#yes it's about the latest bnha chapter

[alteredphoenix]

Okay, now I get it when people say manga-ka do accidental yaoi/yuri relationships better than the canonically straight ones.

[hamliet]

Less of a question but I was never an avid manga reader till 2019 and mha was the first manga I kept track of weekly, and I read Tokyo ghoul after it ended, and seeing everyone be dissatisfied with how Tokyo ghoul ended after keeping up weekly is something I’m reminded of after seeing the latest chapter of mha. So this is what it feels like to witness 6 years of a character you hold in high regard be undermined(to put it lightly). I’m rather sad, but I can’t help but feel fondness for shigaraki even if the way he ended wasn’t satisfying, how do u feel about how mha has gone?

Yeah it does feel very reminiscent of Tokyo Ghoul in that they just went "ah yes, killing the right people is actually how we solve world issues." Which I find morally reprehensible, but also genuinely bad writing because the story as a whole doesn't support this message.

@linkspooky explained in her meta yesterday why Deku has completely failed as a character, and why the manga has failed thematically as a story. I'm just gonna say I completely agree with Link.

To be fair, I'm not sure Shigaraki is dead dead, but either way, it's bad writing and it doesn't conclude his arc with any sort of satisfactory element. Like, why would Shigaraki see Deku as different than anyone else who tried to punch him? That's nonsensical and written from the POV of an audience, not from Shigaraki's POV. It's like in Star Wars when Rey calls herself "Rey Skywalker" when she knew Luke for 3 days and none of the people she was actually close to (Leia, Han, Ben) were Skywalkers. That's writing for the audience, with their perspective, ignoring the logic of your story. It defies believability because the character does not have that perspective. It's "forced" because the audience can see the hand of the author.

If Shigaraki is dead dead... Not gonna Star Wars this one again, but since I also hated the ending of The Rise of Skywalker, I must make a comparison. The idea that Deku may have saved Shigaraki's heart but couldn't save his body (which to be honest, nothing in the actual chapter supports, but if he stays dead might be the argument) is still bad writing. Why? Because to Shigaraki didn't even make the decision himself. He didn't sacrifice anything. How can his heart be saved if he had nothing to do with it? Saving an object is easy as pie. Saving a person is different, and that's what the whole story has been about. Like, in TROS, Kylo Ren gave his life for Rey! Was it stupid? Yes! But at least his "saved heart" did something. Shigaraki's saved heart did what exactly?

So then, is the message that Deku failed? Then why isn't it framed as a failure? Why was BNHA never set up to be a grimdark tragedy? If he failed, then shouldn't he have a miserable ending? Unless it's "heroes always become bad guys and life is unfair," but then shouldn't Deku be framed critically?

Basically, Horikoshi can't come back writing-wise from this in BNHA, and it's sad to see.

Horikoshi's biggest flaw throughout the entire story was that he kept flip-flopping on what he wanted to say, and made the characters more about his trying to please every single fan than about being, well, characters to explore important questions he has that are worthwhile. And you can do this while still having a "cool" factor!

Instead the characters tell us one thing while cocooning Deku in the sweet bliss that no one ever has on this earth--being 100% right all the time. And it's sad, because BNHA had so much potential as a story to challenge its audience and entertain too.

I thought even if it flopped in some aspects it'd at least get this right. It's disappointing.

Anyways every day that goes by I want to send Isayama and his editors flowers for actually writing a thematically coherent ending, even if some aspects were dropped or messy along the way.

[kickbutts-singsongs]

I know no one asked, but I have exactly zero (0) people to talk about bkdk with irl so here you guys go

My BKDK Journey

Yes, this sounds stupid, but my god it’s been almost three years of an absolute rollercoaster of feelings and denials and tears and revelations…

and if you don’t mind, I’m gonna rant about it.

(not spoiler free)

_____

May 2021

To start off, i wasn’t always a bkdk shipper.

I shipped izu*cha at first (not saying it’s a bad ship btw; it’s actually quite cute. im just afraid people’ll be mad if I accidentally invade their tag lol), primarily because I assumed that would be the ship that became canon.

But also, my veryyyyy leasttttt favorite character… was Bakugou Katsuki.

When I tell you that I would’ve loved nothing more than to somehow spawn into the bnha universe and punch that brat in the face— AGHHHHHHHHHH

Now this wasn’t all his fault: A) I watched the dub first lol, and B) he reminded me of someone that i was not in a place to stand up to at the time, and his constant anger, yelling, and harsh treatment of Izuku—who i began to relate to—made me hateeee him.

There was a time when I literally said “if he died, I wouldn’t miss him.” <- this was later proven false lol

So, I was watching the anime dub with an absolute animosity for our resident deuteragonist, but on top of that…

I was watching it with a friend with a crunchyroll account who lived in another state that I was visiting and staying with for two weeks, so by the time i had to go back home, we’d only gotten up to the part where All Might was getting Inko’s permission to let Izuku stay at the UA dorms.

Anddddddd in my drive to consume more bnha once I got home, i somehow stumbled across an Instagram account that posted bnha sub episodes divided into parts,

but they only had season four and onwards.

Sooooo I never saw the second half of season three… more importantly,

I NEVER SAW DEKU VS KACCHAN 2!!!!!

(I will say that I had seen a couple photos/edits/etc, but I never knew what had been said, or why they fought)

_____

June 2021

At this point in time, I’d been exposed to a lot of the fandom. My fyp on both IG and Pinterest were filled to the brim with all things bnha (because this is what happens when one has a hyperfixation), so I saw a lot of stuff.

Especially fanart.

This is where I started learning about the different ships.

I saw a lot of the side character ships and thought they were adorable (kamijirou, todomomo, even kiribaku), but then I saw some with Izuku.

Izu*cha was a given for me. I didn’t think there was a single person that didn’t ship it. But then I started seeing fanart of ships like tododeku, shindeku, and bakudeku.

And my first reaction to finding out that people shipped my beautiful baby sunshine boi with the person who bullied him for years?????

HELLLLLLLLLLL NO

So with my (unknowingly) limited knowledge of their relationship, i was very much an anti (i never spoke out or anything, i just reallyyyy didn’t like the ship lol)

(And then, you know, I started to see all the bkdk hate online and kinda went “okay not touching that”)

But that began to change…

_____

August 2021

…after I saw a manga leak for the first time.

I was scrolling thru my feed and all of a sudden. BOOM!

I was like 😧

IS THAT IZUKU?????

And i looked in the comments and yes it was.

I checked out the page and found that they had an entire account of manga leaks and was so happy.

I quickly began to read from the very bottom of that account, and it started from right about where Izuku first began his vigilante arc (i had no idea how much was in between then and where I left off on the anime, but I was willing to read it lol)

And so I waited diligently for the leaks every week (a practice I have continued to uphold lol), until one day, i came across an untranslated series of panels from the latest chapter. I looked at it and it was of Katsuki and Izuku, facing each other in the rain (you know the one). I knew the leaks would be coming a day later, but I wanted to look through them anyways, so I did.

I didn’t understand a word they said, but the pictures and imagery of them as kids then middle schoolers then where they were now seemed so touching…

And then I came across a pair of kanji that I recognized.

I was like “wait WHAT???”

I zoomed in and went “that— isn’t that—? That’s part of Midoriya’s name, right???”

And then I was like “wait a second… omg that’s Izuku, isn’t it. That’s the freaking kanji for Izuku.”

And it was!!!!!

So inside I’m having a mini freakout cuz—

Bakugou just called him IZUKU

Fast forward to the next day, and I looked at the translated version, and found out that not only did he call him Izuku,

He

Freaking

APOLOGIZED

And I was like “huhhhhhhh”

What happened between now and the most recent anime episodes for this to occur???? For Bakugou to do a complete 180 and apologize????????

Well, I finally got my answers…

_____

November 2021

…when I started reading the manga.

I started from the beginning, cuz I wanted to see Horikoshi’s art style and the extra drawings and all the other stuff…

And when I tell you that Katsuki became a whole new character to me—

First, I read everything about early-on Bakugou— without hearing him yell in his dub voice—and realized “oh wow he really is just a kid with issues and a worldview that he’s now having to change.”

Then, I finally read what happened in that space between moving into the dorms and the beginning of season four (most importantly, DvK2).

Cried.

Then, oh then, I got up to where season five ended and the rest of the manga began.

. . .

Funny thing: back when I read the leaks to ch322, I remember thinking to myself, “huh. what did Bakugou mean by Shigaraki making swiss cheese outta him?”

😦

THE WAY I GASPED

AND THEN CRIED

OH MY FREAKING GOD

That was the moment where i truly ceased to hate Katsuki cuz holy character development batman

Then, of course, we see them in recovery

And then the vigilante arc and apology scene *sobs*

And then I was caught up.

(Btw I finished the entire manga up ‘til ch334 in just over a week. I read for nine days straight. During the school year. My emotions were all over the place goodness gracious I could barely concentrate.)

