The battle between Fumikage Tokoyami and Shihai Kuroiro during My Hero Academia’s Joint Training Arc became one of the most visually impressive fights between Class 1-A and Class 1-B. While the confrontation was technically part of a larger team battle, Tokoyami and Kuroiro’s clash stood out because both fighters relied heavily on darkness-based Quirks. Their abilities created a unique matchup where strategy and control mattered more than raw power alone.
The fight also marked a major step forward for Tokoyami’s development. After interning under Hawks, Tokoyami returned with improved combat mobility, better Quirk control, and a powerful new technique called Black Fallen Angel. The battle demonstrated how much he had evolved since earlier arcs where Dark Shadow’s lack of control often became a weakness.
At the same time, Kuroiro proved why he was one of Class 1-B’s most dangerous tactical fighters. His Black Quirk allowed him to merge into dark objects and launch surprise attacks from nearly any shadowed surface. Against most opponents, that ability made him extremely difficult to track.
However, Tokoyami’s growing mastery over Dark Shadow ultimately turned the fight in his favor. Let’s break down how Tokoyami defeated Kuroiro, why Dark Shadow dominated the battlefield, and what this battle revealed about Tokoyami’s growth as a hero.
Why Tokoyami vs Kuroiro Was Such a Unique Matchup
The matchup between Tokoyami and Kuroiro immediately stood out because both characters specialize in darkness-based abilities.
According to official My Hero Academia character descriptions, Tokoyami’s Quirk allows him to manifest Dark Shadow, a sentient shadow creature whose power increases in darkness but weakens under bright light. Kuroiro’s Black Quirk, meanwhile, lets him merge with dark-colored objects and travel through them while remaining hidden. This gives him exceptional stealth and ambush capabilities. Because both fighters benefit from darkness, the battlefield itself became extremely important.
Kuroiro initially gained the advantage by using shadows and dark surfaces to disappear from sight repeatedly. He attacked unpredictably and attempted to separate Tokoyami from his teammates. Unlike straightforward power-based opponents, Kuroiro focused heavily on disruption and confusion.
However, Tokoyami understood darkness better than almost anyone else in the exercise. Rather than panicking, he adapted quickly and began using Dark Shadow’s overwhelming range and power to limit Kuroiro’s movement options. This dynamic made the battle feel more tactical than many earlier student fights in My Hero Academia.
Tokoyami’s Internship With Hawks Changed His Fighting Style
One of the biggest reasons Tokoyami defeats Kuroiro is because of the growth he experiences during his internship with Hawks.
Before the Joint Training Arc, Tokoyami often relied primarily on Dark Shadow’s raw strength. While powerful, this approach had limitations because Dark Shadow could become unstable in darkness. Tokoyami also struggled with mobility compared to faster fighters. Hawks helped change that.
According to Tokoyami’s character summaries, Hawks trained him to improve movement speed and aerial combat. This training led to Tokoyami developing Black Fallen Angel, a technique where Dark Shadow wraps around him and grants him high-speed flight. This ability becomes critical against Kuroiro.
Instead of remaining stationary and vulnerable to ambushes, Tokoyami can now maneuver rapidly through the battlefield. The increased speed makes it much harder for Kuroiro to predict his positioning or isolate him from teammates.
The internship also improves Tokoyami’s confidence significantly. Earlier arcs often portrayed him as reserved and cautious, but during the Joint Training battle, he fights with much greater aggression and tactical awareness. This evolution demonstrates how much influence Hawks had on Tokoyami’s development as a hero.
How Kuroiro Used His Black Quirk Against Tokoyami
Kuroiro entered the battle with a surprisingly effective strategy against Tokoyami. His Black Quirk allowed him to merge into any dark-colored object, including clothing, walls, and shadows. This made him extremely difficult to track visually. Throughout the fight, Kuroiro repeatedly launched surprise attacks while moving between surfaces almost instantly.
According to Joint Training Arc discussions and character descriptions, Kuroiro specifically targeted Tokoyami because their Quirks naturally interacted with darkness. He believed his stealth abilities would allow him to outmaneuver Tokoyami despite Dark Shadow’s raw power. Kuroiro also attempted psychological disruption.
By constantly emerging from unexpected angles, he tried forcing Tokoyami into defensive reactions. Against many opponents, this strategy would likely have worked. However, Tokoyami’s calm personality helped him avoid losing focus.
The battle highlights one of Kuroiro’s greatest strengths as a fighter: battlefield control. Rather than overpowering enemies directly, he manipulates positioning and visibility to create openings. Unfortunately for him, Dark Shadow’s overwhelming range eventually made stealth alone insufficient.
