#and we see it in how his rescue of Izuku parallels Izuku’s rescue of him

[seagreenstardust]

When Katsuki Bakugo needed saving, Izuku came up with a plan where Todoroki, Iida, and Kirishima went rocketing across the sky to reach him.

When Izuku Midoriya needed saving, it was Katsuki, Todoroki, and Iida who went rocketing across the sky to reach him.

Both times, our Twin Stars decided to set their own needs aside and allow the other’s trusted friend to take the lead in bringing them home. Izuku knew Kirishima was the right choice to get Katsuki away from the league quickly and safely, and Katsuki knew Iida was the better man for the job of catching up to Izuku and bringing him back.

Can we please just take a moment to appreciate the parallels. Please.

[anti-katsuki-lounge]

Character Flaws vs Writing Flaws:

While catching up on some of the stuff people have commented/sent to me, I noticed someone mention how Katsuki being a bully is a flaw of his and that not every character needs to be a good person.

First of all, when did I ever say that a character has to be morally correct to be a good character? Some of my favorite characters are villains who’ve done worse things than Katsuki.

So what’s the difference between them and Katsuki?

Well, the villains have a reason for existing. Joker is meant to serve as a parallel to Batman, challenging his morals while also showing what an unhinged Batman could look like.

On a much lesser scale, despite his extremely limited screen time, Moonfish’s bloodlust, lack of sanity, and cannibalism serve two purposes in MHA: to showcase Fumikage’s power and to give the readers an example of what the heroes of this world have to deal with.

Katsuki’s flaws are meant to show the flaws of a world that values raw power over morals, but he fails at this. The reason why? His flaws are never allowed to be flaws.

Katsuki’s aggressive and hostile nature should have him struggling to make friends, yet he has the two pillars of 1-A, that being Ejiro and Denkias described by Hori, immediately befriend him with no issues. His inability to empathize with others should have people wanting to steer away from him, but his instead 1-A loves him, Eri loves him despite being the last person who would, and anyone who doesn’t love him is seen as being in the wrong.

Katsuki is meant to be a big fish in a little pond, someone whose ego isn’t challenged until a certain point, and the Battle Trials were meant to show this. While yes, Katsuki has a mini-breakdown over the fact that he’s no longer in a class of people with weaker quirks, he has no issue claiming a spot as a Top Dog and he still continues to demean the people around him.

Katsuki’s aggressiveness is meant to be both a flaw and an asset. His aggressive nature is what motivates him to defeat the villain, but it’s supposed to cause him to have a one track mind when it comes to hero work. Rescue, teamwork, all of that is ignored by him to fight the big bad. His ego caused everyone to have a tougher time during the USJ, but is that ever touched upon? Nope. It’s just ignored. When Katsuki saved Kyouka, there was no buildup to it. It just happens. We never see him struggle with teamwork because everyone else follows him like a lost puppy.

Meanwhile, Izuku is meant to be Katsuki’s parallel in this department. He’s meant to showcase why too much selflessness isn’t good while also showing that a hero is more than just their raw power. Problem is, Izuku gets completely shat on no matter what he does. He goes after a villain to protect U.A? Gets criticized. Does his best to work with Katsuki? Gets blamed despite it solely being an issue on Katsuki’s end. Does everything perfectly? Nope, still not enough. Compared to Izuku, who always seems to be in the wrong, Katsuki’s placed as this paragon of heroic virtues despite the fact both characters are supposed to be two halves of a whole. They’re supposed to learn from one another. Problem is, Katsuki’s flaws are always ignored while Izuku’s positive traits are demeaned.

Finally, Katsuki being a bully is supposed to serve as a starting point for his character. He’s meant to grow and develop as a human being. Again, he doesn’t, or at least he doesn’t do so in an organic way. He never suffers consequences for his behavior, he’s constantly propped up and coddled instead of criticized, and he’s given some heroic moments despite there being no buildup to them. In the span of a month he goes from nearly killing Izuku to risking his life for him. Where the hell did that come from? Honestly, I wouldn’t care if Katsuki being a bully is his sole purpose for existing, but he’s meant to be more than that. This is supposed to be a well developed and fully fleshed out character who grows from his selfishness and is meant to show that anyone can be a hero, no matter their starting point. But when the development is crap and he hardly changes outside of some OOC moments, then his flaws cease to be flaws that he’s meant to overcome. Instead MHA treats it as him being quirky and misunderstood.

In conclusion, you just can’t present something as a character flaw and expect it to serve as an excuse as to why a character exhibits said flaw. You have to think of the following: what purpose does this flaw serve? Is it meant to be used to teach a lesson? Does it set something in motion, whether it be the development of this character, another character, or does the flaw cause the character’s downfall? The only thing Katsuki’s flaws does right is that they set up Izuku’s story, which again would be fine if that’s Katsuki’s purpose, but it’s not. Him being a bully isn’t something that he overcomes in a natural way. His redemption story is the equivalent of filling things out of a checklist without being fleshed out. Every time he screws up, it’s never treated as a screw-up. Oh he failed the hero license exam? Well so did Shoto so he’s not unique there, and the proctors still suck his dick even while he’s “failing”. Him being the reason for 13’s injuries? Never brought up.

Katsuki’s flaws don’t piss me off because they are flaws, but because the writing of his character IS so deeply flawed despite being a centralized character in the story.

Oh, and as always, someone can dislike a character for whatever reason they might have. If people don’t like Katsuki because he’s a bully, then they have every right to. What I wrote is a response as to why I think Katsuki’s a shit character and how it’s not because of his flaws themselves, but how Hori goes about writing these flaws.

[doodlegirl1998]

You know...I think we should consider Shoto Todoroki a tragedy character. And I know you like him so this is not me bashing him. I'm not Hori.

I know it's easier blame all this on Hori's inability to write but...think this way: isn't tragic how shoto, who was abused by Einji, is buddy buddy with a mini Endy?

"bad writing" or ...Shoto is slipping in the Freudian slip. He hates his dad, his dad took his childhood from him...but he still hangs out with BK bc that's the only type of relationship he knows.

"he is Izu's friend" sigh. Not in canon. Yes we see small screens where he is nice but is politeness, not friendship. I like he went to Izu rescue in the stain arc (only him did it) but on the big scheme of things...that is nothing. Anyone with common sense would.

Bk is a character Shoto knows well.

And isn't tragedy you hang out with people who resemble your abuse in the vain hope of them being better?

"it's bad writing" sure. But it's also a tragedy bc Shoto is never really free from the abuse.

What Endy did to his family doesn't stop with an apology. It lingers and bet if we do get a sequel where "the A1 have kids like Boruto" Shoto will be a bad father, not like Endy...but he will be emotional distant.

Don't know...just have this thought how Shoto is so tragic.

No more tragic than Izu.

No one is winning here.

Hi @mikeellee 👋

Shoto is a tragic character.

I do see him as being genuine friends with Izuku. However, in my opinion, Shoto being friends with Bakugou is wildly OOC, especially considering Shoto's treatment of him at the start of the series.

You could make the argument that Shoto is acting out the trauma response 'fawn' in being Bakugou's friend (however that can be seen more in Izuku and would be more in character for Fuyumi to do since she does that with Endeavor - Shoto does not.)

I think this is all simply bad writing since Shotos behaviour doesnt fit with his previously established character.

Also, as you pointed out, Shoto is never truly free from the abuse - Bakugou parallels Endeavor, and Endeavor has elbowed his way into Shoto's life and overshadowed Shoto's narrative with his 'atonement'

If MHA gets a 'Boruto' style spin off (I pray it doesn't since Hori fumbled so hard with this OG series), Shoto being a parent that struggles to connect emotionally with his kids would make sense but he seems to be getting slightly better at that in MHA.

No one wins in MHA aside from Horis Golden Boy Bakugou.

[that-spider-fan-over-there]

Thinking about why I'm dissatisfied with the last fight (aside from the weirdness of Tenko needing to die for Act 4 to happen and frustration of waiting POV change chapters for Izuku's breakdown), and I think it comes down to the wishful thinking that we'd get a team-up between Izuku, Katsuki and Tenko against All For One, both in the battlefield and in a thematic level. I know it's supposed to showcase the reader's emotional dissatisfaction alongside Izuku's own, but it could've been pulled off.

Even in the vestige world (which was heavily underutilized but I have a feeling it's gonna show up one last time) they had an opportunity for a small team-up moment, what with the memory sharing, Katsuki popping up there in 362, Tenko's other Quirks and vestiges being there. It could've worked then, especially to get Izuku's POV back.

I am excited to see Izuku working through his issues, especially since I'm optimistic it's through facing them head on he'll be able to try and save Tenko again. And Katsuki, being a Tenko foil/parallel the same way they're each others, is the one that can help. Maybe we'll get a OFA vestige world remix, which is why Izuku still has those embers.

Honestly I think the checkpoints are clear:

Face the world's aftermath with Himichako and Todofam, slowly feel worse because Survivor's Guilt, Talk-no-Jutsu with Katsuki, breakdown, reach a newfound understanding what he did wrong then, learn how to control his heart and Trust He Has Always Been Allowed To Feel Emotions And That Includes The Repressed Ones therefore reaching the Tenku part of Kishotenketsu, use the embers/factory reset OFA, maybe get help/input from the League (fingers crossed he does), somehow get into the vestige world, see what made Tenko Tomura, metaphorically pull him out of his dark chrysalis, with Katsuki pulling Izuku into the light-

And then bam we get that societal reform and we get graduation/festival with Eri singing for others, Shoto, Rei, Fuyumi and Natsuo getting Touya that cold soba and hot udon delivery in the hospital and bickering, Ochako giving Himiko her blood like they're on an implied date, Tenko and Spinner playing games in a rehab home and Toshinori giving Katsuki and Izuku the keys to open an agency in Roppongi and then K&I kiss and the fandom explodes.

I got off track, it might not happen like that, if anything from that last paragraph happens at all I'm gonna flip my ish I'm not editing any of that out-

What I'm saying is there's probably a reason they're doing all of this without the weight of AFO or the OFA Wielders holding them back from a bright future, but man I still am forever gonna be mad we didn't get to see a fight of The Symbols against the Demon Lord XP Oh well, those three were too powerful together to have a team up. (<-but know I'm saying that last sentence through my teeth).

... Oh wait Tenko was "freed" from AFO but his heart was in the dark and it's Izuku's job to reach him out so they can all smile together just like Eri was rescued from Overhaul but still wasn't considered saved until she re-learned happiness and that can only happen if their saviour is the one who can offer a hand with a smile second time's the charm OH MY GOD IZUKU GET THAT EMOTIONAL BREAKDOWN ALREADY XD-

... *ahem* Let's see what the Epilogue Arc has to offer, I guess. It might go beyond my expectations, it might not reach it. I'm gonna be optimistic either way.