So that’s how I went from being a Bakugou hater to going “you know what he’s a complex character and he’s slowly becoming a better person” and realizing that he was now one of my fav characters and therefore cursed to die but I’ll talk about that later

Was I now a bakudeku shipper?

Hah nope.

_____

December 2021

I began my dive into the true essence of any fandom: fanfiction.

Over the course of winter break, I had started off with fics that had no romantic pairing (I just wanted to see my boi Izuku), but then somehow stumbled across Mastermind: Strategist for Hire and then read the entirety of the For Want of a Nail series (shoutout to Clouds btw ❤️) cuz I was like “ok whew no bkdk fics” which was my mindset at the time.

But somehow (I can’t even remember how I found it) I came across a bkdk fic. It was called For Want of Izuku’s Toe Joint by Talavin (okay now that I think about it there’s probably a simple explanation lol).

I don’t quite know what compelled me to start reading it, but I did.

And I really liked it.

But not in the “I’ve been converted” kinda way.

It was like an “I shouldn’t be enjoying this why am I enjoying this?” kinda feeling. Like my head says no but my heart says yeah.

A really really really really guilty pleasure.

So, from that day on, whenever I came across any form of bkdk media, I would simultaneously feel discomfort and yet an odd sense of satisfaction.

A snippet of my daily life:

Me: *comes across bkdk fanart on pinterest*

Me: eww

Also me: *stares at it for like five minutes straight*

Me: who even likes this?

Also me: *saves pin to my mha board*

Me: not my ship

Also me: *scrolls down to more like this*

Bless my heart I was in such denial.

_____

July 2022

Bit of a timeskip, but nothing of note really happened in those last six months so here we go.

We’ve gotten to the point in the manga where the final arc is underway and Bakugou is about to KICK SOME BUTT

He’s revealed his Panser Strafe support item and I’m gushing about it to my friend (she kinda fell out of the fandom but still tolerated my rants bless her)

Oh, side note: it was then that I also expressed my concern for Bakugou’s “alive” status

Evidence:

For reference, some of my favorite characters are:

Beth March (Little Women)

John Reese (Person of Interest)

Joss Carter (Person of Interest)

Leonard Snart (Arrowverse)

Logan Echolls (Veronica Mars)

Fantine (Les Mis)

Eponine (Les Mis)

Jean Valjean (Les Mis)

Simon (Lord of the Flies)

Piggy (Lord of the Flies)

Grace Stone (Manifest)

Bubaigawara Jin — Twice (BNHA)

Wanna guess which of these guys died?

Trick question! It’s all of them (:

Yeah so anyways those following chapters really made me excited and nervous cuz YEAH KICK HIS ASS BAKUGOU but also IZUKUUUUU WE NEED YOU

hah hah.

_____

August 2022

Utterly gobsmacked. Cried. Disbelief. Horrified. Confusion. Anger. Went through the five stages of grief and then some.

Sometimes I hate being right 🥲

But the good thing that came from this was that my positive view of Katsuki only grew after seeing his utter faith in Izuku (and his thoughts being on him in his final moments???? 🥺🥺🥺)

And it was at this point in time where I could admit to myself “you know what? i see it. i see the appeal. i wouldn’t mind this actually becoming canon.”

Did I think that it would actually become canon?? No.

_____

September 2022

I don’t know how I thought Izuku was gonna react to seeing Katsuki’s body on the ground, but GOOD LORD IT WASNT THAT

Even sweet little blind me realized “oh wow he like really feels intense stuff for Katsuki huh”

(But some things I missed—cuz I was still a bit wired for izu*cha—were shigarakis implications “yeah u looooove the present I got u” and the freaking HEART that blackwhip caused??? when Izuku reeled himself back in???? like how did i miss that i read that chapter like fifteen times??)

So this is all to say that I’ve missed any and all actual bkdk hints up until this point. I finally lifted my head out of the izu*cha fog when…

_____

July 2023

…Ochako and Toga had their chat about romance.

The first actual hint was when Ochako had told Toga “I’ll give you my blood for the rest of my life.”

Little blind me became a bit less blind that day, cuz I was like “um. ochako? that— that sounded kinda like a proposal. like. a marriage proposal. ochako??”

And then those chapters just kept getting better!!

Bebe Ochako’s determination???

The Spirited Away moment?????

“I’m envious of your smile”????????

“YOU REALLY THINK IM CUTE?” “THE CUTEST IN THE WHOLE WORLD” LIKE 😭😭😭😭😭

For the first time, I was looking at the manga without the assumption that izu*cha would be endgame. And it only got better after I…

_____

August 2023

…got Tumblr!!!

Everything was downhill from here folks.

In the best possible way.

I came across some analyses of what was going on with togachako, and consequently led me to some bakudeku analyses. I read them and my goodness they made so much sense.

Like not even just personality-wise!! Those metas brought in actual things Horikoshi said about wanting to go outside the norms of shounen (and about not liking the Naruto ending 💀), and compared bkdk to tropes in different works of fiction, and even discussed how bkdk made sense narratively. They properly convinced me of the ship.

And then for good measure, I reread the manga in its entirety thru a bkdk filter, and lo and behold things took on new meanings and my eyes were opened.

I totally and irrevocably shipped them! And I actually thought they had a chance at being canon!!

(And then I binged so much bkdk fanfiction omg you wouldn’t BELIEVE like I read the ones with the highest kudos first and then just picked the biggest collections I could find and read down the line

It was like being on drugs like each fic gave me more dopamine than the last I was so happy oh my god)

_____

October 2023

And then finally, the day came.

The answer to “is bakugou alive yet?” became a yes.

We screamed. We cried. We jumped for joy. We told bakugou antis to suck it. But most of all, our bkdk hearts soared to see our boys make eye contact with each other for the first time in over a year 🥹

And from that moment on, I truly began to believe that bkdk would indeed become canon.

_____

And so, this concludes my 42672288 page rant about how I came to be a bkdk shipper.

Thank you for reading, and before I go, I want to ask:

How did you guys get into bkdk?

Did you convert over from izu*cha? Or perhaps tododeku? Or maybe kiribaku? Or are you one of the few who have shipped them since the beginning??

In any case, I’m happy you’re here. And while it may have taken me a couple years, I’m happy that I’m here too :)

(and thank you @animelover32456)

[khgne]

I'm seeing a lot of arguments and opinions about these latest bnha chapters, asking fans why they thought Tenko would be saved and how it's consistent writting.

Needless to say these have been controversial chapters and I need to sarcastically rant my opinions about it.

You're right, why would we think Tenko would be saved just because Izuku wanted to save him. And shared that with Ochaco who also wanted to save "her villain". If we've been shown tenko was a parallel to Yoichi and a victim of AFO, and his entire worldview was based on AFOs abuse. If this manga was showing us the humanity behind villains and openly questioned if killing them was the best or fair outcome as we saw with Twice.

But you're so right, why would the fans think that Tenko would survive when every other version of "Tenko" from Horis previous works - of which this character was based on - was saved and given a second chance? After revealing that decay is half of overhaul and showing multiple characters having a quirk awakening this arc. Why would fans think that despite all the Mt. Fuji and Butterfly (death/rebirth) symbolism? Forget "win to save, save to win", "a perfect victory!", "changing fates and wishing energy!". Forget "his friends are waiting for him" or "I want to save that little boy!". Forget "OFA IS A POWER MEANT FOR SAVING, NOT KILLING. ALL MIGHT TAUGHT ME THAT". Let's ignore Toshinoris words: "The citizens...heroes...villains...I need to light the way for all of them."

"But Tenko didn't want to be saved!",, and his entire anger against society revolving around the fact that nobody saved or helped him when he needed as a child, is proof of that. Yes, he was angry that Bakugo received immediate help and he questioned why he didn't, and yessss AFO gave him the decay quirk on purpose so that neither he can reach out to others, or others can reach out to him (in a manga that uses hands as motifs and metaphors) without getting destroyed and also adding to the idea that Tenko was born evil; but like, he kept fighting the heroes so of course he didn't want to be saved, duh.

Also, Izuku challenging the vestiges ideals and opinions of killing Tenko for multiple arcs now?? His argument that despite OFA being created to stop AFO, it could be given a new meaning?? Yoichi agreeing with Izuku and saying how happy he was that Toshi and Izuku held OFA?? That was just for fun! No meaning in those scenes!

Sero was so right going on about tragedies not being necessary, only for the story to end exactly in a tragedy. And of course that villains should pay for their crimes and killing them is better than letting them rot in jail, that's exactly why so far, every villain Izuku encountered has been killed! Oh wait no, they...actually got arrested.. mm okay.. But it's not like they could ever atone for their actions, it's crazy giving them a second chance!.... so let's ignore Nagant, Stain, or Gentle and La Brava.

And yes, of course the heroes have learned that villains are people too, and are victims that deserve a helping hand after so many arcs showing and telling us that from a bunch of characters, which is why their decisions and the way they handled a lot of villains!....didn't change at all.

