#one side being bakugou and one side being afo

[evilkitten3]

shigaraki is the funniest fucking character bc he starts off as some gamer manchild who just showed up to wreck shit. then he made friends and now i'm pretty sure he's the protagonist and the author just hasn't noticed it yet

[pikahlua]

i have a question about this chapter

in the beginning, bakugou says “i’m done messing around izuku(?)” but i’m confused on what it means. does this mean that he isn’t gonna treat him horribly anymore or he’s done messing around and he’s coming into his own (quirk/name/person)?

Didn't wanna answer until I published the translation.

もうおめーの邪魔はしねえ もうおめーのじゃまはしねえ mou omee no jama wa shinee I won't get in your way anymore.* (*Note: This is a sentence that could have many potential translations: "I won't get in your way anymore," "I won't hold you back anymore," "I won't be a hindrance to you anymore," etc.)

This is one of those "Katsuki Bakugou contains multitudes" lines where he means a lot of things at the same time.

The surface-level, pseudo-obvious meaning is that Katsuki won't be a jerk to Izuku--but that doesn't actually make sense, because he isn't a jerk to Izuku anymore. That shit is long over.

I think the key to understanding this line lies in chapter 406:

The major struggle Katsuki has had throughout this final arc is about his sense of inferiority compared to Izuku. Remember, he was revived at the time when he could save All Might from AFO and make up for his perceived weakness that caused All Might's downfall.

So in one sense, Katsuki is saying he's strong now. His lack of power will no longer be a burden. Now he can run alongside Izuku and match his pace and support him without Izuku ever having to worry.

But there is also some deeper meaning behind that sentiment, one that's had roots in Katsuki's journey through the entire story, since chapter 1.

It's Katsuki's relationship with victimhood.

From the beginning, the one insecurity within Katsuki that was so great he would actually kind of voice it aloud was his fear that he couldn't match up to Izuku and that Izuku looked down on him for it.

And this all ties back into his insecurities about his role in All Might's downfall. All of this was a major point of what "Deku vs Kacchan, Part 2" was all about.

It's something I dissected a long time ago here:

So it's not that Katsuki wants to protect Izuku; Katsuki doesn't want to be the reason for Izuku's downfall.

And here:

Katsuki lightens Izuku’s load by looking out for everyone else, and this is why Katsuki works so well as Izuku’s weakness. He’s become the cornerstone of Izuku’s house of cards. As much as he hates being a weakness, Katsuki can’t just make it stop by telling Izuku not to care. Izuku will keep on caring regardless. So instead Katsuki has to convince Izuku that Katsuki is stronger so Izuku will keep chasing after him. Izuku needs to believe Katsuki is stronger in order to get stronger himself. Katsuki needs Izuku to believe Katsuki can handle himself, that Izuku can trust him, so they can work as a team and compensate for each other’s weaknesses.

Katsuki acknowledges in his apology in chapter 322 that Izuku is on the right path, that all his moves since receiving OFA have been correct. Katsuki has been a roadblock hindering Izuku and holding him back--yes, often by rejecting him and competing maliciously with him, but also by being too weak to stand at Izuku's side. He was caught by the sludge villain, kidnapped by the League of Villains, lethally stabbed and later nearly killed by TomurAFO. He wasn't the strong hero like All Might that fought to win and save the day. He wasn't an equal partner.

What I read when Katsuki says he won't get in Izuku's way anymore is that he's done it, he's strong enough to stand at Izuku's side, he's strong enough to let Izuku do what he does best, he's strong enough to support Izuku as Izuku strives to achieve what only he can achieve. AND I read Katsuki saying "I am no longer that weak person, I am no longer a burden, I am no longer NOT a hero, no longer NOT the hero I needed to be."

"I won't be a weakness others can exploit to get to you anymore."

(And I read that he's ready to let Izuku be the main character.)

[class1akids]

BNHA 423 - Thoughts (aka how to fumble your ending: a masterclass by Kohei Horikoshi)

I won't have time on Sunday, so I'll write up my chapter thoughts today. Probably the last time for this series (unless we get a Todo-family moment in the epilogue).

I've joined this fandom 6 years ago and written countless meta and analysis. I'm grieving today not that the story has come to an end, but the way it fumbled its landing.

Last chapter: Deku after a combo from everyone Rises to everyone shouting Ganbare and All Might Annointing him as HIS personal Jesus Greatest hero

This chapter:

Everyone's aggregate animosity (including 16 members of Class A - missing: Uraraka, Bakugou, Shoto and Aoyama) and the strength Deku added to OFA in 2 years kill AFO-in-Shigaraki's regen (even though he was engineered by Ujiko to be able to hold OFA).

Deku punches the body of that little crying boy he yapped about saving of the big bad and it starts to crumble. So AFO looks for a new host in Deku.

We get to the only good point in this chapter: as Aizawa is yelling for Midoriya, ShiraGiri worries about Tomura. The tragedy of how their lives went in separate ways. The only person on this battlefield who cares about Tomura is Kurogiri

WTF - I'm emotional. This must help bring Tomura back, right?

Let me see! what's happening on the vestige side?

Is Kurogiri dead? Why?

I NEED ANSWERS!!!

Or fuck that - let's get to Bakugou, because why not. Obviously, he's in desperate need of another highlight.

Let's even make sure he gets personally praised in case in the last 5 chapters he was not mentioned we forgot how he's the awesomest. Who cares about Kurogiri dying in the background? Who cares about Aizawa's or Mic's feelings? The most important question is how Bakugou got to the battlefield.

Oh, wait, here comes the twist. Remember that crappy little panel of Shoto in the last chapter? No? Don't worry. Neither does 99% of the fandom, except a few die-hard Shoto-fans.

