My Hero Academia [WSJ]
- Thread starter X-SOLDIER
- Start date
X-SOLDIER
Harbinger O Great Justice
- AKA
- X
The Best Jeanist hype pays off for sure!
Somewhat related, since we've discussed it in this thread, I wanted to cover some of the update about Static:
Related to all of that, something that I found REALLY inspiring as a result of his story, the way that MHA actually follows through on its injuries. I think that with DBZ, Bleach, & Naruto, the only injuries we're used to seeing "stick" in a world with magical healing are things that involve loss of limbs and such. In MHA, Recovery Girl's abilities seem like they're gonna be that at first – but they turn out to be a lot more like Tsunade's regeneration in that they actually take a toll on your cellular regeneration limits, stamina, and innate healing abilities. So VERY quickly we get stories where our heroes have to face damage to themselves because of reckless use of power like Midoriya, or even taking action without a plan like Iida.
Seeing how that sort of thing stuck around in the story was also inspirational for how Static's real life heroism actually has been progressing has been something that's made me love the series at a deeper level. While at its surface, the anime is a really interesting lens into how we see superhero culture, told in the form of a WSJ hero-power-arc, the delivery and little pieces of depth makes its characters feel REAL in a way that I never noticed that others haven't until this series nailed it. Given the way that we see little bits and pieces of what's happening in the characters' lives exposed in excellent ways throughout the Second and Third season, I'm curious if we'll ever see one of them dealing with full-blown PTSD. As kids who're overwhelmingly exposed to this stuff over and over again – even before they're supposed to be fully trained for it – I'd imagine it's something that Kohei's more than aware of, especially in how the conflicts are setting their class apart in the public eye.
Whether or not that's already stuff in the manga, I have no idea, but I'm REALLY trying to catch up at least to where the anime's at by this weekend.
X
Somewhat related, since we've discussed it in this thread, I wanted to cover some of the update about Static:
He ended up postponing his live event, since he's still recovering and in pain a lot, but also because grappling with the PTSD about being in public spaces has been a much bigger barrier than he'd anticipated:
A few days later, he shared this thread, which put a lot of the mental stuff he's dealing with into context, and was really hard-hitting.
Then a couple days ago, there was some big news: He finally got his cast off!
The updates he posts, and how he's keeping up his optimism against the stuff he's facing – even in shots like the last one with his cast removed where you can tell that he's still got VERY limited mobility in his hand as a results of everything – just brings me the same sort of, "FUCK YEAH!" feeling that a lot of MHA's great hero moments do.
A few days later, he shared this thread, which put a lot of the mental stuff he's dealing with into context, and was really hard-hitting.
Then a couple days ago, there was some big news: He finally got his cast off!
The updates he posts, and how he's keeping up his optimism against the stuff he's facing – even in shots like the last one with his cast removed where you can tell that he's still got VERY limited mobility in his hand as a results of everything – just brings me the same sort of, "FUCK YEAH!" feeling that a lot of MHA's great hero moments do.
Related to all of that, something that I found REALLY inspiring as a result of his story, the way that MHA actually follows through on its injuries. I think that with DBZ, Bleach, & Naruto, the only injuries we're used to seeing "stick" in a world with magical healing are things that involve loss of limbs and such. In MHA, Recovery Girl's abilities seem like they're gonna be that at first – but they turn out to be a lot more like Tsunade's regeneration in that they actually take a toll on your cellular regeneration limits, stamina, and innate healing abilities. So VERY quickly we get stories where our heroes have to face damage to themselves because of reckless use of power like Midoriya, or even taking action without a plan like Iida.
Seeing how that sort of thing stuck around in the story was also inspirational for how Static's real life heroism actually has been progressing has been something that's made me love the series at a deeper level. While at its surface, the anime is a really interesting lens into how we see superhero culture, told in the form of a WSJ hero-power-arc, the delivery and little pieces of depth makes its characters feel REAL in a way that I never noticed that others haven't until this series nailed it. Given the way that we see little bits and pieces of what's happening in the characters' lives exposed in excellent ways throughout the Second and Third season, I'm curious if we'll ever see one of them dealing with full-blown PTSD. As kids who're overwhelmingly exposed to this stuff over and over again – even before they're supposed to be fully trained for it – I'd imagine it's something that Kohei's more than aware of, especially in how the conflicts are setting their class apart in the public eye.
