There are a host of controversial parents in anime, from Dario Brando inJoJo’s Bizarre Adventureto Goku inDragon Ball,butMy Hero AcademiaandJujutsu Kaisencontain two of the worst.Enji Todoroki,better known as the Pro Hero,Endeavor, andTojiFushiguro, the infamous Sorcerer Killer, display some of the most disgusting behavior of any anime fathers,but between these two, who is worse?
Fathers like Endeavor and Toji put other lackluster anime dads into perspective, revealing that there are far more abhorrent parenting examples out there. While Toji is definitely a neglectful, absent father,Endeavor should be considered worse,because of his cruel and abusive treatment of everyone in the Todoroki family.
It’s Not Even Close; Endeavor is the Worse Father of the Two
Toji Ignored Megumi, but Endeavor Physically, Emotionally, and Mentally Abused His Children and Wife Daily
Both of these anime dads undoubtedly did a number on their children, butthe negative impacts caused by Endeavor are much more apparent and severe.Toji can best be described as neglectful, because he did not take an active role in parenting Megumi and instead left entirely. By contrast, Endeavor was present, but caused more dramatic consequences for the children and his wife, Rei, because he was consistently physically, mentally, and emotionally abusive to everyone in the family up until the very ending ofMy Hero Academia,when his redemption arc began.
My Hero Academia Never Addressed Its Most Problematic Issue, And Shoto Deserved Better
Quirk Marriages, one of My Hero Academia’s most horrid and controversial practices, were left forgotten by the end of the series.
There is no evidence that Toji physically abused Megumi, but he did act like his son did not exist at all until the end of his time inJujutsu Kaisen, which is obviously still extremely harmful to a child’s development. Endeavor did cause worse consequences for the children and Rei though, because he was there around his family always, breaking them down with his words and actions. Both fathers are awful, butit is easier to see the harm Endeavor caused throughoutMy Hero Academia,because of Todoroki’s character arc, Rei’s reactions to her husband’s behavior, and Dabi’s accident and turn to villainy.
Toji Was Neglectful, But Endeavor Was Actively Abusive
Toji Wanted Megumi to Succeed and Spent His Final Moments Speaking to His Son
Disturbingly, Toji sold his son, Megumi, to the Zenin clan, severing ties with him completely for most of his life. Later though, Toji revealed that although this choice was frowned upon by others,one of his intentions was to give Megumi a better life than the one Toji could provide.Toji’s decision to sell Megumi was perhaps not entirely selfless, as the assassin was clearly willing to do anything he was asked to for money, but, deep down, some love did exist for his son and he was likely aware that giving Megumi access to influential people in the sorcerer world would benefit Megumi and his future.
Jujutsu Kaisen Already Confirmed The Full Power Of The Only Man Who Beat Gojo
The Jujutsu Kaisen anime has finally shown the full power of Toji Fushiguro, the only man who has beaten Gojo in a fight thus far in the series.
Right before Toji’s death, he shared his final words with Megumi before stabbing himself,expressing happiness that Megumi went by the name “Fushiguro” and not “Zenin.“Even though they never had a relationship or other on-screen interactions, Toji was grateful his son went by his last name, indicating that he still had some fondness for his child. Toji made many poor choices in his life, but his love for Megumi was evident, even though he often did not express it well. The argument can be made that Endeavor loves his children and Rei too, but the mistreatment he subjected them to for years is inexcusable.
My Hero Academia Shows the Harm Endeavor Caused His Family Clearly
Dabi Died as a Result of Endeavor’s Mistreatment and Many of His Children Permanently Cut Ties
Shoto’s character arc clearly illustrates how awful living with Endeavor as a father was. Todoroki was the favorite child who Endeavor saw the most potential in, but despite this, Endeavor worked Shoto to the bone, training him, andnothing Shoto accomplished was ever enough to satisfy his impatient father.Endeavor wanted his son to be an extraordinary Pro Hero, but he put an unnecessary amount of pressure on him when he was only a child, setting standards that no human could possibly live up to. Dabi, another son of Endeavor, received the opposite treatment and virtually did not exist in Endeavor’s eyes.
Dabi was desperate for Endeavor’s approval and love, and when he was unable to receive it through any means he tried,he snapped one day and experienced a horrific accident.His Quirk went out of control and burnt him nearly to death, and this moment marks the start of Dabi’s villain origin story. Had Endeavor treated Dabi with more kindness and care, he likely never would have turned to evil. Endeavor’s other children also suffered, and a few of them cut ties permanently, even after he apologized. Rei was also in agony due to her husband’s behavior and dealt with years of abuse.
Toji Has His Issues, but the Pain Endeavor Caused Is More Severe
Despite Endeavor’s Redemption Arc, He Cannot Simply Erase the Agony He Put His Family Through for Years
Rei even took out her pain on Shoto, scarring half of his face with boiling water, since the fire side of his Quirk reminded her of Endeavor.My Hero Academia’sstory makes it abundantly clear just how severely the Todoroki family is hurting due to Endeavor’s abuse, and even though he did receive a redemption arc, it is still difficult to look past what he did.His actions led to Dabi’s death in the epilogue, permanently severed relationships with many of his children, and drastically affected Todoroki’s journey as a hero, soeven though he began making amends, for most of the series, he was the worst father.
I Admit It: My Hero Academia Owed Dabi a Better Ending Than What He Got
Everyone in My Hero Academia’s Todoroki family received satisfying conclusions, except for Dabi who was robbed of the ending he deserved.
Toji’s absence definitely affects Megumi, but the trauma Endeavor caused every family member in the Todoroki family is on another level, making him the worse of the two fathers.Endeavor’s redemption arc did set him on a better pathand helped him and his family begin healing from the cruelty he subjected them to for years, buthe can never erase the wounds he left on his loved ones,and some of his children understandably refused to ever have a relationship with him again. All things considered,My Hero Academia’sEndeavoris one of the worst fathers in anime, and certainly worse thanJujutsu Kaisen’sToji Fushiguro.
