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Shinjiro Hohoemi shows his teeth and his target laughs for the next two hours, helpless the whole time. Smile travels through mirrors and live video, wrecks machines instead of amusing them, and only fails when the victim cannot see him coming.

Quirk Type: Emitter
Quirk Range: Close and Long Range
Anime Debut: My Hero Academia - Laugh! As If You Are in Hell
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Overview

Smile is the emitter Quirk used by Shinjiro Hohoemi, a villain created for the anime special Laugh! As If You Are in Hell. It reaches both close and long range.

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Mechanics

Baring the teeth at someone locks that person into uncontrollable laughter for a two-hour stretch. The trigger does not demand a face-to-face encounter, since a reflection in a mirror or a video feed carries it just as well, provided the image is live.

Victims are effectively removed from a fight, barely able to move while the fit runs its course, and some lose their grip on their own Quirk in the process. Shoto Todoroki managed to hold the laughter back and was still taken out of commission, while Katsuki Bakugo knocked himself unconscious. Machines are not immune either, though they short out and break rather than laugh, something Mei Hatsume's capture robot and Power Loader both found out.

Obscure the target's vision and the Quirk accomplishes nothing, so anyone able to fight without relying on their eyes can face the user directly. Enough distance produces the same result.

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Notable Users

Shinjiro Hohoemi is the only known user, and the Quirk kept both the Police Force and the Pro Heroes from putting him in cuffs over his vandalism. Distance was his one gap, so he tucked a hologram projector into his hat and threw it, casting an image of his face while a female voice announced "Mr. Smiley!" The lengthy duration and the sheer strength of the effect let him graffiti unimpeded and escape again and again, until the police called on the Endeavor Agency, which found him no easier to bring in. Izuku Midoriya rated the Quirk formidable and figured Shinjiro could have made a great hero with it. Ms. Joke, the Smile Hero, works much the same way with her Outburst Quirk.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the smiling guy in MHA?

The smiling guy in My Hero Academia is Shinjiro Hohoemi, a villain from the anime special Laugh! As If You Are in Hell who calls himself Mr. Smiley. He uses the Smile Quirk to force uncontrollable laughter on anyone who sees his bared teeth.

What is the Smile Quirk?

The Smile Quirk belongs to Shinjiro Hohoemi and locks anyone who sees him bare his teeth into uncontrollable laughter for about two hours. It can trigger through mirrors or live video, not just direct sight.

How long does the Smile Quirk's effect last?

The laughter triggered by the Smile Quirk lasts for roughly two hours, leaving victims barely able to move or act during that time.

How can someone resist the Smile Quirk?

Obscuring the target's vision stops the Smile Quirk from working, so fighting without relying on sight, or simply keeping enough distance, lets someone face Shinjiro Hohoemi directly.

Does the Smile Quirk affect machines?

Machines are not immune to the Smile Quirk, though instead of laughing they short out and break, as happened to Mei Hatsume's capture robot and Power Loader.

Sources & Information

Looking for more on Smile? The My Hero Academia Wiki on Fandom has a dedicated page with community notes.

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This content is original writing by Daddy Jim Headquarters based on the My Hero Academia anime series, manga, and official materials. My Hero Academia was created by Kohei Horikoshi, published by Shueisha, and animated by Bones. All rights to My Hero Academia and its characters belong to their respective owners. Episode and chapter references are cited where applicable.

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Character and scene imagery on this site is original artwork by Daddy Jim Headquarters, not screenshots or licensed imagery. Official cover art is used on three types of pages for editorial commentary:

  • Movie pages: theatrical posters and key visuals, credited to Bones and Shueisha.
  • Game pages: official box art, credited to the game's respective publishers.
  • Manga chapter pages: volume covers, credited to Shueisha and Kohei Horikoshi.

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