Kurogiri was killed/shoved aside like an inconvenience to the heroes while pleading AFO for Tenko to be returned; and Tenko was killed for being loyal to his friends and wanting to destroy the status quo so the LoV and others could live better. All of these done with no hesitation or internal conflict from Izuku, so as you can see, very different from Hawks vs Twice. Ochaco got to connect and talk Toga out of it, and Shoto got to talk and come up with a plan to stop his brother, and both (plus Enji) begged their villain to stop because they didn't want them to die; so it makes perfect sense why Izuku, the compassionate mc that wants to save everyone, would do the exact opposite.

This kid went in there with no plan at all and it shows! (I guess he really forgot what Nighteye told him about his arrogant thinking). Because ever since the vestige world, Izuku gave up on Tenko and decides the best thing to do is to kill him. No trying to call out for Tenko and reach him, no reaction to AFOs trump card, no internal conflict with deciding to kill Tenko, no trying to explain to Tenko in the vestige world that his friends are trying to help the LoV too, no introspection on Tenkos words of wanting to be a hero to the villains, no guilt as he gives the final punch, no hesitation in shoving aside the one other person that also wanted to save Tenko (and wasn't attacking, only talking) so he could punch him again, and no communication with his fellow heroes to explain the situation of AFO taking control of Tenko again or the fact that Tenkos life and worldview are all bc of AFO. And I call that,, being completely in character for Izuku don't you think?

And of course Hori couldn't help himself and also try that with Toshinori. So that's why we have the one character that always hides behind a fake smile say that maybe if Tenko wasn't crying anymore it's because he was saved. (Out of sight, out of mind, just like what the civillians did when Tenko was a child looking for help) Toshinori, the symbol of peace who sacrifices himself constantly to save others, who felt guilty for failing Tenko, who wanted to save him since Kamino, who was emotional over Izuku wanting to save him as well, who was distressed to see Stain "the hero killer" die, who struggles with the will to live beyond his hero persona, is now emotionless and parroting the idea that "killing can be a way of saving" about Nanas last relative and fellow victim of AFOs, and I think that makes absolute sense. Let's have the same man whose teaching methods consisted of beating and traumatizing Toshinori as a kid, be right! (And listen, I'm one of the few ppl that absolutely love Gran, but that man has always been wrong about this).

And yes, the themes set up of:

- villains (and heroes) are human and more than their role that hero society forces on them;

- Izuku (and others) want to break the cycle of abuse and how villains are perceived and treated by society;

- Izuku wants to be a hero that gives a helping hand and saves everyone and Tenko wants to be a hero to the villains (both of them want the same thing at its core just in different ways);

- save to win, win to save; changing fate; etc.

- giving second chances to ppl to atone their wrongs regardless if they're villains or heroes because they don't have to let it define them (Aoyama, Nagant, Gentle and La Brava, Endeavor, Bakugo, Hawks, etc.);

Definitely work with the decision of death is the only way to save villains.

So yeah, you're so right that anyone that thinks these recent chapters went against the themes, is stupid and wrong. And it's us that see 'saving' at a very surface level right?

But really now, these latest chapters have been a disappointment and left me wondering what even happened for the story to suddenly go against everything it has been setting up so far.

Some of the criticisms are an overreaction, but most are valid and there's merit in discussing them.

Izuku flip-flopping between in-character and out-of-character; Killing Tenko and claim his heart has been saved despite giving him no closure regarding his abuse, quirk, or origin; The weird decision to mention and not show the off screen moment that develops Nanas character and her relationship with Tenko; Izukus lack of emotion and introspection about his decision;

Why have Izuku defy and disagree with the adults that told him to kill Tenko, to suddenly have him kill Tenko? Why have Izuku want to give a new meaning to OFA and break the cycle of abuse by "smashing that lid", if in the end OFA remains as only something to destroy AFO, and he behaves the same way every hero before him has. Why criticize hero society for the way it creates villains, and show them as victims that can be given a second chance to help and atone, only to say that after all, killing them is how you save them because they can't be helped. Why make izuku the compassionate kid that wants to understand villains and is willing to offer them a helping hand, if in the end he kills the same "crying child" he wanted to save for multiple arcs, because he was loyal to his friends and ideals.

If Tenko died still believing AFOs words that he was made to destroy, then did he really get full autonomy from AFO? Is he really free from his abuser if he still believes every word he was told?

[featherstorm2004]

All For One's death

I am a little confused at some of the disappointment I've seen directed at the latest chapter or well chapters, more at how Horikoshi has handled All For One. Because, I don't see how this could have gone differently given the current circumstances but to organise my thoughts I will start with the first arguments I've been seeing.

"I am upset that All For One went out the way he did"

This one I can kind of understand since with the reveal of his backstory, he has successfully (in my eyes) become one of the most complex and well thought out characters in bnha. However, due to the fact that it was revealed so late it meant that for the people who had just gotten attached to him or the people who had been craving this character development for a long time, it meant we had a short time to enjoy it and his character fully before he died.

And that kinda sucks and I get that, I wish that this backstory was revealed sooner like I would have had it revealed in the vigilante arc where Deku was exploring why villains are the way they are, maybe we could have had both All For One and Yoichi narrate it as Deku was getting used to his vestiges and Shigaraki and All For One were fused. But I understand why that didn't happen since it was clear that Horikoshi was experiencing burnout after writing the monster of an arc that was the war, plus I'm pretty sure he was dealing with a new editor/manager which couldn't have been fun.

In a perfect world Horikoshi would've taken a nice long break after the war arc and then started working on the next arcs but sadly that didn't happen. But I'm happy we got this backstory at all since it's clear he's been rushing to finish the manga as soon as possible (which I can't blame him for) and I'm glad to see he cared enough about All For One as a character to make it crystal clear why he is the way he is and that despite everything that he is in fact human.

As for the people who are mad that he's not the main villain, I'm not really sure what to tell you. Yes he is a really cool character/villain and it might have been cool to see him in all his big bad glory but this has never been his story; it's been stated over and over again that All For One and by extension All Might's time in the limelight is over, this is Deku and Shigaraki's story not theirs. Since the beginning it's been made abundantly clear that bnha is a story about successors and the legacies they carry and if you wanted a story about their predecessors then you're reading the wrong manga.

Which brings me to the next complaint I've heard, people that are upset that All For One was included in the first place.

I can understand this to a point, I too was upset when All For One barged in and tried to steal Shigaraki's thunder, it was frustrating I can admit that. But I also wasn't too surprised after all it was an incredibly in character thing for All For One to do and Horikoshi needed a believable way to handicap Shigaraki so the hero's had the slightest chance of winning, and vestiges had already been long established in this world.

But most importantly there needed to be a reason for Deku to believe that Shigaraki needed saving and to want to do so in the first place, and being forcefully possessed by the most evil man in history is a pretty good motivation to save someone.

And to be honest there was no way that Horikoshi could get away with not using All For One at all after there had been so many hints and foreshadowing to him eventually breaking out of prison, people would have lost their minds if he had never been included. Especially after he had been built up as this master manipulator who had warped Shigaraki's mind for years and had been pulling the strings of Japans underworld for a century.

It would've been seen as the worlds biggest missed opportunity so, I think Horikoshi handled it the best way he could've whilst keeping the integrity of his characters and the main theme's of the story intact.

And I think it was probably for the best that we spent that time deconstructing the myth that was the villain All For One because in my eyes he really didn't fit in the world of bnha; which has spent it's entire story exploring how people aren't born good or evil and that bad people can choose to change if they want to and that good people can also do bad things. So, to have this pure evil villain who was just born that way didn't really mesh well with the tone and message of the story, he needed to be brought down a peg or two to be made more human in order to fit in and I think Horikoshi succeeded in that.

Now that I'm thinking about it, that's probably the reason I never cared for All For One at the start as I could sense that he didn't belong in this world. And I didn't start getting invested in him until he started falling apart because suddenly he made sense in the narrative, but that's just my opinion. I'm not saying that pure evil villains can't be fun or thematically appropriate, just not for this story.

But yeah those are my thoughts of All For One's death at the moment I'll probably do more meta's about it later but I wanted to respond to the complaints I've been seeing.

[tsukkibito]

What a grand entrance by Inasa.

You know, every time I watch or read something with like, super strong villains and hopeless scenarios involving catastrophic chaos brought about by these villains, I always think, "I hope Saitama comes and punch these fuckers." Yes, even while watching Superman or maybe the Avengers series.

I was thinking the same thoughts while reading BNHA's latest chapters. I hoped that Saitama would randomly one-punch the bad guys and call it a day, because the events are too much for my poor heart. Everything looked hopeless, the heroes were fighting so hard and the villains fighting even harder. It's so scary it felt like it's happening here, "for realsies" quoting Camie.

