#japanese ad history

[teecupangel]

Here I come once again, thoughs on the new chapter of AC Black Flag?

My thoughts on Chapters 1, 2 and 3

Official English translation (the free chapters anyway) here

I thought this would be shorter because I have talked about the main points in this chapter previously here in the additional notes but nope. I blame the Animus they're using and its 'features'.

Sidebars before I start overanalyzing:

Yeah, that’s pretty much a good summary of this franchise.

The two best Edwards in this chapter XD

(Also known as "the duality of AC fans whenever it concerns the decisions Ubisoft makes")

So here are my thoughts and my overanalysis XD

Eagle Vision

Okay. I already talked about how this can be considered a confirmation that Eagle Vision makes eyes glow (but I will still headcanon that they glow gold and not that reddish tint)…

But the next panel… Why is the hiding spot Edward chose glow red?

They’ve always glowed white before? (And I am completely ignoring the whole red footsteps that brings back memories of the red footsteps that Desmond finds in Villa Auditore because I’m pretty sure that’s meant to show an alternate route and not that there’s definitely a ‘traitor’ or an enemy that Edward should be wary about)

I want to say it’s artistic license at play since the people that should glow grey glow sorta blue in this one as well.

I think it’s just a bit ‘eeeehh???’ for people who’ve played the game because, no matter what changes Assassin’s Creed makes, there are some things that never change.

‘Red = Enemies’, ‘Blue = Allies’ and ‘White = Hiding Spots or Object of Interest’ are staples of Eagle Vision (or whatever they’re calling it nowadays).

I guess it could be an Abstergo Animus related ‘feature’.

Synchronization Rates

So this one is kinda strange. As a “Desmond Deserves Better” fan, I will admit that it’s more of a headcanon for me how Desmond has high synchronization rate because he accepts the memories as they happen. But that is backed up by gameplay where we are given side objectives to get 100% synchronization in memory blocks which we have always thought of as ‘how the memory truly happened’ but this…

She’s talking about how, in the previous chapter, Noa has his ‘daddy issue’ desyncing where he tried to fight Edward’s memories with his own hatred for his deadbeat old man.

But ‘Shimazu’ Sei says:

And that’s weird because we have a canon record of what happens when an Animus subject rejects the memories which would cause a lot of errors:

Joseph Lynch

AC wiki summarized what happened to him quite well:

Joseph was put into an Animus but resisted synchronization with his ancestors, refusing to let the Templars discover the secrets of his bloodline. As a result, he suffered neurological damages and became blind.

So I think I speak for a lot of us when I say that we had always assumed synchronization rates had always been tied to how closely the Animus subject relives their ancestor’s memories and Shimazu’s lines contradict that.

Unless…

She’s lying and this is a case of “this person has her own ulterior motive that goes against what Abstergo wants”.

Or it could be another new Abstergo Animus ‘feature’.

English and Korean Version Difference:

Okay, so for my thoughts on the implication of having the Shimazu Clan as Templars or Templar allies, go here.

There is one thing I noticed:

Shimazu is bold in the official webtoon English translation when the fan translation I saw had it in quotes.

I thought that was strange because bold would emphasize her Shimazu lineage but quotes would bring the possibility that she’s not actually a Shimazu.

So what do I do?

Check the Korean version. XD

So it’s in quotes as well so I think it’s more in line with perhaps the people working on this webtoon want us to believe that there is a possibility that this Shimazu Sei is not a real descendant of the Shimazu clan.

Speaking of translations, there is another Japanese line in this one that I didn’t bother to talk about because it’s okay. Yeah, I can believe some masked dude would say that line. The official translation “Kill all witnesses” still annoys me though and I can’t even check the Japanese version because I would need to have a Japanese IP to check it.

Anyway, I already ranted about how I would translate that so yeah.

Overall, lots of action and a bit of modern day plot mixed in. Edward is at the top of his game as usual and I will continue to zero in on other things because that’s how I roll.

(Anyone curious about the Korean raw? Here the Korean webtoon website.)

[a-s-fischer]

Thank you @sublime-linguist for giving such a perfect example of what I was talking about earlier with the concept of pump labels: https://a-s-fischer.tumblr.com/751375680663666688/so-i-came-up-with-the-concept-and-term-pump-label. It's very convenient when you point out a type of bad behavior end somebody gives you a perfect illustrative example. So thank you for that.

In this case, the pump label is once again "Zionist". Every single time I have talked about myself as a Zionist I have always done it while contextualizing my actual beliefs on Israel/Palestine, in which I talk about the fact that I am a two (or more) state solutionist and I want the Palestinian people to have full sovereignty over their own state, or states, I fully expect Israel to need to give up territory, and I actually want them to, and I consider Netanyahu to be a vile human being and also he and his right wing cronies are a major impediment to any kind of equitable peace. Every time I have talk about being a Zionist, I talk about how I want Israeli children and Palestinian children to grow up safe, happy, and free.

These are all beliefs that are antithetical to fascism. In fact I have, on a couple of occasions, talked about the fact that one of the reasons that I am so troubled by so-called pro-Palestinians being pro-Hamas is that fascism is a term with an actual meaning, that defines various political movements based on whether or not they have certain attributes, and Hamas ticks more than enough of the boxes for it to qualify. My anti-Hamas position is part and parcel of my opposition to fascism.

But this person can take me from being a two state solutionist with a commitment to liberal democracy to being a fascist by using the pump label of Zionist. Two state solutionist with a commitment to liberal democracy equals Zionist, and Zionist equals fascist. And now because I have been declared a fascist, anything I say can be dismissed as fascist lying and dogwhistles. If anything I say makes you question what you think and believe, or unsettles you in any way, that's just me using my evil fascist lies.

We also see that this person is using a special Marxist-Leninist in group definition of the word imperialism. And Marxism Is widespread enough both in academia and in western leftist circles that it has helped create this problem that i'm highlighting with this post. And we can see that they are an ideologue in general because instead of having you read any historian or having you educate yourself on political philosophy and history more broadly, they tell you to read an ideologue with a pronounced political agenda, who headed up a regime which pioneered many modern propaganda techniques.

And really Lenin is a particularly interesting choice for this person to pick, given that I wasn't actually thinking about Israel/Palestine when I made this post. I was thinking of Russian expansionism, especially with regards to Ukraine. And Lenin sure was eager to whitewash Russian expansionism.

It's only imperialism if it comes from the imperialist region of Western Europe. Otherwise, it's just sparkling subjugation.

[reasonsforhope]

"Justine Siegal, the first woman coach employed by a Major League Baseball team, is attempting to make more history -- this time by creating an American professional baseball league specifically for women. Siegal is one of the co-founders of the Women's Pro Baseball League (WPBL), which aims to begin play during the summer of 2026.

Siegel and co-founder/lawyer Keith Stein have enlisted a few other notable names as special advisors... Those include World Series-winning manager Cito Gaston and Japanese pitcher Ayami Sato, a five-time Women's Baseball World Cup champion. (Sato is also part of Japan Women's Baseball League.)

The WPBL is hoping to land a national television deal ahead of its inaugural season. The league intends to have a full season, as well as playoffs and a championship round. At present, the goal is to field six teams at launch, with those clubs located "predominantly" in the Northeast region of the United States. 

"The Women's Pro Baseball League is here for all the girls and women who dream of a place to showcase their talents and play the game they love," Siegal said as part of the WPBL's press release announcing its formation. "We have been waiting over 70 years for a professional baseball league we can call our own. Our time is now."

Stein, for his part, added: "We believe that the success of other women's professional leagues such as the WNBA and NWSL demonstrates the incredible interest and support for women's sport."

The United States has won two Women's Baseball World Cups, and most recently finished as the runners-up in the 2024 event (that was played in 2023). The U.S. team roster included, among others, pitcher/outfielder Kelsie Whitmore. Whitmore has been a trailblazer in her own right, appearing in games with various independent leagues, including the Atlantic League, Pacific Association, and, as of this year, the Pioneer League."

-via CBS Sports, October 30, 2024

[lurkingshan]

Shan's Favorite Dramas of 2024

The year is wrapping up and I have forced myself to narrow down to a list of 15 (I tried 10 but the choices were too hard!) of my favorite 2024 dramas across genres and countries of origin. This is not every drama I liked this year (that list would be incredibly long), but these are the ones that inspired the most brain rot and really stuck with me.

At 25:00 in Akasaka (Japan, Gaga)

The mood and tone of this drama was just perfect, and I loved the way it explored the blurred lines and confusion that can result when the real and fake aspects of a professional relationship get all mixed up. Hayama was a great character and I loved his arc, in particular.

Cherry Magic (Thailand, Viu)

I still can't believe how much I loved this adaptation. A fantastic example of taking a work from another culture and translating it to a new context while not only retaining the core narrative, but even enhancing it. This show gave us what the Japanese version didn't--the resolution to the physical intimacy arc at the core of the premise--and retained all the charm of the original while adding new humor. And delivered one of the best romances of the year while it was at it!

Don't Care for an Old Man's Underwear (Japan, fansub)

Oppan, my beloved. Easily the best family drama of the year, loaded with excellent messages while (mostly) avoiding feeling like an after-school special. Makoto's journey to update his thinking with Daichi's help, and the mutual friendship that developed between them, is one of my favorite relationships of the year. I loved every character's story; there is something for everyone to connect with in this show.

Fangs of Fortune (China, iQIYI)

This drama was just so much FUN. A gorgeous feast for the eyes, a wealth of fascinating characters and relationship dynamics, and a fast-moving plot that you don't need to try too hard to understand. It was a great binge and Li Lun was easily my favorite villain of the year.

Gyeongseong Creature (South Korea, Netflix)

A gorgeous period piece set during one of the darkest chapters of Korean history, this one took me by surprise (I am usually not a horror girlie). The writing for this show had surprising depth and I loved its themes around family and loyalty and survival under fascism.

Knock Knock Boys (Thailand, Gaga)

My boys! I loved this show about a group of four queer men living together in a shared house, getting into mischief and supporting each other through school and work and relationship struggles. The show is funny and breezy but also manages to tackle some serious issues with grace while delivering two strong romances and my favorite coming out narrative of the year.

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo (South Korea, iQIYI)

Winner for best QL of the year, and a romance that will be sticking with me for a long time. Dohoe is one of the most honest and unflinching depictions of a an adult psyche shaped by childhood abuse that I have ever seen on my screen. It was healing to see him treated with such compassion and to see him and Juyoung find their way to a happy life together. An absolute must watch for all you angst with a happy ending fans.

Love for Love’s Sake (South Korea, iQIYI)

It's so hard to get a high concept premise like this right, but this drama did an amazing job with it. It's one of those shows where you can go back over everything that happened in retrospect and it all adds up, and I loved that the ending lent itself to so many different interpretations. One of the best watch experiences of the year.

Love in the Big City (South Korea, Viki)

Go Young, my beloved. This drama adaptation of the internationally successful novel exceeded my wildest expectations, and I am still a little stunned that we got the privilege of seeing it. It is, bar none, the most authentically queer show on this list, and a beautiful depiction of all the significant relationships in one young man's life. I will be rewatching it many times and keeping it close to my heart.

Love is Like a Poison (Japan, fansub)

A masterful blend of comedy, action, and romance, this drama about a lawyer with delusions of grandeur and the scam artist who decides to become his partner was a constant delight and gave us my favorite battle couple of the year.

Marahuyo Project (Philippines, YouTube)

I can't tell you the joy and relief I felt to get another high quality queer drama from the Philippines this year. And this one had such a great cast of characters, anchored by one of my favorite protagonists of the year in King. It's funny, it's romantic, it's touching, and as always for a JP Haboc production, it has an amazing soundtrack.

She Loves to Cook and She Loves to Eat (Japan, fansub)

My girls! I'm still amazed by how much this drama gave us in its second season by expanding the world of the show beyond our two main characters to include so many other women whose stories were just as fascinating. This is the season where Nomoto and Kasuga really came into themselves and started building the life they want to have together, and it was a real joy to watch.

Tender Light (China, YouKu)

The way this show had me in a chokehold while it was airing! Visually stunning, incredibly well-constructed, and featuring one of the best performances of the year from Zhang Xin Cheng, it's an exhilarating mystery and a very touching story of the unusual bond between a student and the older woman who fascinates and terrifies him.

The Midnight Romance in Hagwon (South Korea, Viki)

You know a drama is good when it has you deeply invested in a random topic you never thought you were interested in. In this case, that's the intense debate on pedagogical methods between the public schools and hagwons in Korea. Alongside delivering a great romance, this drama was passionate about teaching and it sucked me right in to the Korean literature lessons at the heart of the story.

Unknown (Taiwan)

No other drama inspired more brain rot in me this year than this story of a family rocked by changing feelings as the chosen siblings grow up. The loyalty and love and complex desire between Wei Qian and Wei Yuan is the heart of this story, and the drama did an incredible job of taking us along for the journey as things shifted and changed between them. I still think about them all the time.

Bonus: Favorite Classic Dramas Watched for the First Time in 2024

I am always catching up on an endless backlog of dramas alongside my live watches. Here are the best gems I finally watched this year.

Lost (South Korea, Viki)

I loved this deeply melancholy drama about two lost souls who connect unexpectedly. I finally pulled it up from my to be watched list because it shares director Hur Jin Ho with Love in the Big City (he did part 2 with Go Young's mom) and it sure feels like it! The characters are deep and complicated, the relationships are complex and carefully built, and it is hands down the best encapsulation of a failed marriage between two good people who truly loved each other that I have ever seen. It's heavy and not for everyone--mining the depths of human despair is kind of its thing--but if you like this sort of story it's world class.

Mouse (South Korea, Viki)

I was recently in the market for a good mystery thriller, so I finally watched this apparently very divisive 2021 drama--and if there's a divide I am firmly on the HELL YEAH side of the line. This drama had an interesting concept (that I will not describe bc holy shit spoilers, you should go in knowing nothing) that it unwound with remarkable patience and precision over 20 episodes. Its themes were strong and consistent, the lead characters were super compelling, the plotting and pacing and editing were unbelievably tight, the performances were incredible, and it made a lot of provocative points and ended well, feeling coherent and complete. It sustained my full interest and attention without any stumbles for ~25 incredible hours.

Mr. Sunshine (South Korea, Netflix)

Another one that's been on my watch list forever and finally got its moment when I was in the mood for a historical where ladies got to wield weapons alongside the men. And unsurprisingly, I loved it. Writer Kim Eun Sook is known for her big, glossy, epic dramas, and her style made a good pairing with a story about a rebel faction during the Japanese occupation of Korea. I really loved all the main characters in this show, and was moved by the complicated exploration of their loyalty (or lack thereof) to their homeland. This drama also has a very strong class analysis baked into its themes, which I very much appreciated. It was a traumatic watch, but in a way that felt right given the setting and the choices characters made.

The Miracle of Teddy Bear (Thailand, YouTube)

I watched this one on a mission and it was worth every moment. Nut is one of my favorite protagonists in any queer drama, and I thought the show made great use of its fantasy concept to explore some very real human experiences with depth and compassion. This show feels like an especially important counterpoint to the Thal BL bubble, and I recommend it highly for anyone who enjoys those dramas.

When I Fly Towards You (China, Netflix)

And we end on a light and sweet note, with my favorite coming of age romance that I watched all year. This drama was just lovely, and it will be a go-to rewatch for me for years to come. There’s something so comforting about a story where you start with the happy ending before jumping to the beginning, and just get to sit back and see how they get there. I loved all the characters in this and marveled at how it was never boring despite being decidedly low angst.

[sapphicfandompirate]

Did any of the Strawhat's even go to school?

Chapter 1134 has sparked discussions on the state of the Strawhat's education, so I figured I would do a little analysis on my thoughts on it based on canon.

Luffy- Feral jungle child. Makino probably taught him to read and write, and attempted to teach him manners. Jury is out on whether or not Garp actually taught him anything. Doesn't seem to know much history. Does know beetles, and probably a lot of survival skills, including hunting.

Zoro- Ok this is the real reason why I made this post.

A dōjō (道場, Japanese pronunciation: [doꜜː(d)ʑoː]) is a hall or place for immersive learning, experiential learning, or meditation. This is traditionally in the field of martial arts. The term literally means "place of the Way" in Japanese. -Wikipedia

Isshin Dojo (一心道場, Isshin Dōjō?) is a kenjutsu school, a school of Japanese swordsmanship. Its owner is Koushirou, who is a skilled swordsman and father of the deceased Kuina. It is the place where Zoro trained his Three Sword Style and in the anime is the only dojo Zoro did not take down the sign of. -One Piece Wiki, Emphasis added by me

As a member of the Isshin Dojo Zoro has attended school! Koshiro taught him primarily swordsmanship and meditation, but someone taught him reading, writing, and math and I'm just going to guess it's Koshiro as well. Seems to know a bit of sword-related history, but not much world or local history.

Nami-Stole education books. Not formally educated. Everything was probably taught by Bellemere and the rest was learned on the fly. Probably knows the basics of mainstream world history. Is capable of formulating advanced equations, and has vast sailing, navigation, cartography and weather knowledge. Studied at Weatheria during the timeskip, but it doesn't seem like a formal institution.

Usopp - Orphaned street rat. Unknown who taught him to read, write, and do math. Possibly Banchina before she passed away. Somehow he knows chemistry and engineering? Might have borrowed books from Kaya? Mostly self-taught it seems.

Sanji- Definitely has a formal education, up until he ran away. Noble child who had a variety of tutors. Learned whatever noble children learn plus a variety of fighting techniques and fields of science. Then was taught cooking by Zeff. Boy definitely knows how to do math. Anyone who cooks for a large group of people can at least multiply on the fly, or has a calculator taped to the wall. One Piece appears to use the metric system, so at least he doesn't have to figure out how to quadruple a recipe that originally called for 1 2/3 cups of flour.

Chopper - Professionally taught by Dr. Kureha (and Dr. Hililuk). They are both referred to as Doctors, but it is unknown what sort of medical knowledge is actually needed for that title, or if there is like a degree or anything. Assumably one of them taught him reading, writing, math, and chemistry in addition to medical stuff. Also read all of the books in the Torino Kingdom during the timeskip. According to the wiki, Kureha established an academy during the timeskip.

After establishing a medical academy, she taught and trained at least eighty students who became skilled enough to join the Isshi-20, expanding their members to a hundred under her leadership.

Robin- Got a degree in archaeology at the age of 8. Has all of the reading, writing, and history skills, including dead languages. While she taught herself how to read the poneglyphs, I think it's safe to say that Professor Clover taught her regular history, math, science, reading, and writing. Robin went to school!

Franky - Apprenticeship under the shipwright Tom. His state of education was unknown before meeting Tom at age 10. Should know all of the basic skills (reading, writing, math) in addition to carpentry, and shipbuilding. Tom's Workers is referred to as a shipbuilding company, so I don't think it counts as a school? Knows at least enough medical knowledge to turn himself into a cyborg with scraps from a ghost ship after being runover by a train. And Survive. Somehow.

Brook- APPARENTLY??? Stated that school makes him nostalgic, which implies he attended. Also knows a variety of things usually nobility would, namely various musical instruments and fencing. He also knows sailing, and various other things to be a battle convoy leader and pirate captain. I have questions for this man.

Jinbe - Dojo again, this time the Fish-Man Karate Dojo. Later joined the Neptune Army. So, since a dojo counts as a type of specialized school, he's attended a school as well as had military training! Knows basic historical stuff, especially that pertaining to fishmen and human-fishman relations. Seems to know other basic life skills (reading, writing, math, ect)

So, in conclusion:

Went to school: Zoro, Robin, Brook, Jinbe

Private Tutors: Sanji

Vocational Training under a Professional: Sanji, Chopper. Franky, Nami,

Self Taught with some instruction by a parent or other adult (non-professional): Luffy, Nami, Usopp

Out of the ten members, 4 of them attended a school of some sort and several others had some sort of professional training or supervision of study.

Feel free to add on if I missed anything!

[w1w2]

The Dance We Share

Nakamura Kazuha x Fem!Reader

Word Count: ca. 12k

Synopsis: A new member joins an already successful girl group, bringing talent, determination, and a history that threatens to disrupt the group’s harmony.

Requested by Anon

Notes: I got a bit carried away with this.. I guess I'm in my angs era.

Also, to the Anon that have requested that, please let me know if you like it

English isn’t my first language so I apologize in advance for any mistakes.

♡ Enjoy! ♡

The journey to this moment had been a whirlwind of auditions, sleepless nights, and quiet moments of doubt. Y/N had pushed herself harder than ever before, driven by an unrelenting desire to make her dreams come true. There were days when she felt invincible, buoyed by the promise of what could be, and nights when she doubted everything, the sacrifices, the exhaustion, the relentless grind. It had all led her here, to this practice room, standing on the precipice of something she had both longed for and feared.

As Y/N stepped into the room for the first time as an official member of LE SSERAFIM, a mixture of excitement and apprehension bubbled beneath her calm exterior. She was no stranger to performing, to auditions, to high-stakes environments, but this was different. This wasn’t just a group, it was a phenomenon. They had already carved their place in the industry, and now, she was expected to do the impossible: step in, catch up, and somehow shine without overshadowing.

She wasn’t just filling a spot, she was filling Garam’s spot.

The name carried weight, not just within the group but with fans, critics, and the media. Garam’s sudden departure had left a hole in LE SSERAFIM’s lineup, a gap that fans had fiercely debated how to fill, if it should even be filled at all. Social media had been abuzz with speculation when her addition was announced.

Was she the right choice? Would she fit in? Could she live up to the expectations?

These questions, along with a litany of comparisons, would undoubtedly follow her every move.

It was daunting, suffocating even, but Y/N had resolved to prove herself worthy, not just to the world, but to her new groupmates.

The atmosphere in the practice room was warm but tinged with careful politeness. Y/N could feel the subtle tension that came with welcoming a new member. They were trying, but it wasn’t effortless yet.

Chaewon, ever the responsible leader, was the first to step forward. Her smile was encouraging, her tone genuine but measured, as if she were balancing the roles of leader and mediator.

“Welcome to the family,” she said, her voice kind yet carrying the unspoken understanding that Y/N had a lot to prove.

Sakura followed, offering soft words of encouragement in Japanese that brought a flicker of comfort to Y/N’s nerves. Yunjin added a playful comment about how they could commiserate over the grueling trainee experience. Even Eunchae, the group’s youngest, greeted her with a bright, bubbly enthusiasm that made Y/N feel lighter, if only for a moment.

They were kind, supportive even, but Y/N could sense the invisible wall. They were a tight-knit team, and she was the outsider. For now.

And then there was her.

Kazuha stood apart, her presence understated yet impossible to ignore. She offered a faint smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. There was none of the warmth or easy grace that lit up her face in the photos and videos Y/N had studied before joining. Her expression was carefully neutral, her eyes flitting to Y/N for the briefest second before darting away, as if the mere act of looking at her was too much to bear.

Y/N’s chest tightened.

She had prepared herself for this moment, told herself it wouldn’t matter. It had been a year since they had seen each other, a year since they had been anything to each other. And yet, standing here now, with Kazuha just a few feet away, every memory they had shared surged back to the surface like a tidal wave.

The studio smelled faintly of sweat and polished wood, but in her mind, it was the faint perfume of the ballet studio that came rushing back. The soft padding of pointe shoes, the music filling the air, the sound of Kazuha’s laugh as they perfected a lift. Late-night conversations whispered over cooling cups of tea. The quiet promises that had once felt unbreakable.

And the heartbreak.

It was a pain so sharp it had felt like it might split her in two. The suffocating ache of watching Kazuha walk away after Y/N had laid her heart bare. The way she hadn’t even looked back.

“Zuha,” she had called her back then, her voice soft, affectionate, laden with trust.

But that was a lifetime ago. A lot changed during these months. 

Now, they were strangers. Or at least, that was what they were pretending to be.

The flash of pain was gone as quickly as it had come, buried beneath the professional mask Y/N had perfected during her years of training. She couldn’t afford to let emotions cloud her now. She was here to work, to perform, to prove that she belonged.

When the first practice session began, Y/N threw herself into the choreography with everything she had. She followed the beats, absorbed every direction, and moved with a precision born of determination. The music was loud, the mirrors reflected every step, and the members exchanged approving glances.

But Kazuha kept her distance. She spoke only when necessary, her words clipped and professional. She avoided eye contact altogether.

The room was filled with music and movement, but to Y/N, it felt like they were dancing around a silent truth neither of them dared to face.

For the rest of the day, Y/N focused on the steps, on the voices of her teammates, on the beat of the music, anything but the shadow of the girl she once knew.

Anything but Kazuha.

The first days were always the hardest, and for Y/N, it was no exception.

The soft hum of music played in the background as the group gathered in the spacious practice room. The mirrored walls reflected each member, moving with synchronized precision, but Y/N couldn’t help but feel the stark contrast of her presence among them. She was hyperaware of every glance, every whispered comment exchanged in the corners, though the others had been nothing but kind.

Kazuha stood at the far end of the room, tying her sneakers with meticulous care. She hadn’t said much since the initial greeting. Their interactions had been limited to curt nods and brief, professional exchanges. And yet, the weight of Kazuha’s silence pressed down on Y/N like a tangible force, suffocating and inescapable.

As they worked through the day’s routine, the tension between them became harder to ignore. Their gazes met in fleeting moments, the kind of accidental eye contact that was too brief to hold meaning but too frequent to be unintentional. Each time, Kazuha would quickly look away, leaving Y/N wondering if she was imagining the flicker of something —guilt, regret, or even longing—in her dark eyes.

“Y/N, you’re picking up the choreography quickly,” Chaewon said, breaking the silence as the group took a short water break.

“Thank you,” Y/N replied, her lips curving into a polite smile.

“It’s impressive,” Sakura added, her tone warm. “You fit in well.”

Y/N nodded, grateful for the encouragement, but her mind was elsewhere. Despite the praise, she couldn’t shake the unease that clung to her like a second skin. She stole a glance at Kazuha, who was quietly stretching in the corner, her movements fluid and precise.

Y/N’s fingers tightened around her water bottle as the memories began to resurface.

The ballet studio was a place of dreams, a sacred haven where artistry met discipline. The air always carried the faint scent of resin and effort, a combination of polished wooden floors, sweat, and ambition. For Y/N, the studio had been a second home, a place where she could lose herself in the rhythm of movement, the poetry of dance. It wasn’t just the physicality of ballet that she loved but the way it demanded her soul, her entire being.

That summer had started like any other, grueling practices, blistered feet, and a fierce determination to perfect every pirouette, every arabesque. But then Kazuha arrived, and everything changed.

They first met during a partnering class at the prestigious summer intensive. Y/N had been scanning the room when her gaze landed on a girl who moved like liquid light.

Kazuha Nakamura. 

Her name was whispered in admiration by the other students, her reputation as a prodigy preceding her. Kazuha was an enigma, her movements were graceful yet powerful, her presence quiet yet commanding.

When the instructor paired them together, Y/N felt a jolt of nervous excitement. Kazuha was tall and poised, her every step brimming with elegance. Y/N couldn’t help but feel slightly self-conscious next to her. But the moment they began to move, everything clicked.

Their connection was instantaneous, as if their bodies instinctively understood one another. Y/N’s playful, expressive energy filled the spaces Kazuha’s disciplined movements left behind, creating a harmony that stunned even their instructors. In the span of a few weeks, they had gone from mere dance partners to a team that everyone admired.

“You two are like magnets,” their instructor had once commented, watching as they nailed a complex lift. “Completely different energies, but when you’re together, it just works.”

And it wasn’t just their dancing that brought them closer.

Outside of practice, Y/N and Kazuha were inseparable. They often stayed late at the studio, the overhead lights dimming as the evening stretched into night. Their conversations drifted from dance to life, their voices echoing in the empty hall.

Kazuha spoke with quiet passion about her dreams. Her family in Japan, her love for ballet, her desire to push herself further than anyone thought possible. Her eyes would light up as she described the feeling of losing herself in movement, as if the world disappeared and all that remained was the music.

“You make it sound magical,” Y/N had said once, lying on her back on the studio floor.

“It is magical,” Kazuha had replied softly, her head tilted to the side as she stared at the ceiling. “It’s like… you’re telling a story without words. That’s what I love most about it. It’s honest.”

It was in moments like those that Y/N found herself falling.

At first, it had been admiration, a deep respect for Kazuha’s artistry and discipline. But as the days turned into weeks, her feelings began to shift. She found herself drawn to the way Kazuha’s lips curved into a small smile when she nailed a particularly difficult routine, or the way her laugh would break through her composed exterior when Y/N teased her.

Kazuha, for all her quiet elegance, had a surprisingly goofy side. She wasn’t afraid to try ridiculous dance moves when they were alone, their laughter filling the empty studio as they dared each other to push the limits of their creativity.

“I bet you can’t do this,” Y/N had said one night, attempting an exaggerated, clumsy leap.

Kazuha had raised an eyebrow, her competitive streak flashing through. “Oh, I can do it. Better than you, actually.”

Moments like those were the foundation of their bond. It was easy, effortless, until it wasn’t.

The confession happened on one of those golden evenings when the sun dipped low on the horizon, casting long shadows across the studio floor. They had just finished practicing, their bodies aching from hours of work. The room was bathed in hues of amber and pink, the kind of light that made everything feel softer, dreamier.

Y/N had been pacing for the better part of an hour, building up the courage to say the words that had been burning on her tongue for weeks. Kazuha sat cross legged on the floor, oblivious, carefully unwrapping the tape from her toes.

“Zuha,” Y/N started, her voice trembling slightly.

Kazuha looked up, her expression curious. “Yeah?”

Y/N’s heart pounded in her chest. She had rehearsed this moment a dozen times in her head, but now that it was here, the words felt heavy, unwieldy. Taking a deep breath, she decided to just say it.

“I think I’m falling for you.”

The silence that followed was deafening.

Kazuha’s eyes widened, her hands freezing mid-motion. She stared at Y/N, her expression unreadable, as if she were trying to process what she had just heard. Her lips parted as though to speak, but no words came out.

Y/N felt her stomach drop.

“I…” Kazuha finally began, her voice hesitant. She stood slowly, taking a small step back. “I can’t… I don’t know if I can do this.”

It wasn’t a rejection, not explicitly, but it felt like one. The words cut through Y/N like shards of glass. Her chest tightened as she fought to keep her composure.

“It’s okay,” Y/N said quickly, forcing a smile she didn’t feel. “I just… I needed to tell you. That’s all.”

But it wasn’t okay. Not really.

For a while, they tried to pretend nothing had changed. But the tension was there, a fragile undercurrent that neither of them acknowledged. And then, weeks later, Y/N learned the truth.

Kazuha had been offered an opportunity to train in Korea, a once in a lifetime chance to pursue her dream of becoming an idol. She hadn’t told anyone, not even Y/N, until the decision was finalized.

The day Kazuha told her was one of the worst days of Y/N’s life.

“I’m leaving,” Kazuha had said, her voice breaking slightly. “I… I got an offer to train in Korea. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted, but I didn’t know how to tell you.”

Y/N stared at her, disbelief and hurt swirling in her chest. “When were you going to tell me? After you were already gone?”

Kazuha looked down, guilt written across her face. “I didn’t want to hurt you,” she whispered.

“Too late for that,” Y/N said bitterly.

Kazuha’s voice wavered. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to happen like this. I just… I need to follow this path.”

Y/N wanted to scream, to tell her that leaving wasn’t the only option. But she knew it would be futile. Kazuha had already made up her mind.

The goodbye was quiet, almost anticlimactic. There were no grand gestures, no promises to keep in touch. Just a hug that felt too short, a whispered apology that didn’t feel like enough, and then she was gone.

And Y/N was left behind, staring at the empty studio that once felt like home, wondering how someone who meant everything could walk away so easily.

“Ready to run it again?” Yunjin’s voice snapped Y/N back to reality.

She blinked, quickly pushing the memories aside. “Yeah, let’s do it.”

As the music started, Y/N threw herself into the routine, channeling every ounce of emotion into her movements. Her body moved with precision, her steps matching the beat perfectly. She couldn’t afford to falter, not now, not with Kazuha watching.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kazuha move to her position. Their movements were synchronized, but the distance between them felt like an ocean.

When the song ended, the group broke into applause. “You two have great chemistry,” Chaewon noted, her comment light but laced with meaning.

Y/N forced a smile, glancing at Kazuha. Her former partner said nothing, her expression unreadable as she turned away.

The tension between them lingered, a silent shadow that neither of them could escape. For Y/N, it was a constant reminder of what they had been and what they had lost.

The days leading up to the comeback were nothing short of punishing. Practice sessions stretched endlessly, often bleeding into the late hours of the night. The only constants were the pounding bassline of the title track, the mirrored walls reflecting their every move, and the collective effort to perfect a routine that demanded nothing less than excellence.

For Y/N, the grueling schedule was both a sanctuary and a battlefield. The sheer intensity of the practices left little room for her mind to wander. There was no time to dwell on the tension simmering between her and Kazuha when she was counting beats, perfecting angles, and ensuring that every step matched the rhythm. Yet, every practice session brought them closer, physically, emotionally, metaphorically. And no matter how focused she tried to be, no amount of precision could stop the unspoken emotions from creeping in, carving their way into the space between their movements.

The choreography was as intricate as it was demanding. It wasn’t just about hitting the right moves, it was about embodying a raw, rebellious energy. The routine thrived on synergy and fluidity, requiring the six of them to move as one.

But Y/N and Kazuha’s roles in the intro carried a different weight altogether.

The song’s opening was more than just choreography, it was a statement. The intro was designed to captivate, showcasing the dynamic contrasts within the group. Y/N and Kazuha were paired for this critical moment, their movements a duet of tension and harmony. It was a bold choice by the choreographer, one that placed them at the center of attention before the full routine even began.

“Alright, Y/N and Kazuha,” the choreographer called out, clapping her hands to draw everyone’s attention. “Let’s see the intro again. From the top.”

Y/N grabbed a quick sip of water, wiping the sweat from her brow before stepping into position. She felt the familiar twinge of nerves settle in her stomach as Kazuha approached. Her former partner carried herself with a calm, almost detached grace, her expression unreadable as always.

Kazuha moved into place, her posture flawless, her eyes focused somewhere beyond Y/N’s shoulder. Their proximity was unavoidable now, and for a moment, Y/N felt her breath hitch.

“Ready?” the choreographer asked, eyeing the pair.

They both nodded, and the music began.

As the opening beats thundered through the studio, their bodies moved instinctively. The intro was slower than the main choreography, a carefully choreographed interplay of motion and stillness that required complete focus. Y/N stepped forward, her hand outstretched, while Kazuha mirrored her with a sharp, fluid grace.

Their movements were designed to contrast Y/N’s bold, grounded energy against Kazuha’s airy, ethereal fluidity. They circled each other, their steps deliberate and precise, the tension between them palpable even in the silence between the beats.

The section culminated in a synchronized lift, Y/N’s hand finding Kazuha’s with a familiarity that startled her. Her palm was warm, steady, and for a fleeting moment, Y/N felt the years between them dissolve. Kazuha’s grip was firm yet gentle, a stark contrast to the tension that hung between them outside of practice.

Y/N hoisted Kazuha effortlessly, the lift smooth and fluid as Kazuha extended her limbs with perfect control. Their gazes met briefly before the sequence ended, the transition seamless as they broke apart and prepared to move into the main choreography.

For anyone watching, it was nothing short of breathtaking.

To Y/N, it was maddening.

There was something about the way their movements aligned so effortlessly, as if their bodies remembered something their minds refused to acknowledge. The tension that existed between them in silence seemed to vanish in motion, leaving behind a connection that felt... timeless.

When the music cut off, Y/N’s heart was pounding, though she wasn’t sure if it was from the exertion or something else entirely.

“That was perfect,” the choreographer said, her tone laced with satisfaction. “You two have incredible synergy.”

The compliment hung in the air like an echo. Y/N forced a small smile, murmuring a quiet “thank you” before retreating to the corner of the room. She grabbed her water bottle, taking a long sip as she tried to calm her racing thoughts.

For a moment, she felt Kazuha’s gaze on her, an almost imperceptible pull, as if the other girl was trying to bridge the distance between them with nothing but a look. But when Y/N turned her head, Kazuha had already turned away, her focus back on the choreographer’s instructions.

It was infuriating how composed she seemed, as if the connection they shared on the floor meant nothing to her.

But Y/N knew better.

There were cracks in Kazuha’s facade, subtle, fleeting, but there. The way her shoulders tensed when their hands brushed. The slight hesitation before they made eye contact during transitions. The way her voice softened, almost imperceptibly, when she gave Y/N instructions.

Y/N hated how easily she noticed these things, how her mind cataloged each moment like a keepsake she couldn’t discard.

“Let’s go again,” Chaewon’s voice cut through her thoughts, bringing her back to the present.

Y/N nodded, taking her place once more. But as the music started again, she couldn’t shake the feeling that they weren’t just dancing. They were navigating something far more complicated, something neither of them was ready to name.

And no amount of flawless execution could erase the tension simmering beneath the surface.

The group’s dynamic had been relatively smooth since Y/N joined. Everyone had gone out of their way to make her feel welcome, offering support during her transition into the group. Yet, there was one glaring exception: the quiet, uneasy tension between Y/N and Kazuha. It was subtle enough to avoid immediate scrutiny but persistent enough to raise eyebrows among the more observant members.

Chaewon was the first to pick up on it.

It was during one of their breaks, the group sprawled across the practice room in various states of exhaustion. Chaewon sat on the floor, absently scrolling through her phone while her eyes flicked toward Y/N and Kazuha. They were on opposite sides of the room, as usual.

Y/N sat with her back against the mirror, her phone in hand, though her furrowed brow and restless fingers suggested she wasn’t truly engaged. Kazuha, meanwhile, was perched on the edge of a bench, her focus entirely on adjusting the laces of her shoes. Her movements were deliberate and methodical, as if tying her sneakers was the most critical task in the world.

Chaewon leaned toward Sakura, keeping her voice low but pointed. “Something’s going on between those two.”

Sakura followed her gaze, her sharp eyes narrowing as she took in the scene. “Y/N and Kazuha?”

Chaewon nodded, her expression thoughtful. “Yeah. Have you noticed how... stiff they are around each other? It’s like they’re trying too hard to act normal.”

Sakura tilted her head, considering. “I thought they were just being professional. You know, new member, team dynamics, all that.”

Chaewon shook her head slightly. “It’s more than that. Look at them.” She gestured subtly with her chin.

Sakura’s eyes darted between the two, picking up on the details she’d initially dismissed. The way Y/N’s gaze flickered toward Kazuha for a fraction of a second before darting away. The way Kazuha’s shoulders stiffened every time Y/N shifted in her direction. It wasn’t the typical awkwardness of strangers learning to work together.

“You think it’s serious?” Sakura asked after a pause.

Chaewon exhaled quietly, leaning back against the mirror. “I don’t know, but it’s definitely not nothing.”

Sakura hummed in agreement, crossing her arms. “Should we say something?”

“Not yet,” Chaewon replied after a moment of thought. “They’re not making it anyone else’s problem yet. But if it starts affecting the group, we’ll have to step in.”

Sakura’s gaze lingered on Kazuha, who had finished tying her shoes and was now leaning forward with her elbows on her knees, her expression unreadable. “You think it’s awkward ex energy?” she asked, half-joking but with a flicker of curiosity.

Chaewon smirked faintly, shaking her head. “I’m not playing detective. But whatever it is, they need to figure it out.”

“Maybe we should lock them in a room together,” Sakura said dryly.

Chaewon snorted, shooting her a sidelong glance. “Let’s try not to escalate things just yet.”

The two lapsed into a comfortable silence, though Chaewon’s eyes drifted back to Y/N and Kazuha. She could feel the tension between them even from across the room, a charged undercurrent that made her uneasy. She just hoped it would sort itself out before it became a problem for the group.

For Y/N, every interaction with Kazuha felt like walking a tightrope. On the surface, they were cordial, exchanging polite words when necessary. But beneath the veneer of professionalism, there was a storm of unresolved emotions.

One moment, Y/N would catch herself watching Kazuha, her chest tightening with the remnants of affection she couldn’t quite bury. The next, the memory of their last goodbye would surface, twisting the affection into a dull ache of resentment.

Why was it so hard to let go?

It didn’t help that Kazuha was an enigma. She maintained a polite distance, never giving too much or too little. But Y/N could see the cracks in her composure, the fleeting moments when her gaze would soften, when her lips would part as if she wanted to say something but thought better of it.

One evening after practice, Y/N found herself lingering in the studio longer than usual, stretching out her sore muscles. She thought she was alone until she heard a soft voice behind her.

“You did well today.”

She turned to find Kazuha standing a few feet away, her hands clasped nervously in front of her. It was the first time Kazuha had spoken to her outside of practice instructions.

“Thanks,” Y/N replied, her tone clipped.

There was an awkward pause. Kazuha opened her mouth as if to say more, but the words never came. Instead, she gave a small nod and walked away, leaving Y/N with a swirl of frustration and confusion.

By the end of the following week, the rest of the group had picked up on the awkward dynamic. Eunchae, ever the curious and straightforward maknae, was the first to address it, albeit clumsily.

“Unnie,” she said one afternoon, plopping down beside Y/N during a break. “Why are you and Kazuha unnie so weird with each other?”

Y/N choked on her water, her eyes widening in surprise. “Weird? We’re not weird.”

Eunchae tilted her head, unconvinced. “You don’t talk much. And when you do, it’s all… stiff.”

Before Y/N could respond, Yunjin sauntered over, grinning. “Don’t mind Eunchae. She’s just nosy.”

“I’m not nosy!” Eunchae protested.

“You kind of are,” Yunjin teased before turning to Y/N. “But she’s not wrong. You and Zuha have been... tense.”

Y/N bristled, unsure of how to respond. She hated that their tension was becoming so obvious, but what could she say? That the girl she was avoiding was also the girl who had once held her heart?

“It’s nothing,” Y/N said finally, standing up and brushing off her leggings. “We’re just adjusting. That’s all.”

Kazuha wasn’t faring much better. She kept her distance, not because she wanted to but because she didn’t know how to bridge the gap. Every time she looked at Y/N, she was reminded of the past.

She wanted to apologize, to explain, to somehow make things right. But every time she tried, the words got stuck in her throat. What could she possibly say that wouldn’t sound hollow?

One night, as she sat alone in her dorm room, she stared at her phone, her thumb hovering over Y/N’s contact. She had never deleted the number, though she hadn’t used it in over a year.

“I’m sorry. Can we talk? Let me explain.” The words sat in the message box, stark and inadequate.

With a frustrated sigh, she deleted the message and tossed her phone aside. Apologizing wouldn’t change the past. It wouldn’t erase the hurt she had caused.

For now, all she could do was focus on the work and hope that time would dull the edges of their shared pain.

The final straw came after a particularly grueling practice session. Chaewon called for a break, and while the others dispersed to grab water or collapse onto the floor, she motioned for Sakura to follow her.

“Kazuha,” Chaewon called softly, her voice cutting through the chatter.

Kazuha looked up from where she was sitting, her expression calm but guarded. “Yes, unnie?”

“Can we talk for a minute?” Chaewon asked, her tone gentle but firm.

Sakura leaned against the mirror, her arms crossed as Kazuha hesitated before nodding. The three moved to a quieter corner of the room, away from the others’ prying eyes.

“What’s going on with you and Y/N?” Chaewon asked directly, her eyes fixed on Kazuha.

Kazuha’s posture stiffened, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. “What do you mean?” she said carefully, though the tremor in her voice betrayed her.

Chaewon sighed, her expression softening. “You know what I mean. This tension between you two, it’s getting harder to ignore. It’s affecting the energy in the room.”

“We’re not asking to pry,” Sakura added, her tone calm but insistent. “But if there’s something unresolved, it’s better to deal with it now before it starts affecting the group.”

For a moment, Kazuha said nothing, her gaze dropping to the floor. She seemed to be waging an internal battle, her jaw tightening as she struggled to find the words. Finally, she exhaled a shaky breath.

“Y/N and I… we knew each other before,” she admitted quietly.

Sakura and Chaewon exchanged a glance but remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

“We were close,” Kazuha continued, her voice tinged with guilt. “Back when we were both training in ballet. She… she confessed to me.”

Chaewon’s brow furrowed slightly. “And?”

Kazuha swallowed hard. “I didn’t handle it well. I was overwhelmed, and then I got the offer to train in Korea. I left without… without really talking to her about it. I thought it was the right thing to do at the time, but looking back, I know I hurt her. Badly.”

Sakura’s expression softened, a hint of understanding in her eyes. “And now that you’re working together again, it’s bringing all of that back.”

Kazuha nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. “I want to apologize, but… I don’t know how.”

Chaewon placed a comforting hand on Kazuha’s shoulder. “You can’t change the past, but if you’re serious about making things right, you need to be honest with her. Avoiding the issue is only making it worse for both of you.”

Kazuha nodded, though her face was shadowed with uncertainty.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Eunchae had planted herself beside Y/N, her wide eyes studying her unnie with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

“You’re not yourself today,” Eunchae said, her voice light but probing.

Y/N sighed, running a hand through her hair. “I’m just tired. That’s all.”

Yunjin joined them, plopping down on the floor with a dramatic groan. “Tired or avoiding something?”

Y/N shot her a sharp look, but Yunjin’s grin was disarming. “Don’t give me that face,” she said. “It’s written all over you. Something’s bothering you.”

“It’s nothing,” Y/N insisted, though her voice lacked conviction.

Eunchae tilted her head, her tone uncharacteristically serious. “Is it about Kazuha unnie?”

Y/N stiffened, her eyes darting toward the younger girl. “Why would you say that?”

“Because you’re weird around her,” Eunchae said simply.

Yunjin chuckled softly, shaking her head. “Subtle, Eunchae. Really subtle.”

Y/N sighed again, this time heavier. “It’s complicated.”

“Complicated how?” Yunjin asked gently.

Y/N hesitated, her gaze dropping to the floor. For a moment, she considered brushing them off, but the genuine concern in their eyes made her pause. She didn’t want to unload everything, but maybe letting a little out wouldn’t hurt.

“We… have history,” Y/N admitted vaguely.

Eunchae’s eyes widened “Kinda. And it didn’t end well.”

Yunjin hummed thoughtfully. “Well, whatever happened back then, it’s obvious there’s still something between you two. Whether it’s anger, regret, or something else, it’s not going to go away unless you deal with it.”

Y/N bit her lip, unsure how to respond. Part of her knew they were right, but the thought of confronting Kazuha felt like reopening a wound that had barely begun to scar.

Later that evening, the group wrapped up practice, the exhaustion settling over everyone like a heavy fog. The mirrored walls reflected six tired faces, flushed with the effort of hours spent perfecting their routines. Slowly, the others began to gather their things, the hum of quiet conversation mixing with the rustling of bags and the clinking of water bottles.

Y/N lingered behind, her body stretched across the wooden floor as she worked through the tight ache in her legs. The solitude was welcome, a brief reprieve from the constant presence of her teammates. She needed these moments to collect herself, to push aside the day’s frustrations, most of which seemed to revolve around one person.

“Y/N.”

The sound of her name, spoken softly yet distinctly, made her freeze mid-stretch. She knew the voice instantly.

Turning slowly, she saw Kazuha standing a few feet away. The other girl’s posture was hesitant, her hands clasped nervously in front of her. There was something in her expression that Y/N couldn’t quite place, an almost fragile determination.

“What is it?” Y/N asked, her tone neutral but tinged with weariness.

Kazuha shifted her weight, her fingers fidgeting as if they didn’t know where to rest. “I… I wanted to talk,” she said, her voice steady but quiet.

Y/N straightened, crossing her arms. Her posture turned guarded, a wall of defense built in an instant. “About what?”

“About us,” Kazuha replied softly, the words almost lost in the stillness of the room.

Y/N’s jaw tightened. Her heart clenched at the word, a flood of emotions threatening to spill over, but she kept her expression carefully neutral. She didn’t reply, letting the silence stretch as she waited for Kazuha to continue.

Kazuha took a small step forward, her eyes searching Y/N’s face for any sign of openness, any crack in the armor. Finding none, she pressed on, her voice trembling slightly.

“I know I hurt you,” she began, her words deliberate, as if she were choosing each one with care. “And I’m sorry. I was scared, and I made the wrong choice. I shouldn’t have left without—”

“Stop,” Y/N interrupted sharply.

Her voice was calm, but there was a hard edge to it that made Kazuha flinch. Y/N could see the flicker of hurt in Kazuha’s eyes, but she didn’t let herself waver.

“Kazuha, I don’t need your apology,” she said coldly, her words cutting through the air like a blade.

Kazuha opened her mouth to protest, but Y/N didn’t give her the chance.

“It doesn’t change what happened,” Y/N continued, her voice gaining strength as her emotions boiled to the surface. “You left me once without a second thought. Do it again and leave me alone. We don’t need to be more than professional.”

Kazuha’s expression crumbled, the weight of Y/N’s words hitting her like a physical blow. Her lips parted as if to respond, but no words came. For a moment, she stood there, frozen in place, her usually poised demeanor nowhere to be found.

“Just drop it,” Y/N said, her tone quieter now, but no less firm. She turned away, grabbing her water bottle and towel as if to signal that the conversation was over. “It’s too late for apologies anyway.”

The silence that followed was deafening. Kazuha stood motionless, her hands limp at her sides as she stared at Y/N’s back. She wanted to say something, anything, to break through the wall between them, but the words stuck in her throat.

Finally, she nodded, the motion small and defeated. “Okay,” she whispered, more to herself than to Y/N.

As Kazuha turned and walked away, her footsteps slow and heavy, her chest ached with a mix of regret and determination.

She had known this wouldn’t be easy. She had known that Y/N wouldn’t forgive her overnight. But hearing those words, feeling the cold finality in Y/N’s voice, was harder than she’d expected.

Yet, beneath the hurt, a flicker of resolve remained.

She couldn’t undo the past. She couldn’t erase the mistakes she’d made or the pain she’d caused. But she could try to make things right in the present.

As Kazuha exited the room, the resolve in her steps began to solidify. She didn’t know how yet, but she wasn’t going to give up.

The pressure of the upcoming comeback was relentless. The group’s schedules were packed with rehearsals, vocal practices, and concept meetings, leaving little time for rest. Every moment was dedicated to perfecting their performances, and the weight of expectations hung heavily over all of them.

For Y/N, the intense workload was manageable, it was the simmering tension with Kazuha that made each day feel like a marathon. No matter how hard she tried to focus, Kazuha’s presence seemed to loom over her, an invisible yet suffocating force.

Kazuha wasn’t faring any better. Despite her best efforts to act normal, the unresolved emotions between her and Y/N were beginning to take their toll. Her movements during rehearsals became less fluid, her usually calm demeanor occasionally cracking under the strain. The rest of the group had noticed, though they tried to give the two space, hoping they’d sort it out on their own.

But the cracks in the group’s harmony were becoming harder to ignore.

The rehearsal room was filled with the steady thump of the track as the group worked through yet another run of the choreography. The mirrors reflected six bodies in motion, their steps sharp and precise. At least, most of the time.

“Y/N, you’re a beat late on the transition,” the choreographer called out, her voice cutting through the music.

“Sorry,” Y/N replied quickly, adjusting her position.

They started the routine again, and this time, Y/N made sure to hit the timing. But just as they reached the formation change, she felt a slight hesitation in her footing, her mind momentarily distracted. It wasn’t much, barely noticeable, but Kazuha caught it.

“Seriously?” Kazuha snapped, her voice louder than intended as they finished the sequence. She turned toward Y/N, her frustration breaking through her usually calm facade.

Y/N froze, her brows furrowing. “What’s your problem?”

“My problem?” Kazuha repeated, incredulous. “We’ve gone over this part a dozen times, and you’re still off. We don’t have time for mistakes.”

The tension in the room was palpable as the other members exchanged uneasy glances. Chaewon stepped forward, her mouth opening as if to diffuse the situation, but Y/N spoke first.

“Maybe if you weren’t so focused on criticizing me, you’d actually notice your own mistakes,” Y/N shot back, her tone icy.

Kazuha’s eyes narrowed, her jaw tightening. “This isn’t about me. This is about you not taking this seriously enough.”

“Not taking this seriously?” Y/N repeated, her voice rising. “I’ve been working just as hard as everyone else, so don’t you dare act like I’m slacking off.”

The argument escalated quickly, their voices cutting through the room like shards of glass.

“Enough!” Chaewon’s voice rang out, firm and commanding. She stepped between them, her expression a mix of frustration and concern.

“Both of you, stop,” she said, her tone leaving no room for argument. “This isn’t the time or place for whatever this is.”