Well, you see, that crappy panel was actually Shoto being hidden as he lifted up Deku at the end of that long combo to give him his last push. And the one above, is not a BKDK combo but an Origin Trio combo. It's just cropped the same way BKDK shippers always crop Shoto out of any Trio pictures.

Congratulations, Kohei Horikoshi-sensei! What an amazing twist. You managed to write Schroedinger's Origin Trio scene! It happened, but maybe it never did. Thanks for stringing me along all these years through the rollercoaster rides of Origins and Risings. I'll take that playground from you and give it to fanfic writers who actually care about maintaining it.

While Bakugou is yelling in the background, Deku is pulling a Mirio on AFO and calls him friendless. The worst thing that can happen to a Shonen boss.

There is some incomprehensible mumbo jumbo about OFA-magic - but don't worry peeps - it's all a set-up for Deku getting it back (in case you are one of the people who seems really to be worried about that)

And then AFO realizes - due to Deku transferring the last bit just so - that he was just a sad little human who loved his brother all along. Yoichi's lifelong efforts to make an impact on AFO didn't do anything. Only the Jesus-Punch-of-Magic did. Too bad.

Oh no, the whole fucking peanut gallery is back to nobody's surprise. (Actually All Might is missing, which may suggest Deku will only get the stockpile back). Even if Deku gets OFA back, please don't transfer these guys back. I'm so sick of them. They were a total waste of time and took Deku's precious real estate for introspection. Fuck that. I don't actually care. Deku has been damaged beyond repair.

GROUP FIST BUMP!!! Amazing Climax. Maybe a double spread, Sensei?

HK: Sorry, I used up my double spread quota on Bakugou!

I'm not one to criticize Horikoshi's artstyle, but boy, this panel is so underwhelming compared to the stuff he drew in this endgame. Is this your big AFO vs OFA clash????

What happens when Ghost Fist collides with Real blood? Of course, it will transfer all that sweet Ghost-DNA!!!

Aka - Horikoshi is saying - Don't worry, Deku won't be quirkless.

OK. Well. Let's move on.

Here is another line from Horikoshi's outline. Did you want to see a heart-warming scene between Nana and Tenko? Too bad for you. You get Bakugou, you voted for him.

(Btw, Shoto is not the only one who doesn't seem to be allowed to have a proper scene with his mom, I guess Tenko cannot even get an emotional afterlife scene. If you are an abuse-victim in story, Horikoshi says - fuck you! Take a swan dive and hope to be reborn as a bully in your next life).

Well, at least Tomura noticed that Kurogiri mysteriously died after Horikoshi couldn't think up an actual proper endgame for him.

OK, onto the MAIN ANTAGONIST's final monologue. It will be deep after being built for 400 chapters, right?

Shigaraki: Well, I didn't even manage to destroy your hand. I amount to just a crying boy.

Deku: Well, I still hate you for stabbing Kacchan and the others. (forget the others, I never cared about the others). I killed you because I was sick of your moping it's the International Board of Therapist's recommended therapy for victims of abuse and grooming.

Shigaraki: Well, what do I say to that. That's so fucking stupid.

Shigaraki: And to my gay little boyfriend, I leave my treasured Nintendo controller.

Deku: Yeah, whatever. I don't really have any thoughts. I've stopped introspection in Act 2. Your life sucked. You need to fuck off now and stop spreading the sadness, I have a victory punch to perform.

Deku: This is the story of how I became the greatest hero by punching the fuck out of this crying, abused little boy and then bathing myself in his nasty pixie dust. killing 2 main villains for the price of 1 in under 7 pages and changed the weather for the dudebros on Twitter can cry about the blue sky in the anime again. I also eradicated sadness with punching it hard enough.

Also - I probably still have a quirk. Tune in to find out in two weeks.

Sensei, with all due respect - this chapter was ass. Visually, thematically, from a storytelling point of view. Even the good ideas were executed badly or were crammed in with terrible ideas. What a fucking let-down.

Will Shigaraki go and be the hero of the villains?

I can see him reconstruct with Overhaul and magic, or I can see that we will get a reveal where Deku had the Lion Turtle solution all along and he has punched Shigaraki just at the angle to magically manifest 5-year old crying Tenko and save him and he was cold and aloof because he already "saved the boy".

I can see a BS solution incoming. But it will not fix this chapter for sure, nor the broader writing issues with Deku's character and with the Deku - Tomura dynamic.

[akariss]

Mha chapter 410 spoilers ‼️

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Bakugou being the one to defeat AFO is such a great move when we take into account that he blamed himself for All Might’s reign coming to an end when in reality, that was AFO’s doing. Bakugou being able to defeat the heavy weight that he carried on his shoulders for so long is just incredible to me

Now, Midoriya being the one who will eventually defeat Shigaraki is also a fantastic move from Horikoshi’s side. Two formidable successors to two powerful individuals, both whom were respected and feared, albeit for different reasons,,, it just feels right that he’s the one who will defeat Shigaraki, the threat who has been looming over him since the beginning of the series, especially now when the two of them are paralleling their respective masters

Bakugou and Midoriya defeating their own corresponding villains, both of these which tormented their every move after a certain point in their lives, is just going to be so rewarding and well done. Horikoshi knew how to choose each of their fights and I’m glad for that fact every single day. I love peak

[wakeup-wakeup-if-its-all-you-do]

MHA S7 ED Analysis of the Official Music Video Part 2 [Part 1]

[Warning: manga spoilers]

You were always acting funny to hide your pain

This part is so sad! The boy in blue (Izuku's actor) is curled up and scared while all these hands are reaching for him- probably to represent the pressure of being the ninth/final holder and having to be the one face off against shigaraki + afo. It's a little hard to tell, but I played it back and I'm pretty sure there are exactly eight hands reaching toward him.