[jugaflugg]

Responses to the Symbol of Peace

When we join the story of My Hero Academia, society is shaped by the constant presence of heroes, the most notable of which is the Symbol of Peace. All Might's place in their hero society is one that is positioned far above the rest - all rely on him, and his place as their most trusted saviour.

The unfortunate reality of this is that, despite All Might's genuine altruism, the purpose of the Symbol of Peace is interpreted vastly differently by different characters. It is these various interpretations that make up the key hurdles of our protagonists; all the central characters are defined by their interpretation of the Symbol of Peace.

At the height of his abilities, All Might set a standard of public service that would be impossible for anyone to maintain, even with the support he eschews, and the stoicism he insists upon. In doing so, he creates a role that cannot be filled by anyone else, and that he refuses to step down from until well beyond his limit. He has thus created two impossible tasks for himself: maintenance of the Symbol of Peace role, and succession of it.

This essay will explore the nature of the Symbol of Peace as a cultural phenomena, as well as its various interpretations among key characters, and how these interpretations have helped to shape the arcs for each of them.

Izuku Midoriya

Of all the central characters in the ensemble, Midoriya's interpretation of the Symbol of Peace is most closely aligned with All Might's: a limitless altruism provided at the expense of the self, no matter how damaging and unsustainable the approach may be to both the provider, and society.

In the third act of the story, we see Midoriya enduring the same stresses that caused All Might's eventual burnout. In the story's closing chapters, it will be Midoriya's hurdle to overcome the neuroses that are inherent to the role of the Symbol of Peace.

A by-product of Midoriya's individual interpretation, and his personal situation, was him dealing with many of the same issues that All Might faced during his hero career. These include an unhealthy work ethic, forgoing a support network, a willingness to provide at the cost of his own well-being, and his insistence on doing so alone.

At time of writing, the story has not yet concluded, so it falls to reader's interpretation as to whether Midoriya will overcome these neuroses by helping the idea of the Symbol of Peace to evolve by including a support structure, or if he will attempt to finally dispel it, which would align to popular theories regarding the destruction of his Quirk, One for All.

Given the popular tropes and themes that Shonen manga often operate on - the so-called "Power of Friendship" - it would be reasonable to project that the story would conclude with the Symbol of Peace, as All Might established it, being heavily revised or dissolved in its entirety.

Katsuki Bakugo

Bakugo's interpretation of the Symbol of Peace is the diametrically opposed to Midoriya's. Where Midoriya idolised All Might, the Saviour, Bakugo idolised All Might, the Champion. As such, he covets quantifiable martial success over rescue and support.

Over time, and alongside other factors such as Quirk discrimination, this perspective was warped into a harmful one, resulting in a favouring of violence instead of peaceful resolution. Through this, he developed a confrontational personality which led to issues among his peers.

There is a clear parallel drawn between the pairing of Endeavor and Bakugo, just as there is between All Might and Midoriya, with each sharing one particular definition of the success of hero work: one practical, but callous, and the other idealistic, yet unsustainable. In essence, Bakugo and Endeavor's ideology is focused on defeating villains and personal glory, whereas Midoriya and All Might's is based on saving others at a detriment to themselves.

Endeavor

Prior to both of their character developments, Endeavor was the hero archetype that Bakugo was moving towards: a career hero, contributing to society more as a by-product of his individual ambition than due to any innate desire to help others.

Endeavor is defined by his inability to understand what the Symbol of Peace achieved for society and, relatedly, fails to comprehend why his hero persona is not congruent with the demands of the Symbol of Peace. As such, we observe a situation in which Endeavor is unable to have the same reassuring effect as All Might, despite committing similarly impressive deeds.

Stain

Stain exhibits an over-reliance on the Symbol of Peace in his hero ideology - that is to say, he insists upon heroes who act entirely selflessly, saving others for no personal gain, demanding an inhuman hero archetype. His reverence of this archetype is cult-like in its approach: focusing on an idea (of a person), rather than acknowledging the human limits that are present.

Stain also represents another issue in the concept of the Symbol of Peace, in that no matter All Might's intention, the response comes down to interpretation. All Might's idea of the Symbol of Peace was one that is warped by Stain, being used as the motivation, or possibly the excuse, for Stain's actions.

Moreover, Stain's ideology does not tackle the inherent issue of having heroes. In order to deconstruct and deal with societal issues, one needs to consider the problem of heroes, placed as they are above the common citizenry, and their dichotomous relationship with "villains", who are labelled and outcast for their actions and views - an approach which exacerbates the issue of difference.

All for One

All for One's approach to achieving his goal is based on his realisation and acknowledgement of the reliance on the Symbol of Peace. His plan, in the first half of the story, focuses on the degradation of the Symbol of Peace, which in turn causes the degradation of society itself.

All for One becomes a Symbol of Chaos and Disruption, an opposing force to the Symbol of Peace. As he perceives the way in which the Symbol of Peace is essentially the Jenga block that must be removed for his plan to succeed, his focus is on destroying the public perception of All Might as their saviour. The public's response to All Might's retirement is the equivalent of political disgruntlement; here we see that the public does not perceive All Might as a person who has done them a service.

Ochaco Uraraka

As a member of class 1A that does not have an explicit interaction with the Symbol of Peace (in terms of ideology/motivation), Uraraka is an example of forging ahead in hero work despite societal expectations.

At the end of the Paranormal Liberation War arc, we see her acknowledging, and becoming disheartened by, heroes who are giving up on their work as they see the threat as too strong. However, she continues to strive towards her goal after this, saving many civilians and effectively continuing with her hero work, despite the lack of presence of a societally-recognised Symbol of Peace.

This makes clear that a world in which a Symbol of Peace does not exist is viable - good in people will exist and make itself known despite it.

Conclusion

While All Might was well-intentioned, he eroded the shared public morality and responsibility that staves off wrong-doing. Understanding that society perceives heroes in an unproductive way is one of the first steps that must be made before effective change can occur; this is also paralleled in how society perceives "villains", which must also be altered to improve their treatment going forward.

[thequietmanno1]

Thelreads, MHA 283, Replies Part 2

1) “… Welp I take that back, I don’t think that what I said will apply come the next 10 or so seconds.”- Too be fair, it’s not like it’d do any good either. Tomura has GPS lock on Izuku and can move faster than him, on top of being compelled to hunt the boy wherever he goes. Even if Izuku was in any state of mind to flee and fight another day, He Can’t Run.

2) “SHITSHITSHIT UHHHH- SOME DEUS EX MACHINA TO SAVE THE DAY PLEASE? BECAUSE I THINK WE JUST MET WITH QUITE THE DIFFICULT SITUATION IN HERE”-Actually, one thing I appreciate about Horikoshi’s writing is that he generally doesn’t do this. There’s always some kind of logical explanation or setup behind Heroes arriving on the scene or events starting to turn in their favour, even if said context isn’t obvious to those being saved or protected. Izuku realised Iida was facing Stain from all the context clues he knew about his friend, their location, and overhearing his mentor calling for him in the chaos, and had read up enough about the Hero Killer’s M.O to search the most likely locations to find him. Shoto managed to step in to help Izuku against Stain because he sent out his location data to his friends as a cry for help. Izuku stepped in to help Kota because Mandalay told him about his secret hiding spot and Izuku had visited it prior. The Kids jumped in to help Bakugo escape at Kamino because of their desire to rescue their friend made them take action that happened to be in parallel with the official heroes’ efforts, and it was Momo’s tracker that the heroes were following to the warehouse. Tokoyami stepped in to save Hawks because of his awareness of Hawks’ weakness and seeing a burned Hawks escaping the room from outside to cut off Twice’s escape, and here, the heroes’ effort in striking early before Tomura’s procedure was finished – and specifically breaking his container before he’d passed 75% - is why his body starts to fail on him after all the damage they’ve inflicted on him. It all makes logical sense and has a large amount of buildup why these events happen in hindsight.

If anything, it’s the Villains who benefit from Deus Ex Machina events falling in their favour. From the League getting bailed out by AFO right when they’re dead to rights, to going up agaisnt Overhaul and the Hasaaki right at the same time he becomes targeted by Izuku and the others, giving them “allies” whom they know how to manipulate against their common foe, gaining the otherwise-unobtainable Erasure bullets in the process, to being targeted by the MLA right when they’re looking for a means to try and beat Gigantomachia, to Tomura, Toga and Jin’s trauma buttons getting broken in exactly the right manner to give them massive powerups, to gaining the MLA’s support and resources right when they need them to put their revolution into play – so many things just go right for the Villains out of nowhere. Hell, Tomura’s revival and Machia’s rampage right as the heroes are on the verge of winning shows this better than anything.

3) “OH THANK GOD SOMETHING HAPPENED Seems like Shigaraki is coming undone, was this because of the previous fight, or was it because he’s not finished? Is the strain of all those quirks finally getting to him? Because holy shit he absolutely will die if this keeps going”-

Tomura may die, but here’s the thing.

He Doesn’t Care.

As long as a single piece of him is intact, he’s gonna keep attacking the heroes, and nothing less than maximum overkill will slow him down, let alone stand a chance at killing him. His lack of actual reaction to his body falling apart says it all really, he’s not giving any normal response like screaming in agony or panicking over his body suddenly opening up like a door hinge, he’s just giving a surprised “huh?”, and then calmly analysing why this would be happening. The fact his body is sudsy showing injuries that would put a normal man on death’s door isn’t a concern to him, it’s that said wounds are interfering with is ability to kill the heroes. I honestly can’t tell if his sense of pain has been nullified by the procedure, or if this is the natural result of somebody with Tomura’s screwed-up mentality being given a body that can endure his self-destructive mindset. Either way, just like Izuku using 100%, he’ll be a mangled bloody mess by the end of this fight, but the difference is, he can go further than Izuku because he doesn’t give a crap for the long-term consequences, and his healing ability lets him ‘cheat’ with the repercussions of going that far anyway… so long as the Quirk can work properly with the mess he’s twisting himself into anyway.

(MHA ch 255) 4) “Oh boy, that cant be good… Last page was talking about how Shigaraki retained his sense of self intact during the procedure, so this means that they are making good progress… Im starting to think it will be less than four months until the ultimate nomu is walking the earth.”- Whilst that turned out to be true, it’s actually a really good thing for the heroes, because it doesn’t matter how many shortcuts you take to get ultimate power, a deadline is a deadline, and you can’t rush it.

And cause the heroes forced Tomura out of the oven before he was done baking, he’s not yet ready to handle all his power and bring the full force of his abilities to bear. He’s still kicking their asses with only 75% of his strength, but he can’t keep doing that without going beyond the point of recovery right now.

