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My Hero Academia S7 Ep 18 Review

We are nearing a tipping point in the Final War of My Hero Academia. Toga is using her powers and Twice’s blood to unleash hordes of clones onto the battlefields. Shigaraki and Deku’s fight has moved to the ground. And most of the the heroes are now tied up trying to slow All for One down. But as it turns out, though, even the devil’s most loyal servants will turn on him if they’re pushed too far. For all his talk of being the ultimate villain, All for One still manages to make the same mistakes monsters like Darth Sidious do, and it costs him.

Wheels Continue to Turn

The main focus of the episode is on two parts of the ongoing war, but before that, it feels important to mention what’s going on with Toga. Just as Froppy and Uravity pointed out, she can’t use Dabi and Shigaraki’s powers because she doesn’t like them as much as she does Twice and Uravity. In other words, despite her resolve, there’s a part of her deep down that doesn’t want to be doing this. And while it’s a bit cliche to have the heroines fight the main female villain, Uraraka and Asui are the only ones who can stop Toga.

As for the fight at Gunga, I liked seeing Pinky face her fears by trying to stop Gigantomachia from escaping. Her hesitation in the Paranormal Liberation War almost cost her her life. By facing her fears head-on, she’s one step closer to being the hero she wants to be. Likewise, the same goes for Shinso, who proves how powerful his Quirk can be when the odds are in his favor.

All For One Doesn’t Get Reciprocal Loyalty

Getting Machia to follow his commands was ingenious, but my heart sank when I realized that All for One could just retake control. However, seeing Machia turn on his master was something I had forgotten about, but can understand why. Gigantomachia had served All for One loyally, and he abandoned him not once, but twice. Even a loyal dog can turn on its master if its pushed too far.

Watching Tsukuyomi, Mt. Lady, and Machia gang up on All for One was an impressive site, to be sure. Were they fighting anyone else, they might have won. But all they do is make All for One angry…and younger.

By the time he steals Hawks’ Quirk, I’d say All for One is somwhere in his 20s. And the younger he gets, the harder it’s getting to control his powers.

An Old Pro Steps Up

As bad as things seem, the anime makes it a point to remind us that things aren’t at their worst yet. The eyes of the world are on Japan with everyone waiting to see who will come out on top. However, before All for One can get to Deku, another hero is about to make his move. If you’ve only watched the anime, then the preview for the next episode makes All Might’s decision to join the fight seem like suicide. However, those who read the manga know what’s coming and have waited for it for months now. Once more, All Might will go beyond, PLUS ULTRA!!

Quick sidebar, I did find it very fitting that one of the villains taking part in the raid on Machia’s prison was the Sludge Villain. His actions set Deku on the path to becoming a hero, so seeing him is like the burglar who killed Uncle Ben coming back for us. Also, I loved seeing the stream of Gentle’s actions go viral. The man deserves it!

I Give “It’s a Small World” a 4/5

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My Hero Academia S7 Ep 17 Review

If you’re an anime-only watcher of My Hero Academia, then you should be happy (or sad) to know that the Final War Arc has reached its halfway point. There’s plenty more that’s going to happen before the show ends, so if you have any hope that the story will continue to ramp up, you’ll hopefully be rewarded.

Speaking of hope, I’ve read enough superhero comics over the years to know that that’s the most common superpower that all heroes possess; even the ones that don’t have powers. How many times have things looked bad for the good guys, only for someone like Superman or Spider-Man to arrive on the scene and make it look like all’s not lost. The best heroes are the ones that inspire hope in others that things won’t be as bad as they are. Some might call it cliche, but I say that it’s an essential part of a good superhero story. And Horikoshi must think the same way, because as bad as things are getting, new hope emerges in this final war against All for One and Shigaraki. And the results are even better in animated form than they were on the pages of a manga.

How Deku Brought Hope Back to Lady Nagant

When we last saw the former hero Lady Nagant, she’d been torn inside out by the failsafe All for One planted in her body. One could be forgiven for thinking that she might not make it, but she’s tougher than she looks (and she was already pretty tough to start with.) And despite barely being able to stand, she was determined to get back in the fight. That leads to the present-day where she risks almost killing herself again to shoot Shigaraki’s hands off in an amazing double shot.

I wasn’t joking earlier when I said the best heroes can bring hope to those around them. Many Shonen protagonists like Goku, Naruto, the Joestars, and more have become hope-bringers against impossible odds. In the case of Deku, that winds up being two-fold, with his idealism bringing out the best in people like Nagant and Gentle. Now they’re returning the favor by giving him the time he needs to take Shigaraki down for good. While their battle has now shifted off the Coffin and Shigaraki can use his Quirks, none of the heroes are giving up hope yet.

Speaking of which, I loved the moment when the business course students at U.A. and La Brava started live streaming how Gentle’s saved them. He may not care about seeking recognition, but I’ve never been one for unsung heroes. If someone’s actions made a difference for the better, then they deserved to be known for it, come hell or high water!

Tokoyami Was the MVP of the Episode

Back at Gunga, the fight against All for One, Dabi, and Toga’s army of Twice clones continues to worsen. But just when it looks like they’re about to be overrun, a new hope appears when the students of Shikketsu High arrive to reinforce the heroes, and they push All for One back. And the sight of Tokoyami going beast mode! Holy cow, that was amazing!

I knew that Tokoyami’s Quirk was already pretty strong, but seeing Dark Shadow turn giant and pummel All for One? I forgot how awesome that was! That’s how you write good supporting protagonists: they can carry their own way in a fight.

