#my hero academia analysis

[revilloutionaire]

can we acknowledge how insane izuku was? like he was literally insane. surely we realize that as a fandom, right? he’s insane-

oh. we don’t? oh okay let me just compile a list…

-GRABBED onto All Might’s leg in an attempt to have a single conversation with the man

-WITHOUT THOUGHT ran into a literal villain, and attempted to save HIS BULLY while having NO QUIRK or COMBAT experience

-Cleaned ALL OF DAGOBAH BEACH (a literal landfill) on his own without question

-Broke his bones the first time he used his quirk. Knows the pain of breaking bones. HAS NO PROBLEM WITH BREAKING THEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN

-breaks his bones just to fight Katsuki.

-jumps IN FRONT OF ALL MIGHT (a 15 year old boy trying to save the symbol of peace) to take a hit for him from shigaraki in the USJ

-Executes his plan with the mines during the sports festival, LAUNCHING HIMSELF USING EXPLOSIVES WITHOUT GUARANTEE OF SUCCESS (he literally could’ve died if he landed wrong)

-broke his ARMS JUST TO PROVE A POINT against shoto (nobody asked him to do that??? he just did??? never had to do that???)

-Uses the name associated with a very specific insult towards him specifically into his HERO NAME (Brave move. like who the heck does that)

Let’s not even begin to discuss how Izuku is in a constant HANDS OR NOTHING mindset. The amount of times he could’ve called in for a professional or a teacher for backup, but instead electing to dive headfirst into combat regardless if he thinks he’s gonna make it out alive or not. He has no problems running into the portal during the league of villains training camp raid if it means he can save Katsuki. He used OFA at 100% regardless of the intense pain he felt just because Eri was rewinding him. When he meets gentle, he doesn’t even try to call a teacher or text a friend. NOPE! He’ll fight the fucker himself. Nobody told him to go vigilante. He chose to go vigilante because he felt it was necessary to do handle shit on his own. Forget recuperating and figuring out strategy with the class. He’s gonna go fuck all and find Shigaraki himself.

Also, LET’S NOT EVEN BEGIN with when things involve Katsuki, Izuku is a MASSIVE CRASHOUT. His biggest character moments are him having to fight against his crashout tendencies. He isn’t even a self-destructive crashout. He’s a destroy absolutely everything around him crashout. HE IS A PROBLEM

Extenuating circumstances aside, his mindset is ABSOLUTELY not a common one for the average 15-year-old. Let alone the type of sunshine nervous cinnamonroll the fandom makes him out to be. He’s a nervous wreck, yes. He’s also very kind. But he is also literally insane.

It’s why I love him so much tbh

[518062]

I was exploring Katsuki’s childhood and pondering how he became the way he did. It's obvious he was brash, vulgar, crude, and imprudent. As a child, he would bully people, etc. So we see that, but I don't think people really understand why. I was asking myself how, as a child, prior to socialisation, like at 5 years old, prior to a quirk awakening - what was Katsuki like?

I concluded that he was rather a timid boy and because of such societal expectations, especially considering his mother, he slowly put on a front. And I think, overtime, Kat took those expectations and used them as a way of expressing his identity. He stripped himself of what he thought he could be. He let go of any dreams he might've had because everyone was so adamant about his future heroism and good quirk. He must have thought: ‘everyone is saying this is who I am, so this is who i should be.’

And then I had to dig further. If Katsuki thought ‘this is who I must be because everyone tells me so,’ as an easily influenced child, why does he bully Izuku so much? He said it himself; he envied Izuku and looked up at him. But I don't think he particularly bullied Izuku because he was quirkless. No, let me rephrase. He didn't bully Izuku because of the mere act of being quirkless, not the genetic makeup of not having one, but because Izuku had something Kat didn't since infancy: freedom. Autonomy, freedom from expectation, society, parental influence, from his own mind. Yes, Izuku was upset that he was quirkless, and Izuku wanted a quirk, and wanted to be like All Might, but at the end of the day, Izuku had nothing to lose. He didn't have expectations, or a strict mother. He never had anyone in school tell him he was gonna be a big hero one day. And I know we don't see everything because it's a manga - the teachers probably didn't push Katsuki much - but I can only assume that Kat envied Izuku because Izuku had room to be wrong, and Katsuki was searching for that. A reason to cease justifying his perfectionism. I don’t know how this plays out in adolescence, but I feel like I'm onto something.