How Dark Shadow Gains the Advantage
The turning point in the battle comes when Tokoyami fully utilizes Dark Shadow’s offensive pressure. Dark Shadow is especially dangerous in low-light environments because its strength increases dramatically in darkness. According to Tokoyami’s official character descriptions, the Quirk becomes more aggressive and powerful as the surrounding light decreases. This creates a major problem for Kuroiro.
Although Kuroiro benefits from darkness for stealth, the same darkness also strengthens Dark Shadow. As the battle intensifies, Tokoyami begins overwhelming the battlefield with wide-range attacks that reduce Kuroiro’s safe movement spaces.
Dark Shadow’s sheer size and speed make hiding increasingly difficult. Kuroiro can still move between dark surfaces, but he cannot escape the constant pressure Tokoyami creates. This is where Tokoyami’s improved control becomes crucial.
In earlier arcs, overwhelming darkness risked Dark Shadow going berserk. However, after his internship with Hawks, Tokoyami demonstrates significantly better command over his Quirk. He can now maximize Dark Shadow’s strength while maintaining enough control to fight strategically. That balance ultimately decides the battle.
Black Fallen Angel Becomes Tokoyami’s Winning Move
Tokoyami’s Black Fallen Angel technique becomes the clearest sign of his growth during the fight. The technique allows Dark Shadow to surround Tokoyami like armor while also giving him aerial mobility. This dramatically increases his speed and flexibility during combat. Rather than fighting from fixed positions, Tokoyami can attack from multiple angles while remaining difficult to predict. Against Kuroiro, this mobility advantage is devastating.
Kuroiro’s strategy depends heavily on controlling engagement distances and launching surprise attacks. Black Fallen Angel disrupts that approach entirely because Tokoyami can now reposition rapidly before Kuroiro fully commits to attacks. The technique also symbolizes Tokoyami becoming more independent as a fighter.
Previously, he often relied on Dark Shadow acting separately from him. Black Fallen Angel instead combines Tokoyami’s movement directly with Dark Shadow’s abilities, creating a far more coordinated combat style.
This evolution reflects the Hawks’ influence strongly. Hawks specializes in speed, aerial maneuverability, and efficient movement, all qualities Tokoyami begins incorporating into his own fighting style during the Joint Training Arc.
Why Tokoyami Ultimately Wins the Battle
Tokoyami ultimately defeats Kuroiro because he adapts more effectively to the battle’s conditions. Kuroiro enters the fight with a clever strategy and strong tactical awareness, but Tokoyami’s improved mobility and Dark Shadow’s overwhelming pressure gradually neutralize those advantages. Once Tokoyami gains control of the battlefield’s pace, Kuroiro loses the ability to dictate engagements through stealth alone.
Tokoyami also benefits from emotional composure. Unlike some characters who panic against unpredictable opponents, Tokoyami remains calm throughout the battle. His reserved personality allows him to analyze Kuroiro’s movements carefully rather than overreacting emotionally.
Most importantly, Tokoyami’s growth since earlier arcs gives him far greater versatility. Instead of relying solely on brute force, he combines mobility, control, and timing effectively. The battle, therefore, functions less as a simple power victory and more as proof of Tokoyami’s evolution as a hero trainee.
Why the Tokoyami vs Kuroiro Fight Matters in My Hero Academia
The Tokoyami vs Kuroiro battle matters because it highlights one of My Hero Academia’s core themes: growth through adaptation. Tokoyami does not win simply because his Quirk is stronger. He wins because he learned from previous weaknesses and evolved his fighting style. His internship with Hawks directly influences the outcome, showing how mentorship shapes young heroes throughout the series.
The fight also reinforces Tokoyami’s importance within Class 1-A. While characters like Deku, Bakugo, and Todoroki often receive the most attention, Tokoyami consistently proves himself one of the class’s strongest and most reliable fighters.
At the same time, Kuroiro leaves a strong impression despite losing. His Black Quirk demonstrates how dangerous strategic abilities can be even against overwhelmingly powerful opponents.
Ultimately, the battle succeeds because it combines tactical combat with meaningful character progression. Tokoyami’s victory over Kuroiro is not just about defeating Class 1-B. It represents the moment Tokoyami begins evolving from a talented student into a genuinely formidable future hero.
Another important takeaway from Tokoyami’s victory is how it highlights the importance of control over raw power in My Hero Academia. Earlier in the series, Dark Shadow’s greatest strength was also its biggest weakness, as Tokoyami struggled to manage its behavior in intense darkness.
During the fight against Kuroiro, however, he demonstrates a much higher level of discipline and awareness, using Dark Shadow strategically instead of letting it act purely on instinct. This shift shows that Tokoyami is no longer just relying on his Quirk’s natural advantage but actively refining it through experience and training. As a result, his win feels earned, proving that growth, adaptability, and control are just as important as strength in becoming a true hero.