RJ Writing Ink

My Hero Academia: More Review

I’ve been waiting to see this come out for months now, and now that it’s here, it was worth the wait! When My Hero Academia ended last year, we all knew that this wouldn’t be the last time we saw Deku and the heroes of Class 1-A. Heck, thanks to Vigilantes, it wouldn’t even be the last time we would see the world of My Hero Academia, with that being put off until at least next year. But the world of the series is so full of potential for future stories, and months after the manga originally ended, Horikoshi came out with a bonus epilogue chapter to tidy up loose ends. This extra chapter, “More,” has now gotten adapted into an anime special, and I’m thrilled it was more of what fans have wanted, and then some!

Uraraka is Living her Best Life…

It’s been years now since the defeat of All for One, and the students of Classes 1-A and 1-B are all grown up and living the life of Heroes. One of the biggest complaints about the end to the original manga was the fact that we never really got to see the main cast actually go out there and do the work of Pro-Heroes, or what their everyday lives are like. The anime did seek to rectify this with a “where are they now?” montage in the credits to the final episode, but fans wanted more. Horikoshi knew this, which is why he made a bonus chapter aptly titled “More,” which is about how two of our heroes realize that they want more out of their lives. The two heroes in question being Uraraka and Midoriya.

In the first part of the episode, we get to see what Uravity’s job is really like, and it’s so wholesome. She and Froppy took the lessons of Toga to heart and are making sure other kids get the help they need before they crash out. And I won’t lie to you, I was laughing when I saw Lemillion turn his “peachy keen” jokes into a game for the students Uravity and Froppy were helping out. It’s embarrassing, but I think the sheer audacity of it is why Sir Nighteye found Togata so funny.

Plus, it was also super wholesome when Uraraka helped the shy kid win the game and become popular with his classmates. No one deserves to be a loner in life unless they want!

All told, Uraraka seems to be living her best life. However, lately she’s been having the same dreams about the late Himiko Toga. As she confides in Tsuyu, she wonders if some remnant of Toga is trying to tell her something…and she is absolutely right. But more on that later.

And so is Deku…

Next, we have Deku, who remains as humble and modest as ever, even as he’s sinking into the backseat of Bakugo’s cool new car. So, around the time My Hero Academia ended, there were a lot of memes going around about Deku growing up to be a worker at a fast food joint. The whole thing was meant to be a joke about how, now that he was quirkless again, Midoriya’s dream to be a hero was over. Even learning that he had become a teacher during the timeskip didn’t change this, as people saw this as him settling for less. But, as Horikoshi said, and as Deku tells Bakugo and Kirishima, he would’ve become a teacher regardless.

When I was younger, there was a brief time when I considered becoming a teacher. I was never that fond of school, but I thought that trying to guide the next generation was a good thing to do with my life. Too bad society doesn’t see the value in teachers and pay them accordingly. So, I respect Deku for wanting to be a teacher, and I think he’s one of the cool ones.

Also, I loved how Deku inadvertedly shot down Bakugo’s invitation to join him at his agency. The fact that the prideful Bakugo was willing to do that for his rival/friend and got rejected before he had the chance is hilarious!

One Last You Say Run

That brings us to the reunion of Class 1-A, all of whom are enjoying their lives to the fullest. And even better, we get to see them all spring into action to stop a pair of criminals, and it’s glorious. Even after all those years, they haven’t lost any of their teamwork! And that shot of them as a group like they’re the Avengers is just the icing on the cake! This is why I love superheroes so much.

But the fans still want more.

So, we all know just how hard people were shipping Deku and Uraraka together. The two always had this great chemistry and brought out the best in each other, and fans just latched onto this like crazy. Sadly, the manga ended without us ever finding out if they ever became an item. Luckily, Horikoshi knew this, which I think is why he decided to make the extra chapter this special is based on. And while I was never that big on the shipping, I did think DekuXUraraka would be an adorable couple.

More importantly, though, I think that Horikoshi used this to address a problem with superheroes that I have grown to despise: how they never want more for themselves.

It’s Okay for Superheroes to Want More

It all started with Spider-Man: No Way Home, but I think the sentiment had been planted in me for a long time. I saw MCU Spidey get completely and utterly screwed over by the powers-that-be. He had to make the entire world forget about himself as Peter Parker, meaning that he was now utterly alone in a world that didn’t like him. And that was just the straw that broke the camel’s back. Why did Spider-Man have to lose his chance at happiness for the sake of everyone else? I know heroes are supposed to be selfless and self-sacrificing, but that’s not fair. They deserve as much of a chance to be happy as the rest of us; maybe even more so, given how much they do!

Thanks to that, I’m now a believer in letting heroes be a little selfish and want more out of life. And it seems that Horikoshi is of that mindset, as while the rest of 1-A go their separate ways, Uraraka and Deku realize they’re not happy with the way things are now. They want more out of their lives, and to see each other more. And whether it’s really the spirit of Toga or not, Uraraka is inspired to take that leap.