Whether or not that's already stuff in the manga, I have no idea, but I'm REALLY trying to catch up at least to where the anime's at by this weekend.
X
Joe
I KEEP MY IDEALS
- AKA
- Joe, Arcana
Honestly I want to see more of him and his only friend Kirishima. Kirishima is precious. The scene where Bakugo SCREECHES that he'll help him study was fantastic.
Also I watched that whole Tournament Arc more or less in one sitting and I forgot to comment on how great of a character Shinso was. His own personal struggle with a quirk suited to villains and how others perceived him because. Hnghhh. I wish we'd see more of him but right now the forecast is foggy at best.
We've seen plenty of Kendo from class B though and she's a treasure.
Also I watched that whole Tournament Arc more or less in one sitting and I forgot to comment on how great of a character Shinso was. His own personal struggle with a quirk suited to villains and how others perceived him because. Hnghhh. I wish we'd see more of him but right now the forecast is foggy at best.
We've seen plenty of Kendo from class B though and she's a treasure.
X-SOLDIER
Harbinger O Great Justice
- AKA
- X
Without spoiling anything for you – There are a lot of VERY excellent moments that you're really gonna love in Season 3.
One of my favourite things about Bakugo is that he was originally just your classic genius type, but then Kohei just made him angry to sort of break that cliché. When I was watching Season 2, I'd forgotten until they talked about class rankings that Bakugo is top-of-his-class smart and not just someone with a really exceptional quirk.
X
One of my favourite things about Bakugo is that he was originally just your classic genius type, but then Kohei just made him angry to sort of break that cliché. When I was watching Season 2, I'd forgotten until they talked about class rankings that Bakugo is top-of-his-class smart and not just someone with a really exceptional quirk.
X
Joe
I KEEP MY IDEALS
- AKA
- Joe, Arcana
Cleared the forest training arc bit in one sitting we were just enjoying it so much. I am frightened of the impending lack of episodes (for now).
Glad the folks in class B are still getting plenty of screentime. I'd argue even more than some from class A like Aoyama, though that's his charm.
Toga is as deliciously creepy as I'd hoped, cementing her as undisputed Best Girl. Dabi is pretty dope. Looking forward to playing him in the game later this week.
Glad the folks in class B are still getting plenty of screentime. I'd argue even more than some from class A like Aoyama, though that's his charm.
Toga is as deliciously creepy as I'd hoped, cementing her as undisputed Best Girl. Dabi is pretty dope. Looking forward to playing him in the game later this week.
X-SOLDIER
Harbinger O Great Justice
- AKA
- X
The Forest Arc is SO damned good. You get to see them split up into groups and functioning in different little squads. I love the big hands quirk girl, who's like the older sister of class B. She's just so enjoyable. Also, the "My Hero" episode with Kota gives me all the feels, because it's the first time that you actually get to see Midoriya be a hero and make someone go from cynical to optimistic about heroes, which is the sort of small change that you know is just gonna grow over time (reminds me of the Mist Arc in Naruto, where the bridge gets named after him and he changes Inari's cynicism).
You've still got more fun with Toga in the upcoming episodes, so I'm looking forward to more of your thoughts on that. Also, I'm really, REALLY looking forward to you getting to episode 49 because of reasons. That episode, episode 61 and the very end of the season are things that I've been ACHING to talk about with you.
On Dabi: There's a lot of fantheory going around about him potentially being one of Endeavour's discarded children, which I find incredibly intriguing. I love having a series that's this young that even the manga hasn't explored a lot of things yet.
X
You've still got more fun with Toga in the upcoming episodes, so I'm looking forward to more of your thoughts on that. Also, I'm really, REALLY looking forward to you getting to episode 49 because of reasons. That episode, episode 61 and the very end of the season are things that I've been ACHING to talk about with you.