I was too dumb to realize it

And then it cuts to the boy in orange picking the green cape from the ground and blinking in confusion before looking back and forth across the field to see where the other boy went 🥺🥺🥺

I'm the one who made you wear that "strongness"

Y'all... I... I... 🥹🥹🥹

So are we all agreed this is about Katsuki bullying Izuku and his guilt for branding him with the name "Deku", later inspiring Izuku's reckless lack of concern for his own well being in order to prove that he isn't "useless" anymore? Cuz literally what else could this be about. It's so sad, there's a flashback to the boy in orange happily tying the green cape around the other boy's neck. The guilt and angst is on another level. Just... just... 😭😭😭

Searching for words to make the buds start to bloom

Y'all 🥹🥹🥹

The warmness you have continuously given me

Just... damn. It must be said again, the angst is on another level. The boy in blue runs away from the scary room he was in with the hands attacking him from what is probably a closet (👀👀👀) and goes back to one of their old hangout places to rebuild the dummy villain the boys destroyed earlier when they were playing. The boy in orange walks in and sees him and the stare at each other in surprise.

It planted seeds in my heart

Oh, Mr. Kacchan Bakugou, everyone but Izuku already knows!!

What's heartbreaking though, is the boy in blue turns around and lifts his arms up defensively over the dummy. Like he's afraid the boy in orange will destroy it. The boy in orange looks surprised but takes a small step closer without hesitation

Those flowers cannot bloom without you

Did I meant the angst hits HARD?!?! Because it's about to hit harder...

No matter what we do, we will never become one

We live each other's lives with different minds

Bakugou thinks that too many misunderstandings and conflicts have happened between them for him and Izuku to ever be close like they were before. He thinks he's hurt him too much in the past and irreparably mangled their relationship.

Nevertheless, my heart is crying with your pain

This reminds me so much of certain events in chapter 403 where a certain someone whose about to unintentionally explode his own heart from a quirk awakening thinks to himself about how the all the pain his body is going through is because he is now walking the same path a certain childhood friend of his had to walk when he was learning how to use OFA

Can I at least be by your side, even if we cannot understand each other

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Hoping that flowers will bloom side by side in the future

Ajejdjjdjdjsjjsjdj I feel like this just perfectly captures all of the "Izuku's" Katsuki says in his last moments (and even after resurrecting) and the yearning and how it's finally revealed he held onto the All Might card they won together even get all this time

My flower buds will never give up on the present

Ok there were just too many flashing scenes in this montage and I couldn't get all of them but here's one

Then it goes back to the two boys facing off in the shed and a close up of their faces. The boy in orange reaches out to the boy in blue

And then it cuts back to the band for a second before the video ends.

And now you too, can devolve into madness with me 🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠

[nutzgunray-lvt]

I will FOREVER be salty about how Hori paints his characters with valid criticisms against the status quo as in the wrong:

Monoma - hates Bakugou, therefore hates 1A by association and is painted out to be some over the top arrogant asshole who freaks out every time they so much as breath (Monoma's not my favorite, but he's 100% right when it comes to Bakugou).

Rock Lock - doesn't want the first years (maybe also the third years, idk?) involved in the Shie Hassaikai raid due to how dangerous it is and due to having recently had a newborn son, is painted as someone who's being overprotective and unfair to these heroes in training.

Inko - isn't comfortable with Izuku continuing at UA after the Forest Camp Attack, is painted as being overprotective (I have my issues with Inko, but she had an incredibly valid point here).

The media - rightfully criticizes UA's utter inability to protect their students and reign in Bakugou's behavior (the hill I will die on), is painted as trying to unfairly persecute UA/Aizawa.

Present Mic - uses common sense to deduce that there's a traitor in UA's midst, is portrayed as being a shit stirrer who's quick to distrust his colleagues and students (another hill I'll die on).

Gran Torino (a minor one) - calls Aizawa's high expulsion rate as what it is: nasty (showing that even he has standards), is immediately corrected by Present Mic that the expulsions are "only on paper" and Aizawa truly cares deep down (which actually makes it WORSE since it stays on their permanent records regardless).

Other students taking the Provisional Exam - call out Bakugou for being an obnoxious asshole, are immediately painted as "not understanding how hard he works."

Pro Heroes and Present Mic - call out Bakugou for not taking Ochako seriously in the Sports Festival, are told to RETIRE for not understanding how Bakugou clearly works harder than anybody else to be a hero (but then Bakugou proceeds to get the second highest amount of internship offers, so idk what the fuck point Horikoshi was trying to make here).

Vlad King is a weird one because while his one-sided rivalry with Aizawa/1A is obnoxious and unprofessional, he IS a better teacher than Aizawa is and it's a point not focused on aside from an off hand comment by Aizawa. You'd think this would make him examine whether or not his beliefs are truly benefiting his students or have Nedzu call him up and say, "what's up with your class consistently underperforming against 1B?"

Best Jeanist is perhaps the ONLY Pro-Hero to see Bakugou's behavior for what it is and takes him as an intern to rectify it... but proceeds to focus on all the wrong things (his style being the main one) and not really get to the core of his goal.

Society as a whole doesn't trust heroes for a myriad of reasons (some unreasonably, some for extremely valid reasons) and are painted as being unfair and incredibly biased against heroes as a whole.

Izuku leaves UA due to AFO having Ragdoll's Quirk, is essentially ganged up on and beaten/shamed into submission by Class 1A who completely disregard his POV (I don't agree with him putting himself in this position, I'm just pointing how it makes sense narratively).

Me, trying to make sense of all of this -

Like... how is your story supposed to be nuanced and your characters three-dimensional if you paint the complainer as always in the wrong?

[helga-grinduil]

Okay, so. Um. Chapter 423.

Seeing people's reactions I have to say some things. And let me preface this by saying that I don't believe this is truly it. But.