(MHA ch 268) 5) “OKAY, I THINK IT MIGHT BE A BIT TOO LATE TO STOP HIM I DONT THINK BREAKING THE GLASS IS GOING TO STOP THE PROCESS. THE FUTURE HAS ALREADY TAKEN ROOTS, IT CANT BE STOPPED ANYMORE”-Stop? No. But delay? Leaving him unprepared to fully handle the heroes despite everything he’s doing to them right now? Yes, It can do that. And if so, then the efforts of everybody’s hard work have not gone to waste yet.

6) “QUICK MIDORIYA, WHILE HE’S CONFUSED, PUNCH HIM INTO THE STRATOSPHERE”- Izuku: Excellent plan! And then, I’ll keep him there and kill him before touchdown!

7) “Yeah, there wouldn’t be limits, if he was finished. Isn’t Shigaraki aware that the process got interrupted halfway through? I thought he already had realized that he wasn’t 100% complete”- Tomura woke up, and chose violence immediately upon realising that there were heroes nearby. It worked out for his allies, but it’s kinda hilarious to think that if the situation hadn’t been as dire, his instantly-unleashed AOE Decay move would have been detrimental to everybody in the immediate area, just dusting everything around the hospital before anybody can get a word in edgeways.

8) “oh it seems he hasn’t realized it yet That’s weird, he knew he would be completely unstoppable when the process was done, even erasing his quirk wouldn’t be able to stop him, didn’t it dawn to him throughout this fight that he wasn’t as OP as they promised?”- Tomura’s still adjusting to his new levels of strength, and hasn’t quite processed everything that’s going on. He was on cloud nine beating up everybody even with a handicap, but now that the handicap’s gone, he’s finally starting to realise that it wasn’t just his lack of Quirks that was hampering his performance, but his body not quite being ready for the damage he’s unleashing with it and against it. It’s also a much-needed moment of hilarity in this dire situation, reminding us that Tomura’s still a teenager with all the poor time-keeping that comes with it.

9) “Yeah midoriya, it’s like looking into a mirror, innit? My, the parallels keep coming and they don’t stop coming”- For the longest time, there didn’t seem to be as many narrative parallels between Izuku and Tomura as there were between All Might and All For One. But now that they’re both unlocking their true power, using their heroic/villainous Origins as motivations to fight regardless of the self-cost, they’re starting to become more and more similar to each other, both growing into the destined roles in tandem.

10) “Ah right, so it was 75% where it stopped, I wasn’t so sure about the exact numbering, I was wondering if that was what the title was referring to.”- I think the process somewhat froze when Mirko cracked the glass tank, unable to really finish with the environment around Tomura de-pressed incorrectly, with Mic’s voice-blast just finishing the job as much as stopping Garaki from reviving him. So in a way, we all owe our lives to the bunny of Carnage.

11) “OH GOD MIDORIYA QUICK DO SOMETHING BECAUSE SHIT’S ABOUT TO GET FUCKY AGAIN”- Case in point about Tomura’s absolutely unstoppable will, it doesn’t matter to him how badly his body’s broken, if he can still move a part of it – specifically the hand that he needs to unleash the AOE wave- then he will do it, even if he can to puppet the parts manually, damn his uncooperative flesh!

12) “MIDORIYA FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DO SOMETHING IN THE NEXT 10 NANOSECONDS OR GOD HELP ME”- The manga’s had a bit of a theme about certain Villains being self-defeating, such as Mustard during the Training Lodge giving him his position all the time through his smoke cover, or Overhaul making himself too many enemies to realistically defeat on multiple fronts. In that regard, Re-Destro accidentally screwed his own side over when he fought Tomura, as tearing off the fingers on his left hand weakened it, rendering it incapable of withstanding the strain of unleashing the AOE wave through that hand, and meaning Tomura can only use his right one to pull the move off. When said hand is incapacitated like here, even if Tomura’s able to use his left hand to pull a workaround with it, the seconds he spent getting it into potion were enough time for Izuku to react and yank him away from Terra Firma, to settle things in a terrain where Izuku has the advantage.

13) “OH GOD DID IT FINALLY HAPPEN? IS MIDORIYA FINALLY FLYING?!”- Take note of Izuku’s whips here. He’s lifting all his allies with the whips sprouting from his left arm whilst keeping Tomura teared with a separate one from his right. This allows him to lift his allies out of the way if Tomura’s Decay had started, whislt also keeping his nemesis off the ground as well and avoid him getting too close to them ones he has to protect. Even pushed past his mental limits and boiling with bloodlust, Izuku’s keeping a cool head on how to save lives whilst ending Tomura’s

14) “WE FINALLY GOT IT Y`ALL LET’S FUCKING GO, THIRD QUIRK FINALLY UNLOCKED!”- Three down, but, with the final battle basically occurring Now, Izuku better hope for a miracle to be able to unlock his remaining powers asap, cause he needs every advantage to counter Tomura’s arsenal of powers.

(Mha ch 258) 15) “But at least they wont be caught off-guard, the heroes are marching towards their target, they intend to strike first and make sure they remove the biggest threat before anything else. And thank god for that, because if Shigaraki does step in the field… Well, we know he will manage to fight, its inevitable, but something will happen to tip the scales and make things balanced, thats for sure.”- There’s balanced, and then there’s the only thing keeping him from killing everybody on the battlefield. If Izuku doesn’t press his advantage now, Tomura will end everybody, even with his body falling apart on him from the strain, so he has to pile on the damage as quickly as he can before he can recover. Do or Die, up here in the sky.

16) “Holy shit! It finally happened! We knew this was coming for quite sometime now, and the fact that the only thing that could counter decay was the ability to fly, but even so I’m quite excited to see another power awakening Hell fucking my boy takes to the skies! and Hopefully that means he won’t be reaching heaven anytime soon. Now Shigaraki was unleashed once again, with Aizawa out of the game, it will be a battle of titans, full power against full power. Well, as much full power as either than can muster, considering that both of them can’t use it all without destroying their own bodies quite the fun situation, where both of them are self-destructing every time they try to go plus ultra, and yet, neither of them will step down, neither of them will stop doing it The End is here and at the same time, The New Start has risen to oppose him”- The End, the Beginning, and the bloody brawl between them. It’s gonna be raining blood next chapter when they fully go at it. @thelreads

[angy-grrr]

Oh you ate with that togachako-bakudeku parallel bc my brain now is thinking; is really clear with Ochako how she has conflicts over what she feels for them both -she admires things about them, and gets inspired by them in different ways (Izuku inspired costume modification, and Himiko inspired will to be more open about what she wants, at least during the war). But what's expected from her is complete opposites: for Izuku, the people around her are supportive and really really would love to see her succeed and confess, while for Himiko she knows she should just be a hero, doing heroic stuff, stopping the villain. And she does like Deku, and she does want to stop Toga... but thats just not the full picture, its not so simple.

Her feelings for Izuku were pushing her back, and there was just something wrong about them even if everyone supports her, and for Himiko... she just couldn't stop thinking about those tears, and how much she wanted to see that smile instead, because she finds it adorable, admires her way of just being honest and open when she cant. Izuku on another hand is usually closed off when it comes to his emotions unless someone else started the conversation first, while he has the "right" motivations to be a hero "unlike her".

Now that I think about it, its interesting how her admiration for Izuku made her feel worse about herself as a hero -which led to her doing exactly what he does, and failing in the process by her own rejection of herself and insecurities-, but with Himiko she doesnt compare herself in a negative light. She doesn't make her feel worse about who she is, and in fact she just ended up helping her become closer to her own idea of hero, instead of what she "should be". The ugly stuff comes from the, well, murder and stuff, Ochako doesn't like that, but not from who Himiko Toga is.

Analyzing Izuku's feelings is a hard job, as we dont get that much information directly said to us -but we can try.

As this post pointed out, he doesnt see his feelings for Katsuki on their own wrong or disgusting at all, but knows what people think and expect; Katsuki's behavior isnt "right", as he is rude, loud, cocky and isnt afraid to show off or telling someone to fuck off, no matter status or social rules. Deku agrees, this isnt okay and everyone would agree this is disgusting, but that's Kacchan. Izuku can't forget about those parts of Kacchan, because thats what makes him... him. So when he acts like him, becomes rude or thinks about winning fast more than saving others like a good hero should, he sees how for others thats terrible and yet... thats Kacchan. He could never hate those parts, if he did, it would mean he rejects who Kacchan is. That's his symbol of victory.

I think he really appreciates Ochako and her thoughts, being his first friend from UA and one of the nicest people of course he sees her as great person and admirable. He was shy for a long time, and blushes over feeling happy, embarrassed, nervous, etc. I can't know what Horikoshi intends with them and his feelings for her, but if eh goes for a romantic route, I just think he is taking bad decisions right now by not using the amount of opportunities he himself made for them.

As an example of this: I like to read what other ppl think and predict even if they are in a completely different page from me, so I have seen what people were predicting for a romantic izuocha route years ago (when the dark deku chapters came out, before the cliff talk...), and I find it interesting how many of them were really close to what actually happened.

Some people were expecting her to have a big role in his rescue, that the class wasn't going to be able to convince him to come back without someone else giving the last "hit" into Izuku's core, and he would fall into her arms or she would hug him to make him stop. They also thought Iiida and Bakugou would have big moments before that. She had a big role, she gave an entire speech that convinced the civilians of letting Deku to get into UA's gates, but the one that did it for him was Katsuki and his apology, and Izuku fell right into his arms with Ochako looking from a distance.

Some were expecting him to talk to her before the war, alone, discuss what they feel and confess, and the cliff scene happened; the talk about what they feel about their respective nemesis, and the most romantic thing that happened was Ochako saying she guesses they are both weird.

Later, people speculated Toga would do something to reveal Uraraka's crush, that she would end up making them closer in accident. Izuku was in their battle, Himiko was about to reveal it, and Tsuyu stops it from happening while saying this is not the time for romance. Izuku goes to where he should be, after rejecting Himiko's feelings that are so close to Ochako's, using All Might as an example of someone he really admires and wants to be like. His move looks similar to Katsuki's quirk, and while he said he would never want to hurt someone he loves, ShigAFO is chasing his closest person.

Can someone please enlighten me on what Horikoshi plans to do with them? This panel is such a tease for Izuochoa, but hearing the thoughts of BKDK shippers, I believed Hori would pursue with that ship due to what was shown in the war. But seeing this is making me rethink and step back! I know that a blush is not equivalent to someone crushing on someone else given the fact that Midoriya has blushed at multiple characters. But look at this man, what does this imply? This is such a ship teaser! Can someone sway me back into my BKDK cell I'm getting confused: which is it? Uraraka or Bakugo?

[katsukikitten]

Is Izuku Midoriya a boring character? Yes.

Absolutely so.

