Honestly, if you stopped reading the manga right as the final battle wrapped up, you’re probably walking around with a completely outdated idea of who actually sits at the top of the food chain in Japan. The Hero Billboard Chart JP isn't just a list of who hits the hardest; it's this weird, fickle mix of approval ratings, resolved incidents, and social contribution.
You’ve got guys like Endeavor who held the crown through sheer brute force and a work ethic that bordered on pathological, but the "New Era" post-timeskip? It looks nothing like the old guard.
Kohei Horikoshi actually threw us a curveball with the Final Fanbook: Ultra Age and the bonus Chapter 431.5. People were rioting online because they thought Deku ended up as a "forgotten teacher," but the official final rankings tell a way different story.
The New Number One: Lemillion
Mirio Togata finally did it. It’s kinda poetic, right? Sir Nighteye saw this coming years ago. After the eight-year timeskip, Lemillion officially holds the Number One spot.
Why? Because he’s the ultimate "vibe" hero.
His Permeation quirk is basically broken now that he’s mastered it, but his ranking comes from that infectious smile. He fills the void All Might left behind better than anyone else. He doesn't just save people; he makes them feel like everything is going to be okay. In a world scarred by Shigaraki and All For One, that's worth more than gold.
Shoto and the Mt. Lady Surge
Number Two is Shoto. No surprises there. Shoto Todoroki finally stepped out of the "Endeavor's Son" shadow. He’s the peak of raw power. Using Phosphor to balance his temperature means he can fight indefinitely without overheating or freezing his own skin off. He’s basically a living cheat code at this point.
Then there’s Mt. Lady at Number Three.
Yeah, you read that right. The rookie who started the series as a vain, attention-seeking giantess is now the third most important hero in the country. She earned this. During the final war, she went toe-to-toe with Gigantomachia and didn't blink. People love a redemption arc, and her growth from a "money-hungry" celebrity to a genuine protector skyrocketed her approval ratings.
The Deku and Bakugo Controversy
This is where it gets spicy.
- One For All Hero: Deku sits at Number Four.
- Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight (Bakugo) is Number Five.
Most fans thought Deku would be Number One forever, but the ranking reflects his reality. He spent years focusing on teaching at U.A. High. It was only after he got his specialized armored suit—the one funded by his classmates—that he shot back up the charts. He's arguably the "Greatest" hero globally because of what he did to Shigaraki, but on the domestic Japanese charts, he’s comfortably at four.
Bakugo at five is... well, it’s very Bakugo.
His combat stats are arguably the highest on the list. He’s faster than almost anyone. But let’s be real: his personality is still a lot. The public respects him, they might even fear him a little, but he’s never going to win a "Most Huggable Hero" award. His ranking fluctuates because he’s a perfectionist who doesn’t care about the PR side of the job.
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The Rest of the Elite
The bottom half of the Top 10 shows just how much the "War Generation" has taken over.
- Number 6: Mirko. The Rabbit Hero is still kicking. Well, kicking with high-tech prosthetic limbs. She’s the definition of "too angry to die." Even after losing an arm and a leg, her ranking barely dipped because the public is obsessed with her grit.
- Number 7: Kamui Woods. He’s the steady hand. Arbor is a great quirk for containment, and he’s avoided the scandals that hit other heroes.
- Number 8: Best Jeanist. The former Number Three is sliding down, mostly because he’s the "Old Guard" now. He’s still the master of crowd control, but the flashier younger heroes are eating into his popularity.
- Number 9: Nejire Chan. Nejire Hado of the Big 3. Her Wave Motion quirk is visually stunning, which helps a lot with the "Popularity" metric of the Billboard Chart.
- Number 10: Wash. Honestly, Wash is the most consistent hero in the franchise. People love the laundry machine. He’s a meme, he’s a brand, and he’s surprisingly effective at rescue ops.
What Most People Get Wrong About These Rankings
The biggest misconception is that the Top 10 are the "ten strongest."
If it were just about strength, Tokoyami (Tsukuyomi) would be much higher. Dark Shadow at night is a literal god-tier threat. But Tokoyami ranks around 17th. Why? Because he’s a "Hero of the Shadows." He doesn't do talk shows. He doesn't have a merch line.
The Billboard Chart is a popularity contest as much as it is a performance review.
Also, the "Greatest Hero" title Deku carries is separate from the "Number One" title Mirio carries. Think of it like this: Mirio is the current MVP of the league, but Deku is the Hall of Famer everyone knows is the GOAT.
Moving Forward
If you want to stay on top of how the MHA universe is evolving post-series, keep an eye on the official Fanbooks. Horikoshi tends to drop these massive lore bombs in the margins rather than the main chapters.
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You should definitely look into the "Era of Responsibility" shift. The new system isn't just about one "Pillar" like All Might; it’s about a horizontal spread of power. The fact that the Top 10 is now mostly comprised of former Class 1-A and 1-B students proves that the "education" theme of the series actually meant something in the long run.
Go back and re-read the final chapter with the knowledge that Deku did return to the charts. It changes the entire emotional weight of those final pages.
Next Steps: You can track down the Ultra Age fanbook scans to see the specific stat breakdowns for each hero's Quirk mastery.