Then I looked at BKDK in their adolescence. Katsuki keeps bothering Izuku - ex - ground beta lol. Is that still a projection of his insecurity based on his lack of autonomy? Or did those expectations lead to perfectionism and thus lead to insecurity and the BKDK beef? Especially since Izuku got the ‘easy way out’ - Kat doesn't like that. How could Izuku, quirkless all his life, jovial despite it, come to ua so easily, have a quirk, do well in the sports festival? Katsuki must have wondered, ‘why did he have it so easy when I suffered?’ But that’s not Izuku's fault of course. I think that changed how Kat saw not only Izuku, but himself, because comparison is the thief of joy.

Then he finds out that All Might gave Izuku ofa, but Izuku is still chilling. So is it autonomy? Is it wishing he was positive, like Izuku? Or still a free boy? Is he searching for himself in other people, i.e. Izuku? Maybe I'm reaching.

That would explain how Kat ‘softens’ later…I don't like that term, but he lets that facade slip. Because he was seeing Izuku’s ‘good side’ for so long, even if he didn't make it obvious. Izuku was a normal kid, quiet and chill. When they both went to ua they realised how hungry they were, and had expectations. Izuku deteriorated, seeing things; how black and white was not it, and how everything was gray. Essentially, they swap places, and Kat matures emotionally. He realises this bickering is useless and grinding is how he could overpass Izuku. At the same time we see the ugly in Izuku, and Kat knows this, mentions it in front of everyone during the vigilante arc. He sees the desperation, hunger, self harm, suicidal idealisation that Izuku has, and he realises I am better than you, and I do envy you still, but I am above that now. In that way, Izuku helps him recognise his wrongs and potential to be ‘good.’ In fact, they realise they are quite like each other. Slowly, they became the other. The vigilante arc encapsulates this perfectly. They are so integral to each other and development tools omg.

[autumnmobile12]

Based on the way Touya and Fuyumi behaved in their very early years, I've always gotten the impression the Todoroki family started out with something of a healthy dynamic.

The reason they were born was pretty twisted and Endeavor's ambitions may have made the foundation rotten, but I think they were 'fine' until the genetic disparity with Touya's Quirk was detected. What's sad about that is if Touya didn't have that issue, he and Fuyumi would probably have been the only two siblings. Endeavor wanted Touya for a successor. Rei wanted Fuyumi so that Touya would have a sibling and they could support each other.

Natsuo and Shouto were born because Endeavor's ambitions meant more to him than his family.

And tragically, Touya and Fuyumi are the only two kids in that family who can remember this happy life. It's why Fuyumi was so desperate to get it back, and in his own warped way, Touya also tried to reclaim it.

Here's the thing that gets me, though:

It is very common and normal for a toddler to prefer one parent over the other. Usually, it's the parent they're the most family with: The one that stays home with and takes care of them.

Remember, to a toddler, everything is new and potentially scary, and that can often include a parent that is not always present: The parent that's working.

In the Todoroki house, Endeavor had his career as a hero, so we have the indication that Rei was the parent who stayed home. In that situation, the probability of Rei being the 'familiar parent' was more likely, so for Touya to prefer his father over his mother shows just how close he was to Endeavor. That probably happened because 1.) we can see Endeavor started training him at a very young age, and 2.) Fuyumi was the new baby and probably needed more attention from their mother, so Touya may have gravitated away from Rei on his own and went to his father instead.

Touya didn't see his father's ambitions for him. He didn't see that he was a successor as opposed to a son. What he, a child, saw and understood was that his father loved him and wanted to spend time with him. After the genetic disparity was detected and that pride and affection disappeared, he didn't know how to cope.

In contrast, Natsuo and Shouto never even saw the family happy. Natsuo was three-four years old when this happened. Fuyumi looks devastated that things aren't her version of normal. Natsuo just looks confused because, again, everything is new to toddlers. This was the normal he grew up with. Touya attacking Shouto might be one of his first memories, so he never stood a chance and that is why he left home the moment he had the opportunity.

It also explains his lack of understanding for Fuyumi's hope for a normal family. Fuyumi's mindset runs as, "We had that once. It's possible to have it again." Which in its own way, expecting things can just return to the way they were is a little disrespectful to her brother that died, and I think Touya's reappearance did shatter her illusion since she never brings up 'being a real family' after Dabi's Dance.

