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Since its premiere in the Spring of 2016, My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia) has become a massive hit among anime fans around the globe. While the premise of My Hero Academia draws you in with the promise of epic fights and saving the world from villains, it is the story’s backdrop that will keep you watching, which makes the anime series popular today.
Of course, when we talk about My Hero Academia, where the plot revolves around a world where 80% of the population possesses unearthly abilities—known as quirks, it is already a part of the conversation where fans would moot over who is the best hero in the series.
Considering that there are many cards to choose from, one might overlook some of the coolest characters in the series, like Pro Hero No. 2 Keigo Takami, also known as Hawks.
From his first full appearance in Episode 87, I already considered Keigo as one of the MHA universe’s flashiest Pro Heroes, thanks to his carefree and jovial vibe.
But what makes Hawks so interesting is despite his fancy-free attitude, more things about him are yet to be discovered. Yes, you heard it right! I’m here to take you through Pro Hero No. 2 Keigo Takami’s life, personality, abilities, and much more. Warning: Spoilers ahead!
Bottom Line Up Front
Despite the fact that we didn’t have much time to focus on Keigo’s persona in the series fully, there are still more for you to discover about Wing Hero: Hawks! But before we dig deep into Hawks’ interesting facts, here are some of his essential information:
- Complete Name: Keigo Takami
- Alias: Wing Hero: Hawks (ウィングヒーロー ホークス )
- Debut: Anime: Episode 66 (Silhouette), Episode 87 (Full appearance); Manga: Chapter 184
- Age: 23
- Birthday: December 28th
- Height: 172 cm
- Quirk: Fierce Wings
Who is Keigo Takami?
Keigo Takami, also known as Wing Hero: Hawks, is a key supporting character in My Hero Academia.
A former No. 3 Pro Hero and the current No. 2 Pro Hero, Hawks, is one of MHA universe’s high-ranking heroes and younger than most other top heroes in the series, making him the most carefree and cunning hero in the rank.
In fact, Keigo founded his own Hero Agency at the age of eighteen and was ranked among Japan’s top ten Pro Heroes within a year, making him the youngest hero to do so. Hawks has a set of crimson feathered wings on his back thanks to his quirk, Fierce Wings.
Keigo: Appearance, Personality, Quotes, and More
Appearance
What separates Keigo from other heroes in the MHA series is his glitzy and fresh appearance. Keigo is a young man of normal height with blonde hair combed backward. His brows are heavy, and he has a slight stubble on his chin.
He has golden browned wolf eyes and is more trapezoidal in shape, which gives him the appearance of a hunting bird’s eye. Since he was born with them as a child, the spots that surround his eyes are an innate trait.
Keigo’s clothing is huge in comparison to his height, making him appear smaller than he is. He usually wears loose, baggy pants full of folds and hangs down despite the belt.
He also possesses two gigantic blood-red wings with feathers that grow longer as they travel, which is the primary source of his Quirk: Fierce Wings.
Personality
As mentioned above, Keigo’s unique persona highly differs from any characters in the series, particularly among other Top Pro Heroes. He likes to be honest, avoids formality, and is often cocky while acting spontaneously and unpredictably.
He feels that the essential criteria by which a Pro Hero should be judged are public approbation, for it is a hero’s job to put people at ease.
What also caught my interest in Keigo is that he doesn’t seem to take the official rankings seriously, preferring the lower ranks because it allows him to act more freely and avoid the responsibilities of being a top hero.
Despite appearing easygoing and calm, he is extremely concerned and dedicated to his hero duty.
In fact, Keigo is highly amicable with the current Number One Hero, Endeavor, despite his crude attitude and violent temper, offering to assist him, as Keigo has been a fan of Endeavor since he was a child.
Keigo Takami’s Tough Past
Like any other MHA character, Keigo Takami also has his share of rough pasts in the series. Keigo’s parents were poor, and he lived most of his childhood in pain and harsh situations.
His father is a notorious hitman and thief, while I remember that his wife, Tomie, Keigo’s mother, utilized her ocular detachment Quirk to survey the area for any guards. Keigo’s father physically and verbally tortured him, making him wish he had never been born.
Living in a tough childhood, Keigo kept himself occupied by watching shows like Endeavor and All Might on TV and began to idolize Endeavor later on.
After Endeavor apprehended his father, Keigo began to believe that heroes were real. On the other hand, Keigo and her mother, Tomie, were forced to quit the house, and they were unable to live a comfortable life later on as they ended up having no money due to Tomie’s mental illness.