But then this baldie, who's not actually bald, came in like a hurricane and blew my worries away. Inasa has been strong and I'm sure he'd gotten stronger. They got this. This kids will win.

please. No more deaths for the good guys please. And save little Tenko.

[skeez-queen13]

[Life Things]

I’m having such a great time in the city so far; it’s….awesome, and just…so so great.

There’s a part of me that feels weird even acknowledging how great things have been lately though. Like, if I point it out it’ll stop happening or that maybe I don’t really deserve all of this, but- /ugh/

I’ve gotta stop listening to those thoughts- or at least stop giving them that kind of power.

But! In other news- My room is looking great so far 💕💕💕

They have so many cool things here in the city. Like, yesterday I was running around and stumbled into this cool used book shop and look what I found-

And yes, I bought it! It was only 8$ and, you know, there’s something special about finding used books in nifty little stores like that one *haha

And! Speaking of Neil Gaiman I also wandered into a Chapters, bought myself a copy of Good Omens and the latest volume of BNHA. NGL, I felt a little bad spending more money but! In my defence I did use a gift card and I did try to find a copy of Good Omens at the library but there’s a waiting list with, like- 50+ people on it.

Also, once I picked up the book and skimmed through it I realized that it’s probably one of those books where it’s more fun to read a physical copy.

I don’t have anything against E-Books but there’s something to be said about the experience of picking up a book, hearing the pages and the feeling that anticipation of turning the page to find out what happens next.

And omgosh, don’t even get me started with BNHA. I won’t post spoilers here but the latest chapter, I just- I can’t. I’ll probably make another post, but- ah! My poor kokoro lol

Anyway! It’s time to start the day. There’s so much to do and I’m hoping to get some art and cooking done later on.

Wish me luck~!!!

💕💕💕

[mimuranda]

What is happening to shonen?

23/09/2022

Ok guys so if you have seen my least post, you know I've been consuming a lot of anime recently, and mostly of that anime is shonen because well, it is my favourite gender among all the anime. So as I LOVED tokyo revengers, I did something I usually don't ever do, that is looking for the manga and I am currently reading it.

And I am not liking the latest arc. I am seriously starting to think it should have ended already, despite my love for the story and the characters. The main character should understand that not everybody can be saved.

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

So ok. You did it. You saved the girl you are in love with, you managed to get engaged with her, saved her brother, Chifuyu and like 95% of your friends...you managed to avoid not only one aweful future but most of all the terrible consequences of ToMan turning into an evil actually adult crime mafia and everybody not only is happy but also evolved and moved on....and the only person you lost is Mikey, that also evolved but, dramatically enough, never was truly a good person, never wanted to leave the dark path of deliquence and will be there forever. Even Draken says so! It was heartbreaking but logic and it should have been kept like that.

Instead we have...I don't know exactly what we have....

I also caught up with Boku No Hero Academia and srl, I am seeying the exact same problem. So you have this amazing story, powers, characters (with real evolution, despite the cliches of shonen being displayed since the beginning) and NOW....it has been like 1000 chapters since any real things actually happening. Deku is stucked. The villains are not villains anymore, there are too much stories going on....and the only real plot progress we have is... well, let's talk about the last chapters of BNHA.

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

So, I really, really love Bakugo. Yes, he is cliche, yes he is clearly the author's fav and all... but he is a very well constructed character that was NOT perfect and that made OH SO MANY MISTAKES and that was CHANGING and lord I loved his redemption arc (and yes I ship BKDK but that doesn't mean I want to be their relationship forced or whatever, I already found Deku's obsession over him a bit problematic so to be a shipper does not mean I want something bad written, that is for my own fandom consumption). So I was LOVING what was being done...and then he died.

And yes, it hurt, and yes, I did not want that, but I kinda enjoyed it. Why? Because 1. it was unexpected 2. It was a real hero death 3. there was consequences to be ahead

I wanted to see Deku reaction.

I wanted to see the students grief. I found Bakugo had still lots to do and he was still on his path to evolve, but yet, it was a good turning in events, and, if bound to accept his death, then it was an AMAZING death. Including the heaven all might's card passage and all.

AND WHAT HAPPENED?

Literally 1 chapter or 2 later, he is resurrected. WHAT THE FUCK.

Kōhei Horikoshi, if you don't want to kill him, don't do it. If you want to make us think he is dead because he is injured and disappeared but then turns out he is still alive, I am ok. Typical, but I enjoy the idea. BUT WHEN YOU HEART EXPLODED, YOU ARE DEAD.

This resurrection was shit. Firstly, forced resurrections are a lack of respect for the character and the reader. Secondly, what was all that for? What about Deku's teased reaction, if he is still alive? (and by the way Izuku is taking his time to fucking arrive). Thirdly, could it be more forced? Like seriously the convenient guy that turns into a heart was there? What the fuck.

I am very frustated with this manga. I already found the pace SO SLOW - first thought it was an anime thing, but then discovered the manga's pace is even slowler - but was enjoying it a lot. And then.... I am really starting to dread that, just as Tokyo Revengers, this last arc is going to be unnecessarily long and lame. And what about the Todoroky family story that was pure gold and seems to have been forgotten for the sake of endless new villains and never ending new substories?

I do not know. I am extremely disappointed, and I am sure I am not the first thinking like this. Still want to keep reading, but seriously, what is happening to shonen?

[purplepersnicketywrites]

tfw your Bastard Abilities ping and you realise you’ve had an idea that people are going to go >:O at you for.

hehehehe

[allmightluver]

**bnha spoilers** I'm just sat here with renewed realisation of what All Might is going through. 40 years. /40 years/ he held and refined that power and dedicated his every waking (and sleeping if Vigilantes is anything to go by) moment towards the goal of defeating AfO and creating a society in which people could feel happy and safe. And now as it turns out AfO is still alive, society is broken and he has given a literal piece of his soul to this young boy leaving himself with only phantoms

Yes. I don’t think people quite grasp what all he’s going through.

It’s been shown recently to us that some, if not most, heroes have underlying ambitions in becoming a hero. Whether for money, glory, fame, popularity, doesn’t matter. They’re ultimately in it for themselves. Toshinori’s intentions from the beginning have been the most pure- he wanted to be a symbol that people can look to and know things will be ok. A symbol of hope. This boy was only around 14 years old when he decided this. What kind of 14 year old sees the world that clearly? Sees that people have no hope, that a veil of darkness covers them. The only thing I can think of is- Toshinori did not have a good childhood. Something had to have happened to a boy that young to stop seeing the joy in life so early, and see the world’s flaws. Truthfully, I believe he was an outcast- due to his quirklessness. Most likely an orphan, perhaps abandoned by his parents, as we’ve never seen him have any family. I do truly believe Toshinori has been alone all his life. I don’t doubt more could have happened to him as a child before he met Nana. 

Some may argue that Izuku is the same age, and therefore it shouldn’t be that hard to see why Toshinori wanted to be a hero at such a young age. BUT, Izuku had someone to look up to, ever since he was a child of four years old, to inspire him to be a hero his whole life *cough cough* All Might. Izuku also was quirkless, much like Toshinori, and an outcast because of it (hence where I assume Toshinori was much the same). But ultimately, Izuku wanted to save people because he saw his hero do it. It really wasn’t until Izuku was a bit older, has been in UA, has been on rescue missions, has seen what the heroes see, that I think he’s truly realized how dark the world really is. Toshinori didn’t have that. He didn’t have someone to inspire him as a child, someone to look up to, a hero to inspire him to help others. At that time, heroes hadn’t become as popular as they are in present times. Toshinori saw the world for what it was, on his own, at a tender age. I think that day Nana ran into this blonde hair kid, she eyed him up, noticed his scraggly form, looked into those captivating blue eyes, and saw a man who’s lived through the world’s horrors- experienced the worst it has to offer-, and wants to save everyone he can from the same fate, all in a 14 year old boy. 

Then after only a few short years with the woman he saw as his mother, she’s killed in front of him because of his own weakness- he wasn’t strong enough yet to protect her. The only other person his life, Gran Torino, literally abused him. He beat him to a pulp, taking his own emotions out on a teenager, and I doubt Toshinori said anything of it. He probably thought he deserved it. He’s still afraid of Gran Torino to this day, remembering the beatings and expecting more for his failures- even if he doesn’t know what they are surely he’s at fault for something, but he’s the only person who’s stood by his side for this long. Even while at a distance, and spouting nothing but criticisms along the way. But Toshinori had to put aside his own emotions to be that hope for everyone. He left everything he knew to go to a new country on his own, to learn how to be a hero, to be that hope for someone.

Vigilantes showed us just how hard he worked. Toshinori literally stayed awake with no sleep for days on end- 3 in the chapter I’m referencing- because people needed help, people needed saving, and no one else stepped up. He fought villains, rescued civilians, repaired damage, cleared rubble, (even accept and eat food that was against his dietary restrictions after his injury) whatever the public needed, all while draining himself further. He worked himself to the point of exhaustion because he had no help, once literally falling asleep while mid-leap across the city because he simply could go no further. 