Now that is how you get a ship to set sail! It’s a shame that we not get to see how their relationship plays out, but something tells me that those two are going to be very, very happy together. And the rest of the fans are squeeing in joy at the series OTP coming true! I should know; I’m one of them!

I loved this special. This was a really wholesome way to write an epilogue to the series. I hope that we get to see more of My Hero Academia after Vigilantes ends, because it’s just too good a universe to leave sitting around.

Good thing we still got an OVA coming up! Go beyond, PLUS ULTRA!!

I Give “More” a 5/5

Click here to see more animanga stuff

My Hero Academia S2 Ep 10 Review

We only have a few episodes left of this season of MHA: Vigilantes, and if I’m right, then that means that the arc we’re currently in, the Sky Egg Arc, is the last one. Given how it focuses on the end to Captain Celebrity’s time in Japan, though, it’s ending the season with a bang! I wish I was speaking figuratively, but thanks to the machinations of the Scarred Man, it is very, very literal. CC’s big farewell party is about to put the lives of thousands of civilians and Pro Heroes at risk, and there’s little that Koichi can do to help!

Man, that sucks!

Break in the Case!

The episode opens up with Tsukauchi and Eraser Head’s ongoing investigation into the Villain Factory, and they hit a big break. Thanks to the intel given to them anonymously by Koichi and Pop, they figured out that the dealers and Instant Villains were all tied back to this little-known pharma company. However, Tsukauchi is not happy that they had to rely on the aid of people whose actions are technically illegal. It’s a reminder of how for all their good intentions, Koichi and Pop are operating outside the law. As I’ve said before, and as Eraser and Fat Gum put it, they’re not hurting anyone and are competent at what they do, so they get somewhat of a pass.

Speaking of Fat Gum, he and Monika were brought in to help investigate their target. The latter ends up getting Aizawa to wear disguises to help investigate the company’s employees, much to his dismay. It’s the classic wacky person-straight man routine, and Monika is enjoying every second of it. For added humor, Koichi spots them on patrol, and due to not knowing Monika is a cop, thinks they’re dating. Poor Eraser Head, LOL!

Eventually, though, the investigation has everything it needs to launch a raid. And their deduction was right. They arrive inside to find even more of the Bomber monsters that attacked Captain Celebrity at the Christmas party. Eraser is able to stop them before they explode, but that doesn’t matter much once the Scarred Man uses them to escape. Zero Hour has begun!

CC’s Cringe Moment at his Party

Meanwhile, the farewell party for Captain Celebrity is in full spring at the Sky Egg. Thousands of people are attending, there are plenty of Pro Heroes we recognize from the main series, and Pop and the FeatherHATS all get to perform! And I swear that I saw a cameo of a young Deku and his mom trying to get into the event or get souvenirs!

It’s all fun and enjoyable…except for one cringe moment. Captain Celebrity excitedly shows everyone a photo of his wife and their newborn son to the crowd, and then proceeds to call her in the middle of the performance. His wife is not happy that A.) he woke her up in the middle of the night, and B.) he showed that embarassing photo of her to thousands of strangers.

I didn’t expect to like Captain Celebrity, but I’ve really warmed up to him. Sean Schemmel is not as well known for his roles outside of Goku, and when he does play them, it can be easy to tell he’s voicing them by his voice. But he really managed to do a great job as Captain Celebrity, to the point that I didn’t even know it was him until I looked it up. In addition, while CC can be a typical jock and do stupid things, you can tell that he means well. I get why his wife gets embarrassed by his antics, but it’s hard to stay mad at the goofball. Especially after what happens at the climax of this episode.

Zero Hour Begins!

While Koichi and CC are off during a break in his appearances onstage, they become the only people to see the Scarred Man’s Bombers making flying towards the Sky Egg. Even worse is the fact that their first attack managed to blow Koichi right out of the Sky Egg! If it weren’t for his Quirk, he would be dead! Captain Celebrity is able to stop the dome from tipping over, but, if you’ll recall, his Quirk has its limits. And to make matters worse, one of the Bombers has regenerative powers, meaning it can hit him with explosive punches as many times as needed until he tires out! And this is where the episode ends!

I normally hate cliffhangers, but this was a good stopping point. Captain Celebrity is stuck in an impossible situation. Koichi is in no position to help him. And even if the Pro Heroes know what’s happening, only a few of them are capable of aerial combat. We can’t blame it on Eraser Head and Tsukauchi, though. The Scarred Man was going to hit the Sky Dome whether they raided his hideout or not. Lucky for me, I’m writing this a day before the next episode comes out, so I don’t have to wait for long to find what happens. And I’m looking forward to it!

I Give “Zero Hour” a 4/5

Click here to see more animanga stuff.

My Hero Academia S2 Ep 3 Review

If there’s one benefit that Vigilantes has over My Hero Academia, it’s that its more low-stakes story enables it to focus more on the slice-of-life aspects of being a hero. Most great superheroes at least attempt to have a life outside the costume, and it’s those moments that helped to humanize them. Or, in the case of that mysterious speedster villain, show how far removed they seem to be from humanity as this episode focuses on those ups and downs of the game of heroes and villains.

