What’s the Meaning of HIMIKO’s Name in MHA?

Hi, it’s Junko from Japan. Toga Himiko is a dark heroine of My Hero Academia. Her name was initially written in Katakana, but the Kanji symbols for her full name were revealed later.

In short, HIMIKO is the name of the ancient queen of Japan. TOGA represents “pass myself.” I’ll explain what each Kanji character means in detail.

First Name HIMIKO

HI = suffer, wear, pull something over one’s head
MI = body, oneself
KO = child, a suffix letter for girls’ names

The word HIMIKO is known as the name of an ancient queen in Japan. It’s said she was the first king of Japan. She was a shaman and governed ancient Japan, but her identity is still wrapped in a mystery.

Is it a popular name in Japan?

Junko

No. Since Himiko’s HI letter has only bad meanings, we rarely use it as a real name. Toga Himiko’s Kanji writings are different from this original Himiko.

Himiko in My Hero Academia’s name can be translated as “wear someone” or “put someone on yourself.” I think it exactly stands for her quirk, Transform. Her quirk allows her to wear someone’s body and the name clearly shows the feature.

Also, it may describe her past. Himiko has suppressed her real herself and has been wearing a mask of a normal girl. The mask was taken off when she committed the murder case in junior high.

Last Name TOGA

TO = pass, go across
GA = I, myself

Kanji writings in TOGA can be interpreted as “pass myself.” Actually, Toga Himiko told in My Hero Academia that sha wanted to become completely the same as someone she loves. In a way, she throws herself away to become someone. “Passing herself” name may imply her twisted love for others.

Though the Kanji spell is different, the word TOGA stands for “sin” in Japanese. So her last name may also tell that she’s a criminal and stands on the dark side. As I said first, her name was written in Katakana letters when she appeared in the story. I guess that was on purpose to make Himiko’s identity unknown.

If you’re interested in the meaning of other characters’ names in My Hero Academia, check out the link below too!

The List of the Posts about My Hero Academia is Here!