^^These happen in succession of each other^^

No one stepped up to say “Hey, Mr. Number 1, you’ve been working hard lately. Let me help you!” No one tried to take over his position. Even the Number 2 hero, Endeavor, never tried to take some of his burden. His only goal was to try to be better than All Might in terms of power- he was never trying to be the hero that the people relied on All Might for. Everyone relied on him when things looked grim. He was the back up plan. And all of this happened before Toshinori’s injury. 

The only thing he ever wanted to do- help people- he can’t do (at least the way he’s always known how to). The ability to save people has been taken from him in the most gruesome way. He was finally able to fight the man that killed Nana, and in a rage that I’m sure echoed with all of the emotions of the previous users, he smashed that man’s head like a grape. But not without consequence. Several organs are gone. The pain is excruciating. He wears that man’s mark on his body for the rest of his life, never truly able to rid himself of the filth.

Then we have Nighteye’s betrayal. The man that helped him as a sidekick, the man that grew to be his only friend. Now some people may ask why Toshinori flipped like he did to Nighteye looking into his future when he was concerned about him making it through his injury. What I believe is Toshinori didn’t want to know when he would die (and really, who does). Now he knows he’s on a time limit, knows the clock is ticking. Time is running out to keep the world at peace, and with him as he is now, how long can this go on? 

I think the betrayal, doing something that Toshinori specifically asked him not to do, is what hurt the most. How can he trust Nighteye anymore? He already can only count on one hand the people he can trust, let alone befriend.

He’s wasted away into a skeleton, a shell of the man he used to be. He can’t over exert himself without his only lung bleeding in protest. It’s canon in the side books that he really doesn’t eat much, which isn’t good for his diet without a stomach now (he’s supposed to have several small meals a day). He is quite literally punishing himself by starving. (Granted, he doesn’t feel hunger anymore.) He’s a sick man, beyond medical help at this point. They can only stabilize him and hope for the best. For five years now he’s in constant pain, every day. He loses blood like sweat. Surely his veins are bruised and collapsed with how many times he would have needed to be hospitalized. Whether from losing too much blood, being too dehydrated or starved from “forgetting” to eat, or an organ failing as body continues to fall apart. “...even as my body rots and grows frail...” - Toshinori People are bound to stare at him as he walks down the street. A tall, willowy, skeleton with a grimace on his face and blood stains on his clothes as he coughs up more into his own hands. There would be the ones who outright ignore him when they walk by, the people who offer pitying smiles and sympathetic glances or just outright stare, and then ones who are afraid of his appearance- children screaming at the mere sight of him and running to their parents to hide from the monster. Each one is another knife in Toshinori’s side, an ache in his chest. If only they knew who I really am.

Losing Nighteye took a toll on his hero work as well. Mirai was a huge help in the past, and took care of all Toshinori’s paperwork, while also reminding him to take care of himself. Without him, Toshinori was even more buried beneath his responsibilities. Plus, now he was on a time limit. He even snapped briefly in his first meeting with Tsukauchi, accidentally revealing himself as All Might because he was under too much pressure, and telling the detective he literally couldn’t handle doing everything by himself (who graciously took over the paperwork side of things for him). 

He was living a double life now, having to lie to people left and right about who he was while in his small form, about how he became so sickly, why he was here in the first place who the heck is this skinny old guy. Surely he had multiple visits to the doctor while continuing to repair the damage done by AFO (there’s a limit to how much the body can handle at once. And things I’m sure continued to fail as time went on). Then he would be bedridden for as long as the doctors could keep him strapped to a bed, until he couldn’t take the people’s cries for help any longer, and would jump into action. (It’s also revealed he has something of a super hearing- able to hear danger- which may have been a form of danger sense of OFA that was never fully unlocked?. Either way, he surly could sense disasters happening while he could only lay and heal from his latest surgery. Those poor doctors must have had to re-stitch him several times). People blame him for not preparing society for his retirement, that he failed in passing on the torch so to speak, but in reality he did everything possible to keep society from falling for 40 years, doing all within his power just to keep things afloat. He is only one person. One human being, he can’t do everything despite trying to. Society failed All Might.

People blame him for not being a good teacher. He didn’t exactly have the greatest teacher himself to learn from. He’s never had to teach anyone anything, he just punches! He’s learning. And for his own credit, he’s an incredibly wise man, he has years of experience under his belt, and an intelligence score of 6/6, scoring up there with Nezu! He may not always have the right way to bring something up, but he’s doing his best. Yet even he blames himself for Izuku not being able to control his quirk better. Every time the boy hurts himself, it’s just another tally on the chalkboard of Toshinori’s failures. He himself knows the boy deserves better, better than him. Useless. Pathetic.

Then his friend from America, Dave, essentially became a villain trying to preserve Toshinori’s legacy after Toshinori told him about his injury. Dave went behind his back, threatened people, injured people (pretty sure people died), all for Toshinori’s sake. Something he didn’t want to begin with. Having to put your only other friend in jail for trying to help you surely couldn’t have been easy.

Oh, by the way? All For One isn’t dead. All Might will fight him again, publicly, have his weakened form exposed to the world, and have his own emotions toyed with as he finds out about his master’s grandson in the villain’s hands. Would Nana hate him for leaving her son alone like she’d asked, and dooming her grandchild to be raised by the greatest villain? Could he have done anything to save him? But Toshinori isn’t allowed to feel, he has to smile and push his own feelings aside once again, because there’s a villain to be fought, and only he can fight him. Despite coming out on top, he’ll have suffered severe head trauma, broken left arm, destroyed right arm, and several cuts and bruises that are sure to scar. And then, his quirk, the only thing that’s been allowing him to help people, the gift given to him that he carefully held for 40 years and molded into his own until his very consciousness was permanently carved into it, blows out like a match in the wind. And he’s done. Used up. Empty. Broken. Hollow. Alone, again.

He overhears his student, Bakugo, admit that he blames himself for All Might’s retirement. If he hadn’t been captured, All Might wouldn’t have had to save him, and he wouldn’t have had to fight AFO. Of course Toshinori knows that’s not true, his time was about to run out anyway. It would have happened one way or another. But how can he explain to this child that he wasn’t the cause of his hero, the world’s greatest hero, fighting for his sake, bleeding for his sake, being forced into retirement to keep him safe. Every time Bakugo sees the bandages covering Toshinori’s body is another reminder of the pain and sacrifice Toshinori willingly gave to keep him safe. Toshinori wasn’t held when his mentor died. He wasn’t told it was ok to be sad, that grief and mourning was a natural process, that it takes time to heal. He wasn’t told it was ok to cry. Instead his feelings were beaten out of him as he wondered if Gran Torino blamed him for Nana’s death. He already blamed himself How then, does he comfort a child mourning for him? For what he lost.

And then he gets the call to come to the hospital. Mirai, Nighteye, his old sidekick friend, has been gravely injured, much like he himself was only a few years ago, and most likely won’t survive the night. And to his horror, Nighteye is happy to see him, smiles at him, says he doesn’t hate him for what happened, only wants Toshinori to be happy. He can’t accept that, at least let him apologize, reconcile his sins before it’s too late! But it is. Another fractured piece of his heart gone.

Of course, seeing your students beat up and their arms completely destroyed must have hurt. Instead of being able to save these kids, they’re the ones that hurt themselves to save everyone else. And if Bakugo had kept OFA, things could have been very different (especially with what we know now of OFA and people with quirks). Toshinori wasn’t mad at Izuku for transferring it away, he’d never regret choosing Izuku, and I believe he still would have stayed by Izuku and Bakugo’s side should it have stayed in Bakugo, doing whatever he could to help.

As he tells Aizawa, “I’ve decided to live,” -that statement seems so melancholy, besides obvious reasons. It sounds more like another task he has to accomplish. He didn’t die he was supposed to die with the AFO fight, and now the whole life he lived is over. The world has no use for him anymore. If not for Izuku, he’d have nothing left keeping him here. But because his boy made him promise to live, he’ll do so. Though it almost seems like he says those words with regret. “I’ve decided to live.” Not, “I’m going to live!” “Nothing can kill me!” “I won’t go down without a fight!” No. “I’ll live if I have to, only because you asked me to.” The man is obviously and outwardly depressed. He has so many things against him. No doubt has severe PTSD, anxiety, among others. Not to mention his own physical health. Every day hurts. It’s painful to be alive. Why would he torture himself if he doesn’t have to? For you, my boy. You’re the only thing keeping me here. The only light in my dark world.

He tries to help Izuku find out the previous holder’s quirks, to help his boy in any way he can now that he’s worthless, and goes days on end without sleep, running his body into the ground. He even forgets Christmas. Only to find that by giving the boy the same gift he had received, he may have just doomed him to an early death, among psychological torture (danger detection). (Granted, he really doesn’t know how everything works, and he’s afraid to talk to anyone about it). His boy could live only half a life.