LOL, All Might is So Adorkable

The episode opens up in what has to be both the most fantastic yet silliest way possible: All Might stopping three giant Kaiju in Okinawa, before leaping back into the sky on his way. Keep in mind, Vigilantes either takes place around or just before the time he and All for One have the fight that almost kills them both, so this is when the hero is still in his relative prime. And he’s as good as we think he was…and just as adorkable when he’s not on duty.

I really liked seeing the meetups between All Might in his civilian guise and Officer Tsukauchi. They have a relationship like Batman and Commissioner Gordon, with Tsukauchi being one of the few who knows who All Might really is. Seeing the hero panic when he sees Tsukauchi’s injuries and sheepishly giving him gifts from grateful citizens is incredibly heartwarming. They are as close as friends can hope to be, and it’s clear it goes both ways. After all, Tsukauchi gives All Might his own gifts and, while not seen in the anime, it’s shown that he handles all the paperwork for the spontaneous acts of heroism that he does. Tsukauchi is a good friend to have in the force.

Or, if you’re Makoto, a big pain. Naomasa knows that his sister knows the real identities of PopStep and the Crawler, and he disapproves of their vigilantism. But Makoto refuses to sell them out. Even worse for him, she’s so smart that if he says the wrong thing, she’ll learn things that are meant to be kept private. For example, using the gift bag he got from All Might, she figures out he knows someone at his agency. That’s incredibly close to the truth, and he can’t afford her getting in over her head!

It still makes what he does next funny, though. He uses the bath salts All Might got for Makoto for himself, and is embarrassed by how nice everyone thinks he smells.

Who is this Guy?

As all this is happening, we see the mysterious speedster who attacked the idol event training and talking to All for One. At the same time, the cops are busy looking for more info on this attacker, and they come to a surprising revelation. As it stands, this attacker’s Quirk is very similar in nature to a hero that hasn’t been heard from in a while: O’Clock. They were also a speedster and part of the last generation of heroes, but they dropped off the face of the earth years ago. This new O’Clock is too young to be the original, and there is the potential for a Quirk to appear twice in different people. However, given how this villain is working for All for One, it’s more likely the Quirk was stolen and given to him. Either way, that’s not good.

Koichi’s New Move

Meanwhile, Koichi and Kazuho resume their vigilante activities as Koichi continues to experiment with his Quirk some more. He already learned he could use Slide and Glide to stick to objects like Spider-Man, but in this episode, he learns a power that not even Spidey has. He can use his Quirk to fire propulsion blasts from his palms like he’s Iron Man! At first, he’s happy to find something that can help fight offensively, and is eager to show off to Kazuho. As soon as he does, though, he breaks one of his windows. Which is something that Knuckleduster would do, not him.

They both agree that the power is too great.

Don’t Be Like Knuckleduster

It’s nice to see how even though they both miss Knuckleduster, they haven’t forgotten about his faults. Well-meaning as he might have been, Knuckleduster was still a very uncouth, violent, and inconsiderate guy who roped them into this life against their will. Neither of them wants to be like him, and so they use him as an image of what not to be. As Koichi puts it, he’s still teaching them something even after leaving. It’s funny, but still sweet.

There wasn’t a lot of action going on in this episode, but I don’t think that that’s necessarily a bad thing. Like I said, the lowkey stakes means that the show can focus more on the everyday lives of the characters. And one thing I’ve learned about writing a good Shonen manga is that the supporting cast needs time to grow. That way, they can support the main protagonist so they don’t have to carry the story. The next episode, though, looks to be focusing more on one of the coolest characters in the franchise, Eraser Head. Considering how he’s like another Batman for MHA, I’m looking forward to learning more about him. Go beyond, PLUS ULTRA!!!

I Give “Public and Private” a 3/5

Click here to see more animanga stuff.

My Hero Academia Final Season Series Finale Review

This is it, everyone. After almost ten years, eight seasons, and four movies, we’ve made it to the end of the main series of My Hero Academia. However, this won’t be the end of the franchise as a whole, for reasons that I will go over later. It is, however, the end of the story of how Deku and his friends became the world’s greatest heroes.

With all of that said, I think I would like to just get into the final episode and see how it compares to the final chapter, as I know that the anime added a few things that made the ending, which was a bit controversial, a lot more palatable.

Another Shigaraki? NOT ON OUR WATCH!!

The final episode opens up on the best note possible: showing us that society has learned from the mistakes it made with Shigaraki. We see a new character, a boy whose Quirk led him to be abused and imprisoned by his family, only to escape thanks to the chaos of the war. As he’s walking around and seeing everyone happy and smiling, he’s on the verge of crashing out and becoming another Shigaraki. Then suddenly, an old woman, the same one that turned away from Tenko Shimura when he needed it, steps in to help him. She has no idea that that boy she didn’t help became Shigaraki, and likely never will. However, she’s regretted what she failed to do, and seeing what Midoriya did has made her want to step up and make the same mistake twice. And thanks to that, a potential villain will never come to pass.