The issue isn't even that Izuku (seemingly) failed to save the person he wanted to save from AFO (well, it is an issue, actually, but not the main point. Also, the fact that his and vestiges' plan to reach Tenko is also what ensured Tomura's death is just so... ), and it's not that he's weirdly distant and cold in this chapter.

It's the fact that not a single one of them actually acknowledged anything that they saw and heard in Shigaraki's mind. Neither of them talked about what AFO told Tomura - the fact that Tomura didn't say anything about what he learned about his quirk, his purpose and the fact that he never truly wanted to kill his family is especially mind-boggling. And Deku didn't say anything about the revelation that Tomura never really had a chance or a choice from the very start either. There was no self-relfection on either side, no real conversation, and there also was no real understanding between the two being reached. It's the fact that Deku instantly stopped caring or wondering about Tenko/Tomura the moment AFO came back, being completely willing to pulverise his body when just a few chapters ago he refused to do that when Nana told him to. It's the fact that he didn't react to Kurogiri pleading for Tomura and Bakugou just killed (???? maybe not, it's hard to understand) the man. It's the fact that the vestiges still being alive and Nana saving Tomura (oh hey, guess her whole family actually all died to AFO, unable to truly smile) was off-screened.

This is not people blaming Izuku. This is just people complaining about straight up bad writing.

Even if Tenko is still alive (And Kurogiri wasn't killed by Bakugou too, but I feel like Kurogiri is just too doomed to survive anyway), that doesn't erase the weirdness that this chapter was. It would still be salvageable, I guess, depending on what happens next, but good lord, the damage was certainly done.

And if Tenko is really dead, but we'll just see more of Midoriya's reaction to that in the following chapters, this would still be fucking horrible.

I love Deku. I love his emotions, how genuine he is, how empathetic he is. He is just a kid forced into an awful situation. This is not a jab at him as much as it is a jab at the author and the writing here. Because how in the world does the protagonist fail at doing what he wanted to do harder than the supporting cast with their villains? Why was Toga and Uraraka's final chapter more genuine and emotional that THIS - the protagonist and the main antagonist's last conversation????? Why was Ochako more upset about realising that Toga is about to kill herself than Deku was in those chapters?

[marunalu]

I saw many people people now who claim that DFO disproved because AFO doesn't show any affection to his son.

Also they claimed that Dekus dad could be a hero in America and he was sent to Japan now so we will see him.

What do you think about that?

Dfo is debunked as soon as the manga ends and we have the 100% confirmation that there isnt any connection between hisashi and afo. Not sooner not later. What a lot of people dont seem to grasp is that dfo is in the first place not about afo loving izuku. Dfo is about the theory that afo is izukus biological father. He can be his father without loving him. There are millions of parents out there in the real world who sadly give a wet fuck about their children. Afo loving his family is just one of multible interpretations and hopes people have for the theory. There are a lot of dfo fans out there who never believed afo cared for izuku. Dfo is about afo being izukus father and not if he loves him or not. Fans have just different headcanons how it could turn out.

I said it already in the past. I dont believe that izukus father is a hero working in america. America is the country with the most heroes worldwide, so WHY should a japanese hero work for a different hero government then his own and most importantly not even come home ONCE or mentioned ONCE by his hero obsessed son in the whole story? Not even when he was about to get killed by muscular? Why should hisashi not come home for christmas, new year, izukus and inkos birthday etc. If he is just a hero working outside of japan (which makes no sense anyway). And WHY should hori refuse to talk about hisashi if he is just a hero working in an other country who has no importance to either the plot nor to izukus character? If hisashi is a hero working in america and NOW comes back after the war is already won by the japanese heroes this would be the biggest asspull hori could come up with. The only way I could see hisashi as a hero is if he is also connected to afo. We know that afos presence is huge WORLDWIDE! It was stated he has his hands in almost EVERY country! And we saw that he is quite "popular" in america.

I have seen a few people talk about how hori will use some deux ex machine to bring tomura back to life and that he is just scaring people with the most horrible and dissapointing outcome he could come up with. I dont trust hori enough to pull something like that off, but on the other side he is the man who brought bakugou back from the dead in the most ridiculus and stupid way possible so who knows what he is ready to come up with.

But to come back to the main point: dfo is only then debunked when we got the last chapter of the manga and its to 100% confirmed hisashi isnt afo. Because we are talking about a man who can change his appearance, change his dna, can have any quirk he wants, is known for planning ahead should the 10 different plans of the other 25 different plans he planned for 15 different scenarios fail and who spends time with a mad doctor who was not only in posession of a clone quirk, but also is able to make copys of every quirk he gets his fingers on.

The only advice I can give dfo fans is to wait and not to read any anti dfo posts and get worried for maybe no reason. Just wait till the manga is done and THEN you can complain as much as you want!

[pocketramblr]

How abt a crack au where after the cultural festival class 1a decide to all quit school and be a band full time, and they become so popular that most villains give up villaining to go to shows instead and to make sure 1a dont feel the need to switch back to being heroes

1- a quarter of the class has already committed vigilantism, Izuku just encountered two more and is musing on the meeting while riding the high of Jiro's song being able to do for Eri what several heroes couldn't, so a lot of the class is like "well it'll be fine, we can do music and help people on the side, technically until they cancel our provisional licenses or they expire in three years, it won't even be illegal."

2- Todoroki, who doesn't have his licence yet, weighs the pros and cons. He'd like to not have to go to any more remedial lessons where his dad shows up when when he's not supposed to. He asks Jiro about more ice and fire effects, and agrees to go. Tensei was in the family audience and tells Tenya he did an amazing job, which Tenya takes as permission and encouragement to go even though that's absolutely not what Tensei meant and he had no suspicion of the plan at the time. Uraraka looks at the streaming numbers and how much they can earn even with low priced tickets, and agrees. Etc etc etc

3- Bakugou only agrees because Kaminari needled him about being too good to. Unlike Todoroki, he does still attend remedial classes and sends in his normal assignments to UA, somehow while in the band full time, and in the group constantly on the run from Nedzu and various others trying to hunt them down.