It’s only been a few months since he retired, and society has fallen into shambles. People are blaming him. People are dying. He watches helplessly as his colleague fight his fight for him, and end up battered, bruised, crippled, dead. He students, his boy, battle the monster he should have killed. Children are bleeding. This shouldn’t happen. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Is everything he worked for, everything he fought to protect, to build up, to inspire, is all for naught?! Did he live a foolish dream and doom the world? Was all the the friends he lost, tears he shed, the organs he destroyed, the pain he endures on a daily basis from the hole in his side, and the blood he continues to bleed every day, for nothing? The public, the ones he protected for so long, mourn his absence, but surely there are those among them who also blame him. The statue from his last fight in Kamino one that he never asked for was decimated in a mock of his catch phrase- the one that was supposed to give hope.

Now he can feel his own vestige speaking with Izuku in the OFA realm, even with out OFA in his own body anymore. His clock as nearly reached it’s limit, Nighteye’s prediction is due any day now. The only thing he wants is to see his boy smile at him, to give him some shred of hope. Yet the child remains unconscious, and Toshinori can’t even hold his hand from the bandages covering his arms. Will he still be able to fight? Is there any coming back from this now? Did I break him?

With all Toshinori has been through, I’m honestly surprised we haven’t seen him just outright break down. Anyone, anyone, else should have crumbled under the pressure of holding up the world for 40 years alone. And instead of being able to pass it on to someone when he can no longer bear its weight, it simply falls to into the abyss. People don’t credit All Might enough for everything he’s done. Most don’t realize the sacrifices he’s made. His character is so unbelievably profound and deep, it’s more than just the “I am here!” people focus on. He’s a deeply troubled, layered, complex character. And I can’t find fault within him.

[gentrychild]

the latest bnha chapter reminded me of this so im sending this ask now but your anyone!todoroki characterization is so on point..... like, u fully capture the fact that he seems quiet but is fully down for crime if his friends need help... a lot of fics make him seen like he actually very much cares about rules and what authority figures tell him (ofc not saying anything bad about those fics, they have their benefits too!! just not my thing specifically), so its so refreshing to see such a in-character take on him ❤

I won't lie, I was quite smug when I saw Shouto "No, you may not" moment because that's the Shouto I love. Good boy but a very low tolerance for bullshit.

But yes, from the moment you write a character in a fanfic, they become OOC because authors (including me, obviously) tend to latch to the character traits they like. There is nothing wrong with that but I am glad you like how I write Anyone!Shouto. ^^

[astersofthesky]

wait can you rec some of those canon compliant fics, I've been lookingg

I'm sorry for this late reply! I'm not sure what kind of canon compliant fics you're looking for because most of the things I read last night are mostly just one-shots related to the latest manga chapters.

If that's your cup of tea then here goes!

Wait for Me by SailorMew4

The moment Bakugou Katsuki found out Deku left U.A. he knew he needed to go after him. The nerd just needed to Wait for Him. Because Bakugou would go to hell and back to save that nerd from anything, including himself.

(Ch. 318 Spoilers, and a sorta prediction to Ch. 319)

message delivered by dekusneakers

Kacchan: i miss you [2:03am]

Kacchan: that was a typo [8:16am]

Kacchan: go fuck yourself [8:17am]

In which Katsuki grieves in the only way he knows how. With rage and double texting.

All We Ever Knew by dynamics

He knows, deeply and intimately, that these hands have innocent blood spilled on them. They've scarred and they've been cruel and they've caused hurt beyond anything deserving of forgiveness.

But these hands, as rough and calloused and war-torn and guilty as they are, can be gentle too.

Katsuki learns the true meaning of kindness and devotion.

Names by Juliame

"It's 'Bakugou', right?"

Katsuki felt himself slightly stiffen at those words.

──────────────

"Izuku..."

"... I'm sorry for everything I've done up until now."

Izuku felt his eyes slightly widen at those words.

It was like the world around them had come to a stop.

Katsukis and Izukus individual perspective on hearing the other say their actual name.

And that's all the latest manga chapters canon-compliant fics I've read. Anyway, since you asked, I would take this opportunity to recommend some of my favorite BkDk/DkBk fanfictions. Reminder though, I suggest you check the tags before reading.

Mirror Image by Eleke

After taking an attack meant for Deku, Bakugou Katsuki finds himself waking up in a world where he was never born with a Quirk, but Deku was. Then the next day, he wakes up in another world. And then the next day he wakes up in another. Each day he finds himself in another world, some only a little different from his own, some very different, but each one has one thing in common:

In every world, Midoriya Izuku is always right there.

(Notes: I still haven't finished reading this one but so far, it's really good! This has slight sexual content but nothing explicit)

Childhood Kisses by Kaligraphy

There are things you do that are cute when you're a kid but kind of weird when you're older.

Kissing your childhood friend's injuries better is one of them.

(Notes: Childhood Bkdk fluff because seriously, we need this kind of fics more)

Rescue me by kae_karo

What if baku and deku were like. actually friends when they were kids tho

(Notes: This is the only fic I found where Katsuki and Izuku stayed friends despite Izuku's quirklessness. I tell you, this is gold. The author wrote Katsuki amazingly and I can't really explain it too well. I highly recommend this one)

Baby Face by VersaceThong

A thick bloody gash runs from Deku’s right brow, across the bridge of his nose, over his cheek, and all the way down to the edge of his jaw. A sickening, jagged line etched diagonally over his face, wide enough to miss one of his eyes by mere milimeters.

He almost crashes into Deku, grabbing his arm in one hand and his face in the other. Katsuki’s index and thumb press into either side of his jaw, squishing Deku’s cheeks together.

With a voice so low he doesn’t recognize it as his own, Katsuki grinds out his words.

“Who did this to you?”

______________________________

Or; a villain leaves a scar on Deku's face and Katsuki absolutely loses it.

(Notes: I really like this one! The author has a way with their words and I also liked how they wrote Katsuki. Heads up, it has explicit sexual content at the end. TBH, I didn't expect this fic to have one so it really caught me by surprise lmao)

Like the Moon by Osakakitty

Katsuki Bakugo is having constant, erotic dreams about Izuku Midoriya. He isn’t sure why, but they won’t go away. In order to make them stop, he needs to figure out what Izuku Midoriya means to him.

Canon-verse story in which Bakugo is confused about his feelings for Midoriya, and doesn’t know what he wants. Besides a good night’s sleep.

(Notes: THIS. ONE. I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS FIC! Yes, it's obviously explicit but this has got to be one of the most emotional Bkdk/Dkbk fanfictions I've read on my stay in the BNHA fandom. It's very telling since this is like my second favorite Bkdk/Dkbk fic)

Kacchan vs. The Universe by LNoGame44

There were certain..tell-tale signs of a soul mate. There wasn't so much a definite factor, rather there were multiple giveaway signs that discretely pointed out that someone was your soul mate. Like a friendly hint from the soul.

Izuku was not gifted with that discrete notification from whatever higher being issued them. Of course his soul mate hit like a storm.

The thing was..Izuku knew exactly who his soul mate was. The two of them had known since they were kids. The extreme pull they felt for one another, that Izuku embraced and Bakugou..well Bakugou ignored or attempted to completely destroy. Apparently the universe, did not agree with Bakugou's methodologies.

(Notes: This one is so funny lmao. Seeing Katsuki struggle against the universe is very amusing and the second-hand embarrassment can get real.)

The Way You Used To Do by Edema_ruh

"We're really sorry," his father says, in a teary-eyed, wobbly way. "But your friend, Izuku, he's... He's gone, son."

Katsuki can do nothing but blink up at them for moments that feel like an eternity, eyes darting between both his parents in obvious confusion, disbelief, and, more than anything, indignation.

"What the fuck are you two talking about? The damn nerd is standing right beside you!"

During a battle, Midoriya gets hit by a villain whose quirk detaches his soul from his body. Stuck in a ghost-like state, the boy enters a race against time in order to save himself from permanently dying. Much to his luck - or lack of it -, the only person who can see and talk to him in this state is no one other than Kacchan.

Alternatively: Deku and Kacchan are soulbound.

(Notes: Here's my no. 1 favorite. You've probably heard this one because when Bkdk's ask for fic recs, this one always comes at the top. If you like the slowest of burns then I suggest you give this a try!)