Things Could Go Either Way Here

As bad as things are right now, the episode makes it a point to note how neither side is at their worst yet. Either side could hope to tip the tides and win, but cracks are already appearing in the villains armor. Despite being able to use Twice’s Quirk, Toga discovers she can’t fully transform into him or the other League members. I don’t get it myself, but something’s holding her back. Which is good.

The next episode is going to take us to yet another area of the war that we haven’t seen before. This time, we’re going to see the heroes fighting to keep Gigantomachia locked up. They’ll need all the hope they can get. Go beyond, PLUS ULTRA!

I Give “Hopes” a 4/5

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My Hero Academia S7 Ep 16 Review

I’ve said it before, but one thing I love about My Hero Academia is how it humanizes the main villains and antagonists. Instead of committing crimes for the sake of it, many of the villains Deku and the others have faced are people who’ve had it rough in life and turned to villainy to cope. And thanks to people like Deku, a few even managed to change for the better, like Gentle Criminal and La Brava. And, in the case of “one good deed deserves another,” those same criminals jump in to help when it looks like all is lost. The result? Gentle Criminal pulling a CHAD move.

The Villains Threaten to Overwhelm the Heroes…

Last episode, it looked like the heroes were utterly screwed over. Kurogiri escaped the hospital. Dabi’s made his way to where Hawks and Endeavor are fighting All for One. Toga used Twice’s blood to recreate the Sad Man’s Parade and send it across the battlefields. And to top it all off, this episode has that parade disrupt Phantom Thief and Eraserhead’s efforts to block Shigaraki’s Quirks and damage the Flying Coffin.

Oh, and Skeptic hacked the Coffin’s controls and sent it plummeting towards the sea.

In other words, it looks like the heroes are screwed. Dabi’s gone full-on fire demon to kill everyone, and Toga’s in no mood to talk to Uraraka and Asui anymore. When I was reading the manga, it felt like this might be when the heroes backs are against the wall! I even thought that some of them weren’t going to make it out of the war alive!

That is when Deku’s past acts of kindness end up being everyone’s salvation.

A Little Kindness Goes a Long Way

From the end of season four, Deku fought against the fame-seeking outlaws Gentle Criminal and La Brava. Not only did he stop them from crashing the UA School Festival, but his empathy for how bad their lives were made them want to turn over a new leaf. And to prove that, during the nationwide prison breaks engineered by All for One, Gentle single-handedly managed to ensure no one got out of his prison.

Now they’re returning Deku’s kindness as the MVPs of the episode.

Thanks to the manga, I knew that Gentle and La Brava would help save the day, but I forgot when they showed up. Thus, seeing La Brava own the arrogant Skeptic was a sight. But the real highlight of the episode was seeing Gentle using his Quirk to save the Flying Coffin.

This moment highlights a big part of how My Hero Academia views heroes and villains. Labeling both sides as good and evil is easy, but as the series shows us, it’s rarely that simple. The good guys can make bad decisions, and the bad guys can have very valid reasons for why they act the way they do. Not addressing that issue enabled the rise of Shigaraki in the first place; people had stopped having empathy for each other and expected the heroes to do everything for them.

Empathy and Kindness Make Deku a True Hero

I think that Gentle and La Brava’s redemption speaks volumes about how Deku’s kindness can change people for the better. Without sounding too preachy, he knows what it’s like to feel like nothing and thus hates seeing others feel the same way. He’s even willing to try to save Shigaraki, seeing him as another victim of All for One. That kindness gave Gentle and La Brava the strength to turn their lives around, saving everyone in the Coffin.

Then, just as Shigaraki’s ready to use his Quirk, Lady Nagant saves the day by shooting his hand off! Once again, it’s demonstrating how Deku’s way is the best.

The heroes may have their backs against the wall, but thanks to that chain of kindness Deku and the others have forged, they can turn things around. The hopes of the heroes shall endure! Go beyond, PLUS ULTRA!

I Give “The Chain Thus Far” a 4.5/5

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My Hero Academia Season 4, Episode 19 Review/Recap

A school for heroes is still a school, and in Japan, schools have festivals. With the U.A. Festival in a month, Class 1-A decides to put on a concert to make up for all the trouble they’ve brought. However, a small-time villain by the name of Gentle Criminal’s trying to attract attention for himself, and U.A. is a tempting target.

Recap

Having decided on a concert, Jiro leads the efforts to organize the class and figure out who’s going to do what. Slowly but surely, everyone’s talents begin to show. Bakugo earns himself the position of drummer for his mad skills. Yaoyorozu will play the keys. Kaminari and Tokoyami are on guitar. As for lead singer, Jiro shows everyone that she has the voice of an angel.

Meanwhile, Gentle Criminal and La Brava become frustrated at the lack of attention that their videos are getting. As a result, Gentle decides that in this day and age, people only care about big spectacles. And no spectacle would be as big as one that involves the school everyone’s talking about: U.A. High.

Review

To be perfectly honest, this episode was pretty boring. Just more of the slice of life stuff that we’ve seen for the last few episodes. I knew that it was going to be hard to top the Hassakai Arc, but the manga source material is not making it easy. However, there’s still a reason why this arc remains important: Eri.

As the last episode showed us, even though Overhaul can’t hurt her anymore, she still has a grip on her mind. She can’t even remember how to smile. This school festival is the best chance that Midoriya and Togata have to set her free. Especially now that she’s able to come to U.A.

I hate seeing a little girl like Eri so scared; we all do. Yet Gentle Criminal is planning to crash the festival which will ruin everything. In other words, we’re bound to get more action, and soon. Hopefully, it will be worth the wait. Go beyond, PLUS ULTRA!

I Give “Prepping for School Festival is the Funnest Part” a 3/5. Needs more Shonen Stuff

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