On Dabi: There's a lot of fantheory going around about him potentially being one of Endeavour's discarded children, which I find incredibly intriguing. I love having a series that's this young that even the manga hasn't explored a lot of things yet.
X
X-SOLDIER
Harbinger O Great Justice
- AKA
- X
OH HELLS YES!!! SUCH EXCELLENCE!!! KEEP BINGING!!!
X
UNITED. STATES. OF. SMASH.
That moment gets me every goddamn time. It takes that humorously odd Smash attack naming convention he has and literally pours SO MUCH weight into that scene of him giving literally everything that he possibly is capable of. Seeing him take the muscle form one last time in the public eye for that moment where Grand Torino just lets him. That plus the, "Now, it's your turn." moment where it hits the general public with one message, while simultaneously concealing a personal message directly for Midoriya is just goddamn amazing.
Also, the fact that Bakugo sees it all and you can just tell that he knows there's something more to what just happened, since he's just standing there in silence as Midoriya's in tears, and everyone else is cheering around him. It's is so intense. I literally can't deal with emotions EVERY time I watch that episode, and even just writing about it still hits me in the feels SO damn hard.
That moment gets me every goddamn time. It takes that humorously odd Smash attack naming convention he has and literally pours SO MUCH weight into that scene of him giving literally everything that he possibly is capable of. Seeing him take the muscle form one last time in the public eye for that moment where Grand Torino just lets him. That plus the, "Now, it's your turn." moment where it hits the general public with one message, while simultaneously concealing a personal message directly for Midoriya is just goddamn amazing.
Also, the fact that Bakugo sees it all and you can just tell that he knows there's something more to what just happened, since he's just standing there in silence as Midoriya's in tears, and everyone else is cheering around him. It's is so intense. I literally can't deal with emotions EVERY time I watch that episode, and even just writing about it still hits me in the feels SO damn hard.
X
Joe
I KEEP MY IDEALS
- AKA
- Joe, Arcana
50 seemed like the best place to leave at it. A nice comedown after the hype barrage that was the previous eps.
One hundred percent agree that moment was FOOKIN HYPE. I was engulfed on the sofa in my blanket slamming my hand against the sofa. My roommate who has read enough of the manga to be ahead of the anime was still getting all damn excited. HNGHHHH.
One hundred percent agree that moment was FOOKIN HYPE. I was engulfed on the sofa in my blanket slamming my hand against the sofa. My roommate who has read enough of the manga to be ahead of the anime was still getting all damn excited. HNGHHHH.
X-SOLDIER
Harbinger O Great Justice
- AKA
- X
That's the moment when I knew that MHA had a hold of me the same way that Naruto did back in the day. I was just absolutely stunned since neither the missus nor I knew anything about the show, and were just completely blown away by it. It's also one of the parts that I am 98% sure is in One's Justice, so I wanted to make sure that you experienced it via the anime first.
50 is a really good resting point to take a breather from things. It's DEFINITELY the mid-season finale breather as you get back into the buildup to the end of the season. Really looking forward to you wrapping on Season 3. Are you planning on diving into the manga afterwards? If so, are you planning to start from the beginning, or just jump off from where S3 ends?
Also – Both of those openings are SO goddamn good, and I just want to listen to them non-stop, too. They're also the openings tied to the super-hype-as-fuck All Might combat moments, which helps cement them in my mind even further.
LASTLY: There are a LOT of interesting Star Wars references in this show, and I love it:
X
50 is a really good resting point to take a breather from things. It's DEFINITELY the mid-season finale breather as you get back into the buildup to the end of the season. Really looking forward to you wrapping on Season 3. Are you planning on diving into the manga afterwards? If so, are you planning to start from the beginning, or just jump off from where S3 ends?
Also – Both of those openings are SO goddamn good, and I just want to listen to them non-stop, too. They're also the openings tied to the super-hype-as-fuck All Might combat moments, which helps cement them in my mind even further.
