All Might is known as the Number One Hero and Symbol of Peace in the world of My Hero Academia. Before becoming theNumber One Hero, All Might started out as a sidekick himself. He worked under his mentor Nana Shimura, who was theseventh holder of One For All. After Nana’s death, All Might inherited One For All and eventually rose to the top of the hero ranks. But before he reached the pinnacle of hero society, All Might had a sidekick of his own when he was still making a name for himself. So who was All Might’s first sidekick that helped launch him on the path to becoming the Symbol of Peace?
All Might’s Time at U.A. High School
To understand who All Might’s first sidekick was, we have to go back to his high school days at U.A. High School. This prestigious school is known for training future pro heroes, and that’s where All Might honed his skills as well.
During his time at U.A. High School, All Might stood out for his immense strength and heroic spirit even as a student. He quickly gained popularity for boldly declaring he would become the Number One Hero who saves everyone with a fearless smile. All Might inspired his classmates with his confidence and reassuring presence.
Among his peers, there were two who became particularly close to All Might and established a fierce rivalry. These two classmates were Enji Todoroki and Toshinori Yagi, who would later become the pro heroes Endeavor and All Might.
All Might’s Relationship with Endeavor
Endeavor has fire powers and a fiery temper to match. He was an ambitious student who was motivated by surpassing All Might one day. Endeavor recognized All Might’s potential for greatness even in their youth.
The two classmates had a heated rivalry, competing to see who could take down more villains and rescue more people. This drive to outdo each other pushed them both to become stronger heroes. However, there was also a fundamental difference between them.
All Might was motivated by a heartfelt desire to help people, while Endeavor was consumed by personal ambition. Though they were rivals, Endeavor’s solitary focus on victory prevented them from becoming true friends. Their clashing values put distance between them even if their abilities were evenly matched.
All Might’s Relationship with Toshinori Yagi
In contrast to the isolated Endeavor, Toshinori Yagi fully embraced All Might’s ideals of heroism. The two hit it off right away with their similar upbeat attitudes. Yagi was drawn to All Might’s magnetic personality and found inspiration in his grand dream of becoming the world’s greatest hero.
Rather than being jealous of All Might’s strengths, Yagi was one of his biggest supporters. He cheered All Might on and had faith he could accomplish his lofty goals. Yagi didn’t care about fame or glory, only helping people like All Might did. The genuine admiration was mutual, forging a close camaraderie.
Their friendship only grew over their three years together at U.A. High School. Yagi looked up to All Might as his mentor, while All Might saw Yagi’s devotion to good as the mark of a true hero. By graduation, the two trusted each other completely and knew they wanted to continue fighting for justice together as pro heroes.
All Might’s First Years as a Pro Hero
After graduating U.A. High School, All Might rose rapidly through the pro hero ranks. His feats of strength and speed were unmatched by any other hero. It was clear All Might would seize the top spot before long.
During this period, All Might took on Toshinori Yagi as his sidekick. Their partnership was inevitable given their close history and shared values. Yagi had trained his Quirk One For All to its fullest potential by All Might’s side. He was ready to use it in the field for good.
As All Might’s sidekick, Yagi fought by his mentor’s side. He helped contain collateral damage from All Might’s massive battles and pulled civilians to safety. Yagi provided vital support that allowed All Might to go all out against villains without hesitation.
Together, they were an unstoppable duo who accomplished amazing rescues. All Might handled the heavy hitting while Yagi did the little things that minimized harm. Villains soon learned to fear facing them both.
Notable Early Missions
One of All Might and Yagi’s first major missions was taking down a gang of bank robbers who had tunneled into a vault. The thieves had stockpiled explosives and were threatening to blow up the bank with hostages inside if they didn’t get away.
All Might burst into the vault and used his strength to hurl the gang members away from the explosives before they could react. Yagi zipped in and gathered up the bombs to dispose of them safely. With his super speed, he removed the hostages to a secure location as All Might apprehended the criminals. Their flawless teamwork resolved the crisis without any loss of life.
Another memorable early victory was against a mutant-type villain rampaging through a neighborhood. The insectoid villain was impervious to physical attacks and shot destructive energy beams from its eyes. While All Might distracted it head-on, Yagi helped evacuate citizens before using a manhole cover to deflect a beam back at the villain, stunning it long enough for All Might to deliver the finishing blow.
Successes like these proved All Might and Yagi were an unbeatable pair. With All Might handling the direct confrontation and Yagi providing speedy support, they could overcome any obstacle.
The End of Their Partnership
All Might and Yagi’s partnership was unfortunately short-lived. Only a couple years after they began working together, tragedy struck.
Final Fight and Injury
On one fateful mission, All Might and Yagi confronted a dangerous group of villains. In the heat of battle, Yagi made a critical mistake while trying to rescue a civilian that allowed the leader of the villains to grievously injure him.
All Might managed to drive the villains back, but it was too late to save Yagi. His wounds were so severe he could no longer sustain the power of One For All. With his body broken beyond repair, Yagi was forced to retire from hero work.
All Might’s Guilt
All Might took Yagi’s fate as a personal failure. He believed that if only he had been stronger or faster, he could have protected his sidekick from harm. All Might blamed himself for ending Yagi’s heroic career and robbing his dear friend of his dreams.
The guilt weighed heavily on All Might. In the aftermath, he pulled away from Yagi out of shame. Though Yagi held no grudge and wished to maintain their friendship, All Might’s regret drove a rift between them. He believed he was unworthy of Yagi’s forgiveness and could not bear to face him.
The Search for a Successor
With Yagi unable to inherit One For All, All Might knew he had to find a new successor to pass his power on to before it was too late. He could not allow Yagi’s sacrifice to be in vain.
All Might dedicated himself to scouting candidates at U.A. High School in hopes of finding someone worthy of receiving One For All. This began his quest to ensure his legacy would live on and spur him to keep fighting for justice despite his guilt.
Conclusion
In the end, All Might’s first sidekick was his trusted classmate Toshinori Yagi. Their friendship began at U.A. High School, where they discovered a shared calling to become heroes who save lives. After graduation, Yagi fought by All Might’s side as his sidekick for a couple short but impactful years. Sadly, a near-fatal injury in the line of duty cut Yagi’s time as a hero short. Though All Might went on to become the world’s greatest hero, he never forgot his first partner or the lessons from their time together. Their story exemplifies the challenges all heroes face and sacrifices sometimes required to keep society safe.