I loved this moment in the manga, and I love it just as much in the anime, and the anime makes it better by having placed alongside a conversation between Hawks and All Might about the future of how heroes fit in society. As most people who have followed the story by now have realized, a society where superheroes are real has left everyday people complacent. When they see something bad happen, they aren’t willing to step up, thinking someone else will. But the problem is that when everyone thinks like that, no one ever will step up. Not even heroes can solve all these problems on their own. Heroes had become a reality, but in doing so, they lost sight of what it means to be a real hero, until Midoriya reminded them of that. And it seems like that lesson has begun to stick.

All Might sums it up pretty well: instead of a single Symbol of Peace, there can now be many Symbols of Peace. If everyone helps each other out, then the world will be all the better for it. And as the timeskip shows, that little boy ends up becoming a student at UA, under none other than our own hero.

An Extended Look at What Came Next

In the manga, we only managed to get a single page covering everything that happened in the rest of Midoriya’s time at UA, but in the anime, that gets extended into several minutes worth of time. We see the pro heroes returning to work, Bakugo undergoing rehab, and Class A planning their futures. We see Spinner got his book published and it looks to sell well. And most importantly, we get to see the class have their graduation ceremony. It’s a very touching and emotional moment as we see the people we’ve come to know and love as they head out into the world. And of course, Bakugo makes a big show of things!

But, while Deku did manage to graduate and get his license as a pro hero, it’s a bittersweet feeling. By the time he graduates, the last embers of One for All are gone. Considering how fast All Might used up his own embers, though, it’s impressive that Midoriya managed to hold onto them for two more years. That must have taken a lot of willpower and concentration on his part.

And so, we cut to eight years later, when everyone is all grown up.

Everyone’s Living their Best Lives

Like in the manga, we get snippets of what everyone in the cast are up to. And the world has changed for the better as we see a class of middle school students talking about their plans for high school. Whereas everyone in Deku and Bakugo’s class wanted to be heroes, others are saying they want to work in other professions, like becoming a doctor or working with Mei Hatsume or at La Brava’s cyber company (good on her!) The point is that heroes are not as needed as much anymore, with heroes finding new ways to help beyond fighting crime as the U.A. students make a splash. But there’s one kid who still wants to be a hero, and like a certain boy before him, he has his own fateful encounter.

Without his powers, Midoriya is Quirkless once more, meaning he hasn’t been able to do hero work despite having his liscence. Instead, he’s become a teacher at U.A., helping the next generation on their path. It’s poetic, if you ask me. Deku knows more about heroes and what jt means to be one, and like All Might before him, he’s there to encourage another youth to aspire to become a hero. It’s fun to see him in All Might’s position with someone younger than him. He may not have powers, but in his own way, he’s still able to be a hero. And most importantly, he’s passing that dream onto others as My Hero Academia comes to an end…is what you’d THINK!!

DEKU IS BACK BABY!!

I’ve heard rumors that Horikoshi initially planned to end the series with Midoriya losing his powers for good, and leaving it at that. While that would have been poetic in some fashion, I’m glad that he realized that this would end up making a lot of fans mad. I’ve already said it, but it seemed unfair that Midoriya would have to give up on his own dream to save the world; it’s not something that he deserves. And thank heavens, he chose to rewrite the ending. And thanks to the research done with the suit All Might wore in the final war and the funding of Bakugo and his old classmates, Midoriya gets a second lease on being a hero: his own armored suit.

I already knew this thanks to a lifetime of Marvel and DC, but you don’t need powers to be a superhero. Sometimes all you need is a cool suit of armor and training, like Batman and Iron Man. And so, the series truly comes to an end as we see Midoriya, after eight years of retirement, gets to live out his dream. Deku, the One for All Hero, soars once more!

What makes the ending even better, though, is the credits.

The Credits Really Cinched it for My Hero Academia

A big criticism of the final chapter of My Hero Academia is that we only got snippets of what Class A was up to after becoming pro heroes. It wasn’t until later that we even knew where most of them ranked on the Hero Chart! But in what has to be the best improvement the anime makes to the finale, the final credits are a montage showing where everyone is now and what they are doing. It’s glorious. We get to see everyone live their best lives, and their futures are all bright.

This is a much better way to end My Hero Academia, and one that almost brings a tear to my eye. But thankfully, this isn’t the end. There’s still one last chapter that Horikoshi wrote to wrap up another loose end, and it’s getting its own special episode this spring. In addition, this ain’t the end of our time in the MHA universe. As of right now, the second season of the prequel/spin-off, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes has started to air, so we can still enjoy that. Plus, since this is a world about superheroes and powers, who’s to say that we won’t get any more spin-offs in the future? The point is that while the original series is over, I doubt this is the last time we’ll see Deku and the others. And if it is, then it was one heck of a ride. Hopefully, this series inspires someone else to write a hit Shonen series in the future. So, until that day, be kind to everyone, help out where you can, and go beyond, PLUS ULTRA!  

I Give “My Hero Academia” a 5/5

Click here to see more animanga stuff.