Sakura placed a hand on Kazuha’s shoulder, gently pulling her back. “Let’s take a breather,” she suggested, her voice calm but pointed.

Kazuha clenched her fists, her chest rising and falling as she tried to rein in her emotions. Y/N looked away, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, the anger still simmering beneath her skin.

The group gathered in a loose circle, the air thick with tension as Chaewon took charge.

“This can’t keep happening,” she said, her voice steady but firm. “Whatever’s going on between you two, it’s starting to affect the group. We can’t afford that. Not now, not ever.”

Yunjin nodded in agreement, her expression serious. “We all feel it. The tension, the arguments, it’s throwing off the energy in the room.”

Eunchae looked between Y/N and Kazuha, her wide eyes filled with worry. “Unnies, can’t you just talk it out? Please?”

Kazuha and Y/N avoided each other’s gaze, their silence speaking volumes.

Chaewon sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Look, I’m not asking you to magically fix everything right now. But if you don’t address this, it’s only going to get worse. You need to talk. Privately.”

Sakura added, her voice softer but no less insistent, “You don’t have to be best friends, but you do have to find a way to work together without dragging the rest of us into it.”

For a moment, neither Y/N nor Kazuha responded. The room felt like it was holding its breath, waiting for one of them to speak.

Finally, Y/N exhaled heavily, her shoulders slumping slightly. “Fine. We’ll talk.”

Kazuha nodded, her expression unreadable. “Yeah. We’ll talk.”

The other members exchanged relieved glances, though the tension between the two girls remained.

As the others left the room to give them space, Y/N and Kazuha found themselves alone in the studio. The door clicked shut, leaving behind an oppressive silence that neither of them seemed willing to break.

Kazuha stood in the middle of the room, her hands fidgeting at her sides, while Y/N leaned against the wall, her arms crossed tightly. Her posture was defensive, her gaze sharp and expectant.

Kazuha opened her mouth to speak but hesitated, her throat tightening with the weight of everything she wanted to say. Apologizing felt inadequate. Explaining herself felt impossible.

“I…” she began, but the words faltered, slipping through her grasp.

Y/N raised an eyebrow, her expression hardening. “If you don’t have anything to say, I’m leaving,” she said curtly, pushing herself off the wall.

“Wait,” Kazuha said, her voice trembling slightly. But when Y/N turned to face her, eyes blazing with a mix of hurt and anger, Kazuha froze.

The words she wanted to say, I’m sorry, I still care about you, I want to make this right, stayed lodged in her throat, trapped beneath the fear that whatever she said wouldn’t be enough.

Y/N shook her head, her disappointment evident. “That’s what I thought.”

Grabbing her bag, she walked to the door without another glance. The door clicked shut behind her, leaving Kazuha standing alone in the empty studio, her hands still trembling.

For a long moment, she stayed there, staring at the floor, her chest heavy with regret. The silence around her felt crushing, a mirror to the emptiness she felt inside.

The tension didn’t ease in the following days. Y/N and Kazuha’s avoidance of each other became even more pronounced, their interactions limited to what was strictly necessary. The rest of the group noticed the strain, their own frustration mounting as the two continued to dance around their issues, figuratively and literally.

Chaewon and Sakura had had enough.

“This has to stop,” Chaewon said during a rare moment of quiet in the dorm. She sat on the couch, her arms crossed as she watched Y/N disappear into her room without saying goodnight to anyone.

Sakura nodded, her expression thoughtful. “They’re like magnets stuck in reverse. The longer this goes on, the worse it’s going to get.”

Yunjin, sprawled out on the other end of the couch, chimed in. “We need to do something. They’re clearly not going to fix it on their own.”

“I agree,” Chaewon said, her tone firm. “But it has to be subtle. We can’t just sit them down and force them to talk.”

Eunchae perked up from where she was munching on snacks at the table. “What if we made it seem like part of a group activity? Something where they’d have no choice but to work together?”

The four of them exchanged looks, the beginnings of an idea forming.

A few days later, Chaewon announced the plan during a rare moment of quiet in the practice room. She stood in front of the group, hands on her hips, her expression calm but purposeful.

“We’re doing a team bonding exercise tomorrow,” she said with an air of casual enthusiasm, though her tone hinted at an unspoken determination.

“Bonding?” Y/N repeated skeptically, glancing up from adjusting her shoes. The word rolled off her tongue with clear doubt, as if the concept itself was absurd.

“Yup,” Chaewon replied, her voice light but firm. “Pairing up for trust-building activities. It’ll be good for morale.”

“Morale?” Yunjin echoed from the back, raising an eyebrow. “Whose morale is suffering exactly?”

Chaewon shot her a look, and Yunjin quickly raised her hands in mock surrender. “I’m just saying…”

Sakura chimed in with a knowing smirk. “Trust-building, huh? Sounds suspiciously like one of those ‘corporate retreat’ activities you see in movies.”

“Call it what you want,” Chaewon said with a shrug. “But it’s happening. Everyone needs to participate.”

When the pairings were announced the next day, the tension in the room was almost palpable.

“And the first pair is… Y/N and Kazuha,” Chaewon said, her tone deliberately neutral.

Y/N immediately frowned, her eyes darting to Kazuha, who shifted uncomfortably in her spot. “Seriously?” Y/N muttered, her voice low but sharp enough to carry.

“It’s random,” Chaewon replied smoothly, though the slight tilt of her head and the faintest quirk of her lips suggested otherwise.

“Sure it is,” Y/N mumbled under her breath, her skepticism evident.

From the sidelines, Sakura’s smirk grew wider, though she quickly disguised it with a loud cough. Eunchae, ever the enthusiastic maknae, clapped her hands together. “This is going to be fun!”

“Fun,” Y/N repeated flatly, already regretting her life choices.

The practice room had been transformed into a makeshift obstacle course, complete with low hurdles, cones to navigate, and mats scattered across the floor. It was a far cry from the polished precision of their usual choreography sessions, and yet, the stakes felt just as high, if not higher for Y/N and Kazuha.

The rules were simple: one partner would be blindfolded, while the other guided them through the course using only verbal instructions. It was an exercise in trust and communication, two things Y/N and Kazuha seemed to lack entirely.

“Alright, you two are up,” Yunjin called, gesturing for Y/N and Kazuha to step forward. Her grin was a little too wide, her amusement barely concealed.

Y/N sighed heavily, pulling the blindfold over her eyes with a resigned air. “Let’s get this over with,” she muttered, her tone laced with irritation.

Kazuha, standing just behind her, took a deep breath, her nerves evident in the slight tremor of her hands. She moved into position, her fingers hovering awkwardly near Y/N’s shoulders before she finally rested them lightly. Her touch was hesitant, as though she wasn’t sure if it would be welcome.

“Ready?” Kazuha asked softly, her voice almost tentative.

“Just start,” Y/N replied curtly, her arms hanging stiffly at her sides.

Kazuha’s voice was quiet at first, almost unsure. “Take a step forward. Slowly.”

Y/N followed the instruction, her movements cautious, her senses hyperaware of every sound and shift in the room.

“Now a little to the left,” Kazuha said.

Y/N adjusted her footing but paused. “A little to the left? Be specific. How much is ‘a little’?”

Kazuha bit her lip, the frustration bubbling beneath her composed exterior. “Two steps to the left,” she corrected, her tone sharper than before.

Y/N muttered something under her breath but complied.

As the course progressed, the tension between them grew thicker. Kazuha’s instructions became more clipped, her frustration slipping through with each correction, while Y/N’s responses grew increasingly pointed.

“Watch out for the cone,” Kazuha said quickly.

“Where?” Y/N asked, her tone edged with impatience.

“Right in front of you,” Kazuha replied.

“Great,” Y/N snapped as she stumbled into the cone. “Thanks for the heads-up.”

“I told you it was there!” Kazuha shot back, her voice rising slightly.

“Yeah, about half a second too late,” Y/N retorted.

From the sidelines, the rest of the group watched with varying degrees of amusement and concern. Eunchae’s eyes darted nervously between the two, while Sakura leaned against the wall, whispering something to Chaewon. Yunjin, meanwhile, was openly grinning, clearly entertained by the train wreck unfolding before her.

“Could you at least try to help me avoid breaking my neck?” Y/N snapped, ripping off the blindfold in frustration. Her tone was sharp, her patience worn thin.

“I am trying,” Kazuha shot back, her own voice rising. “But maybe if you’d stop being so difficult, this wouldn’t be so hard.”

“Try harder!” Y/N retorted, glaring at Kazuha. “This isn’t that complicated.”

Kazuha’s composure cracked, her frustration bubbling over. “Oh, because you’re so perfect, right? You think you’re the only one dealing with this? You think I don’t see how you look at me, like I’m some kind of villain?”

Y/N’s eyes flashed with anger. “Maybe if you didn’t leave me the way you did, I wouldn’t look at you like that.”

The words hit like a slap. Kazuha’s breath caught, her chest rising and falling as she stared at Y/N. “You think I don’t regret it?” she said, her voice trembling with barely contained emotion. “Every single day, Y/N. You think it was easy for me to leave?”

Before either of them could continue, Chaewon’s voice cut through the air like a whip.

“Enough!”

The entire group had stopped to watch the argument unfold, their expressions ranging from shock to exasperation. Chaewon, her patience clearly at its limit, exchanged a look with Sakura, who nodded.

“That’s it,” Sakura said, walking over and placing a hand on each of their shoulders. “We’re done letting this ruin practice.”

“What—” Y/N began, but Sakura cut her off.

“You two need to figure this out. NOW,” she said firmly, steering them toward the storage room attached to the practice studio.

“Wait, we—” Kazuha started, but Chaewon was already opening the door.

“In. Both of you,” Chaewon said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Yunjin leaned casually against the wall, her voice carrying an edge of humor despite the tension. “We’ll let you out when you stop acting like this. Good luck.”

The door shut with a resounding click, leaving Y/N and Kazuha alone in the cramped, dimly lit storage room.

The silence between them was deafening, broken only by the faint hum of the ventilation system. Y/N stood with her arms crossed, glaring at the floor, while Kazuha paced a few steps, running her hands through her hair.

“This is ridiculous,” Y/N muttered, her voice tight with anger.

“No,” Kazuha snapped, turning to face her. “What’s ridiculous is how you can’t even give me a chance to explain myself!”

Y/N’s head shot up, her eyes narrowing. “Explain? Explain what, Kazuha? How you broke my heart and left without even looking back? What could you possibly say that I haven’t already told myself?”

Kazuha’s jaw tightened. “You don’t think I wanted to stay? You don’t think I hated myself for leaving?”

“Then why did you?” Y/N shouted, her voice cracking as the emotions she’d tried to bury came rushing to the surface. “Why did you leave me if it was so hard for you? You made me feel like I didn’t matter!”

“That’s not true!” Kazuha yelled, stepping closer, her own emotions spilling out now. “You mattered to me. More than anything! But I was scared, Y/N! I didn’t know how to handle everything, and when the opportunity came to train in Korea, I thought it was the only way I could make something of myself!”

“You didn’t even try to talk to me about it!” Y/N shot back, tears stinging her eyes. “You just left! Do you have any idea how much that hurt? How much I hated myself for thinking I wasn’t enough to make you stay?”

Kazuha froze, her breathing ragged as she stared at Y/N. Her chest tightened, the weight of Y/N’s words pressing down on her like a crushing force.

“Y/N…” she began, her voice trembling, but Y/N cut her off.

“Don’t,” Y/N said, shaking her head. “Don’t say you regret it now. Don’t tell me you hated it, because that doesn’t make it better. It doesn’t change what you did!”

The anger and hurt in Y/N’s voice were like daggers, each word slicing through Kazuha’s already fragile defenses.

“I know I can’t change it!” Kazuha shouted, her voice breaking as the floodgates finally gave way. “I regret it. Every. Single. Day. You think it was easy to leave? To walk away from the person I—”

She stopped herself, but the words were already out there, hanging in the air.

Y/N’s eyes narrowed, her voice shaking with fury and something far more vulnerable. “To walk away from the person you what, Kazuha?”

Kazuha’s fists clenched at her sides, her emotions too powerful to contain anymore. Her voice rose, raw and desperate, as she finally let the truth spill out.

“The person I loved!” she shouted, her voice cracking as tears streamed down her face.

The room fell silent, the weight of her words settling like a heavy blanket over both of them.

Y/N froze, her heart pounding in her chest. For a moment, she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, as the confession echoed in her ears.

“You don’t get to say that now,” Y/N said finally, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and pain. “Not after everything.”

“I know,” Kazuha said, her tears falling freely now. “I know I don’t deserve to say it. I know I hurt you, and I hate myself for it. But it’s the truth, Y/N. It’s always been the truth.”

The raw sincerity in Kazuha’s voice pierced through Y/N’s anger, leaving her feeling exposed and vulnerable in a way she hadn’t allowed herself to feel in years.

“I don’t know if I can trust you again,” Y/N admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kazuha took a tentative step closer, her eyes filled with a desperate kind of hope. “Then let me prove it,” she said. “Whatever it takes, I’ll prove it to you. Just… don’t shut me out completely.”

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The weight of their emotions, their shared history, hung heavy in the air between them.

The aftermath of their explosive fight in the storage room left Y/N and Kazuha emotionally drained but strangely lighter, as if the weight of their unresolved past had finally begun to lift. Neither of them had all the answers, but for the first time in a long time, there was clarity. They had finally said the words that had been trapped inside them for far too long.

The following days, the practice room felt different. The tension that had once hung over Y/N and Kazuha like a storm cloud was still there, but it was softer now, less suffocating. When their gazes met across the room, it wasn’t avoidance or anger that lingered in the air, but something closer to understanding.

It started small.

A quiet “Good job” from Y/N when Kazuha landed a particularly tricky turn in the choreography, her tone soft but genuine. It was a simple phrase, yet it lingered in the air, a far cry from the sharp retorts and icy silences of weeks prior.

Kazuha reciprocated in kind. During one grueling rehearsal, she noticed Y/N struggling with a sequence and instinctively reached out, her hand resting gently on Y/N’s shoulder. “Try shifting your weight earlier,” she suggested, her voice steady but kind. The advice worked, and Y/N’s smile, small but sincere, was enough to make Kazuha’s chest ache in the best way.

These small gestures, though seemingly insignificant, carried immense weight for the two of them. Each act of kindness, every shared glance, felt like another brick being placed in the fragile foundation they were rebuilding.

Their interactions, once tense and awkward, grew warmer, more natural. They began to talk during breaks, not about anything particularly deep, but enough to show the others that something had shifted.

It didn’t take long for the rest of the group to notice.

One afternoon, during a rare lull in practice, Y/N and Kazuha sat against the mirrored wall, quietly laughing over a shared joke about their last photoshoot. The sound was light, genuine, and startlingly out of place given their recent history.

“Are we dreaming?” Yunjin teased, watching the scene unfold with exaggerated disbelief. She clutched her chest dramatically, as though the sight of Y/N and Kazuha laughing together had physically floored her. “Is this real? Should someone pinch me?”

Sakura smirked from her spot on the floor, her legs stretched out in front of her as she leaned back on her hands. “Careful, you might jinx it,” she said, though the amusement in her tone was impossible to miss.

Chaewon, sitting nearby with her water bottle in hand, simply smiled. She didn’t say anything, but the quiet relief in her expression was unmistakable. The uneasy tension that had once plagued their dynamic was finally beginning to dissipate.

Eunchae, never one to hold back, plopped down between Y/N and Kazuha with a wide grin. “You two should argue more often,” she said, nudging each of them with her elbows. “It’s good for the group!”

Y/N rolled her eyes, while Kazuha let out a soft laugh, shaking her head.

“Yeah, sure,” Y/N replied dryly, though the corners of her lips curved upward despite herself.

Eunchae’s grin widened, clearly satisfied. “See? You’re already happier!”

For the first time in what felt like forever, the group’s dynamic felt easy again, like slipping into a favorite song after a long silence. The others didn’t press too much, knowing that the progress between Y/N and Kazuha was delicate, but their quiet support was felt all the same.

As practice ended that day, Chaewon gathered her things and glanced at Sakura. “It’s nice, isn’t it?” she said softly, watching as Y/N and Kazuha walked out of the studio together, their conversation flowing effortlessly.

Sakura nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah,” she agreed. “It’s nice to see them like this.”

As their friendship slowly mended, their synergy on stage grew stronger. The group was rehearsing one of the centerpiece performances and the sections that paired Y/N and Kazuha together took on an entirely new energy.

Their movements, once marked by tension and hesitation, became fluid and seamless. There was an unspoken connection between them that shone through in their performances, a connection that had always been there but was now unburdened by the weight of their unresolved feelings.

It wasn’t just their team who noticed.

Fans began pointing out their chemistry in online discussions and live-stream chats. Edits of their synchronized movements and subtle interactions started circulating, and while Y/N and Kazuha didn’t acknowledge it publicly, the comments brought a secret warmth to both of them.

Away from the cameras and everyone else, Y/N and Kazuha were slowly rebuilding the trust they had lost. It wasn’t easy, some days were better than others but the effort was mutual.

One evening, after a long day of schedule, Y/N found herself in the dorm’s cozy living room. The lights were dim, casting a warm glow over the space as she sank into the couch, a fleece blanket draped over her lap. She scrolled idly on her phone, letting the quiet of the evening soothe her frayed nerves.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t notice Kazuha until she was standing nearby, holding two water bottles.

“Oh,” Y/N said, sitting up slightly as Kazuha extended one of the bottles toward her.

“Here,” Kazuha said simply, her voice soft but steady.

Y/N accepted it, twisting off the cap and taking a sip. “Thanks,” she said, her tone light but genuine.

Kazuha sat down beside her, leaving a small but deliberate space between them. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The quiet hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen was the only sound in the room.

“I’ve been thinking about what you said when we were locked up in the storage,” Kazuha began softly, breaking the silence. Her gaze was fixed on the floor, her fingers fidgeting slightly with the cap of her own bottle.

Y/N turned to look at her, curiosity flickering in her eyes. “Which part?”

“All of it,” Kazuha admitted, a small, self-deprecating smile tugging at her lips. “How I hurt you. How I made you feel like you weren’t enough. You were right. I should have talked to you instead of running away. I should have trusted you enough to let you in.”

Y/N studied her for a moment, the sincerity in Kazuha’s voice cutting through the remnants of her lingering resentment. The vulnerability in her words was disarming, and for the first time in a long while, Y/N felt herself lowering her guard.

“You don’t have to keep apologizing,” Y/N said quietly, setting her water bottle down on the table. “I’ve already heard it. Now I just need to see it.”

Kazuha finally lifted her gaze, her eyes steady as they met Y/N’s. “You will,” she said with quiet determination. “I promise.”

Y/N nodded, a small, tentative smile softening her features. “Good.”

Another night, they found themselves sitting on the dorm balcony, wrapped in the stillness of the city night. The balcony wasn’t large, just enough for two chairs and a tiny table, but it offered a perfect view of the twinkling lights stretching out to the horizon.

The air was cool but not cold, and both of them sat bundled in sweaters, savoring one of the rare moments their packed schedule allowed them to breathe.

“I missed this,” Kazuha said suddenly, her voice breaking the comfortable silence.

Y/N turned to look at her, one eyebrow raised. “Missed what?”

“This,” Kazuha said, gesturing between them with a small, almost shy smile. “Talking. Laughing. Just… being with you.”

The words hung in the air, unadorned but heavy with meaning.

Y/N hesitated, her chest tightening at the vulnerability in Kazuha’s tone. There had been so many moments like this between them in the past, moments of quiet honesty that had felt so natural, so easy. Now, they felt like rare treasures, fragile but precious.

“I missed it too,” Y/N admitted, her voice soft. She turned her gaze back to the city lights, but the faint smile tugging at her lips gave away her emotions.

The confession lingered between them, but this time, it didn’t feel heavy or suffocating. It felt like a step forward, tentative, careful, but forward nonetheless.

As they sat there, the quiet stretching on, Kazuha leaned back in her chair and sighed contentedly. “I’ll keep saying it, you know,” she said after a moment, her voice playful but sincere.

“Saying what?” Y/N asked, glancing over at her with a curious smile.

“That I’m sorry. That I care about you. That I—” Kazuha stopped herself, biting her lip as her cheeks flushed faintly in the dim light. “That I want to fix this.”

Y/N shook her head lightly, her smile widening just a bit. “Just don’t mess it up this time,” she said, her tone teasing but carrying an undercurrent of earnestness.

“I won’t,” Kazuha replied, her voice steady.

It wasn’t just a friendship they were rebuilding, it was the foundation of something much deeper. Neither of them said it outright, but the shift between them was undeniable. The glances lingered a little longer, their conversations carried a tenderness that hadn’t been there before, and their moments of silence felt comfortable, not strained.

Still, some things remained unspoken. Beneath the surface of their growing connection, there was a tension, an unaddressed question neither of them had dared to voice. Y/N sensed it in the way Kazuha sometimes looked at her, as if trying to find the courage to say something more.

One quiet evening, as they wrapped up yet another day of practice, the unspoken question that had lingered between them for months finally came to a head.

The studio was dimly lit, the faint hum of the air conditioning the only sound after the music had stopped. The other members had already left, their chatter fading down the hallway as the door swung shut behind them.

Kazuha lingered, standing near the mirrored wall, her movements hesitant. Her fingers brushed against the hem of her hoodie as if she were trying to ground herself. Y/N, who had been on her way out, paused at the doorway, noticing the way Kazuha’s gaze lingered on the floor, unfocused.

“You coming?” Y/N asked lightly, her voice breaking the silence.

Kazuha’s head snapped up, her eyes meeting Y/N’s. There was something in her gaze, nervous but resolute, that made Y/N hesitate.

“In a minute,” Kazuha replied softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Y/N tilted her head, curiosity flickering across her face. “What’s up?” she asked, stepping back into the room and folding her arms as she leaned casually against the wall.

Kazuha hesitated, her hands fidgeting again. Her eyes darted toward the mirror before landing back on Y/N. She took a deep breath, as though she were gathering courage.

“I’ve been thinking about this for a while,” she began, her voice trembling slightly but carrying an undercurrent of determination.

Y/N’s brows furrowed slightly, her curiosity growing. “Thinking about what?”

Kazuha shifted, taking a step closer. Her movements were deliberate now, her gaze locking with Y/N’s. “I know we’ve been rebuilding things slowly,” she continued, her words careful and measured. “And I didn’t want to ruin that, but… I need to say this. Properly. This time.”

Y/N’s confusion deepened, her arms uncrossing as she stood up straighter. “Say what?”

Kazuha took another step forward, the space between them growing smaller. She clasped her hands together to still their trembling and took another steadying breath.

“That I’m in love with you.”

The words hung in the air, clear and unwavering, reverberating through the quiet studio like a delicate but powerful note.

Y/N’s breath hitched, her heart pounding as she stared at Kazuha. For a moment, her mind was a whirlwind of emotions, shock, warmth, a flicker of nervous excitement.

Kazuha, her cheeks flushed but her eyes steady, pressed on. “I know we said we’d focus on being friends again, and I don’t want to ruin that,” she added quickly, her voice tinged with nervous energy. “But I couldn’t keep pretending that my feelings weren’t still there. They never went away, Y/N. I know I should’ve told you sooner, back then, but I was scared. I can’t keep hiding it anymore.”

Y/N stared at her, her emotions swirling together in a chaotic but undeniable warmth. She could see the vulnerability etched across Kazuha’s face, the way her hands trembled slightly, the earnestness in her eyes as she waited for Y/N’s response.

For a moment, Y/N said nothing, and the silence stretched on, broken only by the faint hum of the air. Then, slowly, her lips curved into a small, genuine smile.

“I still have feelings for you too,” Y/N admitted softly, her voice warm but tinged with caution.

Kazuha blinked, her shoulders visibly relaxing as relief washed over her face.

“But,” Y/N continued, her smile fading into a more serious expression, “we’ve both changed. So much has happened, and I don’t want to mess up what we’ve rebuilt or the group.”

Kazuha nodded quickly, her agreement earnest. “I know. Slow is good. I just… I needed you to know. I couldn’t keep holding it in.”

Y/N stepped forward, the last bit of distance between them vanishing as she reached out to gently touch Kazuha’s arm. Her fingers lingered for a moment before she shifted closer, hesitating briefly before wrapping her arms around Kazuha in a soft, tentative hug.

Kazuha froze for a split second, surprised, before she melted into the embrace. Her arms came up slowly, encircling Y/N in return. The warmth of the hug felt like a balm, soothing the unspoken pain they had both carried for so long.

“Thank you for telling me,” Y/N murmured, her voice steady but warm, her words muffled slightly against Kazuha’s shoulder.

Kazuha’s lips curved into a soft smile, a faint pink coloring her cheeks as she held Y/N a little closer. She hesitated for only a moment before leaning down and pressing a gentle kiss to Y/N’s temple, the gesture filled with quiet affection.

Y/N pulled back just enough to meet Kazuha’s gaze, their faces inches apart. The moment lingered, the air between them charged with something tender and unspoken.

After a beat, Y/N smiled, a small, genuine smile that lit up her face. “Come on,” she said softly, her tone lightening as she stepped back, though her hand briefly squeezed Kazuha’s arm before letting go. “The others are probably wondering what we’re doing.”

Kazuha let out a small laugh, the sound carrying a newfound ease. “You’re probably right,” she said, her voice soft.

As they walked out of the studio together, side by side, there was a quiet but undeniable shift between them, one that neither of them could deny.

Months later, the group stood backstage, their hearts racing as the deafening roar of fans filled the arena. It was the encore of their first major concert, and the sheer energy in the air was electric, a palpable buzz that made every moment feel larger than life.

Y/N stood near the back of the group, adjusting her in-ear monitor as she took in the scene around her. The members huddled together, a mixture of excitement and nerves evident on their faces. Chaewon was at the center of the group, her voice calm yet commanding as she delivered a final pep talk.

“This is it,” Chaewon said, her gaze sweeping over each of them. “The last performance. Let’s give them everything we’ve got.”

The group nodded in unison, their determination shining through despite the exhaustion of the night. When the huddle broke apart, everyone began to take their places.

Y/N was about to step toward her position when she felt a familiar presence beside her. She turned to see Kazuha, her expression soft but purposeful as she approached.

“You ready?” Kazuha asked, her voice low but steady. She held out her hand, her fingers outstretched in a silent invitation.

Y/N smiled, her chest tightening with warmth as she slid her fingers into Kazuha’s. “Always,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

For a moment, the world seemed to slow. The roar of the arena faded into the background, the chaos of the moment giving way to an intimate stillness that belonged to just the two of them.

Kazuha took a small step closer, her grip on Y/N’s hand firm but gentle. Leaning in, she pressed a soft kiss to Y/N’s cheek, her lips lingering for a heartbeat longer than necessary. “Thank you for trusting me again,” she whispered, her voice carrying a vulnerability that made Y/N’s heart flutter.

Y/N’s cheeks flushed a deep pink, but she didn’t hesitate to return the gesture. She leaned in, her own lips brushing against Kazuha’s cheek in a gentle kiss. “Thank you for not giving up,” she murmured, the sincerity in her tone leaving no room for doubt.

Their moment was short-lived, interrupted by the familiar sound of Yunjin’s playful voice cutting through the backstage noise.

“Are we getting an encore or a love confession back here?” Yunjin teased, her grin wide as she leaned against one of the stage props.

The group erupted into laughter, the tension breaking as the lighthearted teasing spread. Even Chaewon cracked a small smile, though she clapped her hands to refocus everyone. “Alright, save the confessions for later. Let’s go.”

Y/N and Kazuha exchanged an amused glance, their hands still entwined.

Hand in hand, they stepped onto the stage together. The deafening cheers of the crowd enveloped them like a tidal wave, the sheer energy of the moment sending chills down Y/N’s spine. The arena was awash in light, the glowsticks held by fans creating a sea of shimmering colors.

The bright stage lights bathed them in warmth as they took their positions, their hands finally parting as they prepared for the final performance. Y/N glanced at Kazuha one last time before the music began, a small smile tugging at her lips.

And then the song started, the beat pounding through the speakers as the group moved in perfect unison. Y/N and Kazuha danced side by side, not just as performers, but as partners once more, bound by a connection that had withstood distance, heartbreak, and time.

The encore was electric, a culmination of their hard work and the love they shared with their fans. The cheers grew louder with each beat, and as Y/N and Kazuha exchanged a brief but meaningful glance in the middle of the routine, Y/N felt a sense of peace she hadn’t known in years.

They weren’t just facing the stage. They were facing the world. Together.

[dreamdolldeveloper]

back to basics

mostly free resources to help you learn the basics that i've gathered for myself so far that i think are cool

everyday

gcfglobal - about the internet, online safety and for kids, life skills like applying for jobs, career planning, resume writing, online learning, today's skills like 3d printing, photoshop, smartphone basics, microsoft office apps, and mac friendly. they have core skills like reading, math, science, language learning - some topics are sparse so hopefully they keep adding things on. great site to start off on learning.

handsonbanking - learn about finances. after highschool, credit, banking, investing, money management, debt, goal setting, loans, cars, small businesses, military, insurance, retirement, etc.

bbc - learning for all ages. primary to adult. arts, history, science, math, reading, english, french, all the way to functional and vocational skills for adults as well, great site!

education.ket - workplace essential skills

general education

mathsgenie - GCSE revision, grade 1-9, math stages 1-14, provides more resources! completely free.

khan academy - pre-k to college, life skills, test prep (sats, mcat, etc), get ready courses, AP, partner courses like NASA, etc. so much more!

aleks - k-12 + higher ed learning program. adapts to each student.

biology4kids - learn biology

cosmos4kids - learn astronomy basics

chem4kids - learn chemistry

physics4kids - learn physics

numbernut - math basics (arithmetic, fractions and decimals, roots and exponents, prealgebra)

education.ket - primary to adult. includes highschool equivalent test prep, the core skills. they have a free resource library and they sell workbooks. they have one on work-life essentials (high demand career sectors + soft skills)

youtube channels

the organic chemistry tutor

khanacademy

crashcourse

tabletclassmath

2minmaths

kevinmathscience

professor leonard

greenemath

mathantics

3blue1brown

literacy

readworks - reading comprehension, build background knowledge, grow your vocabulary, strengthen strategic reading

chompchomp - grammar knowledge

tutors

not the "free resource" part of this post but sometimes we forget we can be tutored especially as an adult. just because we don't have formal education does not mean we can't get 1:1 teaching! please do you research and don't be afraid to try out different tutors. and remember you're not dumb just because someone's teaching style doesn't match up with your learning style.

cambridge coaching - medical school, mba and business, law school, graduate, college academics, high school and college process, middle school and high school admissions

preply - language tutoring. affordable!

revolutionprep - math, science, english, history, computer science (ap, html/css, java, python c++), foreign languages (german, korean, french, italian, spanish, japanese, chinese, esl)

varsity tutors - k-5 subjects, ap, test prep, languages, math, science & engineering, coding, homeschool, college essays, essay editing, etc

chegg - biology, business, engineering/computer science, math, homework help, textbook support, rent and buying books

learn to be - k-12 subjects

for languages

lingq - app. created by steve kaufmann, a polygot (fluent in 20+ languages) an amazing language learning platform that compiles content in 20+ languages like podcasts, graded readers, story times, vlogs, radio, books, the feature to put in your own books! immersion, comprehensible input.

flexiclasses - option to study abroad, resources to learn, mandarin, cantonese, japanese, vietnamese, korean, italian, russian, taiwanese hokkien, shanghainese.

fluentin3months - bootcamp, consultation available, languages: spanish, french, korean, german, chinese, japanese, russian, italian.

fluenz - spanish immersion both online and in person - intensive.

pimsleur - not tutoring** online learning using apps and their method. up to 50 languages, free trial available.

incase time has passed since i last posted this, check on the original post (not the reblogs) to see if i updated link or added new resources. i think i want to add laguage resources at some point too but until then, happy learning!!

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

twst food culture compilation

Please note: this post does NOT include all food-related lore in TWST (for example, you won’t find a lot of information about individual characters’ food preferences or personal experiences with food here). This post ONLY talks about the food culture, notable locations, cultural dishes, and unique foods of the Twisted Wonderland world at large (ie countries, specific towns and cities, etc).

I did my best to scour for info, but I’ll update if I find anything new or details I missed the first time around.

General and/or Unspecified Location

Icicle mushrooms are one of Twisted Wonderland’s three greatest delicacies. They are extremely rare and expensive.

There is a seasoning called “pure azure salt”, which is said to be rare, even in the Coral Sea.

Twisted Wonderland has a fruit called ruby berries (which taste “like freshly picked strawberries”).

There is frozen mint with a “refreshing profile” that grows in icy mountainous areas.

There exists Walrus-brand oyster sauce. Trey uses this to cook hamburger steak for his younger siblings. He says the oyster sauce provides a "nice savory flavor" with considerable depth. Trey also jokes about adding it to chestnut tarts in book 1.

There are mentions of irl Japanese foods such as konjac and takoyaki, but so far no place of origin in Twisted Wonderland has been sited.

Like in the real world, celebrities like Vil and Neige are used to promote products (including food and drink) in commercials, on social media platforms, etc. For example, in book 5, we see Neige advertising Red Apple Soda and Vil using his Magicam account to promote the apple juice made by Epel's family.

There's a popular dish called "pumpkin carriage stew". The insides of a pumpkin are scooped out and the shell is filled with a creamy stew, which made it difficult to carry over to tables. It would sell out every day at the cafe Ruggie used to work at.

Some restaurants call their spaghetti with meatballs "starry night spaghetti", named after the tale of two dogs who shared a spaghetti kiss under a starry sky. It is said that sharing spaghetti with meatballs with someone outside would lead to true love.

Hunting is sport as well as something done for food.

Crowley goes on vacation “to the South” and reports to enjoy mango and mango-flavored products from there. He also brings back manga tea as a souvenir.

Briar Valley

General

Cotton candy is a classic snack food sold at Briar Valley food stalls. The way it is prepared resembles spinning threads, which is considered a blessed occupation (as there was a period in Briar Valley's history when no one was able to spin thread, so some clever individual tinkered around and made cotton candy instead).

In the battlefield (~400 years ago, during the human-fae war), soldiers would roast rats and lizards to eat if they didn't have rations or other ingredients.

There is little in the way of modern technology and electricity; typically, one would prepare dishes and/or collect ingredients by hand (such as via fishing) or by using magic.

Magic is used to light fires for cooking. There is little risk for fire accidents since magical fires automatically go out when you go to sleep.

Because Briar Valley is located to the north, it can get very chilly. When the snow melts, it turns into very cold freshwater.

According to Lilia, “berries are a must-have, especially at birthdays parties” in Briar Valley. They are famous for its berry juice.

The forest where Silver and Lilia live has strawberries. Silver picks them with his animal companions.

Coral Sea

General

According to Jade, there are no fires in the Coral Sea. Therefore, most of the food consumed is raw.

A month-long land boot camp first established by a mermaid princess that married a human prince teaches merpeople fire safety and how to eat food as part of its curriculum.

It's rare for merfolk to eat anything sweet, as those kinds of foods aren't readily avaliable in the sea.

The Atlantica Memorial Museum has the mermaid princess's "silver hair comb" on display. This, of course, refers to the "dinglehopper"--a common fork. This implies that merpeople (such as the mermaid princess referenced in many stories) fused to be unaware of the eating utensils on land.

Azul's mother owns the "hottest restaurant" in the Coral Sea. It started off as a small place, but has since expanded to have a large staff.

Couples from the Coral Sea frequently request rainbow dessert soup with trident cookies for their weddings. To eat it, you use the trident cookie to stir the sweet sky-blue soup, which then turns the soup into seven colors of the rainbow. This is a dish that is only served for special occasions in the Coral Sea, and it is typically served warm.

Jade says that he was surprised to see that many land dwellers eat their fruit without the peel; this would imply that those from the Coral Sea typically eat their foods with the skin/peel left on, or as-is.

Playful Land Amusement Park

All food and drink are handed out for free.

They serve food in large quantities, such as tuna, entire tart cherry pies (with cinnamon, clove, and crushed nuts in the filling) and a whole peppery roasted chicken. The park encourages consuming in excess.

Other food items being offered include fried tuna fish and sparkling apple juice. The juice comes with an umbrella stuck in the opening to prevent bugs from getting in. You remove it before drinking.

They have ice-cream in many flavors! We see strawberry milk in the related event.

The park had candy and popcorn in “apple core” flavor. Supposedly, this is a taste inspired by the story of the Generous Fox giving a Puppet Boy an apple core instead of a whole apple because “the puppet wished to have a core”.

There is a “Candy Road”, a street lined with shops that have caramel lollipops, chewy candy, marshmallows, cookies, chocolate crunch, and lots of other sugary treats!

Their chocolate crunch has 12 different charms thrown in.

The third most popular souvenir are pasta snacks in the shape of the Friendly Fox and Gentle Cat. The second most popular is a tin of plain cookies in the shape of the Friendly Fox and cocoa cookies in the shape of the Gentle Cat. Finally, the most popular are apple core flavored candies!

Sage's Island

Night Raven College

Pomefiore holds a welcome party for the freshmen, which includes a fancy dinner. Savanaclaw does not hold a welcome party.

Scarabia regularly holds banquets, typically at Kalim's request.

Heartslabyul holds "unbirthday parties" whenever it is a day that does NOT fall on a Heartslabyul student's birthday. Sweets are mandatory at unbirthday parties.

The dorm members of Scarabia and Heartslabyul pitch in to prepare for banquets and unbirthday parties.

Mr. S's Mystery Shop stocks food items, such as candies (which Floyd often buys), tuna cans, and ingredients for baking (this is where Deuce and Yuu pick up things for the chestnut tart in book 1). Sam also sells food items that he seems to have made himself, like the Mystery Drink (which Octavinelle eventually buys the rights to).

The school cafeteria is said to have delicious breads.

Students can use the school kitchens outside of normal serving hours; Ruggie and Jamil sometimes do this, but they also have their own dormitory kitchens to cook.

Once a month, a famous bakery from out of town serves their goods at NRC. Their stock includes items such as chocolate croissants, egg sandwiches, yakisoba bread and cream bread ("cronuts and bear claws"), roast beef sandwiches, red bean buns ("hot dog buns"), and deluxe minced cutlet sandwiches ("deluxe ham and cheese"/"grilled cheese" in the localization). They sell out fast!

Crowley likes to go into the NRC cafeteria at night to sneak snacks.

The school library includes recipes books. Some recipes include spicy curry soup, red pepper and tomato soup, and garlic pork habanero soup.

Basic school lunches are free to all students, but they must pay for changes or extra items.

The cafeteria at NRC serves food buffet style; the cafeteria is kept warm with magic from fire fairies which are supplied with dry firewood every day. There is also a rotating daily menu.

Master Chef ("Culinary Crucible") is an elective course at NRC that teaches students how to cook. It is meant to curb the expenses related to eating out and to help the boys maintain balanced diets and learn how to take care of themselves. Judges for this course are randomly selected from the students and staff (prior to this methodology, people would bribe the judges for extra credit).

While taking Master Chef, students help with preparing meals in the cafeteria in exchange for part-time pay.

The instructors for Master Chef are ghosts who were professional chefs at five-star restaurants when they were alive. These same ghosts also serve as cafeterias staff. Crowley says it was difficult but worthwhile to recruit them.

There are various locations on campus where the students go to fetch ingredients for Master Chef. This includes an on-campus farm, ranch, windmill... and even the dormitories themselves!

The woods behind the campus have chestnuts, which the main crew collect for an apology tart to Riddle.

The Botanical Garden has some edible plants growing there. These include strawberries, which the Science Club cultivates.

NRC opens its school gates to the local townspeople for a period leading up to Halloween; during this time, they distribute candy and other sweets (such as Sam's waffles, served with jam made from NRC's apples) to guests. There's also a party on Halloween night where lots of food is served.

Mostro Lounge

Octainvelle has the Mostro Lounge, described by Jade as "a meeting place for gentlemen" where fighting between dorms is prohibited. While dining there, students are expected to abide by Octavinelle's rules. It is run by the manager and founder, Azul, who made a deal with the headmaster to get the rights to open the establishment. NRC gets 10% of the revenue the Mostro Lounge makes.

Jade and Floyd partake in some cooking (with Floyd being the main chef; he doesn't care how food looks as long as it tastes good), but Azul does very little cooking. He tends to investigate the competition and market.

Jade uses the weeds and plants he collects from mountain hikes to brew experimental new teas. Sometimes Azul adds these drinks to the menu.

Floyd likes to experiment with making sauces. These, too, are featured in the lounge.

The lounge offers cakes with coral decorations. You can order one for your special occasions.

The Mostro Lounge is particular about its quality name-brand dishware. Azul believes that this will boost the experience customers have in the lounge.

The Octatrio bought the rights to the Mystery Drink from Sam and raised its price from 600 madol/6 thaumarks to 1500 madol/15 thaumarks.

The Mostro Lounge has a one-drink purchase minimum.

Menu items range from roughly 600 madol to 1500 madol (6 thaumarks to 15 thaumarks).

The menu rotates on a seasonal basis; this helps to cut down on costs since they can focus on cheaper in-season ingredients.

The Mostro Lounge also operates food stalls and/or sells food at many school events, such as the cultural festival in book 5 and the interdorm magical shift/spelldrive tournament in book 2.

It is mostly Octavinelle students who staff the Mostro Lounge, but there are occasions when outside students are brought in as extra help. Ruggie has worked there part-time, as well as Jack, Ace, Deuce, and tons of other students.

Unbirthday Party Rules (related to food)

Rule 25: There must be a tea party on the 5th of every month.

Rule 29: You must not eat the Queen's tarts without her permission.

Rule 153: The only tea you may drink in the evenings is herbal tea.

Rule 186: Do not eat hamburger steak on Tuesdays.

Rule 256: You must not drink lemonade with honey past 8 pm.

Rule 271: You must get up from the table within 15 minutes after eating lunch.

Rule 339: Your post-meal tea must be lemon tea with 2 sugar cubes.

Rule 529: If you eat steak on the night of a full moon, a cat must play the violin afterwards.

Rule 562: Do not bring chestnut tarts to an unbirthday party.

Rule 648: You must brush your teeth 2 times on nights when you eat turkey.

Rule 703: Whoever comes in 2nd place in a croquet match must serve tea to the Queen (dorm leader) the next day.

If the dormouse wakes up at an unbirthday party, you are to paint its nose with jam.

Coffee is forbidden; tea must be served at all occasions except for birthdays.

According to Cater, sweets are mandatory at unbirthday parties.

Dwarves' Mine & Silent Woods

There is an abundance of wildlife in these areas; Jade often goes hiking and foraging, making note of what he finds. He uses the plants to make his own tea blends (which are sometimes added to the Mostro Lounge's menu) and the herbs, plants, and mushrooms to experiment with in cooking.

There are fish to be found at the lake, including massive catfish.

The Foothill Town

There is a port for mainly cargo ships located at the southwest part of town. It's called Crane Port! The east side has a port as well, but that one is moreso for passengers. Crane Port has been getting fewer and fewer people passing through lately (until Port Breeze Fest, in which the NRC boys run food stalls and help to revive business in the area). Group A makes churros, Group B makes waffles, Group C makes salads, Group D makes cotton candy, and Group E makes clam chowder.

A popular restaurant in the Crane Port area serves foods like french fries and burgers. Their signature menu item is a donut made from potatoes. Actually, this restaurant specializes in potato dishes!

There is a chain restaurant on the island that also has locations elsewhere, including in Ace's hometown. He mentions that there are slightly different flavors to the sauces depending on which location you go to. This chain is also described as affordable for students and gives free refills. There is a location of this chain a car ride away from Harveston.

The town also has other eateries that are more geared towards students, seeing as it exists on an island with two notable magic schools to the north and the south. Cater often mentions going into town to take pictures at cafes.

The town has a public market; the Ramshackle Ghosts resell mandrakes there.

There is a famous patisserie there. You have to line up early in the morning before opening time to get your hands on one of their strawberry tarts (or anything, really!).

There is a stall in the marketplace that sells specialty coffee. They also have a tea which Crewel enjoys (though he also brews his own).

Scalding Sands

General

The Scalding Sands seems to borrow heavily from Middle Eastern cultures. For example, some of the Scalding Sands’ traditional dishes include, but are not limited to: roasted lamb, moussaka, döner kebabs, shawarma, flatbreads, potato and bean spreads, and seafood sautés.

Tea is a popular beverage; it is had at every meal and break. People can drink up to 10 cups of tea a day!

The Scalding Sands specializes in black tea. For entertaining guests, special tea leaves are used.

In the Scalding Sands, they brew their tea leaves loose and without an infuser. This makes the tea very strong and bitter. To counteract the powerful flavor, people add lots of sugar to their tea and drink it with sweets.

“Luxurious” tea is very sweet, since sugar was once very expensive (due to a shortage of it, according to the localization) and considered a luxury.

Due to the hot weather, people often toss herbs into their tea to make it more refreshing to drink.

Coffee is also popular; there are many cafes that serve coffee and tea. The Scalding Sands is known in particular for their spiced coffee, which has a very distinctive flavor. This coffee is brewed without a filter, and some cafes do “coffee divinations” (reading the shapes and patterns of the grounds and the water droplets that remain after drinking to tell the fortunes of customers).

There are a lot of unique spices in their dishes. This is especially true of banquet dishes. However, a variety of dishes are still served at these occasions.

Kalim describes the Scalding Sands as being “big on stewed stuff” like curries.

In Kalim’s hometown, people love to gather around the table and talk over a meal.

Halloween in the Scalding Sands is celebrated by feasting on a variety of dishes. The idea is that the food must be abundant so that the ghosts that return to the world of the living for the night may also have their fill.

It used to be difficult for the people of the Scalding Sands to obtain water due to the lack of rainfall, hot climate, and expansive desserts. However, Kalim’s ancestors utilized the country’s rivers to reach other countries and to trade their textiles, spices, tea leaves, and other local goods with foreign lands. It was particularly impressive at the time, as they were the first traders from the Scalding Sands to sail (back then, accurate nautical maps were not a thing). This maritime pioneering is what would make the Asim family their massive fortune.

The Asims and other merchants heavily invested in technologies and innovations to make the area more sustainable and potable water more accessible.

The waterways of the country eventually developed into canals and communities formed around them as trade hubs. The canals are also used to host ferryboats for locals and tourists to sightsee, boosting the tourism industry. This also made access to water much easier for the residents, and the water helps to cool the temperature.

Silk City

The bazaars in Silk City are where locals do their shopping for various goods and staple foods like vegetables and fish. There are also stalls with gourmet food that cater to tourists.

Camel Bazaar is named after camels, which were used to transport people, goods, and luggage before Silk City’s canals and roads came to be. There also used to be an oasis where the camels would rest and drink after long treks; this oasis became a center for commerce and eventually evolved into a marketplace. To this day, the name “Camel” has stuck, even if people use trucks, ships, and cars more than camels.

There is also Zahab (”Gold”) Market, which is popular with tourists for shopping (especially for souvenirs!) but also has swindlers and pickpockets mixed in with regular customers.

Many snacks are sold! There’s camel milk chocolate, cookies drizzled in syrup, sunflower seeds, pistachios, chickpeas, all kinds of nuts, dried fruits (including dates), jams, jellies, syrups, starfruit, dragonfruit, etc. 

(Lamb) shawarma is described as meat roasted on a spit and served on baguettes or pita bread. Because grease drips off while it cooks, it is “surprisingly healthier” than one expects it to be. Shawarma is also customarily served with vegetables (tomatoes, onions, olives, jalapenos, etc.) and sauces (yogurt, garlic, chili, hummus (a paste of garlic and chickpeas), mayo basil, etc).

There is a vendor that can supply large quantities of sweet and refreshing coconut water; this is because they’re used to providing for Kalim’s extravagant and excessive tastes. They create a hole in the top and provide straws to poke in and use to drink the water. The coconut flesh inside is also edible.

There are a lot of bread stalls; bread is also another staple food, and it comes in many sizes, shapes, and textures. Small roadside bakeries have wood-fired ovens which allow them to serve bread fresh to customers.

One stand sells baguettes that are taller than many children; these “tower baguettes” are a famous Fireworks Festival treat. People say that if you eat a big one, you’ll never go hungry again! The saying comes from a story of a young man that shared bread with hungry children. It’s because of that story that baguettes are considered a good luck food that many vendors sell on holidays.

The Camel Bazaar sells an elastic ice-cream (based on a similar irl frozen Turkish confection). It is kneaded on a pole and stretched out; customers are meant to “catch” it in their cups and cones. It’s food performance art! All the stretching makes the texture very unique.

There’s a fruit stand that is only open on festival days which sells a Silk Melon sundae; the fruit is hollowed out to host ice-cream (of the same melon flavor!) and toppings which make it very photogenic.

Starfruit is usually put in salads, according to Trey.

The dragonfruit sold is recommended to be eaten with honey. You drizzle it on top of a slice and eat!

Silk City’s signature fruit is the Silk Melon. It is called that because of its silky texture and sophisticated sweetness. It can’t be found in many other countries. The man of legend that shared his bread with a starving child is said to split a melon with his friend, even though he did not have much money to spare. It’s because of this tale that people started saying if you share Silk Melon with someone, it would make your friendship or romance last forever. Now the fruit is a festival staple and considered a symbol of good fortune.

In the past, water was only used for irrigation due to its scarcity. Some gave up on farming after years of trying to produce crops and failing—but others refused to give up and cultivated the land to made it fertile, something which future generations would reap the benefits of.

The fruits and veggies sold Camel Bazaar are freshly picked and grown locally. Jamil says this is possible because the arid climate actually helps with growing crops of high quality. Produce raised with less water concentrates flavor since the final fruit will have a higher sugar content. Because of this, Silk City’s produce is prized by chefs all over Twisted Wonderland. Of course, you can get them at an affordable prize in Camel Bazaar!

Shaftlands

General

The Shaftlands are famous for its jeweled pineapples.

The Shaftlands spans a large area of land and has drastically different climates depending on the part of it you're looking at. Therefore, we can deduce that foods and customs surrounding food are very different as well.

City of Flowers/Fleur City

The city’s food culture seems to be inspired by real world Paris, or at the very least, France.

Bread is a local specialty, particularly very buttery kinds. As you walk down the streets, you can smell bread baking. The City of Flowers has 10x (or more) the variety of bread that Sage's Island offers, and has an abundance of bakeries too.

Bread-making is popular in the City of Flowers. The windmills at the edges of the city grind grains to produce fresh flour. There are also watermills powered by the Soleil River to assist with making flour.

Because wheat is plentiful in this area, some of it is also used for desserts. One such confection is financier, which is made from a combination of wheat flour, almond flour, and butter. It resembles a gold bar, so eating one is said to bring financial prosperity.

Lately, gluten-free desserts have been trendy.

A dessert that does not use wheat flour is macarons. In the City of Flowers, they are yellow and shaped like bells to honor the Bell of Salvation which oversees the community and provides magic that helps rare plants grow in the area. The filling is a ganache with dried bits of grapes and apples.

Grape juice is popular in the City of Flowers, as the fruit is another specialty. You can buy the grapes raw and eat them as is, or ask a vendor to crush it (skin still on!) into juice for you. Some buy the grapes to give as gifts!

The grapes are grown in vineyards right outside of the city, and the farmers are constantly experimenting to improve their breeds. They taste very rich, tangy, and sweet.

The City of Flowers is also known for its many specialty cheese shops. Together, bread and cheese are called the staple foods of the city, and are sometimes eaten together. One specialty cheese shop the boys visit sells baguettes topped with ham and rich melted cheese.

The city considers goats a symbol of good luck, so they are treated with care. There are many community goats (which are just as common as domesticated cats or dogs) allowed to roam freely in the city. It is said that if you treat the community goats with kindness, they will come rescue you in your time of need.

Goat milk is used in some of the specialty cheeses produced by the city. The grapes mentioned earlier are also made into fruit compotes to go with the cheeses.

They served a roast beef at the young mage’s social; this was infused with spices and evenly heated.

Harveston

This village has many dishes that borrow from a mixture of irl Nordic cultures. There’s also an emphasis on having hometown pride and the community itself being very close.

Crows often damage the apples Harveston grows. The community comes together to put up nets and make noises to scare them off.

As expected, many of Harveston's dishes feature apples: apple pie, grilled and roasted apples, apple salad, apple pound cakes, etc.

Epel's family has an apple orchard that has been in the family for generations. They grow different kinds of apples throughout the year. Many of his neighbors are older people who also raise produce, and they help each other out when they're short on hands. The community is very tightly knit because of this, and treat each other like extended family.

Harvest season (autumn) is the busiest time of year; once that's over, everyone comes together to have a party. It's a potluck style celebration where everyone brings a homemade dish or homegrown food to share.