However, things would go the other way around, as Keigo was able to use feathers to save multiple victims in an automobile accident one day.
Hero Public Safety Commission approached him and pledged to offer Keigo and Tomie a second opportunity. Keigo was recruited into the Hero Public Safety Commission and given training different from what traditional heroes received.
Overview of Keigo Takami’s Abilities
To be honest, I am quite dubious as to why he becomes one of the current top heroes at first if I would compare him to heroes like Edgeshot or even Best Jeanist.
But later on in the series, Keigo’s true abilities leave me with awe, opening my mind as to why he is considered one of the highly competent and powerful heroes deserving of being ranked 2 Pro Hero.
Before taking the No. 2 Top Hero spot after All Might’s retirement, Keigo was ranked third among Japan’s Pro Heroes.
Keigo is a master of his Quirk, Fierce Wings, which he mostly employs for flight, high-speed fighting, and boosting his teammates’ mobility with his detachable feathers.
As a child, Keigo has already been swift and sharp, demonstrated in his flight skill and combat prowess. As a matter of fact, Keigo was able to save numerous people in a large car crash with vehicles traveling at 130 km/h at a very young age singlehandedly.
Quirk: Fierce Wings
Keigo’s quirk is quite similar to X-Men’s Warren Worthington III, aka Archangel, but with a unique twist. He has bright red, feathery hawk-like wings, enabling him to fly at a very high speed.
Keigo’s Fierce Wings is also capable of shooting out feathers and manipulating their nature by them as swords to cut through his target.
What’s more interesting about his quirk is that his feathers are skilled enough to slice through two white Nomu summoned by High-End.
Razor Wit
Aside from his quirk, Hawks is an extremely brilliant, shrewd, and strategic character. Keigo’s intellect is powerful, combined with his attentive, composed, and quick-thinking ability, elevating his value as a hero. This is one of my favorite Keigo abilities.
Keigo’s extreme intelligence leaves me in awe, especially when he deceives the paranormal Liberation Front’s surveillance while maintaining his mask.
His ability traces way back to his earlier life, as the Hero Public Safety Commission trained him at a very young age. Keigo’s intelligence comes in when things get rough, making him appear impeccably relaxed while retaining constant attention.
Enhanced Sight
Along with Keigo’s impressive Fierce Wings and razor-sharp wit, he also possesses enhanced sight that makes him stand out among other heroes in the MHA universe. Keigo can spot multiple people while flying, thanks to his extraordinary vision.
Expanded Speed
Compared to other top heroes like All Might or Endeavor, Keigo does not possess brute strength in his arsenal, but rather, he stands out in his enhanced speed. With his formidable speed, Keigo can solve most of his fights that his sidekicks cannot keep up with.
Sound Spying
As a hero having a bird-like ability, Keigo is capable of detecting air vibrations and deciphering conversations and other information about voice via sound waves.
Keigo can detect sounds in the air with one of his feathers, allowing him to understand conversations and verbal information.
I remember Keigo used this ability during his duty as a spy for the League of Evils. He was able to use this method to listen in on Re-Destro and The Paranormal Liberation Front and learn critical details by employing a spring hidden within the entryway.
The only drawback with this ability is it has the limitation of being only applicable for relatively small distances.
Despite having all these skills, Keigo is fully aware that his quirk also has its weakness. Fierce Wings also has its limitations, so Keigo should not exhaust his quills unless absolutely necessary.
Keigo is also capable of multi-tasking thanks to his extreme awareness and is his quickness. In fact, I was surprised how his speed allowed him to keep up with Nomu Hood.
Hence, I think that Keigo is a valuable asset to the heroes because of his pure skill and quick intelligence.
Quotes
The first time I saw Keigo in the series, I already knew that he was a character full of wits and glamour. And yes, I am right, which makes me locked into his unique personality.
With his laid-back and friendly attitude yet mysterious character, there are several notable dialogues that make Keigo remarkable in the series. Here are some of them:
- “I just wanna enjoy myself. Seriously. Do some leisurely patrolling, put in a few appearances, say “Aw shucks, no trouble today,” and get a good night’s sleep! That’s my ideal life! I wanna make this world one where heroes have time to kill.”
- “I’m Hawks. The man who’s a bit too fast. A society where heroes can enjoy a little boredom… I’ll make it happen, I promise, at my trademark top speed.”