My Hero Academia Final Season Ep 10 Review

We are at the penultimate episode of My Hero Academia, and the show is wasting no time in wrapping things up with its cast. I already know what’s going to happen since I read the manga ahead of time, but it’s still nice to get to see everything play out in the anime. Whereas the last episode more or less focused on the heroes of the story, this episode shifts our attention to the villains. As I’ve said before, I think one of the best aspects of MHA was its willingness to humanize its villains. While All for One could be seen as your generic ultimate supervillain, a lot of the supporting villains were people that society failed, and thus had genuine reasons to hate it. More importantly, they were the kind of villains who inspire the heroes to change things to prevent it from happening again or being forgotten.

Former Villains Get to go Free…Except Overhaul

The episode opens up on a very positive note, as we see Gentle Criminal and La Brava reuniting. Having stepped up to help the heroes in the Final War, the two get full pardons and are free to live their lives. And, honestly, they deserve it. They’re not bad, and without them, Deku wouldn’t have been able to defeat Shigaraki. Even better, the entire world now knows how they were overlooked and will not make the same mistake twice. They deserve to live a happy future.

In addition to Gentle and La Brava earning their freedom, another villain gets a full pardon: Lady Nagant. Though calling her a villain isn’t very accurate. She was a woman who was taken advantage of by those in charge to do morally questionable actions, and when she hit her breaking point, she got locked up for it. With the former president of the Hero Commission dead, though, Hawks is now in charge, and he’s working to ensure nothing like that happens again. Nagant, though, chooses to stay behind bars. She doesn’t want to leave until she knows that society really has changed thanks to Deku. That, and she’s getting free food and lodgings.

There is one villain who doesn’t get a happy ending, though, and that’s Overhaul. The former Yakuza is back behind bars while his old boss, Eri’s grandfather, is awake. As expected, he’s furious over the hell Overhaul put Eri through for nothing, with the Yakuza finished thanks to him. He’ll be spending the rest of his life behind bars and forced to reflect on what he did, and hopefully, Eri will never see his face again. And after what he did to Eri and killing Nighteye, that’s the best ending he could hope to get. Some people deserve to be forgotten, just like there are those who shouldn’t be, no matter how bad they are, like Shigaraki.

Spinner, I Would Totally Read your Book

Now that Shigaraki is dead, the public is already trying to judge him for his actions, as the episode contains news footage of people offering their two cents about him. Some are glad he’s gone, others think what happened to him was tragic and pity him, and others say they shouldn’t pity him. However, none of them got to know Shigaraki as a person, or know what he went through, so it’s not like their opinions are wholly accurate. Part of this episode, though, focuses on two people who did actually know him: Deku and Spinner.

Spinner survived the War, and thanks to the research on Nomu, doctors were able to stop him from turning into one. Now that he’s behind bars, all Spinner can do is mourn the loss of Shigaraki, the first friend that he ever had. That’s when Deku comes to visit him and gives him Shigaraki’s last message: to the very end, he kept trying to destroy everything. He died trying to be a hero to the villains until the moment he died.

I always liked that notion of being a hero to the villains. It sounds like an oxymoron, but what it means is that Shigaraki wanted to be a hero to those that society had turned its back on or failed. As My Hero Academia has repeatedly shown, this world of heroes has managed to fail a lot of people who needed help the most, leading them to lash out as villains. Dabi, Twice, Toga, Spinner, and Shigaraki were all the results of a failed system, and I don’t think people should be so quick to judge them. After all, can these people say they could go through what they went through and not crash out over it?

Ultimately, Spinner decides he’s going to write a book on the story of Shigaraki, something that Deku encourages. Neither of them wants Shigaraki’s life to be forgotten, lest another Shigaraki or All for One rise in the future. As a fan of stories like Wicked, I think that what Spinner’s planning is a good idea. If it were a real book, I know that I would buy a copy for myself. If anything, it would make sure the heroes learned a lesson from Shigaraki’s life.

Uraraka, Live your Best Life for Toga

And with that, we have one final story to wrap up: the story of Urakaka and Toga.

Uraraka almost gave her life in the war to get through to Toga, and it was thanks to her that the Sad Man’s Parade was stopped. Fortunately, Uraraka managed to pull through thanks to Toga giving her her blood. Unfortunately, this final act cost the young villainess her own life, something that continues to haunt Uraraka.

Uraraka has tried to put on a brave face and act like nothing’s wrong, but inside, she’s heartbroken over Toga’s death. She regrets how things had to come to this, how she failed to help her when she needed it most, and how the world pushed Toga to become a villain. And now Uraraka’s, ironically, doing the same thing that Toga did: putting on a smile to keep people from knowing she’s suffering inside. But unlike Toga, Uraraka isn’t alone when she needs it the most.

Deku and Uraraka have a heart-to-heart at the place they spoke before the war, and he opens up about how much she means to him. She was the first friend he made at UA, the first one to believe in him, and when he tried to push everyone away, she stepped up for him. She’s one of the strongest people he knows, and he refuses to let her wallow in regret. Because as much as heroes have to give people hope, they’re still human. And even a hero needs help every now and then. And thankfully, Uraraka has her entire class there to help her.