Here's why below the cut. As a general warning there will be spoilers so don't click this shit if ya haven't read any of the manga. This is just my opinion and how I'm perceiving the manga. Not some weird stab at deku stans or the like. I just wanna put this out here cause it's fun to explore.

Izuku is your typical MC in a shonen manga, friendly, bit meek, likable. We start off with two obvious and main conflicts of the story, Izuku is one of the RARE few without a quirk and his former best friend that tells him to kill himself as he's more likely to get a quirk in his next life than this one which sets up some sweet irony as Izuku does indeed get a quirk. I'd also like to point out early in that I realize there are deeper and more underlying conflicts that affect the story as a whole but currently these two issues are more closely related to Izuku.

As far as personality Izuku hasn't changed much. Still the optimistic, happy go lucky with some small down trodden moments that is typical of a main character. Surface level and nothing more than skin deep has been explored making Izuku one dimensional. If anything it feels as if his character has reversed since he was given his quirk.

All Might saw the act of heroics and decides then and there this kid is going to be the next user of One for All (OFA). Izuku now has his dreams come true by a single swallow of hair before enduring a bit of a challenge with training. Which he will encounter again and again as his body isn't strong enough for OFA, understandably so since he was both born without a quirk and didn't train before being bestowed the heavy burden of responsibility.

Before his quirk we see Izuku's true hero heart when he sees Bakugou, who literally just told him to off himself, in trouble. A crowd of grown ass adults watch this boy suffocate and be essentially ingested in front of them but take no action as a "hero will handle it."

Once Izuku sees the fear and desperation in Bakugou's eyes he springs into action. No game plan nothing, his body, in his own words, moved on its own. Which this dialogue will be paralleled later by Bakugou as the two slowly take on a ying and yang theme that we will explore later.

Izuku brings many characters through their own arcs of growth both big and small throughout the entire manga. Most notably Bakugou, although Izuku's involvement could be considered more indirect, Bakugou still changes and adapts to better keep up with Izuku under the motto of Win to save and Save to win. Another important, foreshadowing-esque aspect that would make for excellent story telling.

Now we know Izuku is strong in body and in mind. We watch as he continues to pour into others from a seemingly empty cup. A perfect set up for a small break that could happen later on. We see small glimspes into what I'll call Izuku's darker side or even hidden rage. An emotion he does not often engage in, at least not for himself. Usually Izuku is passive about his own thoughts and feelings, more worried about the aggressor's feelings and emotions or whoever he is protecting. Shouto it's your power, when fighting Stain, saving Eri and Kota etc. ( Again unlike Bakugou who actively rages and speaks his mind, unafraid or aware enough to voice exactly how he's feeling. )

The rage or "darker side" first rears its ugly head when we watch Bakugou get taken through the portal as he hisses don't come for me while Izuku shouts GIVE ME BACK MY KAACHAN. Izuku then tries to organize a rescue party amongst his peers in order to rescue Bakugou from LOV. This is the first time we see Izuku, who absolutely adores heroes to the point of keeping detailed notes for fun, not believe in their ability. Especially not to save someone he considers himself close to. A silent introduction to the reader about the true colors of hero society which only get highlighted after Bakugou's rescue and the fall of All Might.

Now this is where the story could start getting really, really good. Teeming with character development.

Class 1A has been exposed, twice now, to direct criminal activity under the "sanctity" of UAs safeguard. Which at this point had been unheard of but the hero commission and the school board take it in their own best interest to further indoctorate these young children to lay their lives down for the "greater good" in what is no an inevitable war. (which could have been prevented but that's an entire OTHER essay about the parallels of IRL government and the hero society that I'm not equipped enough to make)

Pushing the children harder, longer hours, more trianing. Faster paced schooling and even skipping to internships that were normally a 3rd year on the cusp of adulthood activities.

We watch Todoroki, Bakugou, Ochaco (although no where nearly in depth which given the genre of manga) and most of class 1A grow into themselves and their quirks. And sure we can say Izuku is maturing and growing as well but in the same hand I don't think he's learned a damn thing at all. He still pushes his body well beyond it's limits even to the point he could risk permanently damaging his muscles and ligaments. He pushes himself mentally far beyond what a teenager should and still shoulders the burden of a grown ass man's secret that he only shares with Bakugou for the time being because Bakugou was quick to figure it out.

We turn to the first Shigi v Deku showdown. Starting to get angry the more and more people fall around him but especially so when Bakugou steps in to take the hit from Shigiraki head on. Bakugou had just "moved on his own" when going to save Izuku.

Control your heart becomes the main conflict for Izuku from this point forward. Which again, could be an excellent set up for development as we clearly see Izuku doesn't have a lot of healthy coping mechanisms or even people he can confide any of his heavy emotions in, other than maybe Bakugou.

But even still when he goes rogue it is more so to protect others around him since Izuku knows he is being targeted. Easier to bear the weight of the world on his own, as the chosen one often does, than to trust fully in your friends/peers capabilities.

Now class 1A shows up for Izuku, all of them if I'm not mistaken and care for him, reassure him that things aren't going to go south and that he doesn't have to do it alone.

Fast-forward to the current arc, which is another long winded essay I'll spare you as it crumbles after Bakugou dies. Now I'm not saying as a Bakugou Stan I'm just mad he's dead, nah I think I would have PREFERRED he stayed dead over whatever the fuck this denim heart, Edge shot living inside his chest shit is. However Bakugou's death or possible death could have been an excellent set up to the true climax.

The break, the snap.

The moment the strong, grin and bear it character, the has morals, will be a true hero and save everyone even the villain SNAPS.

No pupils, no thoughts propelling him other than the grizzly scene of dying, dead heroes and most importantly Bakugou.

Imma break down the first panel below.

Right away we are hit with heavy emotions as Izuku takes in the scene. His eyes going where you may ask? BAKUGOU FUCKING KATSUKI FIRST. Which Izuku was spared an even more horrific image cause at least Bakugou looks more cleaned up here and is "fixed up". We see the shock on Izuku's face, see his heart fall into his stomach as he realizes and then we see him notice the card. Now in this moment, the bloodied card that Bakugou kept with him all this time, Izuku realizes exactly what it means. The card symbolizing their friendship that prideful Bakugou first pushed down since the day of their little miscommunication, Bakugou through all his mean fucked shit he said and through his apology that he meant, carried Izuku's friendship with him.

Now we see the horror, the slow leak of rationality as his heart rate increases. As he fully digests what exactly he's seeing. His best friend lies dead.

The same very friend we first saw the glimpse with, then again the full blown episode and finally the one who kept propelling Izuku forward as both characters uplift and yet fight to "stay out of the others shadow." Since both are too prideful or dumb to figure out they are equals, balance to the other side.

Win to save, save to win. All for one, One for All.

Are we getting the parallels yet?

THIS WAS THE FUCKING TURNING POINT TO SET UP THE REVERSAL OF BAKUGOU AND IZUKU'S CHARACTERS. The "bad" in Izuku finally coming out as he loses all thought to do anything but eradicate Shigiraki from this realm and in turn AFO. Where Bakugou could have, even with his denim heart, woken up and STOPPED IZUKU with the calm controlled manner that Izuku usually has.

"YA SAID YA WANTED TO FUCKIN SAVE HIM REMEMBER?" "I DONT SEE YA SMILING IZUKU."

Bringing Izuku back to his senses, where he can control his heart and do what he said he would do. Save everyone, including Tomura who was discarded by the fucked society he wants to destroy.

But instead we get this.

Miro, an older teen he only met last year and fought along side once, and turn this fucking wilding out raging deku fully consumed by emotion into this?

I doubt it. I don't know if any of you have ever experienced anger to a point that you black out, but sometimes even people you love and care for cannot reach you in that state. All rational thought is gone.

This was a moment for Bakugou and Izuku.

The fact that Miro tells him to chil and Izuku does right away. No one holds him back, he still stamps down his emotions, does nothing that we can see as far as training or even exploring his depth of rage, especially for Bakugou that so obviously triggers these emotional response. Izuku is just born perfect and lovable. Nothing to change.

He gets to fight this fight fully fine? Fully in tune with a zen enough state of mind to hone his anger like a sword? Dog he hasn't even explored his anger as fucking whole and you're telling me he just gets it under control after he's entered that state first try?

His ever perfect, ever controlled emotion, ever optimistic and doing the good and ultimately right thing the first time, every time is lack luster. A slap in the face to it and those heroes that did lose their lives and the trauma all of these young teens are going to experience

Not only that but it is a disservice to Izuku's character development in general.

Izuku is stagnant, not only in this arc but through the entirety of the manga. Nothing changes him at his core or alters him for the better or worse. He's still good Izuku taking on the world and the problems all on his own.

This is what makes Izuku Midoriya boring

[greenhappyseed]

BnHA Ch. 323 - parallels and comparisons

Most important thing first: Mic name-calls “Jeany” after Best Jeanist interrupts him and insults the UA teachers, saying the citizens find it hard to hear the truth from schoolteachers. Excuse me, PRESENT FUCKING MIC IS A PRO HERO WHO FOUGHT IN THE WAR AND ARRESTED THE DOCTOR. Ultimately, Jeany is trying to take responsibility, which is good, but the way he does it is insulting. Is that really how the Top 3 feel about the UA teachers? (This started out shitpost-y, but I think it does actually matter….)

On to Nezu, who, despite all his well-repressed rage, is still just a rat principal building a cage. He’s created an elaborate mecha-vault-campus to capture save humans and transport them around the country like Willy Wonka’s great glass elevator. Nezu says he did this on intuition, yet that can’t be the full story because his High Specs quirk gives him great insight into possible strategies the villains will use. In fact, the last time we saw his quirk in action, he was trapping 2 students in a maze, gradually blocking off all paths to the exit. Oh, and who else in BnHA is seemingly able to predict their opponent’s strategies and enjoys doing so? I’m not saying Nezu is “The UA Traitor,” particularly given his speech at the end of the chapter, but I AM saying there are parallels.

In particular, Nezu seems to do a lot of work related to quirk morality, while AFO refers to morals as mere fabrications.

Sticking with Nezu and jumping to the end of the chapter…this isn’t the first time he’s made a grand speech about UA students and the future. After DvK2, while Izuku and Katsuki are under house arrest, Nezu speaks to the school about All Might’s retirement and says how all of the students will “inherit this society.” The word “inherit” makes All Might think about his successor, and how Nezu reached out to him when he was searching in earnest (ie, when Nezu and Nighteye had Mirio picked out). Nezu’s “one step” language also ties back to an All Might monologue from the remedial course days — when Shoto, Katsuki, and the Shiketsu kids worked together to win tiny hearts AND All Might and Endeavor had their first real talk, leading Endeavor to reach out to Shoto.

Speaking of the remedial class moving forward, the Katsuki/Shoto “we are not friends” mutual side eye at the mention of Shiketsu is A Moment. Will the remedial foursome be trapped in an underground classroom!??!?

