User blog comment:TheAura21/Why I think Kaminari is highly underestimated and should be one of the class' most powerful students/@comment-35975040-20180722100813

Interesting!

While you do posit a good concept, I think you may have overlooked something: Denki is regarded as a person with a powerful quirk. I do believe that he's smarter than he lets on, and his quirk is pretty powerful, but it has certain drawbacks. For one, it's not exactly long-ranged (prior to the Provisional License Exam that is), and he explains that he can't exactly spread it too far. Plus, it isn't exactly a good ability when compared to Shoto's ice (which is similar in nature) due to the unpredictability of electricity, and how it (as well as Shoto's ice) can't be used as effectively in the presence of allies. Not to mention that using his known super move fries his brain after a few uses.

He does find a way to get around these debilitating weaknesses, but there's also a few things to consider. For one, his battle prowess is definitely not on par with Katsuki's or Shoto's, who are geniuses in the craft. You should also remember that in this anime, most of the powers are downplayed, and even though they're rooted to science, they're not exactly scientifically-accurate. Look at the output from Katsuki's Howitzer Impact, Shoto's Flame release in the tournament arc, and Izuku's smashes. Hell, even Deku states that he can travel far in one second using Full Cowl. In real life, those would've killed multiple people. It's either everyone's more durable than they are in real life (since the bodies have to house quirks, after all) or it's just how things work in this anime. In short, since everybody's powers don't possess the exact properties they have in real life, and Kaminari is outclassed in combat by the contenders you've stated, it's safe to assume that Denki isn't as overpowered as you think he should be.

Regarding the speed of his Indiscriminate Charge though, I think you're on point. However, about Deku's Full Cowl, the lightning ambience effect is nothing more than a visual, as far as I know. I think you also mistook his quirk (which is an electricity release) for "mastery of lightning". He can't freely control and shoot out electricity, only make it "explode" from his body.

These are only my thoughts, feel free to contradict whatever you want.