LASTLY: There are a LOT of interesting Star Wars references in this show, and I love it:
- Tatooine Station is where the story starts.
- Wookiee is the mall where they go shopping.
- Grand Torino is the small occasionally senile mentor hero no one knows specifics about like Yoda.
- Hosu (Hoth) is where the story starts to get darker and they face off against Stain.
- All For One's mask and his voice modulation (in Japanese) were designed to make him like Darth Vader.
- Kamino District is where the Nomu clones are being made.
- Not to mention Kohei Hoshikori made a custom The Last Jedi poster:
X
X-SOLDIER
Harbinger O Great Justice
- AKA
- X
Apparently we're getting a live action adaptation from Legendary & Toho: https://deadline.com/2018/10/my-her...ction-legendary-detective-pikachu-1202488986/
I'll split that into its own thread once it's more than just talk.
X
I'll split that into its own thread once it's more than just talk.
X
Airling
Ninja-Fairy-Jedi-Princess
We're probably going to keep binging and finish the available dubs in the next day or two. 
My thoughts in an order that is semi-chronological to the discussion here:
FROPPY IS BEST GIRL, YES! She's one of my favourites for sure.
BAKUGO IS VERY HARD TO LIKE! Look, I don't doubt that he has skill and resolve and wants to be a good hero, etc etc etc. BUT! The parallels between him and Endeavour are strong. And Endeavour is an ass of a person who drove his wife insane, and his children rightfully hate him. Bakugo's tantrums are amusing though, and the way Kirishima and Kaminari follow him around because they're nice guys but also kind of oblivious to his rage is precious.
Another Star Wars reference popped up in season three with Dagoba being where the exams are held. For the first reference or two, Benj and I thought it was just sort of coincidental? Then they kept coming, and we were pleased.
Someone called Uchaco a cinnamon roll. She is, yes, but Iida is this series' ultimate cinnamon roll. Fight me.
At some point I had Benj stop an episode so we could look up whether All Might and Toshinori (as I categorise it) were voiced by the same person, because it almost felt like it couldn't be. But sure enough! Those moments when he's sort of in between, or in flux between them? SO GOOD!
Few things will ever be as funny to me as those moments in the first season when Toshinori is giving Izuku serious advice and being inspirational and stuff, and then he becomes a blood volcano for a few seconds. Comedic timing 10/10. Oh, and anything Shoto says to Bakugo or his father: That child is a gift.
My thoughts in an order that is semi-chronological to the discussion here:
FROPPY IS BEST GIRL, YES! She's one of my favourites for sure.
BAKUGO IS VERY HARD TO LIKE! Look, I don't doubt that he has skill and resolve and wants to be a good hero, etc etc etc. BUT! The parallels between him and Endeavour are strong. And Endeavour is an ass of a person who drove his wife insane, and his children rightfully hate him. Bakugo's tantrums are amusing though, and the way Kirishima and Kaminari follow him around because they're nice guys but also kind of oblivious to his rage is precious.
Another Star Wars reference popped up in season three with Dagoba being where the exams are held. For the first reference or two, Benj and I thought it was just sort of coincidental? Then they kept coming, and we were pleased.
Someone called Uchaco a cinnamon roll. She is, yes, but Iida is this series' ultimate cinnamon roll. Fight me.
At some point I had Benj stop an episode so we could look up whether All Might and Toshinori (as I categorise it) were voiced by the same person, because it almost felt like it couldn't be. But sure enough! Those moments when he's sort of in between, or in flux between them? SO GOOD!
Few things will ever be as funny to me as those moments in the first season when Toshinori is giving Izuku serious advice and being inspirational and stuff, and then he becomes a blood volcano for a few seconds. Comedic timing 10/10. Oh, and anything Shoto says to Bakugo or his father: That child is a gift.
Joe
I KEEP MY IDEALS
- AKA
- Joe, Arcana
@Airling It makes me sad you're watching dubs as you miss out on All Might and Present Mic's amazing Engrish! 