[franeridart]

Anon said: Kirishima or Bakugo? No you cannot pick both

With all the love I feel for Kirishima, it’s easily Bakugou! His character arc used to be my favorite one out of most characters I know after all 😊 

Anon said: i love the way you draw utahime !!!! i find her so beautiful and i'm very in love with her and the way you draw her always in a good mood UNTIL gojo is mentioned... perfect <3

THANK YOU she’s a ton of fun to draw cause she’s so pretty but I can make her make such ugly expressions, it’s amazing 😂 I love expressive ladies so much

Anon said: Are you done with Bnha? Do you not like it? I miss you Krbk

Let me read this suday’s chapter and I’ll get back to you on this question, the latest arc was boring me to death but now Bakugou and possibly the whole class are back so who knows, I might just get excited for this thing again! That said, my focus has 100% completely shifted on other fandoms so if you’re only following me for bnha I’m sorry to say it’s not a good idea to stay :(

Anon said:SatoSugu mutual brain cell but Shoko has it I love the childhood friends Au so much, especially the absolute sheer idiocy of both of them lollll

That’s the way I like my satosugu best, as dumb as bricks!!!!! they deserve the empty-headedness, they deserve the peace stupidity gifts you  😂

Anon said: May I offer you thoughts of Gojo with beauty marks and freckled Geto? Bc I have an agenda to put freckles and beauty marks on every fav character I have

YES YOU MAY though I gotta say I like it the other way around even better, there’s something about Satoru’s blue eyes with freckles all around them that just..................NGH (੭ ˃̣̣̥ □ ˂̣̣̥)੭♡♡♡♡ and Suguru with beauty marks all over his very very hadsome back................................SIGH good sir!! (●´□`)💕💕

Anon said: Have you read CSM 👀

I read the first chapter and the humour just didn’t do it for me 😭 I’m so sad everyone loves it so much!! I’ll still watch the anime once it starts airing cause the pv is AMAZING and I heard MAPPA is betting a lot on it so I’m very  👀👀👀 at it, and what do you know, maybe going further in will make me like it after all! I really hope so, I wanna get in on the hype................... ;;;;

[collisiondiscourse]

on the wonder duo (part 1)

(BNHA Analysis Post Ahead! This isn’t explicitly romantic, but it is an analysis of the relationship between the two most popular characters in BNHA--Katsuki Bakugou and Izuku Midoriya. Split into two posts because I realized that this was gonna be long as HELL)

yall ever think about the fact that the wonder duo is perfectly set up in so that bakugou and deku together are the better version of all might?

bc like. ive been thinking.

everyone knows the win to save and save to win parallel. How they are supposedly two halves of a whole perfect hero (which, previously, was defined as all might)

but ever since bakugou and deku started working as one—growing together to win AND save and continuously reminding each other that they shouldnt try to do things alone, ive realized that its BECAUSE theres two of them that they surpass all might. its not a case of deku and bakugou both being 50% of an ideal hero, but rather i think that they are 100% of what all might SHOULD HAVE BEEN from the very beginning.

as early as the AM v AFO battle in kamino, we see the effects of all mights flawed existence. the fact that he, the greatest and supposedly infallible symbol of peace, was destroyed—society had begun to collapse. there was suddenly no pillar to hold people together and the impacts were so severe that even in the latest chapters of mha it keeps on getting worse. the truth is, all mights biggest mistake was the burden he placed on his own shoulders

with bakugou and deku... its different.

its different for them because down to their attributions, they seem like two halves of a whole person.

i think that the wonder duo are going to surpass all might because of the fact that they work together.

@bakugoukatsuki-rising @svpercraigus @tybee​ @isaustraliaathing​

(batshit crazy and conspiratorial essay under the cut !)

1. Complementary Colors

I’d like to first preface literally everything I say by the fact that I am not an expert analyzer or literary major in any way. I am literally just some random fan on the internet who has wayyy too much time and looks wayyy too deep into things, but here we go!

A common thing we see when we talk about bakugou and deku is the way they are... sort of an inverse of one another.

Down to the design of their features and the way they move, Deku is the obviously softer of the two. There’s an intentional contrast between the two of them, in the way that Deku’s drawn with round shapes and curvy hair and the way Bakugou is literally all spikes and half-mast eyes and rough muscles. Bakugou’s movements too are languid and showy, with the way he leans when he walks and splays his legs and kicks open doors. Katsuki, in a casual sense, is loud and dramatic. 

Deku on the other hand s finicky. He jitters when he walks and he’s often fidgeting and mumbling. Comparatively, the aura he radiates is energetic and frenzied, even self-conscious to a point unlike Bakugou’s calm and confident movements.

the point is, there’s a clear difference in how either of them are designed and what exactly they are supposed to represent. They utterly complement each other down to the way they behave and even their main colors (red-orange and blue-green) being literal complementary colors.

Now, moving to my more ungrounded points, this is quite a bit of a stretch so I’ll try as much as possible to make sense of these with hyperlinked sources because. yeah.

Down to their names, I think Deku and Bakugou both symbolize something deeper. I think that the way Hori expresses characters and what they’re meant to do is something that we have to pay close attention to when we talk about the Wonder Duo’s rise to success.

Izuku Midoriya (緑谷 出久), as some of us may know, does have an interesting meaning when broken up. According to a lovely fan translation of his name, ‘Izuku’--while not an actual name used commonly in real life--means to ‘Come out’ or ‘Long time’. ‘Midoriya’ on the other hand means (Midori) ‘Green’ and (ya) ‘valley’. The translator further pointed out that his first name ‘Izuku’ could be a reference to him being the first legendary hero to come out of the long-running All Might Era. (or, if you’ve been reading @/bakugoukatsuki-rising’s posts, the first significant anime protag in a long while to come out as queer, ppfft)

but that isn’t my focus right now.

We know that Hori LOVES telling stories with names, and more often than not in the BNHA universe, names alone tell us a lot of things about the characters. When referring to Izuku’s last name, Midoriya, it’s important I think to step back and realize that hey, maybe there’s something more to Green Valley than just the fact that his motif is all green.

After searching for a lil on the specifics of green valley, I’ve found out that across many cultures, the colour green and valleys in general tend to represent life. From dream analysts, to Christianity, and even old Taoist teachings, valleys are seen as areas of fertility and escape. They are seen as safe havens and often escapes for people to come to after running away from bad circumstances.

(Sound familiar?)

Deku, in essence represents life and peace. He represents being the “salvation” that the world in BNHA needed. To me, it sounds like Horikoshi is trying to say that he is the long-awaited hero in the sense. The one that people can feel will create a society that feels safe for everyone after years of All Might just saving people from themselves as a band-aid solution.

On the other hand, we have Katsuki Bakugou (爆豪 勝己), who’s name we commonly know means (Katsuki) Winner and (Bakugou) Explosion Master. He is essentially, the champion. The power. His name means success and power and all the things that make up winning.

When putting them side by side, it then becomes increasingly... interesting to me how their names almost perfectly slot into All Might’s save to win and win to save mantra, and how they are both quintessential parts to what made All Might as a hero.

2. Hero Too!

Now, I’m not even gonna really TOUCH much of what happens in canon. If you want me to do a step by step breakdown of their arcs in regards to the plot of manga and anime, feel free to send me a gratuitous ko-fi tip so I can pay for the headache I get after trying to organize my thoughts into word vomit.

What I WILL talk about on the other hand, is the subtle shift both of them slowly have in regards to how they look. Bakugou and Deku, while growing up, seem to have MANY many parallels--but before I elaborate on all of that, I wanna talk about something else.

Detour: Deku’s Red Shoes 

We all know the iconic symbol being Deku’s red shoes. For all his life, save for some outfits like his hero one, we see Deku more often than not wearing his signature red sneakers which have become a running joke in fandom.

But the funny thing is, in Japan, red shoes seem to have an interesting connotation.

In 1922, a popular Japanese nursery rhyme was written, called “Red Shoes”. The interesting part to me about this song was the symbolism that, in my tiny pea-sized brain, I could connect to the story of BNHA.

The story goes that there was a little girl with red shoes named ‘Kimi’. She was from Shizuoka prefecture (which, if you didn’t know, is most likely where Musutafu supposedly is) and was raised by a single mother. When she was young, her mother had to entrust her with a foreigner under the impression that they would give her a better life in America. The stranger is a man named Charles Hewitt (who was described to have blue eyes) and supposedly took her away. 

The singer of the song (supposedly the mother, but some argue it was written from the perspective of a childhood friend) believes that Kimi is happy and living a better life away from them, when the reality of the situation was much worse. The young girl with red shoes in actuality had Tuberculosis, and thus the foreigner whom she was entrusted to had left her to fend for herself and eventually left her to go to America while she died alone and orphaned.

“When I see red shoes, I think of her.”

A very interesting story with very interesting implications indeed.

-

Anyway, moving on to the more... “nuanced” and connected parts of this section, I have every reason to believe that Bakugou and Deku were simply MEANT to be working together down to how they dress. Now, I’d like to discuss their hero costumes.

At the start of their series, using these godawful pics for reference, it’s clear to see that neither of them seem alike in any way--reflecting the dissonance in their relationship at that point in canon.

ough. deku why. (yes we know why its because you love your mom you stupid little bunny <3)

Anyway, we see an immediate gap in how the two of them are. Deku’s first costume is one that reflects how he treated his dream of being a hero. He was still in that childlike idolization phase, the one where his dreams and aspirations were hinged on pure feelings and inspiration from All Might. Katsuki on the other hand was a lot more tactical--professional to an extent. The gap between their respective development with their quirks is something that is clearly felt in every fashion decision they’d made.