Harveston preserves its produce (such as apples and wild greens) by pickling them and serving them in salads. The bright colors are maintained by boiling the produce in a copper pot, which stabilizes the pigments. It's wisdom passed down from generation to generation.

There is also pickled herring, traditionally eaten on bread. Brining preserves the fish while it is still raw and doesn't dry it up. It's ready to eat right out of a jar, no cooking required.

The local stew is not very thick. It tastes sweet because of the added vegetables and savory because of the tender meat in it. There is also a salmon broth sprinkled with herbs which is described as "melty".

Fruits and vegetables can be packed in snow to keep them preserved. This method is called “snow aging” and prevents evaporation. In the old days, the villagers would build whole farms out of snow. In modern day, they just shovel the snow into a barn. This creates a natural fridge that will naturally thaw in the summers. Snow aging in this manner makes the produce sweeter and more nutritious.

The next town over is a three-hour bike ride. The roadside has many apple trees you can enjoy during the trip.

You can easily pick apples off the branch and eat them fresh! Farmers can snack on apples while picking.

Harveston is surrounded by tall mountains that are snow-capped all year, the most famous one being Mt. Moln. The greenery around Harveston is due to the spring water irrigation which runs down from Mt. Moln.

Most of Harveston’s land is used for orchards, and apples are their main produce. They also make many products using those apples like chips, rice crackers, and cookies.

Fall apples are sweeter, while winter ones are more sour. Winter apples are unique to Harveston.

Harveston also grows a lot of garlic.

Harveston farming is done the old fashioned way, as the predominantly older population distrusts chemical fertilizers and biotechnology.

Some villagers like the mayor and Marja (Epel’s grandma) adjust their accent to communicate with people from outside the village. Marja says she switches up when she’s selling goods in another town, since it can be tricky for non-Harveston locals to understand.

Hand washing before eating is a must! They take the act very seriously in Harveston. Stories say the miners of the past used to get very sick due to poor hygiene, but their health improved drastically once they started washing regularly with soap and water. It was difficult for them to get treatment because the town is so remote and far from hospitals or doctors, so the best thing is stressing prevention. This why the townspeople are sticklers about hand washing now.

To wash the Harveston way, you plunge your hands into ice cold water and make it all foamy with soap. You also scoop the water up and splash your face as well (as the miners from the past would also do this).

You can catch salmon in the nearby river.

Apple Square is the main festival venue; it has many vendor stalls in an area called Kokko (which means “Bonfire”) Market. The Sledathon is the most lucrative time of year for the townsfolk.

Many of their products are made locally by the older folks in town. The goods aren’t trendy or very fancy, but they’re high-quality and made with Harveston pride.

The stalls give apple juice, apple tea (which has fruit pieces floating in it), and apple ginger tea for free. The apple juice is one of Harveston’s most popular products.

Giant five-meter apple pies are made for the Sledathon. They’re considered one of the main attractions, and you can get a slice from them free of charge.

There are other stalls that sell regular apple pie too. Every vendor has their own style, from the apples used to the crust and baking technique.

There are other kinds of fruit pies for sale, but apples are the most popular and “special” ones. The Beautiful Queen had a preference for apple pies, so the townspeople do too.

Harveston apple pies have such an entrancing flavor that the nearest city has stores that stock them. Critics say that Harveston apple pies make anyone drool and that the best way to convince someone to do you a favor is to gift one.

Harveston holds an apple competition to find the reddest apple. This is because the Beautiful Queen prized beautifully red apples. In the past, the townspeople would offer the reddest apple from the season’s harvest to the Beautiful Queen. Over time, it evolved into the apple competition.

Kokko Market makes pancake balls from a flour batter and top it with jam. It’s prepared in a pan and with methods similar to takoyaki, coming out crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

Pancakes also come in a square form. In Harveston, pancakes are baked in the oven instead of on the stove. Some people cook pancakes in the fireplace too; this makes them tender, thick, and pudding-like.

There are many grains used for bread: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, oats, flax seeds, sesame seeds, rye, wheat...

Barbeque is served for large gatherings and celebrations.

Cooking tends to be done in the fireplace instead of on a stove, especially in the case for stews. It keeps the room warm in winter while the food cooks.

Harveston has a bean and fruit soup. Most other places serve it cold, but those in Harveston sometimes enjoy it warm. It’s a thick consistency and the fruit in it has been dried.

Farmers drink tea on their breaks between work.

When setting the dining table, people in Harveston leave one extra plate out. This tradition comes from a story about a traveler visiting a family’s house and being surprised by the messy state of it. The traveler cleaned the house and cooked a nice meal for the family. From this story came the belief that as long as you leave a plate at your table, you’ll never want for food or go hungry.

Sandwich cakes are common party centerpieces. They are made with bread and vegetables, topped with shrimp, deviled eggs, olives, apples, and salmon slides arranged in a rose shape. The frosting on it is made from mayonnaise and sour cream, making sandwich cakes more salad than dessert.

They sell cherries and other berries by volume. Also sold are vegetables and juice, freshly squeezed.

Because Harveston is located in a mountainous region, there are rare varieties of mushrooms to be found. These can be served in a traditional mushroom soup, which can be finicky to prepare (so usually only experts make it). Mushrooms are also cooked in butter and served in sandwiches.

Mushrooms, herbs, and flowers are foraged from the nature (both public mountains and private woods). Locals usually don’t buy plants that are wild when they can pick it themselves. Instead, they’re sold to tourists.

Good foraging spots on Moln Mountain are kept secret so people don’t overharvest. The mountains are dangerous in winter, so foraging has to be done in spring or summer.

Harveston brines raw fish like salmon in a mixture of salt, sugar, pepper, and fill. In the old days, brined salmon was buried in sand to let it ferment.

Fish is dried to preserve it and to enhance the flavor. Before there were proper roads, it was hard to bring in food for the winter, so Harveston relied on foods preserved in the spring. They last for a long time and have many uses (such as in soup stock or to eat straight up). To this day, preserved meats and vegetables are a local specialty and new methods such as roasting have been developed for preservation.

Sunset Savanna

General

The food here appears to be inspired by African cultures of the real world.

Fruit is more plentiful than grains.

There is floral cacao in the Sunset Savanna. It bears fruit only once every 10 years.

Gummy bugs are popular and a Halloween staple.

The people of the Sunset Savanna value living in harmony with nature and will go out of their way to adapt to the land (due to the high population of beastmen, who have animal ancestors). Because of this, they oppose change that could damage the environment. There are some parts of this arid country that still rely on wells for their drinking water needs. They also hold the Tamashina-Mina festival every year to pray for rain.

Sautéed mutton is a common meal in this country. Leona brags that the Sunset Savanna is top notch when it comes to cooking meats.

The bananas of the Sunset Savanna are starchy and resemble potatoes (similar to plantains). They are steamed and served as a staple food. They’re faintly sweet and are actually very light and easy to digest.

It’s easier to grow fruit instead of wheat and rice in their climate.

Rice hull crepes, another staple, are served with a stew that you pour over it. The stew comes in variants such as a white fish stew simmered in tomato sauce, spinach and potato stew, beef stew, etc. There are also many side dishes you can enjoy with the crepes. The crepes aren’t meant to be eaten alone, as they taste too sour solo.

The phrase “that’s the Circle of Life” is a proverb that has been around for ages. The strong eat the weak, then when the strong die, their bodies become nutrients for the grass which feeds the next generation of prey animals. Life comes “full circle”, and the proverb indicates this delicate balance.

The Sunset Savanna is famous for its coffee. It tastes spicy, not bitter, because the custom is to add spices to the drink.

Food prep performances seem to be common for the wealthy; Leona mentions seeing big fish filleted before being served.

Yogurt is considered a “healthy dairy” and is typically served for breakfast.

Elephant Graveyard

The Elephant Graveyard, once considered a scary and lawless place (the “shadow lands” which were not a part of the original kingdom), has become a tourist destination—something akin to a spa.

They are known for selling vanilla cookies shaped like bones.

The hot springs at the Elephant Graveyard have kettles hidden by the steam. The hot water vapor cooks onsen tamago (a traditionally Japanese irl dish) and puddings. It imparts a slightly salty and sulfurous flavor and smell to the foods.

Sunrise City

The Raintree Market is a bazaar that features many foods and drinks.

Many snacks sold in the marketplaces are local specialties, so they’re popular as souvenirs.

Wild and cultivated hibiscus flowers are boiled with sugar to produce a red juice. There is also a white juice, which is made using wild baobab (which is full of nutrients; people call it a beauty elixir you can drink). A legends says that, long ago, members of the royal family would have their foreheads painted with baobab juice when they were born. That’s how the fruit became a local specialty.

In the original tale, the juice for marking foreheads was red. It seems that, over time, the color was changed to white by word of mouth, with the latter description fitting more with the white fruit of the baobab. Because of this change, more and more stalls have been selling a mixture of hibiscus juice and baobab juice.

The baobab fruit is also used to make a particular sour candy. The candy is dyed with red food coloring and is then dusted with sugar and chili powder. It’s described as having a “mature” flavor. Leona has liked this candy since he was a child.

Mangoes are a local specialty! Vendors will happily cut open the fruit for you to enjoy on the spot.

Other notable fruits for sale are tart passionfruit and creamy but smelly jackfruit. The latter is considered the largest fruit in Twisted Wonderland and grows on its tree’s trunks.

The Sunset Villa is a luxurious hotel that hosts VIPs and important guests of the state. They offer a large selection of drinks (fruit juice, black tea, coffee…) and serve whole slabs of steak in front of you before serving at luxurious barbecues. After dinners, they have dance performances.

There is an enormous sausage that’s wrapped up in a coil. If unwound, it’s a meter long. It’s meant to be cut with scissors before eating. The sausage’s herbs make it taste refreshing, and its meat is finely grounded to allow its flavors to come through.

Seafood is fresh and cheap, provided you live by the sea or in a coastal region like Dawn City. In more inland areas, seafood is considered a luxury.

Their seafood tends to be cooked with strong spices.

Ruggie’s yet-to-be-named hometown

Because the residents are poor, their food is usually made from collected scraps (such as pumpkin pie made predominantly from the pulpy parts) or prepared with substitutions and without extra flourishes. For example, Ruggie’s grandma prepares homemade donuts for his birthday but they couldn't afford fancy toppings (until Ruggie started working to bring in extra income).

It’s implied that there were instances when Ruggie (and presumably others from his hometown) had to eat rotten food or out of trash cans to get by.

Queendom of Roses

General

There is reference to some irl UK foods in this region, such as the jacket potato.

The Queendom of Roses is famous for its rose jelly rolls. Roses are the flower the country is best known for, of course, but they also have lavender, rosemary, sweet violet, foxglove, bluebells, and many berries.

People from this country eat flowers (which are specifically grown for eating). Flowers are also used for dried flower bookmarks? potpourri, etc.

The Queendom has a good selection of breads.

Apparently, the Queendom also has a strong “tea culture”.

People in the Queendom of Roses eat a lot of different pastries (pies, tarts, quiches, croissants, scones, etc). Croissant donuts (cronuts) in particular have been pretty trendy lately. They’re donuts made with croissant batter, so they come out super flaky. They are sometimes sold with iced tea as a combo.

Potatoes are a staple food.

Jacket potatoes are common at festivals; they are potatoes baked with the skin (ie “jacket”) still on. The standard topping for them is baked beans, but you can also have tuna mayo corn, bean chili, sour cream, avocado, and other things.

Anyone that grew up in the Queendom of Roses has probably done the “cookie smash” at least once as a kid. (More info on this under the “Clock Town” section!)

The Queendom is known for lavender, berries, and rosemary.

Riddle and Trey's yet-to-be-named hometown

Trey's family owns a bakery (called "Patisserie Clover" according to the TWST manga). It seems to be a small "mom and pops" shop with no particular notoriety. However, the manga implies that it was the Clover bakery where Riddle saw the strawberry tarts and became entranced by them. This is also where Riddle would later try his first strawberry tart.

In Riddle and Trey's hometown, people enjoy apple bobbing during the Halloween season.

Before interview: Riddle was worried whether they can start on time and was relieved when Vil showed up and Vil was pretty smug about it lmao

There is a farm not too far from where Riddle lives; it is famous for its ice-cream buns. There is also a cafe located on the farm! It opened shortly after Riddle entered NRC and is so popular that it’s spoken about in magazines and tourists go there just to sample their sweets.

Clock Town

The people of Clock Town value time and punctuality due to the town's connection to the White Rabbit, who was always in a hurry. Many of the foods sold at stalls are things that are easy to hold and eat while walking, such as sliced sandwiches.

The Clock Town Folk Museum mentions a girl that appears in the story of the White Rabbit. She ate cookies that made her grow large; the museum recreates this experiment by projecting a large image of guests that eat cookies they have set out.

The Clock Town Folk Museum also runs a bugle-playing contest. The participation prize is a carrot cookie.

Clock Town sells a brand of potato chips with the White Rabbit logo on them.

The town also sells cookies iced to look like a pocket watch. The icing is made from a mixture of sugar and egg whites (“royal icing”) which hardens considerably. You’re meant to crush the cookie with a hammer to make it into smaller pieces, making it easier to eat. It’s based on the story of the White Rabbit breaking his pocket watch. Others tried to help him fix it by hitting it with a hammer, but it didn’t help at all, only damaged it more!

A lot of people enjoy growing plants, gardening, and horticulture, including stuff that can be eaten like herbs.

Sausage rolls are served in pairs to resemble bunny ears; the container they come in resembles the White Rabbit. They’re sausages wrapped in a pie crust/puff pastry dough, and come in cheese (with a shortcrust pastry similar to what is used for tarts to help hold its shape) and a spicy sausage (with a puff pastry that makes it flaky) variant for the White Rabbit Festival.

There are large mushrooms that grow in Clock Town; eating one side will turn you large, eating the other side will turn you small. The girl in the story of the White Rabbit has eaten these strange mushrooms before. These mushrooms are said to be enchanted and only work in a particular area; its effects last for ~1 minute after eating.

[room-surprise]

PSA: Mana doesn't exist in Dungeon Meshi

Some translations of Dungeon Meshi (specifically the English anime and Yen Press manga) have used the word mana to describe magic, when the original Japanese simply said magic (mahou, 魔法) or magical power (maryoku, 魔力).

Ryoko Kui does not appear to use the word mana (マナ) at any point in the manga, the published extra materials, or her blog, so calling magic “mana” is an addition made only in some translations.

For example, the French translation does not use "mana." If you know of other translations that do or don't use mana, let me know!

The use of the word mana in English comes from Maori and its earlier Proto-Oceanic ancestor language.

It describes a form of supernatural power tied to social status, respect and strength. Mana is a religious concept for many Austronesian cultures, and is not really "magic" in the way pop culture has defined it.

As best as I can understand it from an outsider's perspective, mana is more like attributing a supernatural quality to a person's charisma, or the awe one feels when faced with a natural wonder like a mountain or the ocean, or the intimidation one feels when facing a powerful group.

The use of the word mana as a generic term to refer to magical power has been criticized as being cultural appropriation of a real religious term, still used by living people, to describe fictional magic.

In addition to this, using an Austronesian word at random in Dungeon Meshi for one of the most important and fundamental forces of the universe (magic) is inorganic to the world that Kui has constructed, which is rooted primarily in Greco-Roman, Hindu/Buddhist Indian, Middle Eastern, and Germanic cultures.

Using mana to refer to magic would suggest that the Ancient culture from before the cataclysm was Austronesian, but the rest of the manga does not support such an idea at all.

There are references to Austronesian and Oceanic cultures in Dungeon Meshi, but they are mostly tied to the orcs, who don't appear to use magic, and whose culture clearly doesn't, and has never had, the social power to define what word the rest of the world uses to refer to "magical power."

How did a Maori word get so popular in English?

The concept of mana was introduced in Europe by missionary Robert Henry Codrington in 1891 after he wrote a book about his time in Polynesia. The concept was then popularized further in America in the 1950s by Mircea Eliade, an extremely influential religious history scholar at the University of Chicago.

Mana was first introduced as a magical fuel used to cast spells in the 1969 short story, "Not Long Before the End", by Larry Niven. Around this time it also became popular with new-age religious groups.

It has since become a common staple in fantasy fiction and games.

So why translate it as mana?

The choice to translate "magic" and "magical power" as mana was probably made to try and make Dungeon Meshi sound more like a video game/RPG, since so many Japanese fantasy manga feature video game or RPG mechanics, and translators working on Dungeon Meshi would have no reason to assume it would be any different, especially at the very start of the manga.

However, Dungeon Meshi is much closer to High/Epic Fantasy, like Lord of the Rings, and throwing random gaming terminology into the translation when it wasn't in the original text ("mana", "newbs" and "inventory" instead of "magical power", "newcomers" and "supplies") feels out of place.

I think adding the term mana is a disservice to the hard work that Kui has done with her careful attention to linguistic detail and culture.

In the process of working on my Dungeon Meshi research paper on real world cultural references, I have studied over 100 names and words used by Kui, and I have found that she is remarkably thoughtful and consistent in what real world cultures and languages she pulls from, and what fictional cultures she pairs them with.

Obviously I don't blame the translators for not knowing this, they had to make translation decisions before the entire manga was complete, and most likely they were doing work for hire, with no idea what Dungeon Meshi was about.

They had no way of knowing Dungeon Meshi wasn't a video game fantasy comic, and were just trying to rush through their work as fast as possible in order to get paid, and move onto their next project.

Once it became apparent that Dungeon Meshi was High Fantasy and not a world that functions like a video game, they'd already used the word mana, so there was no going back.

In an ideal world, if the translators had known the type of story Dungeon Meshi would become from the beginning, if they really wanted a single word to translate "magical energy" into, they could have picked a word that belongs to one of the language families I mentioned before, rather than using mana just because "everybody uses mana, so readers will know what it means."

What should I call magic power then?

If reading all of this has made you want to stop calling it mana, hooray! Thanks for listening to me rant. You could just call it magical power, if you wanted. Nothing wrong with that!

But if you want something a little less clunky, here's an incomplete list of possibilities in some of the languages most commonly referenced in Dungeon Meshi. Please note I have not done due diligence on every one of these, I believe none of them are exclusively religious terms still in use, but just words that could mean magic (both fictional and real) in various languages. If I'm wrong about any of them, let me know.

INDIAN: Maya, prana. MIDDLE EASTERN: Sihr, kiisum/kesem. GRECO-ROMAN: Ergon (as a euphemism), goteia, physis, numen/numina, mageia. GERMANIC: Seidr, galdr.

(This post is an excerpt from my Dungeon Meshi essay with additional elaborations.)

[autisticgingerblonde]

If Fallout 4 companions had TikTok accounts

Cait would have an account dedicated to fighting and thirst traps (aimed at women mostly). Teaches women self-defense techniques. She earns a spot in the algorithm of muscle mommies. She also raises awareness for addicts and former addicts, educating on the effects of drugs and the reasons people seek them out in the first place. Honestly, it's a very good account to follow.

Codsworth is just confused about TikTok. He's like "oh so what are the children saying these days? Aura? I'll have to add a new word to my vocabulary banks! Cheerio, mum!"

Curie makes educational videos for all ages and all subjects. She has a series of learning Japanese, a series of vaccines and the science behind them, a series about the effects of different types of parenting, you name it. She also takes suggestions from her audience on what new things to research.

Danse has unintentional thirst traps. He talks about power armor and the Brotherhood of Steel but also posts workouts. These are what get the most attention out of everything he posts. The BookTok girlies find him and all hell breaks loose in the comment sections. He responds to this with, "Thank you, civilians. I am not sure what you mean, but I am glad you are supporting the Brotherhood of Steel by being on my page. Thank you for your enthusiasm for our righteous cause. Ad victorium." People armchair diagnose him as autistic.

Deacon does "GRWM as i tell you about the time i ______" videos where each day he looks completely different and you can never tell if he's telling the truth or not. He also does head shaving videos that double as story times or opinion pieces. You can't tell if those are true or not either.

Dogmeat has a viral account followed by millions. Get's a lot of "I can't imagine liking this guy" comments with the op replying to their own comment with "anymore than I already do. Huge fan!"

Hancock does subtle cheeky thirst traps and dance challenges. This entire post was inspired by the FACT that Hancock would participate in the brat summer trend and would do the Apple dance with Fahrenheit filming it. He also tells stories, mostly of him being high. He gets a lot of requests to cosplay Deadpool.

MacCready has a lot of things he does. Some videos are sniper trick shots, some are Grognak the Barbarian yapping (he does short lore deep dives when he can), and some are about being a young single dad. He doesn't show Duncan's face because he's extremely protective. Casually drops the most insane lore about his childhood which leads to comments like "are we just ignoring that he said he grew up in a cave?"

Nick Valentine would be a very popular fashion and "a day in the life of a detective". He'd do vintage fashion looks, like loose slacks and suspenders with a trench coat to top it off. Sometimes does a deep dive into detective history. Gets a lot of thirsty comments to which he replies "that's one way to get the coolant pumping."

Old Longfellow has the appeal of the New England, stormy weather, sweater-wearing fisherman aesthetic, and he tells stories of his youth while showing people around the area he grew up. Learns mobile phone cinematography to make it look cooler. Every video has either a lesson or a skill for survival.

Piper's account is solely focused on news and truth, posting every source she uses. She uses the trend of an insane video, like someone falling badly on the ground or getting splashed with water, and stitches it to look like a seamless transition of her rolling from the fall or being splashed to start talking about her news stories. It gets traction so she continues.

Porter Gage has a side gig of running TikTok accounts for different people. Gets the money, doesn't get the backlash when they get canceled for racism or worker exploitation.

Preston has an account dedicated to charity work and social activism. He makes sure to highlight organizations he feels are doing the world a service and regularly has fundraisers. He's well-known for always sharing content from people in dire situations and raising money for them. Has a master document of Go Fund Me pages and vets every one of them.

Strong has a lot of those unintentional boomer tiktoks that are 1 second long and he's just looking at the screen in confusion.

X6 cyber bullies the rest of them because he thinks having a TikTok is cringe and stupid (he is currently writing hate comments with his TikTok account)

[suudbe]

hi! i hope you don’t mind me asking but what happened with Akatsuki? im very out of the enstars loop so i feel a bit lost in understanding what all is going on 😅 feel free to ignore me if you don’t want to explain!

No problem at all! I'll explain to the best of my ability.

Recently, Enstars added 5 new idols. One of the new idols is Taki Ibuki and he is from Okinawa and is Ryukyuan. When Japan colonized the Ryukyu Kingdom, they forced the people to assimilate into Japanese culture. This process is called Japanization.

So, when rumors came out about the Ryukyuan character Ibuki possibly joining Akatsuki, a unit focused on Traditional Japanese aesthetics, people who know that history immediately called out the implications of writing such a thing. The head writer is known to write indigenous characters disrespectfully, but surely he wouldn't go this far?

It's been stated in several Akatsuki stories that Keito, Kuro, and Souma want it to only be them. There is a heavy emphasis on them having a bond stronger than blood. This is gonna be a one-off collab that leads to something bigger maybe Ibuki will go solo! Literally anything else BUT this please.

What followed was a story that mischaracterized every Akatsuki member. It was like all character development was reversed, for Keito, it seemed like he was a completely different dude.

The Enstars official twitter released a message to "Please not spoil the last few chapters for at least 4 days 🥺" they've never done this to my knowledge. It was blatant damage control for the shitstorm they had created themselves. Ibuki was brought into Akatsuki. What followed the next few hours were QRTs in all different languages absolutely GOING IN on Happyele, as they should. I saw so many people mourning the future of the franchise, many more leaving altogether, so much sadness and anger.

People connected the dots of releasing a Rei along with the event, since he's very very popular, and also announcing the PJSK collab. These would build up hype so maybe people would overlook it or it would draw them back in or some shit.

If I'm to sum it up in one sentence I'd say that Akatsuki was blatantly mischaracterized so they could fit their racist narrative of Indigenous people being "primitive" or "fixable" and needing to assimilate into Japanese culture.

Hopefully I explained the gist of it, I have a hard time phrasing and I've been told I explain things a bit unorganized. Here's a link to a twitter thread that most certainly explains way better than I could and two Wikipedia links that helped me learn.

A thread by @/gitsunegal on twitter written Oct. 10th when the rumors started. The last tweet in the thread is after the announcement, Jan 3rd.

A Wikipedia article on Japanization, contains summaries of not only Okinawa but also other areas that experienced Japan's colonization.

A Wikipedia article on the History of the Ryukyu Islands, I'd like to specifically point out the section Okinawa Prefecture, 1879–1937. Starting at the section Battle of Okinawa, the article discusses heavy topics such as rape, violence, and death.

If I missed anything or if any information is inaccurate please feel free to correct me or add on.

[lalathemediterraneanmermaid]

Ikepri reigns as real life countries

Hi there again my dear Belles. As we all know, ikemen prince reigns ar based on real life countries, or at least, that's what it looks like, specially knowing character's names, I mean, we have Chevalier (french), Von Obsidian (dutch - german), Ricci (italian), Yves (french), Kagari Amagase (japanese)... But, even though some kingdoms are easily "recognised" in real life countries, there are some others that are not that clear. That's why I've decided to match each kingdom to a country. This is just my opinion, so feel free to expose yours. Hope you enjoy little rabbits!!!!!!

Rhodolite - France

Romantic and Elegant Atmosphere: France is often seen as the epitome of romance, known for its picturesque landscapes, charming cafés, and the enchanting ambiance of cities like Paris. Rhodolite reflects this romantic and elegant atmosphere through the bookshops, the taverns, the little plaza with the fountain, the market, the pastisseries, the landscapes, the town… creating a kingdom where love stories unfold against a backdrop of beautiful scenery and intimate settings. The kingdom features elements like festivals or traditions that celebrate love, happiness, freedom and union.

Art, Fashion, Culture and roses: France has a rich artistic heritage, being the birthplace of influential movements such as Impressionism and home to iconic fashion houses. Rhodolite emphasizes this connection by showcasing characters who pay close attention to this type of visual and external things, such as Nokto with the jewelry, fashion, perfumes, etc. The presence of roses as a symbol of beauty and love could be significant in Rhodolite, with gardens filled with rose varieties and floral motifs present in everything, echoing the French appreciation for aesthetics, and also, it is known that France’s national flower is the rose.

Royal Legacy and Noble Etiquette: France’s history is steeped in royal legacy, with grand palaces, elaborate courts, and a system of noble etiquette that has influenced many cultures. Rhodolite portrays a kingdom that maintains these traditions, highlighting a royal family that embodies elegance, grace, and responsibility. The interactions among the nobility reflect the formal customs and social hierarchies reminiscent of historical French courts, adding depth to character relationships and political dynamics.

Architectural Beauty and Palaces: French architecture is renowned for its beauty, with iconic structures like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and the palaces of Versailles and Fontainebleau. Rhodolite showcases stunning architectural designs, blending various styles like Gothic, Baroque, and Rococo, for example seen in the palace. The kingdom is dotted with grand mansions and beautifully designed public spaces, reflecting the importance of architectural beauty in French culture and serving as a backdrop for significant events and gatherings.

Revolutionary Spirit: France is known for its revolutionary spirit, marked by events like the French Revolution, which reshaped the nation and inspired movements worldwide. Rhodolite embodies this revolutionary ethos by portraying characters who advocate for change, challenge the status quo, and strive for social justice. The kingdom is depicted as a place where ideas of liberty, equality, and fraternity resonate, driving the narrative of personal and societal transformation.

Obsidian - Germany

Strength, discipline and Military Power: Germany is historically recognized for its strong military tradition and disciplined approach to governance and society. Obsidian embodies these qualities by depicting a kingdom with a robust military presence, emphasizing values such as honor, loyalty, and strategic prowess. Characters in Obsidian reflect the disciplined nature associated with German culture, portraying dedication to duty and strength in adversity.

Industrial Powerhouse and Innovation: Germany is renowned for its industrial strength, being home to leading companies in sectors like automotive, engineering, and technology. Obsidian highlights this aspect by showcasing a kingdom that values innovation and technological advancement, I mean they “invented” the guns. The presence of skilled craftsmen, inventors, and engineers are prominent, illustrating a society that thrives on progress and economic power, mirroring Germany's historical emphasis on efficiency and quality.

Cold and Austere Atmosphere: Germany’s cultural identity often includes a perception of coldness or stoicism, reflected in its architectural styles, weather, and social interactions. Obsidian captures this austere atmosphere through its landscapes, character interactions, and overall aesthetic. The kingdom is characterized by a serious demeanor, where emotions are expressed more subtly, especially fear, emphasizing strength and resilience over overt displays of warmth.

Central European Strategic Position: Germany’s central location in Europe has historically made it a crossroads for trade, culture, and politics. Obsidian represents this strategic significance by showcasing its role as a threat for other kingdoms that surround the obsidianites. Characters navigate complex political landscapes, reflecting Germany's historical importance in shaping European dynamics and alliances.

Architectural and Cultural Grandeur: Germany boasts a rich architectural heritage, with castles, cathedrals, and modern structures that showcase its historical and cultural grandeur. Obsidian features majestic buildings, representing the kingdom’s power and strength.

Benitoite - Italy

Luxurious Lifestyle and Grandeur: Italy is synonymous with luxury and grandeur, known for its opulent fashion, exquisite art, and historical monuments. Benitoite embodies this luxurious lifestyle by portraying a kingdom filled with elegant palaces, lavish celebrations, and a strong emphasis on beauty and aesthetics. Characters dress in fine fabrics and adorn themselves with beautiful accessories, reflecting Italy’s rich cultural heritage in fashion and art.

A nation benefited by the sea: Italy’s long coastline has significantly influenced its culture, economy, and way of life. Benitoite reflects this connection to the sea through its geography, highlighting vibrant coastal cities and a thriving maritime culture. The kingdom showcases bustling ports, trade routes, and a lifestyle that embraces the ocean, with characters engaging in activities like fishing, sailing, and enjoying the beach, mirroring Italy’s deep-rooted relationship with the Mediterranean Sea.

Gastronomy and Sophistication (the best of the best): Italian cuisine is renowned worldwide for its richness and diversity, emphasizing high-quality ingredients and sophisticated flavors. Benitoite emphasizes this culinary heritage by showcasing elaborate feasts, traditional cooking methods, and a strong focus on fresh, local produce. Characters engage in the art of cooking, like Silvio when he swapped bodies with Rio, celebrating gastronomy as an essential part of their culture, reflecting Italy’s status as a culinary capital.

"The cradle of commerce": Historically, Italy has been a central hub for commerce and trade, particularly during the Renaissance when cities like Venice and Florence thrived economically. Benitoite embodies this spirit of commerce, showcasing vibrant marketplaces, trade fairs, and a culture that values entrepreneurship and innovation, I mean, look at Silvio, nothing more to add. Characters are depicted as merchants, traders, or skilled artisans, highlighting the importance of commerce in the kingdom’s prosperity.

Rich Alcoholic Heritage: Italy is famous for its wine production, with regions like Tuscany and Piedmont known for their exceptional vineyards and rich traditions surrounding wine-making. Benitoite reflects this alcoholic heritage by incorporating wine and other alcoholic beverages culture into its narrative, showcasing characters who appreciate fine liqueurs, attend harvest festivals, and engage in alcohol making traditions. This connection to Italy’s rich alcoholic heritage could also be reflected in the kingdom's celebrations, where drinking plays a significant role in social gatherings.

Jade - The Netherlands

Natural Beauty and Green Landscapes: The Netherlands is renowned for its picturesque landscapes, characterized by lush green fields, beautiful flower gardens (notably tulip fields), and tranquil waterways. Jade embodies this natural beauty, showcasing a kingdom filled with vibrant flora and serene environments, where characters are deeply connected to nature. The kingdom features breathtaking gardens, parks, and countryside, reflecting the Dutch appreciation for their scenic surroundings.

Rich Herbal Traditions and Innovation: The Netherlands has a long history of herbal medicine and innovation in horticulture, with a significant focus on cultivating plants for medicinal and culinary purposes. Jade highlights this aspect by incorporating herbal traditions, where characters utilize local herbs for healing, cooking, or crafting potions. The kingdom is portrayed as a center for herbal innovation, showcasing advanced gardening techniques and a thriving market for medicinal herbs, mirroring the Dutch reputation in this field.

Cultural Heritage, Tolerance and Neutrality: The Netherlands is known for its cultural diversity and historical commitment to tolerance and neutrality in international affairs. Jade reflects this spirit by portraying a kingdom that embraces various cultures (obsidianite refugees) and ideas, fostering an environment of inclusivity and understanding. Characters from different backgrounds coexist peacefully, contributing to a rich tapestry of traditions, beliefs, and customs within the kingdom.

Connected Communities: The Dutch are famous for their strong sense of community and interconnectedness, often seen in their cooperative agricultural practices and social networks. Jade emphasizes this sense of connection by showcasing tight-knit communities where people work together for the common good, support each other, and celebrate local traditions. The kingdom features festivals, markets, and communal events that highlight the importance of relationships and collaboration among its inhabitants.

Wildlife: The Netherlands is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including various bird species, insects, and unique ecosystems like marshes and wetlands. Jade reflects this biodiversity by incorporating elements of wildlife into its narrative, where characters have a deep respect for nature and actively engage in conservation efforts. The kingdom showcases natural habitats and characters who are passionate about protecting the environment, mirroring the Dutch commitment to sustainability and conservation.

Tanzanite - Persia

Historical Influence and Rich Heritage: Persia has a rich historical legacy, with significant contributions to art, literature, and science throughout the ages. Tanzanite embodies this heritage by portraying a kingdom that honors its past through storytelling, art, and tradition. The kingdom includes historical sites, ancient temples, and a culture that celebrates its roots, reflecting the grandeur of Persian civilization and its impact on the world.

Persian Aesthetics and Ornamentation: Persian art is renowned for its intricate designs, vibrant colors, and detailed craftsmanship. Tanzanite captures this aesthetic through its architecture, clothing, and decorative arts. The kingdom features elaborate palaces adorned with mosaics, beautiful gardens inspired by Persian design, and characters dressed in richly embroidered garments, showcasing the beauty and sophistication associated with Persian culture.

Philosophy and Mysticism: Persian culture has a long tradition of philosophical thought and mysticism, with influential poets and thinkers like Rumi and Omar Khayyam exploring themes of love, spirituality, and the human experience. Tanzanite reflects this depth by incorporating elements of philosophy and mysticism into its narrative, I mean, Azel is portrayed as a God. Characters engage in discussions about existence, love, and magic, drawing inspiration from Persian literature and thought, creating a reflective and introspective atmosphere in the kingdom.

Trade and Cultural Exchange: Historically, Persia was a vital hub for trade along the Silk Road, facilitating the exchange of goods, ideas, and cultures. Tanzanite could mirror this aspect by showcasing a vibrant marketplace where diverse cultures converge, highlighting the kingdom's role as a center for commerce and cultural interaction. Characters might be seen as traders, merchants, or travelers who bring different perspectives and traditions to the kingdom, enriching its cultural tapestry. Let's not forget the trade relationship between Azel and Silvio...

Economy: Persia was known for its wealth derived from trade, agriculture, and craftsmanship. Tanzanite could have reflected this economic strength by portraying a kingdom that values trade and innovation. The kingdom might have  thrived on the production of unique goods, such as textiles, spices, or artisan crafts, showcasing a dynamic economy that supports its inhabitants and fosters prosperity. But the reality that they have shown us is that they are not as economically powerful as they seem. It almost looks like the greater houses are pretty rich while the rest of the population might live in poverty.

Kogyouku - Japan

Cultural Heritage and Tradition: Japan has a rich cultural heritage characterized by traditional arts, crafts, festivals, and rituals that have been preserved for centuries. Kogyoku seems to embody this sense of tradition through its customs, ceremonies, and the way its inhabitants celebrate their history. The kingdom highlights tea ceremonies, calligraphy, and traditional music, emphasizing the importance of honoring one’s ancestors and cultural practices, thus creating a deep sense of identity.

Sakura trees: Sakura (cherry blossom) trees are iconic in Japanese culture, symbolizing beauty, the transient nature of life, and the arrival of spring. Kogyoku incorporates these trees into its landscape, creating scenes of breathtaking beauty during the cherry blossom season. Characters participate in hanami (flower-viewing) festivals, celebrating the fleeting beauty of the blossoms, which aligns with the Japanese appreciation for nature and the passing of time.

Japanese aesthetic: The Japanese aesthetic emphasizes simplicity, naturalness, and the beauty of imperfection, often seen in art forms like wabi-sabi. Kogyoku reflects this aesthetic through its architecture, gardens, and crafts. The kingdom features tranquil gardens with carefully placed rocks and water elements, understated yet elegant clothing, and art that embraces asymmetry and simplicity, capturing the essence of Japanese beauty.

Civil war: The Sengoku period (1467-1603) was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and military conflict in Japan, characterized by powerful clans vying for control. Kogyoku draws inspiration from this historical context, incorporating themes of rivalry, strategy, and the quest for power among noble families. Characters embody the spirit of samurai warriors, showcasing their loyalty, courage, and the complexities of allegiance during a tumultuous era, enriching the kingdom’s narrative with historical depth.

Focus on Honor: Honor is a central tenet of Japanese culture, particularly within the samurai ethos. Kogyoku reflects this focus on honor through its characters’ values, emphasizing loyalty, duty, and respect. The kingdom has a code of conduct that guides the behavior of its inhabitants, with stories centered around noble sacrifices and the importance of maintaining one’s honor in the face of challenges. This aspect resonates deeply with the samurai legacy, highlighting the significance of integrity and personal honor within the kingdom.

Achroite - Sweden/Finland/Iceland

Cultural Coldness and Reserve: The Nordic countries are often perceived as having a cultural disposition characterized by a certain reserve or coldness, particularly in social interactions. Achroite embodies this aspect through its characters, who exhibit a calm and composed demeanor, reflecting the understated communication style of the region. This cultural coldness can be portrayed as a strength, emphasizing the value of inner strength and emotional control, which allows for deep connections beneath the surface.

Commitment to Justice and Equality: Sweden, Finland, and Iceland are known for their strong commitment to social justice, equality, and human rights. Achroite reflects this ethos by showcasing a kingdom that prioritizes fairness and equal opportunities for all its citizens. The kingdom has laws and systems that are pretty strict, emphasizing the importance of social equity in governance and community life, creating a narrative centered around progressive values.

Strong-Minded and Resilient Individuals: The people of the Nordic countries are often characterized by their resilience and strong-mindedness, adapting to the challenges of their harsh environments. Achroite embodies this quality through its characters, who display determination, independence, and resourcefulness in overcoming obstacles. The kingdom might celebrate stories of individuals who stand firm in their beliefs and face adversity with courage, emphasizing the strength of character that defines its inhabitants.

Wisdom and Rationality: Nordic cultures value education, critical thinking, and rational decision-making, often relying on informed discourse and logical reasoning to address societal issues. Achroite reflects this emphasis on wisdom and rationality by portraying characters who approach challenges thoughtfully and analytically. The kingdom is depicted as a center for learning and intellectual exchange, where knowledge and wisdom are cherished, fostering a culture of informed dialogue and progress.

Law and Order as Pillars of Society: In the Nordic countries, law and order are fundamental to maintaining a peaceful and stable society. Achroite mirrors this principle by showcasing a kingdom where justice, rules, and civic responsibility are highly valued. The narrative highlights the significance of laws that promote societal harmony and the role of institutions in upholding order. Characters take on roles as guardians of justice, working to ensure that the kingdom remains a safe and orderly place for all its inhabitants.

And that's it my loves!!!! Hope you've enjoyed this quite long but interesting post!!!! Bibble loves you XOXO.

[doreminimi]

an exposed love story | I.Y.

A/N: It's been a while since l've been in the writing scene but l've been wanting to go back into it for a while but didn't really have anyone in mind to write about. But recently, l've been quite hooked onto the olympics scene and a few of the athletes ended up catching my interest and so this short imagine is based off the person who caught my attention.

The story is a mix between my love for the k-pop (as I have done some writings from the past) and the volleyball scene - particularly the Japanese men's volleyball team

Hope you enjoy my first piece of writing in a while!

Genre: Hidden Love, Highschool Friends to Lovers, Fluff

Characters: Ishikawa Yuki x Reader (Reader has a last name)

POV: Third Person to Your POV

- ft. Dokyeom, Mingyu, Seungkwan from SVT, Sana from Twice, and JPN Men's Volleyball Team

Word Count: 2.3k (A short imagine / one-shot)

———————

In the bustling city of Tokyo, where the neon lights danced and the energy never seemed to wane, Jeon Y/N and Ishikawa Yuki first met. Y/N, a bright and ambitious high school student with dreams of becoming a renowned idol, was instantly captivated by Yuki's quiet determination and athletic prowess. Yuki, a promising young volleyball player with a serious yet kind demeanor, found Y/N's charisma and passion irresistible.

Their connection was immediate and profound. As high school friends, they spent time together whenever they could, sharing dreams and supporting each other through their busy schedules. Y/N's path soon took her to Korea, where she pursued a successful career in the music industry. Yuki joined Japan's national volleyball team and played for various Italian clubs during the offseason, leading to a long-distance relationship that was both challenging and rewarding.

Despite the distance, their bond remained unshakeable. Y/N's songs began to feature subtly in Yuki's team practice vlogs and official matches, leading to murmurs among fans. Although neither Y/N nor Yuki publicly confirmed their relationship, their connection was evident in these small but meaningful gestures.

—

One evening, during a casual brunch get-together with, Seungkwan, Dokyeom, and Mingyu at a cozy café, the topic of your "relationship" with Yuki came up.

"Have you noticed that song from the Japan volleyball team's vlogs?" Seungkwan asked, leaning forward with curiosity. "It sounds a lot like something Y/N/N would sing~" ending his sentence in a teasing manner.

Quickly turning towards Seungkwan surprised like a deer in headlights, you curse in your mind forgetting that he always keeps himself updated in the volleyball scene as an avid-fan of the sport. You should have known sooner or later that one of your friends would found out, so you reply with a nervous chuckle, "Really? I hadn't heard that.”

Mingyu, always ready to stir the pot, added with a grin, "There's been chatter about you and someone in Italy. Care to share?"

Your face turned a light shade of pink as you tried to compose yourself. "There might be some truth to it, but let's just keep it between us for now."

Dokyeom placed a supportive hand on your shoulder. "Whatever's happening, we've got your back. You don't have to go through this alone."

—

After years of navigating the complexities of a long-distance relationship, you and Yuki finally found a moment in your busy schedules for a short getaway. Quickly deciding on Florence, a city that seemed to perfectly embody your dreams of romance and history. As you and Yuki walk through its cobblestone streets, exploring its art-filled museums and enjoying its quaint cafes, you find yourselves enveloped in the very essence of a long-awaited reunion. The city’s timeless charm mirrored the depth of your connection, making the time together both magical and unforgettable.

The days were filled with joy as you two explored the city's narrow streets, visited the Uffizi Gallery, and enjoyed meals at quaint trattorias. Wandering hand-in-hand, savoring the rare opportunity to be together without the constant scrutiny of your public lives.

One sunny afternoon, you find a charming café deeply hidden in the alleyways, you look at Yuki with a bright smile. "How about we sit here? I've heard their espresso and tiramisu is fantastic! Plus, since it is a bit secluded we won't have to worry too much about someone spotting us."

Yuki’s eyes twinkled with affection. "That sounds perfect. I trust your taste completely."

As you settled at your table, enjoying your coffee and each other's company, a sudden burst of camera flashes disrupted your peaceful afternoon. Paparazzi, ever on the lookout for a story, had caught you in your private moment. You exchanged startled glances with Yuki, realizing your carefully planned escape had been compromised.

Looking around frantically, you tried to find a waiter who could help you find a more private spot. Yuki, his face hardened with determination, grasped your hands and said, "Hey, look at me. Don’t panic. It’s okay, what happened has already happened. Let’s try to enjoy the rest of our day. We will deal with the consequences later."

You squeezed his hand, offering a reassuring smile as you settled your anxiety and nerves. "Okay. We’ve faced challenges before, so we can handle this together."

Despite your efforts to stay calm, the media frenzy that followed made your vacation far from relaxing.

—

The morning after the photos were leaked, you and Yuki awoke to a media storm. Dispatch had published an exclusive article titled "An Italian Getaway: The Secret Romance Between Korean Idol and Japanese Volleyball Captain!" The article featured several intimate photos of you and Yuki from your Italian vacation, and it didn’t take long for the story to spread across various media platforms.

Your phone buzzed incessantly with notifications. You felt a mix of anxiety and resolve as you read messages from friends. Seungkwan, Dokyeom, and Mingyu all reached out in your group chat.

Seungkwan's message appeared first: "Y/N, are you really dating my volleyball idol? Is it true about you and Ishikawa? You know we’re here for you, no matter what."

You took a deep breath and typed a response. "Yes, it’s true. Yuki and I have been together for a long time. We kept it private because of our careers, but now that it’s out, we’re ready to face it."

Dokyeom's message followed quickly: "I’m glad you’re open about it. We’re all here for you. How are you holding up?"

You sighed, feeling a mix of relief and worry. "It’s overwhelming, but I’m managing. Thanks for your support."

On Yuki’s side, his teammates in Japan were also reacting. His phone buzzed with messages from their group chat, which was now exploding with notifications.

[Group Chat: Japan Volleyball Team]

Ran: "Congratulations on your relationship, Captain! Can I ask for a favor, can you ask Y/N for an autograph? I need it for my collection!"

Otsuka: "Seriously, congrats, Captain! You’ve always been such a mystery with your personal life. It’s great to see you so happy."

Yamauchi: "Yuki, about time you got into a relationship. We were worried you’d stay single forever!"

Nishida: "Wow, I can’t believe it’s Y/N. That’s huge! I’m sure you both make a great couple."

Yuki read the messages with amusement. He scoffed at the playful jabs but appreciated the genuine congratulations from his teammates. Smiling, he typed a response: "Thank you for the messages, guys. I’ll definitely ask Y/N for an autograph for you, Ran."

He hit send, shaking his head with a chuckle. The reactions from his teammates were a comforting reminder of the support he had, even amidst the chaos of the media frenzy. Their messages provided relief and laughter, helping him navigate the challenging situation with camaraderie and humor.

—

As the Paris 2024 Olympics approached, Yuki dedicated himself fully to his training, and you prepared for your own activities. You had planned to make a meaningful public statement after the Olympics, marking both your relationship and Yuki’s achievements.

When Yuki’s team won the gold medal after weeks of challenges and hardships, the moment was both triumphant and emotionally charged. You felt an overwhelming sense of pride and joy. Your shared victory was a testament to your resilience and love.

Later that night, you and Yuki sat in your hotel room, the weight of the day’s events sinking in. You were preparing a special Instagram post. "Are you ready for this?" you asked Yuki, your voice filled with a mix of excitement and nerves.

Yuki, his gaze soft and full of affection, nodded. "Yes. It’s time for the fans to know the truth. I want to celebrate our journey."

You uploaded a series of images to your Instagram story. The first few photos were nostalgic, showing your high school days, candid vacation moments, and various milestones in your relationship. The final image was the most powerful: you and Yuki in the now-empty Olympic volleyball arena, sharing a sweet kiss on his cheek with your arms propped around his neck, with Yuki holding onto the gold medal in one hand and your waist in the other.

The caption read: "Happy 10 years, my captain ♡ to many more years with you"

The post quickly went viral, with fans from both Korea and Japan, as well as across the globe, flooding your feeds with messages of congratulations and support. A hashtag for your relationship trended on Twitter, symbolizing your love story and the strength of your bond.

You were inundated with heartfelt messages from friends and fans. Sana from Twice reached out with a warm message: "I’m so happy for you both! Your love story is truly inspiring. Congratulations!"

You responded with gratitude: "Thank you, Unnie. Your support means so much to us!"

—

The final show of your Japan tour was set to take place at the iconic Nissan Stadium in Yokohama, a grand venue that held a special place in your heart. The stage was set, the lights were dazzling, and the anticipation in the air was palpable. This concert marked the culmination of a successful tour, and you wanted it to be unforgettable.

As you prepared to go on stage, your heart raced with excitement. You had planned something special—not just for your fans, but for Yuki. The Japanese volleyball team had been given special VIP seats for the concert from your management company, and Yuki was among them. You wanted to honor Yuki and your relationship in front of thousands of devoted fans, and you had a surprise planned.

The concert began with an electrifying opening number, your powerful voice filling the stadium as you sang your heart out. The crowd’s energy was contagious, and you fed off their enthusiasm, performing with an intensity that matched your excitement.

Midway through the concert, during a particularly emotional ballad, you signaled to your camera crew. You had a special request that you hoped would add a personal touch to the evening. The crew quickly understood and prepared for the transition.

As the song reached its crescendo, you gestured towards the camera with a bright smile. "We have a very special guest here tonight, and I’d like to share that with you all," you announced through your mic, your voice full of emotion.

The camera panned away from the stage and began to move towards the special VIP balcony, where Yuki and the volleyball team were seated. The crowd’s murmur grew into excited whispers as the camera drew closer. Your fans recognized Yuki and the volleyball team, and the energy in the stadium surged with excitement.

You took a deep breath, your voice steady but filled with warmth. "I want to take a moment to thank someone very special to me. Yuki, you’ve been my rock and my greatest support throughout this journey. This night is dedicated to you and our love."

As you sang the final notes of the ballad, your eyes locked with Yuki’s. The connection between you was palpable, and the sincerity in your gaze spoke volumes. The audience, moved by the gesture, responded with cheers and applause that echoed throughout the stadium.

The camera then returned to you on stage, capturing your radiant smile and the way you seemed to glow with happiness. You continued to perform with renewed energy, your heart lightened by the visible support from Yuki and the volleyball team.

After the concert, you and your bandmates were backstage, basking in the afterglow of a successful show. The atmosphere was jubilant, filled with laughter and congratulations. Yuki and his teammates made their way backstage to meet you, and the reunion was filled with warmth and affection.

Yuki pulled you into a tight embrace, his eyes shining with pride. "Amore mio, you were amazing tonight. I’m so proud of you."

You looked up at him with a beaming smile. "Thank you, Yuki. Having you here means everything to me. I wanted to share this moment with you."

As you stood together, surrounded by friends and colleagues, Sana and Momo from Twice approached with a smile. "The concert was incredible, Y/N. And you two looked so happy together. I’m really glad to see you both celebrating."

You hugged both of them warmly. "Thank you, Sana. Your support has been so meaningful to us."

As the evening wound down, you and Yuki took a quiet moment together, stepping outside to enjoy the cool night air. You stood on a balcony overlooking the city, the lights of Yokohama twinkling below.

"This tour has been incredible," you said, leaning against the railing. "But tonight was really special."

Yuki nodded, wrapping his arms around your shoulders and placing a sweet kiss on your forehead. "It was perfect. Thank you for making me a part of it."

You rested your head on Yuki’s shoulder, feeling a deep sense of contentment. "Here’s to many more moments like this."

As you stood together, the world seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of you and the promise of a bright future. Your love had endured through the highs and lows, and now, with your relationship celebrated publicly, you looked forward to what lay ahead, knowing that you could face any challenge together.

Your journey, marked by love, dedication, and resilience, continued to inspire many. And as you embraced the future, you and Yuki knew that your love was stronger than ever, ready to shine in the spotlight and beyond.

[anne-bsd-bibliophile]

Retrogression by Dazai Osamu is the #1 New Release in Japanese Literature!

"This book aims to piece together the fractured and disorderly lifestyle of one of history's greatest romantics and pairs it with a particular moment in his life; losing the Akutagawa Prize. The ensuing drama that unfolded through private letters, newspaper articles, diaries, obituaries, and fiction created a scandal that disturbed the early Showa literati with its coarse and indecent honesty. Dazai's fiction, fiction about Dazai, speculation and reality intertwined to create an explosive event that not only changed the desired trajectory of his life but also raised issues of discrimination within prominent literary circles and the treatment of mental illness in 1930s Japan." - From the Introduction by translator A. L. Raye

Retrogression also includes annotations and background information on every story, letter, diary, and eulogy, adding history and insights that are difficult to find available in other English translations so far.

You can find more information and free translations on Yobanashi Café. Retrogression is available for purchase in either paperback or eBook format on Amazon.

[chaos0pikachu]

Is BL Being Overly Influenced by Modern Western Romance Tropes?

Short answer: No. anyways, in the following essay I will explain that James Cameron is a weeb...

(okay fine~~ lets actually do this)

TLDR: discussing what media globalization is, how fandom can distill it down to only American/European cinema, showcasing how a lot of current BL is influenced by countries within it's own proximity and NOT "the west" but each other, also James Cameron is still a weeb

I had seen a post that basically proposited that BL was being influenced by modern western romance tropes and had used things like omegaverse and mafia settings as an example. I found this, in a word, fucking annoying (oh, two words I guess) because it's micro-xenophobic to me.