I think it’s clear that the heroes — pros, teachers, students — need to work together as one to win over “the citizens”. The heroes also need their supporters (hello kid in an All Might shirt!), parents (omg, Mitsuki holding Inko back from recklessly running into the crowd like the Midoriya she is!), friends, and rescued victims to take those steps to come forward. Izuku is moving forward for them, and they need to move forward for him.

I’m not convinced that Nezu’s “ultimate hero” is Izuku; it could be Katsuki, Ochako, Shoto, Mirio (hello underground permeation!), Shigaraki, Class 1A, or the entire “new generation”, judging by his “inherit” comment. Izuku is All Might’s chosen one to inherit OFA, but Izuku is NOT the only one inheriting society’s future. Special, but also not. (More on that later!)

Final bit on the mecha-school…I don’t think anything good in this series has come from being “underground”. I think we’ve already established that “underground” is neither safe nor invincible. Underground Yakuza compound. Underground prison. Underground hero (sorry Aizawa!!) Even when talking about the “ultimate hero,” Nezu speaks in terms of rising.

The text leaks said Eri was with Class 1B, which made me frustrated, but the panel is actually a lovely soft Monoma comforting her. It’s really sweet and shows off Monoma’s heroic heart! (And his off-duty fashion sense, because those buttons add some serious dramatic flair.) But, knowing that Aizawa, All Might, Mic, Thirteen, and the Big 3 are Eri’s usual caretakers makes me really sad for her — why are they ALL gone?? Especially when (1) she’s listening to a crowd call her personal hero a weapon with a cursed quirk, exactly how Chisaki used to talk about her; and (2) Izuku doesn’t HAVE to be the one taking care of her, but I think they’d both LIKE to see each other.

Speaking of the crowd, I do like having “the citizens” as a character. In the early chapters, we heard so much about protecting citizens and keeping society from falling into chaos, but it was all theoretical. With the jailbreak, the war destruction, and Dabi’s reveal, it’s good to see citizens who (1) question the value and robustness of the current hero society; and (2) are scared out of their minds. “The citizens” may be an obstacle for the heroes, but their fear and motivation is very rational under the circumstances. People who were forced to evacuate their home on short notice and hole up in a dormitory while skyscrapers crumbled due to villains gone wild (and, uh, Deku) are unlikely to trust the same people who created this mess in the first place. While WE know and love cinnamon roll Izuku, “the citizens” only know him as the target of Shigaraki’s destruction. He’s billed by Jeany as the One True Hope but the citizens know him as a dirty teenager insane enough to break his own bones in a school competition. He’s somehow related to AFO and is either a bomb for AFO, a Nomu-fied corpse doing AFO’s bidding, a target for Shigaraki, or a weapon against AFO that is falling apart at the seams. None of that is reassuring, so I can see why the crowd gets mad enough to make Izuku’s Danger Sense go off. The heroes need to take a moment to really empathize and understand the crowd’s fear and anger.

What’s missing from this scene? ALL MIGHT. The focus on Deku and the OFA/AFO quirks completely omits that Izuku is All Might’s handpicked successor, and that All Might used OFA as a force for good for decades. Jeany and Ochako confirmed Izuku is the special powerOFA holder, so it’s all out in the open except for how Izuku came to possess OFA in the first place. So much for Mt Lady and Endeavor’s media discussion in Ch.317! Also, as Lady Nagant told us, the HPSC was well aware of AFO and tracked his movements. AFO may have been a secret from the public, but was NOT a blind spot for heroes. Same with Gigantomachia — Gran Torino and Tsukauchi failed to capture him, but they knew of him and his association with AFO. (Nobody, including All Might, knew about the doctor and his quirk duplication prior to Hawks’s spy work and the hospital raid.)

I want to see all of this come into the open because the hero failures stem from All Might working alone in secret to stop existential threats while other heroes fought each other for table scraps. (Think of Manual, who is such a plain and underpowered hero, but was clutch during the war.) Heroes STILL aren’t working together, and to fight dual AFOs they are going to need every last bit of help they can get from each other, from students, and from citizens — quirked or not. Anyone who is willing or able to help should join in.

Unease is referenced in this chapter, and unease is what happens whenever All Might disappears. At first when All Might retires, Twice notes the widespread unease with Endeavor as the new #1. Endeavor himself notes his unease with becoming #1 by default rather than earning it. Shigaraki has a persistent unease with his past (pre-awakening), arguably because All Might never came to save Tenko.

Unease spreading through the citizens feeds into AFO’s win conditions perfectly. He WANTS as many fractured and walled-off groups as possible. To steal OFA and rule for eternity, he needs to prevent a “singularity” of will that opposes him.

Let’s see what happens next chapter — I still don’t think Ochako has quite hit her “light of hope” moment yet, and am not convinced this speech will be it. I do think she’s trying hard to humanize Izuku as the OFA holder, but the irony is, in doing so, she is denying he is a special person to her. Only a few humans are truly special at the societal level, but we all have friends and loved ones that think we are special. That’s right, you are loved, even if you don’t have OFA. You are loved even when you need saving. I think this is what All Might was getting at when he tells Izuku during the Sports Festival that there is something special in Izuku. All Might is saying he feels a connection and a trust with Izuku because they were both born quirkless, which makes Izuku special to All Might. This contrasts with Endeavor and Jeany, who view Izuku as special solely because he is the OFA wielder, and Izuku’s need to rest is in service to that duty rather than Izuku’s needs as a human.

[mikeellee]

So I´ll use the Watsonian approach here bc saying MHA is badly written or Character X deserves better may be right but...it´s too simple.

@doodlegirl1998

So, as I said before won´t say the simple "Hori is a bad writer" while yes is true. It´s too easy. ClassA1 is not Izuku´s friend, no matter what Hori or the fans tries to say.

Why?

The best evidence for this is not even the "class A1 corner Izu with BK and tries to gaslight him" it is early on, when BK goes victim blaming IZU-note how not once he said thank you and only accepted being saved he would have to take Kiri´s hand, no Izu- and Iida and Ochako keep their distance from Izu.

Iida looking at Izu as if HE is a criminal. I know someone will try to say "Oh it was the comedy" but considering all what Iida did (tried to kill Iida, Izu went to save him...and Iida punched him later in the "save bk") hogging all the notebooks...bc Aizawa said Izu "the troubled child" can´t see the homework...he is being punished for defending himself.

NO ONE EVEN TRIES TO TALK TO HIM.

Not even Shoto. And BK AND ENDEAVOUR ARE TOO SIMILAR TO SHOTO´S IGNORE.

Ochako doesn´t confess to him, which ok...but she never tries to know him. (in a novel, not sure if is canon or not,some girls were talking how Izu would be a bad BF bc "har har he loves AM" as if is a joke to like the number 1 hero of all Japan. Ochako says nothing)

And in the new chapter, Lida is talking to Shoto as if he is Jesus. He has done all...and is so moved by Shoto, but he never show this courtesy to Izu, ever.

Class A1 is not friends with him. They can work with him but is just that.

He is often singled out. Remember in the Pussycat´s camp (they have the worst hero outfit I saw, losing only to Bubble Girl) guess who is alone again? Ochako doesn´t even try to say smth nice or anyone try to ask him "Hey can Izu be in our group?"

Note how has a group...

But what I say is how...Iida, who after Izu rescues BK so selfless, receives a punch from his so-called friend and from AM and a "har har moment" Meanwhile, Iida is looking at Shoto (who in canon didn´t do much, I don´t hate him but come on) as if he is Jesus.

Fans: BK was abused by his parents.

Me: NO. BUT WANNA KNOW WHO IS BEING ABUSED? HIS VICTIM

I think Izu should have left UA and never return. Hell, I like the idea of Izu beating up Class A1 in a Shig vs Redestro style after defeating bk and saying all about his abuse, on his terms. All he wants is an apology. Bk is incapable to do so, saying how Izu´s quirk is superior, and Izu spits on him.

A lovely parallel between Izu and Shig. But we don´t get this in canon...

Like to rant and MHA is a really bad manga. I was thinking, would you be ok in hearing/reading what I think of class A1? The last chapter...cement to me how Hori truly hates Izu

Hi @mikeellee 👋

Sure! I'd be interested in hearing what you think of them.

I'd like to add that I believe there to be three main problems with Class 1A as a whole.

1) Too much focus on Bakugou - (give his screen time to other, more interesting characters in Class 1A and there would have been a better story.)

2) Hori dictating their actions in what he wants to do for plot rather than thinking about what would be in character. (A problem Hori has with a lot of his characters.)

3) Hori seeming to not want to give Izuku a support group at any cost.

Please feel free to add your issues with them individually or as a whole as I've just done - I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts.

[villainsandvictimsalliance]

You know what parallel I like to think of? The one between Bakugo and Touya Todoroki when he was a kid.

They both had flashy quirks and people held them above the average, praising him, telling them who special and important they were. They learn to depend on those compliments, constantly showing off their quirks to get people to love them. And when that stopped working, when they were no longer the center of attention, they started going down a dangerous path, a violent one.

Well, they were violent before. Both Bakugo and Touya were really mature to their age. They are very observant, they analize everything they see and try to go one step ahead the rest. Sadly, this also means they misunderstand a lot of stuff, because they're trying to read people and that's not a exact science.

The problem with people raising you in a way you think you're above average is that you're gonna feel ashamed if you ever need to ask for help. Specially if that helps come from someone that should be pathetic to social standards. Both Izuku and Fuyumi tried to help Bakugo and Touya, but that only made them angrier. How can them, the strong one, accept the help of a weak one? They were genuinely trying to understand it. They were kids.

This works perfectly when you remember that Bakugo is also a parallel of Endeavor. Don't get angry, hear me out first: Endeavor, as Bakugo, was obsessed with being number one. With the years that obsession blinded him so much that he stop caring about others when it wasn't ralated to the hero work. Or rather, his obsession made him violent and ignorant, until he was a monster in the eyes of the people that were close to him.

Bakugo is a way better version, because he's a version that was rescued on time. Thanks go his friends and his teachers, and specially thanks to Izuku, he understood that it was not about just being stronger than anybody else. It was about being a hero at heart. He's getting so much better, doing so much better, he's just a better human being because of course HE WAS A CHILD, and one that was blinded to how things should work. Now he's growing up and that means he's taking a conscious decision to change. Really, the road is long and the steps are slow, but that's life. He's gonna get there and he's getting there already.

But still, when it comes to Touya and Bakugo.

Touya was somehow a little of a bully too. We learned from the manga he didn't want to go play with other kids because he found them inferior. At least Bakugo had friends (being an only child, he found the help he needed within other children), but Touya only had his siblings and: 1) To his eyes Fuyumi was weak because she was a girl and had a weak quirk, 2) Natsuo was okay but Dabi got the feeling he was bothering him and annoying him so he stopped trying to find comfort in Natsuo, 3) Shoto was the personification of his failure, so he hated that baby because he hated himself and he's dad.