The point is, since Natsuo never saw what Fuyumi and Touya saw, he can't see what she wants to return to, so her decision to forgive their father is one he can't comprehend.

And if Natsuo can't remember the happy family, then there's no way Shouto does because this is what their home looked like by the time he was old enough to start forming concrete memories.

We're looking at two different sets of children, the older pair and the younger pair, who started out with very different childhoods.

[firesmokeandashes]

Okay, I may not agree with everything in this post, but I have got to say, this is the best evaluation of his character I have seen thus far! You touched just about everything about his character and the random things he can do!

This post both points out his flaws as well as his strengths, and it touches on the subject of the abuse he went/is going through, by his mother's (and by association, his father's) hand.

Which is something I see very few people actually acknowledge in their evaluation of him and his story, whether they be a simp, a shipper, or an anti-bakugou activist. Whether it be in a fanfiction I've read or a post I've seen online. So many people have a tendency to just skip over that part of his character and life. Instead, they choose to go with the narrative that he has a perfect life, and there was no past trauma to help instigate his treatment toward Midoriya.

Now, his mother's abuse is certainly no excuse for his treatment toward Midoriya, but it does help supply some explanation on why he may have acted that way towards him. As most kids learn how to act and behave from their parents, and we've all seen Katsuki's parents dynamic, so it's safe to assume that he spent most of his time with his mother, learning and adapting her mannerisms, both on how to act in general and how to treat others.

So, what does this have to say about Katsuki's parents, specifically Mitsuki's treatment toward Katsuki? Based on glimpses of their interactions that we've seen, both in the manga and the anime, we can see that Mitsuki is physically and verbally abusive toward Katsuki. (Which are both traits that Katsuki has displayed in the past. Though we have seen him begin to work on these throughout the manga/anime for the better.) An example of Mitsuki's behavior would be right after Katsuki got brought back from the League's lair.

As seen above, Mitsuki hits Katsuki, from what I can see, for no good reason (physical abuse), then proceeds to tell him to shut up (verbal abuse), and tries to hit him again (she misses sense there's no flash indication of contact) she also tells him it's his "fault to begin with for being so weak" (verbal abuse/victim blaming).

She seems to show very little concern for her child's mental state after enduring what is considered a traumatic event and instead is more concerned with criticizing Katsuki for, to paraphrase her words "letting himself get caught, and causing everyone trouble". ⬇️

So, in conclusion, Katsuki and Mitsuki's relationship is not a healthy one. In fact, it is very much the opposite of that. It is an abusive and toxic child, parent relationship, that if it were to happen in real life, it would be heavily criticized and would probably be investigated by CPS.

But sense it's a fictional relationship, no one seems to care, and instead chooses to ignore Mitsuki's abusive tendencies and simp for her and call her a MILF. Which she is not, if this post is anything to go by, she is very much not someone you should be simping for and whose parenting techniques should be applauded.

Now, for those of you who are about to come in with the argument "but Katsuki is toxic too" and "he's just as bad as she is, so you have no room to talk".

Don't comment. Don't reblog. Just don't.

Because as many people have pointed out before, and I myself briefly pointed out in this post, he is changing! He is working on himself and changing for the better. Mitsuki has done (from what I can see) none of those things.

Since beginning his school year at UA, he has been humbled several times and been brought to see that he is not "the Lord's gift to man," but is instead just as flawed and imperfect as everyone else is.

Mitsuki, on the other hand, has yet to be brought to see these things and is still stuck in her old ways of physical and verbal abuse.

Katsuki has been proven wrong on things he thought he was right about. He has been shown the error of his ways and is trying to ammend them and to make things right.

Mitsuki has not! She is almost exactly like Katsuki when he was in middle school except maybe a little more mature.

Katsuki started to amend things with Izuku starting back in the second half of season 2 going into season 3, and has continued since. In his own way, he tried to ammend their relationship and fix the things he'd done to him. Even All Might noticed this and mentioned it to him in one of the episodes!

(Mitsuki has done none of this.)

So please cut the bullcrap that he is "toxic" and "a bully", he was these things at one point in time, but he is them no longer. He has changed. He is trying to ammend things. He has become more caring towards others. He is different from his mother!