4- crime rates plummet to pre-Kamino levels due to villains realizing if the kids stop the band, they're all screwed. The fact that several different villains go to a show and somehow aren't seen again doesn't really get out though to warn anyone off, probably because nobody cared about the Chimera and Mummy, and because when Tomura sent Dabi to find out where Twice and Toga had vanished to, he didn't bother to look.

5- Most of the vestiges are unhappy with this decision to join a band, Second and Third loudly complaining about the immaturity, Yoichi quietly confused and disappointed, Hikage nursing a permanent headache, but Banjo is thrilled, En doesn't say anything either way but wanted to be in a band himself when he was alive, and Nana's just glad Izuku's having fun and helping people smile. For his part, Toshinori is having a blast and is amazed at how Izuku is getting stronger with his quirk even focused as he is at using it for shows and dancing. AfO is a distant threat but one he knows Izuku can handle if he ever breaks out of prison, and in the meantime he needs to make sure all his former students are eating enough to keep up their strength. Hey what's that black stuff coming out of young Midoriya's arm-

[doodlegirl1998]

your response literally made me realize that they need Izuku more than he needs them despite what Hori wants us to think.

Because think about it, nobody ever acknowledges Izuku unless he does something that benefits THEM! And fuck whatever he needs or wants!

They even make fun of his interests as if he’s the inpy one who does that sort of thing! So again, how am I supposed to believe they actually give a shit about him and his wellbeing?

Hi @theloganator101 👋

All of this. 👆

Now I like the idea of Izuku having friends, I like the idea of Izuku having ride or dies (such as Shoto.)

However, canon has left all of Izuku's friendships with the 'DekuSquad' and Class 1A as a whole to rot or actively does it a disservice in the name of 'comedy', for Bakugou's benefit or because Hori gives no care to them.

Class 1A, we know, never stand up for Izuku against Bakugou, so Hori's golden boy doesn't look bad. However, by consequence, it also looks like they don't care for Izuku apart from some key members like Tokoyami who never stand for Bakugou's shit. (Bless you, Tokoyami!)

However, with Izuku's main friendships in the 'Deku Squad', we have:

Izuku & Ochako - a friendship/budding relationship that is left to rot and actively done a disservice for 'comedy' and Bakugou's benefit.

Izuku & Iida - a friendship that is left to rot and actively done a disservice for 'comedy' and Bakugou's benefit.

Izuku & Shoto - a friendship that is actively done a disservice for 'comedy' and for Bakugou's benefit.

Izuku & Tsuyu - left to rot and done a disservice for Bakugou's benefit.

Izuku & Aoyama - left to rot.

How are we meant to buy that Ochako cares for and 'loves' Izuku when she calls him 'plain' and is so set on hiding her feelings?

When she doesn't stand up for him when he's being abused by Bakugou and when she looks freaked out whenever Izuku is shown to enjoy his hobbies?

Or when she 'who loves Izuku' barely spends any time with him?

From what we see in canon, we can't.

How are we meant to buy Iida cares for Izuku when he barely appears with him now?

How are we meant to buy Iida is Izuku's "best friend" yet when he is so quick to call Izuku "Mr House Arrest" and take Aizawa's side without hearing out Izuku?

Or when Iida is so quick to hit him* after Izuku getting out of the hospital?

Logically, we can't. *Yes, Iida apologised for doing this. However, this moment does rub me wrong, and even if this punch is nullified by the apology, the other criticisms still stand.

How are we meant to buy Shoto cares for Izuku when he thinks nothing of Bakugou verbally and physically berating Izuku now*?

*Yes, Shoto is an abuse victim, and some become desensitised to this behaviour as a result - however Shoto did not begin the series acting this way, so what conclusion can we draw?

How are we meant to buy that Shoto is a close friend of Izuku when he is chasing after Bakugou's friendship (Bakugou, who is openly hateful of Izuku?)

It looks like, through Hori trying to glorify Bakugou, that Shoto doesn't care as much for Izuku as we would like to think.

Tsuyu and Aoyama are barely even there anymore, let alone bond with Izuku.

Tsuyu used to stand up to Bakugou and his bullshit openly - now? Not a peep. She's only here to be an accessory to Toga vs. Ochako and Ochako as a whole. Izuku, who?

Aoyama has strong parallels with Izuku due to both starting the series quirkless and being given a quirk by AFO and AM, respectively. Yet this friendship is barely given any focus by Hori. Hori doesn't want Izuku to think about his own past during Aoyama's backstory, so he fails to give Izuku any introspection and fails to deepen their connection and Izuku's character as a result.

Class 1A as a whole are also done a disservice by Hori having them all gang up on Izuku with Bakugou leading the charge.

To conclude - Hori hates Izuku and it is clear looking at just how dirty he does all his connections in 1A and major friendships.

[gentrychild]

5+ headcannons on an a Raadsc au where before getting isekaied Izuku was exposed to the theory that Izuku midoriya (the character) was all mights secret love child (and maybe that was part of the reason Bakugou wasn't given all for one) and somehow fully believed it. I don't remember if he only consumed fandom knowledge or read a variation of MHA, but in this au maybe he probably only knew fandom stuff.

1 - Izuku says that he has clear proof from canon that All Might is Midoriya Izuku's secret lovechild but his narration makes it clear that he is reaching for straws because he wants to be All Might's secret lovechild and you know what? He has just been isekaied as a doomed side character. He deserves this.