The way they moved and acted was also kinda similar. Even their hair. And then you have the parallel between the scene where Bakugo cries because he thinks he's not enough or not worthy, and the scene with Touya whefe he cried because he wanted to assure his father he was valuable, he was not a failed experiment.

They both struggle with communicating what they feel. They both are grumpy and sarcastic, edgy and stubborn. Even when they follow other people, they still think they are better than them.

And that's all for now, a tiny silly comparison that I like to think about when I have time to.

[sarahjtv]

BNHA Chapter 318 Quick Spoiler Analysis: Lost and Found

Ok, I think I need a few days to process everything that’s happened during this chapter and I might make a longer analysis for this chapter later, but holy shit when I tell you I ascended, I ASCENDED!  That page of Deku thinking about his classmates with a genuinely big smile on Shoto’s face and the last pages of Bakugo straight-up watered my crops, cleared my skin, expended my lifespan, and sent my soul into the great unknown for a bit.  I screamed happy sounds last night.  With that in mind, some very quick thoughts today:

Hooray for overseas Pro Heroes coming over to help Japan!  This means that Deku and Co. will have more allies on their side and Deku doesn’t have to take care of everything.  I hope and pray he listens to Endeavor and get some freaking sleep.

I’ve heard people mention that Endeavor’s been treating Deku like an adopted son lately and I can see it.  It’s almost like he’s trying to become the good father he wasn’t with his own children.  Like he’s making it up with Deku this time as the son figure.  I kinda like it actually.  It’s good character growth for Endeavor.

The panel of the OFA Holders trying to get Deku to rest is a parallel to the chapter where we go into Shigaraki’s psyche and we see his family trying to grab him and stop him too.  Of course, both Deku and Shigaraki ignore the spirits and just move on with Shigaraki moving towards AFO and Deku moving onto the next villain to beat.  I really like it when Horikoshi parallels these two characters and their symbolism.  I actually just like it in general when it’s done right.

It’s clear that the OFA Holders feel like that maybe they pushed Deku too far with their words and motivations.  But, this is ultimately what Deku wants.  For better or worse, he chose the path of a hero and he’s bent on getting to the finish line.  Though it’s interesting that the 2nd Holder is the only one who thinks that Deku pushing himself so hard is the right thing to do.  I don’t think the 2nd Holder is being malicious in saying this.  I think there’s something to his character and backstory that molded his reasonings.  I mean, Deku really is the only one who can do this, but he does need help.  If Deku can get some help then he can finally rest and fight properly instead of exhausting himself to death.

God, it’s upsetting to see Deku actually being feared by people despite saving them.  Just the way Deku looks alone is scary enough.  The kid doesn’t remotely look like a hero anymore.  He’s not the hero who’s presence can put everyone at ease right now.  Deku’s strayed so far away from his original origins.  The main thing staying there is his want to save people.

And as all these burdens are on his shoulders, the most important thought in his head are his classmate’s smiles.  Everyone is smiling from Ochaco to Shoto who’s pure, rare smile will remain in my head rent free for the rest of eternity 💙.  Deku wants a world where there’s peace and smiles even if he has to suffer for that.  Throughout everything, he’s never forgotten about his friends and their happiness.  I really do love this kid, guys.

As Deku’s facing this other assassin, Dictator (who’s Quirk is similar to Shinso’s except the people he’s controlling are conscious), Deku looks so, so tired.  He’s thinking of ways to save all these controlled civilians while being attacked by them, but he’s just standing there exhaustingly.  There’s a small panel of his eye and it looks so tired.  I know I keep saying that, but he is.  There’s a small flicker of light in his eye too.  I looks to me like it’s going to go out at any moment really.  Deku needs to get a proper meal and sleep before he collapses in on himself.

AND NOW WE GET TO KATSUKI BAKUGO!!!  HOLY SHIT WE HAVEN’T SEEN THIS DUDE IN SINCE LATE LAST YEAR AND HE’S BACK AND HE’S SO BEAUTIFUL 😭💥🧡  The internet’s still going nuts about him I can tell.  He blasts Dictator with an AP Shot and Deku sees him with some life back in his eyes.  Bakugo then pulls out his phone and tells someone “Guys, I found him”!  Which means that Bakugo wasn’t the only one searching for Deku!!!  Please tell me who else joined him, Horikoshi!  I’m betting on Shoto, Ochaco, and maybe Iida, Momo, and Kirishima since they helped Deku rescue Bakugo back in Kamino (which is where Bakugo actually found Deku ironically enough; right in Ground Zero where the All Might statue is).  

Also, the 2nd Holder mentioned before “But if there is someone who could make Midoriya Izuku whole at the moment, that would be…” and then we go right into the big Bakugo panel!  BKDK’s rise 🧡💚!!!  But seriously, this is amazing.  These two really do complete each other not just as rivals, but as friends.  And it’s great how this goes to show how much Bakugo’s grown from the beginning.  This kid who wanted absolutely nothing to do with Deku at the beginning became one of the people actively looking for him and even found Deku first.  Bakugo’s character development truly is one of the best in the series.  

And this would be a great time for Bakugo and Deku to finally have that talk they’ve been needing to have for a long, long time now.  I almost hope that the other kids don’t reunite with Deku next chapter because I really want that talk if they didn’t have it back at Central Hospital.  A glimpse of the other kids would be good and I’d love to see Shoto again, but I NEED THAT ANGSTY TALK!  I wonder if we’re going to have a roll reversal here too: Bakugo lends out a helping hand towards Deku and asks him to rest, but Deku ignores Bakugo’s hand and turns away and leaves again instead.  That would absolutely kill me.  Just as much as the All Might angst we got last week.  If that happens then the turns really will have tabled.  I will cry again for a week straight.  I would still thank Horikoshi for his masterful storytelling though.  I would also cry if Deku does take Bakugo’s hand though.  God, there are so many feels to these two characters it’s wonderful.  I need Chapter 319 like yesterday.

But unfortunately, we won’t get that for a while.  Horikoshi is taking a break next week and so is the anime on July 3rd I think.  So, we’re going to have a dry spell for a week straight my MHA friends.  I’m honestly ok with this though.  For me, the new OP and ED and Horikoshi sketch will tide me over with their bangers (I hope) and Horikoshi needs as many breaks as he can get.  He’s been drawing and writing pure 🔥 this arc and I want him to get some much deserved rest.  Especially after Berserk’s Kentaro Miura’s passing and JJK’s Gege Akutami taking his month long break.  Hey, Jump?  Please give your mangaka better schedules.  I hate seeing them so exhausted.  Anyway, enjoy your break, King 👑!     

Me reading Horikoshi’s last few arcs:          

[scftizuku]

Big 3 vs Wonder Duo (Which one will end happening in My Hero Academia)

Okay this topic has been on my mind for awhile now i mean their is evidence for both the wonder duo and the big 3 (especially from the vibe that I’ve been getting from the war arc) So i’ll try to break down evidence for both sides and come to my final conclusion on what might actually happen at the end of the meta analysis

Big 3:

Alright lets start with the Origin trio. This trio first became a official hero combination from the Endeavor Agency arc. Within that arc we as readers were able to learn more about Shouto as a person and his family dynamic. Now you could say that Deku and Bakugou being their was due to the fact that they are the protagonist and deurotagonist (which are valid points since it would make sense for them to be present in the Todoroki family conflict since one Izuku has helped Shouto a lot since the Sports Festival and on Bakugou’s end he got to bond with him during their remedial license exams)

The Endeavor Agency arc is the first time that we got a hint towards a possible three way combination in terms of skills. Izuku and Katsuki learned more about Shouto’s home life and we even got Fuyumi thanking Izuku for being his friend (which was important in terms of a successful hero trio working in the near future) having all of the members in it have something that binds them emotionally will ensure the strength in their bonds.

Let me break down 2 dynamics within the Origin trio (Im saving Bakugou and Midoriya’s part of it for the Wonder Duo section):

Todoroki Shouto and Midoriya Izuku:

Izuku telling Shouto that his power isn’t his fathers but his own helped Shouto embrace himself. This big moment helped fans understand Izuku as a character and that he didn’t care about winning but being able to help Shouto accept himself for who he is.

When Todoroki and Bakugou fought at the Sports Festival Izuku was showcased to be cheering Shouto (who at that moment was hesitant to use his full power) this ignited his flames to come full force which was big for Shouto’s character

During the Stain arc Izuku sent out a signal to his location (which Shouto saw) and we see him worried for his friend and he makes his way to Iida and Izuku

During the aftermath of the stain arc Shouto showcases his worries and protectiveness of Izuku and Iida.

In the Forest Training arc Izuku was having trouble connecting with Kota and Shouto was able to give him advice by stating “ "Even he's told all the right things, if you don't know his background then you'll only succeed in annoying him" and continues with  "The important thing is, what the person who's saying it has done...and what they're doing now. I think that words are always accompanied with deeds.",

Shouto’s advice to Izuku showcases how much Izuku trust his advice and judgement (again a big change from where they were from the Sports festival)

When Izuku fought Muscular Shouto’s words came back as a form of encouragement which helped him defeat the villian and become close with Kota.

"Even heroes cry sometimes." which was a quote Shouto said as a mean to help comfort Izuku who struggled when learning about all the horrible things that have happened to Eri. That scene showed how perceptive Shouto was in the feelings of others and also showed his method of trying to help someone.

When Shouto fought against Tetsutestsu in the Joint Training arc the symbolic moment that started the beginning of their bond which was the reminder of Shouto’s quirk being his own helped him with his fight

We also have their friendship being stronger when Izuku talks to Shouto about his path to forgiving his father and saying that he is kind (Endeavor Agency arc)

Izuku saves Shouto from Dabi by using black whip and states that Shouto is his “precious friend.” which that signified how powerful their bond is

I wont mention all the moments that they share as I am saving more on the shipping aspect for another blog post but my point on these two supporting each other endlessly still stands. Izuku has helped encourage Shouto when using his quirk and in return Shouto has given Izuku such helpful advice when stuck between a crossroad. From canon alone Horikoshi showcases their unconditional support for each other.

Todoroki Shouto and Bakugou Katsuki:

From what canon has given us in terms of the introduction of their bond Katsuki has viewed Shouto as another rival of his while Shouto isn’t scared of Katsuki and his temperament at all.

