My Hero Academia [WSJ]

[Makoeyes987]

Yeah, All Might back in Kamino Ward barely was able to overcome a weakened All for One, and he only managed that by sacrificing all of the residual energy from his passed on quirk.

That fight was incredible but it definitely was the sunset of Toshinori's career as a superhero. I can't imagine Stars and Stripes holding that much potential or power; like she could be strong as hell (a lot of the Japanese Pro-Heroes are) but Shigaraki is literally on another level. I can't imagine her holding that level of power nevermind anything close to One or All Might in his weakened state. She'll put up a fight and that's it.

This chapter was such a typical shonen jobber moment. I feel like I'm watching Vegeta make a debut here.

 

[null]

I think you just like the word jobber. Ok, she's gonna job so hard Genos will blush!

 

[null]

Spoiler

New Order is absolutely DISGUSTING. With the possible exception of Rewind, this has to be the most powerful single quirk in the world right now. Imagine if Star had a little more creativity instead of arrogantly invading AllForRaki's personal space. I bet he'll tap the full potential of the quirk, like Lex Luthor getting the Flash's powers, and everyone realizing how dangerous this jobber could have been.

 

[Makoeyes987]

Like, this is sadly what I expected to happen to her

However, I do think it's pretty awesome she's the little girl from the beginning of the first MHA film, Two Heroes. That's such a cool nod. So cute that she was inspired like that and turned into such a badass.

I think what's really horrifying and concerning about this chapter is... Tomura is essentially being absorbed and erased from existence. His consciousness is being devoured by All for One in the most horrific looking Junji Ito inspired panels I've seen in this manga, yet.

It blows my mind how varied Horikoshi's style can be. He can change his art style so wildly it really makes it feel like he can channel other artists and genres in the same work at once. Pretty damn awesome. Anyways, All for One is doing exactly what he said he would do, and Tomura's darkness is feeding him. Tomura was internally screaming and fighting against being a puppet during the tail end of the war. But that's what he's going to be now. He's going to be replaced and rewritten. Pretty sad and fucked up how his trauma and desire for revenge led him to this, but it feels like they are totally working towards a redemption/saving moment between him and Izuku. I think he'll be saved somehow, shonen style, but it won't be for awhile.

And just.... I loved this chapter, it was really badass and horrifying at once. I would love if Stars and Stripes comes out of this alive. But I would be very surprised if she somehow kept her Quirk and/or lived. She either dies and she uses New Order to prevent her Quirk from being stolen, or she lives but loses it all. I dunno how she gets out of this situation the same way she came in it. This whole moment is about hyping and raising the threat of Shigaraki/AfO so.... New characters don't get to go home. They go to hell

 

[Makoeyes987]

How the fuck are the My Hero fans not talking about this??

I'm gonna say this. Horikoshi definitely knows how American foreign policy works.

Because we would 100% go it it alone with our broke as fuck superhero, and decide to just unilaterally attack Japan's most dangerous villain with deadly force and fucking nukes.

Reckless as hell. And Japan just has to take it. I'm trying to not get attached to Star and Stripe, but she really is badass, cute and just endearing. Especially knowing her origin.

It's gonna suck so bad when she loses that quirk.

Not sure what the lengthened hair means for Shigaraki(?). Gotta love how AfO is the one in control but there's still enough residual Tomura (maybe even Tenko) to make him just... This composite mass of conflicted identities. I wonder what importance that will play, aside from screwing over Team America, lol

 

[null]

I think the importance of Tenko is that Class 1A can Naruto-talk him the way they did with Deku. Because there's basically absolutely positively no fucking way to conventionally kill AFO.

Yeah Star gets better with every chapter. Gotta rearrange my top 10 again, just like when Lady Nagant showed up.

Also, enter AGPAR. It's a trap!

 

[Makoeyes987]

Holy fucking shit.

Star and Stripe went out like a fucking boss. That's one way to take out an unkillable freak.

From the inside.

Horikoshi managed to still surprise even in the face of the obviously telegraphed jobbing she was going to do. I'm impressed.

What's extremely amusing is seeing All for One actually sweating and no longer in control. An exploitation of his quirk's weakness of only being able to take and give is pretty interesting. He's losing his stockpile the longer he holds onto New Order.

What a monkeypaw'd wish.... Obtaining the most powerful reality bending quirk, only for it to be boobytrapped and carrying the non-diffused vestige of it's wielder, determined to destroy you from the inside.

Fucking loving this. Looks like their game of Hot Potato isn't over after all. Here's hoping AFO suffers more before he manages to pass it on.

 

[null]

Can't he just, like, change the rule or something? Guess it's hard to talk when your quirks are getting pwned by a body builder.

Fuck it! I'm pumped! Let's hear it for the USAAAAAAAA

 

[Makoeyes987]

This is now the official theme for the late hero Stars and Stripe. 100% fitting for her and her battle

SHE FEARS NO VILLAIN.

FIGHT FOR WHAT'S RIGHT. FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE.

 

[Lulcielid]

S&S description:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1459918174682550282

 

[null]

Spoiler

I did not see the traitor coming

 

[Odysseus]

Kind of a resounding "meh" on that reveal lol.

 

[Makoeyes987]

I mean, they've hinted at them being the traitor since the start. It shouldn't be that surprising because the clues have been there. I'm quite pleased I was right in that assumption (although, I will admit that I thought the plotline was discarded given how long it's been since it's mention.) But they were always suspicious. Now there's finally pay off.