2 - After being rescued from the Sludge Villain, a slightly oxygen-deprived-Izuku informs All Might that he is his secret lovechild and that he needs his help to survive. All Might nods, understanding that this poor boy hit his head really hard, but sticks around long enough to actually see that the boy is in danger. It's like the entire world is out to get him.

3 - The Symbol of Peace himself has trouble keeping this one boy alive. He is so desperate that he doesn't even blink when he carries Young Midoriya home and sees his mom escorting him to a vault. He doesn't have children but if they are in so much danger, he understands the appeal of vaults!

4 - AFO comes back not even sooner in this AU because Inko informed him that he has been away from home so long that their son adopted All Might as his new father.

5 - Izuku is still convinced that All Might is his dad and thinks he is facing a Clark Kent and Superboy situation (he isn't aware that Connor is a clone because once again, he is fuzzy on the canon details of something) so he doesn't call him dad or anything but he is still convinced that he is his dad. Tells as much to Shouto. Meanwhile, All Might is googling if one can adopt a child who still has both parents.

[sapphic-agent]

I think the biggest thing I've learnt from the more critical side of MHA is: don't let your favoritism affect your story. I think it's natural that you're gonna like more characters than others. But if it's like noticeable to a point where the audience sees it, it's a big problem. Or if the character is a fan favorite, they'll praise it to sky heaven. The fact that Izuku VS Shigaraki has been oddly side lined so much in favor of Bakugo VS OFA or him rescuing All Might is... weird to me. Like, I get it. He was dead for a year in our time. But... this IS Izuku's story not Bakugo's. Even if Bakugo is a deuteragonist, he's still not the MAIN protagonist. Shouldn't we be shifting more or less to Izuku VS Shigaraki? MHA has been building up their final fight for 8-9 years, and we're oddly all focused on AFO and Bakugo? And for AFO's backstory, I care less for the potato man. Shigaraki is the villain of MHA, not potato man. Such as Izuku is the protagonist of the story, Bakugo isn't. And it's so baffling to me to see MHA twt praise this series to high heaven and just don't oddily notice that Izuku is just oddily fucking quiet through out this fight?? I know he's focused on stopping Shigaraki, but nothing???? Like the Toga and Uraraka and Todoroki Family arcs got all the attention they deserved, so why tf isn't Izuku and Shigaraki?? I understand they were gonna be last, it IS the final battle after all, but it just seems it's gonna go downhill from there.

Plus, how tf is Izuku gonna be able to save Shigaraki?? Izuku is at his witt's end, and Bakugo said he would take care of AFO. Because if it's ACTUALLY Bakugo & Izuku VS Shigaraki. I'll just- I'll be so done. I get the whole "Izuku doesn't have to do everything on his own" but like- Shigaraki literally KILLED Bakugo and got revived from his goddamn blood exploding. (That shit is still funny to me.) like good Lord, can Izuku just have HIS moment??? If all of the cool power ups and cool moments go to Bakugo instead of Izuku, and Bakugo somehow saves the day.

The fucking ending is gonna be ruined by favoritism. Again, this is just an IF. But I felt crazy reading twt's and no one noticing Izuku hasn't said anything of a) Bakugo being brought back to life b) or just reacting to anything. It just seems like Izuku is just there as a device to carry us towards the ending, at this point.

You're right and you should say it.

Mind-boggling how people will look at this shit and still say Horikoshi doesn't favor Bakugou. Like, what? He is 1-v-1-ing the big bad of the series. The villain who killed almost every past OFA user (would also like to add that these are the same users he insulted and looked down on, so if he is the one to finish AFO, that's a slap in the face to every single one of them). The man who incapacitated All Might. The Demon King who's ruled the underbelly of Japan for the past 200 years.

And you mean to tell me that Katsuki Bakugou of all people is his final boss? That's just embarrassing for AFO tbh.

But the fact of the matter is, yeah Izuku's fight with Shigaraki should have been the main event. Instead, it's being treated as a side quest. Hell, it's being treated as less than a side quest as both Uraraka & Toga and the Todorokis & Dabi were given more attention.

It's sad, not only for Izuku but for Shigaraki too. Horikoshi was so close to making him a complex villain, only for all of his character progression from Deika to go down the toilet. He can't be saved because he's been written to be so completely detached from his humanity.

In general, Izuku and Shigaraki should have had more moments together throughout the series. This interaction between them is meaningless because Izuku doesn't understand Shigaraki enough to save him. It's why he's getting frustrated because there's really no feasible way for him to save Tomura. He isn't Eri or Kota who were just kids in danger and who wanted to be rescued.

I hate to say it, but Izuku hasn't had enough development to be able to save Shigaraki. It's not his fault (it's Hori's), but it's true. For him to understand Tomura, he needed to broaden his worldview and Horikoshi hasn't allowed him to do that.

It's an utter disservice to both characters

[kitsunefyuu]

This Chapter Climax: MHA 418

We are basically at climax of the war arc as Izuku was able to connect to Tenko. To assure him and show that he is still there for him at the least wanting to help him lost his hatred. It was painful, terrible, he lost his arms but he didn't get up holding his arm.

Because Tenko was crying and Izuku would not abandon him. He knows how important it is to hold a lost child's hand.

It's such a gentle and soft thing to see. He even presses his forehead against Tenko in a loving manner. But even if might be able to let go of his hatred, the thing that kept him going because it the only way to justify why he is like this... He still wants to be a hero to his friends, the other villains.

It's a touching moment, showing how from the villain's side they truly were the underdogs. They were on their own heroes journey just on the inverse side of the broken and the damned. It's beautiful but then a memory that belongs to neither Tomura or Izuku breaks that moment.

It's Kotaro, Tomura's dad looking surprised and smiling at a 'construction' worker. They talk like good friends, he is asked about Tenko and admits still has no powers. Something is very very wrong.

