My Hero Academia: Loud Cloud’s Cloud Quirk, Explained

My Hero Academia: Loud Cloud’s Cloud Quirk, Explained

• Heroes in My Hero Academia have diverse quirks, some for attacking, others for support.
• Oboro Shirakumo’s “Cloud” quirk helps rescue civilians and provides support in battle.
• Shirakumo’s tragic transformation into a Nomu shocks his friends, leaving his fate uncertain.

From an early age, heroes in My Hero Academia develop quirks and learn how to use them effectively to protect their city. Some possess the power to launch high-power attacks to defeat the villains, while others serve as support heroes, rescuing civilians from the wreckage. Life in My Hero Academia isn’t easy for quirkless people, but thankfully, they can rely on the services of the many pro heroes available. Their powers can range from quirks that can emit elemental attacks to quirks that boost strength and speed while multiplying the user’s size. In the case of Oboro Shirakumo, his quirk reflects his light-hearted nature and motivation to save everyone.

Known by his hero name, Loud Cloud, Shirakumo is a classmate and friend of Shota Aizawa and Hizashi Yamada. The trio of pals develops a strong bond despite their contrasting personalities, finding a similar goal of becoming the strongest hero they can be and saving the world. Each hero harnesses their unique powers, with Aizawa’s quirk-canceling ability and Yamada’s explosive voice, but Shirakumo leans more towards the defensive side. His quirk, Cloud, has the potential of combining with other heroes’ quirks, turning the tide of the battle in favor of the heroes with a strategy that is tough to counter.

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Oboro Shirakumo’s Quirk: Cloud

First Appearance

My Hero Academia, Episode 107, “More of a Hero Than Anyone”

Debut Date

August 14, 2021

Oboro Shirakumo receives his introduction later in My Hero Academia as part of a flashback to the backstory of Aizawa and Yamada. As a young boy, Shirakumo is an aspiring hero with white hair and a positive outlook on life. His casual approach to life and quick-witted humor made for a lighter side to life as a hero, often catching his friends off guard with a joke and a smile. His hair resembles a thick cloud, and the attitude of someone with his head in the clouds leads to the perfect description of his quirk: Cloud. Shirakumo can manifest clouds dense enough to touch and sit in, ideally suited for traveling around the city.

The clouds can also hold items, which Shirakumo takes full advantage of to store anything that could be placed in a backpack. This makes preparation for a fight against villains easier for Shirakumo, as he can access the battlefield by riding his cloud and bringing his friends along. Anything needed to achieve any objective can be put into the cloud for future use. Shirakumo’s Cloud may not be the strongest quirk in My Hero Academia, but its use shouldn’t be disregarded. There’s plenty of convenience that makes Cloud a quirk that can help win a battle, even if it isn’t meant for taking down a specific villain.

Oboro Shirakumo’s Fighting Style With Cloud

Known more as a defensive hero, Shirakumo’s Cloud quirk doesn’t rely on its power but more on his ability to help others escape battle. The clouds Shirakumo generates can’t cause any damage against villains, but they serve as an excellent resource to help rescue citizens caught up in war and are on the cusp of losing their lives. This lines up beautifully with Shirakumo’s motivation to save everyone he can as he glides through the skies and swoops in, saving anyone needing help. Unfortunately, this means Shirakumo isn’t joining the front lines with Aizawa and Yamada, but he could be a great help to them from a distance.

Shirakumo can also manifest several clouds to create a smokescreen, allowing his allies and quirkless citizens to escape situations. This strategy can double as a support move, allowing his allies to sneak in and launch their attacks while avoiding detection. This makes Shirakumo’s Cloud an excellent support quirk, relying less on power and emphasizing strategic entry and exit. Paired with Aizawa’s ability to stop enemy quirks from activating and Yamada’s ability to use his voice to reach extended areas, the trio effectively gathers intel and ensures everyone can escape the area before the battle.

Cloud’s Usage In Battle

Unfortunately, due to the circumstances leading to Shirakumo’s alleged death, My Hero Academia fans only saw his quirk in action through the flashbacks offered in the manga and anime. Loud Cloud became popular among the city’s youth as they watched him soar in the skies in his dense clouds, showing off some tricks at times of peace. His Cloud quirk gave Shirakumo the ability to entertain onlookers and give children the opportunity to lift off the ground — under strict supervision, of course. In some sequences in the manga, fans can see Shirakumo and his two friends combining their quirks to take down villains with some crafty teamwork.

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Shirakumo also possesses a quarterstaff to attack with and a gourd to use as a speaker. Loud Cloud shows signs of mastery with his ability to use a quarterstaff in action, combining his Cloud quirk with some physical prowess to help Aizawa and Yamada take down their opponents. His gourd allows Present Mic to utilize his Voice quirk at heightened levels, sending out a tremendous attack due to the speaker.

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However, as much potential as Shirakumo had, his untimely death during his attempt to earn a Provisional License left many wondering what could have been. Loud Cloud’s nature and aspirations had all the makings of a great hero and made for a great trio alongside Aizawa and Yamada. His sudden passing doesn’t do well for exposure, as Shirakumo didn’t get the opportunity to show off his Cloud quirk as much as one would hope.

The Unknown Of Cloud And Cloud Cover

While Shirakumo’s death was one Aizawa and Yamada continued to mourn, they would eventually learn that the Nomu, known as Kurogiri. Kurogiri is an established member of the League of Villains and serves as the team’s strategist. The revelation of Shirakumo’s survival and subsequent transformation into the Nomu body left Aizawa and Yamada stunned, struggling to acknowledge that their friend and classmate had somehow survived and was a part of the League of Villains.

The sad reality of fighting against the friend they once thought to be dead was one of the more surprising moments of My Hero Academia. It’s uncertain whether Aizawa and Yamada will be able to rescue Shirakumo and convert him back to his former self. Should they be able to return him to his old self, it will become one of My Hero Academia’s best moments, bringing back a well-liked hero who had all the potential but little time to realize his dream.

The My Hero Academia manga is available to read on Viz and the Dragon Ball anime is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

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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.