He freaking apologized to Midoriya!!

You know the one person he claimed to absolutely hate with a loathing passion! He apologized to him! So, get your head stuck out from season 1 and see the many changes his character has undergone since then!

Mitsuki has not apologized to him or her husband, who has probably undergone similar treatment to her son.

Mitsuki is still stuck in her ways and does not seem to be keen on fixing them. Katsuki has seen the error of his ways and is trying to fix them. They may look the same and have similar mannerisms, but they are not the same! So, do not compare their development and characters unless it's their looks and certain traits they share because that is all they have in common!

□□□□

Okay, well, I did not mean for this to turn into a rant/character analysis, but it did, and I have no intention of re-writing this. I have no idea if anything I said makes sense, but oh well! 😅

Anyways, my original point of reblogging this was to say that I agree with OP's overall view and analysis of Katsuki's character! :)

But I also have been wanting to vent about his abusive relationship with his mom, and that bottom sentence gave me the perfect opening to!

So, sorry for venting, but at the same time, I'm not sorry for venting :D

Anywho! I hope y'all have a great day/night and that you have a wonderful life!

People who like Bakugou are always so fucking serious about it. I like him because I think he is the funniest character concept, possibly ever.

His name means “explosion powerful victory”. He’s neither the number one hero nor top of his class.

He’s a violent delinquent with a cartoonish temper and violent tendencies. He’s a fanboy for what is essentially a crossover of the idol industry and service workers. He is incredibly intense at being hygienic to the point of cleaning other people’s rooms for them, too. He yells at the germs and tells them to die as he’s brushing his teeth. He’s incredibly diligent when it comes to his studies. He goes to sleep at 8pm also.

His quirk is renowned as super powerful. It comes from his sweat and he cannot control when it goes off when he gets irritated.

He is called ugly multiple times in canon. He is also canonically eternally bitchless.

He collects hero merchandise. His hero name is a pun based off of his favorite hero. He makes fun of his childhood-friend-brother-person for being into the exact same thing that he is.

He is inexplicably good at multiple random things, including singing, drums, tinkering with machinery, tolerating spice, fighting blindfolded, claw machines and more. This is only ever used for comedy. He also is a computer genius for some reason. Everyone knows that he is a computer genius for some reason.

He owns at least four different black skull shirts. He has kneepads so that he can “kill with his knees”.

He is / was being abused by his mother. This is somehow simultaneously painfully clear when reading his character, and not at ALL the intention of the author.

He is the most popular character in the show. He got killed off. He came back to life. He got killed off a second time shortly after (for realsies this time, we swear).

[teapetal44]

TW: ABUSE, CHILD ABUSE

“He wants to air this dirty laundry to the world does he…? Dabi, you fiend…you’ve been waiting for this moment…when they couldn’t prevent mass destruction…and faith in heroes is wavering.” - chapter 292

I truly, wholeheartedly, believe that MHA as a story upholds the myth of the perfect victim. I do not want to discuss if Horikoshi did that on purpose, or subconsciously because of inner bias – I find no meaning in doing so. For me the execution of an idea, in the grand scheme of the narrative, holds more value than the intention of the author. I’ve also had my fair share of people infantilizing Asian authors in the anime community for their poor writing decisions for one lifetime. It’s patronizing to both the author and the people reading it. Whether or not Horikoshi intended for his themes of abuse to paint the picture they did does not matter, because that’s how it reads as.

MHA puts victims of abuse in narrow boxes and softly dictates what’s an acceptable reaction to said abuse. Victims are continuously walking a tightrope between being deserving of compassion and sympathy and being unredeemable monsters who are too far gone and are only good for martyrdom after being put down.  

Eri fits the clean cut depiction of abuse victims that media usually gears towards. She is untouched by the cruelty around her - she preserves her innocence and kindness. She isn't assertive, but rather meek and passive. She doesn't fight back with force. And when offered help, she is receptive to it. That is not to say that Eri's depiction doesn't have a place in fiction, or that her portrayal can't be representative of the experiences of some - as we all deal with trauma and the inhumanity people throw at us differently. We see the same thing in the portrayal of Fuyumi, who shares many of the qualities discussed above. The same thing applies to her - i personally love the idea of all the siblings having different reaction to their childhood trauma and abuse. It shows that victims are not some type of monolith.

