Summary
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 seriesMy 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” thatserved as Overhaul’s mostcapable and dangerous enforcers. But who exactly were the Eight Bullets, and what role did they play within the Shie Hassaikai?
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 specificallydue to their powerful quirks.
Overhaul didn’t just recruitany 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 ofunique and formidable 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.
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:
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 Togataand 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 quirkreversed 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 Academiais available to stream onPrime Video.
My Hero Academia
In My Hero Academia, Young Deku is born into a world where people commonly have something called quirks, also known as superpowers. He himself is born without any, but circumstances lead to that changing. He enrolls at the UA High School, a prestigious academy where the worlds future heroes learn how to use their powers.