Spoiler: The signs were there

Toru is the only character who's quirk has never been formally revealed/explained in a chapter's end or anime eyecatch. This is also very strange when combined with the fact that while her quirk comes off as a heteromorph quirk (one that can't be turned off) she seemingly is able to refract light, redirect it and even intensify it (like a quirk of the emitter class). There's a very strong possibility her quirk isn't invisibility, but something to do with light manipulation and she only makes herself invisible by choice.

Toru was conveniently absent the day Shigaraki broke the security of UA. Furthermore, who would have given him the information necessary to know All Might was teaching there?

Toru is also conveniently missing during the carnage of the summer forest training arc. We have no idea where she was or what she was doing then.

Toru was the one who recommended Class 1-A go to the mall after final exams, which was conveniently where Shigaraki was waiting to "talk" to Izuku.

Toru didn't have anything to say in terms of reaching out to Izuku during the emotional scene where all of Class 1-A tried to get him to return back to UA.

Like, Horikoshi set it up. I don't really finding it surprising because they've come across as suspicious and purposefully left on the side for a reason. Now we see why.

 

[null]

Oh it’s not surprising at all. I’ve been waiting years to make that pun!

 

[Makoeyes987]

Aside from that reveal,

Spoiler: Regarding All for One and Tomura

I find it very interesting how All For One calls Shigaraki his "other self."

It now seems the cat's out of the bag with everyone regarding his real intentions with Shigaraki amongst the villains.

Not only that, but either Shigaraki can no longer resist this subsumption of his consciousness by AfO anymore, or he simply no longer cares. It's very interesting that he doesn't even try to resist him or treat him any differently now.

It's like an exhibition of the dynamics of abusive and toxic relationships. Tomura clearly knows now just how dangerous and malicious his relationship with AfO is, but he no longer even has the will to leave. He's been brought under submission. Not only that, but it's like a toxic relationship where he may just decide that the risks are worth the pay off, which is him gaining the necessary power to be able to enact his "dream" of destroying everything he hates. Which is essentially everything.

So it doesn't matter if being with AfO results in him being made into a puppet or vessel. As long as he gets to have power and destroy, it's worth it. He may have fought it before but now? It's like it's too late and he doesn't care.

However, we know that some small, miniscule part of him does care. Because, thanks to Stars and Stripes ripping and tearing at All for One and Shigaraki's fused consciousness, deep inside of him, lies the Tenko part of his consciousness, which is being smothered by hands and clearly hoping for a hero to save him.

That's quite a sad yet meaningful glimmer of hope regarding Tomura's overall personality. There's actually a tiny spec of light in the darkness that is his heart and mind. And it's hoping to be saved.

 

[Makoeyes987]

WELL ACTUALLY

Spoiler: The traitor subplot

It turns out Aoyama was the traitor!

So basically, Toru was a massive red herring. It was gonna either be Aoyama or Toru but I thought Aoyama's weird suspiciousness was the red herring. I mean, he fucking has a belly button laser. How the hell could he be a traitor?

LOL well played Horikoshi. Well played.

You know, last year at the MHA art exhibit there was apparently a suspicious looking artwork with Aoyama, but again. Some thought it was a red herring. It was too obvious! But there you go.

Being blackmailed by the strongest supervillain on Earth would make anyone a traitor.

But.

How fucked up is it that All For One gave Aoyama a goddamn belly button laser quirk that gives him diarrhea? That's the best he could do with all those quirks he stockpiled?? If I were Aoyama's parents I'd have said, "Come on All For One, don't do my baby dirty like this. You can give him better, I'm gonna end up owing you for life, so can't I get my baby something top tier please? Make it eye lasers, at least. WHY THE BELLY BUTTON??"

And then he laughs evilly and waves goodbye.

Anyways, this reveal exemplifies what Sherlock Holmes once said; "so overt, it's covert."

Also, reason #213 why Bakugo is fucking awesome. His nickname for All For One is "ole' nutsack face."

 

[null]

We got bamboozled! Well, some people did call it.

Spoiler

Another wet noodle traitor reveal ? After years of buildup, can't they at least get caught in the act? Not have Deku randomly decide to stroll into the forest alone?

And nice flag Kaminari. Now Gigantomachia is gonna step on Tsuyu or some shit.

 

[Makoeyes987]

To be fair, wasn't it Toru who grabbed Deku to go see? Talk about caught in the act though, lol

 

[Odysseus]

LET'S LOUDLY DISCUSS HOW YOU ARE THE TRAITOR IN THE WOODS, SON.

 

[Ryeleigh]

Oh, so the traitor was from

Spoiler

1-a

?

 

[Makoeyes987]

Oh, so the traitor was from

Spoiler

1-a

?

Yes.

LET'S LOUDLY DISCUSS HOW YOU ARE THE TRAITOR IN THE WOODS, SON.

Don't you just love conversations that are just full of contextual exposition? Makes following it so much easier

 

[Odysseus]

Honestly that was some of the clunkiest exposition I've ever read lol.
"As you know, son, you are a spy working for *main antagonist* because we owe him a debt for giving you a quirk!"

 

[Makoeyes987]

At least we know where they get their awkwardness from

Imagine living through life speaking like you're in a story.

Spoiler

Also, if you think about it... Aoyama's strange habit of always looking at the viewer during every scene he's in, now sorta makes sense. It's like some sort of meta silent cry for help lolol

 

[null]

Speaking of exposition, wonder if anyone's gonna mention that heroes who make deals with AFO tend to explode. Maybe that's why Deku needs to be there.

 

[Ryeleigh]

Yes.

Figured it wouldn't be. Oh well.