The characters of the hit anime series My Hero Academia are often quirky in more ways than one. This is a world where most people are born with supernatural Quirks and abilities of all kinds, and the shonen protagonist Izuku Midoriya is unusual in that he was born with none. All of his classmates at U.A. were born with Quirks, and some of them physically look different because of those gifts, such as Fumikage Tokoyami.
Fumikage is a raven-headed boy with a Quirk named Dark Shadow, and this mighty Quirk puts Fumikage near the top of U.A.'s talent pool. He is a real standout even at a glance, but dig a little deeper and you'll find that Fumikage's physical body and Quirk are even more unusual than you might think.
Fumikage Hardly Ever Removes His Red Choker
Fumikage has a bird's head and a regular human body, with his neck being the meeting point between these two halves. Does his body abruptly change from bird to human, or is it gradual? The change seems to be abrupt, based on that swimming pool scene in My Hero Academia but otherwise, Fumikage wears that, bright red choker at all times, to hide his entire neck.
At first, viewers might think that the choker is a part of his odd body, but no, it's a piece of clothing, and perhaps he wears it due to a sense of modesty.
Fumikage Built-Up Muscles Later On
Some heroes are stronger than others, often because of their physique alone. Izuku had to train intensely to be worthy of receiving One For All, and he built up a lot of muscle in just one year's time. Similarly, Rikido Sato and Eijiro Kirishima are bulked up, and eventually, Fumikage's done that, too.
He's a rather short boy and started the series being rather slender, but later on, he accepted an internship from the Pro Hero Hawks, and he put on a lot of muscle during that time. If he ever needs to perform melee combat or carry a few victims to safety without the use of Dark Shadow, he will be ready. It sure doesn't hurt to start an exercise routine in a universe like this one.
How Fumikage's Mouth, Beak & Teeth Function
Fumikage has a birdlike head, and that includes a fully-formed beak. But he doesn't caw like a crow or chirp like a songbird -- he can talk like anyone else does, and he has a human-style tongue and full set of teeth in that mouth of his. This is where bird and man truly blend, and Fumikage has been seen eating through the sides of his mouth, rather than the front, as most other people do.
What is more, it's interesting that Fumikage can talk normally while having a stiff beak in place of lips, including the "b" and "p" sounds. In the human body, the three main articulators for speech are the teeth, tongue and lips, and despite missing that third articulator, Fumikage's speech is unaffected.
Fumikage's Head Has Hair, Not Feathers
Fumikage's head is not 100 percent bird -- he still has some human traits from the neck up, and his human teeth are just the start. It may be noted that Fumikage does not have actual feathers on his head; instead, his skin is covered with black hair, which stands out stiffly to give his head its distinct shape.
The world of anime is known for its exotic and gravity-defying hair, and although that trend is going out of style, it lives on with Fumikage's majestic hairstyle. Unlike real birds, he can (and probably does) use a comb or brush to keep things tidy, and he might even get a haircut now and then.
Fumikage Can Converse With Dark Shadow
Some Quirks are considered "mutant" type, altering the person's body permanently. That includes Tsuyu Asui's body, which has frog-like attributes, or Mashirao Ojiro's distinct tail. Fumikage, despite his bird head, has a more emitter-type Quirk instead, and what is more, that Quirk can think for itself.
When Fumikage manifests Dark Shadow, that Quirk can think and talk to him, often offering tactical advice during battle. In return, Fumikage can give Dark Shadow directions verbally, or give it suggestions. This is totally different from most other Quirks, which are used more like a muscle than a minion to command. In this way, Fumikage is a hero team all by himself.