- “I’m not especially interested in nurturing the next generation or anything, but… It’s great that you’re putting in effort to cover your weak points, like short-distance combat, but you shouldn’t neglect improving on your strong points either. You’re capable of moving much more freely. Look… take it from a fellow bird. If you’ve got wings, you should stretch them out and fly. There’s no need for you to be confined to the ground.”
- ” When a person’s backed into a corner or when they’re truly free… that’s when they show their true nature. That’s why I think Bubaigawara was a decent guy… who was just desperate to be helped and I feel… the same way.”
- “If dirtying my hands can somehow bring everyone peace of mind, I’ll gladly take on this task.”
Hero Suit and Equipment
Like any other heroes in the series, Keigo’s hero suit and equipment are designed to maximize their Quirks to their full potential.
Keigo’s hero suit resembles an aviator’s uniform. He is dressed in a black shirt with a wavy golden design, covered with a beige jacket with a high collar lined on the insides, and black gloves.
Keigo also has a square-shaped lobe piercing in each ear, but it is rarely noticeable because he normally wears yellow headphones over it.
Keigo’s headphones are specifically designed for protection, as the aerial speed where he moves mostly can permanently destroy his eardrums.
Keigo also wears a yellow-tinted visor that protects his eyes, presumably from UV radiation above the clouds and dirt particles at high speed. His jacket is specially modified for aerial movement, with two large slits over his shoulder blades, allowing his wings to protrude easily.
To the casual eye, you can instantly say that Keigo is a man of shiftiness—the one that you can think that this guy has something on his sleeve.
Interesting Facts You Should Know About Keigo Takami
Keigo is the Youngest and most Ambitious of the Top Pro Heroes
As one of the youngest Top Pro heroes around, Keigo possesses the most ambitious character, which makes him the most colorful character in the series.
As mentioned a while ago, Keigo already founded his own hero agency at 18 and made his first entry on the Pro Hero Billboard Chart the following year. After a few years, he’s risen to second place, behind only Endeavor.
While Keigo still has a long way to go if he wants to be number one, the top slot is probably just a stepping stone on his road to his ultimate objective as a professional hero, given how fast he is.
Keigo is a Capricorn
As a Taurus myself, Keigo being a Capricorn is, I guess, what makes me love his character. Keigo was born on December 28, making him a Capricorn by astrological sign.
Although he doesn’t exactly suit the Capricorn attributes of seriousness and tradition, as he prefers to break the cycle, the thing that captures me the most about Keigo being a Capricorn is his ambitious, relentless, and realistic personality.
His Life is Just Like Messi’s
Who would have thought that Keigo’s back story is primarily based on Lionel Messi’s childhood? Well, if we would match Keigo and Messi’s speed, then that is the statement!
In an interview with the current series editor, Yoritomi, which is released on the Honyasan bookstore mobile app for the 5th anniversary of My Hero Academia.
He said that the inspiration for Keigo’s narrative came from Messi, as he provided information about soccer player Lionel Messi’s youth to Kohei Horikoshi, who incorporated it into the development of Keigo’s character.
Chicken is His Favorite Food
When I said that Keigo is probably the unique character in the series, I meant it seriously. While other My Hero Academia has their typical favorite food, like Midoriya’s pork cutlet bowl or Sugarman’s cake, Keigo’s favorite food is chicken.
Sounds funny, right? Given that he has bird-like abilities, of course, this is probably a reference to the fact that some birds, such as bald eagles, are known to eat other birds. Pretty interesting.
Keigo is the Second-most Popular Hero
The same to his popularity in the series, Keigo is considered the second-most popular hero according to Weekly Shonen Jump’s popularity polls—in Japan and the U.S. I guess it is already a no-brainer, given how flashy his character throughout the is, which surely captures the fans’ attention.
While Midoriya and Bakugo frequently compete at the top of the list (well, they always do), Keigo came in second in the 2019 edition.
Frequently Asked Questions about Keigo Takami
Question: Is Keigo Takami a Traitor?
Answer: My hero Academia is set in a world full of heroes and villains. With this fact alone, it is automatic that one has to be in the gray area—and Keigo falls under this stripe. Many fans were perplexed when Keigo came to meet Dabi and said that he wanted to join the League of Villians.
But it turns out that this wasn’t the case, for Keigo was joining LoV with an entirely different purpose. So, to cut a long story short, he isn’t a traitor. He chose to support those he considered to be righteous.
Question: Why do Keigo’s Wings Shrink?