But the narrative treats the "forgiving" or "receptive to help/support" victims of abuse with more grace and with much more kindness. if you are willing to forgive, or the very least be quietly tolerant, the story grants you a happy ending. Forgiveness isn't a bad thing, it is an individual choice - but an abuse victim shouldn't have to do it for them to have a happy ending.

In a vacuum Eri and Fuyumi's character arcs and depictions of abuse are good but it becomes a problem when that's the only experience and type of victim we ever hold in high value or recognize as valid and deserving of compassion. Which the story reinforces.

Touya and Tenko's backstories aren't pretty nor comfortable or easy to sit through. Their responses to abuse aren't either. Reactive abuse is very much real.

[dogwaterdish]

I think its so interesting that all might isnt just big in the sense that he's tall, but he's also proportionately huge.

his hands? big

his neck? weirdly long

his feet? giant

he truly is just a huge shaped guy and its so fun to me

[sleepingpopplio]

A Reminder about MHA’s last chapter

Dear MHA fandom, the leaks never said that Class-A lose complete contact with Izuku for the last 6 years, only that they haven’t been able to see eachother because of scheduling conflicts. TEXTING, CALLING, AND VIDEO-CHATTING ARE STILL A THING. FOR ALL WE KNOW THEY’VE BEEN TEXTING 24/7 SO PLEASE STOP REACHING SUCH AN INSANE CONCLUSION WHEN THATS LITERALLY NOT THE CASE.

Translations say they “haven’t had enough time to get together”, which means seeing each other in person. It doesn’t mean anything about other forms of communications. Long-distance relationships happen all the time. Dont you remember still keeping in touch with others after moving away or after highschool/college? It’s the same case here.

So, let’s all take a deep breath, no matter who you ship or care about most, and remember that these kids all care about eachother and nothing can change that.

[pidgeyato]

I also need yall to know that Tetsutetsu canonically accompanies his female classmates when they go out at night, even if they're only traveling a short distance. Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu the #1 protector of women, god fuckin bless.

[revilloutionaire]

All Might was literally suicidal and people dont talk about it enough.

How it must've felt to have to pass on the one source of his strength, for years that has kept him at the top, his sole source of not only livelihood but also his way of helping others? How he must've felt knowing that he could not be the pillar of peace as he had been for almost four decades, that he had to subject another young person to carry that weight. How he must've felt after Kamino, after losing that power for good, after the entire nation saw him at his weakest.

His talk with Aizawa about deciding to live for the next generation, absolutely broke my heart. He felt useless, in a way probably none of us could ever even grasp. Not even izuku could.

What does it mean to be the entire world's pillar in one moment, the strongest man alive, only to go powerless in the next? It's no wonder Toshinori considered ending his life after Kamino- He didn't even look the same. What other option would you have but to end it all there? When you go from the man everyone looks to for help, to a man who can't even take a punch and survive?

But the fact he chose to live speaks volumes of his strength. His willingness to carry on, and help his students and successor fight with whatever strength remained. He helped Izuku during his tenture as a vigilante, because All Might would've done the exact same thing. He packed those lunches. He chased after Izuku, trying to give him the same support he knew All Might would've needed if he was the same age as Izuku.

It's why he put on that suit and fought All For One, even if it meant stalling and not defeating.

Because All Might is beyond his quirk, the same way Izuku is. He has the heart of a true hero.

The reason Izuku probably managed to survive those eight years without an ability to fight alongside his class- was because All Might was likely there beside him, both of them sharing the loss of their power after being at the front of the field. And they both know the importance of sharing their strength, their true strength, with future generations.

It was the strength of their hearts that put All Might and Deku above the rest.

[518062]

in this post, i analysed izuku’s possessive traits. then someone re blogged mentioning katsuki’s reaction and i had to get to writing!

now one might feel implored to ask: how does katsuki react? and this is a valid question. what does katsuki think of izuku's possessive freak?

ive said many a time that UA is a catalyst for DKBK—more so izuku than katsuki. izuku is literally reborn with his quirk and is developing it at 15 while everyone else was like 6. izuku realises the world sucks, blah blah. only when izuku deteriorates do we begin to see the cracks—hence the possessive tendencies. katsuki is just like us readers; he watches izuku scream after him and lose his mind.