The Best Heroes are the Most Human

This is honestly such a sweet lesson about what it means to be a hero. As much as we like to see them as these infallible figures, Horikoshi understands that the best heroes are still human, and there’s only so much us humans can do on our own. When we are struggling or suffering, we want help. And if we don’t get it, we risk giving in to despair and hurting the people around us. That’s as true for this anime as it is in real life, and that’s one thing that I’ve loved about My Hero Academia. It’s not just a power fantasy about being a hero. It’s about what it means to truly be a hero, and that means stepping up even when it seems scary.

And now, we are at the end of the story. The next episode is the last one. So, one last time, let’s go beyond, PLUS ULTRA!

I Give “The Girl Who Loves Smiles” a 4/5

Click here to see more animanga stuff.

My Hero Academia Final Season Ep 9 Review

Well, the heroes did it! They won! They beat All for One, Shigaraki, and the League of Villains. Deku and his friends are the heroes who saved the world. But just because the war is over doesn’t mean that everything will go back to normal. In fact, for some people, things will never be normal again. The war has scarred them too deeply for that to be possible. With the climax of My Hero Academia over, now comes the falling action and then the epilogue. And much like how it was in the manga, I cannot help but feel like the anime didn’t do as good a job as it could have.

To be fair, though, the Naruto manga never really dealt with the aftermath of its final arc. The next chapter just skipped straight to the epilogue.

Bakugo’s…not Happy about Deku Losing his Powers

With the death of All for One and Shigaraki, the final war against the greatest villains in history is over. Now comes the harder part: cleaning up everything. The fighting between the heroes and villains tore up huge chunks of Japan, so there’s going to be a lot of rebuilding to do. Thankfully, a practical perk of living in a world where superpowers are the norm is that it doesn’t take long to start rebuilding. Japan will be back on its feet in no time.

Sadly, the same cannot be said for the heroes. Many of them are scarred, both mentally and physically, some even permanently, like Hawks. Others like Bakugo are facing a protracted period of physical therapy to make up for the injuries they suffered. Bakugo even refuses to get a prosthetic arm since he needs them intact for his Quirk to work. Everyone knows that he’ll be fine, though…at least, physically. Emotionally, though, he’s devastated by the toll the war extracted. Not on him, but on Deku.

Given how badly Bakugo reacts to learning that Izuku sacrificed One for All, I think Horikoshi was using him to voice the fans he knew would be upset by this. I should know, as I was one of them! I understand why he had to do it to save Shigaraki’s soul (which he did), but it still felt unfair. Without a Quirk, he wouldn’t be able to be a hero for much longer. His dream was now over! Just when Bakugo was getting used to the idea of the two of them pushing each other to the top, this happened to them. I mean, everyone knows that Deku is a hero, but this means that the actual profession is beyond him.

Still, this is a small price to pay compared to what a family like the Todoroki’s have endured.

The End of Endeavor

The Final War had plenty of moments where each of the main cast got to shine, but out of all of them, I think one of the best were the ones with the Todoroki family. The reveal that Dabi was the brother and son they thought long-dead almost destroyed the family. But at the same time, it drove them to come together as an actual family for the first time to stop Toya. Now they all bear the scars of that fight, and they’re never going to fully heal.

Endeavor officially retires as a Hero. Not because he lost an arm, but because he doesn’t feel deserving of being one after everything he did to his family. His other son makes it clear he’s cutting all ties with him, which, while sad, is understandable. Not everyone can forgive someone even after they start making amends.

As for Toya himself, he somehow managed to survive his attempts to go nuclear. His injuries are so great, though, that his death is inevitable; the most the doctors can do is slow it down by keeping him asleep most of the day. Despite this, the Todoroki’s still reach out to him. It’s touching to see how much they care about Toya, even after everything he’s done. But they’re doing it because they want to make peace with Toya before the end; otherwise, they will never find peace.

A Celebration Overdue

The war is over, but scars have yet to heal. Yet all is not doom and gloom. The Big 3 of UA High are able to have their overdue graduation ceremony, much to everyone’s joy. Knowing them and how amazing they each are, they’ll be in the top ten heroes of Japan right off the bat. They deserve it for how amazing they were in the final war. As for Aoyama, while everyone at UA chooses to forgive him for being All for One’s unwilling spy, he still chooses to leave UA, wanting to atone on his own terms. The plus side is that Shinso will be joining the Hero Course alongside Class A. Too bad that we will never get to see how he fits in with everyone because the series is ending.

I really wish that the anime had decided to extend this epilogue for a few more episodes. Maybe build on everything that the cast went through in a way that the manga couldn’t. At the same time, though, I’m grateful that we managed to get what we did, knowing we could have gotten nothing. It evens out, and to its credit, the final chapters are pretty good at being emotional. Come back tomorrow and you’ll hopefully see what I mean as we go beyond, PLUS ULTRA!

I Give “Epilogue: The Hellish Todoriki Family” a 4/5

Click here to see more animanga stuff.

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

Click here to see more animanga stuff.