It positions western - and really what we mean by this is American/European countries, we're not talking about South American countries are we? - cinema as the central breadbasket of all cinema in and of itself. Inherently, all following cinema must be in some way, shape, or form, influenced by American/European standards, and as such America/European countries are directly responsible for cinema everywhere else, and these places - namely non-white countries - do not influence each other, nor have their own histories in regards to storytelling or cinema and do not, in turn, also influence American/European film making either.

Now like, do I think all of that~~ is intentionally malicious thinking on behalf of folks in fandom? No, so chill out.

I do, however, think a lot of it is birthed from simple ignorance and growing up in an environment where ~The West~ is propagated to be central, individual, and exceptional as opposed to the monolith of "Asia" - by which we mean China, Korea, Japan don't we? How often in discussions of Asian countries is Iran, India, or Saudi Arabia brought up even tho they are all Asian countries? - or the monolith that is South America - in which some folks might believe regions like the Caribbean and/or Central America belong to, but nope there both North America.

Anyway, what we're talking about here is the concept of "media globalization":

"The production, distribution, and consumption of media products on a global scale, facilitating the exchange and diffusion of ideas cross-culturally." (source)

"The media industry is, in many ways, perfect for globalization, or the spread of global trade without regard for traditional political borders. [...] the low marginal costs of media mean that reaching a wider market creates much larger profit margins for media companies. [...] Media is largely a cultural product, and the transfer of such a product is likely to have an influence on the recipient’s culture." (source)

Typically when I see fandom discussing what falls under MG the topic is usually focused on how "the west" is influencing Thai/Korean/Chinese/Japanese media.

Enter, Pit Babe.

Surely Pit Babe was influenced by Supernatural right? Omegaverse is huge in the west - love it, hate it, meh it - it originated in the west - specifically via Supernatural after all.

Nah.

Omegaverse has been popular in Japan and China for almost a decade, if not longer. The earliest omegaverse manga I can think of is Pendulum: Juujin Omegaverse by Hana Hasumi which was released in 2015, almost a decade ago.

(what if you added furries into omegaverse? WHAT IF?? - Japan)

There's countless popular omegaverse manga too, and the dynamics only moderately resemble the ones we're familiar with in the west. Juujin is part omegaverse and part furry/beastmen - the alphas are all beastmen the omegas are humans - while something like Ookami-kun Is Not Scary only slightly resembles omegaverse dynamics as a hybrid series - beastmen are really popular in Japan in part b/c of historical mythology (you see the combination of romantic Beastmen and Japanese culture & folklore in Mamoru Hosoda's work The Boy and the Beast and Wolf Children).

Megumi & Tsugumi (2018) is so popular they're an official English edition published by VIZ's imprint SuBlime and that's a straight up omegaverse story.

(look at the omega symbol on the cover loud and proud baby)

So if Pit Babe was influenced by anything, it certainly wasn't "the west" it was Japan, Korea and China. Because those countries have a thriving omegaverse sub-genre going and have had such for 10 plus years now. Supernatural is popular in Japan, yes, and that may be where Japan and Japanese fans originally found omegaverse as a fictional sub-genre.

HOWEVER

Japanese fans took the sub-genre, bent it, played with it, and evolved it into their own thing. As such, other countries in their proximity, like Thailand, China, and Korea who read BL and GL manga, found it and were like "hey, we wanna play too!"

(is that an omegaverse yuri novel I spy?? yes, yes it is)

When I watched the Red Peafowl trailer, it had more in common with Kinnporsche, History: Trapped, along with films and shows like: Jet Li's The Enforcer, and Fist of Legend, Donnie Yen's Flash Point, Raging Fire, and Kung Fu Jungle, Han Dong-wook's The Worst of Evil, Kim Jin-Min's My Name, Lee Chung-hyeon's The Ballerina, Baik's Believer & Believer 2, Yoshie Kaoruhara's KeixYaku, popular Don Lee films The Gangster, the Cop and the Devil and Unstoppable alongside BL manga like Honto Yajuu and Bi No Isu (probably one of the most well known yazuka manga to date).

Like, we're seeing a rise in mafia based BLs and people think that's because of "western influence" and not the absolute insane success of kinnporsche??? Especially in countries like China, Korea, Taiwan, Philippines and other Asian countries???

Mafia films and gang shows aren't even that popular here in America/Europe; don't get me wrong, they still get made and exist, but the last full length film was The Irishman which did not make it's budget back, and while Power is still on-going it's not a smash hit either. The heyday of Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, The Wire, Goodfellas, and Scarface are long gone. And if you've watched any those shows or films they have very little in common with Kei x Yaku, Kinnporsche, or Red Peafowl in tone, or style.

(who knew martin just wanted to make his al pacino/robert de niro fanfic come to life all these years?)

Another example, The Sign, which is clearly taking inspiration from Chinese costume dramas: Ashes of Love, Fairy and Devil, White Snake (and it's many adaptions), Guardian, & Ying Yang Master Dream of Eternity. Alongside Hong Kong and Korean cop and romance shows like Tale of the Nine-Tailed, Hotel Del Luna, Director Who Buys Me Dinner, First Love, Again, and previously mentioned cop dramas.

Like, I know y'all don't think Twins is influenced by, what, American sports classic Angels in the Outfield?? Gridiron Gang?? Rocky?? Nah that shit is inspired by the popularity of sports manga like Haikyuu!!, Slam Dunk, Prince of Tennis (which even has a Chinese drama adaption), and the like. And also probably History 2, & Not Me but I'm like 87% sure Twins is just Haikyuu fanfic.

So like, does this mean that there's NO history in which American and European cinema influenced these countries? What, no, obviously that's not true, American/European totally have had media influence on countries like Korea, Japan, etc.

Astro Boy by Osamu Tezuka considered "the father of manga" was inspired by Walt Disney's work on Bambi. Another more recent and prominent example is director Yeon Sang-ho and his film Train to Busan.

"And it was Snyder’s movie [Dawn of the Dead, 2004], not the 1978 original, that filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho recalled as his first encounter with the undead. “That was when I started my interest in zombies,” Yeon said, in an email interview through a translator from South Korea. Even today, he added, “it’s the most memorable and intense zombie movie I’ve ever seen.”" (source)

HOWEVER, the global influence doesn't stop there. It's not a one-way street. Yeon Sang-Ho was inspired by Zack Synder's Dawn of the Dead, a remake of George Romero's own work, but Yeon Sang-Ho's work has inspired countless Korean film makers to make their own zombie media; following Train to Busan there's been: Kingdom (2019 - current), All of Us Are Dead (2022), Zombie Detective (2020), Zombieverse (2023), Alive (2020), Rampant (2018).

And hey, wouldn't you know it now we're starting to see more zombie media coming out of places like Japan (Zom 100 the manga, movie, and anime) and High School of the Dead.

Do you know what Domundi's series Zombivor (2023, pilot trailer only) reminds me of? It's NOT The Walking Dead (which is the only relevant zombie media America has created in the last decade) it's Korea's All of Us Are Dead (2022). Comparing the trailers, the settings, the tone, it's clear where Zombivor is pulling inspiration from: Korean zombie cinema. NOT American zombie cinema.

In fact a lot of Domundi's shows - Cutie Pie, Middleman's Love, Naughty Babe, Bed Friend - are all very clearly inspired by Korean filmmaking, specifically that of romantic kdramas from the 2016 - 2020 era. Not always in story, but rather in technique.

This is media globalization. It's not simply ~The West~ influencing non-American/European countries but countries who are often more close in terms of: proximity, culture, and trade are going to have more influence on each other.

It is far more likely that Aoftion (Naughty Babe, Cutie Pie, Zombivor) was influenced by watching Train to Busan, All of Us Are Dead, and other Korean zombie shows and films than a single episode of Walking Dead.

My point isn't that this goes one way only, but rather it is very literally a global thing. This includes American and European film makers being influenced by non-American and European cinema.

Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Darren Aronofsky, Christopher Nolan, the Wachowski sisters, George Lucas and James Cameron have all been influenced by Japanese film making, especially the works of Akira Kurosawa, Satoshi Kon, and Mamoru Oshii.

John Wick's entire gun-fu sub-genre is heavily influenced by classic Hong Kong action films, specifically John Woo films. Legend of Korra, The Boondocks, Voltron, Young Justice, My Adventures with Superman are all obviously inspired by Japanese anime but animated by a Korean animation studio (Studio Mir). Beyond that, the rise in adult animated dramas like Castlevania, Critical Role Vox Machina, and Invincible to name a few are very clearly taking inspiration from anime in terms of style. The weebs that were watching Adult Swim's Inuyasha, Bleach, and Dragon Ball Z have grown up and are now working in Hollywood.

Okay so like, what's the point of all this? What's the issue? Since American/European cinema does influence et all cinema does any of this really matter?

YES.

I take contention with this line of thinking because it centers "the west" and our supposed individual importance way to much. Declaring definitively that "BL is being influenced by western tropes" and then including tropes, narratives, and film making styles that aren't inherently western and actually have major roots in the cinema of various Asian countries, removes the existence of individual history these countries have which are rich, varied, and nuanced. It removes the "global" part of globalization by declaring "the globe" is really just America and Europe.

It distills these countries down to static places that only exist when American/European audiences discover them.

BL doesn't exist in a vacuum you can trace the development of Korean BL to the development of Korean het dramas almost to a T. You can also trace their development to the queer history of each country and how Thailand interacts culturally with China, Japan, Korea, etc and vice versa. It also ignores the history of these countries influencing American cinema as well. Don't mistake "the globe" for only your sphere of experience.

Anyway James Cameron is a damn weeb y'all have a good night.

Check out other posts in the series:

Film Making? In My BL? - The Sign ep01 Edition | Aspect Ratio in Love for Love's Sake | Cinematography in My BL - Our Skyy2 vs kinnporsche, 2gether vs semantic error, 1000 Stars vs The Sign | How The Sign Uses CGI | Is BL Being Overly Influenced by Modern Western Romance Tropes?

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[bnhaobservation]

THE TODOROKI FAMILY: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

So this is a giant wall of information I searched for my fics as well as answers to many questions I saw around the net about the Todoroki family. Answers are based on canon and Japanese culture; occasionally I’ve also added things that might seem the most realistically possible option. You are free to disagree. Also remember things are changing, Japanese people are not all the same, and I’m not Japanese so, even though I documented myself, I might be wrong. Consider all this food for thoughts, a crutch to help you to find info, and not the holy bible and make sure to document yourself.

I started with general data and then I placed the rest of the information chronologically following their history, discussing canon facts but also things like how divorce works in Japan and why Rei couldn't ask it, beliefs, child abuse and which is its punishment, stance on therapy, schools and so on, plus some info about other things which end up connecting with the Todoroki.

I hope people can find it of some use and yes, it’s really long but I preferred to put everything in a single post. If something relevant about the Todoroki will be revealed in the future I’ll probably update this.

XX WHAT DO THE TODOROKI’S NAMES MEAN?

The meaning of a Japanese name is generally given by the kanji that form that name. Different kanji forming the same name give that name a different meaning. Occasionally the reading of the name (which might even differ from the standard reading of the kanji) is also considered as an additional meaning.

Tokoroki (轟): “roar, thunder, boom resound”. In this case it likely refers to the sound of a roaring fire, in fact in the manga the chapter in which Enji fight the High-End called ‘Moeyo Todoroke! VS Nōmu: HIGH END’ (燃えよ轟け！VS脳無：ハイエンド “Flaming Roar! vs. Nōmu: High-End”), however ‘todoroku’ can also refer to “to be well-known; to be famous” which might be a nod to how Shōto is the son of the famous Number 2. It’s a relatively common surname, especially in the Saga Prefecture, Japan.

Enji (炎司): “flame” (炎 ‘en’) and “boss” (司 ‘ji’).

Tōya (燈矢): “lamp” (燈 ‘tō’) and “arrow” (矢 ‘ya’). Tōya is also an ‘alternate reading’ for 18 (‘tō’ と is the reading for 十 “ten” and ‘ya’ や is the reading for 八 “eight”) which is the day in which Tōya had birth. The story has another Tōya, Setsuno Tōya of the “Eight Bullets” (鉄砲玉 八斎衆 ‘Teppōdama Hassaishū’) but the name of this Tōya is written all in katakana, making impossible to guess which was meant to be its meaning.

Fuyumi (冬美): “winter” (冬 ‘fuyu’) and “beauty” (美 ‘mi’). Fuyumi is born short before the beginning of winter, so her name might also be a reference to that.

Natsuo (夏雄): “summer” (夏 ‘natsu’) and “excellent male” (雄 ‘o’). Natsuo is born in summer, so his name is likely a reference to that.

Shōto (焦凍): “burned” (焦 ‘shō’) and “frozen” (凍 ‘to’). His name is a clear reference to his Quirk.

Rei (冷): “cold” (冷 ‘rei’). It might be coincidental but one of the standard ways for how to stay “zero” in Japanese is to say ‘rei’ (written with a different kanji, 零) and is used in expressions like ‘rei do’ (零度 “zero degrees”). Japanese women discharge their maiden name once they marry so, currently, Rei is just Todoroki Rei.

Himura (氷叢): “ice” (氷 ‘hi’) and “gathering, collection” (叢 ‘mura’). I couldn’t find traces of people having the surname ‘Himura’ written with those kanji. It’s generally written as 日村 (“sun village”), 緋村 (“scarlet village”), 火村 (“fire village”), 木村 (“tree village”) or other variations. The surname is a reference to the Himura’s ice Quirk.

XX WHAT DOES THE TODOROKI HERO AND VILLAIN NAMES MEAN?

FLAME HERO ENDEAVOR (フレイム ヒーロー エンデヴァー): in English is pretty self explanatory. In Japanese ‘endeavor’ would be ‘doryoku’ (努力 “effort”). [Chap. 356] In Japan there is a stronger belief in effort as opposed to innate ability. Effort is seen as necessary to fulfill a social obligation to family, peers, and community. From childhood Japanese people are forced to focus on their effort, seeing it as the cause of success. According to society, if one does not succeed, they were not trying hard enough. This is unrelated to the child’s grades; children always need to put forth more effort. Enji’s choice for his Hero name stand in stark contrastto how All Might try to sell himself for a natural born Hero. Also it’s possible originally Enji’s Hero name wasn’t meant to be “Flame Hero Endeavor” as in Chap. 3 he’s called ‘Nenshō-kei HERO ENDEAVOR’ (燃焼系ヒーローエンデヴァー “Burning hero Endeavor”) and only later Horikoshi went for an English word instead.

SHŌTO (ショート) - AIR CON HERO SHŌTO (エア コン ヒーロー ショート Air Conditioner Hero Shōto): although it sounds like Shōto’s given name, his Hero name is written all in Katakana. Writing something in Katakana gives it a foreign look or is used to put emphasis on it. Shōto didn’t explain why he picked it up but he did so in a time in which he was trying to find his own identity, so his choice might have been due to him not knowing yet who he was going to become or him wanting to be acknowledged for himself, not as an extension of Endeavor. [Chap. 45] Eight years after the end of the war, we learn Shōto added to his Hero name ‘Air Conditioner Hero’, which might be a playful reference to his Quirk, but his choice could have been moved also by how he wanted to be a reassuring Hero. [Chap. 431]

Dabi (荼毘): it’s generally translated as “cremation” but the kanji in it actually means 荼 “suffering/harm” and 毘 “to help” so as to collectively mean “helping from suffering and harm”. The truth is the word ‘Dabi’ (荼毘), used in the sentences ‘Dabi-sō’ (荼毘葬 “cremation burial”) and ‘dabi ni fusu’ (荼毘に付す “performing cremation”), is actually used to transliterate a Buddhist term borrowed from Sanskrit (ध्यापयति / dhyāpayati that in Pāli becomes ‘jhāpeti’ that in Chinese Buddhism becomes ‘jabita’, abbreviated in ‘jabi’ that finally in Japanese becomes ‘dabi’). ‘Dabi’ is used only at Buddhist funerals and not in Shintō ones (in Japan Shintō and Buddhism are the two most practiced religions) and refers only to “cremating the deceased’s body”, so it generally does not include paying respects to the deceased during the funeral at the ceremonial hall (式場 ‘shikijō’) or removing the casket and transporting the body to the crematorium. Another popular word one could use to refer to cremation is ‘sōren’ (葬斂), which actually refers to a series of ceremonies in which a deceased person is buried, cremated, or placed in a grave but with another IMPORTANT difference compared to ‘dabi’, as ‘sōren’ includes placing the deceased in a coffin with tears and pain where ‘dabi’ merely refers to the act of cremating a body and doesn’t invoke sad and painful feelings. In fact it’s recommended that if you want to imply the sadness of saying goodbye to a loved one or a close one you’ll use ‘sōren’, not ‘dabi’. By choosing this Villain name Tōya subtly implies he doesn’t believe his family mourned him. In addition to this, another reason why Tōya might have chosen that alias is a Japanese proverb which says ‘Ryūtō Dabi’ (竜頭蛇尾 lit. “Dragon Head Snake Tail”), which means “promising beginning, disappointing end” and symbolically refers to the possibility of anticlimax in life, and especially in endeavors. For example, one focus so much on achieving a goal that it becomes all-consuming, larger-than-life in importance and value or, one might indeed achieve his great goal, but fail to plan for “what comes next”, creating a kind of anti-climax. Horikoshi was aware of this possible connection to Dabi’s Villain name as he drew Dabi as a snake in the character presentation for Vol. 30, which is the famous volume which contains “Dabi’s Dance”. The whole ‘Ryūtō Dabi’ reference might be referring to Endeavor’s efforts to get a masterpiece that would surpass All Might, destroying his family in the process and causing Dabi to return the favor by destroying Endeavor as a Hero, but it can be seen as a reference to Dabi himself, either because he started with a fire more powerful than his father (promising beginning) but then ended up discharged because he couldn’t handle it (disappointing end) or because he too has an all consuming goal and no plan for after he’ll reach it (as he plans to die).

Geten (外典): “outside/foreign/other” (外 ‘ge’) “rule/code/ceremony” (典 ‘ten’). You might be familiar with it being translated as “apocrypha” (外典 ‘Geten’), however that’s because it’s a word meant to refer to non-Buddhist writings (esp. Confucian writings) and therefore it can be used to translate also the word apocrypha (i.e. as opposed to the Biblical canon). Likely the name might be a reference to how Geten wants to follow Re-Destro’s rule and not the Hero society’s rules. "Ulta Analysis" defines this as his Villain name and states that his real name is unknown, likely because Horikoshi didn't want to reveal yet he is also an Himura. Of course, since Geten was recruited into the Meta Liberation Army from when he was a child and he didn’t even go to school in order for him to spend all his time training his Quirk (which means his existence was kept hidden as going to school for the first 9 years is mandatory in Japan) and he seems completely devoted to Re-Destro, it’s possible his real name and Villain name are the same and he had no need to have two identities and he only discharged his surname, as the Himura family was finished. We might never know. By the way, yes, Geten is not a Todoroki, I included him because he’s a Himura and therefore related to them.

XX WHICH ARE THE TODOROKIS’ BIRTHDAYS?

Enji: August 8 [Chap. 37]

Rei: currently unknown

Tōya: January 18 [Chap. 240]

Fuyumi: December 6 [Chap. 192]

Natsuo: July 1 [Chap. 189]

Shōto: January 11 [Chap. 11]

XX SINCE WE DON’T KNOW THE YEARS IN WHICH THE TODOROKI ARE BORN, WHICH ARE THE TODOROKIS’ AGES WHEN SHŌTO STARTS ATTENDING U.A. IN APRIL?

Enji: 45, but he’ll turn 46 in August [Chap. 37, which gives his age as 45, takes place in May, meaning that in August he’ll turn 46]

Rei: currently unknown

Tōya: 23 [Tōya and Shōto are born in the same month, Tōya on the 18th Shōto on the 11th. In Chap. 302 is said that in spring, when Shōto is 5, Tōya is 13. This means they’ve 8 years of difference so when Shōto is 15, Tōya is 23]

Fuyumi: 22 but she’ll turn 23 in December [Chap. 192, which gives her age as 22, takes place in November, meaning that in Deceber she’ll turn 23. This is confirmed also by chap. 302 in which in spring, when Shōto is 5 and Tōya 13, she’s still 12. By the way all this makes her born in the same year as Tōya but 11 months after him]

Natsuo: 18 but he’ll turn 19 in July [Chap. 189, which gives his age as 19, takes place in November, meaning that in April he wasn’t yet that age. This is confirmed also by how he’s at the first year of university, so he needs to be of this age. It also means that when his age is given in chap. 302 it isn’t July yet as when Shōto is 5, Tōya 13 and Fuyumi 12 he’s still 8]

Shōto: 15 [In order to attend U.A. high, Shōto needs to be 15. His profile in chap. 11, which takes place in the second week of April, confirms this.]

XX WHICH ARE THE TODOROKIS’ HEIGHT?

Enji: 195 cm [Chap. 37]

Rei: currently unknown. If we compare her height to Enji in the image in chap. 166 she should be taller than Fuyumi, however recent chapters seem to depict her as shorter than Fuyumi, so either Horikoshi retconned her height or he didn’t realize he draw her too tall in chap. 166.

Tōya: 176 cm [Chap. 240]

Fuyumi: 160 cm [Chap. 192]

Natsuo: 181 cm [Chap. 189]

Shōto: 176 cm [Chap. 11]

XX WHICH ARE THE TODOROKIS’ LIKES?

Enji: kuzumochi [Chap. 37]

Rei: gentiana [Chap. 187]

Tōya: soba [Chap. 426]

Fuyumi: soap opera [Chap. 192]

Natsuo: sashimi, the sea [Chap. 189]

Shōto: soba noodles (the kind that aren’t hot) [Chap. 11]

XX OTHER EXTRA INFO ABOUT THE TODOROKIS?

Enji: he can switch his beard and mustache flames on and off but he typically leaves them burning as a flashy show of power. Originally his beard was meant to be longer but, later in the story, it was reduced just to stubbles. [Chap. 37] Blood type: AB. [Ultra Archive] Fighting style: short distance combat. [Ultra Archive] He was the first to become number 2 at 20. He is ranked first on the "Heroes That Look Like Villains" ranking. [Q&A from Vol. World Heroes] When he became Number 1, if public support had been all that mattered to decide the ranking, he would have been actually Number 4 and, from this, we can guess he would have been Number 5 when All Might was Number 1. [Chap. 185]

Rei: unknown

Tōya: he hates fish [Chap. 240] Fighting style: vanguard attack. [Ultra Archive] He says “I get motion sick easily” (俺酔いやすいんだ ‘Ore yoi yasuinda’) when Spinner is driving them [Chap. 160]… however Spinner drove much worse in “Heroes rising” and he’s just fine and the same goes for when they ride Machia despite also watching a screen as Skeptic edited [Vol. 30] so either Horikoshi forgot or his stomach isn’t actually so weak. His tear duct got burned, making impossible for him to cry [Chap. 257] but, despite this, Horikoshi will show him crying tears of blood in chap. 301 and normal tears in chap. 390 and 426. Chap. 350 shows also he could cry when he was at the orphanage so if he lost his ability to cry it was after it. After surviving to the fire at Sekoto Peak his ability to perceive pain or other somatic sensations was dulled. [Chap. 350] He has some heat resistance but it’s nowhere near enough to handle the hotness of his own fire up close. [Chap. 351] It’s remarked more than once by Garaki how Tōya has “good eyes” (良い目 ‘Ii me’) [Chap. 221] and underlined in the story as he’s often the one who first catch sight of something and can reproduce final moves after just watching them a few times which is how he learnt all his father’s final moves but also Shōto’s final move “Phosphor” (燐 ‘Rin’). [Chap. 363] Tōya seems to be more prone to favor his left hand, although he has been shown capable to use his Quirk with his right hand as well or with both of them at the same time.

Fuyumi: She never got over to the fact she couldn’t help Shōto and became a teacher in answer to this. [Chap. 192, Ultra Archive] She encouraged Natsuo to go to university by volunteering to take care of things at home. [Chap. 187]

Natsuo: He decided to go to University due to Fuyumi volunteering to take care of things at home. He has a girlfriend he met when he started university and who seems to have animal ears (likely mouse) so she might qualify as a Heteromorph. At the end of the story he plans to move in her family register. [Chap. 187-189-259-426] He has a driving licence (in Japan the minimum driving age is 18 years old for a car and 16 years old for a motorcycle) [Chap. 426]

Shōto: If he uses his ice Quirk for too long he can give himself frostbites. [Chap. 31] Blood type 0. [Ultra Archive] Fighting style: long & middle distance combat. [Ultra Archive] During the first class buss drive he’s the only student who falls asleep. [Chap. 13] He became Number 2 at 24 in May. [Chap. 431] After turning Number 2 Shōto decided to go to a bowl and chopsticks-making class in Ishikawa to learn the Wajima-nuri and the Yamanaka-nuri lacquerware styles as he likes to eat and thinks food will taste better if he eats with stuffs he made himself, the idea coming to him as he was praying at Tōya's Butsudan. [Chap. 431]

Geten: He is from one of the Himura branch families, he was found by Re-Destro, likely when he was a kid. [Chap. 387] He didn’t go to school but spent his time perfectioning his ‘meta ability’ (aka his control of his Quirk). [Chap. 228]

XX WHAT EXACTLY ARE QUIRKS?

“Quirks” (〝個性〟 ‘kosei’, lit. “Individuality”), formerly known as a “Meta Abilities” (異能 ‘inō’, lit. “Extraordinary Ability”), are “paranormal abilities” (超常 ‘chōjō’) that people started possessing in the BNHA world around 140 years before the start of the story.

Currently Quirks are assumed to be the next stage of evolution in the human race and who has them also has only one joint instead than two in their pinky toe. People without a Quirk are called ‘mukosei’ (〝無個性〟 “Quirkless”). Currently around 80% of the world’s population has a Quirk.

The Quirk can manifest at birth, or at a late age. Generally, by the age of 4 people has manifested their Quirk though it’s not mandatory. Usually a person inherits his Quirk by one of his parents or manifest an amalgamation of his parents’ Quirks. Rarely, a child can manifest a Quirk that is not inherited by his parents and is considered something like a mutation.

The whole collective of physical and genetic traits that compose a person's Quirk (aka the primary Quirk power, as well as the specific body parts that allow said primary power to function properly) are called Quirk Factors (個性因子 ‘Kosei Inshi’).

Quirks are classified as emitter/operative-type (発動系 ‘Hatsudō-kei’ Lit. “operative/invoking/activation type”), transformation/composite-type (変形系 ‘Henkei-kei’ Lit “transformation/deformation/deformity/monster type”) and mutant/heteromorph-type (異形型 ‘igyō-gata’ Lit. “fantastic/grotesque/strange-looking/suspicious-looking/irregular shape”).

Some Quirks can steal or erase other people’s Quirks. Drugs like Trigger (トリガー) can give a boost to an individual's Quirk, simultaneously weakening their sense of reason. Taking advantage of Eri’s Quirk, Rewind, and using her body the Shie Hassaikai created Quirk-destroying bullets who could permanently destroy a person’s Quirk by damaging their Quirk factor.

In terms of Quirk Enji and Rei are likely 4th generation (same as All Might and Midoriya’s mother) which makes their children 5th generation.

XX WHAT QUALIFIES AS HETERMORPH?

Who has a Quirk classified as mutant/heteromorph-type (異形型 ‘igyō-gata’ Lit. “fantastic/grotesque/strange-looking/suspicious-looking/irregular shape”). There isn’t really a clear cut between who’s Heteromorph and who’s not.

The name implies it applies not just to who looks like an animal but to whoever who has a ‘strange’ look, which might imply that whoever doesn’t look perfectly human is an heteromorph, which would mean people like Cementos and Ectoplasm, but also kids like Ashido, Ojiro, Jirō, Sero can qualify, as they’ve not human physical characteristics.

It’s worth to mention though that people canonically considered Heteromorph, like Kōda and his mother (who suffered discrimination due to it) and Tokoyami, have Quirks like Anivoice, which Kōda inherited from his mother, and Dark Shadow which are more an emitter type Quirk. The key to this might be that they’re the result of mixing different Quirks and manifesting traits of both (same as Shōto), so they inherited an Hetermorph appearance that mixes with an emitter Quirk.

Eraser Head will claim he can’t erase heteromorph Quirks [Chap. 14] but later he’ll use a tail Quirk as an example of how he would be capable to stop the tail from moving. [Chap. 135] What he means is likely he can’t erase their heteromorphic appearance and if this appearance gives them bonus like a body covered in hard stones or horns, he can’t affect/erase them.

Long story short likely the term Heteromorph applies to whoever has a Quirk which also strongly alters his look so that he didn’t look like human anymore and whose not human characteristics are permanent hence Erasure can’t erase them. This Quirk though can manifest in combination with another Quirk of the emitter or transformation type.

This means Natsuo’s girlfriend can be defined a Heteromorph, though it’s possible since her only not-human characteristic seems to be her ears, people won’t mind them much.

XX WHICH ARE THE TODOROKI QUIRKS?

All the Todorokis have Quirks of the emitter/operative-type (発動系 ‘Hatsudō-kei’ Lit. “operative/invoking/activation type”).

Enji: HELLFLAME (ヘルフレイム “Hellflame”). A powerful fire Quirk. If he uses it too much though he overheat, which slows down his whole system. [Chap. 188]

Rei: Hyōketsu (氷結 “Frost”). An ice Quirk. This might not be her Quirk name but just her Quirk type. [Chap. 291]

Tōya: Sōen (蒼炎 “Blueflame”). A fire Quirk much more powerful than the one of his father, so powerful his flames are blue. Geten is the first to call his Quirk like that [Chap. 230] and later this became it’s official name. However Tōya’s flames weren’t blue at the start, so it’s possible his Quirk was originally registered with another name, likely HELLFLAME (ヘルフレイム “Hellflame”), same as his father, hence that’s why his Quirk’s name was kept hidden for so long. Tōya also has a minor ice Quirk, which he manifests when he’s close to death and decides to copy Shōto’s Phosphor. Ironically his body has low fire resistance and great ice resistance.

Fuyumi: an ice Quirk. Her Quirk never got an official name but if Hyōketsu (氷結 “Frost”) is Rei’s Quirk real name, it can be that Fuyumi’s Quirk also shares that name.

Natsuo: an ice Quirk. His Quirk never got an official name but if Hyōketsu (氷結 “Frost”) is Rei’s Quirk real name, it can be that Natsuo’s Quirk also shares that name.

Shōto: Hanrei Hannen (半冷半燃 “Half-Cold Half-Hot”). He has a fire Quirk on his left side and an ice Quirk on his right side. Thanks to them he can regulate his temperature much more easily than his father. [Chap. 11]

Geten: Hyōsō (氷操 “Ice Ply”). He manipulate ice, which includes controlling the ice’s temperature so he can shoot ice in the water and cool it down to create more ice. [Chap. 387]

XX ARE FIRE QUIRKS RARE?

They aren’t uncommon. In addition to Todoroki Enji and his two sons, Tōya and Shōto, other known characters displaying a fire Quirk are Midoriya’s father, Midoriya Hisashi (緑谷 久), who can breathe fire, Kamiji Moe (上路萌) aka Burnin (バーニン), one of Enji’s sidekicks, an unnamed guy shown at the beginning of the story, when it was explained guys with Quirk started appearing all around plus we’ve this bit from from the manga:

Todoroki Tōya ‘Ennetsu-kei no “kosei”  nanzo jimusho ni mo irushide ore ka nanimono ka nante kangaenakattaro.’ 轟燈矢「炎熱系の〝個性〟なんぞ事務所にもいるしで俺か何者かなんて考えなかったろ。」 Todoroki Tōya “There are also other people in your agency with a hot fire type of ‘quirk’ and similar, so you probably didn't think about who I was or something like that.” [Chap. 291]

In the anime instead Tōya says:

Todoroki Tōya ‘Honō-kei no “kosei” wa mezurashiku mo naikara gimon sura dakanakatta ka ~?’’ 轟燈矢「炎系の〝個性〟は珍しくもないから疑問すら抱かなかったか～？」 Todoroki Tōya “Fire-type quirks aren't that uncommon, so you never even questioned it, did you?” [Ep. 124]

Also, while we don’t know which is Onima’s Quirk, we know he can withstand the heat just fine, so it’s possible he has a fire or heat related Quirk.

All this to say that no, they aren’t rare.

XX ARE ICE QUIRKS RARE?

Hard to say. In addition to the unnamed woman shown at the beginning of the story, when it was explained Quirks started appearing all around the world, the only other people, which we know have an ice Quirk, are people from the Himura family or related to it.

The Himura family used to be large, but they didn’t want to mix their blood with people with other Quirks and, due to marrying between distant relatives, slowly reduced their numbers.

So while the story presents us with more characters with an ice Quirk (Todoroki Rei and all her 4 children, her parents, Geten), that’s because they’re all related to the same family (and Quirk are passed down genetically). For all we know the only ones having an ice Quirk in Japan might be the Himura and their relatives… or not. The story never commented about it. However, exactly because no one, seeing Shōto use his ice Quirk, commented on how rare it was to have an ice Quirk, likely ice Quirks aren’t that uncommon.

XX HOW DOES THE FIRE QUIRK AND THE ICE QUIRK WORK?

It’s not explained and very likely it’s a purely fictional thing.

If you want to play with science, in the ice case it’s possible they actually emit such a cold temperature that they freeze the water molecules in the air and therefore create ice.

In the fire case things are more complicate as fire doesn’t just need a heat source and oxygen, which it can find in air, but also some fuel to burn. Heat, oxygen and fuel form the fire triangle but, considering Enji and Shōto don’t burn themselves when they use their fire, it’s hard to say what they use as fuel.

Since Tōya’s tears took fire it’s possible they’ve the fuel in form of body fluids so, kind of like how Bakugō excretes nitroglycerin-like sweat, they might possibly excrete oil-like fluids, which take fire if they heat up.

In order for a fire to burn hotter you either pump in additional air or pure oxygen or use a fuel that burn hotter, so it’s possible the substance in Tōya’s fluids is slightly different from Enji and Shōto’s.

Now… ice is solid so if two ice users throw their ice one against the other, the one who produce more/stronger ice would manage to push the other’s ice back.

Fire is not solid. Two flamethrowers might manage to push the respective flames back because they work by tossing their liquid, burning fuel ahead. The two fuels would clash, and the one which sprays more/harder/faster could prevail.

When however we see two Flashfire fists slamming one against the other and then one being pushed back… well, it’s hard to think the two fire Quirk owners are either spraying burning liquid or burning gas that can clash in the middle and end up getting pushed back by the user who just sprays more.

Long story short, this is purely fiction, hence Horikoshi can have fires clash and one of them being pushed back.

XX WHAT ABOUT THE TODOROKIS’ HERO AND VILLAIN COSTUMES?

Enji and Shōto’s costume are made of special heat-resistant fibers. [Chap. 54/259]

We also know that Shōto’s jacket had a cooling/heating device in the collar which monitors Shōto’s temperature and help regulating it and that Shōto’s tactical vest is also capable to cool him off or heat him up. The very first one though was only meant to heat him up as he was refusing to use his fire side. [Chap. 54]

Enji’ gauntlets store up heat and compress it so as to help him to condense and release his power. It’s the latest compression tech made from an American support company with the help of also Melissa Shield. [Chap. 239] Shōto’s gauntlets too store up heat and can also store up cold and compress it so as to help him to condense and release his power but we don’t know if they’re made with the latest compression tech made from an American support company. [Chap. 259]

Shōto has an utility belt in which he stores first aid supplies (water, painkillers, disinfectant). [Chap. 54/259]

Shōto’s short boots are equipped with spikes to keep him from slipping on icy surfaces. [Chap. 54]

Tōya has an hyper pouch in which he stores his hyper hair-dye remover and, after the battle at Deika, has flame-retardant clothes made by Detnerat. [Chap. 240/344] Likely the clothes he had before were also flame-retardant ones, courtesy of Giran and paid by Shigaraki, as the Vanguard Action Squad was handed its equipment before attacking the summer camp. [Chap. 73] For the Final War his clothes are made to be super-duper heat resistant and pure white like traditional Japanese burial clothes. They made them using Detnerat technology, thanks to Skeptic hacking the production system of abandoned workshops. [Chap. 344]

We’re told nothing about Geten’s costume, but it’s easy to guess it comes from Detnerat too. It likely helps him heat up when he uses his Quirk.

In real life flame-retardant clothes are specially designed so that it's less likely to catch fire when exposed to combustion and high temperatures. These materials are made flame-resistant by the application of flame-retardant chemicals. A chemical additive in the fibers or treatment on the fabric is used to provide some level of flame retardancy. During a fire, chemically dependent fabrics rely on a chemical reaction to extinguish the flame. In cases where the fabric does ignite, it won't continue to burn once the heat source is removed. This gives the wearer valuable escape time and helps to minimize injuries. Fabrics that have been treated with a fire retardant are usually certified for one year. If the clothes are washed in a washing machine like any other article of clothing, the chemicals dissipate over time. On the other hand, something that is not washed will last significantly longer. They also have a really strong smell due to the chemicals used.

XX HOW DO THE TODOROKIS CALL EACH OTHER?

To sum it up as much as possible they usually use:

Todoroki Enji: Rei, Tōya, Fuyumi, Natsuo, Shōto

Todoroki Rei: anata (あなた “you” [polite but also the way you call your husband]) [for Enji], Tōya, Fuyumi, Natsu-kun (夏くん “young Natsu”), Shōto, okā-san (お母さん “mother”) [for her mother]

Todoroki Tōya: otō-san (お父さん “father”), okā-san (お母さん “mother”), Fuyumi-chan (冬美ちゃん “little Fuyumi”), Natsu-kun (夏くん “young Natsu”), Shōto, obā-chan (おばあちゃん “grandma”), kōri yarō/kōri YARŌ (氷野郎/氷ヤロ “ice-guy/ice-bastard”) [for Geten]

Todoroki Fuyumi: otō-san (お父さん “father”), okā-san (お母さん “mother”), Tōya Nī (燈矢兄 “big brother Tōya”), Natsu, Shōto

Todoroki Natsuo: anta (あんた “you” [rude]) [for his father], okā-san (お母さん “mother”), Tōya Nī (燈矢兄 “big brother Tōya”), nē-chan (姉ちゃん “big sister”), Shōto

Todoroki Shōto: oyaji (親父 “old man”), okā-san (お母さん “mother”), Tōya Nī (燈矢兄 “big brother Tōya”)/Dabi (荼毘), nē-san (姉さん “big sister”), Natsuo Nī (夏雄兄 “big brother Natsuo”)

Himura tōshu (氷叢当主 “Himura family Head”): ENDEAVOR-sama (エンデヴァー様), TOP HERO-Sama (トップヒーロー様)

Geten: Dabi (荼毘), sōen no tsukaite Dabi (蒼炎の使い手荼毘 “blue flame user Dabi”), sōen (蒼炎 “blue flame”)

Kurumada Untenmaru: ENDEAVOR, JARINKO (ジャリンコ “student who can’t keep up in school/brat”) [for Shōto]

That’s of course not all they use, according to circumstances they can switch to other terms but, for more details, I’ve a series of 4 posts about this which explains in details how do they call each other and in which circumstances. You can just check the final one, which is a summary of the other 3, or just dig into the three posts, part 1, part 2, part 3.

XX WHO OF THE TODOROKIS CALL FUYUMI ‘YUMI’ AND SHŌTO ‘SHŌ’?

No one. It’s just a fandom thing.

XX WHAT ABOUT TODOROKI ENJI’S BIRTH FAMILY?

HIS FATHER died when Enji was a middle school boy. He tried to save a girl from a scoundrel and, due to this, both he and the girl ended up dead instead, the area around them devastated. As the image shows three corpses, the scoundrel probably died as well. It’s unknown if Enji’s father was a Hero and it’s unknown if that guy was a Villain as, in order to be a Villain, one doesn’t have to just commit crime but TO USE THEIR QUIRK to commit crime. Considering the large devastation of the area and that Enji might have inherited his Quirk from his father, it’s possible the man had a fire Quirk, tried to use it and ended up causing an explosion instead. However that’s just speculation as we don’t even know from which parent Enji inherited his Quirk. [Chap. 356]

Since Enji’s father’s photo is in the Todoroki’s Butsuma’s room, this tells us ENJI WAS THE MALE FIRSTBORN (as traditionally the male firstborn would be the one taking care of the Butsudan in which his parents would be enshrined). There are no info about Enji having a younger brother or younger or older sisters so he likely was an only child. [Chap. 356]

There are no info on HIS MOTHER, but as she’s not shown at the Miai or living with the Todorokis, she’s likely dead (traditionally she would be expected to take part to the Miai and would be supposed to live with her male firstborn). [Chap. 301]

When Enji meets up with the Himura family head not a word is spent on his lineage, only on his accomplishments, meaning the Todorokis likely didn’t have an old and/or prestigious lineage. [Chap. 301]

Since Enji and Shōto are born in the Shizuoka prefecture, the family is likely from that area and resides there. [Ultra Archive]

XX WHEN WAS ENJI BORN?

On August 8th, around 10 years after All Might was born and around more than 90 years after All for One was born.

XX WHEN DID ENJI’S FATHER DIE?

In spring/summer of when Enji was in middle school, during a rainy day. Enji will consider that incident as his ‘origin’.

XX HOW OLD WAS ENJI WHEN ALL MIGHT CAME BACK TO JAPAN?

He should have been around 13 and in middle school. Likely his father’s death and All Might’s first action in which All Might saved so many people aren’t connected as that is probably taking place in autumn and it wasn’t raining. We don’t know if All Might came back to Japan before Enji’s father’s death or after it, though the two facts took place in a period close enough.

XX WHAT SCHOOL DID ENJI ATTEND TO?

We know he was a student at U.A. High School (雄英高校 ‘U.A. Kōkō’). [Chap. 3] It’s unknown if he managed to attend university. Probably not as at 20 he was already Number 2 in the Hero ranking, meaning he had already started working and might not have had time for studying.

XX WAS ENJI CHILDHOOD FRIEND/CLASSMATE WITH HIS DRIVER KURUMADA UNTENMARU OR WITH SAND HERO SNATCH/HIGAWARA SAJIN?

Kurumada is one year older than Enji so he couldn’t be in his same class when they were young (elementary and middle school). We’ve no info if Enji knew Kurumada before the latter became his driver, we just know they know each other by a long time and Kurumada currently has an exclusive contract with Endeavor. [Chap. 250] Snatch is one year younger than Enji so he couldn’t be in his same class when they were young. They’re both Heroes so they both went to a Hero school, but while we know Enji went to U.A. high, we’ve no info if Snatch attended U.A. and if he and Enji knew each other for other reasons that weren’t their Hero work. [Chap. 160]

XX DID ENJI WENT TO U.A. WITH SOMEONE WE KNOW?

All Might went to U.A. prior to Enji attending to it and the same goes for Gran Torino, who taught in U.A. prior to Enji attending to it. Best Jeanist and Edgeshot went to U.A. after Enji attended it and the same is even more true for Midnight, Eraser Head and Present Mic.

It’s however said that when Enji was in U.A. Recovery Girl was working there [Chap. 192] and it’s implied the same is true for Nezu. [Chap. 319]

XX WHAT DID ENJI DO AFTER FINISHING U.A. HIGH?

Enji finished high school in March, in the year in which he would turn 19. The norm would be working as a sidekick for some Hero for a few years, but it’s not mandatory and one can open his own Hero agency as soon as he has graduated. Considering how quickly Enji became Number 2 it’s possible he went independent and opened his own agency just after finishing U.A. high.

XX HOW OLD WAS ENJI WHEN HE BECAME NUMBER TWO?

20, becoming the first Hero to become Number 2 at such a young age. [Chap. 165] If you’re wondering about All Might, at 20 All Might wasn’t in Japan but in the USA as he left for the USA after he finished U.A. High, to attend to university there. We don’t know which ranking he had there, or if he had one. We however don’t know if Enji became Number 2 in the November Japanese Hero Billboard chart of the year in which he turned 20 or if he did so in the one in May of the following year, before turning 21. Before becoming Number 2 the earliest Enji might have entered in the top 10 is 19 as Hawks is the first who made it in the top ten at 18 [Chap. 185] and Enji would have had really a too short amount of time between the time he finished U.A. high (end of March) and the first Japanese Hero Billboard (May) to get in the top ten by then. By the time the next Japanese Hero Billboard would take place, he would be 19 already.

XX WHICH INFO WE HAVE ABOUT ENDEAVOR AGENCY?

“Endeavor Agency” (エンデヴァー事務所 ‘ENDEAVOR Jimusho’) is the Hero Office founded by the Flame Hero: Endeavor aka Todoroki Enji. We don’t know if it’s in Tokyo, like Īdaten (Īda’s brother’s agency) and All Might’s agency or if it’s in Shizuoka (where Enji lives). Burnin says it has over 30 sidekicks called “Flaming Sidekickers” (炎のサイドキッカーズ ‘Honō no SIDEKICKS’) though it probably didn’t start with so many. [Chap. 245] The place is very busy with sidekicks either on patrol or standby although they handle over 100 requests every day from emergencies to escort missions to special events. [Chap. 245] From the way Burnin talk it seems unless it was Enji who requested for a specific intern, students who would do the work study in Endeavor agency would be assigned to sidekicks. It might be just my impression though. [Chap. 245] Heroes are researched regularly for rescue, evacuation or battle so generally an agency decides to emphasize either rescue or battle but in Endeavor Agency they tackle all three. [Chap. 247]

The agency is also equipped with accommodations so that Enji and his sidekicks as well as eventual interns can sleep and eat there. [Chap. 249] In Ep. 105 it seems it also includes a training place.

We only know by name three of his sidekicks, Kidō (キ��ウ ‘KIDŌ’), whose quirk “traject” (軌道 ‘kidō’) allows him to change trajectory of things and who, by the time of the Final War, has been working for Endeavor by 10 years (so he started around the year after Tōya ‘died’, when Enji was 37) [Chap. 349] and Onimā (オニマー ‘ONIMĀ’), whose Quirk is unknown but gives him some fire resistance [Chap. 349] and who are defined as a cut above the other sidekicks. [Chap. 248] They start appearing in the manga from chap.55. The last sidekick we know is Burnin (バーニン ‘BURNIN’), real name Kamiji Moe (上路萌) who, according to Midoriya is a famous sidekick who had birth in the year Enji turned 21 on the same day as Tōya (January 18th) and who’s 169 cm tall and those favorite thing are festivals. Like many other sidekicks she joined Endeavor agency because she has strong ambitions and while she wasn’t an Endeavor fan she gained respect for him by watching him work. [Chap. 244] Her Quirk is “blazing hair” (燃髪 ‘Nenpatsu’). Despite Midoriya calling her a famous sidekick she appears in the story solely by chap. 245, likely because that’s when Horikoshi created her. As she however appears in “Vigilantes” as one of Endeavor’s sidekicks she likely should have joined him earlier. If she had joined Enji immediately after ending a Hero school she became one of his sidekicks 3 years after Tōya’s ‘death’ when Enji was 39.

Kurumada Untenmaru (車田運天丸) is Endeavor’s driver. He caters only Heroes and has an exclusive contract with Endeavor and they’ve known each other for a long time. He’s born on March 4th, he’s 180 cm and his favorite thing are flowers. He likes to make a “pahhh!!” (ケエ---!! ‘Kee----!!’) sound and calls Enji’s interns ‘JARINKO’ (ジャリンコ “student who can’t keep up in school/brat”). It’s unclear if he’s considered civilian personel working at Endeavor agency or if he’s just someone who works for Enji.

XX WHAT ABOUT TODOROKI REI’S BIRTH FAMILY?

We are told HER MOTHER is still alive when Shōto was five, as Rei phones to her to ask for help. [Chap. 39]

In the manga we aren’t given clear info about HER FATHER. An adult male was with Rei at the Miai she had with Enji. In the anime [Ep. 130] the voice actor voicing him is credited as ‘Rei no chichi’ (冷の父 “Rei’s father”) and Enji’s Anime only monologue tell us that said male is the ‘Himura-ke no tōshu’ (氷叢家の当主 “Himura family head”). While the anime isn’t always reliable, either they asked Horikoshi about this one or went for the simplest explanation possible so I think they’re reliable enough.

Since Rei’s marriage with Enji caused the end of the main house of her family, it means Rei has no male brother, as the family line would be normally continued by the male son. If a family were to have no male son they could have their daughter’s husband take their surname and become the next heir but when they married Rei off it was clear Enji has no interest to become a Himura and continue their family line (not mentioning he didn’t have the right Quirk). While it’s possible Rei had one or more sisters who also got married off to the best offering I see this chance as slim, so likely Rei was an only child. [Chap. 387]

Rei’s birth family is named Himura (氷叢).

The Himura are a distinguished family with a prestigious lineage who, by the time Todoroki Enji was 20, had became poor, though they were still capable to hide it.

The Himura used to be ‘Shōya’ (庄屋 “village heads”) which means during the Edo period (1603-1868), they were in charge of the village affairs under the direction of the magistrate and worked as the leader of the village. The term was used predominantly in the Kansai regions (other regions used other names), so we can assume the Himura were originally from that region. Successful Shōya despite being technically peasants, were often better off than samurai, or even top class Daimyo, lived in large mansions, owned large tracts of farmland, and were also intellectuals representing the village due to their work involved in document creation. The families that served as Shōya during the Edo period were often from prestigious families or previously were powerful vassals of warlords of the Sengoku period. Due to the ‘Nōchi kaikaku’ (農地改革), the reform of the agricultural land ownership system carried out by the Japanese government in 1947 under the direction of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers which intended to limit the amount of farm land one household could own to about the amount of land that one family could farm themselves, without outside labor many landlords were forced to sell all their land to the government.

In order to keep their land, which likely was much more than they should have been allowed to and therefore to maintain their wealth and pride the Himuras split their family in many branch families and share the land among them.

That’s because the ‘tōshu’ (当主 “family head”), which is basically the person who has inherited the headship of the family and have authority over all his family members (with the duty to protect them as well as the right to disown those who violate his wishes) and over the family’s customs and rituals as well as being responsible for the management of the family property, belongs to the ‘honke’ (本家 “main household” lit. “source house”) would also exercise his authority on the ‘bunke’ (分家 “branch households” lit. “part house”). Due to this, the control would still remain in their hands even if they would technically comply with the law as the land would be split to the various families. The marriages between distant cousins though caused the family to steadily shrink. With the end of the main family line the few remaining clans are scattered. Geten was from one of the branch families and got picked up by Re-Destro.

Geten, being also a Himura from a branch family is related to her, though it’s likely they’re only distantly related. He’s likely the son of one of her cousins or of a young uncle.

It’s worth to mention back in Edo era not everyone had a surname, surname were made mandatory for everyone only in 1875 and, before this date, only people of high rank such as nobles and samurai had a surname, however some Shōya were given the privilege to bear one as well as to wear a katana and were treated like members of the samurai class.

The common people used, in case of need, the name of their place of birth, for example, their village.

Now… Himura is written with the kanji for “ice” (氷 ‘hi’) and “gathering, collection” (叢 ‘mura’)… but the interesting part is that ‘mura’, written with this kanji 村 means “village” so it’s possible originally the Himura were originally the Shōya of an Hi village, and then they took the word Himura, changed the kanji so as to make it sound less common people and turned it into their surname… either by becoming important enough to gain the right to a surname or much later, in 1875 (I like to think they gained the right to their surname but that’s just me) or maybe even after this date, when they gained their Quirk.

XX WAIT, THE HIMURA WERE INCESTUOUS? ISN’T THAT A CRIME?

Currently, by Japanese law, in order to marry among them, relatives had to be at least second cousins or more distantly related (4th degree or higher). In the past laws were less strict. Anyway, as long as the Himura were sticking to this, they wouldn’t commit any crime.

XX DID REI HAVE A BOYFRIEND BEFORE GETTING MARRIED?

In the prototype for Shōto that Horikoshi wrote is said Shōto “was born from a disgusting practice called ‘crossbreeding’ used to further strengthen a Quirk. His mother was chosen by his father for this. His mother had a boyfriend. His mother lost her mind. She hated half of her son and hurts him. Shōto hates her and seeks affection from his father, who however is only interested in those who are strong. Overcoming his father, becoming more powerful than him: for this reason he aspires to become a hero stronger than his father...” [Ultra Archive]

The word used is ‘koibito’ (恋人 “boyfriend/lover/sweetheart”). It’s unclear if in this prototype Rei got herself a love interest prior to being forced to marry Enji or after it, but it’s clear things were changed a lot from the prototype version and in the story is never mentioned Rei had someone she loved before or after marrying Enji so it’s entirely possible this part got scrapped away.