at first, i definitely think katsuki must have been indignant. he didn't want his "opposition" (take this lightly) to care for him. but it wasn't personal—it was katsuki's insecurities. to be cared for meant being vulnerable, and that's why the kidnapping really changes him; hurts his ego.

now after this point, the scales shift, i think. izuku manages ofa way better than before, and katsuki has emotionally matured. izuku naturally becomes more protective after what happens, of course, while katsuki? katsuki thinks this is just casual izuku. because izuku thinks he's subtle, but everyone around them knows it's something deeper... ochako clocks him straight away. katsuki, having known izuku for so long, doesn't bat an eyelash—especially after a significant period—because that's how their dynamic has been.

izuku chased after him, "protected" him, while katsuki chased after izuku; "berated" him. i see it as an exchange of physical/cognitive abilities and understanding.

katsuki was obviously dead when izuku Lost His Shit. but post-war the message is clearer—even after the Blackwhip incident—that izuku's body needs two vital things: oxygen and katsuki. katsuki KNOWS. he tells izuku to cease holding back. and katsuki matures so much that he isn't a prick anymore. beyond that, he understands izuku and knows that possession is his inherent, deeply ingrained love language (even if, from the outside, it makes nooo fucking sense and looks crazy lol)

because DKBK understand each other despite their feuds. dare i say they are soulmates. so no matter what izuku does and vice versa, one way or another they figure each other out. and katsuki may secretly enjoy izuku's freakiness... who knows

[hotpotatopotat]

Why I don't think Shigaraki or his legacy is over.

I don't normally do canon delves but I am compelled as a Tomura fan to dissect the final battle. This isn't a post on whether it's good or bad, but observations on what's been told.

Shigaraki's crux has always been that he feels like no one can possibly understand what he is trying to accomplish, that his message and suffering is pushed under the rug, and that society is so rotten there's nothing to be done. Deku's goal is to try and understand this.

When Deku breaks through in mha417, Tomura challenges him on this. What would even change if you saw what happened to me? What would you even DO about it? Deku declares to the one person that needs it most: To reach out and give you peace, and "that is why...I am here"

But... When given the chance to go back to a time when he was happy, Tenko chooses not to. "Nah." he says. I think this is often overlooked, but Tomura didn't WANT to leave behind everything he's done.

Tomura says, even if you got rid of my hatred, even if you succeed in "saving me", it doesn't change the fact that I still believe in the future I'm fighting for, to destroy. The villains need a hero, the suffering needs to end, and things need to change.

Hang on to that for a moment. All for One shows up. He mocks him, his dream, his goals, claiming that they weren't real, that they weren't his, that his heart doesn't matter, that none of it does. He's evil.

All for One does kill Tomura here... or at least he would have....

With Deku's final blow, he ignites any remaining embers, Shigaraki, included. They land the final blow to All for One. Without that spark, and without Nana having saved Tomura from fading away, he wouldn't have been able to do this. Tomura would have died before.

Tomura's vestige is still decaying away, and he laments the fact that maybe...he wasn't more than the crying kid Deku said he was. He couldn't do anything. He didn't even destroy Deku's hands. His dreams are over.

Izuku says that he wanted to stop the cycle of grief and suffering. Tomura gives him a soft "hah..." This is such a cathartic moment for them, because I believe that Tomura finally feels understood. He's actually quite relieved.

Strangely, Tomura is soft here. He's not decaying away anymore, he's solid, he's wearing his old shirt. He's NOT the same. He declares how he wants to be remembered, as the one who never stopped fighting to change the world. Izuku says, it's already been...but...

In mha424, Tomura instantly challenges this. With a giant smirk, he tells Deku that he better do his damn best to make sure that things change. It depends on the choices that he continues to make, not the conclusion of one battle.

424 feels like a giant wink wink nudge nudge for the reader. Deku is dissatisfied with not getting that instant gratification of "saving" Tenko, just like after a final battle, he won't get the instant gratification of changing the world. We don't get the gratification either.

But honestly, I really do believe that Deku will carry on Shigaraki's legacy and internalize it just like All Might's.

One final thing... You see his hair change textures. Left to right, It's decaying like in the final form, it's defined and stringy like in his early days, and it's airy and blocked like in his liberation days. This is such guardian angel energy, I swear.

I don't think this is the last we will see of him. And if it is, at least physically the last we see of him, I'm happy Deku will carry on what was truly in Tomura's heart.