(Notice how Deku’s green is a lot brighter and less like the green accents Katsuki has all over his costume.)

As time progressed however... their costumes changed. The colors, the silhouettes, the practical functions, most things.

(Deku’s Gamma Costume and Bakugou’s Winter Costume used respectively)

we begin to notice a few similarities.

As the show goes on and we see more evolutions of their costumes, it almost seems like they begin to look like a matching pair. Deku’s green grows darker and almost teal in nature, while Bakugou’s orange is veering towards red territory. This is important to note because red-orange and blue-green as I said earlier were complementary colors as compared to simply orange and green. The minute shift is something I really wasn’t quite sure was intentional, but something I find interesting to pick up nonetheless as the colors they used to accent their costumes begin to match up.

Secondly, I think and important thing to note is silhouettes. The way that both Bakugou and Deku’s costumes are designed follow a lot of parallels that typically we don’t see with the rest of 1-A. For one, they both have a combination of tight long-sleeved tops with a bulkier set of bottoms. They also share the use of utility belts and metal pieces typically worn around their necks. Deku has his bunny-eared hood that mimics All Might’s hair, while Bakugou has his orange and black explosion ear-pieces that mimic his own quirk.

i don’t think any other people in class 1-A match each other as subtly yet strongly as these two. Uraraka and Deku and Bakugou and Kirishima do come close however.

“But Codi, you fucking knob!” I hear you plea. “This is such a reach and tells us practically NOTHING!” And yes, I’m inclined to agree with you! You’d be sort of right in the idea that this is a reach. Maybe I am looking too much into this, and maybe it really isn’t that deep--but I do think that them subconsciously matching outfits means something quite brilliant.

In the way that their costumes are designed, each aspect of either outfits have a very logical explanation. The changes were strategic and made with their fighting styles vividly in mind, so what that tells me is that BECAUSE these costumes are so complementary or similar in nature (Bakugou’s reinforcing his arms while Deku reinforces his legs), these two are implicitly showing the audience that their combat styles are complementary as well. 

The evolution of their design choices and similarities tell us that even unknowingly, their minds line up in strategy on the battlefield--a clear exhibit for why they would be INCREDIBLY POWERFUL as a Hero Duo to begin with.

When I look at their hero costumes side by side, I see a mirror. I see the way that these two are reflections of each other and are strong where the other isn’t. The point I see in BNHA repeatedly is that EVERYONE HAS A WEAKNESS. Nothing is infallible, regardless of how hard you train or how powerful your quirk is. Everyone will always have a weakness, but the significant difference I see when fandom discusses the future of Pro-Hero Society is that the new generation is finally raising itself to be RELIANT on each other. 

Observing their fighting styles and the simple use of their quirks, its obvious that they are indeed two parts of a whole hero. Bakugou, who’s quirk emphasized his arms and hands and the power that comes from it, while Deku who’s quirk now emphasizes his legs and lower body and the way he’s always running to save people.

IN CONCLUSION:

As they become heroes, it is easy to assume that if nothing else, Bakugou and Deku will cover each other’s weak spots (especially when you consider the way Deku probably won’t be able to keep using his arms with the way both the anime and manga are going...) (also chapter 285, anyone?)

-

Part Two: Interactions, OfA

kofi || commission details

[autumn-foxfire]

Im sorry ill be adding onto ur ask box but u talking about bnha again made me think of bnha again and ughhhghgg

Latest chapters have been BORING. We know Star wont defeat afo cuz of course so its really annoying that so many chapters are being dedicated to the fight. We dont know shit about Star and afo has rapidly been losing my intrest so its just like watching two action figures clash while also knowing how this is inventibly going to end cuz it would make no sense for a newly introduced chara to defeat the big bad. If this was a half a chapter to chapter it would have been fine but its been several chapters so far n its so annoying to read something u give so little fucks about cuz ur hoping characters u DO care about will eventually show up again. This just seems like hori binged a bunch of marvel movies or smtng

Adding on to that....isnt Stars intro v similar to Lady Nagants? Like we randomlyget introduced to these two female characters we havent heard a thing about up until that exact moment, who seem to have a significant connection to an already estsblished character but it turns out that connection is flimsy at best. They fight an already established character, lose and are nuked off probably never to be mentioned again.

Like

I get that Hori is trying to show that afo is an international threat now but wasnt there a better way, couldnt he have established star sooner? Like all mights bedn doing fuck all how hard would it have been to throw in a scene of him talking to her on the phone here n there? Just so we can know she Exists before her big finale lmao

Idk...u here about big shonen manga crashing n burning at their end but its sad to see it happen n bnha is sadly inching towards being completely unenjoyable with each chapter. By now im almost hoping Hori will put it out of his misery fast if this is all we can hope for quality wise feom incoming chapters

Don't apologise for speaking to me Lucy T-T I love our chats and I've missed them since I've been afk (or would it be aft because it's more tumblr I've been taking a break from XD)

I can't believe the drop in quality in the manga. Stars and Stripe was a bigger mistake than Lady Nagant at this point and now that I've seen from the new leaks, I'm left hating this character more and more. Stars and Stripes wasn't needed.

There has been no reason for this battle whatsoever and yes, I'm taking into account the new leaks which, if you haven't seen them yet, I'll put them below a readmore:

She dies but her spirit seems to live on in the vestiges realm and we see her attacking AFO in there.

My question is why Hori had to introduce a random character we have not attachment to do this. Surely, if he wanted this grand moment where someone lives on beyond death and shakes AFO, it would be a member of the ESTABLISHED CAST that we have grown to love, not some random woman from America he introduced 4 CHAPTERS AGO.

You're right Hori could have shown AFO as being an internation threat and one of the simplist ways would have been AFO having a villain uprising in multiple countries. You know, he's said to have an underground empire, nothing says Japan will be on it's own when you have other countries fighting tooth and nail to keep villains in control in their nations and can't spare any help to Japan. There you go. Done. It was as simple as that and wouldn't have wasted 4 fucking chapters on a character we do not give a single shit about.

BNHA is crashing and burning and I'm watching this flaming wreckage hoping that I'll be able to salvage my favourites at the end.

[villainsandvictimsalliance]

So now you're blaming Todoroki for everything? It's his fault Dabi was neglected and it's his fault Dabi is suffering? Also I was referring to the video that Dabi made that now has ruined Todoroki's life and there's no way back for him. Dabi can't reverse Todoroki's classmates now hating him. Todoroki never hated Dabi. Why does everyone have to suffer to make Dabi happy? No one says the same for Shigaraki and Toga so why does it have to be this way for Dabi?

Okay, there's a number of things here that I truly don't understand lol:

You say the latest chapter make you hate Dabi, but the video is pretty old. And you said the realization of how much the Todorokis are hurting made you think like this, but we have seen the Todorokis in worst times. In fact, in the last chapter Shouto seemed pretty determined to save his brother.

Which classmates hate Shouto? Maybe I'm missing something, but so far I haven't seen class 1-A hating Shouto. In fact, even at the beginning of mha / bnha when Shouto was rather kinda cold and distant, they never hated him.

I said no victims should be blame, so why did you get to the conclusion I was blaming Shouto? I thought I was pretty clear stating that the Todoroki shouldn't be blamed. Can you clarify this for me?

Have you read my blog? Because I don't understand how if you had, you state that no one says the same for Toga and Tomura. Because I've written a lot of posts speaking on how the members of the League deserve the chance to heal and become happier. Like a tone. And even the manga is setting Deku, Ochaco and Shouto to save Tomura, Toga and Dabi.

When it comes to Endeavor, the video is about Dabi explaining how he was abused by his father when he was a kid. Would you rather have a victim not speaking about their traumas and experiences in order to make others happy?

And now, there's something that we see very differently. In my case, I'd suffer for the people I love because I love them. If they were hurt or sad or suffering, I'll suffer too. Because I care about them, because I get worried, because I'm empathic and many other things. Because I value their lives, because if I love someone, I'll fight for them, I'll cry and laugh for them and with them. If this is not your case, I understand why you don't relate to Shouto wanting to save Dabi.

And yet, this is not just about family. It's about Shouto wanting to be a hero and guess what, even if they weren't family there's the point Toga made when fighting Ochaco. Why would the heroes have the right to choose who lives and who dies? Why would the people let a group of people who work for the government decide who's worthy to save and who isn't? If they are real heroes, at least in the mha / bnha, they'd try to save everyone as much as they can. Yes, even Dabi.

When all of this is say and done, please refrain from sending me another ask before taking in consideration and reading correctly what I just said. I don't like when people push aside my arguments like you have in order to make me look like I'm saying something discriminating. Specially when I take the time to ask nicely and write an extensive response.