Episode 60 now and my only issue with everything is how Ochako's character development has taken a total nosedive. This entire season has been trash for her. It's honestly worse than getting no/little screentime when all of her screentime is punctuated by the exact same internal thoughts that go nowhere. Rip best cinammon roll. Give me more best girl Jirou laughing her ass off at Kaminari.
Episode 60 now and my only issue with everything is how Ochako's character development has taken a total nosedive. This entire season has been trash for her. It's honestly worse than getting no/little screentime when all of her screentime is punctuated by the exact same internal thoughts that go nowhere. Rip best cinammon roll. Give me more best girl Jirou laughing her ass off at Kaminari.
X-SOLDIER
Harbinger O Great Justice
- AKA
- X
@Airling Hello fellow dub squad member! 
Like Joe said earlier, this show really does have the strength of every shonen series ever, and that goes hand-in-hand with having an awesome dub with a strong following, since basically only DBZ's really achieved that with its fanbase as well insofar as I can tell, and that's mostly just because it was back in the days of that being the only thing we got. It is a lot of fun watching the episodes again in Japanese to see the way that there are little differences here and there with the delivery, etc.
What it all boils down to for me personally though – I just can't quit Chris Sabat as All Might.
Chris Sabat also voices Piccolo & Vegeta in DBZ, and I grew up watching that on Toonami as my introduction to anime. As a kid who saw Gohan as the character closest to my own age at the time, I'd built an attachment to the concept of the tough mentor and ultimate rival as being connected to his voice. As soon as I first heard him speak when the show was playing in the background on Toonami, it activated every bit of my nostalgia. All Might felt like he was the hero I'd grown up already knowing and looking up to in the same way that Deku & Kacchan had. Once that hit, I suddenly had a built-in attachment to the show that paralleled the characters' and I just couldn't go back. He is All Might to me in a way that my brain's just fully baked in and emotionally tied to.
Really excited to see both of you finish up 61 to see your thoughts on some developments, and then get to 63 for the end of the season and talk about things yet to come.
X
Like Joe said earlier, this show really does have the strength of every shonen series ever, and that goes hand-in-hand with having an awesome dub with a strong following, since basically only DBZ's really achieved that with its fanbase as well insofar as I can tell, and that's mostly just because it was back in the days of that being the only thing we got. It is a lot of fun watching the episodes again in Japanese to see the way that there are little differences here and there with the delivery, etc.
What it all boils down to for me personally though – I just can't quit Chris Sabat as All Might.
Chris Sabat also voices Piccolo & Vegeta in DBZ, and I grew up watching that on Toonami as my introduction to anime. As a kid who saw Gohan as the character closest to my own age at the time, I'd built an attachment to the concept of the tough mentor and ultimate rival as being connected to his voice. As soon as I first heard him speak when the show was playing in the background on Toonami, it activated every bit of my nostalgia. All Might felt like he was the hero I'd grown up already knowing and looking up to in the same way that Deku & Kacchan had. Once that hit, I suddenly had a built-in attachment to the show that paralleled the characters' and I just couldn't go back. He is All Might to me in a way that my brain's just fully baked in and emotionally tied to.
Really excited to see both of you finish up 61 to see your thoughts on some developments, and then get to 63 for the end of the season and talk about things yet to come.
X
Joe
I KEEP MY IDEALS
- AKA
- Joe, Arcana
Chris Sabat as All Might almost inched me over into Dubs and if any character in the subbed version had a ridiculously stupid voice (Here's looking at you, Goku) I would have switched. But I can't quit that Engrish it's too good. Also I can't deal with characters yelling their special move names in English anime, it's too cringey. In Japanese I absolutely ADORE it.
X-SOLDIER
Harbinger O Great Justice
- AKA
- X
The Engrish is absolutely adorable, and SO endearing for him when he uses it, so I absolutely can't fault you for loving the subs for that (especially with the no-Goku thing). Even despite the localization differences, both versions of the show are just SO damned good. I appreciate the way that the dub does little things to keep the tone of the characters close for places where one-to-one parallels like borrowed English words and conjugation don't match up.
