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My Hero Academia Final Season Ep 8 Review

I know I said that I was going to wait until the dub came out, but this episode was too big for me to ignore. I mean, it’s out now, but it wasn’t when I wrote this. It’s the final battle between the Heroes and All for One. It’s actually ironic that that is the name that the villain of My Hero Academia chose to identify himself with. To him, it symbolizes his belief that everything in the world exists for him. However, that’s not what it means. The phrase “One for all, all for one,” is about how everyone supports the collective whole, and in turn, the collective whole supports everyone. Everyone helps everyone, and is helped in turn. That’s one of the core themes behind My Hero Academia, and in this moment, at the climax of the series, Izuku Midoriya and all the other heroes truly embody this phrase.

Also, You Say Run really does go with everything.

The Final Stand

So, here we are, at the Heroes final stand against the evil Demon Lord All for One, now in control of Shigaraki’s body. Midoriya is all but spent, most of the Heroes are sporting some brutal injuries, and a lot of them can barely stand, let alone fight. But since they’re heroes, they can’t afford to give up and let All for One escape. If they don’t take him out now, then they’ll never get another chance! And so, the true final battle begins.

From the moment that the fight starts, the gamer in me could recognize where Horikoshi got his influence for it from: MMORPGS. This entire fight reeks of it being the final boss of a big dungeon, and I mean it in the best way possible. Battles on that scale require everyone to work together to take down a foe that they can’t on their own. In other words, it requires unity. Or, as MHA would put it, one for all, all for one, something that All for One could never hope to understand.

All for One is a Loser

Speaking of All for One, I’m not even sure if I can properly call what’s possessed Shigaraki to be All for One. Because despite getting the new body that he wanted, he’s still lost. One for All and Yoichi will forever remain out of his reach, meaning that he will never see his brother again. Without that obsession to fuel him, he’s little more than an empty shell, going through the motions and not caring about anything beyond surviving. Honestly, it’s pathetic and fits well with who Izuku pegs the villain to be at his center. At his core, All for One is a sad, lonely man who’s spent his whole life trying to fill a void in his heart that can never be filled. And the reason it can never be filled is because he never cares about anyone but himself. In contrast, because Deku and the other heroes care about others more than themselves, they are able to do what he cannot and work together for a common cause.

But never mind that. We need to talk about what might be the final instance of You Say Run in the series.

You Say Run Does Go With Everything

Since the very beginning of the series, You Say Run has arguably been the theme song for My Hero Academia. Its bombastic nature has made it one of the most famous pieces of music in anime history. It’s gotten so beloved that it became a meme, with countless people taking epic moments and adding in You Say Run to make them cooler. Given how it exists to hype up the series, it’s only fitting that, in this final battle, we get to hear it for what’s likely the final time. And by god, did Toho animation manage to go beyond, PLUS ULTRA!

Everything about this final use of You Say Run is perfect. The way the heroes work to get Deku to All for One symbolizes the meaning of the phrase, “one for all, all for one.” The sight of everyone across the world, even the characters from the movies, cheering for Midoriya to win, is inspiring. Everything is pretty much perfect right up to the moment that Midoriya lands the final hit. Too bad it doesn’t work.

I would best describe what happens next as being the cutscene that occasionally follows the defeat of the final boss in a video game. Out of sheer stubbornness, All for One refuses to die, but he’s not fighting for anything at this point. His will is hollow, and everyone knows it. And he’s unable to save himself when the remnants of Yoichi’s consciousness rebel against him from within. Even better, though, Tenko Shimura gets enough strength to pay his “master” back for a lifetime of pain and suffering. And it leads to a final, satisfying scene where we see Deku and Shimura sending All for One off to Hell.

Good riddance to that waste of life.

A Worthy Climax to My Hero Academia

Wow. What a finale. No wonder this is the highest-rated episode of the entire series on IMDb. Everything about it was flawless from start to finish. It was as close to perfect as we can get. Regardless of the gripes that some people might have about the way the series initially ends, I think we can all agree that this was a good finale. And for one moment, Izuku Midoriya was the world’s greatest hero.

From here on out, the rest of the episodes will be nothing but the falling action. It’s not something I’m looking forward to, but if the anime goes as far as I think it will, it will make it worthwhile.

I Give “Izuku Midoriya Rising” a 5/5

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My Hero Academia S6, Ep 18 Review

We all knew this moment was coming, even if we were anime-only fans. From the moment Endeavor overheard Shigaraki say “One for All,” Deku and All Might couldn’t keep their secret under wraps for much longer. They’d either have to tell the other heroes, or let the public find out for themselves. What results is the episode I’ve waited for all season, as Deku makes a faithful decision with potentially dire consequences. 

The True Nature of One for All Revealed

The first half of the episode occurs inside Deku’s mindscape as he converses with the previous wielders of One for All. This whole scene was pivotal to the story in the manga, and the anime manages to capture that importance and improve upon it. As it turns out, there’s more to One for All than even its past wielders knew. Its raw power is too much for those who already possess a Quirk Factor, causing it to overwhelm and destroy their bodies from within. In simple terms: having One for All shortens the wielder’s lifespans.

