Hitoshi Shinso

Abilities

Overall Abilities: Initially, Hitoshi lacked direct combat abilities, choosing to rely on the power of his Quirk in battles. However, after deciding to transfer to the Hero Department of U.A. High School, he underwent training by his mentor, Eraser Head. Hitoshi displayed the results of his training when he, Class 1-A, and Class 1-B took part in the Joint Training Battle. During the two rounds of the said training in which he partook, Hitoshi also showcased excellent camaraderie, using the voice-modifying function of his Artificial Vocal Cords, as well as his Ultimate Move, Persona Chords, to confuse his opponents, blindsiding them into being left wide open to the surprise attacks of Hitoshi's teammates. Despite complaining that he couldn't use half of what he learned during his training, his aptitude is noted by those such as Denki Kaminari and Tsuyu Asui. As pointed out by Midnight, Hitoshi replayed the fight in his head, wanting to pick up on areas where he fell short or could improve upon, further demonstrating his great battle practice and determination. Keen Intellect: Even before training for his enrolment into U.A.'s hero course, one of Hitoshi's best assets is his smart utilization of his useful yet underpowered Quirk. During the U.A Sports Festival's Obstacle Race, he brainwashed and ordered some students to carry him to move forward without wearing himself out or using any stamina.[7] Hitoshi is also willing to push people's buttons to provoke them into responding, allowing him to brainwash them. He did this with Izuku Midoriya during their match, deriding Mashirao Ojiro's choice to withdraw from the final round matches because of his pride while also mocking him for his Tail Quirk and calling him a "monkey." Izuku fell for this taunt, and Hitoshi would have likely won by ordering him to walk out of bounds if Izuku had not managed to use his Quirk subconsciously.[8]

Personality

Hitoshi is a stoic and straightforward person with an innate ability to spark conversation with anyone despite holding a reserved and quiet attitude most of the time. He is shown to be rather clever, knowing just the right words to manipulate others into replying to his comments, allowing him to activate his Quirk. He does not mind doing something underhanded to claim victory in a fight. Due to having his Brainwashing Quirk perceived as evil throughout his life, Hitoshi has been somewhat feared by those aware of his power and has been discriminated against solely because of the Quirk he was born with. This persecution led him to become resentful of those who had Quirks more associated with hero work, using Izuku Midoriya as an example by stating that someone "as blessed as him" would never understand what it's like to have an ability like his own. Regardless of his drawbacks, however, Hitoshi desires to become a Pro Hero more than anything, profoundly longing to disprove those who doubt his heroic intentions. Not only does he want to refute those who shame his abilities, but he also aspires to usurp students who walk the path towards becoming a Pro Hero, as he always wished to.[1] While he stated he had no interest in making friends, Hitoshi has been surrounded by many students who see him as a friend, including Izuku, Denki Kaminari, and Neito Monoma.

Appearance

Hitoshi is a relatively tall young man with messy, indigo-colored hair that flares out in large tufts around his head, notably straight teeth. His eyes are purple with white pupils and are thin and somewhat triangular, pointing downward, with no visible eyelashes. They're usually half-closed, and he has dark eye bags underneath them. During the Joint Training Arc, Hitoshi wears a prototype hero costume consisting of the long-sleeve winter version of the U.A. PE uniform: a dark blue shirt and pants with thick white lines over his upper body and down his legs, which form the letters "U" and "A", and a white marking framed by a red line on each sleeve. In addition to this, he wears a detachable mask-like device over his mouth, known as the Artificial Vocal Cords, which aids him with the activation of his Quirk, a Capturing Weapon, the same as the one worn by Eraser Head, around his neck, and a pair of green and white sneakers. After the Paranormal Liberation War, Hitoshi's hero costume has been finalized. He wears a short-sleeved black shirt, grey shoulder pads, fishnet arm sleeves, and fingerless gloves. His pants are also black, with purple rings around the bottom, a mini speaker on each end, and white boots with purple tips. In addition, Hitoshi wears his Artificial Vocal Cords on his face and Capturing Weapon around his neck.[4]

Equipment

Artificial Vocal Cords (もう一つの声帯 , Mō hitotsu no seitai?): A non-electric device that allows Hitoshi to mimic another person's voice. He uses this in conjunction with his Quirk to trick opponents into answering him, creating an opportunity for Hitoshi to activate his Quirk. Capturing Weapon: Like Eraser Head, Hitoshi uses a long cloth scarf made from steel wire alloy woven with carbon nanofibers. This scarf is excellent for grabbing things, restraining enemies, and enhancing his mobility.

Quirk

Brainwashing (洗せん脳のう, Sen'nō?): Hitoshi's Quirk allows him to put someone in a state where they are forced to obey whatever he commands. He can only activate this power when his target verbally responds to something he says. Brainwashing must be intentionally activated and will not take effect if Hitoshi doesn't want it to. Though he can have multiple people under his control at once, he can only activate his power on one person at a time. He was also initially unable to have his victims do things that require some advanced brain function, like talking or writing a name from their memory. However, to keep up with his future classmates in the hero course, Hitoshi trained hard and developed his Quirk to a point where he could command people to talk. This worked in a successful sting to draw in All For One.[9] Using a megaphone or anything that makes his voice artificial will not allow his Quirk to activate, as the said devices would transform his voice into an electronic signal. Ultimate Moves Persona Chords (ペルソナコード, Perusona Kōdo?): Using his Artificial Vocal Cords, Hitoshi can modify his vocal tone to imitate the voices of other people, deceiving his enemies so they respond and subject themselves to his Brainwashing.[10]