[blueteller]

Introducing Character Trope: STEBS (Stoic Traumatized Epic Bastard Softie)

I have tried to look this up on TV tropes, but it does not exist. Not officially, at least. So I decided – I'm introducing new trope. It already exist, someone might as well try and give it a name.

And yeah, this acronym SUCKS, feel free to come up with a better one! But let's talk about what a "STEBS" character is for me, because I've come to the conclusion that it is actually my favorite character type.

First, context. Ever since I've read TCF, I have come across other medias and I was often like, "Hey, this character is basically just like Cale!" – which I feel like, it isn't really fair? I mean, Cale is a great and complex character, but making this comparison constantly makes me feel like I'm undermining the complexity of OTHER characters. Just because Cale shares similarities with other characters doesn't make them copies of him.

So, what exactly is a STEBS?

1) Stoic

This character has a very specific way of acting in non-confrontational situations. It can be respectful, it can be casual, but it is neither extremely friendly nor extremely rude. It's in a calm, pleasant zone, where the character treats others like... well, people. The character doesn't make themselves superior nor inferior, it doesn't matter to them if the other is a beggar or a king. They just are, calm and casual. That's what makes them stoic - NOT lack of expressions or emotions, or lack of humor. It's the way they carry themselves on the regular. This character type makes others feel relaxed because of it, and subconsciously encourages trust and friendship (much to the character's confusion). They will also make a great educator because of it, and will likely act as a mentor or a teacher more than once.

2) Traumatized

Despite the stoicism in their behavior, they actually have a complicated background. Commonly an orphan, even though not always, this person has been through a LOT. But, they don't usually express it. Seeing this character cry or break down is EXTREMELY rare and always a very important scene in a story. It's not that they're not emotional or they always try to bury their trauma, although that does usually apply to them; they're just not vocal about it due to their personality. But oh boy, are they traumatized! Wait for that reveal later in the story though, when it actually becomes plot-relevant.

3) Epic

Despite the character being a stoic type, with a backstory that makes them crave very simple things – be it retirement, respect from their peers, a safe house to live in, a stable job, a family, a specific successful career – they are actually freaking epic where it comes to things they do. They either have great knowledge, memory, or skills in a particular field and they always manage to surprise others with just how competent they are. It can be literal combat skills, magic, being a life-saving surgeon, or even a therapist. But whenever they get their chance to shine, they become a real star.

4) Bastard

A trait that adds a surprising amount of charm and humor to their other traits. Being stoic makes them likeable, being traumatized makes them sympathetic, being epic makes them cool – but being a bastard? It actually just means they're mischievous and have a penchant for chaos. Because this character is meant to make changes in the narrative, like an accidental revolutionary or a transmigrator, they have to possess a cunning streak that might seem mean or selfish at first, but actually never crosses the line into making them despicable. It just makes them an occasional manipulator, but it's usually portrayed in a way that still makes it impossible to make you hate them. In fact, it makes you love them more for it. They are not naive, even if they can be oblivious or silly at times; being a bastard to those who deserve it means being able to get out of sticky situations that would be problematic for paragon heroes. It includes stuff like acting, pranks, cheating, manipulation, shady deals, gambling, stealing, and even criminal behavior, that is actually very understandable due to their specific circumstances.

5) Softie

And if all the previous traits haven't convinced you to love this character yet, the last one surely will. This character, despite having a mean streak, is in fact never mean to innocent people. Actually, they are surprising soft and/or sentimental, especially towards the helpless and children. This character will probably have at least one animal sidekick, at least one paragon protagonist type on their payroll, and most importantly an adopted child - if the previous two don't already fill that spot. This character will make excuses of course, they will claim that they are taking care of others for their own benefits. But you will see quickly that they don't treat others like a heartless manipulator, but more of an overprotective mother-hen. This character, no matter their gender, will eventually become the typical Mom Friend. They will make sure everybody eats well, sleeps well, they get their allowance, pack their lunch before heading out to participate in the plot and probably try to sacrifice themselves for them more than once. They will of course become the mentor figure on top of it, and possibly even be a straight up legal guardian and/or teacher to other important characters.

And this, my friends, is what I call a STEBS character. While it outlines a general, it's not a strict definition, mind you. Even if a character exhibit one trait less than the others (for example not being much of a bastard, or not being very stoic), it still counts as long as you still recognize them as fitting in this "category".