My Hero Academia Final Season Ep 7 Review

I’ve said it once, and I will say it again: All for One is the Devil. From the moment he was born, he did nothing but use his incredible powers to make everyone else miserable. He ruined countless lives , and like so many others, I cheered when I saw Bakugo put an end to him. Yet, it turns out that Horikoshi wasn’t willing to let him go out like the chump that he is. Because, somehow, All for One not only managed to cheat death, but he robbed Shigaraki of any agency he might have had as a villain. It’s like watching what Sidious did to Ben Solo in Star Wars, except being an anime doesn’t make it better.

Deku’s Resolve

After throwing the entirety of One for All against the mental barriers that Shigaraki put up for himself, Deku managed to break through to the core of his being, Tenko Shimura. Like Nana, he was horrified to see how badly Tenko’s father treated him, with Nana regretting ever having to leave her son alone. His hatred had turned Tenko into Shigaraki, and had caused so much pain and suffering. The most she can do is help her son from beyond the grave by apologizing.

Then comes the big moment where Deku has to prove that everything he was saying about Shigaraki was true. He endures the full weight of Tomura’s unimaginable hatred for everything, but he still refuses to yield. And despite how much he denies it, Shigaraki knows that what he’s doing isn’t who he is as a person. Deep down, he’s still the same kid who wanted to become a Hero when he grew up. He even acknowledges the fact that he wanted to become a Hero for the villains. Someone that people who gave up on the world could admire. No matter what he says, Tenko Shimura would not die. It’s a pretty emotional moment where Midoriya finally gets through to Tenko Shimura. If this were any other story, this could end up being the end of things.

But this is where I feel like Horikoshi’s love of another franchise comes into play in the worst way possible. And it may arguably be an even bigger gripe about the finale than Deku having to sacrifice One for All. Somehow, All for One returns.

Somehow, All for One Returned

Now, the return of All for One from within Tenko’s mind is some evil deus ex machina. It had already been established that Shigaraki had suppressed his master’s Quirk Vestige through his sheer hatred. Once Deku mentally broke his will to keep being evil, All for One was able to reassert himself. That in and of itself wasn’t what I take issue with. It’s the big reveal of what the villain did to Tenko and his family:

• He stole Tenko’s real Quirk as a baby and gave him the defective version of Decay
• He befriended Kotaro Shimura to poison his mind against heroes

In other words, All for One destroyed the Shimura family and ruined Tenko’s life all so he could mold him into his perfect weapon. Everything bad that happened to Shimura was because of him.

All for One!!!

On the one hand, it’s almost impressive to see just how much of a hater All for One is. My headcanon is that he chose to do this to Nana’s family out of petty spite for her and her ideals. On the other hand, I hate this plot twist because it robs Tomura Shigaraki of any agency he might have had. It turns him from someone who was forged by the choices he made and those around him made into another pawn of the true villain. This is the exact same thing that happened in The Rise of Skywalker, and while I love the Star Wars franchise to death, I think that that wasnt a good movie. It was rushed, changed things up without any foreshadowing, and could have been better written. If Horikoshi was using it as the basis for this, then I think he could have done better.

The Cavalry Has Arrived

So, Deku is now down both arms, stuck with the embers of One for All, and unable to keep fighting. Thankfully, this is the moment in comics and other great stories where the cavalry comes charging in. And my god, what a glorious cavalry it is. All of Midoriya’s classmates still able to fight show up. His teacher’s show up. Any Heroes left in Japan show up using Kurogiri’s warp ability. Even better, Eraser-Head uses Eri’s horn to restore Deku’s arms, giving him the chance to fight again. And this is where the episode leaves us as we head into the real final battle of the series.

I may not like some of the story decisions that Horikoshi made with the finale, and seeing it again in anime form only reinforces this belief. However, when he wants to do a finale, he understands the assignment and delivers on it. It’s time for everyone to go beyond, PLUS ULTRA!

I Give “From Aizawa” a 4/5

Click here to see more animanga stuff.

My Hero Academia Final Season Ep 6 Review

It all comes down to this. Deku has one chance to stop Shigaraki. By transferring One for All into Shigaraki, he can break through to the core of his mental self and do what he promised: save him. It’s the last hope that the world has, and despite knowing what will happen, I was still at the edge of my proverbial seat watching this! If anyone can reach Tenko Shimura, it’s Izuku Midoriya!!

The Whole World is Watching Deku

The final round between Deku and Shigaraki begins in the most epic way possible, with neither holding anything back. Deku knows that he’s at a disadvantage thanks to losing Danger Sense, but he’s had it for far longer than Shigaraki has. Like Spider-Man’s Spider-Sense, it has its flaws and gaps. Combined with his incredible knowledge of Quirks as a whole, and Deku is able to outsmart Shigaraki. In the fight between brains and brawn, brains often come out on top.

The fight between Izuku and Tomura is not going unnoticed, either. The entire world is watching Deku fight for his life against the monstrous Shigaraki. The anime makes it a point to extend the scenes where the Heroes are recovering and evacuating the flying coffin. In particular, I liked how we see Kaminari bursting into tears because he’s worried that some part of him fears Izuku Midoriya won’t be able to win. I felt that. No matter how much I want things to be all right, there’s always that little bit of annoying doubt in my head that won’t shut up. The only thing we can do is make sure we can’t hear it.