XX WHICH IS THE FLOWER REI LIKES/LOVES?

In canon is never said but from the visual we can say it’s the Gentiana, in Japanese ‘Rindō’ (リンドウ/竜胆), a genus belonging to the Gentianaceae family. As it has over 300 species, it is considered a large genus. Gentians are notable for their mostly large trumpet-shaped flowers, which are often of an intense blue hue.

Gentians are pretty important in Japan. The emblem of the Minamoto clan, Minamoto being the noble surname bestowed by the emperor of Japan on those of the imperial family who were excluded by the rank of succession, has as on its emblem the Sasarindō (笹竜胆) three Rindō on five bamboo leaves (笹 ‘sasa’). By the way Rindō (リンドウ/竜胆) means “dragon innards” and, apparently, this name was given to it by the Chinese due to how its roots are intensely bitter, like bile. There’s a theory that says that the first kanji (竜) which means ‘dragon’, was chosen to indicate the potency of this bitterness while the second refers to how these bitter roots are commonly used in traditional herbal medicine to promote stomach health, ease inflammation, and induce calm.

Rindō’s meaning in flower language in Japan is usually the one of “victory” (勝利 ‘shori’) as it refers to its ability as a spiritual herb that can triumph over illness (so giving them to Rei also takes a ‘get well’ meaning… but also when Rei offers it to Enji it can be tied to her hope he’ll win). It seems its other meaning of “sense of justice” (正義感 ‘seigi-kan’) could also refer to how it blooms straight up, as if it’s confident in the eventual triumph over disease. Other meanings of Rindō in general are “faithfulness/sincerity” (誠実 ‘seijitsu’) as they bloom solely on sunny days, “lonely love” (寂しい愛情 ‘sabishī aijō’) and “I love you who are sad” (悲しむあなたを愛する ‘Kanashimu anata o aisuru’) as they don’t grow in clumps. Bluish purple Rindō also mean “filled with confidence” (満ちた自信 ‘Michita jishin’) as the flower is considered to represent nobility (either because purple is the color of nobility or due to it being on the Minamoto clan emblem).

Likely though, the Gentiana we see during the series belong to different species as Rei has them in different months of the year (November when Enji fights the high-end, march when the Paranormal Liberation War end).

The Gentians we see in November are likely the ‘gentiana scabra’, a species of gentian with a blue (青色 ‘Ao iro’)/purple color (紫色 ‘murasaki iro’), also called Japanese Gentian. In Japan they are The Gentian, in fact they’re called just Rindō (リンドウ/竜胆). They blossoms in Autumn, from September to November… so it’s fine for Enji to gift them to Rei in November for the Hero Billboard chart. The Gentians we see in March are likely a ‘gentiana zollingeri’ or Fude Rindō (フデリンドウ), another gentian typical of Asia which is either white or blue and whose flowering period is Spring, usually from March to May… or it’s a ‘Gentiana thunbergii’ or Haru Rindō (ハルリンドウ) which is also typical of Asia and has the same flowering period. Of course since Enji bought them it’s entirely possible they’re still ‘gentiana scabra’ blooming out of season because they were grown in a greenhouse. Do your pick.

XX HOW OLD WAS ENJI WHEN HE MARRIED?

We don’t know the exact age but it was after he became Number 2, meaning after he turned 20 and prior to turning 22 as Tōya was conceived around April in the year in which he would turn 22.

XX DID REI MARRY AT 16? ISN’T THAT ILLEGAL?

As far as I know we don’t know Rei’s age so I can’t answer this one. Back when BNHA started women could, however, marry at 16 if her family gave permission (recently the law had been changed so she would need to be 18) and age of majority in Japan was 20 (again the law has changed and now it’s 18).

Enji is 20/21 when he gets married. Considering Horikoshi’s liking for married couples to be 4 years apart it’s possible she was 16/17 and, for her to marry at that age back then, was perfectly legal EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS A MINOR by Japan’s law as long as she had her parents’ permission. Currently Japanese law doesn’t allow a minor to marry so, if the story has started now, we wouldn’t have this discussion… unless one were to come from a country were age of majority is, let’s say, 25, and were to try to force its country’s view on what constitute age of majority on a Japanese character. Still, even if it’s possible Rei married as a minor… the truth is we don’t know. For all we know she could be the one 4 years older than Enji… or she could have his same age. Until Horikoshi releases her profile with her age we’ll never know.

I like to headcanon her as 4 years younger than Enji because it adds to the drama and fits with what looked like her social role in the family (sacrifice herself to either continue the Himura family or to economically save it) so I don’t think she would have waited a lot before getting married.

It’s worth to remember in Japan, women had traditionally been expected to marry at a young age, and those who were unmarried after the age of 25 were metaphorically referred to as “(unsold) Christmas cakes” (クリスマスケーキ) in reference to items which are still unsold after the 25th so really, I don’t expect Rei to be older than Enji. On the other side, since Rei’s age at the time of her marriage has zero relevance in the story, in the beginning Horikoshi might have planned to have her marry at 16/17 but, if he’ll ever release Rei’s profile he might retcon it to 18 so as to abide to the actual Japanese law and save himself from discussions and complains. We’ll see if we’ll ever get Rei’s profile.

XX WASN’T ENJI’S MARRIAGE WITH REI A CRIME SINCE HE BOUGHT HER?

Rei (and her parents in case she were a minor back then) gave consent and she was given other options as well as the option to refuse Enji and she chose to marry him. Her words, not mine. [Chap. 301/302]

Also in Japan is perfectly okay to have arranged marriages with no love between the parties involved, actually Japan has a long tradition of considering marriages done out of love as ‘wrong’ especially in high class families.

What we see in chap. 301 is a Miai (見合い), a meeting in which the parties were brought together expressly for the purpose of marriage usually on the initiative of the parents, a friend of the family, or a go-between.

The whole thing would start with both parties examining all eligible persons for marriage, checking their photographs and other information like their name, age, health, education, occupation and marital status of all members of the candidate’s family and can also include income, occupation, physical attractiveness, religion, social standing, hobbies, bloodline (as in checking in the family there were no cases of hereditary illness or mental illness), social status. Information aren’t just given by the family, it’s okay to get them through investigation as well.

If both parties find the other satisfactory a meeting is held. If the meeting goes well things can progress and end in marriage. Usually if one of the two parties doesn’t find the other satisfactory they should reply “NO” as soon as possible, say the next morning, preferably with some good reasons, because it would be impolite if the one who doesn’t like the other answers so after the other side says “yes”.

Even if both of them say “yes”, this doesn’t necessarily mean they have decided to marry soon and they can spend even more than half a year without even being engaged and with still the option to refuse the other. In Rei and Enji’s case though, considering the interests at play, they likely had things go quickly.

The dialogues say Enji approached the Himuras asking for a Miai, but, considering Rei’s family, it’s possible they were already at work to search a husband for Rei, likely inside the family or, if they really were desperate for money, had let known around they were interested in having Miai for her daughter.

Clearly, even if Enji likely didn’t come from the same prestigious lineage, nor was a Himura, he could bring on the table money and the personal prestige which the Himura wanted, making him suitable as a candidate.

Likely, when Rei said she had options, she means she had her pick of ‘suitors’ her family approved and that, among them, she chose Enji.

Her options were poor? She felt pressured to marry Enji so as to help her family? Undoubtedly but as she wasn’t forced to marry against her will it’s not illegal.

To quote another series in which a mother discusses the Miai and eventual marriage of her son with him:

“Of course, we have no desire to rush into an immediate engagement or marriage, right? It isn’t a problem if you deepen your friendship, and then when you settle down as you age, have her moved to our family register. Marriage isn’t something you do after you start liking someone. You fall in love after you do it, right? If you marry just based on emotions, you’ll definitely regret it. There’s definitely nothing wrong with choosing a person with a secure background for your partner in life, and then building up emotions of love. A wedding is instantaneous. But your life as a married could after that is very, very long. So you should search with prudence, and not leave it up to momentary emotions. Don’t you think that your mother and the rest of us would be better at that than a person immature in life experience such as yourself? I am proud of you, my only son. I want to make you grow so that you will never be embarrassed no matter where you go. ...And you are the only grandson to carry Father’s blood. ......We must prudently choose a fitting partner for you. Your partner definitely won’t be selected based on your parents’ profit and loss. ......I will let you meet a suitable and truly wonderful woman. Maybe there is some immature youth inside of you that’s alienating you from this. ......But at least listen to what your mother says on this point. Have I ever failed to think of your sake?” [“Umineko no naku koro ni” by Ryukishi07]

These are the kind of beliefs and the sort of pressure that exist in high class families. Nowadays in Japan it seems the 20% of newlyweds are married by an arrangement and the 80% are love marriages. This gives you an idea of how still common are marriages made by an arrangement.

XX WHY ENJI WANTS TO MARRY SOMEONE WITH AN ICE QUIRK?

Enji couldn’t surpass All Might. He thought it was due to his Quirk’s limitations. In fact if he uses his Quirk too much his body’s temperature rises and his physical functions decline. He thought by mixing his fire Quirk with an ice Quirk the ice Quirk would compensate by lowering the temperature so that the owner of the dual Quirk could use the fire at full potential for a longer time becoming effectively stronger than him and therefore capable to surpass All Might in Enji’s place. [Chap. 31, 93, 188…]

XX WHY REI (AND OTHER PEOPLE IN THE STORY) AREN’T GROSSED OUT BY ENJI’S WISH TO HAVE A CHILD THAT WILL CARRY ON HIS AMBITIONS?

Because, although things are changing, in Japan it was pretty common for parents to expect their male firstborn to carry on their ambitions and inherit their job and it was believed it was part of the duties of the firstborn to do so… actually it was offensive for the firstborn to be passed over for a younger sibling as it would imply he wasn’t capable to fulfill his duty and that, in short, he was a failure.

In fact although things are slowly changing, there’s still a hierarchy between siblings. The first male son was the one who would inherit everything and therefore the one on whom would fall most of the duties that came from filial piety, like taking over the family home, continuing the family job, fulfilling his parents’ wishes and aspirations, marrying who his parents wanted, provide his parents with grandchildren, taking care of his aging parents and, later on, of their funeral rites and maintaining the Butsudan in which they would be enshrined. For this purpose the family would put special care in the education of the first male son. Nowadays there’s less pressure to do all this but expectations remain ingrained in society and the firstborn’s siblings would be expected to show deference and respect towards the male firstborn and support and help him. At the same time fewer expectations would be pushed on them and they would be more free to pursue the career and love interest they would prefer.

XX WHAT ABOUT THE EUGENIC PART OF IT? ISN’T IT A CRIME?

Quirk marriage is never defined as a crime in the story.

Shōto calls it the result of an old-fashioned way of thinking that lacked in ethic, not a crime.

Todoroki Shōto ‘Kosei kon. Shitteru yo na. “Chōjō” ga okite kara dai ni~daisan sedai-kan de mondai ni natta yatsu… Jishin no “kosei” o yori kyōka shite tsuga seru tame dake ni haigūsha o erabi…… kekkon o shiiru. Rinri-kan no ketsuraku shita zenjidaiteki hassō. Jisseki to kane dake wa aru otoko da… Oyaji wa haha no shinzoku o marume komi haha no “kosei” o teni ireta. Ore o ALL MIGHT ijō no HERO ni sodate ageru koto de jishin no yokkyū o mitasōtte kotta.’ 轟焦凍「個性婚知ってるよな。〝超常〟が起きてから第二～第三世代間で問題になったやつ…自身の〝個性〟をより強化して継がせる為だけに配偶者を選び……結婚を強いる。倫理観の欠落した前時代的発想。実績と金だけはある男だ…親父は母の親族を丸め込み母の〝個性〟を手に入れた。俺をオールマイト以上のヒーローに育て上げることで自身の欲求を満たそうってこった。」 Todoroki Shōto “Quirk marriage. Do you know about it? After the ‘exceptional/supernatural’ happened, between the second and third generation they became a problem… In order to pass in inheritance a further strengthened version your “quirk” you choose a spouse… and get her married to you by force. Old-fashioned way of thinking which lacks in ethics. He’s a man with achievements and money… My father persuaded my mother’s relatives and obtained my mother’s “quirk”. Through raising me to be a Hero greater than All Might he wanted to fulfill his own desires.” [Chap. 31]

The doctor uses the word ‘kinki’ (禁忌) which can be translated as “taboo” but that when used for medical purpose has the meaning of “contraindications” (Enji wanted a kid with fire and ice and got a kid with a stronger fire and ice resistance).

Ishi ‘Mezurashī reidesu ne… Honō no kosei inshi wa yori irokoku hiki tsugarete iru nodesuga. Nikutai wa Okā-san no hō o tsuyoku hiki tsuide shimatterundesu. Tsumari… Honō e no taisei yori mo hyōketsu… Samusa ni tekisei no aru karada nandesu. MaA… DESIGN jimita koto wa ne… Kono “kosei” jidai kinki nande… Yameto ita hō ga.’ 医師「珍しい例ですね…炎の個性因子はより色濃く引き継がれているのですが。肉体はお母さんの方を強く引き継いでしまってるんです。つまり…炎への体制よりも氷結…寒さに適性のある身体なんです。まア…デザインじみたことはね…この”個性”時代禁忌なんで…やめといた方が…」 Doctor “That’s a rare case… The fire quirk factor is more prominently inherited, but his physical body is more strongly influenced by his mother’s. In other words… his body is more suited to freezing… to the cold than to fire. Well… anything resembling design… has contraindications/is taboo in this age of “Quirk”… so it’s better to avoid it…” [Chap. 301]

It’s likely they can’t legally forbid it as feelings can’t be proved and the other option would be to ban people with different Quirks from marrying. For example, although born from a marriage made out of love Bakugō is the successful result of mixing two different Quirks. How would his parents prove they married out of love and not in hope to produce a strong Quirk?

But what’s Japan stance on eugenic?

Just so you know Japan had a Eugenic Protection Law, in place from 1948 to 1996, which allowed authorities to forcibly sterilize people with disabilities, including those with mental disorders, hereditary diseases or physical deformities, and leprosy and forced abortions if either parent had those conditions. In 2024 the court has judged it unconstitutional and rejected the government’s claim that the 20-year statute of limitations should prevent it from paying restitution so that only NOW people who suffered forced sterilization are being paid compensation. In October 2023, the Supreme Court also ruled that a law requiring transgender people to undergo sterilization in order to change their gender on official documents was unconstitutional.

Also, apart from a short period in which Japan considered having Japanese blood mixed up with foreign blood to strengthen up the race, the predominant theory was to keep race purity so as to preserve the uniqueness of being Japanese. Again, things are changing.

I couldn’t really find info about which is the Japanese stance in regard to eugenic aimed at making babies smarter as I couldn’t find info about people attempting to do so. I would say Horikoshi criticizes it as no one pats Enji’s back in the story and tells him how smart he was at doing what he did, his experiment backfires and Shōto openly criticizes this.

XX DO THEY LIVE IN MUSUTAFU OR IT’S JUST U.A. IS IN MUSUTAFU?

So it seems the idea the story takes place in Musutafu (結田府) comes from how in Vol. 2 here was an image of Backdraft on the dust cover of volume two of the Japanese manga, which is a fire safety awareness ad for Musutafu Fire Department. The point is… not only they might have asked him to be the poster character for that advertisement just because he’s famous, but at June 2021 Drawing Smash exhibition they showed provisional hero licenses and the licenses had U.A.’s address on it which was “Shizuoka Prefecture, Koriri City, 1-2” (静岡県垢離里市1-2 ‘Shizuoka ken Koriri-shi 1–2’). Okay, there was no reading so another possible reading for 垢離里 can be ‘Korisato’ however I think this new fictional location is actually based on Corellia, a “Star Wars” planet with a strong culture of training pilots and which is therefore known for producing many excellent ones, such as Han Solo and Wedge Antilles. It would fit since Koriri, having U.A. high instead produces many excellent Heroes.

As Midoriya, Bakugō, Shōto, Tokoyami and Jirō are all born in Shizuoka prefecture, they’re all probably living relatively close to U.A. high.

What’s more, public schools in Japan are usually named after the location that the school is in they’re in so since Midoriya and Bakugō go to Aldera Middle School (折寺中学校 ‘Aldera Chūgakkō’), they’re probably in Aldera. Shōto goes to Corusan Middle School (凝山中学校 ‘Corusan Chūgakkō’) so, unless his middle school is a private one, the Todoroki residence (轟邸 ‘Todoroki Tei’) probably in Corusan, Tokoyami is in Entobira Middle School (円扉中学校 ‘Entobira Chūgakkō’) so he’s probably in Entobira, Jirō is in Besubin Middle School (辺須瓶中学校 ‘Besubin Chūgakkō’) so she’s probably in Besubin.

There is however someone who goes to a Musutafu Middle School (結田府中学校 ‘Musutafu Chūgakkō’), and those people are Kirishima and Ashido… who are however from the CHIBA PREFECTURE so Musutafu is likely there.

Long story short, U.A. high isn’t in Musutafu and Shōto probably lives in Corusan. There’s also to say though all this “Star Wars” related names were used as some sort of inside joke by Horikoshi so he might not even thought that hard at them. They’re Easter eggs, probably they’re not meant to mean more than that.

It’s unknown if Endeavor agency (エンデヴァー事務所 ‘ENDEAVOR Jimusho’) is in Shizuoka or in Tokyo like Īdaten (Īda’s brother’s agency) and All Might’s agency.

XX WHEN WAS TŌYA CONCEIVED?

Around April in the year in which Enji would turn 22.

XX WHEN WAS TŌYA BORN?

On January 18th, in the year in which Enji would turn 23.

XX WAS TŌYA BORN PREMATURE?

Nope, it’s a mistranslation. Tōya is, like Shōto, a ‘Hayaumare’ (早生まれ) which means “someone born between January 1st and April 1st (the school entrance date)”. The Hayaumare will start school on the year of their 6th birthday while everyone else will start school on the year of their 7th birthday as Japanese schools requires all their students to be ALREADY 6 at the beginning of school. This means the Hayaumare are the youngest kids in the class, hence Tōya might have been smaller and might have developed later compared to his classmates. [Chap. 302]

XX WHEN TŌYA’S QUIRK MANIFESTED?

Before Fuyumi was conceived, meaning pretty early as Tōya is born on January 18th and Fuyumi should have been conceived around March. [Chap. 291]

XX WAIT, DON’T QUIRKS MANIFEST AT 4 AND IF ONE IS PAST 4 AND HASN’T MANIFESTED HIS QUIRK THIS MEANS HE’S QUIRKLESS?

Nope to both. Remember the Luminescent Baby? He manifested his Quirk as a newborn. 4 is simply the age around which one should have manifested his Quirk. [Chap. 1] Remember Yoichi? He had a Quirk that allowed him to pass his Quirk and that he never manifested before meeting Kudō. [Chap. 59] It stands to reason that people with peculiar Quirk might not end up manifesting by the time they’re 4 or even never in their whole life (think to a person who, for example, has a Quirk that allows them to breathe in space… and never happen to discover it as life circumstances never lead them to do such thing or something equivalent). The only way to know if one is Quirkless is to check if they have an extra joint in the pinky toe or not. If one has it, he’s Quirkless. [Chap. 1] That’s why at 5 Tenko isn’t declared Quirkless even though he doesn’t manifest a Quirk, because he doesn’t have the extra joint in his pinky toe so he should have a Quirk. [Chap. 235] His parents couldn’t know All for One stole it. [Chap. 419]

XX IS FUYUMI TŌYA’S TWIN?

No, she’s born after him. As in, months after him.

XX WHEN WAS FUYUMI CONCEIVED?

In the same year in which Tōya had birth, around March, so when Tōya was around 2 months old and Enji hadn’t turned 23 yet.

XX WHEN WAS FUYUMI BORN?

On December 6th, in the same year as Tōya’s, so when Tōya was 11 months old and Enji has turned 23.

XX WHY ENJI AND REI HAD FUYUMI?

Because they believed Tōya only had a fire Quirk and Enji wanted a child with a dual Quirk and because Rei agreed with having more children as she believed they would support each other. [Chap. 291]

XX WHEN FUYUMI’S QUIRK MANIFESTED?

Likely pretty early as the visual tell us she was still an infant when her father was aware she only had an ice Quirk. [Chap. 291]

XX WHEN TŌYA STARTED TRAINING?

Likely around 3 as he started to burn himself before he turned 4 so it had to be prior to it and it’s hard to think Enji started training him when he was 2. [Chap. 291]

XX DID ENJI TRAIN TŌYA AS HARSHLY AS SHŌTO?

We don’t know but Tōya seems delighted to train with his father so he doesn’t live his training as something unpleasant or that he’s forced to do. [Chap. 291] He’s disappointed when his father stop training him and insists for him to resume his training. [Chap. 301] Of course Enji had just started training him and he’s VERY SMALL so it’s possible he didn’t go as hard with him yet and since he was forced to cut those training sessions he never got to get hard with him. On the other side Tōya is a kid who kept on training even if he burned himself so he might not have lived harsh training negatively but more like a challenge. There’s also to say that when he first wrote Chap. 301/302 Horikoshi meant for Shōto’s training to get really bad only AFTER Tōya’s death, and his behavior would end up on driving Rei insane… only to realize this would retcon what he previously said and correct this. Long story short, we don’t know how hard the training was, just that Tōya liked it.

XX DID TŌYA ALWAYS BURN HIMSELF WITH HIS FIRE?

Likely no, as his father managed to teach him how to raise the temperature of the fire and the day Tōya started to burn he expected him to start teaching him an ultimate move which isn’t exactly what you teach to your child at his first lesson. Apparently his body started changing as his hair started to turn white and with the body changing he lost his fire resistance. Likely, considering how lightly he and his father are dressed, he started to burn himself in late spring or summer. It gave him around 6 months of training. [Chap. 291]

XX DID ENJI KEEP ON TRAINING TŌYA WHEN HE STARTED BURNING HIMSELF?

Very likely no. While we don’t know if he attempted training Tōya some more before deciding to bring him to a doctor because he kept burning himself with his Quirk, we see that always in spring/summer Tōya was brought to a Quirk specialist in Central Hospital and Enji was told Tōya’s Quirk burned him and that he shouldn’t use it. Tōya is still in light clothes when he complains rather loudly about his father’s refusal to train him and Enji will complain with Rei on how he can’t persuade Tōya to stop using his Quirk and thinks having another baby would persuade Tōya to give up, in fact around October of that same year Natsuo is conceived. Long story short, Enji surely stopped after the doctor told him Tōya’s Quirk burned him. [Chap. 291/301]

XX WHY DIDN’T ENJI AND REI JUST GIVE TŌYA SUPPORT ITEMS?

Because there weren’t ones good enough to support him and Enji knows this intimately. Enji himself uses support items to lower his own temperature and 20 years after Tōya started burning they still aren’t effective enough, not even when he updates his costume with the last tech and he has also fire resistance.

By the way, many miss it because it’s written solely in his profile in the volume version but we know Tōya did get support items in form of flame-retardant clothes made for him by Detnerat, one of the top ten companies in support items and still burned himself (and his previous clothes were likely also flame-retardant clothes received from Giran once he joined the League). If Detnerat couldn’t give him something more effective, it’s because they didn’t have anything better to offer to help him deal with his Quirk. [Chap. 240/344]

XX WHEN DID TŌYA LEARN WHY ENJI HAD CHILDREN?

Prior to Natsuo being conceived so pretty young. As the doctor who visited him at Central Hospital knew about it, it’s possible it came up in the discussion they had with him while Tōya was present, hence Tōya overheard it. On the other side it’s possible Enji let it slip when he thought Tōya could fulfill his dream as it’s implied he told Tōya he could surpass All Might. We don’t really know. [Chap. 301]

XX WHEN WAS NATSUO CONCEIVED?

In the same year Tōya started to burn, around October, when Tōya was still 3, Fuyumi wasn’t yet 3 and Enji has turned 26.

XX WHY ENJI AND REI HAD NATSUO?

Enji believed that Tōya would give up on using his Quirk if he were to have a sibling that could surpass him due to having a perfect Quirk and he also wanted said perfect Quirk, hence he persuaded Rei to have a third child. He thought to kill two birds with one stone.

What got killed instead were the chances the Todoroki family had to be a happy, functional family. [Chap. 301]

XX WHEN WAS NATSUO BORN?

On July 1st, in the year in which Tōya is 4, Fuyumi would turn 4 and Enji would turn 27.

XX WHEN NATSUO MANIFESTED HIS QUIRK?

We don’t know. Shōto was conceived around April, when Natsuo was still 2 (but would turn 3 in July). It’s possible that Natsuo manifested his Quirk as early as his siblings but Enji waited before trying a 4th time or it’s possible Natsuo manifested it a little later.

XX WHEN WAS SHŌTO CONCEIVED?

Around April, in the year in which Tōya has turned 7, Fuyumi would turn 7, Natsuo would turn 3 and Enji would turn 30.

XX WHEN ENJI ARRESTED TAKAMI?

In autumn and it seems in an interview it was said he did so when Keigo was 6 so this happened when Tōya was 7, Fuyumi was 6, Natsuo was 3 and Enji 30. Take this with a grain of salt as I hadn’t seen said interview, just heard about it. When Enji arrested Takami, Ending saw Enji for the first time.

XX WHY ENJI AND REI HAD SHŌTO?

Same reason as why they had Natsuo. [Chap. 301]

XX WHEN WAS SHŌTO BORN?

On January 11th, in the year in which Tōya would turn 8, Fuyumi would turn 8, Natsuo would turn 4 and Enji would turn 31.

XX WHEN SHŌTO’S QUIRK MANIFESTED?

Pretty early as we see he could ice his snot while sleeping as a baby. [Chap. 302]

XX DID REI AGREE TO HAVE FIRST NATSUO AND THEN SHŌTO OR DID ENJI TAKE HER BY FORCE?

We don’t know. When Enji wanted to have a third son, Rei believed it would be cruel toward Tōya for them to have other babies. Enji then claimed this would help Tōya give up on using his fire. Rei doesn’t seem persuaded nor happy but she might have agreed not so much because she wanted to but because according to Confucianism a woman is obligated not to act on her own initiatives and, at home, she must submissively obey or follow her father before getting married, her husband after getting married, and her sons after her husband’s death. As she came from a prestigious family this teaching was surely imparted to her so she might have felt pressured to agree not so much due to Enji pushing but merely due to her education that would tell her she should do what he says.

In short she might not have said no and Enji might not have had to physically force her but, if we look at her expression, she clearly wasn’t happy with it when Enji decided to have Natsuo nor when he decided to have Shōto… even though she clearly loved all her children. [Chap. 301]

XX DO ALL THE KIDS REALLY WANT TO BECOME HEROES AS TŌYA SAID?

In Midoriya’s Middle school class they do, though it’s also possible some kids say so to conform to their classmates [Chap. 1]. We see that Kirishima’s classmates would like to go for U.A. but decides they’re not fit of it and chose another school [Chap. 144].

Long story short it’s very likely in Tōya’s elementary school class all the kids are saying they’ll become Heroes… but also equally likely by the time they’ll reach high school many will give up on that dream. Still, if Tōya wants to make friends in his class, he needs to conform to them and also wish to become a Hero. As he’s the firstborn of an Hero, society likely expects he’ll follow in his father’s footsteps. Remember what Tensei said?

Īda Tensei ‘Nn… Tashikani sofu - ryōshin HERO de… Seken ja ore ga HERO yatteru no mo tōzen mitai ni iwa rerukara na.’ 飯田天晴「んん…確かに祖父・両親ヒーローで…世間じゃ俺がヒーローやってるのも当然みたいに言われるからな。」 Īda Tensei “Hmm… because for sure my grandfather and parents are heroes… therefore society says it’s natural for me to be a hero.” [Chap. 54]

Tenya doesn’t suffer of the same expectations because he’s the second born. However after Tensei’s incident, people would have turned their expectation on him even if Tenya wasn’t in a Hero school, thinking it would be logical for him to inherit the mantle of Ingenium. Mind you, the expectations are a lot less now that in the past but they’re still there.

XX WAIT, WAS TŌYA ALSO BULLIED AS MIDORIYA?

We don’t know.

He likely didn’t fit in his class during Elementary and Middle school. Enji said he should make friends at school, meaning they’re aware he has none and Tōya tries to explain him they’re different from him (they can see they’ll become Hero and likely get their family support while he’s constantly told by his father he can’t).

Todoroki Enji ‘DAME da! Naze wakaran! Soko made no yakedo o otte naze wakaranainda!! Tōya…!! Omae wa soto o miro. Fuyumi ya Natsuo to asobe!! Gakkō de tomodachi o tsukure! HERO igai ni mo… Takusan no sekai ga aru… Wakaru darō! Sō shite iku uchi ni wasureru.’ 轟炎司「ダメだ！何故わからん！そこまでの火傷を負って何故わからないんだ‼燈矢…‼おまえは外を見ろ。冬美や夏雄と遊べ‼学校で友達をつくれ！ヒーロー以外にも…沢山の世界がある…わかるだろう！そうしていく内に忘れる。」 Todoroki Enji “No! Why don’t you understand? How can you not understand when you’ve been burned so badly!! Tōya…!! Look outside. Play with Fuyumi and Natsuo!! Make friends at school! There are so many worlds out there other than heroes… You’ll understand! As you do so, you’ll forget.”

Todoroki Tōya ‘Gakkō no ko wa mina HERO ni narutte sa…! ……Wakaru hazu nai daro…! Ore wa otō-san no kodomo nanda kara.’ 轟燈矢「学校の子は皆ヒーローになるってさ…！……わかるはずないだろ…！俺はお父さんの子どもなんだから。」 Todoroki Tōya “All the kids at school say they’ll become heroes…! There’s no way I’d understand…! After all I’m my dad’s child.” [Chap. 301]

Later Rei insists he should spend time with his classmates (implying they’re aware he doesn’t do it) and Tōya succinctly tells her he doesn’t need friends and that they live in different worlds, implying he has none.

Todoroki Rei ‘Matte! Mata oyama ni iku kidesho…! Tamani wa CLASSMATE to asonde mitari…’ 轟冷「待って！またお山に行く気でしょ…！ たまにはクラスメイトと遊んでみたり…」 Todoroki Rei “Wait! You’re going to the mountains again, aren’t you?! Sometimes you can hang out with your classmates.”

Todoroki Tōya ‘Tomodachi nanka iranai! Sekai ga chigau!’ 轟燈矢「友だちなんかいらない！世界が違う！」 Todoroki Tōya “I don’t need friends! We’re in different worlds!” [Chap. 302]

The fact he doesn’t have social relations in class makes him different which is often a cause of bullying… but not necessarily. Think also at Shōto, at how he initially kept apart from the class saying he wasn’t there to make friends and how the kids in Class A seem to be his first friends.

Bullying (いじめ ‘Ijime’) in Japan, especially as depicted in manga, tends to involve power dynamics, with a group of students or classmates targeting a single victim which is perceived weak. Now… here I’ll talk more of how it get depicted in manga/anime as in real life it’s a lot more complex.

Midoriya is represented as weak, he’s timid, polite, not strong and Quirkless so it fits with the trope of a perfect victim of physical and verbal bullying.

Tōya and Shōto have their strong/dangerous Quirks and were likely good at fighting back. They’re also not looking timid or polite. Very likely Tōya and Shōto refused social interaction and are children of someone important. This kind of characters are generally not used in manga to represent victims of physical bullying, if in a story someone tries to attack them, they defend and teach them it’s better not to.

The most they get is social ostracism (people would keep away from them, wouldn’t invite them to join in their activities, wouldn’t pick up them when they’ve to choose among classmates). Since they would be depicted as not wanting it in the first place though, stories generally don’t depict this as bullying but as the natural answer to their attitude.

People might gossip about them and criticize their behavior which will feel like a ‘I’m better than you’ attitude but they wouldn’t do it on their face or would look scared if overheard.

Something similar to the relationship between Shōto and Yoarashi, when, after seeing Shōto act like that with him at the exam, Yoarashi refuses to interact with Shōto and accuses him to be like his father. Yoarashi though tells all that to his face because he’s also represented as a strong character who can match Shōto. There’s a high chance that, in their classes, Tōya and Shōto were perceived as the strongest so they didn’t have anyone who would try to put them in their place and so they continued to live their school life in willing social isolation. Tōya and Shōto will also try to keep on doing the same thing outside of middle school, Tōya keeping away the league members and Shōto initially wanting to keep away his classmates at U.A. high.

The story later will show that all Shōto needed to open up was someone reaching out for him… which fits with the trope of this kind of character (though how much they open up after the main character reaches for them can vary).

Mind you, all this is speculation based on tropes popular in manga, which seem to fit Tōya and Shōto. We’ll never know if they were bullied because they refused to interact with the class.

XX IS TŌYA SHOWING SIGNS OF PSYCHOPATY FOR TRYING TO MURDER SHŌTO?

As sad and troublesome as it is, children normally have a lower ability, compared to adults, to control their emotions and a lower grasp to the consequences of their actions, so a child of 8 who loses it and tries to attack someone else, be it his infant sibling, in a fit of jealousy and desperation in order to get his father’s attention is not something that’s okay but it’s something that can happen, as not only his emotions can take over and overrule his brain, but a child desperate for attentions can resort to try to get negative attention (attention received by doing something wrong), and one of the easiest ways to do so is by hitting someone or something.

Normally children don’t have a fire Quirk (nor their sibling has fire resistance) so the attack might seem tamer (a kick or a punch or a slap) but this doesn’t mean they can’t be equally dangerous (especially if the target is a baby).

During the fact Tōya is depicted as highly distressed and years later Tōya is shown admitting he was in the wrong and still showing remorse (psychopaths lack the ability to feel remorse).

If Enji hadn’t decided to just keep the children forever parted and had instead handled things better, that would have been remained an isolated case and would have probably turned into a ‘funny family anecdote’ of the time in which Tōya tried to burn Shōto and failed.

Even better, if he hadn’t let his son get so distressed the whole incident wouldn’t have taken place.

I’ll toss in that for a child having attention both in regard to his whereabouts but also in regard to his emotions is a PRIMARY NEED that, if not fulfilled, can have serious, long lasting psychological consequences. We can all guess how dangerous it is not to pay attention to where a child is and what he’s doing but, to give you an idea of how bad emotional neglect in children can be, here there’s a list of the most common symptoms: depression, anxiety, apathy, failure to thrive, hyperactivity, aggression, developmental delays, low self-esteem, substance misuse, withdrawing from friends and activities, appearing uncaring or indifferent, shunning emotional closeness or intimacy. It doesn’t end here because who was emotionally neglected as a child will have to deal with the consequences as an adult as well. For start they might not know how to deal with their emotions when they occur. But other common effect of childhood emotional neglect in adulthood are: post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, emotional unavailability, increasing likelihood for an eating disorder, shunning intimacy, feeling deeply, personally flawed, feeling empty, poor self-discipline, guilt and shame, anger and aggressive behaviors, difficulty trusting others or relying upon anyone else and they might become parents who also emotionally neglect their own children in return (actually it seems the most common cause for emotionally neglecting a child is that the parent suffered of it as well).

So yes, Tōya had already gotten to a point in which his psychological health had deteriorated quite a bit and his parents should do something to support him. [Chap. 301/302]

XX WHY DIDN’T THE TODOROKIS SEND TŌYA TO THERAPY SINCE HE WAS CLEARLY COPYING POORLY WITH THE SITUATION?

Therapy exists in Japan and it’s a viable option but… it’s also strongly stigmatized and carries along a connotation of shame as it’s generally seen as something only ‘crazy people go’.

People are viewed as weak and blamed if they fall prey of a mental illness and, anyway, supporting them is viewed as their family’s duty not a therapist’s duty, with families more willing to read books about how to help or to ask guidance to elders than to turn to therapists (by the way, as said before, till 1996 people with mental disabilities suffered of forced sterilization in Japan due to the eugenic protection law, and mental illness in the family was one of the reasons why a person wouldn’t be considered acceptable for marriage so even if the law was abolished you don’t want to be judged as someone who has mental problems or to have one of your kids judged as one who has mental problems).

I would say Rei’s 10 years in hospital seem to hint Horikoshi didn't really believe in therapy. We also see it’s not just Tōya who doesn’t get therapy but little Eri, despite what she went through doesn’t get it either, nor does Kōta despite losing his parents.

What ‘heals’ Rei is Shōto going to visit her, what ‘heals’ Eri is going to the school festival, what ‘heals’ Kōta is being saved by Midoriya… and don’t take me wrong, they’re all things that can help but, normally, therapy would also do play a part in real life.

XX WHAT ABOUT QUIRK COUNSELING? DID TŌYA RECEIVE IT?

‘Issei ‘kosei’ COUNSELING’ (一斉〝個性〟カウンセリング “universal/mass/simultaneous ‘Quirk’ counseling”) is apparently mandatory in all the elementary schools... the manga doesn't explain it in details but seems to be a group activity all students take part at. This means all the Todoroki kids received it during Elementary school. The goal of it though seems to be to teach the students to form a personality that conform with the norm, with the result that it instead emphasize more the differences and tries to force students to suppress all that doesn't conform.

Assuming Quirk counseling works similarly to how counseling works in Japanese school, it's possible that, in tandem with 'group Quirk counseling' administered by the teacher, the students who have troubles can also receive private Quirk counseling administered by a specialist who visit their school. Private counseling in Japan has the same stigma as asking for psychological help so this might apply also to private Quirk counseling.

However we've no detailed canon info on how Quirk counseling works and it's never mentioned in relation to Tōya s, beyond the fact that he should have received the part of it that's common to all the elementary school children, the rest is up to speculation...

Clearly, the mandatory Quirk counseling didn't help him, we can't tell though if it made matters worse.

XX DID ENJI CALLED SHŌTO A ‘MASTERPIECE’ AND HIS OTHER CHILDREN ‘FAILURES’?

Enji called Shōto ‘saikō kessaku’ (最高傑作 “greatest masterpiece”) in Chap. 34. The dialogue seems to imply it’s not the first time he calls him as such.

Todoroki Enji ‘Ii kagen kodomo jimita hankō o yamero. Omae ni wa ALL MIGHT o koeru to iu gimu ga arunda zo. Wakatteru no ka? Nī-san-ra to wa chigau. Omae wa saikō kessaku nanda zo!’ 轟炎司「良い加減子どもじみた反抗をやめろ。おまえにはオールマイトを超えるという義務があるんだぞ。わかってるのか？兄さんらとは違う。お前は最高傑作なんだぞ！」 Todoroki Enji “You look like an irresponsible child, quit your rebellion. You have a duty that’s called ‘surpass All Might’. Do you understand? You’re different from your older brother and your other siblings. You are my greatest masterpiece!” [Chap. 34]

I couldn’t find a single instance in which he refers to his other kids as ‘shippaisaku’ (失敗作 “failed creative work”), who use that term to refer to himself and his siblings is Tōya because that’s how he felt Enji saw him and his siblings.

Todoroki Tōya ‘Boku wa chichi no riko-tekina yume no tame ni tsukura reta. Shikashi, dōyara boku wa shippaisaku datta yōde hodonakushite mikagirare suterare wasurerare mashita.’ 轟燈矢「僕は父の利己的な夢の為につくられた。しかし、どうやら僕は失敗作だったようで程なくして見限られ捨てられ忘れられました。」 Todoroki Tōya “I was created for my father’s selfish dream. However, it seems I was a failure, and I was soon abandoned, cast aside, and forgotten.” [Chap. 290]

Todoroki Tōya ‘Soryā, ano toki wa ore ga warukatta yo…!! Shōto ni tsumi wa nakatta mono… demo Otō-san mo warukattanda yo! Ore-tachi wa shippaisaku dakara aite ni sa renai. Sugoi yona… iranai ko o tsukutte… kore ga gendai HERO nanda ze.’ 轟燈矢「そりゃあ、あの時は俺が悪かったよ…‼焦凍に罪はなかったもの…でもお父さんも悪かったんだよ！俺たちは失敗作だから相手にされない。すごいよな…要らない子をつくって…これが現代ヒーローなんだぜ。」 Todoroki Tōya “Well, I was wrong back then…!! Shōto was innocent... but Dad was wrong too! We are failures so no one pays attention to us. It’s amazing... raising unwanted children... this is what a modern hero is.”

Todoroki Tōya ‘Shōto, kaettanda yo ore. Mae yori jakutaika shiten noni sa, kitai shiteru MON nante aru HAZU nai no ni. (Mata mite moraeru yō ni… demo sa…) Kitto… kawatte ite hoshikattanda… Mitakatta nda… ore o unda imi o… (3-nen-buri no kawaranu kōkei ga…) aratamete oshiete kureta. Ore ga shippaisaku de imi wa naku. Kono kazoku wa mō ore o kako ni shita.’ 轟燈矢「焦凍、帰ったんだよ俺。前より弱体化してんのにさ、期待してるモンなんてあるハズないのに。（また見てもらえるように…でもさ…）きっと…変わっていてほしかったんだ…見たかったんだ俺を生んだ意味を…「（3年ぶりの変わらぬ光景が…）改めて教えてくれた。俺が失敗作で意味は無く。この家族はもう俺を過去にした。」 Todoroki Tōya “Shōto, I went home. I was weaker than before, so there’s no way I could have expected anything. (I wanted to be able to get him to look at me again...but...) I guess... I wished for things to have changed... I wanted to see… the meaning behind my birth… (the same scene after three years…) Once again I was taught/shown that I was a failure and there was meaning in me. This family had already made me a thing of the past.”

Special mention for Natsuo who say it and yet doesn’t… what does this mean? That the text says ‘shippaisaku’ (失敗作 “failed creative work”) but the reading given is ‘ore-tachi’ (おれたち “we”) so even though he’s talking with Enji, Enji can’t hear him saying “failures” just “we”.

Todoroki Natsuo ‘Iette… MeE awaseta koto mo nai kuse ni kyū ni yoku iu ne. Ore sa, Shōto ga soba suki nante hajimete shitta yo. Anta ga shippaisaku (read: ore-tachi) to kakawara senai yō ni shitetakara. Okā-san mo nē-chan mo naze ka yurusu nagare nanda kedo sa, ore no naka ja IKARE yarō zessan keizoku chū da yo! Kawatta yōde zenzen kawattenai! Shippaisaku (read: ore-tachi) wa hottarakashi, kikoete kuru okā-san no himei, Shōto no nakigoe! Tōya nī no koto mo sa… No.1 ni natte kyōteki taoshita tokoro de kokoro kara kieru HAZU nai. Katte ni kokoro gawari shite! Ippōteki ni yori modosoutte ka! Kimochi warui ze! Soo yuu toko wakatten no!?’ 轟夏雄「言えって…目エ合わせたこともないくせに急によく言うね。俺さ、焦凍がそば好きなんて初めて知ったよ。あんたが失敗作(おれたち）と関わらせないようにしてたから。お母さんも姉ちゃんも何故か許す流れなんだけどさ、俺の中じゃイカレヤロウ絶賛継続中だよ！変わったようで全然変わってない！失敗作(おれたち）は放ったらかし、聞こえてくるお母さんの悲鳴、焦凍の泣き声！燈矢兄のこともさ…No.1になって強敵倒したところで心から消えるハズない。勝手に心変わりして！一方���に縒り戻そうってか！気持ち悪いぜ！そーゆーとこわかってんの！？」 Todoroki Natsuo “Say it... even though you've never even looked at me in the eye, you're saying that all of a sudden. This is the first time I’ve heard that Shōto likes soba. It’s because you didn’t let him get involved with failures (read: us). Mom and big sister for some reason are in the process of forgiving you, but inside I’m still thinking of you as a crazy bastard! You may seem to have changed, but you haven’t changed at all! How you ignored the failures (read: us), hearing mom’s screams and Shōto’s cries! And the same goes for big brother Tōya... Even if you became No. 1 and defeated a strong enemy, there’s no way all this will disappear from my heart. You changed your mind on your own! And you’re trying to unilaterally get back together with us! That’s disgusting! Do you even understand that kind of thing!?”

As said before, carrying on a father’s ambition and inheriting his work was considered the male firstborn’s duty. If he gets passed over for a younger sibling it’s implied he failed in his duty hence he’s a failure so Enji doesn’t really need to say Tōya (and his other siblings) are failures because that’s implied when he pass them over for Shōto. Although this belief is slowly being abandoned in Tōya’s case he likely feels it’s even stronger as he knows his father had kids for that purpose.

Long story short, it’s possible Enji never used it to define his kids but they sure felt as such.

XX WHEN ALL FOR ONE GAVE TENKO THE DECAYING QUIRK, CAUSING HIM TO DESTROY HIS FAMILY SO THAT HE COULD THEN TAKE HIM HOW OLD WERE THE TODOROKI FAMILY MEMBERS?

Tenko was 5 and it was summer so it likely happened in the summer of the year in which Tōya would turn 8, Fuyumi would turn 8, Natsuo would turn 4, Shōto would be born and Enji would turn 31.

XX WHEN AKAGURO CHIZOME DROPS OUT OF SCHOOL AND STARTS MAKING SOAPBOX SPEECHES (OFTEN IN FRONT OF A STATION) ABOUT THE NEED FOR “HERO REVIVAL” HOW OLD WERE THE TODOROKI FAMILY MEMBERS AND DID TŌYA HEARD HIM?

It likely happened in the summer of the year in which Tōya would turn 8, Fuyumi would turn 8, Natsuo would turn 4, Shōto would be born and Enji would turn 31. We’ve no proof whatsoever Tōya ever heard of him before he became Stain.

XX WHEN BUBAIGAWARA JIN RUNS DOWN WITH A MOTORCYCLE A YOUNG MAN AND CONSEQUENTLY LOSES HIS JOB AND BECOMES HOMELESS HOW OLD WERE THE TODOROKI FAMILY MEMBERS?

It likely happened in the autumn or winter of the year in which Tōya would turn 8, Fuyumi would turn 8, Natsuo would turn 4, Shōto would be born and Enji would turn 31.

XX WHEN TOGA HIMIKO’S QUIRK MANIFESTED AND HOW OLD WERE THE TODOROKI FAMILY MEMBERS?

Likely after she turned 3 (her birthday is on August 7th) and prior turning 4 as her parents stopped signing her height to the wall after she turned 3. This means it happens when Tōya was 9-10, Fuyumi was 8-9, Natsuo was 5-6, Shōto was 1-2 and Enji was 32-33.

XX WHEN OBORO SHIRAKUMO DIED HOW OLD WERE THE TODOROKI FAMILY MEMBERS?

Shirakumo died when he was 17, in October, in the year in which Tōya would turn 9, Fuyumi would turn 9, Natsuo would turn 5, Shōto would turn 1 and Enji would turn 32.

His body was retrieved by Garaki Kyūdai who turned into the Nōmu Kurogiri and handed him to All for One who later used him as babysitter for Shigaraki Tomura. [BNHA Chap. 254]

XX DID ENJI ABUSED (AS IN ‘PHYSICALLY BEAT’) HIS CHILDREN AND WIFE? SHOULDN’T HE BE PUNISHED FOR THAT?

I’ll try to be as factually accurate as possible with this one. Sit down comfortably as this is gonna be long.

Through the manga we never see Enji raising a finger toward Tōya, Fuyumi or Natsuo, and all Natsuo and Tōya will complain about is how he completely ignored them, not that he hit them.

They also knew he believed Shōto to be a Masterpiece (Enji even said it out loud to Shōto in canon, remarking how he wasn’t like his siblings), which made them feel they were failures in his eyes (credits when it’s due, he never said they were failures, just that Shōto wasn’t like them).

We see Enji sending Rei on the ground twice [Chap. 39/302].

In Chap. 39, when she tries to protect Shōto, the sound effect implies he slapped her, and, even though the anime in episode 105 tried to ‘soften the scene’ by implying he did hit her because she grabbed him and he wanted to push her away, he still hit her. In Chap. 302 the way Rei is on the ground, crying and looking scared to death, implies she was hit, and the way he grabbed her shirt as he yells at her as well as the fact later she’ll panic when she’ll see Shōto as she exchanges him for Enji, seems to imply he did hit her again, or, at least, scared her enough to cause her to fear him to the point of paranoia. So we’ve at least two instances in which he beats his wife.

In the first instance he’s witnessed by Shōto. In the second instance he’s witnessed by Fuyumi, Natsuo and Shōto. Tōya wasn’t shown around so he might not have witnessed this.

Of course there could have been more instances, likely there were considering how Rei was scared, but I’ll stick to what was shown to us.

We don’t see him hit Shōto but, during training, we see Shōto being on the ground and throwing up as Enji yells at him to get up [Chap. 39-202] and on the ground with Enji having some sort of pole in his hands, others scattered around in Chap. 350.

The Japanese version on Chap. 39 is a lot more vague than the English version as in the English version they say ‘if you get knocked down by a hit like this’ but in the Japanese version it’s:

Todoroki Enji ‘Tate. Konna mono de taorete ite wa ALL MIGHT wa oroka zako teki (read: VILLAIN) ni sura…’ 轟炎司「立て。こんなもので倒れていてはオールマイトはおろか雑魚敵（ヴィラン）にすら…」 Todoroki Enji “Stand up. If you are to fall down due to something like this, forget (beating) All Might, (you won’t beat) not even a small fry enemy (read: Villain)…” [Chap. 39]

‘Konna mono’ means “like this thing”.

‘Taorete’ means “to break down (e.g. from overwork), to fall, to collapse, to drop, to fall senseless, to fall ill, to go down to the ground from an upright position, usually by accident”. It’s the verb you use if you suddenly faint or fall down because you are very ill or weak or if you collapsed following a vigorous exercise session at his home, not due to being hit.

This leaves open the possibility Shōto fell sick not after being hit but after being driven to exhaustion… and we know using fire can be taxing and Enji wanted him to use his fire… but the scene in Chap. 350 seems to imply also there was fighting, not just Quirk using in Shōto’s training.

Also, in Chap. 202, Enji holds a Shinai, a Japanese sword typically made of bamboo used for practice and competition in kendō… but that is also often used in Japan by coaches to punish/beat the athletes they’re training.

We never see Enji hit Shōto outside of training, not even when Shōto is rude to him and Enji hadn’t started yet his atonement path. In “School Briefs” Natsuo says Rei wanted to protect Shōto from Enji’s training, not by other forms of physical abuse. This seems to imply, outside of training, Enji didn’t hit Shōto.

Unless I’m missing something, this is all we have.

So, where does all this leads us?

Let’s start with Rei.

In Japan, from 2001 it was prohibited for a person to inflict physical harm or bodily injury upon another person, even between spouses [Act on the Prevention of Spousal Violence and the Protection of Victims].

What will then be done?

If the person receiving harm notify or report this to the police and can prove WITH EVIDENCE (her statements, doctor’s notes testifying the damage received) she received harm and that they are in a case in which they are highly likely to receive serious harm to the life or body from renewed spousal violence, a Protection Order will be issued to the abuser by a district court, subject to a written petition to the court.

The Protection Order will forbid the abuser to get close to the victim and, possibly, to the victim’s children and relatives for 6 months. They might also ordered to vacate the residence shared as the main home with the victim, and not to loiter in the vicinity of the victim’s residence for a period of 2 months.

Only if they violate the Protection Order they are punishable by imprisonment with work for not more than one year or a fine of not more than one million yen.

So the most Rei could obtain had she reported the abuse with enough evidence to prove it happened and she had reasons to fear for her life, would have been to have Enji be forced to stay away from her for 6 months. If she had also filed a claim for damages caused by assault or mental abuse, in a separate civil process, she could hope to get economical compensation.

If she does nothing or doesn’t have enough evidence (very likely Rei didn’t go to a doctor so that he would write down the extent of the damage received and, by the time she snapped and attacked Shōto, bruises might have disappeared) nothing will be done, the most that might happen will be they will be offered counseling from a police officer or Spousal Violence Counseling and Support Centers.

Generally though, the police will consider it as a private family matter and let things be as the police are not obliged to investigate when ‘domestic disputes’ are reported (yeah, that’s how they’re called). Even if things are changing, if the matter becomes public, society will also tend to blame the wife even if she’s the victim and won’t be kind to the kids either.

As of today Japanese law does not explicitly provide for domestic violence in terms of prosecutorial considerations.

However… there’s an up side. In May 2023, the Japanese Diet passed a revised domestic violence prevention law which went into effect April 2024.