Characters in this category include:

Cale Henituse from Trash of the Count's Family

Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars

Aizawa Shota from My Hero Academia

Kakashi from Naruto

Remus Lupin from Harry Potter

Faramir from Lord of the Rings

Kim Dokja from Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint

Rimuru Tempest from That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime

Park Moondae from Debut or Die

Won Hwabu from I Reincarnated as a Legendary Surgeon

And many, many others.

Let me know if you have a better name for this very specific character type!

[shoutashii]

loving when ppl write toshinori (all might) as smart. like the golden retriever personality is his, but works scarily like present mics DJ persona- we've seen toshi get serious, we've seen him break down,, and we know he'd put his life on the line for his kids- yet he still manages to put on his signature smile. He's been a hero for a little around 35 years,, he obviously knows how things are run. He knows police procedures off the back of his hand, he knows how to learn everything there is about a person in 30 seconds flat, he knows the tells of a disaster in progress, he has the hero mindset to a Tee. If the dorky personality helps villains not notice the cogs turning in his eyes, it's just a slight perk.

Edit: upon seeing the reblog by @rurounivash I've realised that yeah lowk he goofs out on some things, sometimes he does just airhead his way through the day because damn, you can't expect the man to be vigilant 24\7 BUT, he does apply his godforsaken iq to learning how to do other things, i.e, teaching his kids

[valenteal]

I know that the mha fandom kinda had to make up shit for Hawks because his backstory came out slowly but I really wish it hadn’t taken over. As far as I am aware the HPSC doesn’t torture him or have super strict control of his life anymore. Obviously they groomed him and trained him properly pretty brutally but I don’t think they’re unnecessarily cruel. They wouldn’t want to risk him turning against them and with how young they got him the don’t need to.

Hawks is Lady Nagant’s replacement, meaning all the people she would’ve been sent to assassinate he took care of. Corrupt heroes who needed to be silenced, political enemies, criminals with ideas to dangerous like the league and the mla, he was sent to kill them. Hawks is an assassin and a spy with a background reminiscent of Black Widow. That’s traumatizing enough and I wish I could find more fics that address that rather than him being overworked and pushed to be perfect to the point of mutilation.

Cause like— Hawks isn’t a perfect golden boy? Where did people get that idea? That would be like All Might or Best Jeanist. Hawks is super socially awkward and covers it up with bravado and ends up coming off as rude. In terms of social experience he’s at the same place as Shouto if he never went to UA. He has no idea what he’s doing, he’s just winging it and everyone ignores it because he flashes a pretty smile. He’s like completely tactless.

I don’t think the commission even intended for him to be so high ranking, he’s just too damn good at his job and too pretty for his own good. He was supposed to be an assassin and an infiltrator and being so high profile is not conducive to that.

Anyway those are my thoughts on Hawks, I love him and I love Dabihawks but god do I wish there weren’t so few fics that actually use their canon characterization, or as close as you can get with a Dabihawks fic since canonically they hate each other. But their like so perfect from a narrative standpoint, they could be each other’s perfect foil with all the parallels and similarities in their backstories!

[madarasfloofyhair]

what sets katsuki bakugou apart as a character for me, has got to be his intelligence amongst the entire range of his character development. he's good, he's really good at what he does. and it's not genius.

he's just this mix of deeply agressive but insanely effective. he knows what it takes to be great. he studies well, he clearly starts working out more after first year begins, aiming to cover his bases. he analyses well, and his entire character arc is about what he's not seeing and how this is holding back someone so incredible otherwise. that emotional depth, and his self-image in respect to those he sees as weaker, the arrogance that blinded him. and he actually overcomes this. behind the volume and antics, there's someone calm and laser focused. he's drive, frustration, confidence, and he's made sure he's effective, no matter what people say about his personality.

the show focuses on highlighting the duality behind his behaviour. he can cook shockingly well, he's particular about manners, he sleeps early, he breaks down completely. you're supposed to be initially surprised by this. but he's the sort of character that requires a double take. he needed to overcome himself and that was never going to be pretty, but he's always been striving for his goal, and this was another step along the way.

[lerrryyyyy]

Deku-Sensei ☺️💚

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Do not edit or repost my art.