I'm also usually a little put off by attack name yelling in English, but the DBZ vocal connection made it so I didn't mind that much at first. Then, after the context for All Might's American-State-Name-based attacks gives them a little extra weight, it sort of feels like it's a flavor of the hero world because he's the Symbol of Peace, so it makes sense in-universe in a way that other anime don't really ever justify.
X
I'm also usually a little put off by attack name yelling in English, but the DBZ vocal connection made it so I didn't mind that much at first. Then, after the context for All Might's American-State-Name-based attacks gives them a little extra weight, it sort of feels like it's a flavor of the hero world because he's the Symbol of Peace, so it makes sense in-universe in a way that other anime don't really ever justify.
X
Joe
I KEEP MY IDEALS
- AKA
- Joe, Arcana
I just went and looked at a BIG IMPORTANT SCENE in the dub and I must say that nothing was lost. It is just as good.
My preference will always go to Subs in any anime as I feel that's the way they are intended to be watched. Creators of those characters have a say on their voiced counterparts and can make sure it fully represents their creation. A lot of good localisations end up with characters that have slightly to largely different personalities. This is mainly because in the good dubs the VA is able to express themselves more naturally rather than try to imitate the native VA.
NieR Automata is a great example of this. Both Subbed and Dubbed the voice work is of phenomenal quality. The downside to this is that the characters feel like different characters across languages. 2B is somewhat snappy and sarcastic in the English whereas in Japanese she is blunt and robotic (for lack of a better word for her short responses). Both are great but they are two different characters. Any attempts to compare them and their VAs (like many have) will have you leaning toward whichever personality you preferred.
My preference will always go to Subs in any anime as I feel that's the way they are intended to be watched. Creators of those characters have a say on their voiced counterparts and can make sure it fully represents their creation. A lot of good localisations end up with characters that have slightly to largely different personalities. This is mainly because in the good dubs the VA is able to express themselves more naturally rather than try to imitate the native VA.
NieR Automata is a great example of this. Both Subbed and Dubbed the voice work is of phenomenal quality. The downside to this is that the characters feel like different characters across languages. 2B is somewhat snappy and sarcastic in the English whereas in Japanese she is blunt and robotic (for lack of a better word for her short responses). Both are great but they are two different characters. Any attempts to compare them and their VAs (like many have) will have you leaning toward whichever personality you preferred.
X-SOLDIER
Harbinger O Great Justice
- AKA
- X
I definitely agree with you on that. Even back in the days of reading the Naruto manga when it was still ongoing, I'd try to read two different scanslation groups AND the official translation, so that I could pick up the particular nuances of the text more clearly.
Additionally, I think that this hits the same sort of thing for games like FFXV, where there are slight differentiations in the characterizations of the main cast, but I think that the industry as a whole is good enough of being cognizant of that to try and back up those character portrayals, since there're even minor social behaviours and things that don't translate because other languages have no equivalent.
It's also why I'm glad that both versions are well done, so that there's a lot less that gets... shifted in translation.
X
Additionally, I think that this hits the same sort of thing for games like FFXV, where there are slight differentiations in the characterizations of the main cast, but I think that the industry as a whole is good enough of being cognizant of that to try and back up those character portrayals, since there're even minor social behaviours and things that don't translate because other languages have no equivalent.
It's also why I'm glad that both versions are well done, so that there's a lot less that gets... shifted in translation.
X
X-SOLDIER
Harbinger O Great Justice
- AKA
- X
So, this is TECHNICALLY not MHA news, but it unquestionably belongs in this thread:
Yeah, it's technically Dragon Ball Super: Broly news, but the real MHA-inspired hero got to work with the show's All-Might and voice a character in a huge anime movie together. This is maybe the best thing ever, and it made my whole damn day.
X
Yeah, it's technically Dragon Ball Super: Broly news, but the real MHA-inspired hero got to work with the show's All-Might and voice a character in a huge anime movie together. This is maybe the best thing ever, and it made my whole damn day.
X