As there is one being that will despise the idea that there is some kind of choice. That you can live like that, listless yet still doing things for others? To allow yourself to become weakened by those around you much less someone that should be your enemy!?

All for One emerges no longer held back by Tenko's will and consumes the boy. Flinging Izuku away with venom as says how Tenko has never made a single decision of his own. Now the true fight with a true villain shall begin.

This chapter honestly has me going mental not just because AFO returned but the fact they were able to humanize Tomura and all the villains. To show they had endured so much terrible truama and yet all the heroes still tried to help them let go of their hatred. The nasty feelings in their heart because they cared, and Tomura moment impressed and brought me joy.

And AFO coming in was expected as it was literally mentioned by AFO Prime that the vestige has a trump card he can use. Bakugou saying he died can also mean he has been reborn. Meaning Hori was definitely planning to activate it now especially now that Tomura is no longer suppressing him. With Izuku no longer having OFA this is actually dangerous at the moment they are in the vestige but who is to say it won't get worse.

Because AFO is the actual true threat as the two hundred year old monster who has been living in debauchery for so long. It makes you wonder how is Izuku going to handle this. His real body it wrecked it was being puppeteer by Blackwhip which he no longer has. There aren't many heroes around as they went him to handle Tomura.

Ain't looking good for our hero, All for One ain't here to give a happy ending and that's why I'm excited.

[class1akids]

Now that AFO is (hopefully) done, I really hope that Deku vs Shigaraki will manage to integrate Toya vs Shoto and Toga vs Ochako fights into the main plot in a meaningful way, so they don't feel like personal side-quests, but essential contributions to the final win, connecting all the Saviour Squad narratives, the way Bakugou connected all the vs AFO efforts.

Right now, from a utilitarian point of view, killing Toga and Toya on sight instead of saving them would have made more sense for the overall fight. Toga with the clones disrupted many battlefields and Toya escaping to Gunga took Endeavor out of the AFO fight.

So we saw the negative consequences, and I hope in order to change the mind of the civilians, the decision to save them will deliver a positive pay-off in the end.

If we look at Tomura's criticisms against hero society, these fights are direct examples of hero society changing:

Criticism 1: Heroes hurting their family

Answer: We have Shoto who saves BOTH his family and strangers:

In fact, choosing to save his family gives him the upgrade he needs to save strangers.

Criticism 2: Pretending not to see those heroes couldn't protect

Answer: Ochako refusing to ignore Toga's pain

Criticism 3: Passive civilians, dependent on being coddled

Answer: we see journalists, business students telling the story, we had Rei, Fuyumi, Natsuo actively run into the fire, we had "wishing energy", the doctors protecting patients, etc.

Criticism 4: This whole system has always rejected me

Answer: of course, Deku himself is actively trying to save Tomura

Now to pull it all together into a coherent whole - Shigaraki is the biggest threat created by the old hero society. So the changing hero society should all contribute to him being saved.

Option 1:

One way these fights can play into Tomura's narrative is simply learning about the fate of his allies (whether from Deku or better, seeing the Gunga aftermath play on the screens somewhere) and realize that hero society is changing. (For me, this is the weaker option)

Option 2

It would be maybe more tangible for Toga and Touya to physically come and help along with Deku's allies. I'm thinking of a scenario where Tomura is able to unleash a wave of Decay (maybe after Deku says on camera that he wants to save him). Cue in civilians faith wavering in Deku. Decay was something the heroes had no answer for in the PLF war.

However, Ochako's "remote Float" and Shoto's Phosphor (or maybe a new, fire-sided version of it that can melt rocks) could be effective counters. It would be cool and symbolic if Ochako and Toga using Ochako's quirk together and Shoto and Toya (and maybe Endeavor) together would stop the wave of destruction, offering a convincing, livestreamed pay-off for saving villains, without interfering in Deku's fight too directly or threatening to outshine him.

It would also show society that there is more than just OFA between them and total destruction. (I think it would be a good use of Warp Gate, and getting pay-offs for power-ups like Mina's or Aoyama's too).

Toga showing up in person would be also a good way also for Tomura to remember his promise, give him another reason to stop:

Not sure how Spinner and Mr Compress could play into this scenario, but I think they could also fit in some way.

I hope I'm not going to jinx it, I'd just like to see it come together all in an organic, satisfying way.

(Obviously, other things should also play a part - Deku's personal efforts to save Tomura is going to be the main driver, and Nana may get a part to play to the answer to "destruction of everything stemming from that house).

[epickiya722]

A lot of times the problem with these het ships is just, that there is an incredible lack of balance in it that almost feels toxic.

And i don't mean dark fiction or anything, i mean fiction that wants you to see them as a good couple.

Like in bnha, again. Iz///ocha has an inbalance over the fact that for it to go forward, it is completely reliant on Ochako, and whatever she decides to do with her feelings.

Which makes her the only one that ever puts the effort into her crush, even if it ends up not actually moving forward, she still the one who's ever confronted with them.

And Izuku never does anything to respond or even indicate that he feels the same. Frankly, if he was to suddendly show that he loves her, that would just make him look like an intruder. Or maybe even imply "now that everything's over, here's your prize, hero!"

I agree!!

While IzuOcha is a popular ship, it's also not compared to BakuDeku and even TogaOcha got some growth over it.

It's not because "het is ew" because I have crossed other shippers who are okay with IzuOcha and/or have other M/F ships they like (I myself like KiriMina).

It's because it is underdeveloped and one-sided.

Izuku reacts to Ochako the same way he has with every other girl. Any time there's crush talk, it's only from Ochako's side. Nothing from Izuku, at all. He compliments her, but it came off more like a bestie hyping you up after you say something self-deprecating than actual "Hey, I like you, let's go out".