Answer: Despite being one of the current top heroes, Keigo’s Quirk also has a major drawback that makes him weak. Keigo’s Fierce Wings’ main flaw is that it ultimately runs out of feathers to use.
As Keigo uses more feathers, his wings become slower, making him limit his capacity to fly. And it takes at least two days for them to regrow once they have been used up.
Question: Is Keigo Tagami a Fan of Endeavor?
Answer: Yes! In fact, Keigo has confessed that he has idolized Endeavor since he was a child. As both Top Pro Heroes, Keigo even requested a team-up with Endeavor since he required his assistance in investigating Nomu sightings.
What makes them fun to watch is despite Endeavor’s harsh attitude and Hawks’ continuous joking, the two get along swimmingly.
Question: Was Keigo Tagami Abused?
Answer: Keigo grew up in terrible conditions, living with his parents in a run-down house in Fukuoka that was far from the city.
As a child, Keigo was growing up subjected to domestic violence and abuse by his father on countless occasions, for his father was a notorious hitman and thief.
When Keigo was in front of his parents, he barely expressed any emotion, even in the instances when his father struck him. What’s the saddest thing about Keigo’s childhood is that her mother, who was witness to the brutality, seemed to show no interest in him.
Question: Is Keigo a UA Student?
Answer: No, Keigo did not attend a Heroics course in high school. Rather than sending him to a school like UA, the Hero Public Safety Commission decided to teach him themselves.
Being part of the Hero Public Safety Commission is also the primary reason why Keigo rose to the top of the ranks so rapidly after becoming a Pro Hero.
FAQs
Question: Is Keigo Takami a Traitor?
Answer: My hero Academia is set in a world full of heroes and villains. With this fact alone, it is automatic that one has to be in the gray area—and Keigo falls under this stripe. Many fans were perplexed when Keigo came to meet Dabi and said that he wanted to join the League of Villians.
But it turns out that this wasn’t the case, for Keigo was joining LoV with an entirely different purpose. So, to cut a long story short, he isn’t a traitor. He chose to support those he considered to be righteous.
Question: Why do Keigo’s Wings Shrink?
Answer: Despite being one of the current top heroes, Keigo’s Quirk also has a major drawback that makes him weak. Keigo’s Fierce Wings’ main flaw is that it ultimately runs out of feathers to use.
As Keigo uses more feathers, his wings become slower, making him limit his capacity to fly. And it takes at least two days for them to regrow once they have been used up.
Question: Is Keigo Tagami a Fan of Endeavor?
Answer: Yes! In fact, Keigo has confessed that he has idolized Endeavor since he was a child. As both Top Pro Heroes, Keigo even requested a team-up with Endeavor since he required his assistance in investigating Nomu sightings.
What makes them fun to watch is despite Endeavor’s harsh attitude and Hawks’ continuous joking, the two get along swimmingly.
Question: Was Keigo Tagami Abused?
Answer: Keigo grew up in terrible conditions, living with his parents in a run-down house in Fukuoka that was far from the city.
As a child, Keigo was growing up subjected to domestic violence and abuse by his father on countless occasions, for his father was a notorious hitman and thief.
When Keigo was in front of his parents, he barely expressed any emotion, even in the instances when his father struck him. What’s the saddest thing about Keigo’s childhood is that her mother, who was witness to the brutality, seemed to show no interest in him.
Question: Is Keigo a UA Student?
Answer: No, Keigo did not attend a Heroics course in high school. Rather than sending him to a school like UA, the Hero Public Safety Commission decided to teach him themselves.
Being part of the Hero Public Safety Commission is also the primary reason why Keigo rose to the top of the ranks so rapidly after becoming a Pro Hero.
Final Thoughts about Keigo Takami
Let us face it, Keigo Takami, aka Hawks, is indeed one of the My Hero Academia’s coolest Pro Heroes for various reasons. Personally, the quality that drags me the most to him is his colorful and unique personality.
But steering away from his persona, undoubtedly, many fans are deeply interested in Keigo’s strong feeling of duty and obligation in his professional function as a hero.
Even though he lacks sheer strength, he compensates by providing excellent assistance through his formidable speed, which is evident when teamed up with more powerful heroes like Endeavor.
Following All Might’s resignation and his promotion as the current Top 2 Hero, and his mission leading to Paranormal Liberation War Arc, we can now see that Keigo is more than just a carefree hero, as we can understand how he understands the relevance of being a leader.
With the current arc, the question that leaves now is: What’s in store for Wing Hero: Hawks in the future?