Shouto and Katsuki are usually shown to bicker and banter with each other which is usually fun to see when observing their dynamic

Katsuki overheard Shouto and Izuku’s conversation after the calvary battle (which in a way foreshadowed his bond with Shouto getting stronger since it was able to connect him to the other two)

The Forest of training arc was the first arc that showed how natural Katsuki and Shouto were with one another (as compared to the Sports Festival)

Their friendly bantering continues when they both have to retake the license exam again. The running joke of Todoroki insisting that they are friends and Bakugou denying this is always a joy to see.

Bakugou was one of the first people (alongside Deku) to understand Shouto as a person when they were interning with Endeavor

Bakugou and Todoroki in canon both notice each others strengthens and made multiple comments on this. One example of this is when Todoroki used one of his well known attacks from the Sports Festival against his fight with Deku and Bakugou states this while bantering with Todoroki which he quickly responds with “I weakened the blow by a bit. Are you hurt?”

During their retake to get their hero license Bakugou opens up to Todoroki about how he was raised and that violence is needed against their challenge with the children which Todoroki comments that there is a better way that they can get through to the children.

Just from canon context alone these two have such a playful yet rival like bond and even to the current point of the manga we never really see these two break out of their usual bickering and bantering. I wont elaborate much on this since I plan to do a post more in depth about all the personal relationships. In canon we don’t really see a lot for them being explored but the potential for them to bond more is their and I have no doubts that Horikoshi will do this justice (especially if the big 3 route is endgame)

The timeline of where the third MHA movie will take place can play a factor to this as well. If the movie takes place during the Endeavor Agency arc then it wouldn’t really leave much room for fans to interpret Shouto’s role after he finds out about OFA. However, if the movie takes place post war arc “All for One and One for All.” which was the movie teaser’s highlight it could solidify the importance that Shouto will have once he finds out what Katsuki already knew about Deku.

Big 3 Evidence:

Deku, Katsuki, and Shouto were all shown to admire All Might when they were younger. 

Ever since the concept of the big 3 was introduced (Mirio, Tamaki, and Nejire’s debut) it gave fans the idea that a future big 3 will come into play. It was just a matter of who would be apart of it

War arc hints that Shouto will be let in on the OFA secret (which was something that binded just Deku and Katsuki before) with this knowledge it will connect the three of them 

With quirks alone all 3 of them are compatible and would be an ultimate tag team

Endeavor Agency arc once more hints of the potential trio with Katsuki and Izuku fighting alongside Shouto in order to save Natsuo from Ending. The first time we got to see these three join forces and showcase everything that they’ve got

Small parallels between them and the current big 3 (Mirio and Bakugou) (Deku and Amajiki) and (Shouto and Nejire) I might make a post on the comparisons soon if you guys are interested.

Trios have been shown in the My Hero Academia universe (examples: rooftop trio which consist of Aizawa, Shirakumo, and Present Mic) which considering that the three of them wanted to open up their own agency as pros but sadly could not it wouldn’t be surprising that the Origin trio ends up doing so instead.

Endeavor hints on this possible trio by saying that the three of them need to have the three fundamentals which are rescue, evacuation, and battle. Izuku (Rescue), Shouto (evacuation), and Katsuki (battle),

Wonder Duo:

Shifting perspectives let’s discuss some evidence of Horikoshi ending the series with the Wonder Duo. Now with this hero combination it was stated at face value during Deku vs Kacchan 2 ( chapter 120) by All Might who says “If the two of you can recognize each other and honestly raise each other up, you can become the best heroes who both win and rescue.”  This was the first indication that not only could they become a hero duo but also that these two would rekindle their broken bond by the conclusion of the series.

Bakugou Katsuki and Midoriya Izuku:

From what we know prior to the beginning of the series Izuku and Katsuki knew each other since childhood and that their relationship started off rocky (since they were set up to become rivals) 

To show the closeness of Izuku’s connection to Katsuki he calls him “Kacchan” while even tho Katsuki’s originally meaning of the word “Deku” meant worthless Izuku took that name and made it his hero name.

For seasons 1-3 (before Deku vs Kacchan 2) Katsuki believed that Izuku had always looked down on him hence him pushing him away which he yet again confirms in the war arc that because of his weakness he ended up bullying Deku because of it

When Bakugou got kidnapped from the villains he states “stay back Deku.” and as a result we have Deku screaming out in agony when the villains took Bakugou away during the training camp arc

Following his kidnapping scene Deku cries at the hospital about not being able to save Katsuki (despite during that time of their development Katsuki wanted to push Izuku away)

When Deku vs Kacchan 2 occurred fans got to see Katsuki become vulnerable for the first time talking about why had it been him that ended All Might’s career. This following with Deku stating that he is “the only one who can accept Kacchan’s feelings.”

"to the same extent of all your unpleasant traits, your sheer amazingness at everything you do was so brilliant to me, it was blinding!" (quote from Izuku during the fight) followed by "You, who had so many things that I never had... to me, you were an amazing, inspiring person, who was even closer to me than All Might!"

Deku vs Kacchan 2 was the pivotal fight that changed the entire course of their dynamic since it was the first time that fans got to see the two of them unleash all their emotions that they had been keeping in for years

In Heroes Rising Deku shares OFA with Bakugou and commenting that "It's okay if it's you," when talking about having his childhood friend hold that power and also showcases Izuku’s trust in him.

During the Meta Liberation War arc when Izuku tries to find Shigaraki and try putting a end to all of this Katsuki notices this and follows him commenting “because being a hero means protecting everyone." foreshadowing the save mentality that Katsuki has when he put his life on the line to protect Deku from Shigaraki’s attack 

Link to a perspective that tackles the possibility of Bakugou and Midoriya being a hero duo in the future.

https://sacred-stoner.tumblr.com/post/174064238438/the-other-day-an-anon-sent-me-this-ask-thank-you

Wonder Duo Evidence:

During the provisional license arc Aizawa talks to Mrs. Joke about how Bakugou and Midoriya encourage and inspire the rest of the class (with a screenshot of the two of them while he says this)

During the Final Exams arc Midoriya and Bakugou were partnered together to take down All Might and that fight showcased the miscommunication the two of them had (despite them winning against him in the end) the fore shadowing of these two working together could be hinted as far back as the final exams arc if thinking about how shounen writing sets up rivals.

All Might’s quote about the two of them being the types of heroes to “win and save” made a return as we are shown during the war arc of Deku trying to achieve victory while Bakugou gained a quirk awakening because of his desire to save Deku. In other words having them switch perspectives in the current point of the story really does come a long way

Horikoshi mentions that Heroes Rising was meant to be the original ending for the series which could mean that a) the scenario of Bakugou and Midoriya working together in the series finale would stay and that the main difference is that they would be pros or B) the duo would be changed to a trio and that Shouto’s involvement might be intertwined with Izuku and Katsuki... still unsure on which route)

When All Might vs All for One happened we had a screenshot of the two of them calling out for All Might to win. Showing not only their significance to All Might but also foreshadowing them working together in the future

Throughout the series Horikoshi highlights their bond as one of the focal points in the series by not only setting them up as proper rivals but also being able to repair their broken bond (which in turn all goes back to All Might hinting at them becoming a hero duo)

We’ve seen some duo combinations as well as trio ones in the series example being Hawks and Endeavor during the pro hero arc (it was temporarily but the point still stands that as fans we were able to see how successful a duo could be in the series)

Foreshadowing can come a long way since the series has started with Midoriya and Bakguou through middle school it very well could end with them finally fixing their broken bond and become the heroes that will win and rescue.

Sorry this took so long everyone I was just gathering my thoughts on this interesting discussion. I can see Horikoshi going with either route but as of right now its possible that we could get the big 3 while Deku and co are still teenagers and then have the wonder duo happen when they become pros (which if this were to happen then there would need to be some explanation on what happened to Shouto during all this)

Im unsure of whether the big 3 would happen when they are pros or only for the time that they are still teenagers.

I could also see Shouto being in charge of his father’s agency and allowing people with all types of quirks to intern there (especially if Endeavor ends up passing away before the conclusion of the series) which might be the likely explanation we will get if the wonder duo route is still something Horikoshi stands by.

Final thoughts: As of everything we have so far I will go ahead and say that we will actually have both with the big 3 being officially confirmed as the Origin trio while they are still teenagers but the wonder duo happens when they become pros. This topic was such a fun and interesting one to dive into so regarding personal bonds i’ll do another post.

This post is meant to view them as hero combination not shipping wise so with that said I hope this post was worth the wait.

[krisingtons]

BNHA Act Parallels and Predictions

So it's pretty clear at this point that Horikoshi is really playing up the parallels in this final act of the manga from past chapters, which I think is really cool and interesting. Given the parallels we've already seen, it has me thinking about what parallels we're likely to see in the upcoming chapters. This is a prediction post for those parallels!

A couple of notes first:

I'm going to focus on parallels between the current Act 3, starting from Ch. 306 ("The Final Act Begins") and Act 1, which ended around Ch. 95 ("The End of the Beginning, the Beginning of the End"). For the sake of this post, though, I'm going to lump Ch. 96 and 97 in.

I'll start with the Act 3 prediction, then pair it with what I think it parallels. It'll appear as Act 3 prediction = Act 1 parallel. Anything in parenthesis are my additional thoughts on the parallel.

I'll start with parallels that have already happened, then continue with my predictions in no particular order. I'll update the post as I have more predictions or as predictions are revealed one way or another.

If a prediction comes true, I'll put it in bold letters. If it proves false, I'll cross it out. If a prediction is unfolding or happening in a similar but not exact way, I'll italicize it.

These predictions, in no way, say anything about how I personally feel about these events happening. Feel free to discuss the likelihood of them happening, but I don't consider this a discussion on whether or anything should happen.

Given the parallels, I also believe that the manga will wrap up somewhere around Ch. 400. That's not really important to this post, I just wanted to throw that in.

Alright, here we go!

Izuku leaves UA = Izuku enrolls in UA

"A giant villain" when we first see Vigilante!Izuku = "A giant villain" pre-hero!Izuku

Inko pushes back against Izuku leaving UA = Inko pushes back against Izuku returning to UA

All Might reaches for Izuku as he leaps away = Izuku reaches for All Might as he leaps away

Deku has an important fight at Kamino = All Might has an important fight at Kamino

AFO says "Now it's your turn" = All Might says "Now it's your turn"

AFO sends a projected message to Izuku = All Might sends a projected message to Izuku

After the 3rd Deku and Bakugo fight, OFA will be revealed to the world = Bakugo learned about OFA after the previous two fights

All Might arrives after the 3rd Deku and Bakugo fight = All Might arrived after the previous two fights

Dad for One Reveal = Shigaraki is Nana Shimura's grandson reveal

Izuku is captured by the LOV = Bakugo is captured by the LOV

Izuku is rescued by a small group of friends = Bakugo is rescued by a small group of friends. (As an extra note, I believe this will also parallel Yoichi's rescue by 2nd and 3rd, so I believe at least Bakugo and Kirishima will rescue Izuku from some sort of vault.)