The good news is that this drawback doesn’t affect Deku, and neither did it affect All Might. Since they had no Quirk, their bodies adapted to this new power and made it their own. The bad news is that going forward, if Deku wanted to pass his power down, it would have to be to another Quirkless person. And since they’re becoming increasingly rare…Deku will likely be the last person to inherit One for All.

Deku Will Save Everyone…Even a Villain

This whole scene hammers the point home: Deku is the last chance to stop All for One for good. And the vestiges of the past wielders hate having to do this, especially Shimura. She’s guilt-ridden, knowing that her decision to give up her son led to the birth of Shigaraki, and she’s in tears over the fact that Deku might have to kill her grandson. However, what follows is one of the best scenes in the anime.

As Deku’s gained more control over his Quirk, he’s been able to manifest more inside his mindscape. As this entire scene continues, and Midoriya’s resolve at wanting to save Shigaraki grows, his will manifests itself by letting more of his form appear. By the end, he’s gone from barely being able to speak to having his mouth fully visible. The meaning’s evident: Deku’s resolve to be a hero has matured. I loved this moment; it symbolizes how Deku’s come into his own as a hero. He’s not a student anymore, nor can he be.

What follows, though…is bittersweet.

One for All’s Secret is Out

While all this is going on, Hawks and Best Jeanist come to All Might asking questions about One for All and Deku. From the start, All Might’s reminded his student of this one rule: keep One for All secret. It’s like how Spider-Man works so hard to keep his secret identity under wraps: if people knew, he and his loved ones would be at risk. However, All Might recognizes that Shigaraki’s forced their hands and that if they don’t explain it now, things will get worse. So, he tells the heroes everything. Thankfully, they keep their mouths shut about it to the press. It’s like a lowkey equivalent of Spider-Man unmasking himself in the Civil War story in the comics. Unlike Spider-Man, though, Deku can’t wipe everyone’s memories.

Nor does Deku want to. After he wakes up from his coma, we see him write handwritten letters to all his classmates, telling them the truth. How he got One for All from All Might, how All for One and Shigaraki won’t stop until it’s theirs, and how his staying at U.A. will put everyone in danger. As a result, Midoriya drops out of his hero academia. When we see him at the end of the episode, he’s not a student anymore: he’s Deku, the vigilante.

I personally loved that final moment in the episode. It’s an iconic scene showing how Midoriya’s forced to fight alone in a world falling apart. It reminds me so much of Marvel’s Spider-Man on the PS4: the lone hero fighting evil as his city’s falling apart. It’s awesome; bittersweet but awesome.

Next week, we start the Dark Hero arc, one of the darkest arcs in the series as we begin the endgame. This is going to be good, though, so get ready to GO BEYOND, PLUS ULTRA!!

I Give “Izuku Midoriya and Tomura Shigaraki” a 5/5

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My Hero Academia Season 4 Episode 21 Review/Recap

Well, the day’s finally here. The UA School Festival is about to start, and Deku and Togata are betting on it. It could be the only chance they have to teach Eri what it means to be happy and smile, after all. However, Gentle Criminal and La Brava plan on crashing the Festival and ruin everything. The fight to protect the UA School Festival starts!

Recap

On the morning of the UA School Festival, Midoriya wakes up early to get some training in with All Might before getting some last minute supplies. By sheer coincidence, though, he ends up running into Gentle and La Brava as they finish their tea ritual. When the former can’t help but gush about the tea he had, Midoriya connects the dots and figures out who Gentle is and what he plans to do. Which is something he cannot allow.

As Deku rushes to stop the villain from crashing the festival, he’s blown back by Gentle’s Quirk, Elasticity. It allows him to give anything rubber qualities, including the air around him. Were Deku relying on his normal tactics, he wouldn’t have chance. However, that morning, Hatsume gave him a completed version of the support gear he asked for: special gloves that let him use his Quirk to create high pressure air shots. With his new abilities, Deku stands his ground against Gentle. The time until the concert begins: 69 minutes.

Review

I would like to reiterate the fact that nothing this season does will top the Hassakai Arc. Thus, I don’t think the show should try and top it. The UA School Festival Arc is about Midoriya growing as a hero by putting him in a situation where he can’t expect any help. If he wants to stop Gentle from wrecking everyone’s fun, he’s got to do it on his own.

Fortunately, the episode makes a point of demonstrating how Midoriya’s improved. His new gloves allow him to create ranged attacks without One for All’s recoil, while the dance training he did for the concert has helped his coordination and reaction timing. It may not seem like much, but without either of those skills, Deku wouldn’t be able to fight Gentle. I’m still hoping that the next few episodes will make up for the lack of action. Go Beyond, PLUS ULTRA!

I Give “Deku vs. Gentle Criminal” a 3/5

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My Hero Academia, Season 4, Episode 18 Review/Recap

Ahh, the cultural festival, a staple of the Japanese educational system. It also happens to be among the things that I wish we did in the US. Every year, schools in Japan have open day festivals where people come to play games, eat, and have fun. And even though its a school dedicated to training heroes, U.A. High is no exception to this common trope of anime. That’s right: the next arc of My Hero Academia is a school festival!