The revised law marks a departure from its original version, which limited protection orders to individuals who had already experienced physical violence and faced an imminent threat to their life or body. Now, it extends to those facing serious mental harm—a crucial expansion given that 60% of domestic violence consultations to the Cabinet Office’s support hotlines involve mental abuse. Moreover, the duration of protection orders has been extended from six months to one year, and stricter penalties have been imposed on those who violate protection orders. Originally punishable by imprisonment of up to one year and a fine of up to one million yen, violators now face up to two years in prison and fines of up to two million yen.

While Japanese law continues to not expressly provide criminal penalties for domestic violence the court may now impose the following penalties for crimes related to domestic violence (assault and injury) under the Penal Code.

Assault (暴行 ‘bōkō’) may entail imprisonment with work for not more than two years, a fine of not more than JPY 300,000, or misdemeanor imprisonment without work or a petty fine.

Injury (傷害 ‘shōgai’) may entail imprisonment with work for not more than 15 years or a fine of not more than JPY 500,000. Typically, imprisonment may be between six months and three years with two to five years of probation, depending on the severity of the crime. Police is also a bit more pressured into doing investigations.

While all this is well and good the high evidentiary standard placed on victims, complicated legal procedures and insufficient access to legal representation may deters victims from trying to pursue justice.

By the end of BNHA Rei doesn’t seem interested to seek justice but likely will not have enough evidence to offer beyond the fact that Enji is willing to confirm it… but… since this whole thing is so recent, it likely wasn’t incorporated into BNHA, Horikoshi might have even missed the changes in the law.

What about the abuse the kids received?

In Japan what Tōya, Fuyumi and Natsuo suffered is classified as Psychological Abuse and they check almost all the boxes of it.

In fact they were ignored and they were made feel as they were rejected, they were aware Shōto was ‘favored’ as in ‘viewed as a Masterpiece’, different from them (not that it did Shōto any good), and, in Fuyumi and Natsuo’s case, they witnessed him committing violence toward their other parent.

In Shōto’s case there’s Psychological Abuse as he witnessed Enji committing violence toward their other parent and, I guess, one could make a case for the yelling Shōto received during training to also count (verbal abuse is a part of psychological abuse) and, of course, there’s Physical Abuse occurring during the training.

The Child Abuse Prevention Act (2000) is the first piece of legislation to explicitly mention child abuse and say that Rei or people like welfare workers, individuals who work at schools, mental health professionals, physicians, nurses and lawyers are obliged to report child abuse if they witness it. There are however no repercussions if they decided not to report the fact they witnessed abuse.

After making a report, the Child Guidance Center will assess the report and the first responses to the report will usually be within the first 48 hours. Action from the CGC varies from visiting the home of the child, conducting family assessments, or gathering information from settings like schools or hospitals. The CGC can also provide emergency protection and custody for the family if necessary, as well as providing other methods to support the family. The children are generally taken away from parents only if their life is judged in serious danger.

Again, things need to be proved with evidence.

Psychological abuse is one of the hardest things to prove. Children are heard but they’re often considered unreliable… and yes, this applies to even when they grow up, because they might remember wrong facts that happened in their childhood. People working for the Todorokis isn’t on duty to report things and they might decide against it (the manga though, never showed them witnessing anything).

Rei could do the report but she clearly isn’t reporting anything that happens in the house.

As Rei comes from a traditional family she’s likely psychologically under the Confucianism belief that a woman is obligated not to act on her own initiatives and, at home, she must submissively obey or follow her father before getting married, her husband after getting married, and her sons after her husband’s death. In short, she probably thinks she deserves the beating as, in Shōto’s case, she opposes to Enji and in Tōya’s case, she failed to look after him which wasn’t just disobeying to what her husband asked her but that in Japan is seen as the exclusive duty of the mother. In fact, when she phones to her mother she doesn’t ask for help because she gets beaten but because she thinks she can’t stay with the kids because she fears she’ll hurt them.

What about the physical abuse Shōto received?

In 2019 Japan enacted a law banning parents and other guardians from physically punishing children following several fatal cases of abuse dealt out in the name of discipline. The most notable thing is that, despite parents being banned from physically punishing children… there are no penalties for offenders and, as said before, the biggest action that can be taken would be to move the children away from the abuser.

BNHA started in 2014 with chapter 39 and 202 being printed before the law was in action hence Enji’s behavior was even less reproachable by Japanese eyes.

What’s more Enji isn’t punishing Shōto but ‘training him’.

While abuse of children is prohibited in Japan, there are no laws that explicitly extend this prohibition to the world of sport.

Although the Japanese government and sports organizations have attempted, in recent years, to address physical abuse of children, child protection guidelines that apply to sports organizations, to date, have been non-binding suggestions, with no clear mechanisms for ensuring compliance.

The story draw strong parallelism between Hero training and sport training so Hero training likely falls under the same ‘laws’.

In fact when Enji trains (read: abuse) Shōto, Horikoshi likely meant for him to mirror a certain Japanese stereotype of abusive father/trainer that had been VERY present in old spokon manga and anime… but that’s actually older than them.

This is the plot of “Renjishi” (連獅子 “Two Lions”) a kabuki dance (which should be dated 1861), I’ll quote a description for it I found in the net but you can find others in a similar tone:

“A depiction of a lion’s strict training. The father lion pushes his cub over a ravine into a deep valley, maintaining a strict demeanor but in truth waiting anxiously to see if his son can climb back. Folklore has it that lion cubs are kicked off a ravine by their parent and must climb back up with intense effort. The brave attitude of the cub in the face of his father’s strict training is an emotional scene. A drama depicting the love between parent and child.”

Manga and anime took it in strides, depicting abuse be it in the form of insane training methods or physical beatings (体罰 ‘taibatsu’) as a perfect valid method to train someone, with expressions like ‘Tatakinaousu’ (叩き直す “Beat up someone until you fix them”) or ‘Karada de Oboeru’ (体で覚える “Remember with your body”) and considering fathers who would take upon themselves the task to train (read: abuse) their children, as model fathers.

The most famous case in manga and anime is Hoshi Ittetsu a character from the manga (and anime) “Kyojin no Hoshi” (1966 – 1971) who WAS CONSIDERED THE IDEAL FATHER FIGURE in the mid-Showa era for how his whole life ended up revolving around supporting his son’s dream to become a baseball player, no one caring he forced his own dream on his son (as, as said before, it was judged a completely normal behavior) or that he pushed his son through a way worse abusive training than Enji did. As Enji initially shared many similarities with him, Hoshi Ittetsu might have been a direct or indirect source of inspiration for Enji.

In real life in 1964 the Japanese Women’s Volleyball Team won the Olympics but the training regime they were forced to underwent was abusive… but it seems since they won no one cared and the players even thanked the coach (“He was tough, for sure. But just as much, there was kindness with coach Daimatsu. It’s why everyone respected him” said one of the players) and this inspired “Attack no. 1” another anime which shows the main character undergo abusive (and humanly impossible to bear) training to become the best volleyball player.

That’s just not really a thing of the past.

In Japan, there’s an unwritten rule that permits coaches and sporting mentors to slap, kick and punch players to get them to “toughen up” and older generations often still view physical abuse or contact for discipline as a necessary part of teaching or coaching.

In September, 2012, 15 female judo athletes filed a written complaint to the All Japan Judo Federation stating that their coach, Sonoda Ryuji, slapped, kicked, beat them with bamboo sticks, and forced them to compete injured in the run-up to the Summer Olympics in London. The federation refrained from launching a full investigation and retained Sonoda as head coach. When the athletes took their complaint to the Japanese Olympic Committee, which was busy with preparations for Japan’s bid for the 2020 Olympics, in December only a few women were interviewed about the abuse in January. It was only until their story had received media attention that Sonoda stepped down on February 1st, bringing worldwide attention to Japan’s problem of physical punishment in professional sports at a time when Tokyo is bidding to host the 2020 Olympics.

While Enji is no professional trainer, likely his abuse of Shōto would be handled with even more leniency as it would be viewed as ‘training’ (by the way in the manga we see other episodes made by other people of training made by other people that can be considered ‘over the top’ and the manga generally gives a pass at them, often with the excuse that the one undergoing it is okay with being trained in such way).

Long story short for everyone who wonders why in the manga Enji isn’t legally punished for the abuse he caused his family to suffer, this is because no OFFICIAL report was made (sorry, Tōya’s video doesn’t count), never mentioning they would need to provide VALID EVIDENCE, which would probably be hard to find by now. They are however in luck because Enji admitted what Tōya said in the video. Tōya didn’t mention Rei’s abuse so this wouldn’t help Rei’s cause, just the ones of his siblings but let’s pretend Enji even admitted Rei’s abuse.

For the whole thing to be put under trial they still need an official report from one of the victims or again the police can shrug it off as a private family matter.

So okay, let’s assume Rei reports it.

Enji’s punishment would be to be forced to stay away from her for 6 month. I doubt they’ll judge the children being still in danger of abuse and therefore needing to be moved away from the house but let’s assume they do. Having his family live away from him was exactly what Enji planned to do when he gifted his family a house.

At the end of the manga Horikoshi punished Enji by basically destroying his life. Trust me, he gave him much worse than keeping him away from Rei for 6 months and entrusting his children to someone else (Shōto is basically already living away from him since he stays in U.A. dorms as for Natsuo, he’s moving out of his house and getting married).

XX WHAT ABOUT THE FACT THE TODOROKIS DIDN’T LOOK AFTER TŌYA? ISN’T THAT A FORM OF ABUSE? AFTER ALL, DUE TO THIS, TŌYA ALMOST DIED…

In Japan it’s still okay to leave children unattended.

In 2023 in Japan’s Saitama it was proposed an anti-child abuse ordinance that would ban parents and others from leaving children of third-year elementary school age and below alone at home as they could be vulnerable to heatstroke, accidents, kidnappings, fires and falls. The ban has stirred controversy, with criticism nationwide it could place an undue burden on child-rearing households and, in the end, it had been withdrew. Another excuse given to justify leaving children alone and fight the ban was that being left alone promotes their independence.

Long story short, Enji insists for Rei to look after Tōya, but it’s not a crime to leave him alone unsupervised even when he was younger than 13, and plenty of Japanese people refuse to see it as a form of abuse.

I think Horikoshi, remarking Tōya’s parents should have looked after him, is subtly disagreeing with the idea it’s okay to leave children alone.

XX WHY ENJI TRIED TO PUSH ALL THE RESPONSIBILITY TO WATCH TŌYA ON REI, PRIORITIZING HIS HERO WORK? IT WAS CLEARLY A MISTAKE, AND WHY HE KEEPS ON MAKING THAT MISTAKE THROUGH ALL THE STORY COSTANTLY PRIORITIZING HIS WORK INSTEAD THAN HIS FAMILY?

We’ve two reasons for this, one is that, as Tōya said, Enji is a coward (Chap. 426), as Enji himself will admit he didn’t want to face responsibility and so he did his best to avoid facing it (Chap. 252). Placing all the responsibility on Rei and hiding behind his Hero work was just convenient, not necessary, for example, back then Shōto was just a baby he could have used the time he’ll later use to train Shōto to spend time with Tōya, Fuyumi and Natsuo. Instead he didn’t. Tōya said he wanted to go on Sekoto Peak with Enji on Enji’s free day but here Tōya was, waiting until late in the evening (the sky is dark) alone up on a mountain, and even though it should be Enji’s free day, he doesn’t show up. He doesn’t want to show up. And Tōya himself knows how Enji will excuse himself in fact, when he wakes up, he tells himself his father didn’t come because he should have had work to do (Chap. 350) but Enji will admit that the truth was he didn’t know what to say to him (Chap. 302) so he didn’t went there to face him.

The other reason is that… in Japan it’s believed is the mother’s work to watch over the children (to the point they’re expected to stop working when they’ve one and if they don’t they’re viewed as selfish) while the father should just focus on working.

Work is judged more important than family, that’s why Enji will keep on tackling things prioritizing his work, not his role as a father, so when Tōya will turn out to be alive he won’t dump everything to try and find his son and try to reason with him but will continue do his Hero work and his Hero friends won’t encourage him to take care of his family, as it should be more important, no, they’ll encourage him to go back to work, as to them that’s more important and it would be more important even if All for One wasn’t threatening the whole Japan.

In the long run it’ll eventually lead to AFO’s defeat but, in the process, it will condemn Tōya to a slow death, Rei and Fuyumi will get scars and Natsuo will decide to never meet up with Enji again. I don’t know if there will be another Todoroki family chapter but, if this is all we get, the Todoroki family is dismembered and won’t recompose and, even if future chapters were trying to put it back together it would be only a short time thing as Tōya is still meant to die.

Could Enji have saved his family if he had worried about it first?

We’ll never know but it’s made abundantly clear his focusing solely on his work didn’t help his family.

It’s noteworthy even if BNHA criticizes parents neglecting their family, it doesn’t try to say ‘parents should prioritize their family first’, it’s likely trying to advocate for a balance between both possibly because Enji (and Nana as well) ends up in a situation in which neglecting their work would mean All for One’s victory and therefore the end of their families just the same.

This might mirror the real life situation of Japanese workers, who have to work a lot of hours so they end up not having time for their family and working that many hours isn’t optional. If they don’t work their family won’t have food, so in a way it’s a matter of life and death, but at the same time if they end up neglecting the family too much the family will break just the same.

A meta can probably be written on this topic digging more on Japanese worklife and its comparison with Enji’s worklife but I don’t think that’s the place for a meta so I’ll just stop here.

XX COULDN’T REI GET A DIVORCE?

Let’s start with mentioning in Japan there’s a huge social stigma that falls on the whole family (parents and children) in case of divorce, but especially on the woman (in the past only males could ask for divorce and you’ve to keep in mind that a woman was expected to obey to the husband so this has developed the idea if a divorce takes place no matter the reason, the woman is at fault). Things are changing as women are fighting for this, but we aren’t yet at the point in which if a woman divorce people won’t think ill of her.

As a general rule, in Japan you cannot get divorced if either spouse is not agreeing.

There are three methods to get divorced.

If Rei and Enji agree they can get divorced through a “divorce by agreement” (協議離婚 ‘kyogi rikon’).

If Enji doesn’t agree, then Rei must next attempt to get divorced through conciliation administered by the family court (調停離婚 ‘chotei rikon’). Basically they talk their case to the conciliation committee which proposes alternatives to resolve the disagreement and have them both agree to the divorce.

If Enji still doesn’t agree, the next option is to get divorced through a court determination (審判離婚 ‘shinpan rikon’) or a trial (裁判離婚 ‘saiban rikon’).

If the court issues a judgment at the conclusion of the trial whereby it “accepts a party’s application for a divorce,” then even if Enji is not agreeing to the divorce, Rei will be able to get divorced.

Note that the last option can be used solely if:

(i) a spouse has committed an act of unchastity;

(ii) one were abandoned by a spouse in bad faith;

(iii) it is not clear whether a spouse is dead or alive for not less than three years;

(iv) a spouse is suffering from severe mental illness and there is no prospect of recovery;

(v) there is any other grave cause making it difficult to continue the marriage (for example one party has beaten the other, which however would require again for Rei to report her abuse and have enough evidence to prove it).

Also note that a court may dismiss a suit for divorce if it finds that continuing the marriage is reasonable taking into account all circumstances, even in the case where there is one of the causes listed above (yeah, even if said cause is one spouse was beating the other).

But why Enji and Rei shouldn’t reach an agreement in regard to the divorce since, thanks to it, Rei would escape abuse and Enji is clearly unhappy with Rei? Just due to the social stigma?

Rei might get money from Enji if they come to an agreement, so that her own needs and possibly even those of the Himuras would be covered but, as said before, the social stigma would be VERY bad for Rei, who also was married to Enji because his family hoped to get advantages from Enji’s status.

However there’s actually more at play, because if the parents divorce, custody of the children will be granted to a single parent.

One of the main causes of disagreement between Enji and Rei and which caused him to become abusive with Rei, is Shōto’s training. If Rei gets custody she will be able to refuse Enji permission to put Shōto through abusive training which is what Enji doesn’t want. If Enji gets custody he’ll do as he please with Shōto’s training which is what Rei doesn’t want.

If they could have gotten to an agreement, they probably wouldn’t have gotten to the point of abuse and divorce, so it’s unlikely they’ll find one now.

Long story short, if Enji doesn’t agree to a divorce is highly unlikely that Rei can get one, and if he agrees, it’s very likely Rei will lose custody over Shōto.

Maybe, when she was about to snap, she would have been willing to give up on Shōto since she said she couldn’t be with her children any longer, so she might have been even willing to go to that extreme… but then she snapped, hurt Shōto and lost that chance.

It’s worth to note Japan has in 2024 approved a law that by 2026 will allow divorced couples to share custody of their children but this wouldn’t really solve the problem as they would just continue to argue over Shōto… and, of course, Horikoshi couldn’t know about it by the time he made his manga.

XX DID TŌYA KNOW IS MOTHER GOT BEATEN BY HIS FATHER?

When Rei is hit by Enji Tōya is never around and he won’t mention it in his video denouncing Enji so he might not have known. We’ll probably never know.

XX DOES REI LOVE TŌYA?

Horikoshi wanted Rei to be the stereotype of a loving mother so yes, she does love all her children. Specifically Horikoshi even made scenes showing she cared for Tōya.

She’s shown worrying for Tōya, thinking having another child would be cruel toward him, though ultimately Enji will persuade her two have two more.

Todoroki Rei ‘Sore wa… Anmari da yo…! Zankoku ja nai! Anata ga kodomo ni nani o motome teru ka Tōya wa mō shitteru!’ 轟冷「それは…あんまりだよ…！残酷じゃない！あなた��子どもに何を求めてるか燈矢はもう知ってる！」 Todoroki Rei “That’s… too much…! That’s cruel! Tōya already knows what you want from your children!” [Chap. 301

Before Tōya snaps, seeing his distress she had tears in her eyes (like Fuyumi) and realizing he was overheating she insisted they had to cool him down.

Todoroki Rei ‘Hiyasanakya!’ 轟冷「冷やさなきゃ！」 Todoroki Rei “We have to cool him down!” [Chap. 301]

She insists that Tōya wants for Enji to look at him.

Todoroki Rei ‘……Ano ko wa anata ni mite hoshīnda yo.’ 轟冷「……あの子はあなたに見てほしいんだよ。」 Todoroki Rei “…That boy only wants you to see him.” [Chap. 302]

She even scolds Enji when he refuses to do so with an excuse.

Todoroki Rei ‘HERO? Nigeteru dake janai no…’ 轟冷「ヒーロー？　逃げてるだけじゃないの…」 Todoroki Rei “Heroes? Aren’t you just running away…?” [Chap. 302]

Later she tries to stop Tōya from going to train on Sekoto Peak and she showed she was worried because he seems to be suffering, when she learnt Tōya died while she was hospitalized she got psychologically worse, and in the end she’ll even apologize to him and will risk to die burned in an attempt to try to save him. Long story short Horikoshi showed Rei loved Tōya. It doesn’t mean she was a good mother as she made many mistakes and in “School Briefs” is said in order to protect Shōto she ended up neglecting her other children… but she loved him.

XX DOES THE TODOROKIS (AND ESPECIALLY ENJI) DRINK ALCOHOLICS?

In the manga we never see Enji drink alcoholics. In “School Briefs” we hear someone gifted him some top-shelf stuff, from which Fuyumi drink a little to celebrate the New Year Eve. We’re told Natsuo is still one year too younger to drink (the age in which you can drink is 20 in Japan) but that he’ll join her for the next year and that looks forward to when Shōto will be of age to drink with them as well. Fuyumi also say she looks forward to drink with her mother once she’ll be home so we can assume Rei drinks too. We’re also told Fuyumi gets tipsy after a few sips. Ironically though we don’t get info about Enji drinking sake or beer or wine or other alcoholic drinks but in the “My Hero Academia Party Time! Acrylic Stand” set he was depicted drinking a glass of wine though. My guess is he drinks like any other normal Japanese person so Horikoshi didn’t feel the need to depict the whole thing.

We never see Tōya drink either. If he does or not is up to speculation but likely, same as the rest of his family, he does. At 24, at the party to celebrate him turning Number 2, Shōto seems to be drinking beer with his ex-classmates.

On a different note always in “School Briefs” All Might claimed Enji said he liked coffee (he even made a commercial for it). Shōto as a child instead loved to drink a yogurt drink with a cartoon cow on the carton.

XX HOW HOT IS TŌYA’S BLUE FIRE?

Red flames reach temperatures ranging from 525°C to 1000°C. The hue indicates how chilly it is: the lighter the color, the colder it is. A brighter red, closer to orange, will be closer to the 1000°C threshold on the scale's upper end.

Orange flames range between 1100°C and 1200°C.

White flames are hotter, ranging from 1300°C to 1500°C. When the white is brighter, the temperature rises.

Blue flames climb even higher, reaching around 2500°C to 3000°C being the hottest flames.

If a flame is of a colour different from the above, this usually means the presence of certain chemicals or compounds that can alter the color of a flame.

Green flames are usually associated with the presence of copper and boron with methanol. They are typically the same temperature as orange and yellow flames, because the green color comes from chemical additives and isn't an indication of heat on its own.

Purple flames are usually associated with the presence of potassium. They are typically the same temperature as blue flames, because the purple color comes from chemical additives and isn't an indication of heat on its own.

It's worth to mention that the exact hue of flames is up to debate, especially in the case of blue flames. Some tend to say the hottest they get the closer to a violet hue they get, some instead stick on defining that color as still blue.

XX WE KNOW THE LAST TIME ALL MIGHT AND ENJI TALKED WAS 10 YEARS BEFORE THE SPORT FESTIVAL, THEREFORE IN THE YEAR IN WHICH REI WAS HOSPITALIZED AND TŌYA DIED. WAS THAT TALK CONNECTED TO ONE OF THOSE TWO EVENTS?

Nope. This is what was actually said:

ALL MIGHT ‘Chō hisashiburi! 10-Nen mae no taidan furi ka na! ? Mikaketakara aisatsu shi tokou to omotte ne.’ オールマイト「超久し振り！10年前の対談振りかな！？見かけたから挨拶しとこうと思ってね」 All Might “It’s been a long time! It’s from the talk/conversation show from 10 years ago, right! ? I saw you and thought I’d say hello.” [Chap. 31]

In the English version All Might says just ‘the last time they talked was ten years ago’, but it’s a slight mistranslation. Actually 10 years ago they had a ‘taidan furi’ (対談振り) where ‘taidan’ (対談) means “a discussion between two people which is usually set up as a special occasion and whose topic is set in advance”… while ‘furi’ (振り) is “show”. So basically, 10 years ago they didn’t have a casual chat or one due to work or something but merely ended up together in some sort of talk show / combined interview and were made to talk. The anime makes it even more obvious because in it the sentence is:

ALL MIGHT ‘10-Nen mae, media de taidan shite irai ka na! ?’ オールマイト「10年前、メディアで対談して以来かな！？」 All Might “I think it’s been since we had a conversation with the media 10 years ago!?” [Ep. 19]

Likely Enji went to that talk show PRIOR to his wife’s hospitalization and his son’s death as they both happened around the end of the year and, had it happened afterward, discussing of such topics would have been almost a taboo in Japan so it’s unlikely such things were discussed.

On a sidenote, later Natsuo will say Enji doesn’t appear on talk shows, which contrast with what’s said in this chapter… as well as how Enji was shown on a TV show in chap. 1.

Todoroki Natsuo ‘Okāsan, aitsu kinō seishiki ni NUMBER ONE ni natta yo. Seken wa okāsan ya kyōdai ni shite kita koto, kazoku o dō atsukatteta ka shiranai yo. Aitsu TALK bangumi toka denaishi.’ 轟夏雄「お母さん、あいつ昨日正式にNo.1になったよ。世間はお母さんや兄弟にしてきた事、家族をどう扱ってたか知らないよ。あいつトーク番組とか出ないし。」 Todoroki Natsuo “Mom, he officially became No. 1 yesterday. People don’t know what he did to mom and our siblings, or how he treated his family. He doesn’t even appear on talk shows.” [Chap. 187]

Very likely Horikoshi inadvertently changed Enji’s characterization (as he likely didn’t remember of his cameo appearance in chap. 1 and of this line in chap. 31), though if you want to compromise you might say that Enji STOPPED taking part to talk show after Tōya’s death and that when he appeared on the screen in chap. 1 it was either an old recording or it wasn’t a talk show but an interview regarding to a job.

XX WHAT HAPPENED FIRST, SHŌTO’S INCIDENT AND REI’S HOSPITALIZATION OR TŌYA’S DEATH?

Shōto’s incident and Rei’s hospitalization happened first as said in Chap. 250 and in the volume version of Chap. 302.

However in the magazine version of Chap. 302 it was said that Tōya’s death happened first and while the chapter was later retconned for the volume version (in a not really bright way) the idea Tōya’s death happened first remained.

XX WHY REI SINGLED OUT SPECIFICALLY SHŌTO WHEN SHE SAID SHE COULDN’T BE WITH HER CHILDREN AND THAT THEY REMINDED HER OF ENJI AND NOT TŌYA, THOSE GAZE SHE HAD CONNECTED TO ENJI?

What Rei said was:

Todoroki Rei ‘Okā-san… watashi HENna no… mō DAME kodomo-tachi ga… hinihini ano hito ni nite kuru… Shōto no… ano ko no hidarigawa ga tokiori totemo minikuku omoete shimau no. Watashi… mō sodaterarenai. Sodatecha DAME na no…’ 轟冷「お母さん…私へンなの…もうダメ子どもたちが…日に日にあの人に似てくる…焦凍の…あの子の左側が時折とても醜く思えてしまうの。私…もう育てられない。育てちゃダメなの…」 Todoroki Rei “Mom… I’m becoming strange/I’m going crazy… I’m not good anymore for the children… day by day they look more and more like that person… Shōto… that child’s left side, sometimes I can’t help but think it’s so ugly/unsightly. I… I can’t raise them anymore. I must not raise them…” [Chap. 39]

The Doylist answer is that when Chap. 39 was released Horikoshi hadn’t planned yet the whole Tōya’s plotline, actually he might have not yet planned for one of Shōto’s siblings to turn into a Villain and for the others to be more than mob characters (kind of like Asui’s siblings). The result is that the flashbacks we see care only about Shōto and focus only on him.

When however Horikoshi decided to give not just to solely Shōto and Enji a plotline but to add Tōya and then whole Todoroki family, he had to adjust things… which created any sort of retcon. It happens.

The Watsonian answer can be she was going to mention Tōya too… but then she saw Shōto and didn’t make in time to mention him. Do your pick. Since the problem at hand is the result of a retcon there’s no real right answer and fans are free to come up with the explanation they prefer.

XX WHY SHŌTO GET SCARRED BY BOILING WATER WHEN HE CAN HAVE FIRE DANCE ON HIS SKIN?

Likely for plot reasons. It’s likely either the Anthropic Principle (for any given story, there exist basic elements that, no matter how improbable or impossible their occurrence, are required for the story itself to happen, or there would be no story) or we’re expected to repeat the MST3K Mantra (some details in the story don’t need to make sense because they ultimately don’t matter). In fact for a normal person contact for 45-60 second with with water at 65°C would cause a deep full thickness burn, boiling water boils at 100°C so of course it would cause burn… but fire burns, at its lowest at 525°C, meaning Shōto’s skin shouldn’t get burned by water at 100°C.

If you really want to get a medical explanation, by stretching things you can blame it on Rei inadvertently making the burn worse by trying to cool it down with ice. Contrary to what many things cooling down a burn with ice actually makes the burn worse as it’ll cause further damage to the tissue. Ice or very cold water on a burn decreases blood flow to the burnt area, which can reverse the healing process. Ice can inadvertently make the skin too cold, leading to frostnip, a dangerous precursor to frostbite and increasing the risks of infections. Honestly though I doubt that Horikoshi had this in mind when he caused Shōto’s scarring as canon calls his burn ‘yakedo’ (火傷 lit. “fire wound”) and not as 'reitōyake’ (冷凍焼け lit. “cold frozen burn”), which implies clearly his burn wasn’t due to cold.

The correct way to handle a (first degree) burn is to use cool (not cold) water for 5 to 20 minutes by running tap water over the burn, dipping the burned area in water or using a clean, wet towel, moisturize it with things like aloe vera, use a clean, dry cloth or nonstick bandage to protect the burn from pressure or rubbing against anything, keep it clean with mild soap as needed and use an antibiotic cream to prevent infection.

If the burn is more than around 7 cm wide or is on the face, neck, hand or foot one should also get medical attention. This means both in Shōto and Tōya’s case the kids should have been taken to a doctor or to a hospital for first aid assuming the burns were just first grade burns. If there were blisters they were second grade burns and one should seek medical care asap.

XX IF THERE’S SOCIAL STIGMA ON MENTAL HEALTH WHY REI GETS HOSPITALIZED?

The Doylist answer is it was a good way for Horikoshi to remove Rei from Shōto’s life.

The Watsonian answer is likely that Enji didn’t plan to personally take care of her and couldn’t entrust her to his children as she hurt one of them (because yeah, they’re still family and due to filial piety should do it so they could be considered a viable option even if they’re still children) and the Himura likely refused to take care of her.

Probably the whole family doesn’t tell around why she had been hospitalized.

However there’s another option and that is that she was diagnosed with ‘shinkei-suijaku’ (神経衰弱 “Nerve-weakness’), which in Japan is treated with Morita therapy involving mandatory rest and isolation, followed by progressively more difficult work, and a resumption of a previous social role. Unfortunately, no well-designed studies have been conducted to assess the effectiveness of such supportive approaches compared to psychological or pharmacologic approaches. The diagnosis is sometimes used as a disguise for serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and mood disorders. It might very well be what the manga have the doctors use on Rei since she’s basically kept mostly isolated. In English it should be the equivalent of neurasthenia, an old term to denote a condition with symptoms of fatigue, anxiety, headache, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, neuralgia, and depressed mood. Alternatively it can be called as nervous breakdown.

Being diagnosed with neurasthenia comes with a plus as in Asia it’s considered an acceptable medical diagnosis that conveys distress without the stigma of a psychiatric diagnosis so there wouldn’t be any stigma on Rei being hospitalized for it.

The fact ‘Ultra Archive’ defines her as ‘worn out by Enji’s actions’ and that Enji apologizes to her ‘for wearing her down’ [Chap. 390] seem to confirm this.

Long story short, there’s a huge chance the family is either not telling Rei is hospitalized or they’re being vague or telling she just has neurasthenia.

If it can be of additional help people who had experienced psychiatric hospitals in Japan said they cure people by giving them pills and they hardly talk at them, even during check up the doctors tend to avoid spending time talking and that the hospitalization tends to be long, at least 10 months. Rei with her 10 years goes well above this though.

On a general line in 2022 the United Nations Committee on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities harshly criticized as inadequate Japan’s measures for people with mental disabilities .

If you’re interested in all this I really recommend you to research for it.

XX AT WHICH HOSPITAL REI GET HOSPITALIZED?

At Fujitani Hospital (藤谷病院 ‘Fujitani Byōin’), her room is number 315. [Chap. 187]

Fujitani can be translated as “wisteria valley” and this hospital is apparently not a real place. There’s a Fujitani clinic (藤谷医院 ‘Fujitani iin’) in Osaka but it’s clearly not the same place. Japanese fans speculated the name comes from one of Horikoshi’s assistants, Fujiya (藤谷), whose surname is written the same, though the spelling is different. Honestly I couldn’t see any spelling notation for the hospital so it can be we’re just spelling it wrong… or I missed the spelling notation.

The hospital is likely not close to the Todoroki home.

In chap. 189 Fuyumi and Natsuo in order to return home after visiting their mother take a taxi.

Episode 25 instead shows Shōto had to walk quite a bit, then take a train then walk some more.

The hospital shares a vague resemblance with Shizuoka Municipal Shimizu Hospital (静岡市立清水病院 ‘Shizuoka shiritsu shimizu byōin’) but it’s likely coincidental. It might have been inspired by the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry or NCNP (国立精神・神経医療研究センター ‘Kokuritsu Seishin - Shinkei Iryō Kenkyū CENTER’) in Tokyo but again, it’s not the same hospital.

XX DID FUYUMI BLAME TŌYA FOR THEIR FAMILY PROBLEMS?

No, in canon she didn't do it not even once, it's just a fandom thing.

If we look at canon we've few interactions between Fuyumi and Tōya but none points out this.. In their first interaction, when they're small children (Tōya is 3, Fuyumi probably not yet 3) to a Tōya who insists he can take burns, Fuyumi only said she doesn't want him to get burned because she worries if he's hurt.

Todoroki Tōya ‘Fuyumi-chan. Chotto yakedo suru kurainanoni sa! Zenzen gaman dekiru no ni sa! Ore no karada no koto wa ore ga ichiban yoku wakatterunda.’ 轟燈矢「冬美ちゃん。ちょっと火傷するくらいなのにさ！全然がまんできるのにさ！俺の身体のことは俺が一番よくわかってるんだ。」 Todoroki Tōya “Fuyumi-chan, it’s just a little burn! I can totally bear it! I know my body better than anyone.”

Todoroki Fuyumi ‘Demo Fuyumi mo Tōya nī BOROBORO na no shinpai iyatsu.’ 轟冬美「でも冬美も燈矢兄ボロボロなの心配嫌っ。」 Todoroki Fuyumi “But Fuyumi too doesn’t want to worry about big brother Tōya getting hurt.”

Todoroki Tōya ‘Fuyumi-chan ni wa wakan ne ̄ yo! Onna no ko ni wa wakan neNda!’ 轟燈矢「冬美ちゃんにはわかんねーよ！女の子にはわかんねンだ！」 Todoroki Tōya “Fuyumi-chan doesn’t understand! Girls don’t understand!”

Todoroki Fuyumi ‘Shinpai chitennoni!!’’ 轟冬美「心配ちてんのに‼ 」 Todoroki Fuyumi “I’m worried!!” [Chap. 301]

She indeed doesn't understand why he's okay with burning himself but she's not blaming him or anything.

Later, after Shōto is born, when Tōya is crying and saying his grievances to his father, she also has tears in his eyes as she is older (7) and understands her brother is in pain.

The last time she's shown interacting with him is when she asks him to play with her and Natsuo.

After Tōya's reveal she'll blame herself for having been too scared to act and capable to only act in a way that saved appearances.

Todoroki Fuyumi ‘Koware teru no o shirinagara... Kowakute fumikomenakatta... Uwattsura de tsukurou koto shika... Shite konakatta.’ 轟冬美「壊れてるのを知りながら...怖くて踏み込めなかった...上っ面で繕うことしか...してこなかった。」 Todoroki Fuyumi “I knew it (our family) was broken... but I was too scared to step in... All I could do was patch it up... on the surface.” [Chap. 302]

We saw indeed that when her father was beating up her mother she was curled in a corner, crying and hugging Natsuo protectively, clearly scared.

Not even once she says their family broke due to Tōya or blamed him for their family situation. Actually no one did. The one that is always blamed is Enji.

Yes, she doesn't want to discuss their family situation, she's shown being afraid Shōto could do something without his father's permission and is willing to forgive Enji when he says he wants to change.

Comparatively, if Tōya only tried to win his father's love until he came to believe his family didn't care about him dying, Fuyumi instead never stopped.

Never once though she's shown blaming her siblings for their situation and once she admits she understands Natsuo's feelings toward their father.

Todoroki Fuyumi ‘Watashi datte Natsu mitaina kimochi ga nai wake janainda… demo… CHANCE ga otozure terunda yo…. Shōto wa otō-san no koto dō omotteru no?’ 轟冬美「私だって夏みたいな気持ちがないわけじゃないんだ…でも…チャンスが訪れてるんだよ…焦凍はお父さんの事どう思ってるの？」 Todoroki Fuyumi “It’s not that I don’t share Natsu’s feelings… but… an opportunity has presented itself… What do you think of father, Shōto?” [Chap. 249]

XX WHEN, WHERE AND HOW THE FIRE THAT ALMOST KILLED TŌYA TOOK PLACE?

It took place in winter, when Tōya was 13 but about to turn 14, Fuyumi was also 13, Natsuo was 9, Shōto was 5 about to turn 6 or 6 already and Enji was 36 on Sekoto Peak (瀬古杜岳 ‘Sekoto take’) a mountain area where Enji himself used to train in the past, likely not too far from the Todoroki residence.

The kanji which form the name mean “rapids, current”, “the past, ancient times, (archaic, obsolete) the deceased”, “careless, woods, grove”. Sekoto is written always in Katakana (セコト) so it might be a reference to an English word or a place (maybe one from “Star wars”?), though, if that’s the case, I couldn’t find which one. It sounds a bit like the word “second” which might be a jab at Enji but it’s still not the same.

Tōya said he wanted his father to come with him there on one of Enji’s holiday days, so it was likely a holiday day. We know it’s in winter and the visual tells us it’s night.

Due to the pain for his father not coming to see him Tōya’s emotions spiraled out of control, he overheated and ended up setting himself to fire, starting from his tears. This lead to the peak to also take fire. The fire was so hot Tōya’s jaw detached from him but he still managed to toss himself in a nearby river and was then found by All for One. The jaw bone instead was found either by the police, the firemen or Enji who also went on the peak searching for Tōya AFTER HE SAW THE FIRE and lead to the assumption Tōya died there. [Chap. 302/350]

XX WHY ENJI DIDN’T GO TO SEKOTO PEAK?

Canonically Enji went on Sekoto Peak… only he did so only when he saw the fire and therefore was too late to save his son. But I guess you mean why he didn’t go there earlier. Enji said he had no idea what to say to Tōya so he thought it would be simple if he just didn’t show up.

XX WHY TŌYA COULDN’T STOP HIS FIRE ON SEKOTO PEAK WHILE HE COULD DO IT JUST FINE AT 3, WHEN HE FIRST BURNED HIMSELF? WHY HIS TEARS TOOK FIRE WHEN THEY NORMALLY DIDN’T?

Same as why Shōto got burned, likely for plot reasons so blame the Anthropic Principle and repeat the MST3K Mantra.

The idea is he was overwhelmed by his own emotions of pain for his father not being there, hence the fire started from his tears. Symbolically it works like a charm. Practically… it stumbles in all the sort of contradictions and problem and we can answer it solely by saying ‘Quirk magic’.

If you really wanna push it we can speculate All for One managed to make him ingest some version of Trigger which caused him to lose control of his Quirk on that specific day but that’s likely just baseless speculation. After all, All for One could reach Tōya at any time thanks to Kurogiri’s warp Quirk, all he had to do was to wait for the mountain to take fire… though again, it could be wondered what if the mountain weren’t to take fire, what if Enji were to show up?

Either Horikoshi had a plan that got scrapped so we’ll never know.

XX WHICH ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF ALL THIS?

Tōya is declared dead but he actually ends up in one of Garaki’s orphanage and spends 3 years there in coma. [Chap. 350]

Rei learns of his death in hospital and get even worse. [Chap. 302]

Enji decides he’ll train Shōto even harder now, following perfectly the Sunk cost fallacy mentality. [Chap. 302]

By the way the sunk cost fallacy is a logical fallacy that entails sticking with a losing or failed venture because you’ve already invested a significant amount of time, money, or other resources that you can’t get back. It’s basically the tendency to follow through on an endeavor if we have already invested time, effort, or money into it, whether or not the current costs outweigh the benefits. Tōya was assumed death, meaning that insisting on training Shōto wouldn’t bring him back (remember how Enji said if he were to have a child with a dual Quirk this would stop Tōya from trying to become a Hero?) not make his death worth it, nor make Shōto like Enji or training, and ignoring his other two surviving children wouldn’t help either. Yet Enji perseverated in the same mistakes that led to everything that went wrong in his family because he felt since he sacrificed Tōya, caused Rei’s insanity and Shōto to hate him, giving up now would mean everything he sacrificed previously to be useless… without realizing if he perseveres in making mistakes, things are only going to go downhill.

XX IS THE ALTAR PLACED IN TŌYA’S ROOM?

The ‘altar’ is a Butsudan is a shrine commonly found in temples and homes which looks either a defined, often ornate platform or simply a wooden cabinet sometimes crafted with doors that enclose and protect a Gohonzon (御本尊) or religious icon, typically a statue or painting of a Buddha or Bodhisattva, or a calligraphic mandala scroll. Its primary use is for paying respects to the Buddha, as well as to family members who have died. The Butsudan is commonly seen as an essential part in the life of a traditional Japanese family as it is the centre of spiritual faith within the household, especially in dealing with the deaths of family members or reflecting on the lives of ancestors. The room whose principal or exclusive function is containing a Butsudan is called Butsuma (仏間).

All this to say that no, the Butsudan is not in Tōya’s room, not only the two rooms have different doors, Shōji (doors consisting of translucent or transparent sheets on a lattice frame) for the Butsuma and Fusuma (door which are vertical rectangular panels often painted) for Tōya’s room (which was also Natsuo’s room by the way) but the Butsudan always existed in the Todoroki house, way prior to Tōya’s birth, as, at first, in the Butsudan should have been enshrined Enji’s parents, never mentioning even if they weren’t the family would still have a Butsudan for religious purposes and likely, in a large traditional house like the one the Todoroki had, they gave the Butsudan a room with the SOLE function to host it. The Butsudan can be visited by guests that want to pay respect to the family’s deceased so, if possible, it’s usually not placed in the night area where the bedrooms are (by the way in two floors house the bedrooms are usually upstairs).

After Tōya died and was enshrined there however, for the Todoroki the Butsudan is the place in which Tōya resides and so the Butsuma is considered also ‘Tōya’s room’ to them as Tōya resides there, so this might have caused confusion with what is said in “School Briefs” about Natsuo spending plenty of time in ‘Tōya’s room’ after his brother’s death.

Objects Tōya might have enjoyed in life as well as offering in food and incense are brought there and the family can sit in front of the Butsudan and talk to Tōya.

The Butsuma is however clearly not Tōya’s old room, Tōya’s old room is either still Natsuo’s room or Natsuo has moved out of it (the house is big). Likely Natsuo moved out. In Japan there’s the belief that the spirit of the deceased can permeate in his possessions which need to be handled with respect so it’s possible Natsuo just preferred to get another room in their large house.

By the way the photo we see of Tōya is a ‘Iei’ (遺影 “memorial photograph”).

The Iei can be either a formal portrait or a snapshot of the deceased but normally the photo chosen is usually one in which the person is looking directly into the camera and if it’s part of a larger picture, it is cropped to show only the head and shoulders. The landscape behind the photo is removed and replaced with a grey background. The chosen picture may depict the deceased as they wanted to be remembered, but more often than not depicts that person in a manner that reflects how the living wish to remember them. Tōya is wearing a Gakuran (学ラン), which is the uniform for many middle-school and high-school boys in Japan. The colour is normally black, but some schools use navy blue. Tōya’s Gakuran is the one of his middle school. The choice though might not be because the Todoroki wanted to remember him as a student but because the Gakuran is considered also a formal wear you can wear at cerimonies. The Iei is the visual aid so that whose who will go talk to Tōya will see him looking back at them.

XX WHICH ARE THE PHYSICAL CONSEQUENCES TŌYA SUFFERS DUE TO HIS INCIDENT AND HOW GARAKI FIXED HIM?

Tōya lost his jaw, which needed to be replaced. His skin burned so he got skin graft made with regenerative tissue over the totality of his body.

For unknown reasons in the anime they made some of thos skin grafts of a darker colour, as if he’d burn them again.

As he was shown capable to cry he hadn’t burnt his tear ducts yet. We don’t know when he did burn them. His organs were damaged, his ability to sense pain or other somatic sensation was dulled. He spent three years in coma and, after waking up was supposed to die in a month without medical help. Apparently his grudge kept him alive. [Chap. 350]

His grudge keeping him alive works very well like a metaphor to ghosts being unable to leave the mortal realm due to it.

By the way damaging the tear ducts to the point they can’t produce tears anymore also means you don’t produce enough lubrication for your eyes which can lead to inflammation and damage of the eye's surface. Your eyes will feel uncomfortable and may sting or burn. Tōya though might not realize his eyes feel uncomfortable due to the dulling of his perceptions of his somatic system.

The tear ducts though can be damaged to the point they produce a too low production of tears to cry but will still partially lubricate the eye.

Haemolacria, a physical condition that causes a person to produce tears that are partially composed of blood, is most often provoked by local factors such as bacterial conjunctivitis, environmental damage or injuries.

The Doylist answer to why Tōya cries tears of blood though is that it’s likely just a stylist choice to better represent his pain.

XX WHEN AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN TŌYA WAKES UP? DID HE REALLY BURN THE ORPHANAGE DOWN AND KILLED ALL THE CHILDREN?

Tōya wakes up 3 years after the Sekoto Peak fire. If it’s 3 exact years we’re in winter, when Tōya was 16 but about to turn 17, Fuyumi was also 16, Natsuo was 12, Shōto was 8 about to turn 9 or 9 already and Enji was 39.

He finds himself in one of the many orphanages owned by Garaki, he’d like to go back home, claiming to believe his father didn’t come to him due to work, that he wants to show him what he can do now and that he has to apologize to his family. However he’s told by All for One (through a computer) he can’t go home as he’s completely changed and that they failed to return his body to his previous strength. All for One would like for him to join his family but Tōya refuses and escapes.

According to Horikoshi Tōya didn’t burn the orphanage down, he couldn’t as his fire was too weak by then due to what he went through, and the fire he light was Quickly extinguished by Sun-Sun Haruaki and there were no casualties which allowed the orphanage to continue without the police investigating over the matter. The anime seems to differ as the fire depicted in it is way too huge to be easily extinguished by one person and go unnoticed. [Chap. 350]

XX WHO’S THE SUNFLOWER GUY WHO TRIED TO KEEP TŌYA AT THE ORPHANAGE? A TEACHER OR A DOCTOR?

From how he’s dressed and the fact they’re in an orphanage we can safely say he’s a teacher. The girl calls/talks about ‘sensee/sensei’ (せんせー/先生). ‘Sensei’ is an honorific which shows respect used for anyone who’s in a position to teach something (in this case it can be translated as “teacher”) or has mastered an art form or some other skill (in this case you can translate it as “master”) or to address other professionals or people of authority, such as clergy, accountants, lawyers, physicians and politicians. Horikoshi said his name is Sun-Sun Haruaki (スンスン 晴明). Garaki Kyudai, in order to hide the whole mess with Tōya escaping from the place, had him take the blame for accidentally start the fire so that no one investigated on who started it. [Chap. 350]

XX WHO’S THE GUY WHO TALKED WITH TŌYA AT THE PC? GARAKI OR ALL FOR ONE?

All for One.

In the manga we can recognize him from the personal pronoun he uses (‘boku’ [僕/ぼく] where Garaki uses ‘WASHI’ [ワシ]), the anime makes it even more obvious as we can hear All for One’s voice. [Chap. 350]

XX WHAT HAPPENED TO TŌYA AFTERWARD?

He went back home and saw that his father was still only focused in training Shōto. He came to think his death didn’t change anything and, after paying his respects to the Butsudan he left home, symbolically declaring dead his older self, Tōya, and becoming Dabi. Symbolically, since Tōya believed he was cremated but wasn’t mourned properly (remember what said before about how ‘Dabi’ merely refers to the act of cremating a body and doesn’t invoke sad and painful feelings but there’s another word for cremation, ‘sōren’, which includes placing the deceased in a coffin with tears and pain?) he metaphorically becomes a ‘yūrei’ (幽霊 “faint spirit”).

Yūrei are spirits of the dead who have not been able to move on to the afterlife due to unfinished business or unresolved emotions or a failing in properly performing the funeral rites. According to Buddhist belief, these spirits are trapped in a state of purgatory and unable to find peace until their issues are resolved. The yūrei then exists on Earth until it can be laid to rest, either by performing the missing rituals or resolving the emotional conflict that still ties it to the physical plane. If the rituals are not completed or the conflict left unresolved, the yūrei will persist in its haunting. Yūrei are frequently depicted as being accompanied by a pair of floating flames or ‘hitodama’ (人魂 “human soul”) in eerie colors such as blue, which is supposed to represent their sorrow… which can be viewed as a reference to Tōya’s flames.

Tōya represents more likely a ‘Onryō’ (怨霊 “vengeful spirit”). Onryō are believed to be capable of causing harm in the world of the living, injuring or killing enemies, or even causing natural disasters to exact vengeance to “redress” the wrongs it received while alive, then taking their spirits from their dying bodies. Onryō are often depicted as traumatized, bitter, or just furious by what happened during life and exact revenge in death. These kinds of ghosts appear extremely vengeful, ruthless, heartless, brutal, cruel, deranged, egotistical, selfish, bloodthirsty, and cold-hearted.

Back to the story, from that moment on Tōya trains his Quirk to return it to its original strength and watches videos of his father fighting so that by watching him he learns all his moves.

According to the anime he moved into an abandoned building/house and there he trained. As the flooring is different from the one of the orphanage I guess it’s not the orphanage even though it reminds me an old school… but there’s plenty of wood things that aren’t burned so again, it’s probably not the orphanage (besides in the manga it couldn’t be the orphanage as it never burned down and continued its activity). He also found himself a portable pc to use to watch Enji’s actions and learn his moves.

Now if this wasn’t what happened to him in the manga, then what could have happened to him?

In Japan, people aren’t concerned about homeless people and think they’re responsible for their situation which brings them shame and stigma and it’s almost illegal to beg or sleep on the streets. Many parks in Tokyo are being locked at night to keep homeless people from sleeping there or hiring security guards to take them out.

So other options where a homeless person could live in Japan is hidden under bridges (as we see Tenko and Jin doing). Young men who manages to get some money usually become Net café refugees (ネットカフェ難民 ‘NET CAFÉ nanmin’) as that’s the most economical place in which to sleep. Although such cafés originally provided only Internet services, some have expanded their services to include food, drink, and showers. As he’s young he could have tried mixing with the Toyoko Kids (トー横キッズ “KIDS next To(ho)” where Toho is a cinema in Kabuki-cho), kids that runaway from their house and stay all night in Shinjuku streets. Some of them for days some of them only one night. They suffer neglect, abuse or just they feel like they don’t fit with their families that’s why they have luggage some of them stay at manga cafe or love hotels too in groups. Most of the girls among them are forced to work in the sex industry, while the boys works as protectors. Part of them also partake in illegal activities. The people and the police pretend not to see them until they just chase them away en masse in some ‘cleaning of the streets’ operation. It might be argued Tōya as adopted a ‘Jirai Danshi’ (地雷男子 “Landmine Boy”) style, the male version of the ‘Jirai Kei’ (地雷系 “Landmine style”) which in theory should give off a feeling of a person who’s self destructive or even violent to others, which is often associated with Toyoko Kids… though I’m not really good at judging styles so I might be completely off track.

On the other side it’s possible he lived as a Jōhatsu (蒸発 “evaporation” as in “disappearing without leaving any trace”). It describes people cutting ties with their old lives, often vanishing from one day to another without letting a single person know. The reasons can range from failing an exam to losing a job and its subsequent compromised financial security, escaping from Japanese mafia or debt collectors, on cutting ties with their abusive families. Those people get into a vicious cycle of not having secure housing, which in turn excludes them from the labor market, so they are forced to take insecure and informal jobs becoming non-regular or temporary employees who often do lower-paid jobs not subject to the minimum wage or social security or even resorting to illegal jobs. They would often be eligible to receive social assistance but many are reluctant to get it because if they apply for it, they could be caught (as they live without an ID since they escaped) or because there’s also a stigma associated with accepting it. Japan, more specifically Tokyo but also other cities, have a history dating 1972 of outsourcing some works (example: cleaning and weeding on metropolitan government-owned land including parks, bay landfill sites and prefectural roads) to the private sector who would then hires day laborers usually among the homeless. Note that originally it was possible to get a day labor even if one didn’t have an address but by 2021 it became harder to do so (the 2020 summer Olympics in Tokyo pushed the government to try to hide the homeless problem). By the way it seems talking of Jōhatsu in Japan is as much of a taboo as talking about suicide. Other day labors are working on the docks and construction sites. If he had no place to stay and was forced to wander around like Jin did he was a Furōsha (浮浪者 “vagrant”), one who wanders from place to place without a permanent home or a means of livelihood like Jin.

Non-profit and religious organizations tend to open stalls of things like that to give out food rations for homeless people. As for shelters Japan has few because since being homeless is considered shameful, homeless people do their best not to be seen and Japanese people do their best not to see them (remember how everyone pretended not to notice 5 years old Tenko walking on the street) so, on papers, there’s not a big need for them. The shelters though provide medical service but are considered temporal facilities in which people is helped finding a job and with people expected to remain in them for, at the very most, half a year. They’re usually provided by welfare corporations. Likely Tōya would have troubles to use them as he is a minor and can’t give out his identity.