Izuku loses OFA = Izuku gains OFA (I believe OFA will need to be destroyed in order to defeat AFO.)

Deku defeats AFO at a cost = All Might defeated AFO at a cost (This might be OFA itself, which could lead to Deku also saying, "Goodbye, One for All." It could also be at the cost of his arms since All Might also paid a physical toll.)

Uraraka and Izuku save each other = Izuku and Uraraka saved each other at the exam (Given that Izuku defeated a large robot to save her, I wonder if Gigantomachia will reappear.)

The final battle with LOV happens at UA = First battle with LOV happened at UA.

Important All Might and Izuku moment at the beach = All Might gives OFA to Izuku at the beach and devotes himself to teaching Izuku at the beach (I think this moment is likely to happen near the end of the entire manga.)

Iida punches Izuku for having a bad idea = Iida punched Izuku when he wanted to be reckless with saving Bakugo.

Heroics returns to its origins of community service = All Might had Izuku clean the beach since heroics used to be about community service

"Your admiration for All Might is a shackle" to reference Izuku's reckless behavior = Same quote from Gran Tarino to point out how Izuku is stuck with OFA

Stain saying Deku is worthy = Stain saying All Might is worthy

Todoroki and Izuku have a power combat moment = Todoroki and Izuku power moment at the Sports Festival

Izuku saves All Might with support from Bakugo = Izuku saved All Might with support from Bakugo (I actually imagine this could/will manifest in several ways as it's happened several times with the sludge villain, the Nomu, Kamino Ward, etc.)

"I couldn't just watch you die" to someone, maybe All Might = "I couldn't just watch you die" to Bakugo

Bakugo will show respect to Deku as a hero = Bakugo says Izuku can never be a hero/he didn't save him from the sludge villain

Deku "I must remember my origin" = All Might "I must remember my origin"

Feel free to add your predictions, too, and I'll update the list accordingly!

[bokunoheroanalysisforthefuture]

Trying to alternate between my writing and my analysis blog sounds good in theory, and then you get stuck writing a scene and immediately start falling behind on the schedule you just made to try and catch up with your usually slow update rate. orz.

Anyways, let’s get into things. I’m already close to 300 chapter behind canon, no need to let that lead get any larger. (Abet I might have to take asides to do stuff like Vigilantes and whatnot… hrm… will see when we get further into this reread.)

[No. 15 - Vs.]

We start off with another ‘cover’ page, this time of All Might front and center, posed like he’s the main character of an American comic book. Which, with the number of jokes we make about him being the OG series protagonist while Izuku’s story is the subversive sequel, would be pretty damn apt.

Our return to the story starts with Toshinori, sitting in the breakroom at UA, worried that he can’t get in contact with Aizawa or Thirteen. He then considers how foolish he was for putting hero work ahead of his teaching, good reasons or not, and then wonders what he’ll have to tell the other teachers when he shows up at the end. He thinks that he’ll be fine in another ten minutes… then inflates into All Might with a splurt of blood as he gets up, deciding to go immediately.

Of course, that’s when Nedzu decides to make an entrance, pulling his ‘am i a-’ spiel for the audience All Might. All Might crouches down in place, rocking a bit on his feet as he complements Nedzu’s coat. Nedzu replies that the secret is keratin, and that ‘no human could produce such luster’ - our first actual confirmation that Nedzu isn’t a particularly extreme mutation quirk, but is in fact a quirked animal!

(Not that we seem to see any others in the series so far… at least not to my awareness.)

Nedzu pulls out a tablet, showing a news report about All Might handling three incidents in under an hour. Nedzu goes on to explain that while the villains haven’t let up even with All Might’s presence in town, running off the moment he hears there’s trouble is so very like the man, and that All Might hasn’t changed at all.

(and a little bonus translation difference)

...anyways. Toshinori deflates again as Nedzu tells him to try taking it easy once in a while. As Nedzu clambers up onto the couch, he goes on to note that Toshinori would only be able to attend a portion of the rescue training class that day. He then reminds Toshinori that while Nedzu had made the offer to teach, Toshinori had been the one to accept it, so he’d appreciate it if he would try a bit harder to prioritize his role as a teacher. The city has enough hero agencies to deal with common criminals.

Toshinori agrees, and that that was way he was just getting ready to head to the USJ. Nedzu pours himself some tea, noting that Toshinori would be forced to return soon thereafter, so why not take some time and enjoy tea and crackers with him? He can even share his theories on education! Toshinori sweats as he watches Nedzu pour his tea, thinking on how there’s no stopping Nedzu once he gets going. He’s also thinking about the fact that he hadn’t even gotten voicemail, and that the fact he hadn’t been able to get through at all was what was worrying him about the situation.

Man’s hero instincts are on point. Another small reminder of how this man held onto the number one spot for so long. 

Nedzu does get into his spiel about the stresses and burdens when walking the line between hero and educator, while Toshinori determines that Nedzu hasn’t changed either.

A couple interesting things I can think about for this last bit:

1) Nedzu and Toshinori have known each other for a while, enough that they can have had some time without much interaction and then come back into contact and go ‘ah yeah this is the same as ever.’ I wonder just how long ago they met, in what circumstances, and how long Nedzu’s known about One For All…

2) People who use this as another reason to criticize Toshinori as a teacher. I mean. He’s only been teaching for three days at this point. He knows he fucked up. Nedzu reminds him he fucked up. People make mistakes, especially at the beginning of a new job they aren’t experienced in. He’s learning. Please just chill.

3) 'Stresses and burdens walking the line between hero and educator' is something that I think could actually be a very good summary of Aizawa's character development? Because early on, he very much is Not A Teacher. The only reason he's at UA is because he was basically dragged in there by Hizashi and Nemuri. He demanded the power to be able to expel to give the kids 'a taste of death' without actually, like, killing them.

At the beginning of the series, he's not really all that invested in his students. He's just There. He doesn't care so long as they stay up to his unknown standards. He's much more focused on what he needs to do as a hero, ie the USJ incident. He's acting as a hero, protecting the kids who are basically civilians from a villain attack, even if it means his own life. 

But then we also see him push himself that bit further to save his students, which might be the first point where he might be considering that he can’t afford to die, because who else will teach them to protect themselves from such things? Because a hero can die in the line of duty and all that, but a teacher needs to keep living to protect their students and teach them how to survive and thrive. 

I think we see the culmination of the character arc started here in the War arc, though of course he’s got a lot further to go. I think it’s also a parallel to Toshinori, who’s also learning to be a teacher but from a different direction, which just continues to make them great narrative foils. Hori, man, how do you keep doing it?

...hah, but I might also just be reading too much into what might be an awkward translation.

Anyways, we switch from this generally low tension scene right back into the chaos at the USJ. Tenya gets into class president mode as he asks for a sitrep of people’s locations. Shouji confirms with his extra ears that everyone is still in the facility, abet scattered. Thirteen is surprised (and perhaps relieved) that that is the case, though she doesn’t say anything specifically.

Sero notes that physical attacks are no good against Kurogiri - he can just warp away. The quirk’s just too tough to handle! Thirteen turns to Tenya and gets his attention, then tells him his job is to run back to the school and report on what’s happening. She goes on to explain that the alarms haven’t sounded and the phones aren’t working. The alarm system uses infrared tech, so the fact that it hasn’t activated, even with Eraserhead nullifying quirks, means whoever is interfering with the system has hidden themselves well. With that being the case, Tenya making the run is their best option.

Tenya starts to argue that the class president can’t just abandon his class, only to be stopped when Sato grabs him, saying that Thirteen said to go! Also I thought for a second they were making another emergency exit Iida joke here, but no, it’s just that Tenya needs to escape through said emergency exit. A more serious nod to the previous joke about him and emergency exits. 

Sato then goes on to note that there’s alarms outside, which means the villains can only be causing trouble inside the facility - so if Tenya makes it out, the villains can’t follow! He finishes it off with a motivational ‘shake off that mist with that speed of yours!’ Thirteen adds onto that with a repetition of their request - use his quirk to save everyone.

God, look at these kids, so scared and so brave. Ochako and Mina are both sweating and nervous, but Ochako is still swearing to provide support, just like in the cafeteria, so he needs to do it!

Kurogiri is being a looming shadow as he notes that they have no hope, and wonders what kind of fools discuss strategy in front of the enemy. Thirteen starts using her quirk on him as she states that it doesn’t matter if he overheard because he can’t stop them.

And since the rest of this chapter is dedicated to Izuku, Tsuyu, and Mineta’s escape from the yacht, I’ll cut this off here so that it’s the focus of all the next post. I guess it’s kind of a good thing I rambled early on, otherwise this would be extremely short…

[ignitification]

I really cant forse myself into liking uraraka. I get it shes nice and I enjoyed her fight with baku in season 2. But after that she became a background character and its really weird to see people defend her terrible writing on social media. Uraraka swaps from "I love deku" to "I have to put my feelings for deku away" all the time :/

Hi anon! To he honest, neither can I? I liked her character at the beginning, and I found her a very interesting character to explore. I really liked her determination and her will to expand her horizons even though he objective has been more or less fixed (become a rescue hero). Indeed, Uraraka vs Bakugou is one of the highlight of the entire arc and for a good reason.

But yeah, as you said, she slowly drifted from being one of the main protagonists, to the potential romantic interest, so far that basically all her scenes after this have been "Do I like Deku?" (in the midterms exams with Aoyama), "Deku is so passionate, I want to be like him." (during the Overhaul Arc) and then, her focus shifted to Deku-Toga (as they are being paralleled on the grounds 'I want to be like the person I like.' (which limits both of their characters so much it's frustrating). Her genuinely good moment in the war arc was her confrontation with Toga (when she wanted to ask Ochako whether she would kill her too, if the opportunity came because O didn't consider her human).

(Her bits in chapters 288-289,excluding the reference to Izuku, mh). But that's the point : it would have been just nicer to leave her as one, not a foil for the a main villain (which,by reflection, makes her important, too) - but rather a girl, striving to be a hero and realizing that someone it takes sacrifice (her feeling for Izuku). Instead we got a mismash of tropes, and badly developed half plots with her, that just make her character flat, boring and even annoying. Not even Izuku has some truthfully good moments with her, and the most emotional they are in relation is during Black Whip's incident and Izuku leaving her (and everyone else) a letter before dropping from UA. It's really frustrating to see, but we already confirmed that HK does not know how to write female characters (I mean, his most accomplished one is Toga, which has all another kind of issues - and the other one, was Lady Nagant, who became plot irrelevant after a single digit number of characters). So, it should not come as surprise that you feel like this, too. However, I hope that since HK said that she is one of characters which will be a ray of sunshine in the final arc, her characterization will pick up, because maybe there is still something left to save.