@Codus:
Agreed. But isn't that a bit obvious? I mean, one of the reasons why the entrance exams was so well-executed is because even the readers didn't expect it. The old farts and kids trying to push the examinees' buttons on purpose would be a bit too obvious. I'd hope for some other unexpected criteria those kids need to fulfill, that'd make Blasty's passing all the more satisfying if he actually fulfills the hidden criteria.
True. But that depends on if Horikoshi even expects us to think this is a rescue round, and that he'll make gags and serious situations from these young and old people being obstacles in themselves through how they act. Writers like Horikoshi can seem extremely random, but clever. And that's usually because they subtly build up their twists in hindsight so that it actually makes sense. When you get used to the concepts seen in a series and the style of a writer, along with how familiar you may be with a new concept they introduce in terms of its possible real life inspirations, you can improve on how quickly you can grasp the execution the writer is going for. It's why certain people have actually become proficient in predicting what a writer like Oda can develop years or even over a decade from the point their theory forms. It's just basic observation and analysis of the creative work, and the writer can't be unpredictable all of the time with such dedicated fans and geeks of various media in general. So with something like the entrance exam, it's practically impossible to predict what could happen as readers because we were barely familiar with the plot elements, characterizations, and story themes at such an early point in the series. Not to mention that it's an action shonen, which is a genre that can often share similar story and character tropes.
With that said though, yeah, the old and young people being annoying is a bit obvious. I can agree on that point. But I don't think Horikoshi expects us to think this is a rescue mission at all. There's almost nothing suggesting there will be one from the last chapter, but seeing that there's a bunch of random individuals introduced has allowed us to discern that they might be civilians we have to rescue (since that's typically what happens when other random individuals get into the fray of hero work when they're not villains or minions). But hey, maybe he can still pull an extra twist or two. You should never underestimate the situations Horikoshi writes.
@KageKageKing:
Just take a look at Kouda. His head looks like a rock monster, but his quirk is animal communication. And there is also the kid who looks like a zombie from 1-B that makes pitfalls. It is very unlikely that their appearance and quirk are related.
Also, the various funny-looking background characters.
Kouda is a good example I didn't acknowledge. However, even though he does look like a rock monster, I was still able to buy his face just being a REALLY weird humanoid one, if that makes sense. The flesh might be shaped like a rock, but that can just be an art idiosyncrasy for the character. I still don't think it's as drastic as having a freaking beak and feathers, and on the head only for arbitrary reason genetically. Same goes for the zombie kid, it's at least humanoid and I can still buy that a fictional human under the pen of a creative artist can take liberties like that when it comes to portraying humans.
@Xanegoh:
It might just be a gimmick Hosgikori uses. Remember Habuko the snake-head girl? Her quirk was paralyzing anyone she looks at. Doesn't have anything to do with snakes, I think, so it might just be something to make characters stand out.
Like Coookie said, that is totally Medusa inspiration right there. Snake hair's pretty weird, but the fact that the face is still human and that Medusa looks human for the most part doesn't make me think it stands out that much for a normal human design designed to fit a power theme. Especially by manga/anime standards.
@King:
It's most likely just results of Quirk Marriages. Kouda looks exactly like his mother, but I doubt she has Animal Voice.
Some Quirks just make people look weird, but they don't really add anything.
Quirk marriages are definitely a possibility. And I also remember that Tsuyu's parents are frog people that look like they were drawn by Akira Toriyama lol. But at least with her, it's been stated and shown on several occasions that her Quirk is having frog anatomy and physiology.
!
But yeah, after seeing everybody's thoughts, I can buy it as both a result of Quirk Marriages and an art-style gimmick. It was probably the latter for the most part upon wanting to experiment with his character's designs. And maybe when Horikoshi considered the notion that somebody would question why characters look like human/animal hybrids (along with weird ones like Medusa girl and Kouda if they really stand out that much), he figured that having a world filled with inheritable superpowers from both parents respectively as an established fact can gloss over any holes in the suspension of disbelief.
Thanks for the feedback, everyone! I truly appreciate it.