Long story short people comment being homeless in Japan is often harder than in any other country.

Likely we’ll never know what happened to Tōya in those years according to Horikoshi but what I said above should give you an idea of his options.

It’s also worth to remember the police had 0 info on Dabi prior to him joining the league and the same applies to the Hero commission. This means he likely kept a low profile and didn’t do anything illegal so as not to get found.

XX WHY DIDN’T ALL FOR ONE CHASE AFTER TŌYA?

According to Garaki because they thought he would survive only for a month.

Yes, it’s that stupid as, if Tōya had decided to stay at home, he would have tattled out to his father about the orphanage and the truth about Garaki’s orphanage would have come out.

XX WHERE WERE FUYUMI AND NATSUO WHEN TŌYA CAME BACK HOME?

In canon it’s not said.

XX SO HOW FAR TŌYA’S STUDIES GO? ACTUALLY, WHICH SCHOOLS ALL THE TODOROKI KIDS ATTENDED AT?

We’ve an image of Shōto with his parents at preschool entrance ceremony (入園式 ‘nyūen-shiki’). It means he attended it even if it’s not mandatory. It stands to reasons his siblings as well attended to preschool. In Japan most preschools, kindergartens, junior and senior high schools have mandatory uniforms so the clothes Shōto is wearing might be his uniform. In Japan the public kindergarten in Japan is a 2-year program and the private kindergarten is a 3-year program. Preschool starts around April 1st.

Elementary school is mandatory so all the siblings should have attended it. It lasts 6 years, it starts around the second week of April and kids need to be 6 already to start it.

Shōto went to Corusan Middle School (凝山中学校 ‘Corusan Chūgakkō’). Probably his siblings also attended it. We’ll likely never know. Tōya didn’t manage to finish the second year of middle school as he officially ‘died’ before the end of it. Public schools in Japan are usually named after the location they’re in, which would mean the school is in Corusan and that the elementary school they attended is likely named the same. Considering the family is well off though, it can be also an expensive, private middle school (私立 ‘Shiritsu’). If that’s the case it should be named either for the person who founded the institution, for whoever/whatever supported the institution, or for whatever is the ultimate goal of the institution. If the school was part of an institute that included the elementary school, again the elementary school might have been named the same.

Shōto went to U.A. High School (雄英高校 ‘U.A. Kōkō’). His siblings didn’t go to a Hero school but again, considering the family is well off, they probably attended expensive private high schools, though we don’t know which ones.

Natsuo attended Health and Welfare University (医療福祉大学 ‘Iryō fukushi Daigaku’). This sort of university aim to provide education related to co-medical fields such as pharmacy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language-hearing science, clinical engineering, health science, nursing, nutrition, clinical psychology, mental health and welfare, social welfare, care and welfare, and childcare. His choice might have been moved by seeing his mother end up in a hospital. The closest university of this kind to Natsuo’s house is the one in Kanagawa (by the way it seems the one in Tokyo closed down before BNHA started).

Fuyumi became an elementary teacher (小学校教員 ‘Shōgakkō kyōin’) and, according to ‘Ultra Archive’ she became one to compensate the fact she couldn’t protect Shōto. In order to become one the main requisite is to have an “elementary school teacher’s license” (小学校 の 教員 の 免許状 ‘Shōgakkō no kyōin no menkyo-jō’). In order to obtain it one has to go to a high school or university which has a “teacher training course” (教職課程 ‘Kyōshoku katei’) for elementary school teaching licenses so as to acquire the credits necessary to obtain the license. As a result we don’t know if she attended university or not. If she did, she should have attended it for 4 years.

XX WHEN DID ENJI ARREST ENDING?

7 years before Ending tried to take Natsuo hostage. If those are 7 exact years, he did it in January in the year in which Tōya would turn 17, Fuyumi would turn 17, Natsuo would turn 13, Shōto would turn 9 and Enji would turn 40.

XX WHEN ALL MIGHT FIGHT ALL FOR ONE HOW OLD WERE THE TODOROKI FAMILY MEMBERS?

It happened 5 years before the series started meaning it was in the year in which Tōya would turn 17, Fuyumi would turn 17, Natsuo would turn 13, Shōto would turn 9 and Enji would turn 40.

XX WHEN TAKAMI KEIGO/HAWKS OPENED HIS AGENCY AND ENTERED IN THE TOP TEN IN THE NOVEMBER JAPANESE HERO BILLBOARD CHART AND HOW OLD WERE THE TODOROKI FAMILY MEMBERS?

Hawks opened his agency at 18 but, since he’s born on December 28 and was the first to make it into the Top 10 in the second Hero Billboard chart of that year at 18, he likely opened his agency not on the year of his 18th birthday but in January of the next year. That year was the one in which Tōya would turn 18, Fuyumi would turn 19, Natsuo would turn 15, Shōto would turn 11 and Enji would turn 42.

XX WHEN IMASUJI GŌTO/MUSCULAR KILLS THE WATER HOSE TEAM HOW OLD WERE THE TODOROKI FAMILY MEMBERS?

It’s 2 years before Izumi Kōta meets Midoriya so in the year in which Tōya turns 21, Fuyumi turns 21, Natsuo turns 17, Shōto turns 13, Enji turns 44.

XX WHEN TOGA HIMIKO RUNS AWAY HOW OLD WERE THE TODOROKI FAMILY MEMBERS?

She runs away in March, after graduation, in the year in which Tōya turns 22, Fuyumi turns 22, Natsuo turns 18, Shōto turns 14, Enji turns 45.

XX WHY SHŌTO DIDN’T TAKE THE U.A. ENTRANCE EXAM?

Shōto did take it, only he took the one for recommended students, which is divided into written part, practical test (a three-kilometer footrace) and interview. In the practical test Shōto places second after Yoarashi Inasa. Due to his behavior though, he makes an enemy out of Yoarashi who decides not to go to U.A. High School.

XX WHAT DOES IT MEAN SHŌTO IS A RECOMMENDED STUDENT? DID ENJI RECOMMEND HIM?

Shōto is defined as a ‘Suisen nyūgaku-sha’ (推薦入学者 “recommended student”).

Admission by recommendation is a system in which Japanese universities and high schools select students who have been recommended by their previous school.

Corusan middle school recommended Shōto, in the same way as other middle schools recommended Yaoyorozu Momo, Honenuki Jūzō and Tokage Setsuna.

Selection criteria to get recommendations are based on grades in specific fields required by universities and high schools, such as sports, and school records and they seem to also involve an exam. Since the decision to give a recommendation is also based on whether or not the student has been diligent in school life, if the student has a history of problematic behavior while attending school, such as “becoming a bully” or “having delinquency”, the recommendation may not be approved which is likely why Bakugō, despite having good school results, couldn’t get a recommendation.

Recommended students can be admitted without having to take an academic ability test or can be submitted to a selection exam. In U.A. case there was still an exam as they were more than the 4 they ultimately accepted so no, Enji had no involvement in this.

Usually the selection is held before the entrance exam so Shōto likely took his exam prior to Midoriya and Co.

XX WHICH ARE SHŌTO’S SCHOOL RESULTS?

Here are the known school results as well as the extra activities.

Recommendation Entrance Exam (推薦入試ん ‘Suisen nyūshin’): Written part: ? - Practical test (a three-kilometer footrace): 2nd – interview: ? – Final result: passed [Chap. 112]

Quirk apprehension Test (個性把握テスト ‘Kosei haaku TEST’): 2nd [Chap. 7]

Battle Trial (戦闘訓練 ‘Sentō kunren’): Shōto’s team (he was with Shōji against Ojiro and Hagakure) win its match [Chap. 11]

U.A. Sports Festival (雄英体育祭 ‘U.A. Taiikumatsuri’): Obstacle course race (障害物競争 ‘Shōgaibutsukyōsō’): 2nd [Chap. 26] – Cavalry Battle (騎馬戦 ‘Gibasen’): 1st (Shōto’s team formed by Īda, Yaoyorozu, Kaminari) [Chap. 30] – One-on-one battles: 2nd [Chap. 43] after defeating Sero [Chap. 34], Midoriya [Chap. 40] and Īda [Chap. 41].

Class A draft pick totals: 1st with 4.123 requests [Chap. 45]

Work experience (職場体験 ‘Shokuba taiken’): with Endeavor Agency, though his experience is limited to 3 days due to the Hosu incident with Stain.

First midterm exam (中間テスト ‘Chūkan TEST’): 5th [Chap. 60]

Midterm exam (期末テスト ‘Kimatsu TEST’): Written part: ? Pratical part: Shōto’s team win (he was with Yaoyorozu against Eraser Head) [Chap. 60]

Pro Hero Provisional License Exam (プロヒーロー仮免試験 ‘PRO HERO karimen shiken’): 1st phase: passed [Chap. 106] – 2nd phase: failed [Chap. 114]

Internship (インターン ‘INTERN’): He couldn’t take part to the one taking place in September as he didn’t get his provisional license.

Joint combat training with Class B (B組との合同戦闘訓練 ‘B-gumi to no gōdō sentō kunren’): Drawn between Shōto’s team (he was with Īda, Ojiro, Shōji) and the adversary team (Tetsutetsu, Tsunotori, Honenuki, Kaibara). [Chap. 206]

Provisional license course (仮免講習 ‘Karimen kōshū’): He passes it [Chap. 219]

Internship (インターン ‘INTERN’): In the one taking place in January he interns at Endeavor Agency.

Final test: passed.

XX WHY DIDN’T FUYUMI AND NATSUO WATCH THE SPORT FESTIVAL?

We know that Fuyumi watched it on the TV, same as Midoriya’s mom. Probably Natsuo did the same too.

XX WHY DIDN’T SHŌTO GO TO VISIT HIS MOTHER?

We’re given two different answers.

One is according to Shōto:

Todoroki Shōto ‘(Jibun no sonzai ga Okā-san o oitsumete shimau kara awanakatta. Okā-san wa kitto, mada ore ni… oyaji ni toraware tsudzuke teru.)’ 轟焦凍「（自分の存在がお母さんを追いつめてしまうから会わなかった。お母さんはきっと、まだ俺に…親父に囚われ続けてる。）」 Todoroki Shōto “(I didn’t meet my mother because my presence would overwhelm/corner her/drive her to the wall. I’m sure my mother is still being held captive by me… by my old man.)” [Chap. 44]

This, along with the flashback shown before this about how she finds his left side something she hates to see as she connects it to Enji, implies Shōto CHOSE to keep away from her of his own will because he didn’t want to remind her of his father and cause her to snap again.

The other is according to Fuyumi:

Todoroki Fuyumi ‘Natsu wa Tōya nī to totemo nakayoshi de ne… yoku isshoni asondeta. Okā-san ga nyūin shite mamonaku no korodatta… Okā-san, sarani guai warukunatchatte Shōto ni mo awase rarenakute… Demo, nori koeta no. Shōto mo menkai ni kitekurete… Ie ga maemuki ni natte kite. Natsu dake ga… furi ageta kobushi o orosenaide iru. Otō-san ga koroshitatte, omotteru.’ 轟冬美「夏は燈矢兄ととても仲良しでね…よく一緒に遊んでた。お母さんが入院してまもなくの頃だった…お母さん、更に具合悪くなっちゃって焦凍にも会わせられなくて…でも、乗り越えたの。焦凍も面会に来てくれて…家が前向きになってきて──夏だけが…振り上げた拳を下ろせないでいる。お父さんが殺したって、思ってる。」 Todoroki Fuyumi “Natsu was very close to Tōya nī... they often played together. It was shortly after Mom was hospitalized... her condition worsened even more, and she couldn’t even meet Shōto... but she got over it. Shōto came to visit her...the house became more positive - only Natsu... he couldn’t put down his raised fist. He thinks Dad killed him.” [Chap. 250]

This seems to imply instead than Shōto could have met his mother prior Tōya’s death but, after it, her condition was so poor she couldn’t meet him anymore, taking away the idea that it was Shōto’s decision not to meet her and that he took such decision for something that regarded solely how he could remind her of his father.

From a Doylist perspective, very likely in Chap. 44 Horikoshi hadn’t planned yet the whole thing about Tōya yet, so he decided to make Shōto never going to visit his mother Shōto’s decision and made said decision moved by something that regarded Shōto only.

When however he decided the Tōya plotline he had to have Rei react in some way to the loss of her son and thought of this as her reaction basically retconning the whole thing.

From a Watsonian perspective you can make it work by claiming it might be that Fuyumi didn’t understand Shōto was keeping away from his mother PRIOR to his brother’s death, for fear she would snap again, and just assumed he did it due to Rei worsening. It’s not a great explanation as in chap. 39 it was made clear Rei connected ALL HER KIDS to Enji, not just Shōto (although she singled out Shōto specifically instead than Tōya who however she connected to Enji in Chap. 302), so she shouldn’t have been able to meet any of them but whatever, Fuyumi was young when all this happened and she might have mistaken the situation not as Shōto’s will but as something that happened due to Rei’s conditions.

Retcons are bound to cause troubles so each fan can come up with the explanation they prefer.

XX DID FUYUMI AND NATSUO VISIT REI AT THE HOSPITAL?

Yes, they do, Fuyumi is also the one who takes care of Rei’s laundry.

XX DID TŌYA WITNESS THE FIGHT BETWEEN STAIN, MIDORIYA, ĪDA AND SHŌTO?

He said he saw the battle in Hosu (Chap. 349) though it’s possible he’s referring to seeing Stain take down the Nōmu as that, along with the whole of Stain’s speech went online. The battle between Stain and the students wasn’t filmed and was kept hidden from the public. Yes, Tōya could have been around and see it by coincidence but it’s hard to say.

XX ISN’T IT UNFAIR ENDEAVOR TAKES ALL THE GLORY FOR BRINGING DOWN STAIN?

While non-Heroes can use their Quirk for self-defense, they can’t use it to hurt others [Chap. 77] and Stain was quite hurt by them (broken ribs and a punctured lung as well as burns). It means they broke the law and should be punished. The chief of the police though offered to hush the whole thing and pin the arrest on Endeavor so that the students still don’t get punished. Gran Torino, Manual and Endeavor though will get punished anyway so their salary will be reduced and, for six months, they can’t teach to students (which I take means they can’t take interns under them).

So yes, it’s unfair but the other option was to have Shōto and Co be punished for breaking the law which would likely lead to them getting kicked out of U.A. (as this is a common consequence) so I guess that’s better.

XX SHOULDN’T TŌYA’S CARTILAGE PIERCINGS AND TRIPLE NOSTRIL PIERCING AS WELL AS HIS STAPLES MELT WHEN HE USES HIS FIRE?

Some metals can handle high temperatures that range from 2500°C to 3000 °C.:

Tungsten has a silver-white coloration and its melting point is 3422°C

Tantalum is a rare blue-gray metal whose melting point is 3020°C.

My bet would be Tungsten since Tantalum is rare, though in manga illustration they seem to be in gold colour (gold melt at 1064°C so it’s a big no). I honestly don’t know if Horikoshi worried about such details or just assumed they were sprayed with some fire resistant substance.

XX WHY ENJI CALLS ALL MIGHT AN AMERICAN WHEN ALL MIGHT IS JAPANESE?

In case you don’t remember the scene because in the English translation it was translated differently here it is:

Todoroki Enji ‘Tsukauchii!! Naze ano MERICAN otoko ga totsunyū de ore ga hōi nanda!!’ 轟炎司「塚内ィ‼何故あのメリケン男が突入で俺が包囲なんだ‼」 Todoroki Enji “Tsukauchii!! Why is it that the American guy can charge in and I’m instead on siege duty?!!” [Chap. 87]

All Might is Japanese, true, and ‘MERICAN otoko’ (メリケン男) means both “American guy” and “fist guy” so it’s also a pun but another truth about All Might is he’s the adult version of a ‘Kikokushijo’ (帰国子女 “returnee child”), a general term for “children who have returned to their home country” after living for a period in a foreign country. Those who return from a foreign country often find themselves in the middle of two or more cultures, which of course lend the terms “bi-cultural” or “multicultural”. Because Japan projects a mono-cultural society, kikokushijo are simultaneously lauded and shunned. To put it simply, kikokushijo are viewed as resilient and cosmopolitan when it’s convenient for Japan’s image in the international community. But they’re often chastised for their cultural differences by many in Japanese society because they are expected to still “be Japanese”, as in to have a perfect grasp of Japanese culture. For example, their ability to “read the room” (空気を読む ‘Kuuki wo yomu’) is supposed to be innate, as ‘Nihonjiron’ (日本人論 “treatises on Japaneseness”) —the history, collective cultural identity and borderline stereotypical representations of Japan–suggests that Japanese culture is passed down through nature rather than nurture. In truth the ability to read the room is instead really hard to grasp for who doesn’t know such unspoken etiquette without being explicitly told. This lead this people to be at the same time discriminated and privileged. All Might is a returnee as he left for U.S.A. at 18 and studied abroad, coming back to Japan at 23 and Horikoshi remarks it by showing how he occasionally can’t read the room and uses western words. Actually in story the characters remark he’s even draw different (with the same style as Star and Stripes).

XX WHAT DOES ENJI MEAN WHEN HE SAYS HE’S GOING TO ATONE? HE HARDLY DOES SOMETHING! AND YET MORE THAN A HALF OF HIS FAMILY IS WILLING TO FORGIVE HIM, WHY?

Of course the easy answer would be Enji just has no idea of what he’s doing and his family is just that forgiving.

In truth more than the family, having forgiven him, they just want to. Their forgivance is conditional, they don't want to go back to how they were before but they're okay with giving him a chance since he wants to atone.

In regard to Fuyumi and Rei we’ve this bit, which takes place in November (Enji has apparently decided to atone in September, after talking with All Might) after Enji has defeated the High End.

Todoroki Natsuo ‘Okā-san mo nē-chan mo naze ka yurusu nagare nanda kedo sa, ore no naka ja IKARE yarō zessan keizoku chū da yo!’ 轟夏雄「お母さんも姉ちゃんも何故か許す流れなんだけどさ、俺の中じゃイカレヤロウ絶賛継続中だよ！」 Todoroki Natsuo “Mom and big sister for some reason are in the process of forgiving you, but inside I’m still thinking of you as a crazy bastard!” [Chap. 192]

They are in the process of forgiving him/ready to do so/wanting to do so (it depends on how you translate ‘yurusu nagare’ which literally is something like “flow of forgiveness”), so I would say they hadn’t quite forgiven him but they’re willing to work on it.

Shōto is a little behind them. He’s not saying he won’t forgive him, he’s saying he wants to see him do something first.

Todoroki Shōto ‘HERO to shite no ENDEAVOR tte yatsu wa sugokatta yo. Sugoi yatsuda. Kedo Natsu nī no itta tōrida to omoushi, omae ga okā-san ni shite kita koto, mada yurusete nē. Dakara, oyaji to shite korekara dō natte iku no ka mitai. Chottoshita kikkake ga hito o kaeru koto mo aru tte, ore wa shitterukara.’ 轟焦凍「ヒーローとしてのエンデヴァーって奴は凄かったよ。凄い奴だ。けど夏兄の言った通りだと思うし、おまえがお母さんにしてきたこと、まだ許せてねェ。だから、親父としてこれからどうなっていくのか見たい。ちょっとした切っ掛けが人を変えることもあるって、俺は知ってるから。」 Todoroki Shōto “As a hero, that Endeavor guy is amazing. He's a great guy. But I think it's just as big brother Natsu said, I still can't forgive what you did to my mother. So, I want to see how you will evolve from here on as a father. I know that sometimes even a small opportunity can change a person.” [Chap. 192]

This will be clarified further later, in January, with Fuyumi making clear that even if she wants to forgive Enji, she understands Natsuo’s feelings but think the chance her family might have to get together is worth a try. Shōto who always seems to resent Enji not for what he did to him but for what he did to his mother is torn because his mother instead wants to forgive Enji but he hadn’t seen anything that prove he’s worth being forgiven.

Todoroki Fuyumi ‘Watashi datte Natsu mitaina kimochi ga nai wake janainda… demo… CHANCE ga otozure terunda yo…. Shōto wa otō-san no koto dō omotteru no?’ 轟冬美「私だって夏みたいな気持ちがないわけじゃないんだ…でも…チャンスが訪れてるんだよ…焦凍はお父さんの事どう思ってるの？」 Todoroki Fuyumi “It's not that I don't share Natsu’s feelings... but... an opportunity has presented itself... What do you think of father, Shōto?”

Todoroki Shōto ‘Kono yakedo wa oyaji kara uketa monoda to omotteru. Okā-san wa taete… taete… afurete shimattanda. Okā-san o mushibanda aitsu… sō kantan ni yurusenai… Demo sa, okā-san jishin ga ima norikoeyou to shiterunda. Shōjiki… jibun de mo wakaranai… oyaji o dō omoeba ī no ka… mada… nani mo miecha inai’ 轟焦凍「この火傷は親父から受けたものだと思ってる。お母さんは堪えて…堪えて…あふれてしまったんだ。お母さんを蝕んだあいつ…そう簡単に許せない…でもさ、お母さん自身が今乗り越えようとしてるんだ。正直…自分でもわからない…親父をどう思えばいいのか…まだ…何も見えちゃいない。」 Todoroki Shōto “I think of this burns as if they were inflicted by my father. Mom endured it... endured it... until it overflowed. That man who corroded my mother...I can't forgive him so easily...But you see, she herself is trying to get over it now. To be honest...I don't even know myself...what I should think about him as a father...I still can't see anything.” [Chap. 249]

Shōto seems stuck in the same place as before however Midoriya and Bakugō will help him figure out his feelings better.

Midoriya Izuku ‘Todoroki-kun wa kitto, yuruseru yō ni junbi o shiterunja nai ka na.’ 緑谷出久「轟くんはきっと、許せるように準備をしてるんじゃないかな。」 Midoriya Izuku “Todoroki-kun, I think you are probably preparing yourself to forgive him.”

Todoroki Shōto ‘E?’ 焦凍「え？」 Todoroki Shōto “Eh?”

Bakugō Katsuki ‘Hontō ni daikirai nara “yurusenai”de ī to omou.’ 爆豪勝己「本当に大嫌いなら『許せない』でいいと思う。」 Bakugou Katsuki “If you really hate him, I think it's okay to say ‘I can't forgive him’.”

Midoriya Izuku ‘Demo, kimi wa totemo yasashī hito dakara. Matteru… yō ni mieru. Sōiu jikan nanja nai kana…’ 緑谷出久「でも、君はとても優しい人だから。待ってる…ように見える。そういう時間なんじゃないかな…」 Midoriya Izuku “But you're a very kind person. You seem to be waiting... I guess it's that sort of period...” [Chap. 249]

So Shōto is similar to his mother and sister. None of them is quite ready to forgive him but they’re all willing to make an effort for the sake of going back on being a family.

On the other hand I’ve been trying to research on what atoning means in Japan.

There are some actions that are done to atone, which are meant to show contrition and that range from cutting your hair (it used to be done by samurai but it carried on even to present era), to dropping your job/school (think at Aoyama), to cutting your pinkie (usually done by the Yakuza), to cutting your stomach (usually done by samurai but not only).

None of them is really helpful to the victim if not viewed as some form of revenge. However I couldn’t really find much else so I tried to check, since the Todoroki are Buddhists, if this can be tied to it. Take this with a full box of salt because not only I’m not an expert in Buddhism but Buddhism has more than one form and I’ve not the slightest idea which one the Todoroki practice. Plus, even if religion usually influences the behavior of a person/society I don’t know how much Japanese people are ruled by a strict adherence to it and how much Horikoshi wanted Enji to be influenced by it.

For start real concept of atonement with God but we weren’t really carrying about Enji saying sorry to God, were we? We wanted to see him atone to his family.

So it seems that Buddhism is also very big on forgiveness. You’re supposed to forgive someone who commits sin against you so atonement is initiated more by the offended party than by the offender. You are supposed to practice ‘mettā’ (loving kindness), ‘karuna’ (compassion), and ‘mudita’ (sympathetic joy) but, more important, the whole idea of forgiveness comes from the belief that it prevents both the offended and the offender from developing negative and harmful emotions from the karma that unfortunately binds them in sin and misery.

That’s likely why Shōto being angry with Enji is depicted as bad for Shōto, because he develops negative and harmful emotions that ultimately tie him to Enji (never mentioning Enji’s anger is one of the two emotions that ruin his life). Anger is seen by Buddhists as a kind of suffering, an impediment to both happiness and enlightenment, an impediment both to moral development and to the ability to correctly perceive the world.

That is not to say the story doesn’t understand Shōto, Natsuo and Tōya can be angry at Enji,

it’s just that if they are, there are generally negative consequences for them. Shōto can’t use his left side, Natsuo ends up leaving his own family (I’m not talking just of the ending, think at the times through the story in which he left the dinner table because he couldn’t bear eating with his father, therefore being unable to spend time with his sister and brother whom he loves and feeling at the same time guilty because he hurts his sister), Tōya destroyed himself (never mentioning anger was the root of all of Enji’s problems and misery).

But okay, that’s for his victims, what about Enji?

Well, it what you should do when you do something wrong is the following: confess the deed, recognize that what he did was wrong and make a firm resolve not to repeat it. Okay, and afterward?

In many forms of Buddhism atonement is simply not possible. Karma works impersonally and inexorably and there is nothing to be done. Actions have consequences, no matter what. For every action (karma), there will always be a reaction/consequence which can’t be avoided or stopped but will happen one way or the other.

So basically one should just accept his fate. Wrongdoings have consequences and one has to take such consequences, no matter their form or severity, and atonement will come once the consequences will be completed.

If one cannot accept this, then atonement has not been achieved, and he’ll remain bound to his mistakes.

So, long story short, one should admit his wrongdoings, apologize, not repeat what he did wrong, practice loving kindness, compassion and sympathetic joy, and accept consequences.

This… more or less, fits with what the manga shows.

Tōya’s ‘the past never dies’ is a call back to how Enji can’t escape consequences of his actions, which is something he had tried to do for a long time. But Enji’s stance seems to also be an attempt to mirror all this.

Remember when he comes home after fighting the high-end and he admits he did wrong and claims he’ll be better from now on and passively accepts Natsuo’s reaction like a consequence of his wrongdoing… and will continue in this vein. He’ll keep on saying he’s sorry and take what his victims throw at him as a consequence. He won’t fight it.

I could say more as, by the end of the series Enji will do many things on his path to atonement, but I’ll save them for later, when I’ll discuss the end of the Todoroki arc plotline.

For now I think this was his first plan on what to do for his path of atonement, “confess the deed, recognize that what he did was wrong and make a firm resolve not to repeat it”.

I’ll be honest, I don’t know if this is what Horikoshi is trying to represent by having him act in such way, I guess it’s too broad of a topic. I’m just letting it here as food for thoughts. People more well versed in Buddhism (especially the form practiced in Japan) can probably be much more helpful than me on this.

XX IF TŌYA DIDN’T KILL THE KIDS AT THE ORPHANAGE AND DIDN’T COMMIT CRIMES BEFORE JOINING THE LEAGUE WHO ARE THE OVER 30 INNOCENT PEOPLE TŌYA KILLED? DO WE KNOW?

Yes, and ironically they aren’t so innocent.

So, despite what Tōya says in Deika…

Dabi ‘LEADER ga yattennara ore mo ī yo na. Moto yori korosazu onzonnanza muite…’ 荼毘「リーダーがやってんなら俺もいいよな。元より殺さず温存なんざ向いて…」 Dabi “If the leader is doing it, then I might as well. In the first place, I’m not suitable for sparing and not killing...” [Chap. 227]

…he has actually a bad record at killing (there’s even a video on youtube kind of mocking him for that).

During the Summer training camp nor he or the Nōmu in his care managed to kill anyone. During the Hideout Raid arc, he’s immediately knocked out. He’s not present when Shigaraki meets Overhaul so he doesn’t get to attack his team. When his High End attack Endeavor and Hawks there are no casualties and when he attacks them he’s interrupted by Mirko and retreats so again there are zero casualities. In Deika, the moment he decides he might try killing people, he’s interrupted by Geten and will spend the rest of the time fighting him. The fight ends with Geten leaving and Tōya won’t get to kill anyone in Deika. When he sends Starservant and Ending against Endeavor they make no victims. During the Paranormal Liberation War arc he again won’t manage to kill anyone and the same goes for the final war arc.

So when those more than 30 deaths happened?

The near totality of them are Villains. They were potential recruits for the League of Villains but since Dabi judged them unworthy to join them he burned them to death. [Chap. 115-220] In the manga it seems the first time he burned at least 4 at once, in the anime it’s clearly 6. If he killed them in groups of 6 it took him 5 times meeting new recruits to reach 30. If he killed them in groups of 4 it took him 7 times. Considering he searched for recruits from Mid August to Mid December he had plenty of time to kill them even in smaller groups.

Far from me to say it’s okay to kill Villains but it’s hard to define them as ‘innocent’ or better ‘Tsumi naki hitobito’ (罪なき人々 “sinless/crimeless/faultless people”).

The last victim is actually innocent but Dabi kills him indirectly. The Hero Snatch was burned to dead by Dabi’s fire, but that was because Compress decided to compress him along with the fire thinking Snatch could turn his whole body into sand when he could turn only the upper part of his body into it. As a result of Compress compressing him along with Dabi’s flames, Snatch gets killed by said flames [Chap. 160].

Canonically there’s no one else.

Likely those 30 deaths served Tōya to pin the blame for them also on Endeavor. His confession video would have felt a lot less impactful if he had introduced himself as a Villain who never killed anyone. As only burnt corpses remained of those Villains, it’s unlikely the Heroes can figure out they’re Villains unless they had their DNA or dental records. When Snatch confronted him about burn corpses that kept on appearing around, he confirmed on being the killer and showed that he was happy those deaths were starting to be pinned on him.

The number is likely as accurate as it can be because it would have made no difference for him at that point to take the blame for 30 or 50 kills.

Can it be he also killed 30 innocent in an unknown time for unknown purposes? We’ve no info about it.

Does it change something if he killed Villains or innocent civilians?

Basically, it’s still murder so we might feel tempted to say no, but for the public watching the video it changes a lot. They likely won’t be very affected by Villains murdering each other, and when Dabi gives his speech about how his murderous flames are Endeavor’s flames this would come out a lot stronger than if the public were thinks Endeavor’s flames had been involved in murdering innocent civilians.

The fact that often it gets remarked in discussions that Dabi killed INNOCENT people confirms this, the crime seems much worse if we picture those people as innocent… when in truth murder is just murder.

XX ARE HEROES OBJECTIFIED? AREN’T THEY HELD TO UNREALISTIC STANDARDS AND UNFAIRINGLY TRASHED IF THEY FAIL?

Heroes are compared to idols and idols are very objectified so yeah, they are.

Just to give you an idea the typical Japanese worker, the salaryman, is expected to work long hours, work overtime, go drinking or singing karaoke or visit hostess bars with his or her colleagues and bosses after work instead than going back to his family, and overall prioritize work over everything else in his or her life. It’s also expected they could die from overwork (過労死 ‘karōshi’ which means “overwork death”).

As for idols, their main objective is to “sell dreams”, offering fans a form of escapism from the troubles of daily life. Idols often spend time isolated from family and friends while enduring busy work schedules, with some agencies withholding job assignments from their talents and notifying them of work on short notice to prevent them from taking time off. Because of their manufactured image, idols are generally not regarded as authentic artists. Idols are seen as role models to the public, and their personal lives and image can sometimes be tightly controlled by their talent agencies. Common restrictions include not being allowed to smoke or drink in public, or pursue romantic relationships.

And you wouldn’t want to be a idol if you fail to properly sell dreams and get involved in a scandal as your fans might trash you horribly. Plus you also get stalkers with various cases of them trying to hurt idols they like.

The idol system has been criticized for its strict rules, intense work schedules (they aren’t supposed to stop working if they’re sick), and offering idols little control over their personal lives. The system has been likened to salaryman in Japan who are unable to disobey their employers.

Tōya’s video and his attempt to create a scandal around Enji very much seem to match with the way an idol’s career will be ruined if they get involved in a scandal. Ending is very close to a stalker, the complain that it wouldn’t be in character for Enji to shake hands also fits with how idols should project a certain image. Hero gadgets of course parallel the fact people get gadgets of idols too.

So yeah, Heroes are objectified. The story though tries to fight the fact that people will depend to them way too much and trash them when they fail.

XX CAN HEROES KILL?

After Ending’s dialogue in Chap. 251 many had the impression a Hero couldn’t kill. But what exactly Ending said?

ENDING ‘HERO wa yohodo no koto demo koroshi wa sentakushi neE! Demo yo! Anta Nōmu o koroshitaro! ? Ore mo ano ningyō to onaji sa, ikiten no ka shinden no ka aimaina jinsei! Dakara anshinshite!’ エンディング「ヒーローは余程の事でも殺しは選択しねエ！でもよ！あんた脳無を殺したろ！？」 Ending “A Hero doesn’t choose to kill, even if it’s absolutely necessary! But! You killed a Nōmu, didn’t you?!” [Chap. 251]

In Japanese language Ending used ‘sentakushi’ (選択し) which means “choose”. Therefore what Ending might be saying isn’t that Heroes CAN’T KILL but that they WOULDN’T CHOOSE TO KILL… however Enji choose to kill a Nōmu so he can also choose to kill Ending.

The fact that Heroes shouldn’t choose to kill but aren’t forbidden to kill matches with how in Japan it’s exceedingly rare the police will use lethal force but… they can do it in the event that a person who is actually in the act of committing, or is suspected on sufficient grounds of having committed, a violent and dangerous crime which is subject to the death penalty or life imprisonment does so much as TRY TO ESCAPE (just so you know Japan had been asked to revise its domestic legislation on police use of firearms to ensure it complies with international law). Naturally the policeman using lethal force will still be investigated.

Back to the story we see the Heroes, specifically Mirko using lethal forces against Shigaraki when he’s unconscious inside a tube. Mirko breaks the tube thinking that Shigaraki couldn’t be let out, meaning she’s trying to kill him by destroying the equipment that’s keeping him alive.

MIRKO ‘(Shikai ni haitta shunkan ni karada ga rikai shi ya gatta! Usagi no seizon honnō! DAMEna yatsuda!! Dameda kore wa!! Kore wa dashicha ike nē!! Nani o sashioite mo!!) ミルコ「(視界に入った瞬間に身体が理解しやがった！兎の生存本能！ダメなやつだ！！ダメだこれは！！これは出しちゃいけねェ！！何を差し置いても！！)」 Mirko (The moment it came into view, my body understood! It’s my rabbit’s survival instinct! This is no good! This thing is no good!! This thing can’t be let out!! No matter what!!) [Chap. 268]

Later she insists they can’t let Shigaraki wake up. While she didn’t explicitly say ‘kill while he’s unconscious/asleep’ the implication is that.

MIRKO ‘Zettai ni Shigaraki o okosa seru na!!’ ミルコ「絶対に死柄木を起こさせるな！！」 Mirko “Don’t let Shigaraki wake up!!” [Chap. 269]

MIRKO ‘Shigaraki o okosu na! ! Are wa mō tada no ko akutō ja nē!’ ミルコ「死柄木を起こすな！！あれはもう只の小悪党じゃねェ！」 Mirko “Don’t let Shigaraki wake up! He’s no longer just a petty criminal!” [Chap. 269]

Present Mic also attack in attempt to destroy the capsule. When they find Shigaraki on the ground and he’s not breathing nor his heart is beating they don’t try to reanimate him. They’re fine with him being dead.

Later Gran Torino will insist he should have been the one killing Shigaraki and that killing can be another way to save someone.

GRAN TORINO ‘Ore ga korosanakya ikenakatta… warui na…… amari koshitsu suru na yo… Koroshi ga sukui ni naru koto mo aru. Sore o wasureru na dō suru ni seyo--- VILLAIN rengō ni otoshi maetsukete koi.’ グラントリノ「俺が殺さなきゃいけなかった…悪いな……あまり固執するなよ。殺しが救いになる事もある。それを忘れるなどうするにせよ───敵（ヴィラン）連合に落とし前つけて来い。」 Gran Torino “I should have killed him... sorry... but don’t dwell on it too much. Sometimes killing can be a way to save. Don’t forget that whatever you do. Go and settle things with the League of Villains.” [Chap. 309]

Gran Torino is clearly saying he went there planning to kill Shigaraki, and he’s basically encouraging Midoriya to be the one who’ll do it. Midoriya doesn’t counter killing is illegal for a Hero. That’s also why Hawks doesn’t get punished for killing Twice. That’s why Enji claims Endeavor dies because he can’t kill a mass murder since said mass murder is his son. That’s why the reporter was about to ask Enji to kill all the Villains then trailed off when she realized she was asking him to kill his son. That’s why Midoriya won’t be punished for killing Shigaraki.

Heroes can kill. It’s just that they generally choose not to.

But surely people was shocked when they saw Twice’s death and surely this causes Himiko to think because Heroes are marketed as people who save others and wouldn’t CHOOSE to kill. Instead they can do it if someone is dangerous enough or due to the Hero commission ordering them to do so. It’s the clash between the image the Hero commission wanted them to project and the hard reality of Hero society.

XX WHY DID TŌYA’S DYE GOT WASHED AWAY WITH SOME WATER?

According to Horikoshi that was hyper hair-dye remover which was in a hyper bottle which Dabi keeps in his hyper pouch. [Chap. 290]

XX WHY AREN’T HEROES/PEOPLE MORE SYMPATHETIC TO TŌYA SINCE HE WAS A VICTIM?

It’s implied a huge part of the problem is Tōya is a Villain. Villains do not get sympathy. People isn’t interested in why they do what they do, all they care is that they violated the law, even if the crime were way smaller than the one Tōya did.

There might be more at play though.

Parents gives life to a child when they are born and since life is the most precious thing we have in Japan a child is believed to always have an impossible debt called ‘gimu’ (義務 “obligation/duty”) to their parents. ‘Gimu’ refers to something that a person is required or expected to do. It can be a legal or moral responsibility must fulfill.

In short it didn’t matter how bad Enji handled his kids, since they own to him the fact they’re alive, they’re indebted to him and people can see Tōya’s complains as him just being ungrateful.

We find an interesting example of this mentality in the anime “Code Geass” (BEWARE OF SPOILERS).

The main character’s father is, to simply put, horrible. Emperor of Britannia, he strongly holds views of social Darwinism, believing that only the strongest were worthy to rise in society (he uses the same sentence as Midoriya ‘Men’s are not born equal’ to excuse how he takes advantage of people), and invades countries left and right. He doesn’t hesitate to send his kids Lelouch and Nunnally to Japan, where they will be political hostages and then he’ll attack Japan while they’re there, uncaring they might be killed. He’ll use, manipulate, sacrifice and kill various people including his own brother (who was likewise minded), he’ll brainwash his son and ordered for his men to kill him, he even tried personally to strangle him. His son Lelouch will organize a rebellion and wage a war against Britannia, which will lead him as well to use, manipulate and kill people in an attempt to get rid of all the evil people so as to create the kind world his sister wishes. At the end of the anime, Lelouch will accidentally trigger his father’s death, then, later he’ll deliberately get himself killed in a ploy so as to create a kind world.

In the official book of the series the authors commented Lelouch had to die for the grave crime of ‘killing his father’. Whatever else Lelouch did, didn’t matter to the authors, his grave crime was ‘killing his father’.

When the translation was released it caused chaos in the west, even Lelouch’s haters would have pinned on him many crimes but… not that. His father was a monster who planned to control the whole world and Lelouch didn’t directly kill him, we aren’t even sure if he knew what he did would cause the ‘god’ of the universe they were in to erase his father, but if he hadn’t done it the world would have ended up all controlled by his father.

Again, things are changing, people are different but still this gives you an idea of why people might not feel overly sympathetic toward someone who’s not happy with how his father raised him.

Also… when Tōya broadcasted his whole video you might be interested in knowing he committed an act of defamation toward Endeavor, Hawks and, possibly, about the whole Hero world. You might wonder why ‘defamation’ since what he said was true (except for the bit about Best Jeanist’s death but here he was tricked and had no idea the latter was alive)

Under Article 230-1 of the Criminal Code of Japan: “A person who defames another by alleging facts in public shall, regardless of whether such facts are true or false, be punished by imprisonment with or without work for not more than three years or a fine of not more than 500,000 yen.”

So yeah, it doesn’t matter if what he’s saying is true or not, it put to shame Endeavor, Hawks and the Hero world and so is defamation in Japan. His only hope would be to prove that the act relates to matters of public interest and has been conducted solely for the benefit of the public.

In this case the truth or falsity of the alleged facts shall be examined, and punishment shall not be imposed if they are proven to be true. However while Tōya basically said he did it for the good of society, society crashes also due to it so I don’t think a judge would care.

Now, his father won’t sue him and Hawks likely won’t sue him either… but he’s lucky the Hero Commission had his hands full at the time or they would demand his head for this too.

XX WHY SHŌTO IS CALLED THE FAMILY’S HERO? JUST BECAUSE HE’S IN A HERO SCHOOL?

Rei says this:

Todoroki Rei ‘Watashi-tachi yori yoppodo tsurai HAZU no ko ga urande tōzen no watashi o futatabi okā-san to yonde kureta. U.A. kōkō de o tomodachi o tsukutte, watashi-tachi o tsunami tomete kureta. Shōto ga Todoroki-ke (read: uchi) no HERO ni natte kureta no yo.’ 轟冷「私たちよりよっぽど辛いハズの子が恨んで当然の私を再びお母さんと呼んでくれた。雄英高校でお友だちをつくって、私たちをつなぎとめてくれた。焦凍が轟家（ウチ）のヒーローになってくれたのよ。」 Todoroki Rei “A child who should have suffered much more than us called me “mom” again, even though it was only natural that he would resent me. He made friends at U.A. High School and kept us together. Shōto became the hero of the Todoroki family (read: our family).” [Chap. 302]

Basically according to Rei, Shōto is the family Hero because he doesn’t resent her and kept them together. The kept them together part is related to how, due to Shōto resuming to visit her, Rei recovered and was able to go back to her own family and stand next to her husband (as this is what a Japanese wife is expected to do).

Of course this doesn’t keep into consideration that Shōto NEVER resented Rei as he ALWAYS blamed Enji for his scar and not his mother, which the story repeated over and other. But let’s let this slide for now and focus on what Rei believed happened. How this makes Shōto the family Hero?

‘Gaman’ (我慢) is a Japanese term of Zen Buddhist origin which means “enduring the seemingly unbearable with patience and dignity”. The term is generally translated as “perseverance”, “patience”, or “tolerance”. A related term, ‘gaman-tsuyoi’ (我慢強い), a compound with ‘tsuyoi’ (強い “strong”), means “suffering the unbearable” or having a high capacity for a kind of stoic endurance.

Gaman is variously described as a “virtue”, an “ethos”, a “trait”, etc. It means to do one’s best in distressed times and to maintain self-control and discipline.

Gaman tends to be misperceived by the non-Japanese as introverted behavior or as a lack of assertiveness or initiative, but for Japanese people is a demonstration of strength in the face of difficulty or suffering. Gaman is, in Japanese society, closely related to complying with conformity and silent heroism, which seems to be hidden pride for compensation for sacrifice and being satisfied to pay reciprocal service in advance or to being seen themselves as victims by folks. Showing ‘gaman’ is seen as a sign of maturity and strength. Keeping private affairs, problems and complaints silent demonstrates strength and politeness as others have seemingly larger problems as well. If a person with ‘gaman’ received help from someone else, they would be compliant, not ask for any additional help, and voice no concerns.

If a person fails to have/show ‘gaman’, the result could be a sudden manifestation of aggression.

If we keep this in consideration, both Rei and Tōya failed to endure their situation, which was what was expected of them as they should have shown ‘gaman’, and ended up attacking someone.

Shōto (like other characters in the story) instead managed to endure without asking for help and without showing aggression even though he went close to it and was ‘saved’ by Midoriya, another character famous for enduring.

It’s noteworthy how all the League members in the story became Villains because they couldn’t endure any longer.

In old times shōjo manga there was a tendency to put the main character under any sort of misfortune, showing how she would keep on maintain self control, optimism and endure so that at the end she would be rewarded.

Shōnen manga though, had never been much for showing endurance in the past. With the battle cry of ‘yurusanai’ (許さない  Lit. “not to permit/not to approve”) which is often translated as “unforgivable” but can also mean “inacceptable”, “it can’t absolutely be allowed” and therefore that “it can’t be endured”, the main character would charge against his opponent and fight until he would destroy him.

A famous ‘yurusanai’ moment in BNHA is in the fight between Midoriya and Tomura in the Paranormal Liberation War arc.

Midoriya Izuku ‘Omae dake wa yurusanai!’ 緑谷出久「おまえだけはゆるさない！」 Midoriya Izuku “I will never forgive you!”

Tomura Shigaraki ‘Ore wa dare mo yurusanai.’ 死柄木弔「俺わ誰も許さない。」 Tomura Shigaraki “I too will never forgive anyone.” [Chap. 281]

Basically, in shōnen manga, it’s the premise for a fight to death as neither is willing to endure and reach a compromise as they can’t absolutely permit what the other is doing. Tomura too will maintain this stance, fighting till the end. In this case, even if neither is showing ‘gaman’ their determination not to give up on their ‘yurusanai’ makes them praiseworthy because the story pushes you to accept that they had reached something that MUST NOT BE PERMITTED.

A less famous but equally discussed ‘yurusanai’ moment can be found later, when Uraraka and Midoriya talk watching the ruined city.

Uraraka Ochaco ‘Ano toki, U.A. no kōsha no ue de shabetteru to sa, futosa, TOGA HIMIKO ga atama o yogitta. GIGANTOMACHIA no shinkō-chū ni ichitai ichi ni natte watashi wa jibun ga “atari mae” da to omou koto o kotoba ni shite kaeshitanda. Totemo kanashi sōna kao o shi teta. Machi o konnani shite takusan no inochi to shiawase o ubatta “teki” (read: VILLAN) da yo. Mō yurusu yurusanai no jigen ja nai. Wakatteru… keredo watashi wa ano “hito” no “atari mae” o shiranai. TOGA HIMIKO no koto nani mo shiranaitte kangaete shimau. Dakara machi o miteta. Ozomashī kōkei o wasurenai yō ni, yokeina koto wa kangaenai yō ni.’ 麗日お茶子「あの時、雄英の校舎の上で喋ってるとさ、ふとさ、トガヒミコが頭をよぎった。ギガントマキアの進行中に一対一になって私は自分が〝当たり前〟だと思う事を言葉にして返したんだ。とても悲しそうな顔をしてた。街をこんなにして沢山の命と幸せを奪った〝敵〟（ヴィラン）だよ。もう許す許さないの次元じゃない。わかってる…けれど私はあの〝人〟の〝当たり前〟を知らない。トガヒミコのこと何も知らないって考えてしまう。だから街を見てた。悍ましい光景を忘れないように、余計な事は考えないように。」 Uraraka Ochaco “That time, as I was talking on top of the U.A. school building, Toga Himiko suddenly came into my mind. We fought one-on-one during the rampage of Gigantomachia, and I responded to her by saying what I thought was ‘normal’. She looked very sad. She was an ‘enemy’ (read: villain) who had done this to the city, taking away so many lives and happiness. It’s no longer a matter of whether I should forgive her or not forgive her. I know that... but I don’t know what that ‘person’s’ ‘normal’ was. I can’t help but think that I don’t know anything about Toga Himiko. That’s why I was looking at the city. So I wouldn’t forget the horrible sight, so I wouldn’t think about anything else.”

Here too, Uraraka didn’t give up, even if her ‘yurusanai’ isn’t used as a battle cry.

On another interesting note, we’ve a chapter (and an episode) titled ‘Yurusarezaru-mono’ (許されざる者 “The unforgivable person”), with said unforgivable person being Enji, which Natsuo can’t forgive. Anyway, back to the original question, Shōto was likely viewed as a hero for his ability to exercise ‘gaman’, something which Rei failed to make as she broke down.

The story discusses how sometimes people just can’t exercise ‘gaman’, how they’ll end up breaking down if they keep on enduring because sometimes things are just too much and without help they will crumble. Despite this ‘Gaman’ still remains a value BNHA society values and praises.

XX WHY IS THE TODOROKI FAMILY REACTING IN SUCH WAY TO THE REVEAL TOUYA IS ALIVE? WHY ARE THEY CALLING HIM DABI AND TELLING ENJI HE HAS TO STOP HIM? WHY REI BOWS AND APOLOGIZE TO HAWKS IN SUCH A WAY?

After such a video many people in the west would react with a ‘my God, what have I done to my child that pushed him to such lenght? I’ve to find him and apologize to him, soothe his pain and make him stop attacking unrelated people’. The Todoroki instead have more a ‘my God, what did I trigger my son into making? I’ve to stop him and apologize to society for my failure in raising him as a functional member of society as soon as possible!’

I’ve discussed it many times already in this FAQ but in Japan you must not trouble others. Calling what Tōya did to society as ‘troubling it’ is, of course, clearly an understatement so the Todoroki’s first instinct is to worry about this. They join forces because they’ve to stop Tōya from attacking society. It’s the priority because they’re taught to prioritize society. Tōya needs to be stopped. They need to apologize to society for what he’s doing.

So we immediately see a prime example of this.

What Rei does is called ‘dogeza’ (土下座) and is an element of traditional Japanese etiquette which involves kneeling directly on the ground and bowing to prostrate oneself while touching one’s head to the floor. It is used to show a deep apology, an uncommon deference only used when one is deviating greatly from daily behavior. It is seen filled with the feeling of being sorry about troubling the other person. By performing dogeza and apologizing to someone, usually the other person would have a tendency to forgive.

Todoroki Rei ‘Todoroki-ke (read: uchi) no musuko ga… mōshi wake arimasen deshita.’ 轟冷「轟家（ウチ）の息子が…申し訳ありませんでした。」 Todoroki Rei “About (what was done by) the son of the Todoroki family (read: our family)… I am so very sorry.” [Chap. 303]

Even Rei’s words are a very formal way to express apology that, more literally, means “I have no excuses”.

Later Enji will also apologize to the press.

Todoroki Enji ‘Shinjitsu desu. Owabi no mōshi ageyō mo gosaimasen.’ 轟炎司「真実です。お詫びの申し上げようもごさいません。」 Todoroki Enji “It’s the truth. There is no way for me to apologize enough/I have no excuses for it.” [Chap. 306]

This is what he says to the press and the apology is as formal as you can get it. It’s a sentence used to apologize to customers or superiors about really big mistakes. It’s fitting the context since he’s apologizing to the press and to society itself not so much for doing what he did to his family (society doesn’t really care about that) but again, for what Tōya did. Enji is related to him and triggered his actions and so he apologizes.

It’s only later the Todorokis will realize they should have apologized to Tōya too and not just to society.

Todoroki Enji ‘Zenbu ore no sekinin da. Zenbu seotte tsugunai ni ikineba to omotte ita demo omae wa zutto ore o mi tsudzuketetanda monna… omae o mite yare nakatta…… omae ni mo tsugunawanakya ikenakattanda.’ 轟炎司「全部俺の責任だ。全部背負って償いに生きねばと思っていたでもおまえはずっと俺を見続けてたんだもんな…おまえを見てやれなかった……おまえにも償わなきゃいけなかったんだ。」 Todoroki Enji “It’s all my fault. I thought I had to shoulder it all and live to make amends, but you were always looking at me... I couldn’t look at you... I had to make amends to you too.” [Chap. 387]

And

Todoroki Rei ‘Tōya ……‼ Gomen ne…!’ 轟冷「燈矢……‼ごめんね…！」 Todoroki Rei “Tōya…!! I’m sorry…!” [Chap. 388]

It’s worth to mention that in cases in which a family member commit a crime in Japan, the norm is for the family to distance itself as much as possible from said family member as society will give them hell for it. We see it in the manga too with Himiko and Tobita’s family. Although the Todorokis worried first about society and after about Tōya, that’s more due to how they were raised than lack of love.

In the story we have Tobita’s family kicking Tobita out of the house for what is really just a mistake in judgment, we’ve Himiko’s family calling her a demon child (with Himiko being forced to escape) for something she couldn’t control, despite neither of them causing someone to die in that circumstance and then… we’ve the Todoroki family being still willing to be with Tōya despite what he had done.

For many of us, what the Todorokis do would be normal… but the Tobitas and the Togas show instead what’s supposed to be the norm in the BNHA world (and in Japan). If you commit a crime even your family will turn against you and kick you out. The Todoroki instead still want to be with Tōya, talk with him, Enji and Rei apologizing to him instead than doing like Himiko’s parents, claiming they did all they could but Himiko was just a demon child.