Recap

With the Fall semester now here, Mr. Aizawa informs Class 1-A that the time’s come for the annual school festival at U.A. , so they need to come up with an idea on what event to do. Aizawa says that if they don’t, they’ll be stuck in a lecture the whole time. After multiple ideas being thrown around, they ultimately decide on an idea: they’re going to do a concert, with Jiro leading their band for it.

Meanwhile, Midoriya and Togata are finally able to visit Eri in the hospital, but the former can’t help but notice how Overhaul’s influence still hangs over her. Thus, he’s resolved to help teach her how to smile again, and asks Mr. Aizawa to let her come to the school festival. Unknown to everyone at U.A., a new criminal has caught the police’s interest. Known as Gentle Criminal, he records himself committing crimes and then posts them online to gain attention. Right now, he’s planning something big for his next video.

Review

Well, I’d say that a villain posting videos of their crimes on social media is a first, but I’d be lying. In truth, I’ve seen supervillains in other media do that before, and some jerks in real life have done that, as well. That said, as someone who posts videos on YouTube to gain views and subscribers, I can weirdly relate to what this Gentle Criminal is doing. At the least, his video’s are good.

It’s actually not him that’s editing everything, though. He’s got an assistant named La Brava, who reminds me of a downplayed version of Harley Quinn; one without the tramuatic backstory. They’re both a big step down from Overhaul and All for One. However, after remembering the manga, I know that they’ve got some moderately interesting backstories.

The big draw of this episode, though, was about the legacy of Overhaul and the effect it’s had on Eri. When I heard her ask Midoriya and Togata how to smile, I felt my heart breaking in two. No child should ever have to grow up not knowing what it means to be happy or know what love is. Like Midoriya says, Eri hasn’t been fully saved yet, and he takes upon himself to do so. That’s why I’m invested in this school festival arc we’re headed into.

So, this U.A. school festival arc doesn’t have the action or the stakes of the fight against Overhaul. However, I still think that it’s worth paying attention to. It’s continuing the story that started Season 4, and will help Midoriya grow as a person and as a hero. That, and school festivals in anime tend to have a lot of shenanigans. Go Beyond, Plus Ultra!

I Give “School Festival” a 3.5/5. Soft Start to a Quiet Arc.

By the way, who else thought Jiro’s reaction to being asked to put on a concert cute?

A Quick Announcement

So apparently, the last few weeks have seen Kohei Horikoshi get a lot of flak. First, it’s revealed that a mad doctor in his manga has a name that, in Japanese, translates to something that references the horrorific experiments the Japanese performed on prisoners during World War II. Then, it’s revealed that Bakugo’s birthday is April 20th, the same day as a certain evil dictator. Needless to say, he’s got a lot of grief over this. Now this article from comicbook.com speculates if Horikoshi will pull the plug on his manga.

My advice: go to Twitter, go to Horikoshi’s account, and let him know that we support him. His series could become one of the best manga in history, and in this age where superheroes are in, My Hero Academia stands out like a shining star. Don’t let this gem of a series end like this.

That is all!

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My Hero Academia, Season 4, Episode 2 Review/Recap

With the recap episode now out of the way, My Hero Academia can get into the meat of the season with its new villain. The deadly supervillain Overhaul makes his anime debut, and right off the bat, he show’s he means business.

Recap

At the League of Villains hideout, Tomura meets with a man called Overhaul, a member of the Yakuza gang Shie Hassakai. Despite trying to recruit him into the League if Villains, Overhaul lambasts Tomura for having plans, and that he intends to become All for One’s successor. When the League tries to attack him, he shows his power by brutally killing Magnus and somehow shutting down Mr. Compress’ Quirk.

Meanwhile, Deku tries to further his hero training by doing a work study at a hero agency. At Gran Torino’s and All Might’s suggestion, he decides to go to Mirio Togata, who’s studying under All Might’s former sidekick, Sir Nighteye. The first thing that Midoriya must to get Nighteye to acknowledge him, though, is to make him laugh. In addition, this is what he sees when he first walks into his office:

Recap

I won’t beat around the bush: I liked this episode. It manages to effectively introduce our newest villain and a major hero in the same episode, as well as give us insight into their characters. If you read the manga, then you know that Overhaul’s Deku’s toughest foe yet. Worse, unlike Tomura, he has a plan that could shake up the world of heroes.

As for Sir Nighteye, I’m looking forward to seeing him in the anime. Despite his stoic appearance, he considers laughter and humor to be one of the biggest weapons a hero can use. Given how nervous Midoriya can be, we know that he’s going to have a hard time with Nighteye. The end results, though, will be worth it. I’m honestly looking forward to seeing this season. In addition, the fact that it’s simuldubbed the same day it comes out in Japan gets my hyped! Go beyond, plus ultra!

I Give “Overhaul” a 4/5.

Also, can we talk about the video Nighteye was watching. Look at all those dislikes!

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