conflict was easily resolved, however, as his clones don’t have much durability, but the fight left Jin scarred in more ways than one: a physical wound right down the center of his forehead and a fear of ever cloning himself again.
Jin’s unique circumstances convinced him that he could never live a 'normal' life. "There’s no place for insane guys like me in society," he once remarked. He only joined the League of Villains because there was nowhere else he would have been accepted as himself. As a member, Twice never engaged in any of the more serious crimes his teammates committed, although he was always an accomplice. Had he found the help and companionship he desperately craved in regular society, there’s no way Twice would have joined the League, or even become a villain in the first place.
Kurogiri
Kurogiri was one of the very first villains introduced in My Hero Academia, and definitely one of the most intimidating. His shadowy demeanor and Quirk, “Warp Gate,” were very frightening, and the power's versatility also made him a very troublesome foe to deal with, even for the Pro Heroes.
Kurogiri’s true identity was eventually revealed to be Oboro Shirakumo, a classmate of Eraserhead’s and Present Mic’s in their student days at the U.A. He disappeared without a trace before he could become a hero, so his reappearance as a Nomu was quite unexpected. His body was used as the base for Kurogiri, a Nomu created by All For One and Dr. Garaki to watch over and ensure the well-being of Tomura Shigaraki.
Although Kurogiri has more self-awareness than the average Nomu, he’s still a puppet. Every action he takes has to be in line with All For One’s command. None of his villainous actions were taken using his own free will, so charging him for them wouldn’t be very fair.
Currently, Kurogiri is imprisoned in Tartarus. All attempts to extract information regarding the League from him have failed and he’s been mostly unresponsive -- apart from one occasion. During a visit from his old friends, a part of Oboro’s old personality was able to break through Kurogiri after he was repeatedly questioned by Aizawa.
That instance proved Oboro was not completely lost, and if he ever does regain his complete autonomy, Oboro should not be made to answer for crimes his alter ego committed under All For One’s orders.
Mr. Compress
Mr. Compress’s showmanship and entertainer personality belie his true intellect. He served as the brain of the League since his enlistment, and it was his quick thinking that made Bakugo’s capture at the training camp possible (though his devotion to showmanship also nearly let him escape).
As expected from a highly intellectual individual, Mr. Compress’s motives for joining the League went past petty crime. In fact, he made his displeasure known anytime he felt his and his teammates' actions were no better than that of common criminals.
Mr. Compress was descended from the Peerless Thief, a villain known as one of Japan’s "greatest" in the past. The Peerless Thief sought to equalize society by stealing from wealthy Pro Heroes and redistributing their wealth to the common citizens. For this, Mr. Compress idolized him.
Mr. Compress wanted a reformation of the current society just as the Peerless Thief did. He was proud of his legacy and dedicated his life to bringing about said reformation, which is why he joined the League. He always remained true to his values as a member.
He wasn’t wrong, either: hero society desperately needs some kind of reform. Mr. Compress’s ideals may have been noble, but his execution left much to be desired. He should be made to answer for his crimes as part of the League but as they weren’t as serious as some of his teammates, a life sentence would be overkill.
Gentle Criminal
Gentle Criminal was one of the few My Hero Academia villains introduced with no ties to the League. Despite having only La Brava for backup, he still proved quite the threat, evading arrest from Pro Heroes for years, and would have remained at large had he not tangled with Deku.
Gentle’s motivation for pursuing villainy was not exactly for personal profit. He wanted to make a name for himself after he failed to become a Pro Hero and to be remembered for as long as records exist -- but only as a gentleman.
Gentle’s obsession with leaving a squeaky clean legacy meant there were some lines he would never cross. He never pocketed any of the money he stole on his many heists, instead, returning it to the owners after he was done recording. He also disliked violence and would only resort to fighting if he felt there was no other option.
Although Gentle Criminal was responsible for injuries to several Pro Heroes, regular citizens were rarely ever put in danger by his eccentric behavior. He was more of a nuisance than an actual menace to society. Whatever sentencing he got should reflect that.
Spinner
The villain Spinner is another product of the Quirk-based society’s failings. His lizard-like appearance made him the subject of ridicule from a young age and, with nowhere else to go, he came to live in society’s underbelly on his own -- until he found out about Stain, the Hero Killer.
Spinner joined the League of Villains believing it to be a team concerned with carrying out Stain’s will. He came to feel disillusioned with this choice, however, when he realized that most of them were only looking out for themselves. Though he remained in the League, he constantly called out the behavior of his teammates when it did not match up with Stain’s ideals.
Spinner meant regular citizens no harm. He admired Stain’s definition of 'true heroes' and despised the 'fakes' society worshipped. He acknowledged Deku as a true hero, just as Stain had, and prevented Magne from harming him even though Shigaraki ordered his execution. Spinner never relished in the destruction the League caused or harmed regular civilians. He also never showed any personal conviction for being a villain, instead, following Stain’s teaching to the letter. With proper rehabilitation, Spinner could easily become a proper member of society.