Horikoshi wanted to make us sure the family loved him and didn’t mean to leave him despite what he did. So don’t take the fact they worried about society as a proof of a lack of love, it’s just tied to how they were raised.

XX WAIT, WHAT HAPPENS TO FAMILY OF CRIMINALS?

A seinen manga “Theseus no fune” (テセウスの船) digs into what happens to a family of 5 after the father, Sano Bungo, was accused of murder.

The mother, who was at the time pregnant, was denied hospitalization to give birth to her child.

They had to hide their identity because each time it was discovered they were forced to move. People would also refuse to hire them if they were to know who they were. The main character, the youngest child of the man, the one that was born AFTER his father was accused of murder, and who should have been named Seigi (justice) is named instead Shin (heart) because “there’s no justice for the son of a murderer”, he has to take his mother’s surname (along with the rest of the family), have to wear a mask to hide his face to work, so that he won’t be recognized, had to give up on becoming a teacher and, although he managed to marry, his wife’s relatives refused to accept the marriage. When his wife dies during childbirth, her parents attended to the funeral but claimed they couldn’t tell anyone about it because otherwise people would know she married the son of a criminal. They also demanded their grandchild to be handed to them because she can’t grow up with the son of a murderer.

Note that said son of a murderer, never had any contact with his father as the man had been arrested before his birth, and therefore Shin clearly couldn’t be responsible for his father’s crime or be educated by him.

We see something similar happening in BNHA for people who’re involved in minor crimes.

Tobita tried to help someone but failed and was accused of preventing a Hero from saving him.

He was expelled from school and his family was implied to be targeted with bullying (see the graffiti with insults on the gate?)

Jin goes through something similar. Due to being involved in an incident he’s fired and no one wants to hire him ever again so he ends up homeless.

It’s implied the same happened with Himiko, though we don’t know if she ended up on the run just after attacking Saito, knowing her parents wouldn’t want her back, or after trying to go back home and being rejected by her parents.

While Himiko’s house might have been further devastated AFTER she joined the league, we can see that the gate was already damaged when her parents still lived there just after she had attacked Saito.

Note that none of the three over mentioned characters had yet committed murder. Tobita wanted to help, and the man who he had been unable to save will recover in 6 months, Jin ended up running over a guy who ran in the street without warning but only broke his arm and, as far as we know, Saito didn’t die due to Himiko’s attack.

Yet, they’re shunned by society and with them their families who turn their back to them.

Now picture how much worse this would be for someone who committed murder.

Tōya himself touches upon how bad they should have it now when talking with Shouto.

Todoroki Tōya ‘Hitotsu kikitēnda ga Shōto… omae ittai donna tsura shite? Obieru shimin to issho ni U.A. ni komotte iraretanda? ENDEAVOR no musuko Dabi no kyōdai yakusai no nikogori mitee nate meE ga!!’ 轟燈矢「一つ聞きてえんだが焦凍…おまえ一体どんな面して──怯える市民と一緒に雄英に籠っていられたんだ？エンデヴァーの息子荼毘の兄弟厄災の煮凝りみてぇなてめェが！！」 Todoroki Tōya “I have to ask you one thing, Shōto… What kind of face were you wearing? Were you able to stay holed up in U.A. with the frightened citizens? Endeavor’s son, Dabi’s brother, it’s like a broth of calamity/disaster/misfortune!!”

Okay, technically Tōya says ‘yakusai no nikogori’ (厄災の煮凝り) which literally is a “jellied broth of disaster/calamity”, but the fact he chose the nikogori is also due to how the kanji used to write it are ‘ni’ (煮 “boil, cook”) and ‘gori’ (凝 “freeze”).

The citizens in U.A. should have wanted Shōto in it as much as they wanted Midoriya when he first showed up there, not even a bit, even though Midoriya did nothing wrong… and in fact we see that when Midoriya comes back to U.A.  Shouto remains behind along with his father, knowing if he were to show up he would make matters worse for Midoriya. Shouto will admit it himself.

This is the dialogue of the  manga but I’ve added between brackets a bit from the anime as it made Shōto’s reply more clear.

Satō Rikidō ‘ENDEAVOR-tachi wa U.A. hairanai no kana.’ 砂藤力道「エンデヴァー達は雄英入らないのかな。」 Satō Rikidō “I wonder if Endeavor and the others will join U.A.”

Todoroki Shōto ‘Itazura ni hitomae ni dere nē yo. (Oyaji o miru to) Dabi no kage ga CHIRAtsukukarana. Konkai no kun de hinan shiteru hito-tachi zenin ga zenin ichiyō ni mikata ga kawatta WAKE demo neE daroushi.’ 轟焦凍「徒に人前に出れねぇよ。(親父を見ると)荼毘の影がチラつくからな。今回の件で避難してる人たち全員が全員一様に見方が変わったワケでもねぇだろうし。」 Todoroki Shōto “He can’t just go out in public for no reason. (When they see my father,) they can see in him the flickering of Dabi’s shadow. It’s not like all the people who evacuated have changed their views because of this incident.”

Yaoyorozu Momo ‘Yōyaku sukoshi wa ki ga yasumatta mitaidesu ne.’ 八百万百「漸く少しは気が休まったみたいですね。」 Yaoyorozu Momo “It seems like he has finally relaxed a little.”

Todoroki Shōto ‘Dabi no kyōdai, ENDEAVOR no musuko, naishinde wa kitto ore no sonzai mo imada fuandarou.’ 轟焦凍「荼毘の兄弟、エンデヴァーの息子、内心ではきっと俺の存在も未だ不安だろう。」 Todoroki Shōto “Dabi’s brother, Endeavor’s son, deep down they’re probably still unsettled/uneasy/uncomfortable also about my presence.”

Kirishima Eijirō ‘Katei jijō de---- kuyashī yo nā… Todoroki ga nani ka shita wake janee noninā.’ 切島鋭児郎「家庭事情で────悔しいよなぁ…轟が何かしたわけじゃねぇのになぁ。」 Kirishima Eijirō “It’s because of family circumstances ──── It’s frustrating... It’s not like Todoroki did anything.”

Todoroki Shōto ‘Shita yo---Chi ni torawarete genten o miushinatta. Demo ima wa china kara. Chigau tte koto o shōmei suru. Minna ni anshin shite moraeru yō ni.’ 轟焦凍「したよ───血に囚われて原点を見失った。でも今は違うから。違うって事を証明する。皆に安心してもらえるように。」 Todoroki Shōto “I did something─── I was obsessed with my blood and lost sight of my origins. But now I’m different. I’ll prove that I’m different. So that everyone can feel at ease.”

Kirishima Eijirō ‘…Otoko da yo omee wa…! Ore nanda ka namida ga dete kuru yo…!’ 切島鋭児郎「…漢だよおめぇは…！俺何だか涙が出てくるよ…！」 Kirishima Eijirō “…You’re a real man…! I’m getting teary-eyed…!” [Chap. 327]

Basically it’s not that Enji doesn’t want to be around other people because he’s worried of Dabi’s threat, it’s the other people who don’t want Enji around because they see in him his son… and they’re uncomfortable with Shōto too.

Horikoshi doesn’t show it much, even if he gives small hints like this dialogue here and there, the situation seems mostly under control. All the kids at U.A. are on Shōto’s side and the same goes for the students, no one is shown bothering his family which is also at U.A. and while we see civilians being against Enji, they’re also shown being against other Heroes like Wash and even later, even Fuyumi is forced to leave her job, it almost seems as if she had done it on her own and anyway a person helps her to find another and Natsuo’s girlfriend is still willing to marry him so western readers might entirely miss it… but the Todoroki, after the Dabi reveal should be social outcasts.

People wouldn’t want them close, they should lose their job, friends would turn their back on them for fear of being associated to them.

Again, it’s not the same for everyone but that’s what would normally happen, which is why at the end of the story Enji insists he’ll try his best to protect his kid from the fallout. Because they should still be social rejects and the fact they refuse to cut strings with Tōya and plan to keep on visiting him would make this worse.

XX WHY ENJI DOESN’T SEARCH FOR DABI DURING THE DARK HERO ARC?

While again, Enji is doing this as an atonement to society and as his duty as Endeavor, there’s to say Midoriya’s group to which Enji belong is actually searching for Shigaraki’s location, and therefore for the rest of the League’s location. [Chap. 309] Also in “Ultra Impact” event “Schemes and Scoffing Blueflames”, as soon as he hears blue flames were spotted Enji rushed on the place to investigate even if he was told it could be a trap. So he’s technically also searching for Tōya… it’s just the story doesn’t care to focus on this.

XX IS IT POSSIBLE TŌYA LEARNT ALL OF ENDEAVOR'S MOVES JUST BY WATCHING?

Let me start with a bit from "Jujutsu Kaisen".

? ‘“'Me' yori saki ni 'te' ga koeru koto wanai.” Yoshiashi o minuku 'me' o yashinawaneba sakuhin o umidasu 'te' no seichō wa nozomenai hyōgen-sha no ma de yoku tsukawa reru monku kore wa arayuru senmon (janru) ni kyōtsū shi 'me' no yoi mono no jōtatsu sokudo wa sōdenai mono no sore o haruka ni ryōga suru.’ ? 「『“目”より先に“手”が肥えることはない。』　良し悪しを見抜く“目”を養わねば 作品を生み出す“手”の成長は望めない　表現者の間でよく使われる文句　これはあらゆる専門(ジャンル)に共通し “目”の良い者の上達速度はそうでない者のそれを遥かに凌駕する。」 ? “'The "hand" never develops before the "eye".' If you don't develop the "eye" to discern good and bad, you can't hope to develop the "hand" that produces works. This is a phrase often used among artists. This is common to all specialties (genres), and the speed at which those with good "eyes" improve far exceeds that of those without.” [Chap. 37]

Now... when I searched for this sentence it never turned out it was a common way to say, however when the manga/anime came out many workers in the Japanese community said it resonated within them so it's possible while that specific phrase isn't a way to say, something similar is often said.

Regarding Tōya is remarked more than once by Garaki how Tōya has “good eyes” (良い目 ‘Ii me’) [Chap. 221] and we see he's usually the first in the league to notice things. In short Horikoshi made him VERY observant. This also likely translated into giving him an innate talent for learning techniques just by observation. As Quirk and Quirk techniques are fictional, it can entirely be they are easy to learn if you've only a high observation ability, without needing explanations or attempts at trying them out.

XX WHEN TŌYA DEVELOPED AN ICE QUIRK, DID HE HAVE A QUIRK AWAKENING OR NOT?

For start what is a Quirk awakening (個性覚醒 ‘Kosei kakusei’)?

Basically when a Quirk ‘evolves’, developing new abilities or expanding its ray of actions.

Canonically, among the people who got a Quirk awakening we’ve Toga Himiko (she gained the power to use the Quirk of those she transform into provided she loves them) [Chap. 226], Shigaraki Tomura (his decay can spread to things he didn’t touch provided said things are connected… and he can use it even when not touching things with his five fingers) [Chap. 227], Geten (can manipulate the temperature of ice… though we’ll learn this was an acquired power only when Re-Destro will explain it) [Chap. 234], Bakugō Katsuki (his explosions become stronger and more condensed) [Chap. 285] and Uraraka Ochako (she can make people she hadn’t touched float) [Chap. 394].

The first time we had a Quirk awakening was when Himiko discovered she could use Ochako’s power.

CURIOUS ‘Nande… kanojo no kosei-todokede wa tashika ni gaiken dake to… masaka… ima… nobashita to demo! ? Shi e no kyōfu ga──inō o!!' キュリオス「何で…彼女の個性届では確かに外見だけと…まさか…今…伸ばしたとでも！？死への恐怖が──異能を！！」 Curious “Why... Her quirk report only mentions (it affects) her appearance... Don't tell me... She just... strenghtened/developed it!? The fear of death... increased her Meta abilities!!" [Chap. 226]

Curious blames Himiko’s fear of death for how her Meta ability. Improved (the MLA members call Quirks ‘meta abilities’). It will turn out later though that Himiko was actually on the brink of death and it was only thanks to Jin she survived.

Later, in chap. 394, Himiko will connect what happened to her with what will happens to Uraraka when her Quirk will also evolve, giving her the ability to make people float without touching them… and Himiko will also confirm she was dying when it first happened to her, she wasn’t just scared of doing so.

TOGA HIMIKO ‘(Onaji da…! ano toki no watashi to onaji…! watashi ga shi ni kakete okita koto to!!)’ トガヒミコ「(同じだ…！あの時の私と同じ…！私が死にかけて起きた事と‼)」 Toga Himiko “(It’s the same…!It’s the same as it was with me back then…! The same as what happened when I was dying!!)”

Uraraka too had been stabbed, she’s losing a lot of blood and she’s basically dying.

It’s worth to note Curious doesn’t call it a Quirk awakening. We get the word awakening later, when Shigaraki is fighting Re-Destro.

RE-DESTRO ‘(Futoshita KIKKAKE de inō ga hiyaku suru koto wa, aru. Geten ga kōri no ondo ni kanshō dekiru yō ni natta no mo, tamatama watashi ga yakedo o otte shimatta toki datta. Kono wakamono wa ima, kakusei no sanaka ni…)’ リ・デストロ「(ふとしたキッカケで異能が飛躍することは、ある。外典が氷の温度に干渉できるようになったのも、たまたま私が火傷を負ってしまった時だった。この若者は今、覚醒の最中に…)」 Re-Destro “(Sometimes Meta abilities can suddenly take off. It was just like when I was burned and Geten became able to manipulate the temperature of ice. This young man is in the middle of awakening (his Quirk) now...)” [Chap. 234]

Re-Destro explains in order to use his Meta ability like that Shigaraki should have trained in a harsh environment.

RE-DESTRO ‘(Hayai! Yobi dōsa mo saishōgen, marude neko no yōna shinayakasa! Kore hodo no shintai nōryoku deareba Kanno (read: KAMINO) de HERO no hitori ya futari sawareta rō ni……! Inō no kudan to ī… kitaeta to demo? Shikamo, kono ugoki… Mainichi inochi no yari tori o iki nuku yōna kakokuna kankyō de nakereba mi ni tsukanu HAZU.)’ リ・デストロ「(速い！予備動作も最小限、まるで猫のようなしなやかさ！これ程の身体能力であれば神野(カミノ)でヒーローの一人や二人触れたろうに……！異能の件といい…鍛えたとでも？しかも、この動き…毎日命のやり取りを生き抜くような過酷な環境でなければ身につかぬハズ。)」 Re-Destro “(He's fast! His preparatory movements are minimal, and he's as agile as a cat! If he had this kind of physical ability, he could have touched one or two of the heroes in Kamino...! And what about his supernatural powers... did he train? Moreover, these movements... it's something that can only be acquired in a harsh environment where life and death are at stake every day.)” [Chap. 234]

This matches with what Garaki (at the time under the alias of Ujiko Daruma) wanted for Shigaraki. He put him through hell forcing him to fight Machia and, when Compress asked, he refused to give him assistance because Shigaraki needed to be driven into a corner.

Mr. COMPRESS ‘ANTA, Shigaraki ga shinde mo ī no ka? AFO (read: All for One) no kōkeina ndaro!?'」 Mr.コンプレス「アンタ、死柄木が死んでもいいのか？AFO（オールフォーワン）の後継なんだろ！？」 Mr. Compress “Are you sure you want Shigaraki to die? He's the successor to AFO (read: All For One), right?!”

Ujiko Daruma ‘Dakara koso oikomu hitsuyō ga aru.’ 氏子達磨「だからこそ追い込む必要がある。」 Ushiko Daruma “That's why we need to push him.” [Chap. 238]

Garaki basically forced a Quirk awakening out of Shigaraki.

All this teaches us that in order for a Quirk to evolve the owner of said Quirk needs to be under intense pressure, believing to be in a near death situation or actually being in a near death situation or worried sick for someone else (Bakugō’s Quirk, like Geten’s, evolved when he saw Midoriya about to being stabbed by Shigaraki. In order to protect him his Quirk evolved, granting him the speed to be there fast enough to move Midoriya away and get hit in his place).

Now, in regard to Tōya’s Quirk, Enji explains what’s going on as such…

ENDEAVOR ‘(Shichi de no kikikan, rinshi no keiken ga “kosei” o kakusei saseru koto ga aru. Sono ippō de hito ni wa “kajiba no bakadikara” to iu mono ga ari… sore wa kakusei to wa chigai, shi ni hin shita toki nomi kengen suru chikara.)’ エンデヴァー「(死地での危機感、臨死の経験が〝個性〟を覚醒させる事がある。その一方で人には「火事場の馬鹿力」というものがあり…それは覚醒とは違い、死に瀕した時のみ顕現する力)」 Endeavor “(Sometimes, the sense of danger in a deadly situation and near-death experiences can awaken a ‘quirk’. On the other hand, humans also have something called “superhuman strength in an emergency situation”... this is not an awakening, but a power that only manifests when facing death.)” [Chap. 387]

…so it might feel like what Tōya is having is not an awakening… but actually when Enji says ‘this is not an awakening’ he’s not referring to Tōya, but to when superhuman strength manifests in normal people in an emergency situation. In that case it’s not an awakening, people won’t be able to keep that superhuman strength… while when a Quirk awakens, said power then remains available for it owner.

So yeah, under strong pressure and in a near death situation Tōya had a Quirk awakening that allowed him to also develop an ice Quirk, which cools him down, allowing him to resist to his own heat better than Enji despite his lack of heat resistance.

The second part of Enji’s sentence is there merely to better explain the whole thing as likely Quirk awakening is, from a Watsonian perspective, an evolution of the “superhuman strength in an emergency situation”… while from a Doylist perspective the Quirk awakening is merely inspired by it.

XX WHY ENJI WANTS TO DIE WITH TŌYA? WHY TŌYA ALSO INSIST HE AND HIS FAMILY SHOULD DIE?

Two reasons. The first, Enji has no idea how to stop him from exploding beyond killing him first, which chap. 300 established as something he doesn’t want to do.

The second is that what they’re doing becomes ‘shinjū’ (心中 Lit. “Mind/heart center/inside” but more likely means “oneness of hearts”, probably reflecting a psychological link between the participants) and it’s a word used in common parlance to refer to any group suicide of two or more individuals bound by love, typically lovers, parents and children, and even whole families. A double suicide without consent is called ‘muri-shinjū’ (無理心中 “unreasonable mind/heart center/inside’) and it is considered as a sort of murder–suicide.

People who commit shinjū believe that they would be united again in heaven, a view supported by feudal teaching in Edo period Japan, which taught that the bond between loved ones would continue into the next world, and by the teaching of Pure Land Buddhism wherein it is believed that through shinjū, one can approach rebirth in the Pure Land.

By volunteering to die with him, Enji is basically agreeing to remain with him in their next reincarnation. By insisting on wanting him and his family to die, even though he paints it as an angry reaction, Tōya just wants his family, who finally had looked at him, to remain with him so they could all be reborn together.

By the way “Pure Land Buddhism” (浄土仏教 ’Jōdo bukkyō’ also known as Amidism) is a broad branch of Mahayana Buddhism focused on achieving rebirth in a Pure Land. It is one of the most widely practiced traditions of Buddhism in East Asia. The “pure land” or buddha-field, is, generally speaking, a Buddha’s field of influence. Some Buddha-fields are considered to be superior places to spiritually train for full Buddhahood, since a Buddha has compassionately “purified” it for this purpose and since in these realms, one can meet a Buddha face to face and study under them. Since it is much easier to attain enlightenment in one of these buddha-fields (due to the corrupt nature of the current age), many Mahayana Buddhists strive to be reborn in such a place.

Again, I don’t know if this is the branch of Buddhism the Todoroki profess, but shinjū is such a popular idea in Japan that it’s unlikely Japanese readers would miss the connection and what it means.

So yes, even if by accepting to die with Tōya Enji doesn’t seem to be doing anything of value, he’s actually promising his son he’ll stay with him, and while Tōya claiming he and his family should all die seems to be moved mainly by anger, it hints just at how Tōya instead wanted to continue to be with them and have them continuing to look at him as he had believed they were doing when they tried to stop him.

XX WHICH WOULD BE TŌYA’S PUNISHMENT WEREN’T HE SLOWLY DYING?

Likely all the league would be sentenced to death by long drop hanging.

Japan has capital punishment, and you get capital punishment in case of aggravated murder, which in Tōya’s case happens because he killed more than 30 people and due to his fire Quirk as arson count as an aggravation in real life… so Tōya’s Quirk kind of work against him.

Still the number of victims killed is the most important criterion for imposition of a death sentence. A death sentence handed down for a single murder (previous convictions included) is considered “extraordinary”.

In the past there was a sole exception to this rule and it was when the victim was the father’s murderer, as this was considered enough to deserve capital punishment… however, the law was abolished after the Tochigi patricide case in 1968 (if you want to check on it I’ll warn you the father did pretty terrible things to his daughter).

If they manage to pin on them insurrection (the whole thing at Central Hospital), their situation gets even worse. In Shigaraki’s case the devastation he caused would likely also considered an aggravation (in real life you can’t really decay things but I guess it can be compared to other aggravating causes).

Would Himiko be sentenced to death too?

You need to be 18 to get the capital punishment and Himiko turns 18 in August of the Final war arc. As the final war arc takes place prior to August, she’s not yet 18 and therefore she would get just life imprisonement.

Yes, they can make an insanity pleas and if they were found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity, they would be committed to legally mandated hospitalization.

Normally though Japanese citizens largely opposed the provision of an insanity defense as, as said before, there's a huge stigma on the idea of someone being insane or having an insane family member so, in addition to the family being socially ostracized for being related to a criminal, they would get the extra label of being related to a mentally ill person which would make matters for the family even worse so you might figure how this isn’t a defence many would implement.

Things are changing so more insanity pleas are being made but this isn’t really helping as it seems the courts are more often than not deciding that, despite recognizing the defendants has things like psychiatric disorders, namely delusional disorder, schizophrenia, substance-induced psychosis, with auditory hallucinations and persecutory delusions evident at the time the offences were committed, whose didn’t affect the defendant free will at all and therefore were irrelevant, so the insanity plea gets rejected.

Just to give you an idea in 2009, the International Federation for Human Rights and the Center for Prisoners' Rights wrote to the Japanese government, expressing strong concerns about executions in Japan, particularly of people with mental illness. It didn’t really help as almost 10 years later, Japan ordered a series of death sentences for offenders with mental illness.

Long story short, it’s unlikely the league would go for an insanity plea but if they were it’s likely it would be rejected.

I couldn’t find info about Japan having house arrest (軟禁 ‘nankin’) for people judged guilty. Since it’s not even a legal term I have the feeling they don’t have it but I might be wrong.

Support for capital punishment has consistently been high among the Japanese public. In a poll conducted in November 2019 of 3,000 Japanese adults by the Cabinet Office, 80.8% of respondents stated they support the continued usage of the death penalty in Japan, while 9% stated it should be abolished in all cases. Just this tells us Horikoshi doesn’t really have the need to abolish something that’s highly supported in his country.

The story confirms in chap. 78 they have capital punishment by saying Moonfish is a ‘shikeishū (datsugoku-chū)’ (死刑囚 (脱獄中) “Death row inmate (on the run)”).

Chap. 94 also refers to how the story have capital punishment but being put in Tartarus is actually worse than that.

Kanshu ‘Damatte iro! ! Mireba wakarudarou! ! Shikei sura namanurui hodo no zainin ga ikitsuku basho da!’ 看守「黙っていろ！！見ればわかるだろう！！死刑すら生温い程の罪人が行き着く場所だ！！」 Jailer “Stay quiet!! If you look you can see!! This is the place where criminals for whom even the death penalty is too lenient end up!!” [Chap. 94]

We’re also told that All for One is tossed there without even wanting for the sentence to be finalized. It’s not because they aren’t sure of the other imprisonment systems, it’s just that they decided that the crime committed was so great they tossed him in the day after he was captured. No need to wait for a trial… and far from me to say AFO isn’t guilty but there’s Lady Nagant in that same prison and I fear she too didn’t get a fair trial, so if Tartarus hadn’t been basically destroyed (along with other detention centers) they wouldn’t have hesitated to toss the league in it.

Midoriya Izuku ‘Yokujitsuu … kare wa koto no ōkisa kara tokureichū no tokurei toshite kei no kakutei o matazu tokushu kōchijo e ire rareta.’ 緑谷出久『翌日ー…彼は事の大きさから特例中の特例として刑の確定を待たず特殊拘置所へ入れられた。』 Midoriya Izuku “The next day... Because of the seriousness of the crime, that person was put in a special detention center without waiting for the sentence to be finalized as an exceptional case.” [Chap. 94]

Just so you know Tartarus is not a nice place. Here it’s how the manga describes it.

Midoriya Izuku ‘Tai “kosei” saikō keibi tokushu kōchijo. Tsūshō  ‘tarutarosu’. Hondo kara yaku 5 km hanareta oki ni kenzō sa reta shūyō shisetsu. Bengijō kōchijo to sa rete iruga, jittai wa kokumin no anzen o ichijirushiku odokasu, matawa odokashita jinbutsu o, genjū ni kinko shi kanshi-ka ni oku monodeari,-kei no kakutei mi kakutei o towazu samazamana “kosei” no mochinushi ga shūkan sa rete iru. I bō wa muttsu ni kubun sa rete ori, “kosei” no kiken-sei ya jiken no jūdai-sei ni yotte furiwake rarete iru. Kiken-sei no takai jinbutsu hodo, chika fukaku ni shūkan sa reru. Ichido ireba ikite deru koto wa kanawanai to iwa rete ori, “kosei” shakai no yami-tomo yoba rete iru.’ 緑谷出久『対〝個性〟最高警備特殊拘置所。通称「タルタロス」。本土から約5km離れた沖に建造された収容施設。便宜上拘置所とされているが、実態は国民の安全を著しく脅かす、又は脅かした人物を、厳重に禁錮し監視下に置くものであり、刑の確定・未確定を問わず様々な〝個性〟の持ち主が収監されている。居房は6つに区分されており、〝個性〟の危険性や事件の重大性によって振り分けられている。危険性の高い人物程、地下深くに収監される。一度入れば生きて出ることは叶わないと言われており、〝個性〟社会の闇とも呼ばれている。』 Midoriya Izuku “A maximum security special detention center for quirks. Commonly known as Tartarus. A detention facility built about 5km offshore from the mainland. Though it is called a detention center for convenience, in reality it is a place to strictly imprison and monitor individuals who are or have been a significant threat to the safety of the nation’s citizens, and it incarcerates people with a variety of quirks, whether their sentences have been finalized or not. The cells are divided into six categories, and are assigned according to the danger of their quirks and the seriousness of the crime. The more dangerous a person is, the deeper underground they are imprisoned. It is said that once one enters, it is impossible to get out alive, and it is also known as the dark side of quirk society.” [Chap. 297]

Tartarus is not a place for rehabilitation, it’s a place to stuck inside people and forget them there, that’s why Lady Nagant was placed there, so that information on what the Commission had done could never leak.

We also have this bit from two guards from Tartarus.

Kanshu 1 ‘Ashita asa, rei no DEKABUTSU ga todoku sōda.’ 看守1「明日朝、例のデカブツが届くそうだ。」 Jailer 1 “That giant thing is supposed to arrive tomorrow morning.”

Kanshu 2 ‘GIGANTOMACHIA… ano umeboshi atama no buka darou? Korosenakatta no ka?’ 看守2「ギガントマキア…あの梅干し頭の部下だろう？殺せなかったのか？」 Jailer 2 “Gigantomachia… isn’t that one of plum-head's subordinates? Couldn’t they have just killed him?”

Kanshu 1 ‘Ā mo kyodai da to kenjū jā muridarou. Hito dearu ijō MISSILE o BUCHI komu wake ni mo ikan.’ 看守1「ああも巨大だと拳銃じゃあ無理だろう。人である以上ミサイルをブチ込むわけにもいかん。」 Jailer 1 “If he’s that big, you can’t use a gun on him. He’s human, so you can’t fire a missile at him.”

Kanshu 2 ‘Ā iu no o hito to wa yoban. Saigai… moshiku wa kedamono to iu. Koko ni shūkan sa rete iru chikushō-domo dōyō nina.’ 看守2「ああいうのを人とは呼ばん。災害…もしくは獣と言う。ここに収監されている畜生共同様にな。」 Jailer 2 “I wouldn’t call that a human. Disaster… or beast that’s what he is. Just like the scums that are imprisoned here.”

Kanshu 1 ‘Yame toke kiroku ni nokoru. Shinkyūtō wa kaitai sa rerudarou ga, bunpa-moto ga kono ki o misugosu hazu ga nai. Tadade sae jinken shingai da nanda to tsutsu ka rete maitterunda saikin wa doko kara moreru ka wakaran zo. ‘ 看守1「やめとけ記録に残る。心求党は解体されるだろうが、分派元がこの機を見過ごすはずがない。ただでさえ人権侵害だなんだと突かれて参ってるんだ最近はどこから漏れるか分からんぞ。」 Jailer 1 “Don’t do it, it’ll go on the record. The Heart and Mind Party will be disbanded, but there’s no way their branch factions won’t let this opportunity pass. We are already being criticized for violating human rights, and you never know where information might leak from these days.”

Kanshu 2 ‘Daga jijitsu da. Yatsu-ra wa tada hito no katachi o shite iru dakeda. “Kosei” ni yotte kikaku o ushinatta jinrui ni magirete shimatta, ozomashī NANIKA da.’ 看守2「だが事実だ。奴らはただ人の形をしているだけだ。〝個性〟によって規格を失った人類に紛れてしまった、悍ましいナニカだ」 Jailer 2 “But it’s true. They just have a human form. They have blended in with humans who have lost their sense of normalcy due to their “quirks” but they are actually hideous things.” [Chap. 297]

We also see how inmates can be held completely immobilized.

We’ve, of course, All for One, Stain (who later is shown free of restrains probably because he’s meant to escape on his own), Muscolar, Moonfish, Kurogiri. Chisaki isn’t kept bound but he’s not given prosthetic arms so I’ve no idea how the guy can eat.

Moonfish and Chisaki’s jails have a bed so that’s probably a standard dotation.

Geten and Compress, who’re held in another prison are comparatively better as only their hands are tied, with Compress being allowed to keep his prosthetic arm and, since he’s still in need of medical care he’s given a mattress along with a machinery that keeps him alive. Garaki, likely due to his Quirk being harmless and his old age, is left with his arms free. Neither Geten or Garaki are given furniture, they’ve to sit on the floor.

This is apparently based on real life Japanese prisons as Human Rights Watch found numerous violations of the international human rights law in Japanese prisons. Japan routinely violates the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), as well as the basic provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. If you want to know more you might want to read their report.

Now, probably to avoid a never ending mass execution, likely not all the Villains who took part to the Paranormal Liberation War would be executed, I guess they would just focus on those who were in high positions of command or who had a high record of killing. The others will probably be all sentenced to life imprisonment though this is just me speculating. The story is not going to dig on their fate so we’ll likely never know.

As for how fast the one who will be sentenced with Capital Punishment will be executed the answer is... not fast at all.

In Japan the law says an execution must take place within six months of the sentence being finalised by the courts, but in practice typical stay on death row is between five and seven years; a quarter of the prisoners have been on death row for over ten years. For several, the stay has been over 30 years (Sadamichi Hirasawa died of natural causes at the age of 95, after awaiting execution for 32 years). The justice minister decides the timing. Convicted inmates can seek a retrial even after a Supreme Court ruling, but this does not guarantee a stay of execution. That’s why even though Moonfish gets recaptured in August, he’s still alive in Tartarus in March and All for One, who also got captured in the same period, is equally alive (also I hope they would consider processing him before sentencing him but this might be just me).

Something else you might be interested in knowing is inmates in Japan are notified on the morning of their execution, usually about an hour before. The U.N. Committee against Torture has criticized Japan for “the psychological strain” on inmates and their families.

Only prison officials and a priest are present. Hangings are announced afterwards they had taken place. Since 2007 the justice ministry has released the names and crimes of those executed.

XX ONCE THE FINAL WAR ENDED WHERE TŌYA WAS DETAINED?

At the moment is left unsaid. It’s not Central Hospital, it seems something akin to a Villain hospital since the person in it is dressed in a way similar (but not identical) to Tartarus guards and considering what Tōya is in is, hopefully, a medical contraption of some sort and not some sort of restraining Quirk contraption.

In chap. 159 it was said they wanted to bring Chisaki Kai to Takodana Villain Hospital (胝棚の敵病院 ‘Takodana no VILLAIN Byōin’), Takodana being another fictional name for a location, which means “blister/callus shelf” but which is actually inspired to the Takodana Planet in “Star Wars” which became a haven for fugitives, smugglers, explorers, spies and dubious travelers alike.

XX IS TŌYA IN PAIN? IS HE REALLY DYING?

Yes, he's really dying and chap 431 confirms that, after 8 years, Tōya is dead, through it doesn't say by exactly how long he had been dead. It's also not said in details if he was suffering when he was detained in that horrible state but we know Tōya's perception of pain is dulled and there's also this bit:

Kanshu ‘Yuruyaka ni shi e to mukatte iru… sore ga ima no todoroki Tōya desu.’ 看守「緩やかに死へと向かっている…それが今の轟燈矢です」 Jailer “Slowly heading towards death... that is Todoroki Tōya now.” [Chap. 426]

'Yuruyaka' (緩やか) can be translated as “slowly” but also as “gently/easily/gradually/leniently” so my impression is this is telling us he's not in physical pain. How well one can feel strapped to that machine, unable to move and kept in a dark room until his family visits that's up to eveyone's speculation though.

XX WHY WASN’T TŌYA (AND THE REST OF THE LEAGUE) SAVED?

If you mean why Tomura and Himiko died and Tōya wil also slowly die, the Doylist answer is because Horikoshi didn’t want to let them live and I’m not even going to try to address this here as this would require a Meta on his own, and whatever Watsonian answer one were to make up is subordinate to Horikoshi deciding he wasn’t going to create a situation that would allow them to survive, which he could have TOTALLY done in a world like the one of BNHA.

The point was likely he was never going to save their lives, all he meant to save where their souls, which yes, to us westerns feel lame.

In Japan, when someone dies in a violent way including murder or suicide or dies leaving behind unfinished business or do not receive appropriate funeral rites upon their death, they believe his spirit remains trapped in the world of living and can’t move on and this is torture for said soul.

So the idea that their soul was soothed, that was put to rest, is really important and equates to salvation in a Japanese mind-setting… but, to us, it’s only a last smile before death.

In Tōya’s specific case there’s more than just this.

@class1akids reported how a Japanese fan commented that ‘Touya crawled out of the Buddhist altar only to be forced back into it.’

This is a very fitting description of the situation at hands.

Tōya is declared dead on Sekoto Peak but then, due to Garaki, he comes back like the Frankenstain Monster… or like a soul whose death wasn’t properly mourned. In fact he’s persuaded this is what happened. No one cared him died. He’s Dabi because he was cremated… without his family burying him with pain and suffering (see back the bit about his Villain name). Officially his family should have been on duty to mourn him so that his soul could slowly leave this mortal plane… which is done by talking to his soul that they should believe is enshrined in the Butsudan and bringing him offering. But he’s sure no one cared. If Tōya had really been dead, his soul would have crawled out of the Butsudan and turned into an angry, vengeful ghost… and in a way he does as Dabi is angry and vengeful and claims that Tōya is dead. So now… they’ve practically pushed him back in the Butsudan and are ‘mourning him properly’ by talking to him so that he could move on… aka die for good and then rest for good in the Butsudan and then, after more talking to him through the Butsudan, move on.

Sure, we’re giving the idea that this is what Tōya wanted because he wanted to be seen and wanted to talk more with his family but the framing is not of his family taking care of him, of his family talking to him as, apart from Shōto, no one makes questions and no one gets answer. Yes, Enji in a way talk to him as he and Tōya exchange some words but that’s more a summary of the situation at hands. Mind you, it’s supposed to be damn important because indirectly they’re telling him they were/are/will mourn him, but it’s not important in the way we would think a family conversation should be. The act is again a saving of the soul more than anything else. Since Tōya cries and apologizes to Shōto we can assume his rage (which is also what had been keeping him alive) is gone and that his soul is saved.

Sadly giving Tōya a reason to keep on living that wasn’t rage was never the point of all this, the idea is that the family is just trying to let him gently die… which mind you is not meant to be seen as cruelty from their part. They just accepted he has to die and are trying to make this painless.

It's not the sort of thing that works for a western like me but I guess the Japanese audience might apprecciate it more.

On the other side… it can be that Horikoshi is trying to represent the family merely attempting to help Tōya passing away.

Buddhist tradition suggests that death should occur in a calm and peaceful environment, with close friends and family in attendance. Together they should reflect on the good deeds the dying person has done throughout their life, in the hopes it will help them in their next reincarnation. Additionally, family and friends can perform good deeds on behalf of them, which they believe will be of merit to the deceased. So it can be that the Todoroki are keeping calm and will talk with Tōya SOLELY of the nice things he did in life, to help him pass peacefully, so that he’ll have a better reincarnation in his next life. In short there will be no confrontation at all about what Tōya did, which is also why Horikoshi might have felt it wasn’t of interest to show the conversation as it won’t be about the family getting closure but about the family helping Tōya to die in peace.

XX IS NATSUO REALLY GETTING MARRIED WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND?

What Natsuo says is:

Todoroki Natsuo ‘Kanojo to seki iretai, shiki wa agenai shōkai mo shinai.’ 轟夏雄「彼女と籍入れたい、式は挙げない紹介もしない」 Todoroki Natsuo “I want to enter in the family register with my girlfriend, but we won’t have a ceremony or introduce each other (families).” [Chap. 426]

What does it means to enter in a family register? And what exactly is one?

A koseki (戸籍) is a Japanese family registry. Japanese law requires all Japanese households (basically defined as married couples and their unmarried children) to make notifications of their vital records (such as births, adoptions, deaths, marriages and divorces) to their local authority, which compiles such records encompassing all Japanese citizens within their jurisdiction. Marriages, divorces by mutual consent, acknowledgements of paternity of non-marital children and adoptions (among others) become legally effective only when such events are recorded in the koseki. Births and deaths become legally effective as they happen, but such events must be filed by family members or other persons as allowed by law. Loss of Japanese or foreign nationalities have to be recorded in the koseki, too.

You can’t be on two Koseki at the same time.

So what Natsuo basically means is he leaves the Todoroki family and forms another family with his girlfriend. He might even chose to take her surname and leave the Todoroki surname back as the family name and given name of the “head of the koseki”, meaning the first person shown on the koseki is the family name that will be shared by all the members of the koseki. Japanese people can’t carry two surnames so if Natsuo’s girlfriend is chosen as the head of the koseki Natsuo will take her surname and leave the Todoroki surname. By the way, yes, Natsuo and his girlfriend being in the same Koseki also means they’re legally married and there’s no need for a ceremony to officialize this so yes, Natsuo is getting married. If you’re wondering about his age he’ll turn 20 in July so he’s marrying at around the same age as his father.

XX DID NATSUO REALLY NEVER MET ENJI AGAIN?

We don’t know. He said he didn’t want to meet him ever again, but he also for the first time in the manga called him father, implying he was being a cool dad so maybe Natsuo also start a parth of forgiveness like the rest of his family did… or not.

Todoroki Natsuo ‘…Hajimeteda yo otō-san no koto kakkoī tte omoeta no.’ 轟夏雄「…初めてだよお父さんの事かっこいいって思えたの。」 Todoroki Natsuo “...It was the first time I thought my dad was cool.” [Chap. 426]

Horikoshi left us free to decide.

XX SO OKAY, WE ARE AT THE END, WHAT IS TODOROKI ENJI’S ATONEMENT ARC?

I’ll start with his atonement arc to Tōya but first I’ll make a premise. There are things that Enji does that in Japan are a BIG DEAL. This doesn’t mean the same is true here in the west. For example, as far as my country goes, some are the bare minimum or don’t even count as atoning. I guess for each country is different. So let's go through it.

First, there’s the fact that he doesn't want to kill Tōya even though he's a criminal

Todoroki Enji ‘Ore wa ikinobite mo... ENDEAVOR wa shinda. Tairyō satsujinsha (read: musuko) to tatakaenai.’ 轟炎司「俺は生き延びても...エンデヴァーは死んだ。大量殺人者（むすこ）と戦えない。」 Todoroki Enji “Even if I survived... Endeavor is dead. I can't fight against a mass murderer (read: my son).” [Chap. 300]

“Death Note” as a similar situation in which Yagami Soichiro, chief of the police, has to deal with the idea his son, Light, might be a serial murderer. Although there’s no proof and he protests his son’s innocence as hard as he can, his thoughts are that his responsibility as a father and chief of the police are to murder his son and then himself. Quite a difference from Enji who says he can’t kill his son even though he’s a murderer, right? And the story established Enji didn’t hesitate at all killing the Nōmu and tried to off with all he could Shigaraki. In regard to Tōya though, he won’t even try to slap his wrist.

That's why Hawks doesn't want to send Enji, who's on an atonement path, to face Dabi, because Enji might end up in a situation in which he would have to kill his son and he would refuse... which is more or less what happens.

Second, Enji acknowledges that what Tōya said in his video is true, Tōya is his son and Enji did what he did. In such a situation many would lie. Dabi's video proves nothing. He is a Villain, they had a doctor in the team who could create Nomu, the paternity test could be fake, even if Dabi were to provide a sample of his blood or skin they could insist that's fake.

Society didn't want the truth, they don't want Enji to confess, they wanted him to reassure them, they even commented he should have lied because yes, that's what's done often.

Basically Enji put his honor on the chopping block. A public apology like the one he makes in front of the press is a BIG DEAL in Japan. It's much more serious than in western countries and he does it when he could have spared himself and say Dabi lied, but that would have meant to deny his son.

Third, it connects to the first in a way and I’ve already mentioned in this post. While Enji is unwilling to kill Tōya, he's willing to die with him. Remember, it's ‘shinjū’ (心中 “oneness of hearts”), a word used in common parlance to refer to any group suicide of two or more individuals bound by love who believe that they would be united again in heaven, or better, in the Buddhist Pure Land. By volunteering to die with him, Enji is basically agreeing to remain with him in their next reincarnation. For us it's crazy, it's Enji giving up on saving him. In Japan it can sounds like “I love you and I want to be with you”.

Forth, he'll apologize to Tōya. As said before apologizing is a BIG DEAL, especially since Enji is the family head and, although for us most of what he did is wrong, not only a family head normally doesn’t apologize to his family members (again, things are changing but you get the drift), but in Japan most of what he did is well within what he can do. Marrying a woman you don't love in a combined marriage to expect the child who'll be born from it will fulfill your ambitions and not really bothering to raise it because that's a mother job, well, things are changing in Japan but none of the above is a crime. In a not so distant past it was actually the norm. Yet Enji apologizes.

Fifth it's a bit in the first point and in the second but it'll drag on through all the story, Enji won't reject Tōya. He's the only one (except Fuyumi who however doesn't get to say much) who never calls him Dabi after the reveal, and he won't strike him out of the family register but will keep on considering him his son. Think at the Tobitas instead and at how they kick their son out. Don't think Hawks is cutting strings with his parents solely because they were abusive, the Tobitas show us how you should just cut strings with a criminal. Same as the Togas. You might see better examples in “Theseus no Fune”. Anyway families don't want to keep contact with a criminal. It's scary because they'll be mistreated if they are discovered to be related to him. And, in this vein, the fact Enji wants to go see him, that he'll keep on seeing him till the end instead than turning his back on him, is seen as important. It's seen as him being his father. He’s not forcing his presence on his son like some think, from a Japanese perspective he's instead not abandoning him like many others would. And since Tōya is dying, following Buddhist ideas he’ll help him passing away by making sure he’s in a calm and peaceful environment, with close friends and family in attendance reflecting together on the good deeds Tōya has done throughout his life, in the hopes it will help them in their next reincarnation, possibly also performing good deeds on his behalf.

So, in Japan all Enji does is important. Enji is doing something for Tōya as a father, something important many Japanese fathers wouln't do for their sons.

So now, what about the other family members?

For start they all get to see what he does for Tōya, who they all love. This matters, especially to Shōto who wanted to see him act as a father. It’s not with him, yes, but it could have been with him and it’s Enji acting as a father. It should matter.

There’s more.

Enji is willing to compromise. It’s something Fuyumi immediately point out. Normally the family head has all the power so he doesn’t have to compromise (again, things are changing). Enji, who previously refused to do so, now is willing to do it. From this starts a series of small and not so small acts he didn’t have to do but tries to do anyway to compromise and please his family. We’ll also learn each night he falls asleep thinking what he can do for his family.

While to us it seems of little importance, I guess the fact that Enji remembered about Rei’s favorite flowers, something she told him only once so long ago, and sent them to her and visited often but didn’t push for her to see him, mattered a lot to Rei. Maybe it was because she had basically sold herself to him so she didn’t expect kindness, she didn’t expect him to care for something so small she had told him once, remember and do something about it, maybe because she felt so guilty for what she had done to Shōto she’s willing to overlook what he had done to her and feels like this is forgivance for what she had done to her son, maybe there had been love between them at the start but then it was washed away, maybe due to what she was taught was the role of the wife she felt she had to but it mattered to her.

Enji goes to see one of the lessons of the training course for the provisional Hero license, and, at the end of it, Enji tries to approach Shōto in a manner that, I guess, is different from before. He reaches out, respects Shōto’s refusal for it, tells him he's proud even if Shōto mainly used his ice and not his fire and his start wasn’t stellar and Shōto is there because he failed his licence exam. There's no complaining but also no pressure on how he should have done this or that or that once Shōto gets his licence he should join his agency. This is likely him showing compromise, as Fuyumi said. Then Enji tells Shōto he wants to make Shōto’s proud, which, from my understanding, is not generally something Japanese fathers say. It's kids who've to make fathers proud and be grateful because the fathers gave them life, not the other way around.

Enji then tries to approach Shōto again because he wants to teach him flashfire fist as a father.

Enji not only invites Shōto to intern under him (which was a given as this has always been what Enji wanted) but also accepts to have as interns Midoriya and Bakugō because Shōto asked him to (Enji is the owner of his own agency, if he takes them he has to teach them and take responsibility for them, it’s not minor).

Shōto makes clear he will interns under Enji but not because he's his father but because he's the Number 1 so doesn't want to be handled like a son. Enji accepts.

Fuyumi asks him to bring Shōto, Midoriya and Bakugō at home to have a family dinner. He does so to please Fuyumi.

He apologizes to Natsuo and admits his mistakes. As said before this is big. Even though Natsuo keeps on rejecting him and saying he’ll never forgive him, he assures him Natsuo is caring too. He accepts Natsuo can’t forgive him and doesn’t pressure him to do so.

He buys a house for Rei, Fuyumi, Natsuo and Shōto to live him while he’ll remain in his old house. This is big, not so much for the house, but because basically he let them go when his wife and children should be tasked with taking care of him. While Fuyumi wanted all of them to live together, Rei wasn’t up yet to live with Enji but if she doesn’t have to, this would speed up her release from hospital and give her the chance to live with her children as she wanted. The same goes for Natsuo who feels he can’t stay at home when Enji is around but now would be able to do it. This would also allow Shōto to stay with his mother and siblings. What’s more, in front of Fuyumi, Enji doesn’t put the blame of this on Natsuo or Rei so it’s not any of them who’s denying Fuyumi’s wish. He presents it as his decision so the blame falls on him. Yes, Fuyumi might figure out the truth anyway but it’s the thought that matters, sometimes.

After Tōya’s reveal he admits in fornt of them how he feels heartbroken. While this might feel just self pity, through all his life he did his best to show strength and hide his weakness. In “Shool Briefs” he expressed his fear to look like a doting dad, something that he believed didn’t fit his Endeavor image. Now he’s openly showing his feelings to them. He’s letting them in and, at the same time, humbling himself admitting his weakness.

During the family discussion he admits again his wrongdoings and weaknesses and takes responsibility for the mess. Again, big deal.

Then we have the whole thing with Tōya and, after apologizing to Tōya, he apologizes again to all his family. Should I repeat big deal?

At the end of chap. 426 he accepts Natsuo will marry his girlfriend without introducing her to him (traditionally children should introduce their future spouse and ask for the parents’ approvation… though by now they can marry without it… but from what I get it’s kind of a BIG DEAL to marry without your parents’ approbation) and move out of the family register and won’t see him again… confirming he’ll respect Natsuo’s wish to not be around him.

Then, at the end of it all, even though Natsuo says it’s enough, Enji promises he’ll continue to atone for the rest of his life and also that he’ll do his darnest to protect his children from the consequences of what had happened. As he did in the past Natsuo reminds him this will be hell but Enji insists in his purpose. At this Natsuo admits that’s the first time he thought his father was cool.

Todoroki Natsuo ‘…………… Shōjiki sekinin wa hatashita to omou… batsu mo uketa to omou… mō ī nja ne ̄ no?'.’ 轟夏雄「……………正直責任は果たしたと思う…罰も受けたと思う…もういいんじゃねーの？」 Todoroki Natsuo “...Honestly, I think responsibilities have been fulfilled... I think punishment has also been received... Isn't it enough now?”

Todoroki Enji ‘Okashita tsumi no baishō to shazai o isshō o kakete tsudzukete iku. Mite inakute ī. Kodomo-tachi (read: omae-tachi) ni furikakaru hi no ko o dekiru kagiri ore ga uke tomeru. Iki nobita imi ga aru to sureba sore dake nanda.’ 轟炎司「犯した罪の賠償と謝罪を一生をかけて続けていく。見ていなくていい。子どもたち（おまえたち）に降りかかる火の粉をできる限り俺が受け止める。生き延びた意味があるとすればそれだけなんだ。」 Todoroki Enji “I will spend the rest of my life apologizing and making amends for the sins I've committed. You don't have to watch me. I'll take as much of the pain that falls on my children (read: you) as I can. If there's any meaning to my survival, that's that.”

Todoroki Natsuo ‘……… Jigoku da zo.’ 轟夏雄「………地獄だぞ。」 Todoroki Natsuo “...It'll be hell.”

Todoroki Enji ‘Ā, DANCE no sasoi o uketande na.’」 轟炎司「ああ、ダンスの誘いを受けたんでな。」 Todoroki Enji “Yeah, I was invited to dance.”

Todoroki Natsuo ‘…Hajimete dayo otō-san no koto kakkoī tte omoeta no.’ 轟夏雄「…初めてだよお父さんの事かっこいいって思えたの。」 Todoroki Natsuo “...It was the first time I thought my dad was cool.” [Chap. 426]

Enji’s atonement to his family is a work in progress from the moment he decides to do it until he’ll die. He makes mistakes through it, but he’s trying. Many things might seem small to us, but they aren’t to him and his family.

Are they enough? Since Natsuo, who insisted he would never forgive him, is impressed, I would say the story tells us that they mattered to his family.

The hell Enji will have to face is very concrete, he’s the father of a criminal, it wouldn’t be easy to protect his family from such association and have the blames converge solely on him. Maybe it wouldn’t even be possible. He’s willing to spend his life trying. It’s his family who gets to decide if it’s enough and Natsuo was willing to give him a break even before he were to say so.

Long story short… there is an atonement arc. Sure, it might not be the atonement arc that can fit for everyone. Enji himself admits he makes mistakes during it, he’s fumbling, at the starts he has no idea how to fix things especially because some things can’t be fixed.

I think the whole point is that in this too he puts and will keep on putting all his efforts. And while Natsuo’s words tell us he’s being cool, Natsuo doesn’t say he forgives him or that he changed his mind and wants to see him regularly now. The open ending leaves us free to decide if he did enough or not. We can give him the ‘you tried’ golden star or think he has done enough.

Personally I would have preferred it, if Horikoshi had fleshed it out more, I’m not saying he did too few or too much, just that I wanted to see more of what he did after that moment, especially since the whole hell that will be to try to protect his family was mostly glossed over by the manga in favor of showing how much support he (but also his family) will get instead by other people (his sidekicks, Kurumada, Hawks, Fuyumi’s ex student’s mother, Natsuo’s girlfriend, the whole U.A. high), so that people miss how bad they would have it. But we can’t always have what we want.

XX HOW OLD ARE THE TODOROKIS AT THE END OF THE MANGA?

The manga ends in the year in which Tōya, had he survived, would have turned 32, Fuyumi turns 32, Natsuo turns 28, Shōto turns 24, Enji turns 55. Since we should be in May though, only Shōto and Tōya would have had their birthday and be 24 and 32, Fuyumi instead is still 31, Natsuo 27 and Enji 54.

XX WHICH IS THE TODOROKI TIMELINE?

For a full timeline of the whole series I already have a post here which also deals with how I got those info.