It’s even worse for the kids like Eri and Kota. They desperately want to help Izuku out somehow, but they can’t do anything. All anyone who isn’t fighting can do is pray. The actual fight is nothing short of epic, though, like something out of an AAA video game. When this is all over, I doubt that there won’t be a person in the world who doesn’t know who Izuku Midoriya is.

Seeing Shigaraki’s Memories First-Hand

I really like the fact that as Deku forces One for All into Shigaraki, their memories start to become all jumbled together. They both see how each others lives have gone, and how their choices have led them to be who they are now, and I think it’s great from an artistic standpoint. Eventually, though, we see that Deku manages to force most of One for All into Shigaraki, giving him the breach he needs to enter the core of Shigaraki’s mind. The only vestige left is, fittingly, Nana Shimura, Tomura’s grandmother and the one with the closest connection to him.

Nana, You Shouldn’t Have Said Goodbye like That

Despite knowing how much of a threat her grandson has become, I’ve always thought that there was a part of Nana that wanted to save Tenko as much as Izuku does. So getting to see her see her son’s home up close is a very emotional moment. A moment that only gets more emotional when Izuku and Nana see the memory that gave birth to Shigaraki: his dad beating him.

Nana, I know you left your son up for adoption to protect him, but you still really screwed up. You should have better explained why you had to leave him, and that it wasn’t because you didn’t love him anymore. If you had, then a lot of terrible things could have been stopped. Of course, there are more guilty parties at work.

Even after all this time, I still don’t know how to entirely feel about the ending to My Hero Academia. I think that it could’ve been better written at certain points, but I still think that Horikoshi did the best with what he created. But now, it’s time to finish this. One last time, Izuku Midoriya need to go beyond, PLUS ULTRA!!

I Give “Wrench it Open, Izuku Midoriya” a 4/5

Click here to see more animanga stuff.

My Hero Academia Final Season Ep 2 Review

Back when the My Hero Academia manga was still running, a big question was about the fate of All Might: would he live or would he die? Sir Nighteye’s Quirk had him convinced that the hero would die if he continued down his path. However, he had said the same about Deku during the fight with Overhaul, and Deku proved him wrong. There were, in fact, moments in the final battle where I thought All Might wasn’t going to make it. They had been building throughout his fight with All for One, but it was at this point that the fears really hit their peak. All for One is just that strong a villain!

Stain Goes Out Like a Badass

This entire episode can be summed in one answer: All Might keeps getting lucky breaks. By this point, his armor and AI are both spent. He’s used up every trick in the book, and he knows that continuing to fight will lead to his death. But being who he is, he keeps on fighting anyway to buy Midoriya more time. He keeps gambling on All for One’s hatred for him overriding his sense of urgency to distract him, but even that has a limit. However, that’s when he gets the first of several breaks when Stain jumps in to save him.

Stain is not a good person, by any stretch of the imagination. He hates evil as much as most heroes do, but he was so jaded by people becoming heroes for fame and fortune that he thought the only solution was to kill the fakes. But despite his twisted nature, he does believe in heroes, and will applaud when he sees people being truly heroic. Plus, when All Might was doubting himself, it was Stain who gave him the pep talk he needed. Stain is not a good person, and he knows that he’s going to Hell when he dies. But that’s not going to stop him from helping the heroes one last time.

I won’t lie when I that I loved how Stain managed to turn the tables on All for One, however briefly it might have been. Conversely, I was equally saddened to see this final gambit fail, and end with All for One killing Stain. The man may have been a killer, but I still respected his belief in true heroism. And dying at the hands of the biggest villain in the story is a pretty good way to go out of this life.

Bakugo Comes in to Save the Day!

Despite no longer being in any shape to fight, All Might refuses to take the L. And thankfully, All for One’s ego compels him to drag the hero with him just so he can show off his broken body to the world. Once again, that almost costs All for One as it gives him another opening to try and take him out. Unfortunately, that also doesn’t work. And neither does the last-minute save by Star and Stripes squadron. For a minute, it actually looks like All Might might die, with even the episode title grimly noting this is the end of an era.

But then, we get a deus ex machina. Bakugo re-enters the fray.

Some fans have taken issue with how Horikoshi initially chose to end MHA, and part of it is how Bakugo escaped certain death. It looked like Bakugo was going to die when Shigaraki ran him through, and had he done so, that would have been legendary. I’m happy that he survived, but I also don’t like how it takes away the emotional weight of what happened. However, what he ends up doing next will more than make up for it. Trust me when I say that what happens next is Bakugo’s finest moment.

Then again, the next episode is already out, so I don’t need you to trust me. I would like to end things, though, by mentioning how much I love the final ED for the series. It’s a recollection of the entire series in notebook form, and I think that it’s the perfect way to encapsulate the series. It’s come so far after all these years. Go beyond, PLUS ULTRA!

I Give “The End of an Era, and the Beginning” a 4/5

Click here to see more animanga stuff.