To be honest, I don't even think Horikoshi intended for IzuOcha to be seen a ship for people to root for. I don't think he actually ever cares for it because if he really wanted to, he could have made it more balanced. I say this because look at M/F pairings like KiriMina and KamiJiro.

They're more minor than IzuOcha are and yet for both pairings there's a lot more balance between them. Even by design!

I talk more in depth about this here and here.

I totally agree with you on that last bit.

If Izuku suddenly goes "Hey, I love you" or even after winning there's suddenly them hooking up, it will come off as Ochako being some prize because, again, Izuku hadn't shown romantic interest in her like that.

It's funny to me that some people will "BakuDeku are like brothers" but then turn around and want to apply the same tropes and scenarios that BkDk have been through to their ship romantically.

Example, there were people who actually want AFO!Shigaraki to attack Ochako next just so Izuku could save her. This was during the time when everyone was brought in through those portals into the same area.

When I was so agitated about that because one, you really want someone to potentially get killed just for a "shippy" moment? I DIDN'T LIKE SHIGARAKI ATTACKING BAKUGOU LIKE THAT!! Two, so Ochako couldn't be dealing with her situation without any inference? Like she really need to be put in a damsel situation and not be a hero? Because that's how it came off to me.

Look, I myself have ships, but at the end of the day when it comes to the main goal of a lot of these characters?

The last thing any of them really want is romance. If no ship becomes canon I am so okay with that.

A lot of these characters, especially characters like Izuku, Ochako, and Katsuki want to be the best heroes they can be. They want to save people, make them smile, be the best. That was their goal when they chose (and got to) attend UA.

I don't recall Ochako saying "I'm attending UA to get a boyfriend!"

So why reduce her to that? She did not look at Izuku on their first meeting and decided "I'm going to UA to be his wife". I thought she wanted to be a hero so she can make people smile and provide for her parents. Am I wrong? Did I miss something? Did I watch and read a different version of BNHA?

[irontragedyreview]

Ok, so I read the chapter with the official translation because if I'm going to say that Horikoshi is mediocre writer, that this arc was completely rushed and a shit show in general I'm going to use the official translations. It should be noted that honestly nothing can fix this chapter so meh, the relevant points would be

AFO loves Yoichi, some criticism focused on Afo saying this didn't make sense but  from the beginning of the arc we see AFO declaring that he loves his brother, since we know the story of OFA/AFO we know that he wantsYoichi by his side, but even beyond his methods of locking him up and wanting to break his will, the truth is that he wants Yoichi's decision to be by his side to be of his own free will. Even though he’s willing to break Yoichi, he didn’t want him to be by his side through some quirk manipulating his will, because that could have been an option, what he wanted when Yoichi was alive is for him to finally stand by his side.On the other hand, AFO's love isn’t healthy, it’s twisted and toxic because he considers Yoichi his, his first gift, the first object he had, so yeah, AFO loves his brother but no one is saying that this love is good or healthy.

Some people interpret that Kurogiri is dead, I'm honestly not interested in his character and the truth is I'm not very clear about what happened, I suppose it will be something that It will name above in the following chapters.

Midoriya showing empathy or compression for AFO? I've seen some comments saying that Midoriya's words are an attempt to show empathy towards AFO. Personally I think it’s completely wrong, if anything Izuku is telling him how small and pathetic he is, pointing out that he isn’t a demon king, he isn’t an incomprehensible monster, just a lonely man. There is no understanding or empathy but rather it’s establishing that he isn’t the terrible threat that AFO wants to think he represents but that he is ultimately a pathetic and lonely being.

AFO wanting to transmit his quirk to live in another body as a parasite, he says that Midoriya or anyone would do, this isn’t really true because although we know that a person can withstand a certain amount of quirks at some point it will fry their brain, Nagant handled her quirk well and one more, Spinner from what we saw became more irrational due to the quirk he received from AFO since his system was overloaded. So far the only one who has endured more than one quirk is Midoriya, although we can assume that he wanted to pass his quirk to another body and then if that body failed he could always look for another one.

bakugou is there, again nothing about horikoshi surprises me anymore.

Izuku and Tomura's talk, if those pathetic panels can be called that. Midoriya impassive, the only difference I find in the unofficial translations Izuku directly said he couldn’t forgive him, in the official one it isn’t so much the word forgiveness and more like he couldn't stand there just watching what he was doing. I use the official translations because 1) I don't know Japanese; 2) People usually argue that to discuss the points of story one should take the official translations. Since I don't know Japanese and the fandom is picky, I'll use these. Obviously it can be interpreted as that he can’t forgive what he did or forget it but well the truth is that I honestly don't think anything improves the talk. Tomura asking Midoriya to pass the message and telling him to tell Spinner that his convictions never changed, which it’s true I guess, although he also accepts that he couldn't destroy anything and that it may be that in the end he is that crying child that Izuku said, this line is interesting and something that a good author would surely seek to expand on, but considering that we’re talking about Horikoshi, we can leave it to the conclusion that hopefully the topic will be touched upon again or that nothing will ever be said.

Having said all the above, I imagine that there are only a few chapters left that make up a very long epilogue. At this point I doubt that Horikoshi will make a plot twist by reviving AFO a fourth time, I honestly hope not, some are talking about Tomura appearing in the form of Tenko? which at this point wouldn't fix anything either because you screwed up any chance of the save idea when you kept Izuku's plot going without a single introspective thought and ended it with him killing AFO in Tomura's body. The explanation would have to be very good to fix the shit show that was the chapter.

Some also say that Tomura isn’t dead, this is mostly because Horikoshi has used the resource of death and revived so many times that many no longer believe that he’s capable of killing a character, but I don't believe it if he’s saying goodbye, I doubt that miraculously appears alive. I would say that the chapters to come can’t be worse than this one but I fear that Horikoshi will take it as a personal challenge and do it.