Summary
- The Eight Bullets were the elite enforcers of the Shie Hassaikai, led by Overhaul, recruited for their powerful quirks.
- Each member of the Eight Bullets had a troubled backstory, which explained their devotion to Overhaul.
- The Eight Bullets had diverse and formidable quirks, and they carried out missions to protect Overhaul and eliminate resistance.
The villain organization known as the Shie Hassaikai played a pivotal antagonistic role during the popular Shie Hassaikai story arc in the anime and manga series My Hero Academia. Led by the powerful and enigmatic overhaul, the Shie Hassaikai engaged in illegal business activities involving the trafficking of quirks. As one of the main criminal groups in the series, the Shie Hassaikai posed a serious threat to heroes and society.
However, it was their elite task force called the "Eight Bullets" that served as Overhaul's most capable and dangerous enforcers. But who exactly were the Eight Bullets, and what role did they play within the Shie Hassaikai?
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The Origins and Recruitment of the Eight Bullets
Troubled Backstories
As their name suggests, the Eight Bullets are a group of eight elite members that serve as the primary enforcers and warriors for Shie Hassaikai leader Kai Chisaki. It's unclear exactly when each member joined the organization, but Overhaul sought them out specifically due to their powerful quirks.
Overhaul didn't just recruit any villains off the street; he targeted damaged individuals who had been ostracized or felt they had no other purpose. Shin Nemoto, the group's strategist and rumored third-in-command, had previously worked as a con artist until being taken under Overhaul's wing. Toya Setsuno was betrayed by a former lover and left in deep debt before attempting suicide. A pro-hero intervened, and Overhaul offered him a new home. Yu Hojo created useless "gems" and was discarded until the Eight Bullets gave him value.
We'd given up on life, y'see!! When we tried to kill ourselves by leaping to our deaths... A hero caught us! Can you imagine our despair?! We didn't see the point in living anymore! There's no way you'd understand!
Even hardened fighters like Kendo Rappa had challenging upbringings. He was raised strictly, and he channeled his anger into underground battles until Overhaul found him. These troubled backstories explain why the Eight Bullets devoted themselves fully to their boss; he had offered them a new sense of meaning and community when no one else would. While certainly violent, their motivations show gray areas that don't simply reflect aimless villainy.
The Eight Bullets' Abilities and Roles
Members' Unique Quirks
With such diverse members came an array of unique and formidable quirks:
- Shin Nemoto is able to force targets to answer any question truthfully with his "Confession" quirk.
- Rikiya Katsukame: He could absorb his opponents' life energy through inhalation with his "Energy Suck" quirk.
- Toya Setsuno had the power to instantly relocate objects from one place to another he could see with his "Larceny" quirk.
- Yu Hojo possessed a crystallization quirk called "Crystallize" that allowed him to produce sharp crystals from his skin.
- Soramitsu Tabe: His "Food" quirk granted him the ability to chew through and digest any solid substance easily.
- Kendo Rappa: Boasted monstrous brute strength in battle through his "Strongarm" quirk, which allowed him to rotate his shoulders at extreme speeds for powerful punches.
- Hekiji Tengai: He could generate barrier-type shields with his "Barrier" quirk.
- Deidoro Sakaki induces disorientation similar to intoxication in others with his "Sloshed" quirk.
- Roles: Served as elite enforcers and guards for Overhaul, intimidating rivals and protecting operations.
- Fighting Ability: Each member showed formidable fighting skills tailored to their unique quirks.
As an unstoppable unit, the Eight Bullets carry out a variety of missions. They protect Overhaul, ward off enemy attacks, capture targets, and eliminate any resistance. Each villain lends their unique gifts to bolster the others' strengths and cover weaknesses. Their teamwork poses a serious threat compared to most disorganized bands of criminals.
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Battles with Pro Heroes
Memorable Showdowns that Tested Both Sides
Some of the anime and manga's most memorable battles involve clashes between individual members of the Eight Bullets and promising young pro heroes:
- Ryukyu, Uraraka, Tsuyu, and Nejire Hado face off against Rikiya Katsukame, defeating him thanks to the clever coordination of their quirks against his draining power. (Nejire Hado helped defeat him as well.).
- Tamaki Amajiki faces off alone against Toya Setsuno, Yu Hojo, and Soramitsu Tabe, defeating them after a challenging fight through the skilled use of his shape-shifting abilities.
- Fat Gum and Eijiro Kirishima square off against Kendo Rappa and Hekiji Tengai in a 2-on-2 battle that tests Fat Gum's limits as he stores away Rappa's powerful blows.
- Mirio Togata must overcome Shin Nemoto's truth-seeking abilities and Deidoro Sakaki's confusion effects simultaneously to save Eri.
These fights highlight the heroes' teamwork and growing skills in individually facing extremely lethal enemies. At the same time, the Eight Bullets members frequently display impressive resourcefulness and resilience, even when facing multiple opponents. Their defeats are never easily achieved.
Fusion with Overhaul and the Final Downfall
Defeat of Overhaul Leads to Arrest of Eight Bullets
In his ultimate battle against Mirio Togata and later Izuku Midoriya, Overhaul fused his body with that of Shin Nemoto to gain further power. This allowed him access to Shin's quirk alongside his own body manipulation. Overhaul later fused with the downed Rikiya Katsukame as well.
However, in the climax of the climactic battle, Eri's uncontrolled quirk reversed all of Overhaul's fusions. With their leader defeated, the remaining eight bullets were no match for the authorities. All eight members were ultimately arrested, disbanding the elite force forever. Though formidable, the Eight Bullets fell after pushing the invading heroes to their limits in battle.
The Eight Bullets served a critical role as Overhaul's most trusted lieutenants in the Shie Hassaikai organization. Each recruited from unfortunate pasts, their dangerous quirks formed a combined threat that took the efforts of top heroes to overcome. While briefly allying with the League of Villains, the Eight Bullets clashed directly with pro-heroes on multiple occasions. In the end, after cementing their places in the series' history, all were arrested following Overhaul's defeat, bringing an end to the elite yakuza enforcement unit.
My Hero Academia is available to stream on Prime Video.
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